Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for giving his insight. Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure for Republican and Democrat Members alike to have served and to continue to serve under the tutelage of Henry Hyde. He has tackled all of the big issues. Tomorrow, as a matter of fact, in our International Relations Committee, we will be debating Iraq. Mr. Speaker, he is not afraid to tackle those big, controversial issues. And that has been part of his character. He has taken on the issues. He has done it in a very fair, impartial way. And that is why in the coming months, because we still have Henry Hyde around for a long, long time, you will be seeing my good friend, Mr. Lantos, on the other side leading a series of special orders honoring a great statesman, the great leader, our chairman, Henry Hyde.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Those are principles that he lives and stands on every day of his life. One has to admire the chairman's measured judgment on foreign policy terrain as well, as when he noted with respect to the fall of Soviet communism, he said, ``There has been a palpable feeling that the Cold War is over, and there are no serious threats with the Russian bear comatose. But as I like to say, the forest is full of dangerous snakes. There is a very important need for the United States to recognize that no one will rescue us. We have to be self-sufficient to really survive.'' Truly, Henry's vision of the importance of this self-sufficiency is emblematic of his approach to foreign policy. The chairman's wisdom encourages us to be vigilant, as when he expressed that with regard to China, ``The United States should be mindful that China was one of the world's most powerful nations for several thousands of years, and its relative weakness over the last two centuries is an historic anomaly that is coming to an end.'' The chairman too has no illusions about U.S. Latin America policy. Henry backs a strong American initiative to extend free trade between the United States and democratic nations in the hemisphere as a way of generating economic growth and creating jobs. He said, ``A lot of the problems in our hemisphere could be addressed if not solved by free trade. There is so much we have in common. I think a common wealth of the Americas would help everyone. But it will take real leadership and a bit of luck''. Regarding policy for the region over which my subcommittee, the Middle East and Central Asia Subcommittee has had jurisdiction, Chairman Hyde's no-nonsense convictions, blended with his foreign policy expertise and his political leadership led him to the conclusion that on September 11, he said, ``Our enemies have no aim except destruction. Nothing to offer but a forced march to a bleak and dismal path. Theirs is a world without light''. And he said, ``We are now in a war, a war that is directed at America and the civilized world. It is that simple,'' he said. ``We have to lead the world to oppose terrorism as a weapon against civilization, so this is a war for civilization. No country should harbor terrorists and we have tolerated countries that have tolerated terrorists. This must change''. He continued by saying, ``The massive, obscene destruction of human life we saw in New York and Washington should show us all that terrorism cannot be tolerated. It has to be wiped off the map''. And it is not just our committee, or not just even our Nation that benefits from the leadership of Henry Hyde, but the world is the greater for the existence and the leadership of someone of the caliber, of the passion, of the conviction of Henry Hyde. The chairman's dedication to diverting the United Nations from its course of scandal, of corruption, of secrecy, and instead toward accountability, toward transparency and effectiveness, culminated in the passage by this House last summer of the Henry Hyde United Nations Reform Act of 2005. This reform measure with teeth urged that the U.S. should impose its leverage to motivate the U.N. which has to this point been reluctant to consider substantive reform on its own through withholding of U.S. assess dues. Henry Hyde's AIDS funding legislation has also been a landmark piece of legislation. This measure authorizes $1.3 billion annually to fight this horrible disease, which Henry Hyde has said, ``It is not just the deepest, darkest Africa we are dealing with, it is Brazil, it is the Caribbean, it is Russia, it is here in the United States, it is everyone in the world. As this pandemic spreads, we must do what we can do''. This body is truly fortunate to have had in its midst an individual who leads through knowledge gained. He has gained it in institutions of higher learning such as Loyola, Duke and Georgetown. He has gained it on the playing field, as when Chairman Hyde played basketball for the Hoyas, or in combat theatres with the U.S. Navy stationed in the Philippines, in the South Pacific, in New Guinea; or through the wise use of his gavel as majority leader, as chair of the Judiciary Committee, and now as chair of our International Relations Committee. On his website, Henry Hyde puts his 32 years of service as a U.S. Congressman in context by noting that during his time in office, we have persevered through many conflicts, including the Cold War, the Communist takeover in Nicaragua and in Grenada, the invasion of Kuwait, the removal of Noriega from Panama, genocide in Bosnia, bombing of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, invasion of Afghanistan, invasion of Iraq, and the present defense of our Nation against Islamic insurgents and terrorists. That is a lot of conflicts, and for that matter, 32 years means almost infinite constituent letters, town hall meetings, legislative victories, press interviews, but most of all, in the course of these 32 years, Henry Hyde has shared his passion, and his blood, sweat and tears with the American people. I want to express any sincere gratitude to Henry Hyde not just for being a great legislator, a leader in wit, but also for being an inspiration to us all. You have touched our lives in ways that we could never truly express. And we are all the better for having had the privilege of serving alongside you. Mr. Speaker, with that I would like to yield to my good friend on the International Relations Committee, Mr. Fortenberry.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to have this opportunity to praise an intellectual giant, a true public servant, to honor my friend, my colleague, my chairman, Henry Hyde. He has had unparalleled leadership skills and that is the way that he steers the House International Relations Committee, of which I am a proud member. The committee has truly flourished under the chairman's direction in ways that it had not previously known. We have turned out significant pieces of legislation on a range of issues. Henry Hyde's vision perhaps is best summarized by the words of Sir Winston Churchill, who said, ``All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in single words: Freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.'' This sentiment captures the essence of Henry Hyde and of his style. Serving as a subcommittee chair under Chairman Hyde, I have been privileged to witness firsthand the insight that has led him to be the skilled politician and public servant that he is. Pundits have referred to the chairman as a statesman; as a Washington icon; as a doer; as a wit; as one of the sharpest legal minds of Capitol Hill; an outspoken and articulate debater; a standard bearer for conservative principles, causes and beliefs; a Gibraltar of conviction; and an avatar of grace. I would like to add a few of my own, Mr. Speaker. From what I have seen, Henry's character and in turn his leadership is shaped by his multiple roles. He is a man of faith, a Patriot, a humanitarian, a friend and a mentor. I remember in my freshman term meeting Henry Hyde for the first time. Having followed Henry's efforts on behalf of freedom fighters who have valiantly fought communism in our hemisphere, to me, Henry Hyde was larger than life. As Congressman Steve Chabot said earlier, if Hollywood were to cast a statesman, they couldn't find anyone better than the impressive and dashing Henry Hyde. I quickly learned that that imposing stature that he was nothing of a bullying nature in Henry Hyde. On the contrary, the chairman, even in his most heated debates in our committee, when he must keep order at our hearings, he is a consummate gentleman, able to restore order with a fleeting, withering glance that belies the twinkle in his eye. How appropriate that Henry represents Illinois, as so many speakers have said, the land of Lincoln, for both the chairman and the American President are notable for their character, their eloquence, their determination. Chairman Hyde's political career began 40 years ago as a representative in the Illinois legislature, where he served at as that body's majority leader from 1971 to 1972. In 1974, he was elected to this House, the People's House. Among other issues, Henry became identified with the worthy cause of defending the unborn, championing his Appropriations Committee's amendments that would prohibit the use of Federal funds to pay for abortions. These were adopted into law in 1978, and the Hyde Amendment has been a great step forward in legislation that favors the sanctity of human life. In this vein, Henry has also been a supporter of adopting children and of assisting poor women to care for their children. He has lent his name to legislative initiatives taking tougher steps to hold deadbeat dads accountable for unpaid child support. Henry Hyde has come to be known as one of the House's great orators. His stirring speeches against term limits and against flag burning are particularly memorable. In 1994, Henry Hyde accepted the gavel of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, where he shepherded through the House many important pieces of legislation. Among these were the landmarks anti- terrorism legislation of 1995; enforcing in the U.S. the international treaty against war crimes; the church arson law of 1996; a victim restitution act; an act limiting death penalty appeals; Megan's Law, requiring released sex offenders to report their addresses; and a law allowing senior citizen housing to be allocated by age. Also, a law banning state taxes on pensions of non-residents; the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, the authorization of $10 billion for prison expansion; protection of intellectual property rights in digital recording and biotech patents; the ban on partial-birth abortion; product liability; tort reform and so many others. Turning to the chairman's leadership style, one of the most salient characteristics is his reputation for fairness. Indeed, the Washington Post noted in a 1998 article that Henry Hyde ``has managed to maintain a reputation for even-handedness, for patience and restraint, a remarkable feat for someone known both for his savagely held beliefs and for his keen sense of which way the wind blows.'' Indeed, the ranking member of the International Relations Committee, my good friend Tom Lantos of California, cogently addressed our chairman's embodiment of frankness and fairness when Tom said, ``although our opinions on issues have differed from time to time, Henry has always been very straightforward with me when he knows we might disagree. And once we have made our opinions known and once the voting is done, it has never had an adverse effect on our relationship.'' Indeed, one thing we can all agree upon is that Chairman Hyde's leadership reflects the values that he places on fairness and his focus on getting the job done rather than on mere politicking. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend the gentleman from California, Mr. Lungren, who would like to add some statements about our great chairman Henry Hyde.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mr. Armando de Jesus Dominguez of Saga Bay for his remarkable work as an artist. Most recently, Mr. Dominguez has been selected out of 4,000 entries as one of ten artists featured by the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Mr. Dominguez's works and journals are published on the gallery's ``Portrait of an Artist'' web site. His competition entry Mr. Williams is a riveting portray of a Palmetto Senior High School teacher, an expression of the artist's patience and skill. Mr. Dominguez was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to Miami with his family at the age of 12. A self-taught painter, he works as a graphic designer for the Spanish-language network Univision. In his artistic work, he focuses on landscape painting and now has a three-year backlog of commissioned work. Dedicated to his community, he also visits local schools and gives presentations to expose children to the arts. Mr. Dominguez, thank you for your continued commitment to the promotion of the arts. Your unwavering pursuit of your vision through painting has been an inspiration to others. It is this passion, incredible talent, and service to the community of Saga Bay that makes our lives richer and Florida stronger. I congratulate Mr. Armando DeJesus Dominguez on his achievement and service to the community.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in memory of Eusebio Penalver Mazorra, who was one of the longest serving political prisoners and a man who President George W. Bush called a Cuban patriot. I would like to recognize his widow, Francis Martinez, who is with us today. In Miami, Penalver led a group called ``Plantados until Freedom and Democracy Comes to Cuba,'' whose five founding members each spent more than 20 years in Castro's prisons. Eusebio himself spent 28 years in jail. Penalver was a Cuban political prisoner who fought long and hard against Castro's tyranny. Born in Ciego de Avila, in Camaguey, Cuba, Penalver was a Plantado, a prisoner who firmly plants his feet in his cell and does not cooperate with his captors, and he struggled for freedom and democracy throughout his life. He came to the United States as an exile in 1988, and he dedicated his life to fighting Castro's tyranny. He was loved and admired by our Cuban-American community for his dedication and courage in the fight for Cuba's liberty, and his presence will be sorely missed.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduced a legislation acknowledging as refugees Jewish, Christian and other minorities that fled from Arab lands. This measure serves to recognize major historical events, sheds light on other refugee populations that are often forgotten in discussions relating to Middle East peace, and underscores the need to address this issue in a comprehensive, balanced manner in order to resolve the conflict that currently exists in the Middle East. It is imperative that the world knows about the displacement, which was spurred by ethnic and religious persecution, of Jewish, Christian and other minorities living in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf region. For too long the world has failed to recognize the oppression, human rights violations, forced expulsion, and deprivation of assets these communities had to endure under Arab regimes. It is essential that the plight of these communities from Arab countries be integrated into discussions toward any agreement regarding the issue of refugees.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of our Speaker, Dennis Hastert, who will soon become the longest serving Republican Speaker in our Nation's history. Speaker Hastert guides this House in a bipartisan, fair manner. He is a patient listener who works towards compromise in an even-handed manner. In these days of rancor and bitterness, Speaker Hastert tries to bring balance and civility into this tumultuous legislative process. It is irresponsible for media outlets to malign anyone with negative information from unnamed and uncorroborated sources. Speaker Hastert and everyone else who might be attacked deserves to have incorrect information corrected for the record. Our Speaker has not been a Republican or a Democrat presiding officer, he has been the presiding officer for the whole House, a man who takes his oath seriously. We place our trust in Speaker Hastert, and he has not let us down. He is our coach. Congratulations, Speaker Hastert, for this historic milestone.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield half of my time to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and I ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks, and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, Hamas' political victory in the January election presented an opportunity for this Islamic jihadist group to lay down its arms, to renounce terrorism, to recognize the State of Israel, and to dismantle its militant infrastructure, to become an entity that could lead the Palestinian people to peace, to prosperity, to security with the Jewish nation. But, unfortunately, much like its predecessor, who never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity, Hamas has instead continued its violence, has aligned itself with pariah states and with state sponsors of terrorism that seek to extend their extremist, hateful ideology throughout the region and, indeed, throughout the world. Hamas has chosen to dedicate its resources and its energy to supporting continued terrorist attacks against Israel rather than to helping the Palestinian people. It is its choice, so Hamas can spend its money on suicide and homicide attacks; but it is up to the United States to support and provide for the needs of the Palestinian people. It is our responsibility, instead of Hamas'. Previous speakers in opposition to the bill have said, Madam Speaker, that this bill will deny chemotherapy to cancer victims. It is preposterous; it does not. That it would hurt the common Palestinian citizen. No, it does not. That it would undermine the Palestinian reformers by denying democracy. No, quite the opposite. That it has unbearable roadblocks to nongovernment organizations to provide assistance to the Palestinian people. Absolutely not. The bill requirements are to ensure that humanitarian aid goes to the intended recipients for the intended purposes, oversight. The United States must make it unambiguously clear that we will not support such a terrorist regime, that we will not directly or indirectly allow American taxpayer funds to be used to perpetuate the leadership of an Islamic jihadist group that is responsible for the murder of hundreds and the wounding of scores of innocent Israeli civilians, of U.S. citizens and other foreigners throughout the years. It has been almost 4 months, Madam Speaker, since this Islamic jihadist extremist won a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliamentary elections. We have made our conditions clear, but Hamas' commitment to bloodshed has remained unabated. Hamas' leaders have expressed their support for rockets being launched from Gaza into Israel, and stated that the recent attack, a bombing that killed nine innocent people and wounded 60 at a Tel Aviv restaurant, was ``justified.'' Their words, not mine. Since the elections, the leaders of Hamas have officially expressed their refusal to change a single word in its charter. Their hate-filled covenant is Hamas' most valued document. It focuses on killing Jews and destroying Israel. I would like to read some of the words that are included in the charter of Hamas and that accurately depict the group's violent views: ``The time of Muslim unity will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews and kill them; until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry, `O Muslims, there is a Jew behind me. Come on and kill him.''' The Islamic extremists running the Palestinian Authority have made it very clear, crystal clear, that they do not intend to moderate their vicious views nor seek a peace agreement with Israel. They may speak of a long-term cease-fire, but this is only a temporary means to regroup and rearm for yet more terrorism. A two-state solution envisioned and proposed by the Quartet is not part of Hamas' agenda, because it runs contrary to the core principles of this terror group that says, ``The land of Palestine from the river to the sea is considered an Islamic endowment, and no Muslim has the right to cede any part of it.'' So our actions here tonight and the vote tomorrow must be clear and it must be firm. We must work toward eradicating such Islamist jihadist hatred and the extremist ideology that feeds it, or we will compromise our own immediate as well as long-term security interests and the stability and the security of our allies in the region. In an effort to promote U.S. national security and foreign policy priorities and to help ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not reach the hands of Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups, I introduced, with my good friend the ranking member of the House International Relations Committee, Mr. Tom Lantos, this bill that is before us tonight, Madam Speaker. It has 295 cosponsors, and it opposes the provision of assistance or political recognition to any entity under the tutelage of a terrorist organization such as Hamas. This bill does prohibit direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority, but it has exceptions, and we have talked about them. Many of the people who have spoken here tonight want to overlook those exceptions. It does seek to prohibit travel to the United States by members or associates of terrorist entities, it provides for the United States to withhold contributions to the United Nations proportional to the amounts the United Nations provides to these duplicative Palestinian-related entities that are directly tied to the Palestinian Authority, and it calls for the Palestinian Authority to be designated as a terrorist sanctuary under the 9/11 bill. But it is not just about what is right for the U.S. in terms of our priorities and our allies, Madam Speaker. It also is about honoring the memory of all who have died at the hands of Hamas and other Palestinian jihadist groups. That is why tonight we have spoken about and we have given our condolences to our good friend from Virginia, Mr. Cantor, whose 16- year-old cousin, Daniel Wultz from South Florida, close to my congressional district, died 2 weeks ago after suffering these fatal injuries caused by an April 17 suicide bombing in Tel Aviv while he was having lunch with his father. Daniel fought courageously for 27 days for his life, but the injuries were far too severe. Our thoughts and our prayers go not just to Daniel, but also to all who have lost family members and friends to Hamas and other jihadist groups, and the list is, unfortunately, too long for us to mention all of their names. We want to pass this legislation to help ensure that we in Congress have done everything possible to prevent another Daniel Wultz from dying at the hands of these extremists. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to render their full support to this legislation. Madam Speaker, I yield 8 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and I ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues who have participated in this debate and most especially my dear friend from California (Mr. Lantos). He is always on the right side of all of these issues. Thank you, Mr. Lantos, for your friendship and your leadership. Madam Speaker, Hamas has a choice to make. It can be part of our broader post-9/11 policy of being with peace-loving, freedom-loving, democratic nations, or it can be with the Islamic terrorists. Yet, this is what Hamas' choice has been. On its commitment to terrorism, the security forces head says, ``We have only one enemy, they are Jews. I will continue to carry the rifle and pull the trigger whenever required to defend my people.'' On refusing to recognize Israel, the Hamas spokesman says, ``I believe that the question of recognizing Israel will never be at any time on the agenda of the Hamas movement, the PLC or the Palestinian government.'' The foreign minister has said, ``Even if the U.S. gave us all its money in return for recognizing Israel and giving up one inch of Palestine, we would never do so even if this costs us our lives. Our right to pursue the resistance will remain as long as the occupation continues over our lands and our holy sites.'' This is the leadership of Hamas. So we have a choice, Madam Speaker. Allow American taxpayer dollars to help support Hamas and other Islamic extremists or prevent such a manipulation of U.S. funds and ensure that they help promote our U.S. interests. I hope that our colleagues make the right decision tomorrow, and I hope that they will help us pass this bill.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I attach an exchange of letters between Chairman Hyde and Chairman Oxley concerning the bill H.R. 4681 ``Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006.'' House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC, May 15, 2006. Hon. Henry J. Hyde, Chairman, Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to confirm our mutual understanding with respect to the consideration of H.R. 4681, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006. This bill was introduced on February 1, 2006, and referred to the Committees on International Relations, Judiciary and Financial Services. I understand that committee action has already taken place on the bill. Section 9 of the bill as introduced falls within the jurisdiction of this Committee and could be the subject of a markup. However, in response to a request from this Committee, I thank you for your agreement to support in moving this legislation forward the modification of section 9 to remove from the certification requirement for international financial institutions a determination of the President that the Palestinian Authority has taken effective steps and made demonstrable progress toward ``ensuring democracy, the rule of law, and an independent judiciary, and adopting other reforms such as ensuring transparency and accountable governance.'' Given the importance and timeliness of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, and your willingness to work with us regarding these issues, further proceedings on this bill in this Committee will no longer be necessary. However, I do so only with the understanding that this procedural route should not be construed to prejudice the jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Financial Services on these provisions or any other similar legislation and will not be considered as precedent for consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to my committee in the future. Furthermore, should these or similar provisions be considered in a conference with the Senate, I would expect members of the Committee on Financial Services be appointed to the conference committee on these provisions. Finally, I would ask that you include a copy of our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record during the consideration of this bill. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to call me. I thank you for your consideration. Yours truly, Michael G. Oxley, Chairman.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor), the chief deputy majority whip.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence), a member of the International Relations Committee. (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that debate on this matter be extended by 60 minutes, equally divided. Perhaps the opponents of the bill would have an opportunity to read the legislation. And I would like to yield half of my time to Mr. Lantos, and ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4681) to promote the development of democratic institutions in areas under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that debate on this matter be extended by 80 minutes, equally divided.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address the House in honor of Fausto Miranda, a legendary sports reporter and one of the most outstanding members of our Cuban-American community. Last week, Fausto Miranda passed away in his Miami home at the age of 91. Miami and the Cuban people grieve in the face of this loss. Fausto Miranda was born on July 4, 1914, not knowing that history would turn this date into two reasons for him to celebrate. In 1960, Fausto Miranda came to the U.S. where, like so many other Cubans fleeing the newly installed Castro regime, he found a safe haven and the opportunity to continue his extraordinary journalistic career. The fourth of July from now on provided him with two reasons to celebrate-- the day he was born and the day America became independent and turned into a home for the oppressed and persecuted. Born and raised in the town of Puerto Padre in eastern Cuba, Fausto Miranda dreamt of becoming a lawyer; instead his poor background forced him to work in the sugar industry for a mere 30 pesos a month. Young Fausto was very shrewd when it came to making a living--he took on such diverse jobs as street vendor, prison guard, trumpeter, orchestra manager, doorman, cleaning person, music critic, social annalist, and political reporter. At the age of 20, fate showed him where his real talent lay buried. Working as a stadium announcer, he one day passed his notes on to a journalist of Diario de Cuba, one of the count's major newspapers. The next day, the article on the baseball game that appeared in the Diario was signed by `Fausto Miranda, Special Correspondent'. Years later, Fausto Miranda recalled: ``The night the newspaper came out and I saw the article with my name, I did not sleep.'' His career began to take off when he moved to Cuba's capital city of Havana in 1933. He started writing a column called ``Stardust'' which soon brought him further writing assignments for the newspapers El Crisol, Informacion, Diario de la Marina and Alerta as well as a job as sports commentator for radio COCO. Fausto Miranda rose to become ``an all-time pillar of Cuban sports journalism with an encyclopedic knowledge of baseball'', according to Felo Ramirez, a veteran sports commentator and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. During Fausto's time in Havana, the Cuban people were fortunate to have the best sports journalists in the hemisphere, including great personalities like Eladio Secades, Jessie Losada, and Pedro Galiana. When Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, Miranda was president of the Sports Writer Association. Like so many other branches of the vibrant Cuban civil society, the Association was closed down by the dictator and Fausto Miranda was forced to flee the tyrant's grasp. He arrived in New York City, the haven to so many freedom-seeking immigrants, where he once again started off by taking on a simple job as doorman before entering the American sports journalism. While his little brother Willy Miranda was out on the field playing for the New York Yankees, Fausto was reporting from the American sports world for a wide variety of national and international media. He wrote for the newspaper La Prensa, the Gesto magazine as well as the French news agency AFP, and broadcast for the radio stations Canal 47, Radio X and WQBA-La Cubanisima. In 1975, Fausto moved to Miami where he founded the sports section of El Miami Herald, predecessor of El Nuevo Herald, the Spanish-language version of the Miami Herald. In his famed weekly column ``Los viejos'', Fausto Miranda revived the Cuban-American's community memories of their tropical homeland. The popularity he gained was so great that even after his retirement in 1995, Fausto continued to publish the popular weekly column. The Cuban-American community mourns an outstanding man, whose love of sports would always drive him forward. Calling himself a ``very bad athlete . . . very bad in everything'', his passion for the athletic world paved his way from a stadium announcer to one of the Western Hemisphere's most high-profile sports journalists. Not even the murderous dictator Fidel Castro could stop him--from stardom in Havana, Fausto went to stardom in Miami. Fausto Miranda was not only an annalist of the times when legends like the boxers Kid Chocolate and Joe Louis were attracting huge crowds, and baseball legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were filling the stadiums, but through his writing he also helped the Cuban American community to keep our memories of our native Cuba alive, ``the most beautiful land human eyes ever beheld,'' as he once said. We will greatly miss him.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I thank Chairman Taylor as well as his excellent staff for allowing all of the Members to participate in the drafting of this amendment and a debate on this amendment. Mr. Chairman, there is one provision that is very harmful to my home State of Florida. Along with my Florida Members, we will be fighting the Peterson language that is attached to this bill which will allow offshore drilling just 3 miles off our Nation's coastlines. The Peterson language would overturn a 25-year bipartisan moratorium on such drilling. It is bad for the environment, it is bad for national security, and it is not the answer to our pressing energy needs. Three miles. That is the distance in which drilling structures could appear off of Florida's shoreline. These structures could blight the coast, damage sensitive habitat, undermine our State's economic future. Last year alone, 85 million people visited Florida, many to experience the national beauty of our sandy beaches and marine habitats. Offshore drilling would introduce toxins and pollutants into the ocean environment. The Florida delegation will unite to promote the Putnam amendment later today to strip the Peterson language from the bill. Mr. Chairman, I am so proud to represent the national treasures of the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is home to thousands of plants and animal species as well as the world's third largest living coral reef system. Drilling would threaten the health of this national marine sanctuary and undermine our efforts to foster and restore sensitive areas. Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues' help in making sure that we can protect Florida's coastline and our Nation's ecosystem by adopting the Putnam amendment and rejecting the Peterson language. Mr. Chairman, I thank again Chairman Taylor for his time and for this opportunity.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank our leader, Mr. Putnam, for the time. And along with my colleagues from the Florida delegation, I rise in strong support of the Putnam amendment and in passionate opposition to any amendment, any language which would allow offshore drilling a mere 3 miles from our Nation's coast. The Peterson language would overturn the current moratorium on drilling, a moratorium which has been in place for over 25 years. The bipartisan Florida delegation position remains firm, remains strong: oil and gas drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf is dangerous for the economy, is dangerous for the environment, runs contrary to national security interests, and is not an immediate nor a long-term answer to the Nation's growing energy needs. Drilling 3 miles off a Florida coast, as Mr. Putnam pointed out. I am so proud to represent the ecological treasures of the Florida Keys. It is a premier destination for ecotourism. Any offshore drilling near this area would place thousands of rare and vulnerable marine plant species in harm's way and could cripple the Keys' tourism economy. Drilling structures along the gulf coast would be located in the middle of a hurricane zone. So I hope that we strongly oppose the Peterson language by adopting the Putnam language tonight, and I thank the chairman.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Reverend Monsignor Emilio Vallina in celebration of his 54 years of service. As a servant of God, he has truly made a difference in the San Juan Bosco Church community in my congressional district of Miami, Florida. San Juan Bosco Church is fortunate to have an individual who gives so generously of his time and energy to improve our area. It is the perseverance and compassion of people like Monsignor Vallina that help in the development of a stronger south Florida. After fleeing the tyrannical Castro regime in 1961, Monsignor Emilio has dedicated himself to the teaching and the practice of the Catholic doctrine. His church in East Little Havana welcomes the poor immigrants, the homeless and the lonely. Monsignor Emilio Vallina deserves commendation for his hard work and his continuous effort to improve the welfare of our community. May God continue to bless you, my friend, Monsignor Emilio Vallina.