Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, in support of the Kucinich/Ros-Lehtinen amendment. (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, scores of south Florida boaters and hundreds of volunteers will be picking up debris and trash from the Miami River on the last weekend of this month to contribute to the cleanup efforts that are paramount to the revitalization of this important waterway. The cleanup is being organized by my office, by the Save Old Stiltsville group, and the Miami River Commission, to encourage others to become active in environmental issues and to promote volunteerism in our community. The cleaning of the Miami River is vital to both the ecosystems and the economy of our south Florida community. The Miami River is the fifth largest port in the State of Florida, and it is an important link to the Caribbean and Latin America. This cleanup effort is a good example of what can be accomplished when there is a successful coalition of businesses, civic leaders, environmentalists, and elected officials working together toward one common goal. I congratulate the Save Old Stiltsville organization for caring so deeply about preserving our community's resources. Let us join them and clean up the Miami River.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, Thursday, August 19, will mark the opening of the Ryder Elementary Charter School in my district in Miami, Florida where Ryder System, Inc. will ensure quality education for children of their valued and respected employees. The Ryder Elementary Charter School will be the nation's first ``charter school-in-the- workplace.'' Children of Ryder employees will be educated at no cost with a unique curriculum designed specifically to ensure success for its students. Providing child care in the mornings before school and in the early evening while parents are still at work, the Ryder Elementary Charter School will enable parents to continue working in order to better provide for their children, all the while knowing that they are safe and among friends who care. By providing these invaluable services to employees and families of the South Florida community, Ryder has set a grand precedent that I hope other American companies and businesses will follow. This year, the Ryder Elementary Charter School will educate 300 kindergarten through third graders, and will expand to 500 students in kindergarten through fifth grade within the next two years. By initiating this remarkable first of a kind charter school, Ryder has demonstrated a clear commitment to work hard to care for their employees and for their families. In light of their unselfish dedication to the future of America, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating, and thanking Ryder for their fine work.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the Reverend Douglas Zimmerman of St. Thomas Episcopal Parish in Miami, Florida has always been known for his unselfish giving, his Christ-like character and his invaluable service to his parish and community. Among his many gifts are the precedents he sets and the ways in which he leads children by example into following the teachings of Jesus Christ. This Monday, August 2nd, Reverend Zimmerman will, once again, instruct students to give as Christ gave of himself, as he organizes a group of 12 dedicated students who have volunteered part of their summer vacation to lend a helping hand to underprivileged families in Central America. During this mission trip, Reverend Zimmerman and his team of 12 students will travel to Honduras, a country which was ravaged by Hurricane Mitch, to establish places of refuge for families who were left desolate. They will bring light to a world of darkness by providing children and families with the basic necessities which we, the fortunate, often take for granted. During their 9-day trip, the mission team will have the unique opportunity of building a House of the Lord, a church where individuals, families and entire communities can come to know Jesus. The sanctuary to be built, where families will gather for worship, where the needy will receive, and where the hungry and tired will find comfort and rest, will restore faith, hope and joy to the people of Honduras. In light of the many contributions Reverend Zimmerman and the St. Thomas Episcopal Parish Youth Mission Team will make this summer, I ask that my colleagues join me in prayer to ensure safety for this team and in commending them for their faithfulness in bringing the ``good news'' of Jesus Christ.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the Reverend Douglas Zimmerman of St. Thomas Episcopal Parish in Miami, Florida has always been known for his unselfish giving and his invaluable service to his parish and community. Among his many gifts are the precedents he sets and the ways in which he leads children by example into following Biblical teachings. This Monday, August 2, Reverend Zimmerman will, once again, instruct students to give of themselves as he organizes a group of seven dedicated students and four adults who have volunteered part of their summer vacation to lend a helping hand to underprivileged families in Central America. During this mission trip, Reverend Zimmerman and his dedicated team of 11 will travel to Honduras, a country which was ravaged by Hurricane Mitch, to establish places of refuge for families which have been left desolate. They will bring light to a world of darkness by providing children and their families with the basic necessities which we often take for granted. During their 9-day trip, the mission team will have the unique opportunity of building a House of the Lord, a church where individuals, families, and entire communities can gather. In light of his many contributions, we congratulate Reverend Zimmerman and the St. Thomas Episcopal Parish youth mission team, that they will have a fortunate journey this summer.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, while many may turn a blind eye to the reality that plagues the Cuban people, Amnesty International does not. It monitors and advocates on behalf of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in the island of Cuba. A recent case is that of political activist and human rights dissidenter Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina, who was arbitrarily arrested again on July 11 of this year solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression. His whereabouts now? Unknown. The prisoner of conscience Marta Beatriz Roque, who was sentenced by Castro's kangaroo courts earlier this year after languishing for close to 2 years in a squalid jail cell for exercising her human rights and civil liberties, was severely punished by the regime on July 16 for refusing to eat and staying mute in a silent protest for the unjust incarceration that she is subjected to. These examples of the Cuban dictatorship's cruelties are grave and numerous. Other countries may wish to ignore them. However, the U.S. Congress cannot and indeed we must not.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill for a simple reason. This is not the time to reward a government which poses a threat to U.S. national security, which closes its markets to American products, which not only steals nuclear secrets from our labs but violates U.S. intellectual property rights. Before we extend normal trade relations to the PRC, we should ask ourselves what trading with this regime, an abuser of human rights, has accomplished thus far. Has it accomplished the overall goal of changing unacceptable behavior by the Chinese Government? Are the Chinese people any freer? Are they able to exercise their rights as individuals and as citizens of the state without reprisals? Do American businesses have unlimited access to Chinese markets? Or are they subject to barriers and widespread discrimination? Are the American people any safer? Reports by the Central Intelligence Agency show that 13 of China's 18 long-range strategic missiles have single nuclear warheads aimed at U.S. cities. China also has an array of strategic missiles that U.S. military and intelligence officials say are targeted on U.S. forces deployed in Asia. Defense and intelligence experts show that China continues to transfer dangerous technology to Iran and Pakistan and is actively involved in the transfer of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and missiles to other rogue states. The PRC is subsidizing Chinese missile and nuclear industries and prolonging the status quo. We have all read with grave concerns the report by the Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China. Looking at the issue from a strictly commercial perspective, looking at it as if trade is the most important aspect, affording China normal trade relations also makes no sense whatsoever. It would be rewarding China for its closed markets which in just the first 4 months of this year has resulted in an $18.4 billion trade deficit for the United States. I urge my colleagues to vote for the bill to disapprove NTR for China.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the Florida Keys are made up of 100 miles of 30 islands that form a chain. Adjacent to the Keys is the most extensive living coral reef in North America and the third largest in the world. These coral reefs are intertwined to a marine ecosystem that supports one of the most diverse and unique collections of plants and animals in North America. Millions of people come from all over the United States and the world to visit the Florida Keys. This is both a blessing and a big part of the problem. The Keys are suffering from pollution brought about by humans. Some of our beaches have already had to be closed over the July 4th weekend because of these contaminants. Even more crucial, the living coral reef is in danger of dying from pollutants if the water quality is not improved immediately. I urge my colleagues, therefore, to preserve one of our national treasures, the Florida Keys, by acting on the bill of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch), the Florida Keys Water Quality Improvement Act of 1999, H.R. 673.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to commend Dr. Camilo Ricordi and Dr. Norma Kenyon for their exceptional work in the field of medical research. Through ongoing study at the University of Miami, these two doctors have brought the medical world one step closer to finding a cure for diabetes. Dr. Ricordi and Dr. Kenyon recently reported on the experiments which they have been conducting involving anti-CD154. This artificially made antibody has succeeded in curing monkeys from potentially fatal cases of diabetes. Such drugs will replace the more harmful and less successful versions which are presently being used. This will allow patients with the most dangerous forms of diabetes to lead a normal, healthy life without depending on needles and insulin. It is only through their hard work and dedication to improving the lives of diabetics that Dr. Ricordi and Dr. Kenyon's have made such strides in finding a cure to a debilitating disease. The full report is expected to be published later this year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. I ask that my Congressional colleagues join me in congratulating the incredible achievement in medical research of Dr. Ricordi and Dr. Kenyon of the University of Miami.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Canady) for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, my 13-year-old daughter had a slight head wound that required stitches. My husband and I were in D.C., so my parents took Amanda to the hospital. But because the injury was not life-threatening, the hospital refused to give her stitches until Dexter and I gave permission. Yet, incredibly enough, Amanda could be taken to another State and undergo an abortion without my husband and me knowing about it. Would the abortionist know what medicines Amanda is allergic to? Of course not. Parents know, parents can help. Mr. Speaker, let us take a moment to ponder on the infamous Joyce Farley case. Let us remember the way in which her underage daughter was taken advantage of and raped. Let us not forget about the pain and the suffering she endured, the severe complications, the bleeding, the multiple hospital visits and the astronomical medical bills that her parents were forced to pay, all because one stranger, the mother of the rapist, who is now a litigant in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, thought that she could take the life of Joyce Farley's daughter into her own hands. Joyce's 12-year-old was raped then later driven to another State by the rapist's mother. She underwent a botched abortion and was dropped off 30 miles from her home. And, of course, she had to have another hospital visit to correct the damage done by the abortionist. Cases such as Joyce Farley's must not be repeated. Now more than ever it is evident that children need their parents. Society needs to do everything within our power to help parents assume responsibility for our children. We need to try to secure the right of parents to become involved in the lives of our children and to help them, not to pull families apart. The opponents of this legislation have sought ways in which to defy this child-parent relationship. They have tried to place grandparents, brothers, sisters on par with the parents. But let me ask my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, what well-meaning sweet old grandmother would not feel the need to let a child's parent know? What well-meaning minister would drive a child to an abortion clinic and advise the child to keep the pregnancy and the abortion a secret from her parent? Mr. Speaker, the American people have expressed support for more parental involvement. They support a parent's right to know, and they support the Child Custody Protection Act.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Myrick) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, this legislation, as we know, will make it a Federal misdemeanor for a non-parental adult to transport someone else's daughter, underage daughter, across State lines for the purposes of obtaining an abortion. Presently 24 States in our Union have passed parental consent or notification laws in order to protect minor girls from irreparable harm that can be caused to them. Yet, with complete and total disregard for the law, many adults choose to willingly circumvent those State laws, placing young, vulnerable girls in serious danger as they undergo potentially fatal abortions. Without the Child Custody Protection Act, rapists, sexual abusers, and other violators can continue to exploit our Nation's underage daughters, help them disobey State laws, and then continue to rape and abuse them. No one knows the medical history of their child better than a parent. No one can best detect how a child will react to distress but a parent. No one knows how to best provide counsel and comfort but a parent. The Child Custody Protection Act will protect a parent's right to parent, and it will protect and enforce existing State laws that are being violated. Mr. Speaker, this morning we will hear from the minority in Congress about the ways in which they think this bill violates a constitutional right. But what they do not tell us is that by not passing this law, we will continue to defend and accept violators of local State laws. Opponents of this bill will also let us know how it was misnamed. They believe that this should be the Teen Endangerment Act because of the supposed risk it places upon young girls, but they will surely not tell us about the serious risks that young girls are placed in when obtaining secret abortions. They will not tell us of the many, many girls who suffer severe complications from abortions or reactions from medications they are receiving, and about the girls who, in rare instances, actually die. They will argue that a 13-year-old minor girl who finds herself with an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy is perfectly capable and mature enough to make the same decision that her more mature and older counterparts are making. This, of course, is absurd. This bill is commonsense legislation. The Child Custody Protection Act will protect the inherent right of every parent. It will put an end to strangers taking someone else's daughter across State boundaries. No one is able to temporarily kidnap your daughter to have her tonsils removed or for any other simple surgery, not even to have her ears pierced. Then why then should a potentially fatal abortion be the exception? I urge my colleagues to consider the many girls who, while in a confused and vulnerable state, will be exploited by opponents of this bill and by the abortion industry today. On their behalf and on behalf of their parents, I ask my colleagues to seriously consider voting yes to this important pro-family commonsense legislation. It is true that 85 percent of American families support the Child Custody Protection Act. Whether pro-life or pro-choice, Americans believe that a parent should be involved in major decisions that can have long-lasting consequences on the lives of their daughters. The Child Custody Protection Act will provide grounds for stronger family ties and for family involvement. By enforcing parental consent or notification laws in the 24 States where they exist, it will stand to demonstrate that we will not tolerate violators of local laws, that we care about the welfare of our children, and that we look to foster parental involvement in all aspects of the lives of our children. The truth is that more than half of the underage girls who will be affected by this legislation are typically escorted by boyfriends or men who have impregnated the minor. I would like to call attention to the posters that I have where out- of-State abortion clinics are advertising no parental consent required, no waiting period, no age restriction, and these are advertisements that have appeared in Pennsylvania phone books for an abortion clinic in another State, in Delaware. There is another abortion clinic that advertises for an abortion clinic in Maryland. They put in big capital letters, ``No parental consent.'' We remember the Joyce Farley case in Pennsylvania, where her 13-year- old daughter was raped. The mother of the rapist, a complete stranger, took Joyce Farley's daughter out of school one day without permission, drove her to New York City, where she obtained an abortion, and a botched abortion, at that. As a result, the Farley daughter of this 1995 case suffered serious complications, endured many hospital visits, and was subjected to incredibly high medical bills. The Farley case, Mr. Speaker, is one of many which indicates the legislation is needed for cases like this and many others. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to getting support from my colleagues for this important bill.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Florida, for yielding me the time. He has done an extraordinary job in helping to pass this legislation and promoting it, especially in the Committee on the Judiciary last year and again this year. I thank him for his leadership on this bill. Mr. Speaker, as all of us know, abortion is perhaps one of the most life-altering and life-threatening, obviously, of procedures. It leaves lasting medical, emotional, and psychological consequences, and, as noted by the Supreme Court, particularly when the patient is immature. Although Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in 1973, it did not legalize the right of persons other than a parent or a guardian to decide what is best for a child, nor did it legalize the right for strangers to take the lives of our children and place them in danger, potentially fatal danger. Many may be familiar with the Child Custody Protection Act, a bill which makes it a Federal misdemeanor to transport an underage girl across State lines, because we had this discussion last year, and we know that it is commonsense legislation because these people want to circumvent State or local parental notification laws for the purposes of obtaining an abortion for a minor girl. Last year I introduced this legislation. It passed the House with almost a two-thirds majority. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to consider the bill for a vote. This year the bill is up before us again as H.R. 1218. With the support of 130 congressional cosponsors who have spoken in favor of the bill, we are very hopeful that once again we will be able to pass this bill. In our society, Mr. Speaker, there are many rules and regulations aimed at ensuring the safety of our Nation's youths through parental consent and notification and through parental guidance. At my alma mater, Southwest Miami High School, for example, as in many of our schools throughout our Nation, a child cannot be given an aspirin to relieve a simple headache or cramp unless the school has been given consent, signed consent, by at least one parent or guardian. In some States a minor cannot operate a vehicle until the age of 18. Most schools require parental consent in order to take minors on field trips, and in many schools parents have the ability also to decide whether or not their children should be enrolled in sex education class. Both the field trip and these classes require parental notification and consent. Every one of these principles emphasizes that parents should be the ones involved in those decisions because they can seriously affect their children. The decision of whether or not to obtain an abortion, a life- altering, potentially fatal, and at all times serious medical procedure, should be no exception to these rules. I find it ironic how anti-tobacco groups and Members of Congress are outraged over a cigarette ad that entices a young person to smoke, yet remain silent on this issue of whether a minor should be taken across State lines to have an abortion performed. They call for hearings and conferences and they spend millions of dollars on ads and lobbying efforts in order to consumer legislation to keep minors from being harmed by tobacco. Yet, these very same individuals remain absolutely silent when ads such as the ones that I am going to explain in a second are placed in our public yellow pages. These ads lure young girls to directly disobey the law. They promote civil disobedience and entice vulnerable children with dangerous slogans such as the ones that we see here, ``No parental consent needed.'' This is a Yellow Page advertisement that appeared in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Yellow Pages for an abortion clinic, not in Pennsylvania, but in Maryland. So they placed this ad in another State because, in that State, there is a parental consent or notification law; and they say, do not worry, no parental consent is needed for another State. This other advertisement, Mr. Speaker, comes from the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Yellow Pages. Although the ad appears in Pennsylvania, the abortion clinic is in Delaware. In big capital letters, in bold, they say proudly, ``No age restriction. No parental or spousal consent. No waiting period.'' So the first thing they put there is ``No age restriction.'' Well, my legislation, the bill before us, the Child Custody Protection Act, would end this exploitation of our Nation's minor girls from violators who recklessly disregard the law. By making a circumvention of State parental or notification laws a Federal misdemeanor, this bill will not only help uphold the laws of our country, but it will give back the parents the right to parent. It will strengthen family bonds; and, most importantly, it will ensure that America's youth have a safer, healthier, and brighter future. By ensuring passage of this legislation, we will really prove to the American people that Congress does indeed work hard to protect both parents and children and protect our families.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the inscription on the Statue of Liberty refers to our great country as the Mother of Exiles, which requests ``give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses * * * of your teeming shore.'' However, yesterday, the U.S. Coast Guard in South Florida took actions against Cuban freedom seekers which call into question our U.S. commitment to these principles. Not only was it not in the fine tradition of this agency, but it raises grave concern over the treatment of those seeking asylum from brutal dictatorships, such as the Castro regime in Cuba. The first symbol of liberty these refugees come into contact with is the U.S. Coast Guard. Is their first impression to be unwarranted acts of aggression which violate their human rights? The Coast Guard has literally saved the lives of thousands of refugees, and yesterday's acts were not in line with that fine history. I have spoken to the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard about this matter, and he has assured me that an immediate investigation of the specific actions is already underway. I look forward to the briefing that senior officials of the Coast Guard and other agencies will provide us with today to ensure that this will never happen again.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on H.R. 2280, rollcall No. 257 and House Resolution 226, rollcall No. 258, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the inscription on the Statue of Liberty refers to this great country of ours as the mother of exiles which requests: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses of your teeming shore; send these tempest tossed to me. But, Mr. Speaker, today I find myself asking if the torch of freedom no longer shines for those who risk life and limb in search of liberty in this great country. As the vanguard of democracy, our country, the United States of America, must set the standards to be emulated. Today, however, the actions reportedly taken by the U.S. Coast Guard in south Florida against Cuban rafters could cast a solemn shadow over this country and could stain our proud history as defenders of the oppressed and protectors of human rights worldwide. According to the video footage obtained by news sources in Miami, six Cuban refugees reached U.S. territorial waters today in the early afternoon and were subsequently approached by U.S. Coast Guard boats. These Coast Guard vessels opened water cannons on the rafters causing some of them to fall overboard. As the rafters started to swim to safety, the smaller Coast Guard vessels pursued them and pushed them against the sand, corralling them like cattle. Actually in this country we afford animals much better treatment than that. It is reported that only after Coast Guard officers had completed their attack on these defenseless freedom seekers did they proceed to take them into custody. This is something we expect from oppressive regimes who care little, if anything, for human life, but this is not what we expect from our fine United States Coast Guard. Members of the Coast Guard are valiant men and women who proudly serve their country and who have saved hundreds and indeed thousands of lives off of our south Florida shores. I am sure that they did not welcome this tragic order today. We expect the United States Coast Guard to enforce the laws, but we do not and should not tolerate violations of the basic human rights of those seeking refuge from persecution. We expect the United States Coast Guard to protect U.S. territory against all enemies, but we do not and will not tolerate attacks on defenseless victims such as the survivors of Castro's brutal dictatorship. If there is one entity which survivors of Castro's oppression have looked to with respect and admiration, if there was one entity which Cuban refugees trusted and confided in, it is the U.S. Coast Guard. Has their trust been misplaced? I hope not. It is unconscionable for an entity of the U.S. Government charged with the responsibility of enforcing our laws to violate them and employ excessive force, including the use of water cannons and mace, against those who present no threat to the personal security of our men and women in uniform nor to the security of our great country. These actions merit an immediate and comprehensive investigation. I have asked the President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, the Coast Guard Commandant and other senior officials to take action regarding these Coast Guard officers who gave the orders violating the rights of those refugees and that appears to have violated U.S. guidelines on how to deal with such situations. I ask my colleagues to join me in this request and express their indignation over this display of aggression. This is not what America stands for. I have sent this letter to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright this afternoon and a similar letter, as I have said, to President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater and Coast Guard Commandant Admiral James Lloyd. I say, your personal attention to this matter is greatly appreciated to ensure due diligence in the investigation and resolution of this case. This is a matter of grave concern; and to enlist their cooperation for an immediate investigation of the events which unfolded off the coast of South Florida today, June 29, between Cuban rafters seeking asylum and U.S. Coast Guard officials, and I would like to place this letter in the Record. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, June 29, 1999. Hon. Madeleine Albright, Secretary, Department of State, Washington, DC. Dear Secretary Albright: I am writing on a matter of grave concern and to enlist your cooperation for an immediate investigation of the events which unfolded off the coast of Florida, today, June 29th between Cuban rafters seeking asylum and U.S. Coast Guard officials. According to the video footage by news sources in Miami, six Cuban refugees reached U.S. territorial waters in the early afternoon and were subsequently approached by U.S. Coast Guard boats which opened water cannons on the rafters, causing some of them to fall overboard. As the rafters started to swim to safety, the smaller Coast Guard vessels pursued them and pushed them against the sand. It is reported that only after the Coast Guard had completed its attack on these defenseless freedom seekers, did they proceed to take them into custody. These actions merit an immediate and comprehensive investigation. If confirmed, I ask that action be taken regarding these Coast Guard officials who gave the orders which violated the basic human rights of these Cuban refugees and appears to have violated U.S. guidelines on how to deal with such situations. Your personal attention to this matter is greatly appreciated to ensure due diligence in the investigation and resolution of this case. Sincerely, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Member of Congress.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to congratulate Mr. Luis Sabines, President of the United States Latin American Chamber of Commerce (Camacol), for his devoted labor in establishing the annual Hemispheric Congress and for having been honorably elected to preside as President of the Hemispheric Congress for the year 2000. Luis Sabines has worked tirelessly and extensively with a variety of trade organizations and businesses in order to promote this year's Hemispheric Congress which, under his leadership and guidance, proved to be a resounding success. Due to his guidance and leadership, he was selected to preside in the upcoming Hemispheric Congress on May 3rd to the 6th of next year, which should prove to be an even bigger success. This year's recent conference, entitled ``Globalization with Integral Development,'' brought in individuals from 60 different businesses and chambers of commerce, representing 34 countries. It hosted an additional exposition of non-traditional products from overseas that were available for purchase. Contract negotiations among American businesses occurred, promoting both American products abroad, and Latin American products in the United States. Next year's Hemispheric Congress promises to continue the negotiations among American businesses, and to add on to the number of countries taking part in the negotiating, and promotion of trade between Latin American and the United States. Luis Sabines has done a remarkable job promoting international trade and educating businesses, helping them to foster their growth. Today, I congratulate him on having been elected as President of the 21st Congress. Future Congresses will continue to make important contributions to South Florida's vital role in international trade.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, at my alma mater, Southwest High School in Miami, a student with a headache did not receive an over-the- counter aspirin to relieve her pain because the school nurse did not have a signed parental medical waiver; a teenager who wanted to pierce her ears was not able to because she did not have a parental consent form; and a school field trip accompanied by teachers and chaperones left behind a student because he failed to get a parent's signature. How ironic is it that friends and peers of these same teenagers are undergoing dangerous life-altering and potentially fatal medical procedures without parental consent or even notification. Yesterday, the Committee on the Judiciary approved my bill, H.R. 1218, the Child Custody Protection Act, which will prevent nonparental adults who deliberately circumvent State parental consent or notification laws so that someone else's daughter or perhaps the teenager whom they have raped could obtain an abortion. Young girls face complications and perhaps even death from botched abortions that their parents may never know about. This bill will put an end to the exploitation of young, immature, vulnerable girls. I hope the House will soon favorably vote on the Child Custody Protection Act.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the courageous fasts that began last week in Havana are gaining momentum as dozens of dissidents across the enslaved island of Cuba join the public protest started in Tamarindo 34, peacefully demanding freedom of expression and the release of hundreds of political prisoners. One of the heroines currently fasting is Magaly de Armas, wife of Vladimiro Roca, one of the four opposition members imprisoned earlier this year for criticizing a communist party document that they dared to say did not present solutions to Cuba's problems. Roca is also fasting, his will unshaken by Castro's torturous prison in Cienfuegos, and has asked his countrymen to join him in what is becoming a national movement. On behalf of Vladimiro Roca, Felix Bonne, Rene Gomez Manzano, Marta Beatriz Roque Cabello, and all of the other political prisoners unjustly shackled by Fidel Castro, I ask my colleagues to support the valiant men and women currently fasting. We pray that their courageous democracy efforts become the beginning of true liberty on the island.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the Miami River project must be a major priority when Congress acts on the energy, water and appropriations bill later this year. At long last. The Miami River appears headed for a long overdue clean-up and revitalization. For the first time, a broad-based coalition of community leaders, business interests, and officials at the Federal, State, and local levels have united to work for this goal which is vitally important for both the future of our growing trade with our neighbors to the south as well as for preserving a waterway which is a key part of our ecosystem. I am working with members of the south Florida congressional delegation, with the Miami River Commission and the Miami River Marine Group to ensure that the Miami River is a top funding priority in the energy and water appropriations bill later this year. Recently the prospects of a Miami River clean-up brightened considerably after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that it would pick up the majority of the costs of disposing contaminated sediments from the River. This new policy came after a meeting with Corps officials, with representatives from my office and Senator Bob Graham's office, and the Miami River Commission managing director, David Miller. This decision will allow the 4-year phase dredging project proposed by the Miami River Commission to become a reality. Under this plan the Federal Government would pay 47 million of the total cost of the 64 million required to dredge the River. The first step in funding this plan will be the approval of a $5 million initial Federal appropriations in the energy appropriations bill. These are important economic and environmental reasons which have led us to this broad-based effort to clean up the Miami River. The initial effort at the Federal level was begun by my predecessor, the late Claude Pepper, who placed the original language for the Miami River in the bill in 1986 and helped pass the original feasibility study of the Miami River in 1972. This resulted in the Army Corps of Engineers 1990 recommendations for navigational maintenance dredging of the River. The Miami River needs to be dredged because, after years of neglect, it has become the most polluted River in our State. This problem originated in the 1930s when the River was dredged as a Federal navigation channel. Recent studies of bottom sediments of the River have uncovered a 65-year history of pollution from a wide variety of sources. South Florida's post-war growth created over 69 square miles of mainly industrialized urban land areas which have loaded the River with pollutants via storm water systems. Numerous studies by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and State and local agencies all confirm that the Miami River has the most contaminated sediments in Florida and that only dredging can remove this pollution. The need for prompt action to dredge the River is reinforced by its role as the major part of Biscayne Bay. The bay is one of the most significant water bodies in the United States, providing recreational and economic opportunities for over 2 million south Florida residents and supporting a great variety of marine life. Continued delay in dredging the River will permit the sediment to pollute this important water preserve. Failure to dredge could prevent the Miami River from becoming a major contributor to international trade and economic growth in south Florida. As Florida's fifth largest port, the Miami River helps cargo carriers serve over 83 ports in the Caribbean and Latin America, and I urge my colleagues to support this inclusion in the bill later this year.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, at one time or another we have all seen the bumper sticker which reads: ``Pro-Women = Pro-Choice,'' and it is presumed that feminists and defenders of equity and rights for women are defenders of abortion. But in fact, what most feminists do not wish to acknowledge is that the early suffragists who are responsible for today's women's movement actually were staunchly pro-life. Over a century ago, Susan B. Anthony tirelessly campaigned for suffrage for women's employment rights and for the abolition of slavery. She voted illegally, took part in the underground railroad, and yes, Susan B. Anthony, a mother of the feminist movement, opposed abortion. In The Revolution, the radical women's paper which she published, along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Anthony strongly editorialized against abortion. She referred to the bloody act as child murder and infanticide, and addressed its root causes in women's oppression and in the abdication of family planning. She argued that laws pertaining to abortion victimized women while absolving men of all responsibility. Susan B. Anthony was not alone in her thinking. Other early feminists also opposed abortion. For example, Elizabeth Cady Stanton proclaimed that ``If it is degrading to treat a woman as property, it is no better for a woman to treat her own child as property.'' Suffragist Margaret Sanger stated that abortion was a disowning of feminine values. The first female presidential candidate, Victoria Woodhull, was likewise strongly against abortion. She stated that every woman knows that if she were free, she would never bear an unwished-for child nor think of murdering one before its birth. Astonishingly enough, most feminists prefer to ignore that Alice Paul, the original author of the Equal Rights Amendment, the ERA, of 1923, said: ``Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women.'' Naturally, Paul opposed the later trend of linking abortion with the ERA movement. Like the early suffragists who fought to give women's rights, a feminist should believe in the right to protect her own body, and in the likeness of Susan B. Anthony, the feminist, should stand up to defend the poor, oppressed, and rejected. She should fight for all human beings, whether they are black or white, born or unborn. The phrase, ``It's a man's world'' is often used to describe today's society, a society which tends to view unplanned pregnancy and motherhood as an inconvenience. But many of today's feminists, rather than focusing on a woman's financial distress, the problems she may be facing at school, work, or at home, choose to give in to the pressures of a man's world. Rather than fight for acceptance and protection for women facing unexpected pregnancies, many feminists suggest a dangerous, potentially fatal abortion as the remedy to all conditions. What would the suffragists have to say about giving in to this cruel society? Early feminist Susan Norton said, ``Perhaps there will come a time when an unmarried mother will not be despised because of her motherhood, when the right of the unborn to be born will not be denied or interfered with.'' As one of six pro-life women in Congress and a mother of two daughters, I believe that abortion is not a sign that women are free to choose. On the contrary, it is a sign that women incorrectly feel desperate and feel that they have no choice. Susan B. Anthony and the early defenders of the women's rights would agree that the slogan ``pro-choice'' is by no means to be equated with being pro-women. Perhaps if the early feminists were alive today, they would be fighting to amend those bumper stickers to instead read, ``Pro-Women = Pro- Life.'' I would like to thank the tireless pro-life advocate, Jane Abraham, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, for her inspiration. Jane has dedicated her time to enlighten persons on the feminist movement in America and to educate and train pro-life women for successful political careers. Tonight I congratulate Jane and the many pro-life organizations and the countless volunteers who persevere in their hopes for finding a cure to our Nation's abortion rates.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, this past Monday scores of Cuban dissidents began a hunger strike in Havana to protest the 40 years of oppression that their countrymen have been subjected to under the tyrannical rule of Fidel Castro. Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, one of the organizers of this public protest has said that the goal of the hunger strikers is to draw attention to the numerous violations of human rights in Cuba and to ask for freedom for all of the political prisoners. Their courageous defiance of the Cuban tyrant is heroic, and once again attracts worldwide attention to Castro's deplorable human rights record. Because we pride ourselves in being the land of the free and the home of the brave, we must applaud the efforts of these patriots who are peacefully trying to bring liberty to their enslaved homeland. I ask my colleagues in Congress to send the opposition inside of Cuba the clear message that we stand in solidarity with them and that we will do our part to help bring freedom and democracy to the 11 million presently shackled in the island nation.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, yesterday a subcommittee approved a bill to make it a Federal misdemeanor for strangers to transport minor girls across State lines in order to avoid State abortion parental consent or notification laws. My bill is designed to punish those who take teenagers to other States for a secret abortion, thereby deceiving parents and avoiding the parental consent laws. This commonsense legislation, which currently enjoys the support of almost 130 Members, will prevent our children from falling prey to strangers. The idea that any nonparent can take one's 13-year-old daughter to another State for a secret and potentially fatal abortion should be appalling to any parent and should convince this Congress to move swiftly on the bill. I commend the members of the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the Committee on the Judiciary for protecting the basic right of parents to participate in all decisions involving their minor children, and I ask that the Committee on the Judiciary and the full House do the same as soon as possible.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to honor and commend Mayor Paul Novack of Surfside, FL, who has presided over Team Surfside, a group of townspeople who have united and devoted themselves to helping victims of disasters, including, most recently, those of Hurricanes Georges and Mitch. The volunteers of Team Surfside have made the difference between life and death to the survivors of these natural disasters in Haiti and Honduras by providing desperately needed supplies. Their efforts have been recognized nationally and internationally by National Public Radio and Voice of America. Mayor Novack has been the unsung hero behind Team Surfside, spearheading all of the outstanding work that they have accomplished. He twice flew to Haiti to personally delivery supplies into the hands of the victims ensuring that the people who needed it received the humanitarian aid and cutting through red tape and delays. All the volunteers in this effort should be commended for their dedication and selfless commitment to helping others.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to the memory of Pace Weber, a U.S. Air Force Academy cadet who lost his life in a tragic airplane crash while on a routine flight lesson at the academy in Colorado Springs, CO, on June 25, 1997. Since Pace's death, not one day goes by when he does not enter the thoughts of the family and friends he left behind, especially his former classmates at Palmer Trinity and fellow cadets at the academy. Pace was well known for his good nature and kindness. His friends knew him as someone who thought of others before himself. He was always looking out for his classmates and was known to take a special interest in helping those having a difficult time. Pace is remembered by those that cared for him as a young man full of desire and determination. He worked diligently to make his life-long dream of becoming a pilot for the U.S. Air Force a reality. Although Pace did not accomplish his goal, he did spend three rewarding years at the academy learning to fly and made friends with fellow cadets who shared the same ambitions and experienced the same happiness that flying brought him. I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering young Pace Weber and, also, to support my efforts in finding out exactly what caused Pace's airplane to go down. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family and friends.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to commend the Black Cuban Foundation for its decade of service to the Afro-Cuban community in exile. Over the past ten years, it has pursued a goal of improving relations between Afro-Cubans and our varied communities. The Black Cuban Foundation was founded on July 30th, 1989 and promptly began to promote its important and unique role in Cuban and American culture through educational workshops, cultural events, and works of charity. Their success has been recognized by various groups, including the United Negro College Fund, Florida Memorial College, the Cuban Municipalities in Exile, the Human Rights Commission, and the City of Miami. Currently the Black Cuban Foundation is working harder than ever to highlight Afro-Cuban contributions within our community, including fostering a sense of belonging as new American citizens. This group has also allied itself with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations. In recognition of its lofty goals, I would like to applaud the fervent work of Lucia Rojas, president; Oscar Martinez, vice president; and Laddies Moraleza, treasurer and secretary. The work of Felipe Gonzalez, Juan A. Woods, and Regla Fernandez should receive equal praise in the Black Cuban Foundation.