Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 531.

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

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 531) condemning the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, urging the Argentine Government to punish those responsible, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for his eloquent words, for his skilled leadership, and for his deep knowledge of history that has helped us to pass this resolution today. I also thank our colleague the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) for his constant support of all items worthy of support, and certainly our fight against terrorism is on that list. I thank the gentleman for that. I also thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Gilman) for his assistance in allowing this resolution to be brought up to the floor so rapidly. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to quote from Ambassador Aviran of Israel, whom I believe encapsulated the need for this resolution and for justice. He said, ``Crimes that go unpunished are crimes that get repeated.'' The time to act is now. Six years more should not be allowed to pass before the guilty are brought to justice. I would like to especially commend the organization B'nai B'rith for its efforts on behalf of the Argentine Jewish community and on behalf of justice in this case. May that day of justice come quickly. Therefore, I ask my colleagues to support House Resolution 531.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter). (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the sixth anniversary of the heinous terrorist act against the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Six years ago, on July 18, 1994, a dark cloud of fear and anguish enveloped this South American city when 86 innocent human beings, including frail little girls and boys, were killed, and 300 were wounded as a result of the bombing. However, 6 years later, Mr. Speaker, sorrow, despair and frustration still permeate the air. Six years later, justice, peace, and security continue to be elusive abstract concepts. But as Argentina's current president, Fernando de la Rua, has stated, it is imperative to keep the memory alive, because forgetfulness is a shelter for impunity. This leads to the primary reason why I introduced this resolution, to renew and redirect international attention in order to ensure that justice will be finally served. Further, this resolution serves to honor and remember the victims; to outline the evidence supporting the international and local connections to the bombing; to bring to the forefront reported attempts by elements of the Argentine security forces to derail the main investigation by hiding evidence and creating false leads. The need to effectively address the alleged Argentine participation for this terrorist act was underscored by the de la Rua administration in April of this year when it established a task force to look into the corrupt police officers and their possible role in the financing of the attack, in providing the vehicle used in the bombing. This task force will also pursue undeveloped leads and information regarding the international Iranian terrorist network which has orchestrated and carried out horrific acts against defenseless human beings. It was clear from the onset that this attack and the earlier one on the Israeli Embassy were part of a campaign of violence targeted at the Jewish community in Argentina and throughout the world by radical militant groups in the Middle East. Circumstantial evidence would later support this connection, attributing the bombing to the terrorist group Hezbollah based in Lebanon and sponsored by Iran. Additional evidence indicates that the tri-border area, where Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil meet, were used to channel resources for the purpose of carrying out this terrorist attack. Other circumstantial data indicates that this bombing could not have been carried out without local assistance from elements of the Argentine security forces. This link was supported by the indictment of 15 military and police officers, with five described as ``necessary parties to the bombing'' charged with multiple counts of murder, conspiracy and corruption. The wounds will not begin to heal until the investigation into the AMIA bombing is pursued with vigor and determination and until effective action is taken by all to ensure that justice is served. The scars will serve as a constant reminder of the need for vigilance in our hemisphere, of the need for democratic countries to unite in condemning such horrid acts and work together to protect the right of every citizen in every society to live in peace and liberty free from the threat of terrorism. This resolution is an important first step toward achieving that goal. It is a call to action. It sends an unequivocal message to all that the United States considers the resolution of this case to be a priority, that it is prepared to take the necessary steps to ensure this end, working both with regional neighbors as well as with the Argentine government, providing them with assistance when requested. Six years have passed. We cannot wait any longer. It is time for the rule of law to be seen and to be heard in this important case. We cannot allow justice to be held captive by inaction. For the sake of the victims, for the sake of hemispheric and global security, and for the sake of justice, I ask our colleagues to support this resolution today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 253. It is outrageous that the United Nations would even consider expelling the Holy See from the United Nations as a state participant by removing its status as a Permanent Observer. As the Resolution reflects and history has clearly shown, the Holy See has served as a vehicle for peace, cooperation, and mutual understanding among nations. Since 1946, the Holy See has demonstrated its commitment to the principles on which the United Nations was founded, maintaining its position as an honest broker and objective independent party by choosing to become a nonmember state with Permanent Observer status in 1964. The Holy See has been sought out throughout the decades to facilitate discussions, to build a bridge, between conflicting parties--having these see each other as human beings rather than as political adversaries. What appeared to be insurmountable obstacles were overcome through the intercession of the Holy See and its dedication to the idea of a global family of nations. The Holy See exemplifies the essence of the United Nations Charter and mission. To expel it from this international body would be to undermine the very foundation of the United Nations damaging this body's credibility and image of neutrality. Such degradation of the Holy See would be considered an affront, not only to its status as a State, but would be interpreted as a veiled attack on the moral and ethical principles it represents. I ask my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Rangel amendment, but I support my dear colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) on the various points about why this part of the bill should be stricken, why this amendment should be stricken. What this amendment is asking our U.S. agencies to do is to look the other way when U.S. laws governing trade with the oppressive Castro regime are being violated. It does so by prohibiting funds in the act from being used for the implementation of various foreign policy and national security restrictions. This amendment extends far beyond the jurisdiction of the appropriations bill by referring to authorities, export controls and sanctions imposed under the Foreign Assistance Act, The Trading With the Enemy Act, the Export Administration Act, the Cuban Democracy Act, and other existing laws whose enforcements are administered by the Department of Commerce, the State Department, the Treasury Department and sometimes in consultation with the Department of Defense. Mr. Chairman, it is ironic that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), my good friend, the sponsor of this amendment, who repeatedly comes to the floor advocating for greater presidential authority over foreign policy and trade matters and seeks a minimal congressional involvement in any of these issues would offer an amendment which actually restricts the President and issues a congressional mandate dictating what the pertinent agencies can and cannot do. So I believe that this amendment, which really seeks to change U.S. policy toward the brutal Castro dictatorship which rules Cuba with an iron grip by circumventing and ignoring the committees of jurisdiction, who have the expertise in these issues; without affording those committees an opportunity to debate, discuss and offer recommendations. Further, Mr. Chairman, the Rangel amendment is in direct conflict with the agreement that we had reached a few weeks ago on the sanctions issue, an agreement which I believe has received broad range of support, and this agreement not only maintains a strong stance against Cuba's totalitarian regime, but it also protects American taxpayers from bearing the burden of failed loans and poor investments with Castro. I would hope that the chairman would rule that this is not germane to the bill in question.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I wish to be recognized on this point of order.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I condemn the government of Iran for its actions against 13 imprisoned Jews. The official crime that these men have been charged with is espionage on behalf of the United States and Israel, but their real crime was being Jewish in a country that does not tolerate freedom of religion. The Iranian mullahs have concocted a ``show trial'' that Joseph Stalin would be proud of, void of any evidence or legitimate legal proceedings. During this scripted play, nine of the accused were coerced into a nationally televised confession. This staged trial has been running since April without any tangible evidence. Kept out of the trial are the families of the accused, the press, human rights advocates, and the general public. These brave and devout men have been in prison for over a year, almost entirely bereft of any kind of legal representation. While this masquerade of a trial will soon conclude, these 13 may soon be executed. The world will be watching and praying that these courageous men will be released.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I would hope that our colleagues would support the rule tonight. The compromise that has been discussed previously on the floor, I believe, represents a well-balanced approach to a very difficult and thorny and delicate issue that I know is very important to everyone here. I think it is a well-crafted compromise. Certainly not a perfect vehicle, like many negotiations that end up with a document that is not perfect for either side. But I want to thank tonight the individuals who participated in the many hours of difficult negotiations, starting with our good friend, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Nethercutt); the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson); the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations; and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), who was really the person who helped us reach this compromise. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) and I have been working, as all of my colleagues know, for many years on the issue of freedom for Cuba. We were both born in Cuba, came here to the United States young. We know what it is like to live under a Communist regime, and the districts that we represent, although not homogeneous, certainly heterogeneous districts, but the people, many of whom we represent, are in similar situations. They lost what little they had in Cuba. And I am not talking about material possessions. I am talking about freedom, democracy, liberty, justice. And so, when we hear in this Chamber and we talk about negotiations with a communist regime, the political is the personal and the personal is the political for us. We thank the Republican leadership for their help in getting us to this point. A credible case perhaps could be made that in other dictatorships throughout the world there has been a semblance of reform and a semblance of change, and perhaps that is why this body has in other bills voted to have trading relations with those dictatorships. I have not been on that list, but a credible case could be made for some market reforms in other countries. But what reforms have taken place in Castro's Cuba in these 41 years of tyranny and dictatorship? They are no closer to freer elections. There have not been any free elections in Castro's Cuba for 41 years. The violations of human rights continue to this very day. While we are here discussing this issue, dissidents are being rounded up and thrown in jail, opposition leaders are persecuted and prosecuted, people of religious faith who want to practice their religion are also rounded up and thrown in jail on bogus charges, child prostitution continues to be the order of the day. And we wink and nod and continue to believe that we could have faith in such a regime. In fact, foreign firms who go to Cuba to do business, by law, are not allowed to pay the worker directly. They must pay Fidel Castro in dollars, and Castro then pays the worker in actually worthless pesos. The Cuban worker is a slave. And those who deal with business with the Castro dictatorship, they are here to talk against slavery. In the United States, of course we would abhor that. But yet, slavery is the norm of the day in Cuba, and we are supposed to accept that because we have a global marketplace and everything is all right. Everything is not all right in Castro's Cuba, and that is why my family came to the United States. That is why so many hundreds and thousands of Cubans die trying to come to the United States. And thank God that there is this wonderful country where people with very dissimilar views can come together and fashion a compromise because we have democracy, because we have discussions, and because we have an open system. So I hope that, in celebration of that open system, our colleagues would accept the compromise. I thank the Republican leadership and so many on the other side who have helped us to get to this point. I hope that we adopt the rule tonight, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend my colleague the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) for sponsoring a resolution that expresses the concern of the Congress for the safety and well-being of United States citizens injured while traveling in Mexico and calls for the President to begin negotiations with the government of Mexico to establish a humanitarian exemption to that country's exit bond requirements. No American should have to live through the nightmare faced by Michael and Lorraine Andrews, a couple from my congressional district, on a recent trip to Mexico. What was supposed to be a peaceful vacation cruise became a life-and-death situation after a serious car accident required Michael's immediate transfer to the United States to receive adequate medical treatment for a spinal cord injury. The Andrews couple was delayed by Mexican authorities and had to pay off several individuals in order to board the plane to head home. Humanitarian considerations should be allowed to supersede any regulatory bond that may delay an American's departure to receive proper medical care so that emergencies like that of Michael and Lorraine Andrews will be prevented in the future.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 297, I was unavoidably detained. If present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 297.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it is common knowledge that most of today's American families can no longer live comfortably on one sole income, in fact, most households depend on at least two incomes, and as if that wasn't enough, today's American employees average more hours at work than employees from other nations. It is crystal clear that Americans work hard for their paychecks, which is why it is disheartening to know that when a significant percentage of their hard earned money is involuntarily removed for a Medicare fund, our government will use it as a slush fund to operate completely unrelated programs from which our seniors will never benefit. Our nation's population is rapidly aging and in response to this, Congress must make the protection of Medicare dollars a high priority in order to deliver healthcare for seniors. Our seniors deserve the health care benefits they were promised. Our seniors need to know that they will receive adequate healthcare when they need it most. They need not be terrified, as many are, about whether their doctor visits, treatments and even prescriptions will be covered. Today, the House of Representatives hopes to put seniors' worries at ease as we will vote on H.R. 3859, the Social Security and Medicare Safe Deposit Box Act. I thank my colleague, Congressman Wally Herger for creating this legislation which will reserve Medicare surplus dollars only for responsible debt reduction or spending on the Medicare program. Soon after today's vote, seniors will no longer need to fear that the money set aside for their Medicare and well being will be used as a big government slush fund. Similarly to the Social Security lock box which passed by a vote of 417-2 last year, this Medicare lock box is the right thing to do; the responsible thing to do. Today's vote is the first step in ensuring our nation's seniors that they will no longer need to fear about whether they will be taken care of in their old age. Today, Congress will make history because today we begin the guarantee of security in healthcare for our senior citizens.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in continuing support of securing Federal funds to dredge the Miami River located in my congressional district. The 5\1/2\ mile River runs through the heart of Miami and is in desperate need of cleaning. Dredging of the River is necessary because sediment buildup in the River has impaired the $5 billion cargo trade of the shipping industry. Many ships cannot load to capacity and are restricted to sailing only at high tide. The dredging is a key element of the River's revitalization. The project has the support of our local business and environmental communities. And we have a funding partnership with the State of Florida, Miami-Dade County as well as the city of Miami. Mr. Speaker, I urge a full cleanup of the Miami River, as it will result in economic improvements to the private riverside development by stimulating the shipping industry and providing much needed inner-city jobs. Federal funding for this project would also restore the environmental quality of the river and improve the quality of life for local residents and neighborhoods. We have the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and all of our local partners ready to do the work. Let us get going.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to congratulate Our Lady of Lourdes Academy for winning first place at the National Finals of the ``We the People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution.'' The group was invited to Washington D.C. as the finalist representing all of Florida and went on to win the first place trophy. There were over 50 groups in the competition. I want to congratulate Giannina Berrocal, Erika Bloch, Carolina Bolado, Gabriela Chamorro, Natalie Dela Maza, Elizabeth Herald, Stephanie Hew, Ana Manrara, Carmen Manrara, Jennifer McNally, Kellie Montoya, Alexandra Mora, Cn'stina Moreno, Carmen Ruiz-Castaneda, Jennifer Smith and Olga Urbieta for their hard work, and especially Ms. Rosalie Heffernon, their teacher, who helped give them direction in this important endeavor. Congratulations to these Lourdes students for taking such an active interest in the history of our nation, and I am sure that this bright group of high school students will be the voices echoing in the national debate of the years to come.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 3405, the Equality for Israel at the United Nations Act that pushed for equality at the U.N. for our closest ally, I am pleased that because of U.S. pressure, Israel has finally achieved a long-deserved, although partial, victory. Israel for years has been refused entry into one of the 5 regional groupings and thus has been denied full membership at the U.N., although it has been a member since 1949. This has undermined and weakened Israel's ability to function effectively within the international community. Israel has now finally been granted membership in the Western European and Other Group, WEOG; however, with conditions. Many of us will continue to push for Israel's full membership in the WEOG, as well as its membership in its rightful regional grouping, which is the Asian group. Israel has earned it. Few other countries have been tested in this manner and have given so much to protect the very principles upon which the United Nations was founded.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), the chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands for holding a hearing calling for the preservation of Stiltsville. Stiltsville is a group of seven homes located south of Key Biscayne, Florida, located in my congressional district that has been part of the landscape and seascape of our young community since the 1930s. Mother Nature has destroyed many of these homes, but now the Federal bureaucracy seeks to do what previous hurricanes have not succeeded in doing, which is to tear down these beautiful homes. The homeowners have gathered a powerful coalition to help them with the causes of saving Stiltsville, and they obtained over 60,000 signatures and resolutions of support from the Dade Heritage Trust, almost all of the municipalities in the Miami-Dade County, the Dade County Commission, the Florida House of Representatives, and the South Florida Congressional Delegation. Governor Jeb Bush also supports the preservation of Stiltsville, and I thank the gentleman from Utah (Chairman Hansen) for his help to our cause. We will continue to negotiate with the Department of Interior on finding a solution that meets the goals of the National Park Service while saving this remarkable landmark that we call Stiltsville.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Betti Lidsky on her fiftieth birthday celebration. Betti Lidsky is an exemplary woman who personifies love and self sacrifice. As the mother of three children who suffer from Retinitis Pigmentosa, an eye degenerative disease which may lead to blindness, she battles valiantly everyday to seek ways in which to increase funding for finding a cure and save the eyesight of her children and others like them. A true heroine, she selflessly devotes her time and energy to her family, to the national Foundation Fighting Blindness where she serves as a board member, and to the South Florida community where she is highly admired and respected. Betti Lidsky is an advocate whose services and kind spirit have touched the lives of many, and on this very special occasion, I ask that my colleagues join me in wishing Betti Lidsky a very happy fiftieth birthday.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 233, I was unavoidably detained. If present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 233.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to add my voice to the many in protest of the wrongful imprisonment of the 13 Jews by the government of Iran on bogus charges of spying for the United States and Israel. The world community has unilaterally condemned this action by Iran, and our government and that of Israel have denied that these men were spies. Not only are the charges at best ludicrous, but should the 12 men and one teenager be found guilty, they will be executed. Only yesterday, 8 of the 10 accused appeared before an Iranian judge and were coerced into a ``confession.'' They have been denied their own legal representation. However, the only crime that these brave souls are guilty of is their faith in the face of a regime that allows no practice of religion that runs counter to their's. These men of faith have held true to their religious beliefs in the face of threats against them by the Iranian government. Mr. Speaker, I urge the government of Iran to release them, and further, I urge our government to apply serious pressure on this repressive government and to work with the Iranian opposition to help bring about real reform and democracy in Iran.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, every morning Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jimmy Morales helps his 6-year-old daughter get ready for school. Like many 6-year-old kids, Nora sings along to Britney Spears, N-Sync or Cristina Aguilera. Once at school, she introduces her dad to all of her classmates, gives daddy a kiss and a hug, and sends him off to work. While to most people this may sound like a normal day in the life of a 6-year-old for Nora, many of these achievements have come only as a result of hard work. Unlike most little girls, Nora would not like to wear ribbons or clips in her hair. She could not look her parents in the eye nor tell them about her day with her grandparents. In fact, Nora's parents were not even sure she recognized her own name. The reason: 4 years ago, Nora was diagnosed with autism; a neurological disorder which impacts a half a million people in America. The world through the eyes of an autistic child is a complex puzzle with no solution. Autism affects the normal development of the brain and it impacts in the area of social interaction and communication skills. As a result, children living with autism have a difficult time responding appropriately to their environment. This includes playing with friends and forming relationships, even with their own parents. Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls, but it does not discriminate. It knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. And family income, life-style and educational level do not affect the chances of autism's occurrence. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no one knows exactly why autism strikes approximately 1 in every 500 individuals. Autism not only has no known cause, but it has, sadly, no known cure. Sadly enough, the national rates of children being diagnosed with autism are increasing dramatically. For example, in the State of California, the numbers have increased 237 percent in the last 10 years. In my home State, 50 percent of the children diagnosed with autism reside within my community of south Florida. The pictures that I would like to show to my colleagues and to the viewers tonight that we see here are of Bonnie and Willis Flick, two autistic children residing in my Congressional District who are fortunate enough to receive treatment and intervention therapy to help them cope with every day life. A good day for Bonnie is similar to the one we just heard about Nora. Bonnie is a high functioning autistic child who attends a very special school, The Learning Experience in Miami. And because autism is a spectrum disease that is manifested in a variety of forms, some children are not as high functioning as Bonnie. For example, life for Bonnie's autistic brother, Willis, is a bit more difficult. Willis is mostly nonverbal and is not able to tell his mother that he is hungry or sleepy or not feeling well. He is unable to verbally express his joy, anger, or frustration; and that makes life all the more difficult for those around him. Bonnie and Willis receive professional assistance to help them optimize their potential and learning capabilities. But there are many autistic children who are less fortunate. As if families of autistic children did not suffer enough distress, one of the biggest challenges facing them is finding health coverage for treatment and therapy of this condition. Fortunately, Nora's parents, as well as Bonnie and Willis' parents, have been able to work through obstacles to ultimately find the care that their families so desperately need. Many families, however, are not as fortunate. We must continue to work so that all health insurance and health maintenance organizations include coverage for services to treat autism. In my Congressional district, the University of Miami operates the Center for Autism and Related Diseases, CARD, which helps hundreds of children and their families whose lives are impacted with autism. The CARD centers operate throughout the State of Florida and provide free individual and family assistance services as well as training programs for the parent and the professional. These centers focus on finding ways to change the behaviors and perceptions of individuals with autism in a way that will allow them to successfully learn, work, and communicate. Mr. Speaker, we need to continue to support centers like CARD whose services benefit families struggling through the ordeal of autism. Last week, the House passed the Children's Health Act, which contains a provision to establish centers of research and expertise. It is establishments like these that will help families of autistic children. I hope that, on behalf of the Bonnies and the Willises and the Noras in their districts, my colleagues will continue to pass legislation like the Children's Health Act and provide funding to research the causes for this disorder. With continued research, every day we are one day closer to finding a cure for this debilitating disability.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, when you look at these posters, you see beautiful, happy children. But what you do not know is that Bonnie and Willis Flick are beautiful, happy children with autism. Autism is a neurological disorder that impacts half a million people in America. This disorder makes it hard for them to communicate with others and to relate to the outside world. Autistic children have difficulties in communications, in social interactions and even in play activities. I am a very close friend of Bonnie and Willis Flick's parents and I have seen the distress and the frustration that dealing with autism may impose on families. Approximately 50 percent of Florida's families with autism reside within my community of south Florida and Bonnie and Willis Flick are just two. But the Flicks are among the fortunate few who can afford intervention and counseling to help them cope with autism, because when one child suffers with autism, indeed the entire family is impacted. Last week, the House passed the Children's Health Act to fight against autism by establishing centers to develop treatment and prevention methods. Thousands of children like Bonnie and Willis Flick will benefit from this research because for families living with autism, until we find a cure, research is what keeps our hopes alive.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, newspapers, magazines, and nightly news shape the opinions of its readers and viewers. In fact, it has been said that whomever controls multimedia controls our culture. Unfortunately, more often than not, the media's message is biased, but in few cases has it been as slanted as it has been with the saga of Elian Gonzalez. April 22nd was the first time in American history that the U.S. Government decided that a custody case should be settled with automatic weapons. Yet, to those who know the biased media, it was no surprise that, according to the Media Research Center, major news outlets such as the New York Times, USA Today, and Newsweek magazine, did not run the photo of a Federal agent seizing Elian with an automatic weapon in hand. The Media Research Center, which is a media watchdog group which seeks to expose bias and favoritism among multimedia, has compiled an impressive record showing how the national media built the public relations rationale for Elian's eventual return to Cuba, and then justified the government's raid on a private residence to ensure a political victory for the Clinton administration and the Communist regime of Cuba. In all of the coverage and controversy over the rescue of 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez, the media have taken the stark contrast between American liberty and Cuban tyranny and muddled it to the point that much of the American public could now think that Cuba is no different than the United States, or even that Cuba is better than America. We would like to think that the Cold War is over, but for the people of Communist Cuba, the Cold War remains. Is it any wonder that after being barraged with liberal arguments, the public told network pollsters that they approved of the violent seizure of Elian? Analysts from the Media Research Center identified four patterns of distinct liberal media bias: One, the news media have deliberately undermined the moral legitimacy of Elian's Miami relatives specifically and anti-Communist Cuban Americans in general; two, the news media have consistently praised the actions and achievements of Fidel Castro's Cuba, claimed that it was better for children than America, and played up the paradise that Elian could dwell in among the Communist party elite. Three, the news media have justified Attorney General Janet Reno's actions and arguments and lamented any resistance and delay in sending Elian back to Cuba. Four, the news media have dismissed congressional criticism of the INS raid and have branded calls for investigation as unpopular and totally unnecessary. Analysts concluded that, if the media were interested in a balanced presentation of the Elian controversy, they would have scrutinized the administration more than justified it. They concluded that the media would have explained the regimented reality of family life in Castro's Cuba. The Media Research Center states that the media would have balanced the questioning of the motives of Elian's Miami relatives by questioning the motives of the reunification camp and they would have encouraged more discussion and oversight instead of trying to cut it off. Thomas Jefferson said that ``the advertisement is the most truthful part of a newspaper.'' He may have been correct because, regarding the Elian controversy, it is apparent the media have been more interested in entertainment than in covering the facts. The media do not tell the American public of the everyday horrors that take place in the homes of 11 million enslaved Cubans, the horrors that take place in the scores of Cubans, like Elian's mother Elisabet Brotons, who was willing to take the risk of their lives to escape. The media have failed to question why Joan Campbell, posing as a church lady for the National Council of Churches, feverishly raised funds to send a boy back to a country that persecutes religious believers. Why did the INS send a heavily armed SWAT team to seize Elian in the name of parental rights, but it has done nothing to reunify another survivor from that ill-fated freedom journey with her beloved 5-year- old daughter in Cuba. On Tuesday, May 23, at 2:30 p.m., I invite each of my colleagues to come and learn the answers to these questions by attending a special briefing to be held by Brent Bozell, founder of the Media Research Center, who will give a presentation on how the media have distorted the truth regarding the case of Elian Gonzalez. Come learn the real reason why the Gonzalez family and anticommunist Americans everywhere are valiantly fighting for a fair chance to give Elian in his fair day in court in the United States. If the fact that blacks and Jews are persecuted in Cuba, that gays and HIV patients are quarantined in concentration camps, and that all Cuban children are stripped from their parents and sent off to forced work camps is news to my colleagues, they can blame the biased media. Galileo said ``all truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.'' Mr. Speaker, I hope to see many of our colleagues attempting to unveil the truths about Elian Gonzalez' case by attending next Tuesday's briefing and discovering the truths about this case.