Ted Poe

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, heroes are people who devote their lives to serving others and making our world a better place in which to live. Linda Kitazaki was one of those people. Linda was the executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Southeast Texas. I knew her for over 20 years in my work as a judge in Texas. She was an advocate in every sense of the word who worked passionately to fulfill MADD's vision to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. Those who know her best describe her as compassionate, powerful, gracious and inspirational. Linda became affiliated with MADD back in 1988 because of a near fatal crash involving teenagers who were drinking and driving. The situation was especially troublesome to Linda because the teenagers had been given alcohol by a parent. Because of her dedication to making a difference, she became the Administrator for the Harris County Chapter of MADD. With the assistance of Penny Ellsworth, who joined MADD because her son was killed by a drunk driver, the two reorganized the Harris County Chapter. MADD Harris County became the Southeast Texas Region Affiliate Office. With Linda at the helm, the small office grew to serve 10 counties and became one of the most prominent within the organization. Not only does the office provide services to the victims of drunk drivers, it also conducts outreach and education in order to prevent future tragedies. The idea of preventing young people from making bad decisions that would impact them for the rest of their lives truly resonated with Linda. As a result of Linda's leadership, her MADD office became very strong and has 10 staff members and countless volunteers. She started new programs and initiatives. She was considered a maverick in new fundraising methods in the Houston area which were then replicated for national success in the organization. Her passion and commitment won her Employee of the Year recognition. She also played a key role in developing the Take the Wheel Program, which focused all of the organization's resources and programs into Harris County because it had the highest number of drunk driving deaths in Texas. By partnering with law enforcement, businesses, government, community and religious leaders, the program seeks to save lives by encouraging personal responsibility in the use of alcohol and educating the public about the dangers of drunk driving. On Dec. 13, 2007, Linda passed away unexpectedly. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion and exceptional service. On Dec. 19, 2007, friends and family will gather to celebrate the remarkable life of this extraordinary community servant. The State of Texas and our Nation owes much to Linda Kitazaki for making our streets and highways safer. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, crimes against children continue to be a crisis in our civilized communities. How society reacts to such crimes is a reflection on the value or lack of value it places on children. Recently, a 10-year-old girl was raped in Australia by nine males. The victim and the nine rapists were all native-born Aboriginals. The nine deviants were captured, and all nine admitted their guilt. So what did the Australian judge do to these criminals? Well, none of them went to prison. All of them received a suspended sentence, and the judge made the absurd comment at the trial that the 10-year-old girl ``probably agreed to have sex with the perpetrators.'' I wonder what sentence the female judge would have imposed on the nine had the 10- year-old girl been of European descent. A prominent Aboriginal leader said he believed that ``the chronic leniency toward offenders contributes to the abuse of Aboriginal children.'' Mr. Speaker, a society is judged not by the way it treats the powerful or the rich, but how it treats the weakest among its people, like 10-year-old little girls. The judge in this case is a new member of the Judges Hall of Shame. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend Peter Welch from Vermont for his comments, and mainly for sponsoring this cross-border initiative showing that the New England States and some provinces in Canada can get along together for cooperation of mutual concern. And I, too, am sorry that Texas is not a part of this initiative as well. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues today in support of Senate Joint Resolution 13. The States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut have negotiated an International Management Emergency Assistance Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. This MOU creates a framework for cooperation among the participating jurisdictions when they face natural disasters or other emergencies that they have in common. Article I, section 10 of our Constitution requires that any agreement between States and foreign powers obtain the consent of Congress. That is what this legislation will grant. All of us know too well the significant resources needed to overcome a disaster, whether natural or man-made. I applaud the initiative taken by these States and their Canadian neighbors to proactively plan for the resource management and mutual assistance that may become necessary in unexpected times of crisis. As confirmed by the Congressional Budget Office, this resolution will not result in any cost to the Federal Government or impose any costs on State or local governments. I support this measure and urge adoption thereof. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, this winter it's going to be cold in the Northeast. Home heating oil is needed for those who want to keep warm in the northern States. Gasoline prices continue to rise above $3 a gallon, and crude oil may go to $100 a barrel. So what does the House of Representatives do? Makes it more expensive for American oil companies to do business in America. How so? The non-energy bill that passed this House contains a $21 billion tax increase on the production of oil and natural gas in America. That tax will be passed on to the consumer in the higher prices of energy. The bill doesn't open up new sources of exploration off our coast or in ANWR. Now, only Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama allow drilling off the coast. You see, States like California, Florida, and northeastern States don't want drilling off their coast but they don't have a problem with consuming the crude oil from States that allow offshore drilling. This bill punishes oil-producing States like my home State of Texas. The Wall Street Journal stated, In this bill, the biggest winner is OPEC. So, Mr. Speaker, maybe to survive, Texas and the other oil-producing States should just join OPEC and get a better deal on our crude oil. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, today I am proud to recognize the Beaumont Coca-Cola Bottling Company founded in 1907 in Jefferson County, Texas. C.T. Heisig established and managed the first store located on Park Street. Off to a great start, the company purchased over 470 gallons of Coca-Cola syrup during its first year of operation. Today Coca-Cola is the best selling soft drink in the world and this year over six million cases of Coca-Cola products will be sold. In 1911 Charles Rainwater purchased the Beaumont franchise, and in 1931 a new plant was completed and the company moved to Mariposa Street, where it remained for 54 years. In 1985 operations were moved to its current location at 11450 Eastex Freeway. The current plant employs 207 individuals and contributes nearly nine million dollars to the local economy. The Beaumont Bottling Company alone delivers to over 5,000 customers in eight counties. The Beaumont Bottling Company has been a great partner in Jefferson County. Its commitment to giving back to our community and helping local charities is greatly appreciated. As the U.S. Representative of the 2nd Congressional District it is an honor to congratulate the Beaumont Coca-Cola Bottling Company and all the members of the Coca- Cola family on their 100th anniversary. I wish Beaumont Coca-Cola Bottling Company another 100 years of continued success. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, today I am proud to recognize attorney and philanthropist Regina Rogers. She graduated magna cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, and a magna cum laude with a Doctor of Jurisprudence. Ms. Rogers has earned many honors, including distinguished woman of Northwood University; Distinguished Alumna of the University of Houston; Child Advocate of the Year by CASA of Southeast Texas; Pacesetter of the Year by the Cancer League; Woman of Distinction by KTRK/Channel 13 in Houston; recipient of the Cherish Our Children Award from the Child Abuse Prevention Network in Houston; the Press Club's 2002 Southeast Texas Newsmaker of the Year; and recipient of the 2003 Humanitarian Award from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Beaumont. She was the first female regent of Lamar University and served as member of the Texas College and University System Coordinating Board as Chair of the Educational Opportunity Planning Committee for Minority Education in Texas, which implemented programs to increase admissions and retention of minority students, and hiring of minority faculty in colleges and universities throughout Texas. Ms. Rogers is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Ben Rogers ``I Have A Dream'' program, which provided mentors and $2000.00 scholarships to several hundred economically disadvantaged 8th through 11th grade students. She is President of Joe Louis International Sports Foundation; and Member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. She is on the Children's Defense Fund Texas Advisory Board, Babe Didrikson Zaharias Foundation, Holocaust Museum of Houston, and the Pauline Sterne Wolff Memorial Foundation. Ms. Rogers established the Julie Rogers ``Gift of Life'' program, which has provided over 13,000 free mammograms and more than 4,500 free prostate cancer screenings for the medically underserved in southeast Texas, and over 400 educational outreach programs for thousands more. While chair of the Southwest Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League in 1994, Rogers helped found the Coalition for Mutual Respect, a group of religious and lay leaders whose purpose is to promote positive inter-group relations by encouraging understanding and respect among Houston's diverse population. Ms. Rogers established Inspire, Encourage, and Achieve, a program designed to perpetuate her father's legacy of helping young people achieve dignity and respect through knowledge, compassion, understanding, and love. The organization provides workshops on positive life skills, anger management, conflict resolution, literacy instruction, and substance abuse counseling for young people who are incarcerated in the Minnie Rogers Juvenile Justice Center in Jefferson County. Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Ms. Rogers co-founded the Southeast Texas Emergency Relief Fund (SETERF) that provided several million dollars in funds and gift cards to social service agencies, grants to faith-based organizations to assist with home repairs, and loans to small businesses affected by the storms. Regina Rogers is a lady with a heart as big as Texas. She learned the importance of public service from her parents. She spends much of her life in service of others, and has carried on her parents' legacy by being a tireless advocate for those in need. Through her personal involvement in, and financial contributions to, countless organizations, she has left an indelible mark on southeast Texas, and our community is better because of her compassion and generosity. I am honored to call her my friend. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, few people symbolize the American Dream more than Philippe Cras of Kingwood, Texas. From foreign exchange student to proud American citizen, his life is an inspirational tale of making the most of the vast opportunities available in the United States and giving back to local communities after achieving great success. Philippe is originally from Belgium and arrived in the United States in 1977 as an exchange student sponsored by a Rotary Club. After attending community college in Oregon, he returned to his home country and later accepted a position with a company in the United States. He and his wife, Mieke, eventually settled in Kingwood, Texas. Philippe and Mieke love the United States and wanted nothing more than to become citizens of our great country. They did achieve this goal. Later, Philippe purchased property in Kingwood and began building his hotel, Homewood Suites. In June of 2000, the hotel opened its doors combining European style with Southern hospitality for a unique lodging experience. Philippe is known in the community for many things such as his breakfast which features Belgian waffles that are made in the shape of Texas. He has also become popular as a cornerstone for community service. After living in the U.S. for a while, he became frustrated with the fact that voter turnout in American elections was so low. Because of this, he hosted a voter registration drive at his hotel. To encourage residents to participate, he offered a free breakfast for registering. Philippe is extremely active as this year's president of the Humble Intercontinental Rotary and has been named Rotarian of the Year on occasion. He is especially fond of the Rotary's student exchange program which inspired him as a high school student to move to the United States. His life was forever changed by the impact of Rotary International and he takes great pride in giving back to the organization. With a heart as big as Texas, Philippe has been a Good Samaritan for many years to many people. After Hurricane Rita hit East Texas, Philippe opened his conference room for storm evacuees, fed them and provided mattresses for them to sleep on. Philippe is one of the first people to volunteer his assistance and resources if a local nonprofit organization needs help. He has collected thousands of toys for Toys for Tots. He is a major sponsor of the annual tradition known as Fill the Bus which encourages residents to donate school supplies for children. He gave out free breakfast and one-night stays at this hotel for those that donated supplies. The event literally fills a school bus with supplies for children at Humble ISD. His largest contribution to Humble ISD was a $100,000 grant in hotel services. The grant saves the district money on lodging, catering and other services which allows more school resources to be spent on education instead of expenses. There are far too many examples of Philippe's humble generosity and philanthropy to list. His personal impact in the community has touched thousands of lives and residents in Kingwood, Humble and the surrounding areas. We are forever grateful for his efforts. Today, I salute Philippe Cras for his contributions to the community, warm hospitality and for making the eternal flame of the American Dream burn brighter each day. His life is an inspiration to us all to challenge ourselves to be better citizens for the sake of our communities. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, at this time of the year, it is common for whatever President is in power to review requests for pardons and for commutations of sentence. And yesterday, the President exercised his constitutional authority and pardoned numerous individuals, at least 29 of them, and I have all of their names here. I count seven drug dealers that were pardoned, one individual for receiving kickbacks in defense procurements contracts, and he commuted one sentence of an individual that was aiding and abetting the distribution of cocaine. I want to make it clear; the President has the absolute power under the Constitution to pardon anybody he wishes or commute the sentence. And I want to read part of the Constitution, a pocketbook Constitution that many of us here carry that says, ``The President shall have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States.'' You notice, Mr. Speaker, it doesn't give any conditions, except he can't pardon someone who has been impeached. It doesn't require that a committee decide who is to be pardoned. It doesn't require that the Justice Department do anything or be even involved in the process. It gives the power of pardon and commutation to the President; and he has that right to pardon anyone he wishes, and I uphold his right to do so. But in jail today in the Federal penitentiary somewhere across our United States are two individuals who I think should be pardoned, or at least their sentences should be commuted. And numerous people on the House, on both sides, have asked the President to look at these cases and pardon these two individuals, especially in light of their appellate court hearing that took place just a few weeks ago in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Louisiana. Of course, those two people are Border Agents Ramos and Campion, who I feel like were unjustly convicted by an overzealous prosecution, a comment that was made by one of the Federal judges on appeal, ``overzealous prosecution.'' But be that as it may, and it seems to me that they have been imprisoned a year now, most of that time they have been serving solitary confinement. For what crime? Well, because they supposedly violated the civil rights of a drug smuggler bringing drugs in from Mexico worth about $1 million. And the United States Government, rather than prosecute the drug dealer, prosecuted the Border Agents because they didn't follow policy, protocol, filling out appropriate forms after this shooting took place. But they go make a deal with the drug dealer. They make a deal with the devil, and they get testimony from the drug dealer in their trial. Talking about the Federal prosecution made a deal with him. But, you see, that whole case kind of has some bad things that happened. We had learned, several of us, that while the drug dealer, granted immunity, that means they are not going to prosecute him, to testify, and before the trial took place, he brought in another load of drugs from Mexico to the United States worth about $700,000. The U.S. Attorney's Office, in a carefully worded propaganda piece, denied that that ever occurred. But since we saw, and I have seen the DEA report, we knew a second drug deal took place. And now, finally, after this took place and many of us knew about it, the Federal Government has decided to prosecute the drug dealer on that second case; conspiracy to import drugs into the United States, and charging a new indictment with three offenses, conspiracy to commit crimes against the United States. So the Federal Government makes a deal with the drug dealer. He brings in drugs after the deal is made. Now he is in jail. And it seems to me, justice would demand that these two Border Agents be released at least until this appeal is over with. But I think they should have their sentences commuted or even they should be pardoned by the President. But I say all that to say the bureaucrats say, Oh, these two Border Agents haven't followed protocol. They haven't applied the right way, they haven't filled out the right forms for a pardon and a commutation of sentence. Well, the Constitution that I just read doesn't require forms to be filled out for people in prison to get a pardon. I don't remember Mr. Scooter Libby filling out some kind of form to get a pardon. He didn't even ever go to jail. He just got a Get Out of Jail Free card. He was pardoned. The President had the absolute right to do that. I don't quarrel with that. President Nixon got an absolute pardon by President Ford. He didn't fill out any forms to get that pardon. So, Mr. Speaker, I recommend and urge the President to commute the sentences of these two Border Agents. And he can do it on his own. He doesn't need permission from some bureaucracy, and I hope he does so and does so quickly. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, freedom of expression is under attack in our neighbors to the north, Canada. Yesterday, a 16-year-old girl was strangled to death by her father in Toronto, Canada. The reason for the homicide? The girl refused to wear the traditional Muslim head scarf, the hijab. Her school friends said that she wanted to be more ``western,'' but her devout Muslim father wouldn't have it. But she would remove her scarf at school and change into western clothes. School officials said that she was an energetic and popular student, but she lived in fear of her father. Her father has been charged now with murder, and her older brother has been charged with accessory to the crime. This is yet another example of religion gone wrong. In a society that values freedom and tolerance, this kind of behavior in the name of religion is unacceptable. Her father needs to be prosecuted and sent to prison. His actions are not acceptable in our culture. No one has the natural right to murder their children in the name of religion. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, in the deserts of Iraq a war is going on against the enemies of America. In the heat and dust of the summer of 2005, a young American went to fight, not against al Qaeda, but for her own survival. She became the ``Hostage of Baghdad,'' held against her will by villains of the desert, thousands of miles away from home in Texas. This is her story. Madam Speaker, Jamie Leigh Jones was a 20-year-old woman who worked for Halliburton KBR. She was sent to Iraq as part of her employment. She was sent to Baghdad to a place, ironically, called Camp Hope, in the supposed Green Zone that was supposed to be safe. After being in Iraq only a few days, she said she was held against her will, drugged, gang-raped by Halliburton KBR firefighters, and the people in charge of her held her hostage in a ship cargo container for 24 hours without any food or water. She became an American hostage, held hostage by fellow Americans. She convinced one of the people guarding her to let her borrow his cell phone. After obtaining the cell phone, Jamie called her dad in Texas and pleaded for help and begged to be rescued. She was scared, she was hurt, she was half a world away from home, and she was alone. Jamie's dad called me because I represent him in Congress. Her father relayed the tragic assault and crime, and of course needed immediate assistance. My staff and I were able to contact the right people in the United States State Department, and within 48 hours two agents from the embassy in Baghdad found and rescued Jamie, made sure she received appropriate medical attention, and brought her home. Jamie had been seen by Army doctors in Baghdad and had been given, apparently, good medical care while being treated in Baghdad. A forensic sexual assault examination was performed on her. This examination is commonly called a rape kit. Doctors take forensic samples from a sexual assault victim and then they are preserved as evidence for trial in this rape kit. But, Madam Speaker, for some unknown reason, the Army doctors turned this rape kit over to Jamie's employer, Halliburton KBR. KBR then lost the rape kit. The rape kit was later found, but it had been tampered with. The photographs are now missing, and the Army doctor's cover sheet with the medical findings are not there. These are critical for prosecution of the rapists. Madam Speaker, Jamie's brutal injuries were severe. She has had to have reconstructive surgery because of the extent of these injuries by these rapists in Iraq. Once she was home, we pressured the State Department to find out who these villains of Baghdad were; where are they, and why haven't they been prosecuted. After so much time, there is little progress on the investigation. We need to know also if KBR had knowledge of the crime and if they are involved to any extent. Jamie has decided to go public with her case. This case, like all such cases, remains confidential in our congressional office. Congressional offices do not divulge the content of personal case files like this because they are considered privileged communication and they are private. My tremendous case worker, Patti Chapman, worked with Jamie since her rescue and has helped her in this most tragic way, and helped her in a compassionate way. Patti Chapman, like many congressional caseworkers, are angels to the people in our communities. Jamie has had the courage to publicly tell about this most personal crime against her. So my office and now Chairman Conyers of the House Judiciary Committee have contacted the Attorney General and the State Department and we want answers about this case and the investigation. Specifically, what is going on over there in Iraq? American citizens have civil rights overseas as well. Crimes committed against them must be investigated. Criminals must be held accountable. Our government has the legal and moral duty to capture these villains of Baghdad. Also, hundreds of American civilians like Jamie are in Iraq working in support of America's military mission. When these American civilians become victims of crimes by other Americans, it is unclear who's enforcing the law. Our government must clear up this confusion, because currently there seems to be an environment of lawlessness. These criminals must be held accountable. Madam Speaker, let me tell you about sexual assault. I was a former judge and saw these victims and their perpetrators in court, and these demons that do these dastardly acts against victims don't commit these crimes for sexual pleasure, but, Madam Speaker, they do it to destroy the inner soul of these victims. Jamie Leigh Jones survived and has been rescued, but the outlaws still roam the deserts of Iraq like the outlaws in the days of the Old West. We need justice. We need the law to intervene and round up these outlaws for their day in court. Let justice be swift, let it be severe, let it be serious, because justice is what we do in America. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am pleased to rise in support of H. Res. 708, which honors the life and accomplishments of Luciano Pavarotti and recognizes the significant and positive impact of his amazing and astounding musical talent, his achievement in raising the profile of opera with audiences around the world and his commitment to charitable causes. On September 6th of this year, a legend of the opera would take his final curtain call. When the great Luciano Pavarotti passed away in September, the world lost one of its most beautiful voices. Those with a love of all kinds of music, everyone from opera singers to instrumentalists and pop singers, grieved at the loss of such a great talent. One of those musicians, the rock singer Bono of the group U2, described Pavarotti as, and I quote, ``a great volcano of a man who sang fire but spilled over with a love of life in all its complexity.'' From the time that he made his first debut in 1961, Luciano Pavarotti was an inspiration, not just for the unmatched quality of God-given voice and talent, but for his generosity. Indeed, he used immense talent to raise funds for many worthy causes, including his concerts on behalf of refugees throughout the world. In 1998, he was named United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 2001, the same year that he received the Kennedy Center Honors, he received a medal from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for his fundraising efforts on behalf of refugees throughout the world. In memory of this giant man of music, beloved by all those who enjoy the great opera, I ask my colleagues to join in supporting H. Res. 708, introduced by our colleague from California, Ms. Loretta Sanchez. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, due to other congressional business, I unfortunately missed recorded votes on the House floor on Tuesday, December 4, 2007. Had I been able to vote that day, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall vote No. 1123 and ``yea'' on rollcall votes Nos. 1124, 1125, and 1126.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the freedom of religion is under attack in Great Britain. Last week British news reported that the daughter of a British Imam, we will call her Hannah, is living under police protection after receiving death threats from her father and brother because she converted to Christianity. Hannah was born in Britain to immigrant Pakistani parents. She renounced the Muslim faith when she was a teenager and has been in hiding for over 10 years. After multiple death threats and an attempt on her life by 40 men, led by her father, brandishing axes, hammers, and knives, Hannah has sought protection from the British Government. According to her, her father believes that the Koran teaches that anyone who walks away from Islam should be killed. Well, murder is bad enough, but murder in the name of religion is worse, and it's legal, at least in a free state where all religions are to be tolerated, even Christianity. Democracy values the freedom of other people's faith; it does not restrict it. That is the difference in a democracy and a government that is controlled by a religion. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 842, as amended, expressing sympathy and support for the victims of Cyclone Sidr in southern Bangladesh. At the outset, I would like to commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman) for introducing this timely measure, and also extend my appreciation to Chairman Lantos, as well as Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for helping to expedite its consideration before the House today. As my colleagues may know, on the 15th of November a powerful, category five-equivalent tropical cyclone struck low-lying areas of Bangladesh from the Bay of Bengal. Mr. Speaker, in the West we call these tropical storms hurricanes, and in the Far East they call them cyclones. Be that as it may, they both have destructive power. Being from southeast Texas on the gulf coast, we call the area ``hurricane alley,'' and we are not unfamiliar with hurricanes. Even this year, Hurricane Humberto, and Hurricane Rita 2 years ago hit my area of the State of Texas. So, the effects of hurricanes and cyclones are devastating. The effects of Cyclone Sidr has been extremely devastating to the people. Some 6.8 million people have been affected by this disaster, 3,000 people have died, 1,000 people are unaccounted for, and approximately 15,000 people have been injured. In the immediate aftermath of this storm, President and Mrs. Bush offered condolences to the victims, especially those who lost loved ones, people who lost homes and livelihoods in this tragedy. The United States immediately conveyed to the authorities in Dhaka its willingness to assist in responding to this natural disaster. The United States Agency for International Development provided more than $19 million in emergency funds to support relief and early recovery activities, including shelter and water, sanitation, hygiene programs and emergency food assistance. The United States Department of Defense has also provided invaluable assistance, with 2,400 United States marines and sailors helping the Bangladesh Government provide clean water, medical aid, food, and other relief supplies to the victims of this cyclone. Indeed, more than 162,000 pounds of relief supplies have been delivered to Bangladesh by USS Kearsarge and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit as of early this month. Mr. Speaker, Bangladesh and the United States have been close friends since 1971. Our hearts go out to those who have suffered so grievously during this disaster, and on behalf of the American people it is fitting that we reiterate our commitment to assist the people of Bangladesh as they recover from this devastating storm, and I urge support of this resolution.

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased, as original cosponsor, to rise in support of this timely resolution recognizing the significance of Christmas and the contribution of the Christian faith to the United States and to other nations throughout the world. While Christmas does not have the same religious meaning for all citizens, it nevertheless invokes the values of friendship and goodwill that are common to all nations. December 25, or Christmas, as we say, commemorates a birth that influenced the world in an unmatched way. Christ's life, his teachings, his example, his sacrifice, and his death brought to life one of the great religions of the world, one which underpins the foundations of democracy in our own United States of America and even other countries throughout the world. Even in complex times such as those in which we live at this time, the simple central message of Christianity endures: ``love thy neighbor as thyself.'' For many, Christmas invokes the images of Santa Claus and exchanging of gifts. This comes from the patron St. Nicholas, who helped poor children hundreds of years ago by giving them presents. But Christianity is more. It is the birth of the Christian religion and commemorates the birth of its founder, Jesus, on Christmas day. At its core are the fundamental important ideals of ``Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward men.'' The poor, the suffering, those left alone or far from their families, and those departed who were dear to us whom we remember from time to time are all recognized in this great religion of Christianity, and, through it, all have been offered hope. At this time of year in this season of Christmas, I ask my colleagues to join in supporting House Resolution 847 introduced by our colleague, Mr. King of Iowa, recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) such time as he may consume.

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the author of this resolution, Mr. King from Iowa, is already having a white Christmas. He is stuck in Iowa because of the snow. He could not be here. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Lantos of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the author of this bill, for his efforts in introducing this bill. We have no other speakers at this time. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the world was rightfully shocked and outraged this past fall by reports of midnight raids on temples in Burma and televised images of monks and other peaceful demonstrators being shot down on the streets and arrested. Appeals for human decency and restraint have fallen on deaf ears with regard to Burma's generals. It is thus time to send them a message that they understand, a message that is loud and clear. The international community must no longer subsidize the leaders of this immoral regime by trading in the commodities they peddle on international markets. This rainbow coalition of contraband products for sale by the military junta has included red rubies, white opium, green jade and brown timber. The legislation put forward today sends a simple, but clear and strong message: It will not be business as usual for the people in Rangoon until they stop their suppression of their own people in the nation of Burma. Is there any Member here today who has any doubts about making economic sanctions against the current Rangoon regime permanent and hard hitting? This legislation has the full support of leaders of the American gem industry. They have seen the necessity of putting principle ahead of money and profit when it comes to the actions of the Burmese rogue regime. And this legislation also seeks to put the blame squarely on the backs of those who have earned it, the ruling generals and their families, and not on the backs of the Burmese people who have already suffered too much. It calls for frozen bank accounts for the generals, an ending to money laundering by the ruling junta, and no visas to the United States for those involved in the continuing acts of repression and no visas for their immediate families. The urgency with which we are here today in view of this issue of the restoration of the democratic rights to the people of Burma is demonstrated by the fact that already over 240 Members of this House of Representatives have agreed to cosponsor legislation giving official Congressional recognition to Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Burma democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi. H.R. 4286, introduced December 5 by Mr. Manzullo and Mr. Crowley, would award a Congressional Gold Medal to Aung San Suu Kyi in recognition of her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and democracy in Burma. There is no clearer indication than this legislation of the solidarity that exists between the people of the United States and the good people of Burma on the issues of human rights and democracy. This legislation is also fully in keeping with administration policy. In a statement made on October 19, following the latest series of bloody and tragic events, President Bush announced an executive order imposing additional sanctions on Burmese leaders and entities. The President also instructed the Commerce Department to tighten export control and regulation over Burma. On that occasion, the President noted that ``Burmese leaders continue to defy the world's just demands to stop their vicious persecution. They continue to dismiss calls to begin peaceful dialogue aimed at national reconciliation. Most of all, they continue to reject the clear will of the Burmese people who wish to live in freedom under leaders of their choosing.'' The President concluded with these observations: ``The people of Burma are showing great courage in the face of immense repression. They are appealing for our help. We must not turn a deaf ear to their cries. I believe no nation can forever suppress its own people. And we are confident that the day is coming when freedom's tide will reach the shores of Burma.'' This legislation provides an opportunity to send a strong, bipartisan and loud message that where human freedom is concerned, politics does stop at the water's edge. I rise today to urge my colleagues to join in voicing their enthusiastic support for a free Burma by supporting the Block Burmese JADE Act of 2007. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, last week hundreds of citizens stood in the first snow of winter in Washington, D.C. for 2 hours, hoping to get a coveted seat in the United States Supreme Court building to see the oral arguments on the case of the detainees in Guantanamo prisoner of war camp and what rights, if any, they have under our Constitution; however, the Supreme Court gallery has a mere 50 seats for spectators. One of those would-be viewers was a lawyer on my staff, Gina Santucci. I wanted her there to find out more about the case and take notes. But she, like most of the people in line, never got in to see the arguments. There was no room in the room. Those that were allowed into the proceedings were only permitted to stay 5 minutes before they had to leave and make room for other people in the room. Public interest in what takes place in the Supreme Court is a good thing. It is important that Americans are concerned about what occurs in the Supreme Court, and citizens want to observe the most powerful court in action anywhere in the world. But most Americans will never have this opportunity to see the questions asked by the Justices of the Supreme Court or to hear the arguments over the meaning of our Constitution or hear constitutional cases that will go down in history. Earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 1299 to allow television cameras to televise Supreme Court proceedings. Since then, both the House and the Senate Judiciary Committees have heard arguments as to why cameras should be allowed inside the Supreme Court. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee marked up Senator Specter's bill to allow cameras in the Supreme Court. Some Senators were concerned that the Department of Justice opposed this bill. Justice Department opposed this bill because they say they want to protect the ``collegial environment'' of the Court. I don't mean to intrude on what a ``collegial environment'' is, but what is it? I thought the business before the Supreme Court is a matter the American people have an interest in, not just the college of lawyers that appear before the court. We have cameras in these House Chambers, and I never thought about whether the camera here on the House floor affects the collegiality between the fellow representatives that we work with. Most of us hardly notice the camera at all. And today's cameras are so small and unobtrusive, they are not noticed. They don't affect our daily routine here in the House, but they allow Americans across the vastness of the fruited plain to tune in to see what their government is up to every day. Now, I doubt if the Supreme Court TV channel will win the fall sweeps, but it will allow Americans who live in the 50 States to observe the oral arguments that take place. Some say they are against cameras in the courtroom because attorneys play to the camera and try to impress the viewing audience. Madam Speaker, attorneys don't play to the camera, they play to the jury. I know because I played to the jury for 8 years as a prosecutor in Texas. However, there isn't even a jury to impress in the Supreme Court. In fact, there really isn't a time to grandstand in the Supreme Court. Oral arguments in the Supreme Court involve the best appellate attorneys in the country, facing a spew of questions from nine Justices who are asking a barrage of legal questions to these lawyers making them justify their legal positions on their case. I only explain how the oral arguments work in the Supreme Court because most Americans are unaware of the proceedings and the procedures since they don't have the opportunity to view Supreme Court oral arguments personally. Unless there are cameras, Americans will never have the chance to see what takes place in a courtroom, the most powerful courtroom in the whole world, the Supreme Court courtroom. I know cameras can be placed in a courtroom without disruption or distraction because I did it. For 22 years, I served as a felony court judge in Houston, Texas. I heard over 25,000 criminal cases and a thousand jury trials. Some of those were filmed by the TV media. I even televised a capital murder trial. My rules were simple and always obeyed by the media: No filming of rape victims, children, the jury, or certain other witnesses. The camera filmed what the jury saw and heard. And, Madam Speaker, I had no problem with the media at all. We need to let the public see a real trial in progress, and cameras have made that possible. Americans have the right to watch Supreme Court proceedings in person. We have the best judicial system ever created in the history of the world. Why not prove it by filming these proceedings? Americans should not be deprived of the right to observe just because they cannot physically sit in the Supreme Court courtroom. It is time to remove the veil of secrecy from the hallowed halls of the Supreme Court and allow cameras to film these important proceedings. Justice would be better served if we open the doors to the Supreme Court to cameras because justice is the one thing we should always find. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, in the third world country of Sudan, the government is controlled by the religion of Islam. Religious hard- liners were successful in prosecuting a British first grade teacher for insulting Mohammed. She was sent to jail. Her crime: her 7-year-old students named a class Teddy Bear ``Mohammed,'' and that was supposedly an insult to the Prophet. The punishment could have been worse. She could have received 40 lashes. In fact, thousands of Sudanese citizens marched demanding the school teacher be executed for the insult! Of course, the teacher never meant to insult Islam, but the truth was not an issue in her trial. The Sudan, this is the same ``righteous'' government that is allowing ethnic cleansing and genocide of its own citizens in Darfur. But thanks to two Muslim members of the British House of Lords who disagreed with the arrest, the school teacher, Gillian Gibbon, was pardoned after serving 8 days in jail. This case is an example of what happens when government punishes people for violating a religious doctrine. And, by the way, the Teddy Bear was originally so named to honor the great President Theodore Roosevelt. And that's just the way it is.