Sander Levin

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, the voluntary public health insurance option is an important part of health care reform for a number of reasons. First, the public plan will provide a competitor for private plans that will help make the entire system more efficient and help drive down prices for everyone. Second, it provides assurance to all Americans that there will be an affordable, comprehensive health insurance plan available to them no matter where they live or work. In many places there are currently only one or two insurers people can choose from. Third and of vital importance, the public plan will have the ability to test and implement innovative methods of payment that have the potential to make the entire health care system more efficient and patient centered. The current fee-for-service structure is a fragmented system. No provider will be required to participate in the public plan, but for those who do, it's important for the public plan to be able to implement effective payment reforms for all participating providers. Allowing individual providers to negotiate their own rates and their own methods of payment with the plan will slow the vital process of moving us towards a more efficient, integrated health care system that serves both the patients and the taxpayers. Now is the time to act on health care reform, including a robust public health insurance option.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. I thank the chairman.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Chairman, section 412 of the bill provides that no funds appropriated pursuant to this act may be expended by an ``entity'' unless that entity agrees to comply with the Buy American Act. The Buy American Act is part of a longstanding U.S. trade policy. That policy requires reciprocity in Federal Government procurement. Since 1979, the U.S. has agreed to open its procurement market to countries that agree to open their procurement markets to U.S. suppliers. That same policy requires the United States to not grant access to countries that are unwilling to agree to open their procurement markets to U.S. suppliers. I believe that the intent of section 412 is to be consistent with that policy. Its intent is not to expand the scope of the Buy American Act, such as to cover businesses or other ``entities'' that may receive funding under this appropriations bill and that are not currently subject to the act. I also understand that section 412 is not intended to create an inconsistency with our international obligations, including our obligations under the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement. If I might, I will now yield to the chairman for clarification.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the pay-as-you-go legislation before the House. Across the length and breadth of this country, Americans are making some tough choices when it comes to their families' spending. They are tightening their belts and deferring major purchases. When they do buy something, consumers are increasingly choosing to pay for it with cash. A similar choice is before the House today. Over the last eight years, Congress has dug itself a deep budget hole. The choice before us is whether to take a necessary step to stem the tide of red ink, or continue to pay lip service to the problem and dig the hole deeper. It is disingenuous to suggest that the deficit problem began recently with the financial crisis and the recession. At the end of the 1990s, the federal government was balanced. We were actually running large budget surpluses and paying down the national debt. The pay-as-you-go rules that were in effect throughout the 1990s deserve a lot of credit. These rules simply said that Congress could only spend money for tax cuts and entitlement spending programs if they were fully paid for with savings elsewhere in the budget. In 2002, the pay-as-you-go rules expired and the Republican-led Congress and the Bush Administration refused to extend them. Instead, the Administration and Congress went on a massive spending and tax cut spree. We all know the result. The public debt nearly doubled under the previous Administration, rising from $3.4 trillion in 2001 to $6.3 trillion on January 20, 2009. We need to get back to commonsense budgeting. We know these rules work. Others will try and change the subject and say that runaway tax cuts are not the problem. The House needs to reject this argument and restore budget discipline where it is needed most.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this joint resolution which extends and renews the import ban on products of Burma under the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003. The joint resolution is necessary because the troubling human rights conditions in Burma persist, and thus renewal of the import ban is warranted. Burma's military junta continues to be one of the world's most repression and abusive regimes. And while some have voiced concerns about the effectiveness of unilateral sanctions, Burma remains a major violator of basic human rights, which is why it is so important to renew the import ban for another year. For over 45 years, Burma has been under the rule of authoritarian military regimes, all dominated by the majority Burman ethnic group. Not only have these military rulers suppressed democracy, but they have continually denied basic human rights to their own citizens. The Burma regime continues to hold Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest. She has been detained for 14 of the last 20 years and is currently on trial because an uninvited American swam to her lakeside home in May of this year. Most expect that she will be found guilty of violating the terms of her house arrest, extending her detention, and giving the junta an excuse to hold her through next year's elections. Burma's legal system is a mockery to justice and to democratic principles. In addition to the wrongful detention and the current sham trial of Suu Kyi, nearly 2,000 additional political prisoners are being held, most without ever being formally charged. The military regime continues the practice of arbitrarily arresting and detaining regular citizens and pro-democracy activists. This past weekend, at least 50 members of the opposition National League for Democracy party were participating in the official ceremony marking the death of General Aung San, the country's independence hero. These political activists were released later in the day. Other activists are not so fortunate. They often disappear for days, weeks and months, and some may never return. In prison they are subjected to physical abuse, receive little food, lack clean water and are refused sufficient medical care. They suffer, and so do their families, who may never discover the fate of their loved ones. But Burma's disregard for basic human rights extends far beyond its prison's walls. Violence and ethnic discrimination against children, women and ethnic minorities continue unabated. For instance, there have been a number of reports of Burmese soldiers raping and killing teenage girls of the Karen minority. Those who commit these despicable acts are rarely, if ever, brought to justice by this repressive regime. Additionally, workers' rights remain restricted; women and girls continue to be subjected to trafficking for purposes of prostitution; and children are often forced into military service. Forced labor is frequently used to support military operations and infrastructure. Villagers are forced to build and repair military camps, often with materials they must buy or provide themselves. It is Burma's suppression of democratic principles such as freedom of speech and assembly, and the regime's refusal to provide basic human rights, that leads me to urge my colleagues to extend the ban on the import of Burmese products for another year. I commend Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Secretary General Ban Ki- Moon for their recent statements calling on the junta to end its oppression, and I hope that nations around the world, and in particular China and India and the ASEAN member countries, will work with the United States to pressure the Burmese military regime to embrace reform and address its troubling human rights record. Secretary Clinton's attendance at this week's ASEAN summit presents an important opportunity to renew this work. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 56) approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent earlier today attending a meeting at the White House and was therefore not present during rollcall votes 538 to 542. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 538 to order the previous question on H. Res. 645, ``yea'' on rollcall vote 539 on agreeing to H. Res. 645, ``yea'' on rollcall vote 540 to approve H.R. 1044, ``yea'' on rollcall vote 541 to approve H.R. 934, and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 542 to pass H.R. 762.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, last Thursday I attended an event back home in Michigan where a coalition of community organizations came together and committed to delivering 575,000 meals to those in need this summer in southeast Michigan. The Ford Foundation and two Ford dealerships provided new mobile pantries. Gleaners Community Food Bank, Forgotten Harvest, and the United Way are partnering to ensure that the pantries will be fully stocked and sent to the areas which need it the most. The need for assistance in our country is staggering. In southeast Michigan 600,000 people are at risk of hunger. Food banks and pantries nationwide are seeing a 30 percent increase in demand for emergency food assistance, with some food banks reporting as high as a 65 percent increase in need, according to Feeding America. An astonishing 72 percent of food banks report that they are not able to adequately meet the needs of their communities without adjusting the amount of food distributed due to rising unemployment and food prices. The federal government has a vital role to play in providing emergency food assistance. We provided some relief in the Recovery Act earlier this year. The Agriculture Appropriation bill before the House continues this investment by providing a 10 percent increase to the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food aid program as well as a $19.6 million increase for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. I want to highlight the Commodity Supplemental Food Program because it reaches out to low-income seniors--a group of people who too often fall through the cracks of our food safety net. The program, which has 41,000 monthly participants in southeast Michigan, comes from a partnership between the government and local community organizations. Ninety-three percent of CSFP participants are seniors and many who receive delivery of their food packages are unable to leave their homes. The food packages, as well as the visit from the volunteer, are important in assisting them to maintain their independence and a healthier lifestyle. Under this bill, the CSFP will be able to increase the number of eligible individuals who participate for the first time since 2003. The program, which currently operates in only 32 states, will expand to six new states, some of which have programs and seniors that have been waiting for six years. The program will grow in Michigan and overall expand from 475,000 participants to 622,000. Much more must be done. I will introduce legislation soon that will provide an additional incentive for farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and restaurateurs to donate wholesome food to food banks and pantries to replenish the shelves for hungry Americans. According to a report released by USDA last November, 36.2 million Americans, including 12.4 million children, are food insecure. The report paints a stark picture of the pervasiveness of hunger in our nation, a picture that has only grown worse as the recession has deepened since the report data was collected in 2007. Hunger puts our children's health, learning, and development at risk; hunger causes unnecessary pain and suffering on already stressed working poor families, and hunger causes our elderly to make difficult choices between buying food or medicine. I applaud the work of the community organizations who work tirelessly to alleviate hunger, and the Appropriations Committee for providing them with more resources. Hunger poses a real threat to our children, seniors, and everyone in our communities. Our progress is important, but we cannot stop here.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Action on climate change is a policy, indeed, a moral imperative. Prompt action is a vital part of our legacy to the Nation, and to our children and grandchildren. As we act, we can and must ensure that the U.S. energy-intensive industries are not placed at a competitive disadvantage by nations that have not made a similar commitment to reduce greenhouse gases. After discussions between the Energy and Commerce and the Ways and Means Committees and the administration, we have developed reasonable and effective provisions which involve the President and the Congress in taking action--no more than necessary--to ensure that this important legislation is trade-neutral for our energy-intensive industries. We want to see a meaningful international agreement. If we are unable to do so through an international agreement, this legislation ensures that the U.S. will avoid carbon leakage in its energy-intensive and trade-sensitive industries. There are some critics--and we may hear from them today--who claim that these changes make the bill subject to trade challenges. They are wrong. Just today, the World Trade Organization and the U.N. Environment Program issued a report which confirms that ``WTO rules do not trump environmental requirements.''

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of an important community leader and a good friend, Charles M. Chambers, who passed away on Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Mr. Chambers served from 1993 to 2006 as Lawrence Technological University's fifth president and as the University's first chancellor from February 1, 2006 to July 1, 2006, when he was named president emeritus. His dedication to higher education and technology reshaped the business acumen at Lawrence Tech and allowed the University to enjoy unprecedented fund acquisition to enhance curriculum and facilities throughout the campus. During his tenure, Chambers lead the institution in investing millions of dollars in upgrading older facilities on the University's 102-acre campus. In addition, the University constructed several new facilities, including the University Technology and Learning Center, the Student Housing Center-North, the A. Alfred Taubman Student Services Center, and the Center for Innovative Materials Research. Growth and expansion of applied research and academic offerings accelerated during his presidency, including the launch of Lawrence Tech's first doctoral programs and the establishment of learning centers and higher education partnerships elsewhere in Michigan, Canada, Germany, Mexico, and Asia. Dr. Chambers' career accomplishments are testaments of his passion for revitalizing the scientific community and enhancing higher education. In the 1960s, he was an aerospace engineer with NASA, where he participated in the Apollo space program. He was president of the American Foundation for Biological Sciences, a consortium of over fifty scientific laboratories, museums, and societies. In addition, he served on the faculties of Harvard University, the University of Alabama, and George Washington University, where he was a dean for graduate evening programs. Dr. Chambers was also involved in economic development initiatives for southeast Michigan. A founding director of Oakland County's Automation Alley, he also served on the advisory board of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit Renaissance Steering Committee, the Oakland County Workforce Development Board, the WIRED (Workforce Investment for Regional Economic Development) and the Education Foundation of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He was also a member of the Oakland County Business Roundtable. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Chambers, a genuine leader in the field of education, science and technology. I join with the Chambers family, and the extended family of Lawrence Technological University, in mourning his loss, celebrating his life, and paying tribute to him for all the good work he did for others.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. I want to talk about a clearly necessary provision in this bill, the fleet modernization provision; but I do want to say just two things briefly to comment on what has been said here by the minority. I really think they are looking for reasons to vote ``no'' no matter how illegitimate they are. Regarding this issue of the release of photos, the President has said, ``I will continue to take every legal and administrative remedy available to me to ensure the DOD detainee photographs are not released.'' Secondly, on the IMF, a commitment was made at the G-20, and this carries out the U.S. commitment. It is not a believable position to vote ``no'' on this bill for that reason. But I want to say a few words about the fleet modernization proposal that Representative Sutton, who is here, has worked so hard on with a large number of people. There is clearly a crisis in the automotive industry. The administration has stepped up to the plate with a plan. That plan is being implemented. It's very difficult. There is a lot of pain involved. It's being carried out. What hasn't happened effectively is work on the demand side. That's what's lagging here. Sales were down very substantially these last several years. There was an uptick in May, but still the annualized level is far below even a few years ago. And the sales are down not only for the domestic industry but also for the transplants: for Toyota, down 41 percent from last May; Honda, 42 percent; Nissan, 33 percent. So there is an effort to make sure there is effective restructuring for the domestic industry. We have to work on the demand side, and this today answers that need: a voucher for consumers worth $3,500 to $4,500 to help them pay for more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. It will incentivize approximately 1 million new car and truck purchases. So anybody who votes ``no'' on this supplemental is voting ``no'' on this provision, and that would be a serious mistake. It is critical that this Nation retain a strong domestic auto industry, and this effort on the demand side is a critical piece of that effort.

Mr. LEVIN. This has not been an easy effort. There have been disagreements in different ways to go about it. And I simply want to say to those who have been in the lead, and especially to Representative Sutton, this would not have happened without the dedication of herself and others who have been determined that there be continued, in this country, a strong domestic auto industry. It's that clear. Other countries have stepped up to the plate. They have provided support. This is now a necessary implementation of this effort. So I plead with people on the minority side to listen, to step up to the plate, to not look for arguments or excuses to duck. There is no ducking the need for a strong domestic automotive industry, not only for Ohio, not only for Michigan, not only for Illinois, not only for Indiana, but for the entire United States of America.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I stand with so many of my colleagues today in condemnation of yesterday's appalling attack at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the tragic death of Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns, who was killed in the line of duty. Bigotry, racism and intolerance must be condemned wherever they occur, but especially at a memorial to the Holocaust that challenges visitors to confront hatred and promote human dignity. The Holocaust Museum is a hollowed symbol of the cost of this type of hatred to all of humanity. The Museum teaches millions of people about the dangers of unchecked hatred. We do not need further examples of hate and prejudice within its walls--or anywhere else. The events of yesterday serve as a reminder that the Museum, and all of us, have more work to do to confront hatred and intolerance in our society. I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting for the resolution and also in expressing condolences to the family of Officer Johns.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. No, that's fine. I may yield back, but this is true bipartisanship. We all know there's a major restructuring of the auto industry going on as we are here today, and there is a very simple truth: If there is not increased demand, that restructuring cannot succeed. And I think only rigid ideologues would say it's impossible to stimulate demand. There has been a historic drop in demand for vehicles in this country. It's about one-half of what it was not so long ago. And it remains true globally. This is not only a national phenomenon; it's a global phenomenon. Other countries have acted. And I salute Representative Sutton and all who have worked on this to step up to the plate for the basic manufacturing base of the United States of America.

Mr. LEVIN. Let me thank Mr. Upton. I assume I'm using 2 of his minutes.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 489) recognizing the twentieth anniversary of the suppression of protesters and citizens in and around Tiananmen Square in Beijing, People's Republic of China, on June 3 and 4, 1989 and expressing sympathy to the families of those killed, tortured, and imprisoned in connection with the democracy protests in Tiananmen Square and other parts of China on June 3 and 4, 1989 and thereafter.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I now yield myself as much time as I may consume. This resolution recognizes the 20th anniversary of the suppression of Chinese protesters and citizens in Tiananmen Square. Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are fundamental human rights that belong to all people and are recognized as such under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In the last 20 years since Tiananmen Square, the significance of the U.S.-China relationship has grown dramatically on a variety of foreign policy issues and on our economic relationships. In pursuing these relations successfully, a key challenge has been to find the right combination of pursuit of basic American values. That was a challenge in consideration of trade relations with China in its accession to the WTO. There was incorporated in the legislation before Congress in 2000 the creation of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China to pursue issues relating to human rights, including labor rights and the rule of law. The commission has actively engaged on these issues and has issued a comprehensive report every year since its inception. When peaceful protesters gathered in Beijing's Tiananmen Square and in over 100 other Chinese cities, it represented a burst of freedom. They called for the elimination of corruption and the acceleration of economic and political reforms, especially freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. These protesters included not only students but also government employees, journalists, workers, police and members of China's armed forces. People peacefully filled the square until thousands of armed forces moved in, surrounding the demonstrators. On June 4, 1989, soldiers fired directly into the crowds outside of Tiananmen Square, killing and injuring unarmed civilians. The exact number of the dead and wounded remains unknown. The wounded are estimated to have numbered at least in the hundreds. Detentions at the time were in the thousands. Some political prisoners still languish in Chinese prisons. We today express our sympathy to the relatives and friends of those killed and injured on that day, and we stand with them as we honor the memory of those whose lives were lost and those who continue to suffer today. Let us be absolutely clear: this resolution asks nothing of China that is inconsistent with commitments to international standards to which China, in principle, has already agreed. We ask of China's leaders full and independent investigations into the Tiananmen Square crackdown with a full commitment to openness, and we call on Chinese authorities to release those individuals imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their internationally recognized rights. We call on Chinese authorities to end the harassment and detention of those who were involved in the 1989 protests and to end the harassment and detention of those who continue to advocate peacefully for political reform. I encourage my colleagues to support those in China who demand an accounting of the events of June 4, 1989, and to express support for those advocating for accountable and democratic governance in China. In closing, let me note that two decades ago, the Chinese people stood up at Tiananmen, but China's leaders ordered them to stand down. Many defied that order, choosing instead to remain faithful to their aspirations. The world took note, and we today preserve that memory for history. I reserve the balance of my time. The Chairman of the committee will take over the remainder of the time. I salute him, if I might, for his work and that of the ranking member on the committee and all of those who joined in supporting this resolution.

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I support the supplemental funding bill that is before the House today, and urge my colleagues to join me in voting for it. A lot has changed since the last time Congress debated funding for the ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan eleven months ago. Earlier this year, President Obama stated that we will begin to draw down our forces in Iraq and complete the removal of combat troops by August 2010. Further, the President has also announced a new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The plan acknowledges our national interest in combating terrorism and the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan and the need for stability in the region, especially with regard to safeguarding Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. At the same time, the President's plan correctly recognizes that we need a comprehensive strategy that does not rely on U.S. military force alone. The President's plan therefore calls for increased resources to build schools, roads and hospitals, and strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The strategy also calls for greater dialogue, intelligence sharing, and border cooperation between the U.S., Afghanistan and Pakistan. The challenges before us are formidable, but I think we need to give President Obama's strategy a chance to work. This bill begins the effort by providing funding for the training of Afghan and Pakistani security forces as well as funds for economic development, strengthening governance, expanding the rule of law, and boosting our diplomatic efforts in the region. One thing that hasn't changed is the imperative to provide our troops in the field with the equipment and support they need to protect themselves and accomplish their mission. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this important bill.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the National Water Research and Development Initiative Act. There is a tendency to take the availability of clean drinking water for granted. Even in a state like Michigan, which is surrounded by water, we have become increasingly aware that the Great Lakes are a finite resource. To that end, the eight Great Lakes states came together last year and adopted a compact to manage and protect the Lakes. With the approval of the Great Lakes Compact by Congress, at long last we closed the door to bulk diversion of Great Lakes water. The Compact also establishes a comprehensive management framework to protect this shared resource and requires Great Lake states to control their own large-scale water use. In other parts of the Nation, it is clear that water supplies are under increasing stress. Drought, population increases; and growing demand has resulted in water shortages in many areas, and these shortages are expected to become more pronounced over time. Currently, more than 20 federal agencies carry out research on water, water quality, and water management. The bill before the House will begin to coordinate national research and development efforts on water to provide the tools and information to manage water resources more effectively. I want to make clear that nothing in this legislation authorizes, encourages or mentions water diversion from the Great Lakes. That is off the table. What is under discussion today is better coordination of programs that already exist to improve federal activities on water, involving research, data collection, modeling, education and the development of technology to enhance water quality and supply. As much as any other region, the Great Lakes states stand to benefit from more effective use of federal water research and development dollars. Let me also express my support for the amendment offered by Representatives Kirk and Quigley which requires the National Water Research and Assessment Plan established in this legislation to include long-term projections of water levels and ice cover of major water bodies, especially the Great Lakes. The loss of winter ice on the Lakes results in faster evaporation of the water. We need better data to understand the decline of ice cover in the Great Lakes and the impact this decline has on water levels in the Lakes. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent on April 1 during rollcall votes 175 through 182. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 175 to table H. Res. 312; ``yea'' on rollcall vote 176 on agreeing to H. Res. 305; ``yea'' on rollcall vote 177 on agreeing to H. Res. 306; ``yea'' on rollcall vote 178 on passage of H. R. 1575; ``yea'' on rollcall vote 179 on agreeing to H. Res. 290; ``nay'' on rollcall vote 180 on agreeing to the Bean amendment to H. R. 1664; and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 182 on passage of H. R. 1664. On April 2, I was absent for rollcall 187, final passage of H.R. 1256. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my good friend, Dr. Jim Jacobs, as he is inaugurated as the Fifth President of Macomb Community College. Jim has the creative intelligence, passion, in-depth knowledge of the challenges facing Michigan, and collaborative energy to lead this fine institution through these next vital years of economic transformation for our State's businesses, workers and communities. Jim Jacobs has more than 40 years of experience at Macomb Community College. He began teaching economics in 1967 and continued teaching both economics and political science for sixteen years before leading efforts to establish both the Tech Prep and Machinist Training institutes. Jim Jacobs has a vast array of expertise in the areas of occupational change and technology, suburban economic development, occupational education, retraining of displaced workers and needs assessment of occupational programs. He has played a significant role in these areas at the national, state and local level, both conducting and publishing research and developing programs. Jim Jacobs is the past president of the National Council for Workforce Education, a national post-secondary organization of occupational education and workforce development specialists. He served on the team that assisted the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth in the development of Reshaping Michigan's Workforce: An Action Plan of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth. He was also part of the research staff and a report writer for Lt. Governor John Cherry's Commission on Higher Education & Economic Growth. At the local level, Jim Jacobs is viewed by many as the authoritative voice on the economic climate in Macomb County. Each January for the past 23 years, Jim Jacobs has presented his economic forecast for Macomb County to an often sell-out crowd of business, government and civic leaders. He has also served on a number of community boards, including Peoples State Bank, Macomb Inter-Faith Action Center, United Way and St. John Hospital, and is a member of the board of directors of the Community College Research Center, New York. I have had the pleasure of working with Jim Jacobs on numerous projects over the years. Including, school-to-work efforts, the redevelopment of the Tank Plant property (the local committee was co- chaired by Jim), worker re-training, and the impact of trade and monetary policies. On a whole range of issues, Jim is always available with wise and thoughtful insights and the economic statistics to make his case. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. Jim Jacobs as he assumes this important position. With his immense skills and masterful understanding of the local area he and the community college will play a key role in continuing efforts to revolutionize the work force in Macomb County to prosper in this new economy.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, it's interesting to hear the debate from the other side. I guess some are going to vote ``yes,'' and I hope the vast majority will, after trying to make political points. This isn't the time for that. We are in the midst of a national economic crisis. Almost 4\1/2\ million jobs lost during this recession, homes are being lost. I think everybody has to participate in the solution and no one should exploit it. In one bonus payment, these executives, who worked in the division that helped bring about the havoc, are taking home more money than 99 percent of Americans take home in a year. The head of AIG has suggested their returning the bonuses. They should. And if they don't, we're taking action. We have the authority under the Tax Code not to punish but to protect the taxpayers of the United States of America. That's what we are doing today, and we should pass this overwhelmingly.

Mr. LEVIN

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, one year ago, a wave of protests began in Lhasa and swept across the Tibetan Plateau. In the time since, the Chinese government has pursued policies that demonstrate a failure to live up to its commitments to its ethnic minority citizens--commitments that are well-documented and unmistakable. Chinese law includes protections for the distinctive culture, language and identity of ethnic minority citizens. China's Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law, for example, guarantees ethnic minorities the ``right to administer their internal affairs.'' Specifically, the term ``regional ethnic autonomy,'' as the law itself defines it, ``reflects the state's full respect for ethnic minorities' right to administer their internal affairs.'' Over the past year, the actions of the Chinese government have reflected neither ``the state's full respect'' of ethnic minority rights, nor of human rights standards recognized in both Chinese and international law. On January 19, 2009, the People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region established a new holiday called ``Serfs'' Emancipation Day.'' As the Congressional-Executive Commission on China has reported, this new holiday commemorates the March 28, 1959, Chinese government decree that dissolved the Dalai Lama's Lhasa-based Tibetan government. The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Region People's Congress said the new holiday would ``strengthen Tibetans' patriotism.'' He also said that officials had met to ``ensure that all people mark the occasion with festivities.'' Chinese officials have required Tibetans to celebrate the end of the Dalai Lama's government, and, by implication, his departure from Tibet fifty years ago. This is how the Chinese government demonstrates its commitment to ``the state's full respect for ethnic minorities' right to administer their internal affairs.'' For the last several weeks, international media organizations have reported that Chinese authorities have been closing Tibetan areas to foreign reporters and travelers. Last month, China's Central Propaganda Bureau and State Ethnic Affairs Commission publicized a document titled ``An Outline Concerning Propaganda Education on the Party and State's Ethnic Policy.'' As the Congressional-Executive Commission on China has reported, this document calls for resisting ``international hostile forces raising the banner of such things as `ethnicity,' `religion,' and `human rights' to carry out westernization and separatist activities toward our country.'' Let us be absolutely clear: Tibetan grievances exist not as a result of foreign influence. Tibetan grievances exist for one reason and one reason only: in spite of what the Chinese government has written in its laws, in practice it has created an ethnic autonomy system that denies fundamental rights to ethnic minorities. This could not be clearer than it has become over the last year. The time for change is now. I repeat today what I stated in this chamber nearly one year ago: protest activity that results in the destruction of property or death of anyone, whether Tibetan or non- Tibetan, is unacceptable in any context. But the harshness with which the Chinese government has handled affairs over the last year across the Tibetan plateau and in other ethnic minority regions of China-- harshness that Chinese officials have sought to justify as being necessary to preserve stability--has revealed instead a level of hostility toward China's ethnic minority citizens not seen in decades, and has heightened fears for Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other ethnic minority peoples in China. The Congressional-Executive Commission on China has tracked policies that undercut protections for ethnic minority languages that are stipulated in Chinese law. Measures to promote Mandarin-focused ``bilingual'' education in schools in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, for example, have resulted in language requirements that disadvantage ethnic minority teachers. These and other job hiring and labor practices are part of a broader set of policies that restrict ethnic minority rights, and that illustrate the Chinese government's failure to abide by commitments as set forth in China's own Constitution and laws. Article 4 of the Chinese Constitution and Article 9 of China's Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law, for example, both forbid discrimination based on ethnicity. Article 12 of China's Labor Law and Article 3 of China's new Employment Promotion Law state that job applicants shall not face discrimination in job hiring based on factors including ethnicity, and Article 28 of China's new Employment Contract Law states that all ethnicities enjoy equal labor rights. The Chinese government seems to protect some aspects of ethnic minority rights in communities that are not perceived to challenge state policies. But shortcomings in both the substance and the implementation of Chinese policies toward ethnic minorities prevent ethnic minority citizens from fully enjoying the rights that the Chinese government itself plainly and openly has said are guaranteed under China's own laws, and under international legal standards. A wide range of public policy areas today present challenges that are pressing and real, but concerns in other policy areas do not eclipse the Chinese government's abuses of law and its ongoing violations of the fundamental rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs and other ethnic minority citizens of China, and of Han Chinese citizens as well. I would urge all of my colleagues to take full advantage of the resources available to the public on the web site of the Congressional- Executive Commission on China--www.cecc.gov_and to make use of the Commission's analysis of developments as they unfold in Tibetan areas, and across China. The Commission monitors and reports continuously on human rights and the rule of law in China, and I encourage all to check the Commission's web site regularly for updates, to subscribe to the on-line newsletter, and to rely on the Commission's published reports to keep up with developments in China. Finally, the resolution of Tibetan grievances can occur only with direct talks between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama. As China plays an increasingly important role in the international community, other countries will appropriately assess China's fulfillment of the commitments it has made in both Chinese and international law, including legal and constitutional commitments to ethnic minorities. The international spotlight remains on China. We hope that the Chinese government will welcome such attention with a full commitment to openness, and to the implementation of basic human rights.