John Larson

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act, H.R. 3839. It is my hope that this legislation will enhance current abuse programs and serve as a pivotal step in preventing and treating family violence. The Keeping Children and Families Safe Act reauthorizes the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, Adoption Opportunities Program and the Abandoned Infants Assistance Program through fiscal year 2007, as well as certain programs under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. I am particularly pleased to see an increase in funding for the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. A majority of the funding, $120 million, will be used for formula grants to improve child protection services such as professional training, abuse prevention, and treatment, case management, and investigation and prosecution. In addition, it provides for $80 million for community-based family resource and support grants. Child abuse is a serious public health problem. In 1999, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that Child Prevention Services (CPS) agencies received over 2.9 million reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. Ultimately, 826,000 children were found to be victims of abuse and neglect after investigation. That means that out of every 1,000 children, 12 are abused. Even more alarming are some surveys that indicate that as many as 49 out of 1,000 children may be physically abused, and child abuse is on the rise. The National Incidents Studies found that since 1988, all forms of abuse and neglect--sexual, physical, and emotional--have risen at least 42 percent, while some individual types of neglect have risen over 300 percent. Unfortunately, funding for neither the CAPTA nor the CPS agencies has kept pace with the scope of the problem. For the past 10 years, the Child Abuse Prevention and treatment Act has been funded at low levels representing only half of its authorized levels. Additionally, the National Child Abuse Coalition estimates that current spending in federal, state, and local dollars for child protective services falls short by about $2.56 billion of the estimated $5.215 billion total cost, which in turn puts our children in a position for abuse and neglect. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act should be the core source of funding for child protective services; but it is not. Last year, CAPTA programs received only $48 million for state grants and $33 million for prevention grants. I am encouraged by both this year's authorization for CAPTA and by the reauthorization levels put forth by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act. The authorization for FY03 for CAPTA is increased to $100 million for state grants and $66 million for prevention. I applaud the Members of the House Committee on Education for recognizing the need for increases for these important programs and allowing H.R. 3839 to come before us. By dramatically increasing the funding levels for the CAPTA, the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act demonstrates our commitment and willingness here in Congress to help protect our children. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize a dear friend of mine, Eva Bunelle, who like many other people abused as children, has only recently come forward. She is a dauntless defender and advocate for children. In revealing her experience and compelling story, she seeks no remedy for herself, but only for those children she hopes can be spared from the horrors that she persevered through. I commend Eva Bunelle for her courage and strength, and I thank the National Child Abuse Coalition for lending their support and resources to this great champion; Her voice can now be heard louder and clearer than ever. Mr. Speaker, child abuse and family violence are all too common. It is time to remedy this horrific evil that plagues our society. While the deep roots of family violence are not easily unearthed, I believe this legislation before us will provide some of the necessary tools to help prevent further instances of abuse and help those who are already victims. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 26,000 employees of Arthur Andersen who are facing great uncertainty as the Department of Justice pursues its federal obstruction of justice charges. In the State of Connecticut, Andersen employs more than 500 and in my District, over 300 are employed in the Hartford office. These hardworking employees are facing the possibility of layoffs and general insecurity about the future of the company to whom they have dedicated themselves. Walking around Capitol Hill, I have witnessed the sea of yellow shirts that signify the faithful Andersen employees who are pleading their innocence. I have met face-to-face with the Andersen employees in my District and I am impressed by their loyalty and resolve. These employees have done nothing but come to work everyday and perform their duties. Despite their uncertain future, they still do. I could understand why they might feel betrayed by a select few who made poor decisions in a city two thousand miles away. However, they still serve their customers with the same professionalism as they did before Enron became a household name. I would like to offer my praise to Hartford's Andersen office for being a solid corporate citizen in our community. Employees proudly proclaim that they donated nearly $100,000 last year to the United Way, contributed to Hartford's ``Dress for Success'' program to provide professional attire to those moving from welfare to work, volunteered on two Habitat for Humanity projects, and gave $160,000 to local civic organizations. Their thankless contributions should now be recognized. I wish that I could offer Andersen employees my assurances that their jobs will be safe and their company will rebound. However, I can offer my support and encouragement for work well done in good times and bad. I can offer my thanks for charitable contributions to our community. And I can ask my colleagues to join me in this endeavor and reach out to the innocent Andersen employees in their districts. Let them know that their hard work is appreciated and that their community will not abandon them during this difficult period.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the 2002 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Women's Basketball National Champions, the University of Connecticut Huskies. On Sunday, March 31, the Lady Huskies completed their perfect season with an 82-70 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners, finishing with a record of 39-0. Of the five starters, four of them were seniors: Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Tamika Williams, and Asjha Jones. Over their four years at the University of Connecticut, the team had a record of 136-9, made three Final Fours, and won two National Championships. They were only the fourth team in women's college basketball history to complete a season undefeated, tying the record for the most wins in a season. The team had an average margin of victory of 35.4 points and never trailed in the second half of a basketball game. Members of team won various awards this season. Senior Sue Bird won the Wade Trophy for National Women's Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year, and was selected for AP First Team All-America Honors. Swin Cash and sophomore Diana Taurasi were selected to the All- America Second Team, Asjha Jones made the All-America Third Team, and Tamika Williams received Honorable Mention All-America. Coach Geno Auriemma was selected as Naismith Coach of the Year and 2002 Russell Athletic/WBCA Division I National Coach of the Year. Commentators for women's college basketball claim that this Husky basketball team is the best team in the history of women's college basketball. While the Huskies tend to shy away from that statement, opponents tend to agree with those in the media. I believe the ultimate compliment was paid to this team when Pat Summitt, coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols, an archrival of the Huskies, responded if she was relieved to see these four seniors graduating by saying: ``[Geno's] done a great job with them and they're big play people all across the board. And what I really admire about this Connecticut team is how hard they play and how inspired they are in every possession. I did not recall seeing a player not play hard every possession. And that speaks for their character and what they brought to the court tonight against us. But I may go to the graduation and cheer. You think they'll let me go? I might be there.'' I would like to extend my personal congratulations to the UConn Lady Husky basketball team. The entire State of Connecticut is proud of the Husky team, who has helped turn Connecticut into the center of women's college basketball. I would also like to extend my best wishes to the four graduating seniors, and I am confident that they will be successful in their future endeavors. I am also submitting for the Record an article by Randy Smith of the Journal Inquirer, who captured the essence of the team and their outstanding coaches. [From the Journal Inquirer, Apr. 8, 2002] Away From Arena, All Bets Off For Huskies (By Randy Smith) There are many beautiful elements attached to the University of Connecticut women's basketball program, but none is more essential. That is the first stone upon which everything else has been built. When a young basketball player honors the game, she, in turn, honors herself and the uniform she wears. As soon as players step over the lines and away from the arena, all bets are off. UConn's undefeated national champions took swipes at one another and laughed their way around the streets of Hartford during a parade Saturday, witnessed by throngs of people estimated at 150,000. When Diana Taurasi egged on the crowd while coach Geno Auriemma was trying to speak at the state capitol, he wondered aloud if the WNBA could make an exception and draft Taurasi, say, in the next five minutes. The crowd booed. The energy these people emit is contagious. They are constantly on the go. They smiled and waved and signed autographs and said thank you a million times. The spotlight agrees with them. Lord knows, they earned it. They played hard, had fun, and won 'em all. Stop and think. When was the last time you did anything successfully 39 times in a row? I'm not sure if I could count from one to 39 successfully 39 straight times. I'm bound to skip, say, a 23. The first thing Auriemma did, it's worth remembering, was thank his staff. Because of his position and the power of his personality, he is the main character in all of this, but couldn't be who he is or do what he does without a strong supporting cast. Associate head coach Chris Dailey has worked alongside him for 17 years. She is as demanding as he is, and sometimes, even more so. A diligent sentry who stands guard on the whole concept of ``Connecticut basketball,'' Dailey is part-coach, part-educator, and part-den mother. Problems, big or small, go through her. Tonya Cardoza, in her eighth year, and Jamelle Elliott, in her fifth, are bright and tireless. The closer one gets to the women's program, he is struck by two revelations: how good they are at playing the game of basketball and how much fun they seem to have together both on and off the court. The team's signature is a smile. Auriemma hinted that Hartford's fourth parade in eight years--three for women's national champions and one for UConn's men--may not be the last. ``My guess is we might be here again down the road,'' he said. If there is another shindig at the Capitol, organizers would be wise to get a smaller podium or a taller coach. The only people who could see Auriemma were behind him. Those in the bleacher seats probably thought they were listening to the voice of God, although chants of ``Geno, Geno'' indicated otherwise. This year, he was Cortez in Mexico. Upon landing there, the 16th-century Spanish conqueror burned all ships to send a message to his troops that there was no turning back. In a town built, in large part, on remembering the Alamo, Auriemma instructed his team to remember St. Louis and last year's loss to Notre Dame in a national semifinal game. After eliminating Tennessee and reaching the national championship game, Auriemma delivered a Cortez-like message to his team in San Antonio. ``I told them about Mt. Everest,'' he said. ``in the last 500 yards, everybody dies.'' The thought made him roll his eyes. ``Man, you've got to keep coming up with things,'' he said. Auriemma was guilty of coaches-speak when he said there was no pressure on UConn to win. Part of a coach's job is to absorb as much pressure as he can and prevent it from seeping into his team's locker room. Auriemma is good at it. Before the Tennessee game, he said, ``I'm the most nervous man in America.'' Before meeting Oklahoma in the national title game, he openly worried that fate and the elements might be conspiring against UConn. He understood that there was only one way out for this senior-laden group. They had to win them all. Knockers were everywhere, ready to pounce. Kelli Anderson wrote, ``UConn is a perennial favorite that has won just one title in the last six years,'' in the March 18th edition of Sports Illustrated. How's that for revisionist history? Presumably, a half-dozen or more editors read the copy without bothering to change it. UConn had won two titles in seven years and now has won three titles in eight, finishing undefeated twice. The Huskies sure went from 1-of-6 to 3-of-8 in an awful hurry, didn't they? Like most of his players, Auriemma enjoys his time on a national stage. ``We're ready, that's all I can tell you,'' he said upon arrival in San Antonio. ``Players decide games'' and ``I'm always amazed when players do what I tell them'' were a couple of his other nuggets. He relishes his time with media and rarely holds anything back. ``My biggest strength is I give you guys a lot to write about and my biggest weakness is I give you guys a lot to write about,'' he said. ``Like a lot of people, my greatest strength is my greatest weakness.'' Connecticut state troopers shaded the rules by getting autographs at a third-floor press conference in the Capitol after the parade. Players signed the inside brims of their hats. If a chief back at the barracks asked the troopers to remove their hats to show him how they had spent their day, there would have been a whole of pump-faking going on. Hartford police, meanwhile, walked the women's team from the capitol, underneath the Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch to the P-3 level of the Civic Center to watch the Phoenix WBCA All-America High School Game. Try as they did to sneak in the back door, the women were greeted by a standing ovation from more than 10,000 fans. Applause wanes. Appreciation of a 39-0 national champion team never will. And neither will those jabs that seem to keep everybody in place and everything in its proper order. ``I've been around Geno for 17 years,'' Dailey said. ``I don't think he's funny, charming, or good-looking. And you can quote me.'' Nothing is sacred except the game.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise to submit this poem written by Robert Graveline, a constituent of mine from Rocky Hill, Connecticut. September Eleven Two Thousand One September Eleven The Date, The Year, Two Thousand One. Early That Tuesday Morning, World Towers Came Undone. Peace And Pride Were Shattered, By A Fanatic Few, Thousands Died In Terror; They Did Not Have A Clue. Emergency Workers Hurried, To This Place Of Death, Where Men And Women Both--Would Draw Their Final Breath. Buildings Dropped To Ground Zero, Next, The Pentagon, Earlier Signs Of Terror Missed; We Could Not See Beyond. Revere All Who Died; Include Flight Ninety-Three, Expecting To Lose Their Life, They Fought On Valiantly. Life Goes On As It Should, We Will Certainly Overcome. Embracing God Our Father; Let Us Pray, That His Will, Be Done, Valor's Flag Unfurled Once More, By New York City's Finest, Every Life At Risk That Day; Some Died Bestowing Their Best. Nature Renews Our Spirit; We'll Mourn And We Will Repair, The Dead We Will Never Forget, They Know We Deeply Care. Wrecked And Torn Apart, Skyscrapers And Human Beings, Once Burned Twice Remembered, Vigilance Now, By All Means. Thanks Be To God, Our Father, May He Bless The U.S. of A.; Heal Our Minds And Bodies; Protect Our Remaining Days. O `America The Beautiful--May You Forever Stand, Until The End Of Time; Deal With All Life's Demands. Still; With All That Has Happened: Death, Destruction; Harm, Ashes, Fire; Total Loss, New York Has Not Bought The Farm. Now We Are On The Mend, Badly Bent, We Did Not Fold; Declared War On Terror, No More, Do We Have to Be Told. Out Of All This Comes A Will, A Bonding With Each Other; Not To Be Caught Unaware, To Love Our Sisters And Brothers. Ever Thankful To Be Alive, Yet, Life Is Not As Before. Some Of Our Loved Ones Are Missing, Death Came; Knocked At Their Door.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the twenty- third anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (P.L. 96-8) to reaffirm our commitment to the security of Taiwan. First, I believe it is important to remember that this law was enacted ``to preserve and promote extensive, close, and friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan, . . . to declare that peace and stability in the area are in the political, security, and economic interests of the United States, and are matters of international concern; . . . to make clear that the United States decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China rests upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means; . . . to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character, . . . and to maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people of Taiwan.'' Even though we do not have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, we have many ``unofficial'' contacts. Taiwan and the United States share common interests in many areas, such as trade and investment, science and technology, education, culture and security. The recent legislative elections in Taiwan shows that it shares our commitment to true democratic values and serve as a model for other nations in the region. We also share a respect for the freedom of the press, which I hope continues. On the twenty-third anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, I hope we will continue our cooperation with the democratically elected government of Taiwan by taking a number of steps; such as allowing Taiwan officials and our officials to meet freely in Washington and Taipei, improving Taiwan's access to our government agencies, and helping Taiwan become a member of appropriate international organizations such as the World Health Organization. The officials of Taiwan were chosen by the twenty-two million people of Taiwan to represent them and we should respect their choice. Taiwan is our seventh largest trading partner, and there are many critical economic, trade, health, security, and other issues which its officials need to discuss with our government officials as well as officials of international organizations. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the recent formation of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus shows our support for the Taiwan Relations Act and our commitment to maintaining the military balance across the Taiwan Strait to counter the buildup on the Mainland. Therefore, I rise today to commemorate the twenty-third anniversary of the Act, to restate our commitment to the security of Taiwan, and to show our support for cooperation between Taiwan and the United States. Thank you.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Major Peter McArthur Cleary, United States Air Force Reserves, of Connecticut, who had been missing in action in North Vietnam since October 10, 1972. As a boy growing up I knew Peter and his family. In February 2002, his family was provided a report from the United States Army Central Identification Laboratory, which concluded that the crash site and remains of Major Cleary have been positively identified. The crash site is located in the vicinity of Dan Hoa Hamlet, Y Leng Village, Minh Hoa District, Quang Binh Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The grid coordinates are 48Q WE 83141/ 60666. The family of Major Cleary has accepted the report and Major Cleary will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery on April 12, 2002. Major Cleary was a pilot attached to the 523rd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Udom Airfield, Thailand. Major Cleary flew Fast Forward Air Control (Fast FAC) missions in F-4 Phantoms over North Vietnam. His tour was from March 1972 to October 10, 1972. The mission of the Laredo Fast FACS was to fly alone over North Vietnam and identify and direct air strikes on enemy targets. According to Major Cleary's commander, Richard B. Corbin, the Fast FAC was one of the most demanding and productive missions in Southeast Asia, and ``the hand-picked aircrews that fly them are the most respected and highest qualified personnel from each unit.'' On October 10, 1972, Major Cleary was assigned as a Laredo Fast FAC over Quang Binh Province on the coast of North Vietnam. He had directed an air strike consisting of two F4 Phantoms on a coastal 130mm antiaircraft site. He had completed an air-to-air refueling and was flying on station awaiting a second air strike when he was cleared to return to base. He was tracked on radar going inland in the vicinity of the city of Ron. Major Cleary did not return and was declared missing in action. Major Cleary is a highly decorated flyer. He earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses, ten Air Medals, and the Purple Heart. Major General Robert Marsh, United States Air Force, provided the citations to accompany the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (basic through second Oak Leaf Cluster), the Air Medal (first through ninth Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Purple Heart during an awards ceremony at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford Massachusetts on November 2, 1979: ``The Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-4D Aircraft Commander over hostile territory on July 26, 1972. On that date, Major Cleary controlled six flights of strike aircraft in the heavily defended Quang Khe area of North Vietnam. In spite of nearly unworkable weather conditions and heavy antiaircraft fire from the region, he directed the destruction of one petroleum pumping station, two ferry landings, one river craft storage area, and one large river craft. The Distinguished Flying Cross (First Oak Leaf Cluster) is awarded for heroism while participating in aerial flight as an F-4D Aircraft Commander deep within hostile territory on October 7, 1972. On that date, Major Cleary was assigned to an extremely hazardous and important forward air controller mission in an F-4 Phantom aircraft over Quang Khe, North Vietnam. He successfully located and directed the destruction of a hostile surface-to-air missile site. With complete disregard for personal safety, in the face of numerous rounds of antiaircraft fire, Major Cleary intentionally exposed himself in order to offer more protection to other flyers as they expended their ordnance. The Distinguished Flying Cross (Second Oak Leaf Cluster) is awarded for extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight as an F-4D Aircraft Commander over hostile territory on June 18, 1972. On that date, Major Cleary flew an important and extremely hazardous strike mission directed against a heavily defended hostile military supply depot deep within hostile territory. Despite intense antiaircraft artillery fire and the constant threat of lethal surface to air missiles, Major Cleary delivered all ordnance precisely on target, resulting in the destruction of vast quantities of military supplies and equipment of critical value to the opposing armed force. The Air Medal (First through Ninth Oak Leaf Cluster) is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight from March 19, 1972 to October 1972. During this period, the airmanship and courage exhibited by Major Cleary in the successful accomplishment of these important missions, under extremely hazardous conditions, demonstrated his outstanding proficiency and steadfast devotion to duty. The Purple Heart is awarded for wounds received in action on October 10, 1972.'' Major Peter McArthur Cleary, the oldest of four children, was born on June 27, 1944 at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. His parents, John McArthur Cleary and Helen Fifield Cleary lived in East Hartford, Connecticut at the time of Peter's birth. In the late 1940s, they moved to Higbie Drive in Mayberry Village in East Hartford. It is here that I first met Peter. Major Cleary had two brothers William and Tom, who were my age, as well as a sister Maureen (now known as Cleary M. Donovan). Mayberry was a small community teeming with baby-boomers, many of Irish decent. Flanagan, Grady, Kelly, Dagon, and Shaughnessey, all made up the neighborhood I recall with great fondness. In fact, John Cleary wrote a piece about Mayberry for the Hartford Times. Its focus was family life in the Mayberry neighborhood. In 1956, the family moved to Colchester, Connecticut. John and Helen Cleary lived in Colchester until their deaths in 1984 and 2001, respectfully. Major Cleary attended grade school in Colchester. He spent his high school freshman and sophomore years at St. Bernard High School in New London, Connecticut. Major Cleary then attended Mother of the Savior Seminary in Blackwood, New Jersey. Upon graduation in 1962, he began studying to be an Edmundite priest at St. Edmund's in Mystic, Connecticut. Major Cleary left after one year and transferred to St. Michael's College in Winooski, Vermont. He graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English. Although Major Cleary moved many times in his young life, he considered Colchester, Connecticut his hometown. Major Cleary married Barbara Kingsley of Yantic, Connecticut in 1967. They had two beautiful children, a son Sean and a daughter Paige. I would urge my colleagues to join me today in recognizing and honoring the sacrifices of Major Cleary and his family, and in welcoming him home. It is a great honor for me to record in the Congressional Record the achievements of this American Hero, and salute his family. Arlington National Cemetery is a long way from Mayberry Village and Higbie Drive, and while Major Peter Cleary will lie at rest with the nation's heroes, we who remain will forever carry his memory in our hearts.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend and recognize the achievements of a remarkable young man, Jacob Licht of West Hartford, CT. Jacob, a student at William Hall High School in West Hartford, CT, won second prize and a $75,000 scholarship in the 61st Intel Science Talent Search competition in Washington, DC on March 11, 2002. Jacob, a 17-year-old senior, was awarded second place based on his extraordinary work in developing a new mathematical theory based on the Ramsey Theory of disorder. His work manages to reinvent this theory by looking for pockets of complete disorder in sets of numbers that appear organized. Math experts have described Jacob's research as profound and groundbreaking. As a reward for his research, Jacob was granted an audience with President Bush and an asteroid will be named after him. Yet despite all of Jacob's success and fame, he is still a modest and unassuming young man. At Hall, Jacob is not only the captain of the math team, but a volunteer math tutor as well. He is an avid sports enthusiast and loves to impersonate Elvis Presley, often entering and winning local talent competitions. Mr. Speaker, Jacob Licht is to be applauded for his dedication, his intellect, and his humility. The Intel Talent Search competition has identified a gifted young man with the potential to change the world. Jacob, who has already been accepted to both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology, is clearly an exceptional and wonderful person and we applaud his achievements.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Edwin H. May, Jr., of Connecticut who died February 20, 2002, at the age of 77. Mr. May represented Connecticut's First Congressional District in the 85th Congress and was a valued public servant for the State of Connecticut. Mr. May will long be remembered for his commitment to Connecticut. As President of the Greater Hartford Jaycees, the Connecticut State Jaycees, and co-founder of the Greater Hartford Open (GHO) in 1952, his leadership and devotion to the community has distinguished him among his peers. Throughout his life, Mr. May was intensely devoted to his family, to Connecticut, and to his country. He attended Wesleyan University, where he was an Olin Scholar and a member of the Chi Psi fraternity. Mr. May left Wesleyan in his freshman year, however, to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps and became a P-38 fighter pilot in California. After the war ended, he returned to Wesleyan to graduate with a B.A. in Government. In 1956, Mr. May was elected to a single term in the U.S. House of Representatives. After leaving office, he was chosen as the Connecticut State Republican Party Chairman. He was also a member of the American Legion Boume-Keeney Post 23 in Wethersfield, Connecticut and a member of the Hartford Rotary Club. Former Congressman May was an exemplary public servant and a model citizen. He will be greatly missed by the nation, the State of Connecticut, his family, and all who knew him.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to submit a poem written by Ariel Mason, a fifth grader in my Congressional District. Written only a few days after the tragic events of September 11th, Ariel's poem illustrates the depth and immediacy to which the youth of our Nation was touched and changed by that infamous day. Tragedy The skies have fallen upon our nation The horror is overwhelming We did nothing to deserve such cruelty Disaster So many innocent lives lost To show the shadows of cackling evil The emptiness is immense Loyalty Through the anguishing troubles I will Stand proudly by the sides of my fellow Americans And help as I may To pull this country together once more Pain Sheer, pulsing pain Coursing through the veins of victims Both physically and mentally wounded Troubles Broken hearts weep sullenly Filled with the shattered endearment Of their lost companions Killed by the dark-doings of murderous Men, so like us, but gruesomely different Mourning America's tallest towers So proud and free Lost to deathly claws of our invisible attackers Emotion We must fight for our proof of innocence Our dedication to our blessed land Forever great, throughout all of eternity Questions Why? Who could be so terrible? Only a luring shadow, cold and black as night Holds our answers Though stubbornly refusing to share them Love Is all we can give To help our nation through such troubles To be the best we can Life ends here for many And we cherish memories with them But for us life will continue Though we carry this ugly burden of a memory Forever more Peace Is our solitary hope Mr. Speaker, I commend Ariel Mason for so bravely and honestly writing this poem. As we begin to comprehend the extent to which the terrorist attacks of September 11th have affected us personally, we should look to expressions of emotion like Ariel's to help work through our own pain and confusion, and to remind us that in the face of adversity we as a country will persevere through this national tragedy.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 2002 Winter Olympian Jim Shea, Jr., of West Hartford, Connecticut. Shea Jr. took second place at a World Cup race in December earning him one of the three spots on the U.S. Men's Skeleton Team in the Winter Olympic Games. This recent victory and the gaining of a berth on the Olympic team are only the latest accomplishments in a distinguished athletic career. He won a gold medal at the National Championships in 1996. Shea was the top finisher for the U.S. in every race of the 1998-1999 season. He was first American to win a gold in the Skeleton World Cup in 1998 and the first American to win the Skeleton World Championships in 1999. He also won gold at the Inaugural Winter Goodwill Games in Lake Placid in 2000. Shea finished third in the overall World Cup standings for 2000-2001. Perhaps even more captivating than Shea's athletic record is his family history. When Jim Shea Jr. qualified for the Olympic team, the Sheas became the first family in American history to send 3 generations to the Winter Olympics. The Nelson family accomplished the same feat with the Summer Olympics in the sport of cycling. Jim's father, Jim Shea Sr., competed in Nordic skiing in the 1964 Olympic Games. Jack Shea, Jim Jr.'s grandfather, won two gold medals in speed skating at the 1932 Olympic Games in Lake Placid. Jack was also selected to compete in the 1936 Winter Olympics, to be held in Germany, but refused to participate in protest to Hitler's persecution of the Jews. Jack symbolized true Olympic sportsmanship, and in Jim Jr.'s words, Jack ``always felt it was not who won the gold; it was about bringing the world together in a peaceful setting.'' Unfortunately, Jack Shea will not be able to see his grandson compete in the Games. Jack was killed in a drunk driving accident in his hometown of Lake Placid last week. I would like to honor the Shea family for their great spirit of participation and sportsmanship, and I wish Jim Jr. good luck in Salt Lake City.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for the Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations conference report. While the report contains increases which will strengthen many significant projects and initiatives such as: the Ryan White AIDS treatment programs, dislocated workers employment and training, the National Institutes of Health, special education, and Head Start; I am particularly pleased to see the inclusion of $850,000 for the AMISTAD America project. AMISTAD America, Inc., is an educational foundation in Connecticut, which build and operates a full-size working replica of the ship Amistad. It serves as a unique and powerfully effective traveling educational exhibit that will make port visits down the Eastern Seaboard and around the country to educate students about the history and lessons of leadership, racial cooperation, perseverance, courage, justice, and freedom that are inherent in the Amistad Incident of 1839. Constructed between 1998-2000 with grants from the State of Connecticut and various private donors, the Freedom Schooner Amistad is a wonderful example of public and private partnership. With this federal funding, the Freedom Schooner Amistad will serve as a tool to educate our school children about the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Moreover, AMISTAD America, Inc. will be able to share the rich history and lessons of the ship Amistad to the rest of America by coordinating with local school districts and schools to provide school children free admission, tours and history lessons on the Freedom Schooner Amistad vessel when it visits various ports in the United States. It will also hold teacher-training sessions, and distribute K-12 educational materials including the CDROM, The Amistad Incident: A Journey to Freedom . . . A Story of Heroism, to each school district preparing for a visit. In addition, with the help of Apple Computer, school children will be able to connect with Amistad Internet to conduct live, interactive chats with the captain and crew of the Amistad. This technology will allow Amistad to connect with as many individuals in as many places as possible, especially those communities that cannot be reached by the vessel. I would like to note that Amistad project received support from all Members of the Connecticut Delegation, as well as the Congressional Black Caucus. I thank them for their efforts and assistance in securing funding for this very important educational tool. I would also like to give special thanks and recognition to Christopher Cloud and Will Mebane of AMISTAD America, Inc. and Fredericka Gray of Phoenix Home Life for their perseverance and dedication to the Freedom Schooner Amistad project. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the hard work of the conferees in preparing this conference report and including this important project, which will help to enrich school children's knowledge and understanding of our nation's history in not only Connecticut, but the entire country. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the conference report.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I unfortunately was required to attend a funeral in my Congressional District today and mised roll call vote No. 498. Had I been present and voting, I would have voted ``aye''.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I submit this statement today in support of S. 1438, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002. Although I could not be here today during this debate because of a death in my family, I want to say for the record that this is a good bill. It funds the priorities for the nation's military that I have championed since becoming a member of the Armed Services Committee. I want to thank Chairman Stump and Ranking Member Skelton for their hard work and leadership during this process. This bill provides for a five to ten percent pay raise effective January 1, 2001 for the men and women serving in our armed forces. It provides full funding for the Air Force's critical fighter modernization programs, allowing for the procurement of 13 new F-22 fighters and providing over $1.5 billion for additional Joint Strike Fighter research and development. It also provides a $25 million increase for F-15 engine upgrades, and $30 million for F-16 engine upgrades. It includes number of important Army helicopter modernizations, including over $800 million for the Comanche next generation helicopter, and $10 million for important helicopter engine modifications. It provides full funding for procurement of a new Virginia class attack submarine, and includes over $450 million to begin conversion of 4 ballistic missile submarines to conventional weapon platforms. I am also pleased to see my colleagues on the committee work so hard to address homeland security issues, providing nearly $7 billion for Homeland Security initiatives within the DOD and DOE. Further, I am pleased to see that the committee increased the existing firefighter grant program from $300 million to $900 million per year through 2004, and expanded the grants to include equipment and training to help firefighters respond to a terrorist or WMD attack. While this increase in funding is critical to addressing the needs of our first responders, I will continue to purse provisions of my legislation, H.R. 3161, the Municipal Preparation and Strategic Response Act, which seeks not only to increase funding in the Firefighter Assistance Program for counter- terrorism training and equipment, but also to repeal the local funding match requirements of the program. Finally, I support the bipartisan process and the ability of members of the Committee to work so hard to find compromises that address the concerns of all members.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I unfortunately was required to attend a funeral in my Congressional District today and missed rollcall Vote No. 496. Had I been present and voting, I would have voted ``aye''.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I submit this statement today in support of the Conference Report for Elementary and Secondary Education Authorization Act. Although I could not be here today during this debate because of a death in my family, I want to say for the record that the bill before us today is the end result of a year-long process between leaders in both parties to achieve compromise on what is surely one of the most important issues on the national agenda: the education and development of our nation's future, our children. It is no secret that America has long recognized that its long-term strength and security, and its ability to recover and sustain high levels of economic growth, depends on maintaining its edge in the quality of its workforce, its scientific achievement and the technological innovation it produces. Biomedical advances have permitted us to live longer, healthier, and more productively. Advances in agricultural technology have permitted us to be able to feed more and healthier people at a cheaper cost, more efficiently. The information revolution can be seen today in the advanced instruments schools are using to instruct our children and in the vast information resources that are opened up as a result of the linkages created by a networked global society. Our children today can grow up to know, see, and read more, be more diverse, and have more options in their lives for learning and growing. Some emerging technologies--such as nanotechnology and biotechnology--have untold potential to make our lives more exciting, secure, prosperous, and challenging. Many countries also recognize this and they, therefore, focus their industrial, economic, and security policies on nurturing and developing an educational system that responds to the needs of its citizens and their societies. Countries that follow this path of nurturing educational achievement focus their efforts into ensuring that a pipeline which pumps talented and imaginative minds and skills is connected to the needs of the country's socio-economic and security enterprise. Yet here in this country, this pipeline is broken, threatening the competitive edge we enjoy in the business of personal and economic growth, and technological innovation. The only acceptable course of action for a country that wishes to maintain its edge in the global system is to have a long-term educational policy that responds to the challenge of a declining public school system with vigorous and renewed effort and commitment. That is why this bill before us today is truly historic. This bill strengthens education in this country by enhancing accountability of our public schools, increasing overall funding for education for disadvantaged students, for science and math education, and for technology programs. I am heartened that the bill would provide nearly $1 billion for a new program aimed at having all children reading by the third grade. It would require states to develop a plan to have a qualified teacher in every classroom within four years. It also would give local school districts greater flexibility in spending federal money. The bill increases federal funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act by $3.7 billion. Funding for Title I, the federal government's main education program for the disadvantaged, would increase by $1.7 billion under the law and technology programs would be increased by about $150 million. But the bill is not perfect however. Currently, the federal government does not meet the financial obligations for special education it committed to in 1975 when the Education for all Handicapped Children Act (renamed Individuals with Disabilities Act in 1990) was first passed by Congress. This shortfall places an onerous financial burden on local communities who must find alternate resources, such as higher property taxes, to fund special education. The bill before us today does not address this injustice. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a civil rights statute that provides funding to states and helps states fulfill their constitutional obligation to provide a public education for all children with disabilities. IDEA serves more than six and a half million children today. Underlying IDEA is the basic principle that states and school districts must make available a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21, and must be educated with children who are not disabled ``to the maximum extent appropriate.'' Since 1975, Congress has authorized a federal commitment to special education funding at a level of 40 percent of the average per pupil expenditure (APPE) on special education services. However, Congress has only appropriated funds to meet between 5 and 14 percent of APPE, with FY 2001 appropriations setting a record at 14.9 percent, or about $7.4 billion. But that is still only little more than third of the, so far embarrassingly unfulfilled, Federal commitment to our children. As a former teacher, member of a school board, State Senator, and now Congressman, I have constantly heard a clear message from local educators and administrators that more resources must be committed to provide fair and adequate educational opportunities to children with special needs, and that the federal government must meet its commitment under IDEA. In the past, ``fully funding'' IDEA (meeting the 40% authorization) has generally been a theme for a handful of Republicans, but with the trade-off that other educational programming must be sacrificed. Let me be clear, this is a constitutional right. Local school districts do not have the discretion to not fulfill their obligations to children with special needs. Where does the approximately $10 billion in unfulfilled Federal pledges to the States come from? It has to be made up somewhere and will most likely come from other important, but not constitutionally mandated, priorities. This is the real cost of our inaction. It is either a tradeoff in spending or a property tax increase. It does not have to be this way, of course. And I believe the American people deserve better from us. Still, failure to include this important provision will not stop me from fully supporting the underlying bill. It is a very good bill and I support it for the opportunity--the hope--that it represents for this country: commitment to our education system and a good start. And since I see as merely a start, I will not stop my efforts to enact legislation--such as my bill, H.R. 1829--that would fulfill our commitment to our children, to our communities, and to our public schools by fully funding IDEA--and together with the bill before us today, our promise to the nation.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I unfortunately was required to attend a funeral in my Congressional District today and missed rollcall Vote No. 497. Had I been present and voting, I would have voted ``aye''.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I missed rollcall Vote No. 449. Had I been present and voting, I would have voted ``yea''.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I missed rollcall vote No. 450. Had I been present and voting, I would have voted ``yea''.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this conference report on H.R. 3150, the Aviation Security bill. This is a very positive and productive agreement on the issue of aviation security. I applaud President Bush and Democrats in Congress for their perseverance, but ultimately this a victory for air passengers and for the safety of all American citizens. I have stated repeatedly in this Chamber and in my district that the existing airport security screening process is tremendously inconsistent, and is conducted by private companies who often are simply the lowest bidders. These companies do not provide a high level of training for the low- skilled, poorly paid personnel that screen passengers and baggage, and are plagued by high turnover rates. From the beginning of this debate I have supported legislation that would make airport security the responsibility of the government, to ensure that a highly trained, highly skilled workforce is responsible for security and the safety of passengers. National security in our airports should not be determined by the lowest bidder. On the dividing issue of unionized labor that was interjected into this debate, I can only say that nobody checked the union cards of the firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical teams running up the stairs of the World Trade Center. This conference report will insure that from now on, airport security will conducted by trained federal professionals. The public deserves nothing less.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, to further that point, if we were to be a nation concerned about shared sacrifice, what we would truly do at this point, at this critical point in our history, during a time of war, is freeze all the tax cuts until we have done the kind of assessment in this Nation that will provide our people with what they need. As we have said over and over again, it is a time of shared sacrifice, but the American public does not see that. What they see is a Congress that is mired in providing a so-called stimulus package. I cannot recall any war in this Nation's history where the first order of business and the top priority was to provide the Nation's leading corporations and wealthiest few with a tax cut, that is what is obscene, while at the same time prevailing upon the Nation to come together, to be more vigilant, to be more patriotic, to become involved, to not look the other way, to not be deferential. Yet, what they see coming out of Congress is more pork for the few, while we ask the deserving many to go without, and they have gone without for too long. Those promises were made and those promises were made before September 11, but September 11 can serve as December 7 of 1941 did: as a rallying point for this Nation to come together in shared sacrifice for the common good of all Americans. That can only happen, that can only happen, if we invest in people and not the elite few.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. If the gentleman will continue to yield, to add insult to injury, I might just say, adding insult to injury in the proposal in the so-called stimulus package under subsection S of the IRS Code provides and in fact encourages these same corporations to make investments overseas while we are laying people off in the United States of America. It encourages overseas investments because those overseas investments would not be subject to our taxes here in this country. At the same time, we are laying people off here in our own country. This is wrongheaded public policy, and it needs to be changed.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maine, and I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his insight. I think it is always instructive when we hear what is going on back in people's districts, as the gentleman's discussion with the woman in Raleigh revealed today. I want to go back to something I said at the outset. My wife often asks me, she says, geez, you know, when you are speaking before the body, it is an empty Chamber. Is this the way Congress works? The hard truth, and we talk about legislation being rammed through, it is oftentimes missed by the public. There was about an hour's worth of debate, 30 minutes on each side, on an issue that is extraordinarily important to people. This past Veterans' Day, when we go home and face what Tom Brokaw aptly called the greatest generation ever, how do we look them in the eye and tell them what is going on? Here is a generation that is four square behind this effort to root out terrorism. All they want is to make sure that the land that they fought for, the freedoms that they fought for persevere and their children and grandchildren are safe and secure from terror. That is the wish of every American. So they selflessly say, look, we will make more sacrifices, whatever it takes to make sure that we have a country free of terrorist attack, free of the horrific calamity that befell this Nation on September 11. We have to get voices beyond this Chamber, like Mr. Brokaw and others, who recognize that the time for platitudes and promises and lip service is over; that we have chronicled this generation in books, in song, and in movies. Yet, when it comes to sustaining them and allowing them to live out their final days in dignity, what we give them is alternative minimum tax reductions for the wealthiest corporations; and tell them not to worry, though, we will mention them in the next speech at Veteran's Day or Memorial Day, or when we pause again to pay respects to the greatest generation ever, when what we should be doing is providing them with prescription drug relief and making sure that we have a stimulus package that, as the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge) says, reaches out and impacts people. I know American corporations believe this, as well. We have many fine corporations in this country. Why the headlong, wrongheaded proposal of a few on the other side leads this Nation, at a time when we are coming together in unity, on such a destructive path is puzzling. But look in the eyes of a veteran and try to tell them that this is the course we have laid out for them.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I thank the gentleman from Maine for yielding, and commend him for bringing to the attention of the body the importance of this issue. The hard truth with most special orders, for those of you that are viewing at home, is that it is very difficult for us to get our message across when we are in the minority, so oftentimes we have to rely on voices beyond this Chamber. It is our sincere hope that we reach you, that we reach members of the media, so they can continue to take this case before the American public. The American public in turn responds, because, after all, this is a time of war. We are currently a Nation at war, and though the war appears to be going well at this time and the President has the full support of Congress and the Nation and it is important for us to stay united as a country, we find that some of the things that divide us are the very issues that the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Allen) is addressing this evening. Let me say from the outset that I have always felt, and I believe most Americans believe this way as well, that in a time of crisis, in a time of war, it is a time for shared sacrifice; that the entire Nation has to pull together. Witness the valiant efforts of the rescuers at the World Trade Center, Mr. Beamer and those citizens aboard Flight 93, and, of course, the heroes at the Pentagon as well. How can anyone go home this past weekend and talk to veterans and be able to look them in the eye and say, I am sorry, we will not be able to afford prescription drug relief for you because we have got to provide a tax cut for the wealthy? I am sorry that perhaps there will not be enough vaccine to go around, because we have got to provide a tax cut for the wealthiest corporations? I am sorry that there will not be airport security, because it will be too costly to afford in lieu of the tax cuts that we are providing? I am sorry that we will continue to have to send our senior citizens to Canada to get prescription drugs that they can afford, because we have got to provide a tax cut for the wealthy? It is obscene. It hurts when you have to go home and look at people who, in so many respects in the great irony of all this, we are talking to a generation that has lived through a second day of infamy, the first being December 7, 1941, the second being September 11. And of all the people we are asking to sacrifice, we are asking them to sacrifice. Where does this money come from? It comes from the Social Security surplus. Instead of the money going into the Social Security surplus to deal with future generations retiring, it is going, instead, in windfall proportions to corporations and the very wealthy. It is time for us to recognize what the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) and others have recognized, that we need to freeze the existing tax cut that we have made, and then look at this giveaway of the repeal of the Alternative Minimum Tax and focus on the direct needs that the gentleman is pointing out here for homeland security. How can we turn our backs on these frontline defenses for this Nation? It was not lost on any Member of Congress that it was not the FBI, it was not CIA, it was not the military or FAA or FEMA that responded first; it was local firefighters, police, emergency medical teams, allied health professionals and hospitals. They are crying out for this money, as are governors and members of General Assemblies across this Nation, because they are fearful that with a tax cut going to the select few, there will be little money left for them to send out to our municipalities. There is $8.7 billion utilized in terrorism today, with only $300 million going out to our municipalities, meaning that $8.4 billion stays within the Beltway. These municipalities fear a top-down solution foisted upon them by the Federal Government; another mandate that will go unfunded, while we fund a tax cut for the wealthiest corporations, and, frankly, at a time when most of them are not even asking for it. This is a time of shared sacrifice. The patriotic thing to do at this time is to make sure that the Nation is safe and secure; that there are vaccines available for everyone; that our frontline defenders are appropriately equipped and trained; and that our seniors, who have sacrificed much already, are able to get the prescription drugs that they need, and not have to face the God-awful choice between heating their homes, putting nutritious meals on their table and taking the drugs their doctors have told them they must take to survive. That is why we are so concerned, and that is why, frankly, I am so angered by what is going on, because there is a great opportunity in this Nation to come together. The President has done a remarkable job in unifying this Nation and bringing about the war effort and getting everyone to focus, as we should, at rooting out terrorism. But if we root out terrorism and in the process do nothing to help the people in our own Nation, where are we? We have stood on the shoulders of another generation for too long. It is time for us to reach back and uplift our own generation of elders in this country who are going without, and should not be made to sacrifice yet again while we provide huge and massive tax cuts to the wealthy few.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, let me compliment again the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Allen) for the fine job he has done. I think many Americans can recall the great voice from outside this chamber, when writing about the Harvest of Shame, was Edward R. Murrow. And he talked eloquently and was able to visually bring home to so many Americans problems associated with poverty, of just a small element of society. And yet it was very powerful and resounding. It is my belief that we are going to need the same kind of voices beyond this Chamber as well to demonstrate to the American public in a resounding manner, a public that is tired of promises and platitudes, and not fulfilling the commitment to the people that we are sworn to serve here in this Chamber. I believe that it is going to take voices beyond this Chamber to bring these issues home. But I commend the very strong voice, the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Allen) who has so tirelessly and eloquently stated the plight of the elderly with regard to prescription drugs, and this evening has laid out in very specific fashion, albeit a very narrow tax in terms of the repeal of the alternative minimum tax. But just that tax alone, when contrasted to what could be provided to the American public, it has got to make people very disturbed and upset when they see the tax cut juxtaposed against what could be homeland security relief for so many of our front line responders in municipalities and cities all across this Nation. I commend the gentleman again.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution to honor Ms. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a political activist currently under house arrest in Burma. Ms. Suu Kyi has devoted her life to furthering the democratic cause in her native land, in opposition to the brutal military regime now in power. The government in Burma acts with an overt disrespect for the human rights of the Burmese people. Human trafficking is a very real problem, which the military dictatorship makes no significant effort to curtail. And thanks to the government's involvement, the country ranks second only to Afghanistan in the production of heroin and methamphetamines. All publications, broadcast media, and even artwork are heavily censored. Freedoms of expression and assembly are ignored. The United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other groups have routinely reported massacres, torture, rape, detention without trial, massive forced relocations, and forced labor. This is the government that Ms. Suu Kyi has been fighting for the past thirteen years. For seven of those years she has been under house arrest, subject to a law that permits detention without charge or trial. Yet she continues to advocate non-violent means of restoring democracy to her country. Because of her efforts she has become an international symbol of the fight against oppression and human rights abuses. IIn 1991, Ms. Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It is on the tenth anniversary of this occasion that we seek to honor her by recognizing her achievements and expressing our support of her endeavor to free Burma from the repressive and murderous dictatorship under which it suffers. As many of my constituents already know, I have been following human rights abuses in Burma quite closely. On March 13, 2001, Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, hosted an Inaugural Human Rights Program Awards Ceremony which called attention to three teachers being held as political prisoners in Burma. This program is believed to be the only undergraduate interdisciplinary human rights program in the United States, and is under the skillful direction of its Director, Maryam Elahi. Eight months ago, a number of the members of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus joined me in writing to the State Peace and Development Council of Burma requesting the immediate release of the three educators who were imprisoned after unfair trials. Neither they nor their lawyers were permitted to speak in court, in a blatant violation of international human rights norms. We have not yet received a response to our letter. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to again stand with me in denouncing the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Burmese government and in commemorating the non-violent and pro-democratic efforts of Ms. Suu Kyi by voting for this resolution.