Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, Cuban patriot Jose Marti said: ``Talent is a gift that brings with it an obligation to serve the world, and not ourselves, for it is not of our making.'' I would like to recognize Carlos and Rosa de la Cruz for giving of themselves to the betterment of the community and utilizing their talents to help those in our community who have been less fortunate. I am pleased to congratulate the de la Cruz' for having recently been honored with the Simon Wiesenthal Award for Community Service. The Simon Wiesenthal Center recognizes South Florida residents who have exhibited a spirit of true commitment and leadership in their community. After having been forced to flee communist aggression in Cuba in 1960, the de la Cruz' moved around the country, finally settling in Miami in 1975. Since then they have dedicated their efforts to improving the accessibility and quality of educational and social services available to our South Florida youth, as well as bringing awareness and appreciation for the arts. While dedicating tremendous time and effort to our community's youth, they are also successful business owners. As board members for various foundations, they have also contributed to furthering the work of such wonderful institutions as the Dade Community Foundation, the Performing Arts Foundation of Greater Miami, and the United Way where they were honored with the 1997 Alexis de Tocqueville Award for community service. They have been an inspiring force in improving the quality of life for many South Florida residents.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues today in commemorating the 177th anniversary Greek Independence Day. I wish to thank Congressman Mike Bilirakis and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney for calling the special order to raise the public's awareness of the history of Greece and the important role Greece has played in the United States and the world. Many people believe that Greece's greatest gift to the United States and to the world is the government system of democracy. That is indeed a great gift which has brought much happiness to the world. But the world needs to know that democracy is not easily attained or kept. When we celebrate Greek Independence Day, we need to note that March 25 is not the day when all of Greece gained its independence. March 25 was the day that Athens and a small portion of Greece gained independence and then areas populated by Greeks were liberated one by one until we have the Greece of today. The Greek people, through their history, have shown an indomitable will to fight for their freedom. The Greek victories are well known throughout history. There was the Greek war for independence that freed part of Greece from the Ottoman Empire and later during World War II, they fought against the Nazi invaders. But Greeks have also suffered less known tragedies that would have broken the spirit or destroyed a lesser people. One famous battle had the Greek Spartans defending against a Persian invasion. the Greeks said ``molon lave'' to the invaders. ``Molon lave,'' means ``come and get them'' and in 480 B.C. it was the response that 300 Greek Spartans gave to the Persian Army, who numbered in the tens of thousands, when the Persians offered mercy, if the Spartans would hand over their weapons and surrender. The Greek Spartans said ``molon lave'' or come and get them. The Spartans would not hand over their weapons and surrender, because they would be handing over their dreams of being a free people. They would not hand over their dreams of a free Sparta. They fought for those dreams. That city state of Sparta grew, and is now part of Greece, and that famous battle is part of Greek history and Greek tradition. Greeks, Greek Cypriots and Greek Americans all come from that same strong tradition. Today Greek minorities in Turkey and other places in Eastern Europe are suffering political and religious persecution. Just a few months ago a bomb was thrown at the Ecumenical Patriarchate and exploded injuring a church deacon and damaging the cathedral. These repeated attacks on Greek minorities must stop. We need to raise public awareness of the difficulties faced by our democratic birth place. In addition to reminding the American people of our roots to the cradle of democracy in Greece, we need to continue raising the public's awareness of the constant threat Greeks live under in Eastern Europe. On this day that we commemorate Greek independence, it is important to note that the most important and urgent problem facing the international Greek community is Cyprus. The next few months will bring Cyprus the greatest opportunity for peace, and the greatest risk for further violence. We have heard this in years past, but I believe it certainly applies today. Finding a solution to the Cyprus problem has become a priority to the United States and to the international community. The House has adopted House Concurrent Resolution 81, which I cosponsored, which states clearly and firmly that ``The status quo on Cyprus is unacceptable and is detrimental to the interests of the United States in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond.'' I introduced H. Con. Res. 181 last year to help relieve the suffering of the enclaved Greek Cypriots and am considering similar legislation in this Congress. We must end the senseless persecution of these brave people. I thank the 60 Members who have co-sponsored and I will work with them to move this legislation forward. The Greek Cypriots in occupied northern Cyprus live under intolerable inhuman conditions since their land was occupied by a military force. Tensions continue to rise around Cyprus and I urge the administration to apply the same degree of commitment to finding a peaceful solution to the Cyprus crisis that it applied to the Bosnian crisis. I commend the administration for the appointment of Special Presidential Emissary For Cyprus, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and for assigning Tom Miller to work with Ambassador Holbrooke to negotiate a peaceful solution for Cyprus. I believe a solution of the Cyprus problem is crucial to the safety of Greece and all Greeks living in Eastern Europe. Mr. Speaker, the link between the United States and Greece is a strong bond and I believe the United States should thank the Greek people for not just being a good ally to America but for their gifts of our heritage of democracy and individual liberty. I am happy to join my colleagues in celebrating this joyous anniversary. Again, I thank my friends Congressman Bilirakis and Congresswoman Maloney for calling this special order and for their leadership on Hellenic issues.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, very soon, perhaps tomorrow or next week, we will be considering H.R. 1757, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act. This conference report not only takes an important step toward reforming the outdated structure of our foreign affairs agencies, but also it includes important provisions that I was proud to have introduced to further tighten the noose on the Castro dictatorship, while still protecting U.S. American interests. One of the provisions that I have, for example, imposes severe limitations on the amount of assistance that the United States gives to foreign countries if those foreign countries are extending lines of credit or any kind of nuclear assistance such as petroleum, et cetera, for Cuba in the termination of their and in the completion of their nuclear power plant in Juragua, which is close to Cienfuegos, Cuba. This nuclear power plant has been found to have severe structural defects in the construction and in the type of materials that are used; and we know that because of the individuals who have previously worked in the plant, who have defected and are now part of the United States. They have actually come to the United States Congress, testified in front of our committees, testifying that this plant suffers from numerous structural defects; it contains inferior quality equipment. Our concerns specifically deal with Russia, because their involvement in this perilous project was highlighted by comments made by Russian officials visiting Havana earlier this year, just a few months ago, indicating Russia's intent in providing many lines of credit for the completion of the nuclear power plant. Russia has already extended millions of dollars in credit for the maintenance of the plant, and they will continue to do so. So it is not fair that U.S. taxpayers' dollars should go to Russia, and then Russia turns around and builds a nuclear power plant in our backyard that could have very serious security and health concerns not only for the United States citizens but for Cuban citizens and Caribbean citizens as well. It requires also that the President gives us an annual study of those countries that are aiding Fidel Castro in the termination of this very dangerous nuclear power plant. Other elements of this law that will be before us tomorrow or the coming week are ones that require information that has not been forthcoming from the Clinton administration, specifically the State Department, in the enforcement of title IV of Helms-Burton. Title IV is a part of our bill that requires the State Department to deny entry into the United States of those people, those companies or individuals who are violating laws because they have illegally confiscated U.S. property from U.S. citizens; and so we wrote that law to make sure that U.S. private property rights would be protected. Unfortunately, the administration has not been forthcoming in giving us information about who are possible violators or who they believe have not been cooperating with our laws. The Clinton administration's enforcement of this section of Helms-Burton has been, to say the least, inadequate, as only a few companies have been sanctioned, despite overwhelming evidence that dozens of companies are, in fact, in violation of this U.S. law. These reports to the U.S. Congress in a periodic fashion will make it far easier for us to make sure that this enforcement process will be actually implemented, this important part of our Helms-Burton law. Also, we have in this bill a provision that the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) has proposed, and we were proud to help him with it, and that has to do with detailed reports that Congress should get from the Clinton administration about Cuban refugees who have been returned to Cuba. We want to make sure that U.S. officials on the island helping those refugees are suffering no reprisals from the tyrannical Castro dictatorship. A few years ago, the administration reached this immigration accord; and it promised to monitor the Cuban refugees who are returned to Cuba to make sure that they are not mistreated by the Castro thugs. Unfortunately, little has really been heard about these monitoring activities; and our legislation is a way to assure that this important responsibility is performed by our officials in Cuba. Finally, Mr. Speaker, one last measure that I was proud to associate myself with and with our colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman), and that is to push for Israeli membership into the United Nations committee process, and that is also part of the H.R. 1757, which will be included tomorrow or next week.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I regret that due to unforeseen circumstances I was unable to vote on H.R. 2369 (Rollcall No. 38). If I had been present, I would have voted ``Aye''.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today, I am proud to recognize the First Presbyterian Hispanic Church. The Cuban patriot Jose Marti once said: ``We need temples of love and humanity that free everything that is generous in man.'' Marti's vision was one shared by Reverend Ernesto Sosa, a constituent of my congressional district. Reverend Sosa, along with a group of dedicated leaders, founded the Primera Iglesia Hispana Prebysteriana, the First Presbyterian Hispanic Church on March 2, 1958, in Miami, Florida. This group of dedicated community leaders who for many years had fought for freedom and democracy in Cuba, returned to there in the hopes of establishing the church in their homeland. Their dreams were shattered, however, when the Castro dictatorship set itself on a course of religious oppression and persecution. The group returned to this great country where individual freedoms are not only valued but protected and when they would be free to complete their generous and noble task. The church began by establishing a center to assist new refugees, a place where regardless of race or creed, people were offered food, clothing and medicine. A year after the establishment of the center, a clinic and nursery were developed to provide additional services to the community. The center not only offered resources to the public, but spiritual guidance at a time when many of these families were suffering through the difficulty of being separated from their loved ones and adjusting to life in their new country. The Iglesia Prebysteriana Hispana de Miami eventually built a new temple to accommodate their growing congregation. The current pastor, Reverend Mardoqueo Munoz-Castillo, continues to lead the congregation in weekly Sunday masses. Today, after celebrating the fortieth anniversary of their founding, the church provides a variety of support resources to the public and, as always, important spiritual guidance.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today, February 24, marks the anniversary of a tragic case of the Cuban regime's blatant disregard for international legal and moral standards. Two years ago today, three U.S. citizens and a U.S. resident exiled in the United States died at the hands of the Cuban Air Force. The Cuban regime did not care that these were civilian planes. The regime in Cuba did not care that they were flying over international waters. The illegal Cuban government did not care that these four men were keeping a vigilance in search of Cubans risking their lives in these treacherous waters. The corrupt dictator, Fidel Castro, did not care then, nor does he care now. What many are not aware of is that the violations in this case did not end with the shootdown of these four brave men. The grandniece of one of the victims was still in Cuba. This 11-year-old girl was suffering from Reye's syndrome. Her ailments were affecting her sight, and the pain to her fragile body was intolerable. But as the niece and the granddaughter of individuals who had fled Castro's claws, she was denied basic medical attention. When a visiting doctor began tending to her suffering, the Cuban regime detained him and threatened his family. Castro did not care about the pain of the defenseless child, and the regime did not care, nor does it care now, about basic human rights.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I regret that due to unforeseen circumstances I was unable to vote on H. Res. 352 (Rollcall No. 12). If I had been present, I would have voted ``Aye''.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my admiration and deep gratitude for an outstanding athlete and a magnificent human being. Andre (The Hawk) Dawson. On February 21, 1998, Andre will be honored with a tribute for his many accomplishments in the field of baseball and for his achievements as a father and a mentor to thousands of young people who have reaped the benefits of his dedicated work in our community and throughout our nation. For his outstanding accomplishments, Southwest Miami Senior High School Alumni Association, will proudly induct Andre into the Southwest Miami Senior High School Hall of Fame. Our high school athletes will be performing on the playing field of ``Andre Dawson Field'', and SW 50 Terrace (between 88 and 89 Avenue) will become ``Andre Dawson Drive''. Andre has dedicated his ability and love of baseball to the game, thus achieving a multitude of awards since 1977. He began as Rookie of the Year in 1977, winning the Silver Slugger Award from 1980-'87, Gold Glove Award, 1980-'88, Allstar Team Selection from 1980-'89, Sporting News Player of the year in 1987 and the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1987. He played for professional baseball teams, including the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and the Florida Marlins. Andre's stellar achievements go above baseball. He is a wonderful role model for our young people because of his deep religious faith and his commitment to family and community. He has worked tirelessly through fundraising events to raise money for childrens' benefits and making appearances on behalf of childrens' causes. He devotes much of his time to the Jimmy Ryce Foundation, a foundation formed to find missing children, and he has raised money for Alzheimer's disease research. He also has a private Andre Dawson Foundation, which is dedicated to helping the needy. Andre is truly deserving of his upcoming honor. He has been blessed with a great talent, a compassionate heart, and a passion for helping his fellow man. We have been blessed to have Andre Dawson as our hero on and off the field.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Ms. Speaker, It gives me great pleasure to rise to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of Mr. Pat Tornillo, who has played a major leadership role in Miami-Dade's public school system for almost four decades. As chief negotiator for Dade County's teachers since 1963, Mr. Tornillo is widely credited for raising the salaries of Miami's teachers to the among the highest level in the nation. Pat has also won numerous benefits and professional initiatives that have given our area's teachers a wide variety of opportunities for growth and professionalism. He is recognized nationally for his progressive and innovative work in the professionalization of teaching and educational reform in South Florida. Pat came to Miami in 1956 from the Newark, New Jersey school system. As a new teacher in the Miami-Dade County school system, he soon became active in the Dade County Classroom Teachers Association (which later became the United Teachers of Dade). He presently serves as Executive Director of the United Teachers of Dade, President of the Florida Education Association/United and Vice President of the American Federation of Teachers. He has been a pioneer in blazing a trail for quality education in the Southeast. He helped build our local school system into one of the largest and most culturally diverse public school systems in the nation. He has won many awards for this record including the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Brotherhood Award, the Outstanding Leadership Award from the United Way, and the NAACP Distinguished Award. As a former Dade County educator, I am happy to join with his many friends and colleagues who will pay tribute to him at a major event in his honor on February 7th. This event, ````A Gathering os Eagles, honoring Pat L. Tornillo, for his Uncommon Commitment to Public Education'', is a fitting commemoration of the record of one of Florida's leading educators.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, as Jose Marti, the Cuban patriot said: ``The sufferings endured for the sake of winning freedom make us love it the more.'' Dr. Eugenio De Sosa probably knows more than most of us about that love for freedom and what it is like to live without it. Eugenio De Sosa, now in his seventies, was a successful businessman in a pre-Castro Cuba. Educated in the University of Havana, he earned his degree in diplomatic and consular law and became Editor and board member of the daily newspaper, Diario de la Marina, the oldest and one of the most prominent of Latin American publications. In December of 1959, Dr. De Sosa's life was changed forever. He was arrested by Castro's forces for conspiring against the regime and was forced to serve a prison term of 21 years in Cuba's gulags. The torment endured by Dr. De Sosa during his prison term included routine beatings and torture, both physical and psychological. Eventually he was transferred to the Havana's Psychiatric Hospital where, along with other political prisoners, he was forced to live among the violently insane. In addition to being subjected to the brutality of the guards and deranged prisoners, he was forced to ingest psychotropic drugs and endure electroshock treatments at the hands of Castro's thugs. After 21 years of suffering through what seemed to be an endless nightmare, this courageous Cuban compatriot was set free. Dr. De Sosa arrived in the United States on January 18, 1980. He has enjoyed tremendous success since his arrival in Miami and is a source of pride to his family and community. Dr. De Sosa's story is but one of the thousands of examples of those whose lives have been scarred and torn apart by the last tyrannical dictator left in the Western Hemisphere, Fidel Castro. Let his story be an example of the strength of the human spirit, of the fragility of freedom and of the hope of millions of Cubans living under Castro's brutal regime to one day be free.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on February 25 through March 1, 1998, the Institute for Democracy in Africa at St. Thomas University will be hosting a very timely conference whose theme will be Africa: the next frontier. Africa faces challenges today and the Foundation for Democracy in Africa [FDA], a nonprofit group based in Miami, FL and Washington, DC-- is determined to educate the next generation on Africa and the tenets of democracy and free market economics. The founders of the FDA believe that, finally free from the hindrances of being used as a cold war battleground, Africa is at a watershed period as it prepares to tackle the tasks of economic and democratic infrastructure development. The FDA also states that Africa faces the challenges of building peace and economic prosperity so that democracy can flourish. The new generation of Africans stand as a beacon of hope for Africa's future prosperity. They must be encouraged and embrace tribal values as tenets for national unity and be steeped in democratic governance and western economic systems. The Institute for Democracy in Africa provides education, training, and research opportunities for African students. The FDA will bring students from Africa for instruction in democratic governance and entrepreneurship. The institute's grounding in Western economic and democratic systems and its adaption to African challenges will serve well the future leaders of Africa. The FDA conference will bring together leaders of business, government, and nongovernmental organizations from the United States and Africa to discuss the challenges in developing the necessary infrastructure. Since 1989, Africa has witnessed remarkable improvement in the area of economic development, sustainable growth, and good governance. Africa is striving to further integrate herself into the global economy and provide a bright future for its people. The rising generation of Africans can lead this African renaissance.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it is time for a little history lesson. This lesson is both for my liberal friends on the other side of the aisle, as well as for my unbiased, fair-minded friends in the media who are so enamored of campaign finance reform. Every single day I see a story on the news about how we need campaign finance reform, an almost identical tale to that which is heard in this very body from the other side of the aisle. It is obvious that our supporters of reform forget that all of the scandals of political corruption in 1974 resulted in precisely the campaign reforms that exist today, the same laws that these same reformers now want to change. My guess is that the main problem is not that the law needs to be changed, but that we need to follow the law. Now, there is a radical idea. Imagine if the other side actually followed the law, abided by the contribution limits, and disclosed their fund-raising practices instead of having to give back millions of dollars after they have won the election. But liberals never learn from history, and the very same reforms of today will be replaced by equally useless reforms in the face of lawbreakers tomorrow.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, our colleagues, the gentlewoman from south Florida, Mrs. Carrie Meek, and the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Alcee Hastings, have done a formidable job of defending our community, especially the immigrant community, after their many years of dedicated service. All of us in the south Florida congressional delegation have the great privilege of representing various pockets of the immigrant community, and we try to help all of those communities whenever we can. I commend my colleagues, the gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. Meek] and the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hastings], for their leadership. It is because of their firm belief in fairness that my other colleague, the gentleman from Miami, FL [Mr. Diaz-Balart], and I are going to join with them in working with our Florida Senators, Connie Mack and Bob Graham, to get fair treatment for the Haitians. In January when we come back to debate the new bills, we will continue working with our south Florida colleagues and our Florida Senators to see that the Guantanamo Haitians get the fair treatment that they deserve. I visited the Guantanamo base in Cuba while the Haitians were there, I know of their plight. It was a great honor for me when I first came to Congress to represent the community of little Haiti. It is a wonderful law-abiding community, and I have supported and will continue to support the gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. Meek] in cosponsoring her bill. We have worked with the White House to work out this compromise that no deportations will be taking place while the legislation moves through the proper procedures in the House and the Senate. However, the bill before us now does save many thousands of lives from the immigration limbo that they are facing, the deportation that has been dividing many communities. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and move this legislation forward, which is going to help so many immigrants. And we look forward to continuing in the new session in supporting other immigrants as well. As an immigrant myself, as a political refugee who sought freedom and democracy, I know what this country stands for, and I know the beliefs that have brought us here still linger in our hearts. And we practice them every day. So I look forward to working with my colleagues to see this come true.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to honor a man of courage, of dignity, of character. A man who dedicated his life to God, family, and country. A man whose service to the country began in his teenage years as a pilot in World War II, continued during his tenure as CIA Director and Vice President, and climaxed with his election as the 41st President of the United States. I am speaking about George Herbert Walker Bush. Yesterday, the library chronicling his life was dedicated. It stands as a tribute to his unwavering belief in the greatness of this country and his admiration of the American people. It is a monument to his compassion and humanity in difficult times, as well as his firmness and determination to do what is right even if it came at a personal cost. He is a gentleman in every sense of the world who put the interests of the country before his own. On a personal note, I wish to thank him for the support and encouragement he gave me since the beginning of my career in Congress. I thank him for his defense of democratic ideals and his commitment to freedom for the people of Cuba. The American people and the world were well served by George Bush--a decent and honest man; a public servant; a husband, father, and grandfather. I join the praises of all those who participated or attended the dedication ceremony, and extend my best wishes for the future. I hope that he will remain involved in the public arena and share his insight and experience with future generations. Again, thank you, President Bush.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, today the House will debate H.R. 2232, which will increase funding for Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America broadcasting into China. By passing this bill, we will then have continuous broadcasting to China in multiple dialects and languages. Currently, only a few hours are broadcast and in only two languages. The increased funds will allow millions of Chinese citizens to hear the truth about their own country and the world around them. Listening to the words of truth, of freedom, of respect for human rights, of democracy is fundamental to making correct decisions. There is no free press in China. Voice of America and Radio Free Asia tell the truth of today's news without the bias, the distortion, the lies of the Chinese propaganda machine. Our broadcast will serve as a surrogate free press in the dictators' Republic of China. I know these broadcasts can be successful. Radio Marti, which is listened to by millions in my native homeland of Cuba, has been promoting justice and freedom, the hallmarks of our great country. Castro has tried and tried to jam its signal, but he has failed. An informed citizenry is needed for true political and economic freedom. Support Radio Free Asia today.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I regret that due to unforeseen circumstances I was unable to vote on H.R. 2570--roll call No. 598. If I had been present, I would have voted ``aye''.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House today to support H.R. 1129, the Microcredit for Self-Reliance Act which is up on suspension today. Microcredit is one of the universally recognized U.S. programs that has produced incredibly significant and positive results. This bill introduced by the gentleman from New York [Mr. Houghton] and the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Hall] will continue the great work that has been done using this economic assistance plan. Microcredit provides small loans to people who want to start a business but would not be able to secure normal financing. It has worked well in Africa where it has been successfully used in many countries. It is especially effective in promoting women's rights and family development. I would also like to recognize our own U.S. microcredit programs initiated by groups like Results of Miami, which has helped so many young women start their own businesses. Minorities in the United States benefit greatly from microcredit programs. In my hometown of Miami, Jamaican-Americans have started Caribbean food product stores, Haitians have opened acrylic nail shops which are so popular, Cuban-Americans have set up mom and pop hardware stores. It has been a success in Miami. It can succeed in your town, and we can export it across the oceans.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the United Nations once again voted to condemn the United States embargo on Cuba, demonstrating that when it comes to standing for freedom and human rights on the island, the United Nations members are on the side of the oppressor, rather than in support of the victims of the Castro dictatorship. The vote should come as no surprise, because for decades the U.N. has coddled the Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro. We must force Castro to lift the embargo that he has on freedom and democracy in Cuba. When will there be free elections? When will Cubans be free to express their opinions? A serious problem also is the Clinton administration's unwillingness to lobby our allies to support our Cuba policy. Unfortunately, the administration's inaction should be expected, given its refusal to enforce the Helms-Burton law, which was overwhelmingly approved by this body just 2 years ago. An embargo to support democracy for Haiti, an embargo to support democracy for South Africa, but when it comes to Cuba, the United Nations prefers to hypocritically flirt with Castro. Blame the United States for Castro's failure? Shame on the United Nations.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon]. (Mr. SOLOMON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 302, and as the designee of the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, I call up the bill (H.R. 2358) to provide for improved monitoring of human rights violations in the People's Republic of China, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to our colleague, the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], the esteemed chairman of the Committee on International Relations. (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Salmon].

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 this measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today, H.R. 2358, the Political Freedom in China Act, is an attempt to give the people of China a voice. It is a message of support to the human rights dissidents, to the political activists, to those who are persecuted each and every day because they have the courage to stand up for their beliefs and disagree with their government. The message this bill sends is that the United States Congress values the right of the Chinese people to be free, to determine their fate, and to express their will. This bill says to the people of China, the United States Congress takes your plight seriously and we are willing to provide a tool, a more efficient and transparent mechanism to monitor human rights violations. This bill is that tool. Among other provisions, this bill assigns additional diplomats to the United States embassy and consulates, whose sole responsibility will be to monitor human rights violations in China. It would also station one American human rights monitor in Nepal. It requires State Department officials to raise human rights concerns in every meeting with Chinese officials. It authorizes increased funding for the National Endowment for Democracy projects in China. This bill requires the State Department to establish a prisoner information registry for China that will gather and provide information on all political prisoners held in Chinese gulags. This legislation also supports the continuation of democratic reforms for the people of Hong Kong. Last week, while China's Communist leader was greeted with pomp and circumstance, treated more like a movie star than the leader of a regime which turns its tanks and weapons against its very own people, thousands of innocent Chinese people were being detained without process, others disappeared, and others were executed. As the Chinese President toured various cities in the United States, as he spoke at Harvard University, his regime continued to severely restrict the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, privacy, and worker rights. The grim reality of China's dictatorship is clearly outlined in the latest State Department Human Rights Report on China which states: The Chinese government continued to commit widespread and well-documented human rights abuses. Abuses include torture, mistreatment of prisoners, forced confessions, arbitrary and lengthy incommunicado detention. More importantly, our State Department report underscored that the situation is getting worse. Overall in 1996, the report says, the authorities stepped up efforts to cut off expression of protests or criticism. Our State Department report continues: All public dissent against the party and government was effectively silenced by intimidation, by exile, by the imposition of prison terms, by administrative detention, or by house arrest. The gentleman from California [Mr. Dreier] and the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] have incorporated their amendments in our bill, which provide funds to the National Endowment for Democracy to assist these human rights groups in China, and it calls for an annual State Department report to the Congress on the progress being made on this critical issue. Their amendment also calls on our State Department to take further steps to work with human rights groups in that country. Let us not be fooled. A dictator is a dictator is a dictator. The dictator's thirst for power, for control, knows no bounds. As a result, a dictator does not loosen his hold on the people. A dictator tightens his grip with each challenge, regardless of the magnitude or source. The situation in China is a good example of this. Just when one thinks that the atrocities cannot get any worse, recent news reports indicate that the Chinese regime is preselling the organs of prisoners destined for execution. The gentlewoman from Washington [Mrs. Smith] has incorporated her amendment in our bill, which highlights the fact that the regime is harvesting these organs for sale to the highest bidder. Perhaps the Chinese regime is looking at this as a new industry for its economy. Furthermore, the regime in China is intensifying its campaign to systematically erase the culture, population and religion of Tibet. It has arrested thousands of Tibetan Buddhist priests and nuns and has destroyed between 4,000 to 5,000 monasteries. The gentleman from Hawaii [Mr. Abercrombie] has added his amendment to the bill, which helps bring human rights in China and Tibet to the forefront of any negotiations of our State Department that we may have with China by highlighting the plight of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in that country. Religious persecution, as noted by our colleague from Hawaii, extends to hundreds of Protestant pastors, of Catholic priests who, like Bishop Su who was again arrested on October 8, disappear in the gulag that is China's jails. We must act, and we must act now. We cannot sit idly by, hoping that other approaches may take effect and lead to a change in China. What about the gross violations that will take place in the meantime? Can we ignore those realities? Can we ignore our moral responsibility to the people of China? The bill before us offers a concrete solution, a viable option to begin turning back the tide of abuse and torture by the Chinese regime. I would especially like to thank the architect of this package of China bills, the gentleman from California [Mr. Cox], whose commitment and dedication to this effort has helped bring about this package of China-related bills to the floor today, and of course to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], our chairman, for his unwavering support and leadership on this issue. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill before us, the Political Freedom in China Act. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.