Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to pay tribute to one of Miami's most outstanding organizations. The Greater Miami Committee for UNICEF has saved the lives of scores of children in the south Florida area and throughout the world. Providing emergency assistance by equipping poor and starving children with primary and necessary healthcare by furnishing them with basic education are among the many ways in which this organization has come to the rescue of these underprivileged children; the children of our world. The Greater Miami Committee for UNICEF has always advocated and devoted itself to fighting for the adequate protection of children and their inalienable rights. The members are always eager to award opportunities to destitute children, with whatever means necessary, to help them to develop and reach their full potential in life. This year, this commendable organization has chosen to present its award to La Fundacion Willy Chirino. Willy and Lissette Chirino, the founders and extensive laborers of this organization, have unselfishly and lovingly opened their hearts and their arms to the afflicted children facing hardships. As a result, this couple has eased heavy burdens of these poor children and has embraced them with the gifts of love and hope; gifts which these children had never previously experienced. These notable organizations will continue to reach their hands out to these unfortunate children, lift them up and light their paths for a much better and brighter road ahead. I am confident that my colleagues will join me today in congratulating and celebrating the exceptional work and effort that both The Greater Miami Committee for UNICEF and La Fundacion Willy Chirino have done for the impoverished children of south Florida and throughout the world.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to congratulate Mr. Roberto Torres, a constituent from my congressional district and a leading exponent of Cuban music who is to be recognized for his outstanding talents and for all of the stellar contributions work that he has done for south Florida. Roberto Torres is to receive his much deserved recognition by having his star placed on Miami's renowned star walk on SW eighth street this upcoming Saturday, September 13th. Roberto has blessed the Latin community in the United States with his excellent compositions and beats filled with Latin flavor that take us all back to the rhythms of the island of Cuba. His first hit in the United States was El Caminante, but he is most renowned for his hit single El Caballo Viejo that every Cuban-American and many a Hispanic have enjoyed and can sing along to regardless of their age. El Caballo Viejo, a song that was listened to worldwide, has always been a sure fire guarantee of filling up a dance floor at any Cuban-American celebration. I applaud Roberto for his outstanding musical talent, his contributions to the music industry and most important, his ability to maintain in our minds the soulful and upbeat sounds of Salsa music. Music is an art that Roberto has mastered and blessed our lives with. His compositions will transcend many a generation and will repeatedly remind us of the yearnings of the Cuban people to live in freedom and democracy.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Florida International University [FIU] on its 25th anniversary. FIU opened on September 16, 1972, with 5,667 students, the largest first-day enrollment in American collegiate history. FIU, the first public baccalaureate-granting university in Dade County, has grown to 30,000 students, placing it among the Nation's largest universities. This outstanding learning institution offers more than 200 degree programs, has the largest Hispanic enrollment and second largest African-American enrollment of any public university in the State of Florida, has been cited by college guides as one of America's best educational values, and generates more than $30 million in annual grants and contracts. It has become a national leader in environmental research, Latin American studies, tropical biology, hospitality management, and other fields. FIU has an economic impact of more than $1 billion on the south Florida economy and is the major supplier of university-trained employees for the region, awarding nearly 6,000 baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees annually. As a proud alumnus of FIU, it is a great honor for me to recognize the accomplishments for which FIU has been so renowned. In a world where education is the key to success, I know from personal experience of the ideals and traditions for which FIU stands and for what it instills in its students and surrounding community. Dr. Modesto (Mitch) Maidique has been the president of FIU for the last 11 years and has been instrumental in guiding this excellent center of learning to the illustrious pedestal it is now on. Along with previous presidents, Charles Perry, Harold Crosby, and Gregory Wolfe, Mitch Maidique must be very proud of heading such a prestigious university. For its contributions and merits, it is my honor to designate September 16, 1997, as ``Florida International University Day.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his many years of leadership on this important issue for us in the House. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to reiterate my support for the rights of the unborn, and to state my strong opposition to the use of taxpayer funds for the promotion and performance of abortions. The Smith amendment would prevent the use of U.S. taxpayers' moneys, which now give large subsidies to organizations that provide or lobby for abortions at any time. We must not allow our hard-earned money to go to these groups. By passing the Smith amendment today, we will in fact prevent hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars from being used to fund the international abortion industry, for it is an industry. Specifically, the amendment would, first, prohibited funding of the U.N. Population Fund if it continues to comply with China's coercive and abusive abortion program. It is not a family planning program, it is an abortion program. Second, it would restore the Mexico City policy, which prohibits international family planning groups from receiving our taxpayer dollars if they in fact promote abortion as a so-called method of family planning. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to pass the Smith amendment today, so our hands and our dollars are not further tainted with the worldwide killing of the innocent unborn. We must put an end to infanticide. Abortion is not family planning, it is murder. I urge my colleagues to reject the bogus Pelosi amendment, which is being presented today as a pro-life vote.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize one of the five oldest institutions in Dade County and in my congressional district, Ransom Everglades School, as it dedicates its new Middle School Science Center today, September 4. The Middle School Science Center has been built in true Ransom Everglades form, with all volunteer and donated funds. Ransom Everglades School traces its founding to 1893 when a young Harvard-educated lawyer, Paul Ransom, came to pioneer Miami from Buffalo, NY. Mr. Ransom built a small tutoring camp he called Pine Knot Camp in Coconut Grove. He also contributed property in New York's Adirondack Mountains, and started a northern campus, making it the first migratory college-preparatory boarding school for young men, with winter months spent at the Coconut Grove campus and the remainder of the year spent at the Adirondack campus. Duty to one's country and society, along with academic excellence, was always emphasized by Mr. Ransom. In 1974, Ransom School merged with another independent school in Coconut Grove, Everglades Schools For Girls, and was later renamed as Ransom Everglades School. Today, the school continues as a nonprofit, tax-exempt, independent, and co-educational college-preparatory day school for grades 6 through 12, with 870 students on both campuses. Although it has only a small endowment, a significant number of its students are on scholarship based on financial need and merit admission. Ransom Everglades is also a founding member of Summerbridge, a national program to educate students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds at the Nation's best college-preparatory, independent schools. Despite its very limited financial resources, Ransom Everglades has achieved national stature, sending its well-prepared students to the finest colleges in the country. I comment Mr. Eric Buermann, chairman of the board of trustees, Mr. John Cotton, headmaster of Ransom Everglades, and his hard-working team for their efforts and all those individuals from within and outside the Ransom Everglades community for making the new Middle School Science Center a reality that present and future students will be able to enjoy and learn from.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Thank you, you hunk. Mr. Speaker, Emerson said: What is civilization? I answer: The power of a good woman. I agree with this American philosopher. That is why the departure of our friend, the gentlewoman from New York, Ms. Sue Molinari from Congress saddens us all. Sue always brightened up any committee room when she walked in because she was prepared, because she was witty, and ready for battle for her constituents and for our country. She never took these fierce battles personally if you disagreed with her, and she built strong bonds of friendship with many of us here in Congress. All of us, especially the women Members of Congress, felt as if we were part of Sue's life as we rejoiced in her union with Bill and the arrival of Susan Ruby. Susan will excel at CBS in the same way that she has climbed to the leadership ranks in the House, through her intelligence, through her hard work, perseverance, and a terrific personality. The civilization of this House will be diminished by Sue's departure, but we know it is the right decision for Sue, for Bill, and most especially for Susan Ruby. We wish you the best, Mama Sue.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, we rise to honor one of African- American's most influential and significant voices of the 20th century: Zora Neale Hurston. Zora is one of our most renowned and distinguished writers and interpreters of Southern African-American culture, and also serves today, almost 40 years after her death, as an experienced role model to all young women throughout the Nation. For all of her work and contributions to American culture and literature, it is fitting for all of us to have a commemorative stamp that would recognize Zora's contributions to American life. There is a beautiful elementary school in my congressional district that is named for this gifted artist and I had the privilege of speaking to the brightest young boys and girls, as well as the talented teachers and staff who daily work and play and learn there. Zora Neale Hurston came of age in literature at a time when a woman had only recently been granted the right to vote and when recognition for a female literary writer, especially an African-American woman, was unheard of. The key to Zora's success was her ability to overcome the odds and make a name for herself. I would like to congratulate Congresswoman Corrine Brown of Jacksonville for spearheading this congressional effort to have a stamp issued for Zora. Zora grew up in Eatonville, FL, a small town approximately 10 miles out of Orlando, that was settled by newly-freed slaves; she was a daughter to a tenant farmer, who was later Eatonville's mayor. Although this great lady's schooling was constantly being interrupted, she maintained her natural curiosity and sharpened her creative abilities through her constant reading. Even after she had given up her formal education, Zora insured her place in literary history by finishing high school while working as a waitress and enrolling at Howard University. It was there where she was encouraged to write by Alain Locke, one of the early African-American leaders, and other English professors. It was Zora's determination and commitment to literature that granted her the honor of having her short story, ``Drenched in Light,'' published in a 1924 edition of Opportunity, a magazine then published by the Urban League. It was the publication of this short story that eventually resulted in her scholarship to Barnard College and Columbia University and a new interest in anthropology, specifically the folklore of Harlem and the American South, for which she is celebrated. Zora was then chosen as the victor of the Urban League's literary contest short story and one- act play categories. It was this recognition that was fundamental in having her associate with great artists and poets, including Langston Hughes. Zora's writings and her work as a teacher, Hollywood scriptwriter, and a newspaper columnist, were all instrumental in her contributions to the American literary landscape. It was Zora's literary accomplishments, her style of writing, and the subject of the African- American experience that were indispensable in her major influence on such great contemporary female poets and authors such as Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, and Alice Walker. After Zora's death in 1960, the popularity of her writings increased. Today, Zora's name is highlighted in the Black Female Playwrights category and she has been inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame and Florida's Writer's Hall of Fame. As a woman, a minority, and a former English teacher, I pay tribute to Zora Neale Hurston for all of her achievements and for putting women's literary accomplishments on the map. I am not the only one to applaud Zora for all that she achieved, for her writings have also been instrumental in inspiring the Zora Neale Hurston Festival which has boasted an attendance rate of 60,000 in the past, and is expected to grow to a rate of 100,000 this year. Past attendees have included literary great and Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker, in addition to other international visitors from as far as New Zealand, Japan, Italy, and Australia. Zora Neale Hurston, we applaud you for your commitment and dedication to literature and for your influence on some of America's future great writers. The boys and girls who are so proud to attend the school that bears your name join me in spirit--in celebrating your legacy. And I thank my dear Florida colleague, Corrine Brown.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I regret that due to unforeseen circumstances I was unable to vote on H.R. 1119, Rollcall No. 330, and H.R. 1119, Rollcall call No. 331. If I had been present I would have voted ``aye.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, July 20, we will be commemorating the 23d anniversary of a tragic day for the democratic people of Cyprus. That was the day in 1974 that a foreign army invaded and occupied the northern one-third of the island. Since that time the Cypriot people have been struggling to regain their freedom and the House of Representatives and the American people need to be aware of the plight and the suffering of the people of Cyprus. Therefore, I am very pleased that Congressman Bilirakis has called this special order so that I may join with him and my other colleagues to bring the suffering of Cyprus to the attention of the general public. We should note that there are encouraging signs of a growing commitment to find a peaceful resolution to this problem. The President has appointed Ambassador Richard Holbrooke as Special Envoy on Cyprus. Ambassador Holbrooke played a key role in bringing the warring factions in Bosnia to the peace table and to agreement on the Dayton peace agreement. Ambassador Holbrooke, along with the ongoing effort by the United Nations and the European Union member countries, will try to finally bring the 23-year-old dispute to a peaceful resolution. A peaceful resolution to the Cyprus problem is not just in the interest of the Cypriot people. As a country at the cross roads of the great civilizations of Europe and the Middle East, Cyprus has long been an island where people from all these civilizations and cultures mingled freely and in harmony. Cyprus can and needs to play a stabilizing role in this volatile region of the world, as it once did before. That would be in the United States interest, as well as in the interest of the Cypriot people. But no peaceful resolution will ever succeed while a foreign military force occupies the northern one-third of the island. The people of Cyprus understood their cultural diversity and were able to live peacefully together for hundreds of years. Outside forces intervened and then invaded Cyprus, caused the division of the island by barbed wire. Many thousands of Cypriots were forced to leave their homes and have since been prevented from returning. Hundreds, called the enclaved, remain in the military occupied northern part of the island and are suffering many human rights violations under police-state conditions. They are prevented from freely communicating with or meeting with each other or the outside world. These Greek Cypriots, many of whom are elderly, are forced to send their children away to school and suffer many deprivations and hardships and human rights violations. I filed legislation in the last Congress and am prepared to refile it if a peaceful resolution is not found to relieve the suffering of the enclaved. This legislation would this redirect United States foreign assistance away from the country who maintains a military force in northern Cyprus and redirect that assistance to the suffering people of the enclaved. Within the last 12 months, the situation had temporarily become very tense and threatened to escalate which could have set off an international chain reaction, causing many deaths. Thanks to the efforts of cool heads, tensions were reduced. But the world can ill afford to allow the forcibly divided Cyprus situation to continue much longer. We must find a way to find a peaceful, lasting, and real resolution to this problem. I thank the Greek-American community for bringing the plight of people of Cyprus to our attention and for their ongoing efforts to reunite the island of Cyprus. Recent signs are encouraging but a resolution to the CYPRUS problem remains elusive. We must all keep up the pressure on the Clinton administration and the United Nations and the European Union. I wish to commend Ambassador Holbrooke and the administration for their efforts thus far and urge them to continue their good work on the crucial problem of Cyprus. I congratulate my fellow Floridian Congressman Bilirakis, for being the guiding force in Congress to bring this issue of peace and true freedom for all of Cyprus to the attention of the House and the general public.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, we recently marked the third anniversary of one of the many heinous crimes committed by the Castro regime against the enslaved people of Cuba. It was on July 13, 1994, that a group of 72 Cuban refugees boarded the ``13th of March'' tugboat in an effort to find freedom in the shores of the United States. But shortly thereafter their vessel was ambushed and savagely attacked by Cuban gunboats while still in Cuban waters. Survivors tell the tale of how Cuban authorities mercilessly fired water cannons at the liberty seeking refugees, while at the same time ramming the tugboat in an effort to destroy it. Women and children screamed for pity--for mercy--but their cries for help went unanswered. As the boat sank, refugees scrambled for their lives in the deep, warm ocean of the Caribbean, but it was all in vain for the Cuban gunboats circled the sinking ships creating a whirlpool that literally sucked the life of the refugees. Among the dead were 2-year-old Sixdy Rodriguez, 3-year-old Angel Rene Abreu, and dozens of other women and children. The death toll is estimated at 42, but we will never know the exact number. This is the brutality that the Cuban people have faced daily for the past 38 years and it is why this Congress and this Government must continue to do all it can to help the Cuban people in their struggle to achieve freedom.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Dr. Caridad Perez for all of the stellar and selfless years of work that she has dedicated to south Florida's children. As an educator by occupation, I have known Dr. Perez for many years and have seen the positive outcome of all of her efforts. After arriving in the United States upon fleeing the Castro regime, Dr. Perez wasted no time in dedicating herself to doing what she does best, educating children. Twenty-eight years ago she founded Edison Private School, starting with only one student. Today, Edison Private School has many alumni who went on to pursue different careers and are now successful members of south Florida's community. In addition to running Edison Private School, Dr. Perez has made a great name for herself in the business community. She is the president of three different corporations; a real estate company and a business geared toward school transportation, in addition to her school. For her great success in the business world, she was recognized as Businesswoman of the Year by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1993. Perhaps one of Dr. Perez's greatest achievements has been her work and dedication toward helping children through UNICEF. She serves as the honorary chairman and member at large of the Greater Miami Committee For UNICEF. I applaud Dr. Perez for her determination to get ahead, her discipline to persevere and her selfless dedication to those children who are in need of a leader and savior.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject most- favored-nation trade status for China. An increasing volume of evidence signals that this policy of engagement has failed to create democratic changes in China, nor has it helped our own national interest. While we blindly extend MFN to China, that Communist regime continues its aggressive foreign policy. China challenges all measures of civilized international behavior. It has sold chemical weapons and missiles to terrorist nations. Domestically, the Communist regime that rules China continues to treat its citizens with ruthless brutality. Any type of religious events are brutally brought down by the regime. Catholic priests have been murdered; women are forced to have abortions. Even President Clinton admits that the human rights situation has not improved despite assurances that engagement will improve the lives of the Chinese. While China reaps the benefits from trade with the United States, we have a $40 billion trade deficit with Communist China with no evidence that it will decrease in the near future. Both Democrat and Republican administrations continue to stubbornly praise a one-way engagement by the United States. The United States can do much better.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I regret that due to unforeseen circumstances I was unable to vote on H.R. 1057, rollcall No. 204, H.R. 1058, rollcall No. 205, H.R. 985, rollcall No. 206, and House Joint Resolution 56, rollcall No. 207. If I had been present I would have voted ``aye.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for yielding to me. Mr. Chairman, for our colleague in New York, we do not mean to tie up the time of our colleagues on revote after revote after revote. It is the gentleman who is going to be asking for that. We merely want to call a vote on an amendment which is very controversial, which asks U.S. taxpayers to fund a Castro investigation. We think there are better uses for the scarce resources of our Nation than to give credibility to a dictator's false accusations. The U.S. Department of State is not an agency of Fidel Castro. We should not treat it as such. Yet, that is what this amendment asks for, so we believe that there are better uses of taxpayer funds. We are not calling for 20-some-odd votes. The gentleman is the one, I would say to our colleague from New York, who is going to be doing that. We are merely calling for one vote, a roll-call vote, if it is demanded, if we lose on the voice vote; and that is, I think, fair, in the interests of democracy. We are not afraid of votes. We are not afraid of arguing the amendment on its merits. I think if we had had that opportunity at the appropriate time, I think we would not be in this situation now. We are certainly not worried about the outcome of the vote. We think it is a fair process, when there are more Members present to redebate the issue and revote on the issue. We are not calling for 26 amendment votes, the gentleman is calling for that. As our colleagues come on the floor, we want them to make sure, after I demand that separate vote on the Serrano amendment, that they understand that the person responsible for them coming time after time to vote is the gentleman from New York [Mr. Serrano], and not their Florida colleagues.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I demand a separate vote on the so- called Serrano amendment.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. I am very pleased to stand in support of the Gilman amendment, and I would like to yield my remaining time to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], the very able chairman of the Committee on International Relations who conducts his committee, as well as the amendments on the floor, in a very fair, bipartisan manner, and it has been an honor for me to be a part of his committee.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. I rise in opposition to the amendment originally proposed by the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller] and in support of the new amendment as proposed by the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Diaz-Balart]. The Miller amendment comes across as a parody or a caricature, very cruel, of the Cuban people. It makes a mockery of the suffering Cuban people, of their subjugation, and it belittles their suffering. The Miller amendment is also an affront to the more than three-decades-old United States policy toward Cuba, for it focuses on violations of the trade embargo as justification or cause to weaken our United States policy. I think it defies all logic when violations in and disregard for U.S. laws are used to defend a position of accommodation with smugglers or, in the final equation, with the Castro regime itself. Essentially, this Miller amendment is saying that if we cannot beat them, join them. If we cannot curb the violations of U.S. laws and we cannot inhibit interest in Castro's blood products, then let us just make things easier for all and lift those prohibitions. This is not the way, certainly, that U.S. foreign policy should be run. I really do not think that the United States would have won the cold war and sit as the leader of the free world, if every time its laws were blatantly disregarded, we had thrown up our hands in the air and said, fine, we cannot seem to enforce the laws because people are violating them, so let us just change the law. This is not the way to proceed. We do not change laws because someone decides to violate them or skirt them. This is like saying we cannot prevent murderers from killing or drug traffickers from polluting our society, so we should change our laws to accommodate those crimes. That is unconscionable and it is just plain wrong. It would be helpful for the cause of freedom if the gentleman from California would instead introduce an amendment that focused on human rights violations in Cuba, or on the narcotics trafficking by the Castro regime, or on their sponsorship of activities to undermine United States security and hemispheric stability. If the gentleman would only reflect on four innocent, unarmed victims shot down over international waters on February 24 of last year, three of them United States citizens and the fourth a U.S. legal resident, one of these brave young men served this country proudly in Vietnam, having been decorated for courage in defending the ideals of democracy. I suppose it would be too difficult to think of them or think of the men, women, and children killed by Castro's thugs in Cuban waters because they merely tried to seek freedom; or think about the thousands who perish in Castro's jails because they had the courage to stand up to this cruel regime and defend their right to be free. That is much more difficult and much less financially rewarding. This amendment certainly seems to be the easy way out. They should be remembered, and we should remember every day the blood shed by so many throughout the years in the struggle to free Cuba from its enslavement at the hands of the Castro regime. We should not be considering an amendment like the one introduced by the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller], which only serves to provide a lifeline to the Castro dictatorship. The Miller amendment contradicts and undermines the objectives and the priorities of United States policy toward Cuba. It serves to belittle the views of the majority of this body, and of the Senate as well, that overwhelmingly supported the passage of the Helms-Burton law. It disregards United States foreign policy priorities and national security interests by placing greater emphasis on financial gain than on the overarching commitment of the United States to help bring democracy to Cuba. The United States must assume its leadership role and effect concrete, positive changes within the last remaining bastion of totalitarianism and dictatorship. It should not be wasting its position of influence to help fill the pockets of a ruthless dictator. Unfortunately, it appears that some in this body cannot shift the focus from dollars and cents. It appears that the desire for a Cuban cigar and the idea of capitalizing on trade is stronger than the human instinct to protect the downtrodden and the oppressed. I hope that the latter will prevail, and that my colleagues will overwhelmingly reject the Miller amendment and instead support the Diaz-Balart amendment.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I wanted to engage our colleague from New York, Mr. Serrano in a series of questions about some of the statements that he has made. For example, he said that the amendment that we passed yesterday had to deal with how the United States is monitoring Cuban embargo. That is not the case. The amendment that we will pass deals with how the State Department is or is not administering the laws that the U.S. Congress has passed with almost 400 votes in favor in a strong bipartisan way. We would like the State Department to administer the law. The U.S. Congress approved it. We would like the State Department to approve it, to implement it. Furthermore, the gentleman from New York [Mr. Serrano] is saying that Castro was so upset about the U.S. planes flying so close to his territory. Too bad that the facts of the case are that every international body, including the United Nations, that has looked at this incident has said that it was an unarmed, humanitarian flight that took place in international waters and Castro killed American citizens, shot them from the sky. But my colleague is not concerned with that. He is concerned with Castro's accusations. He is not concerned about our constituents that died, and he is not concerned about the thousands of Cubans that die every year trying to get to liberty. He wants to do Castro's work in the U.S. Congress.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, we will soon be voting on final passage and I alert my colleagues that, as my colleague from Florida has stated, we will be calling for a recorded vote on the amendment introduced by the gentleman from New York [Mr. Serrano] last night. For various reasons, the Committee felt it was best to allow a voice vote and wait until final passage to raise the question of recorded votes. This amendment does not even belong within the scope of a debate concerning U.S. foreign policy and the protection of U.S. national security interests. The amendment places a greater emphasis on the false and distorted allegations of a terrorist regime, a pariah state, than on safeguarding persons of the United States. It places the activities of the U.S. Government in jeopardy and potentially endangers the lives of some U.S. Government personnel who risk their lives every day in Castro's Cuba in an attempt to assist human rights dissidents and the pro democracy movement inside the island. The Serrano amendment would essentially turn our U.S. State Department into an instrument of Castro's propaganda machine. It will waste thousands of U.S. taxpayers' dollars, forcing the U.S. Government to act based on the rumblings and idiotic attacks of officials from a regime which is desperately trying to cling to the reins of power. Time and time again Castro officials have accused falsely the United States Government and falsely accused United States nationals of the most ridiculous actions, such as the United States launching of biological warfare against the Cuban people. That was an actual Castro accusation. They have also said that we have launched insect warfare to destroy Cuba's agricultural sector. This is what Fidel Castro has actually accused the U.S. Government of doing. This is absolutely ridiculous, and the Serrano amendment, introduced last night, would want us to pay attention to and would tell the State Department to monitor such attacks. So if Castro says the United States is waging a chemical war against the Cuban people, which is exactly what Castro has said, we, the taxpayers of this country, would have to foot the bill to make sure that will we monitor these criticisms. I think it is the wrong action for the U.S. Congress to take and that is why we will be calling for a vote on this Serrano amendment at the proper time. So to force the State Department, our own Government, to turn against our own people, U.S. citizens, falls dangerously close to doing the same things that Castro's apparatus intimidation does on a daily basis. For anyone to suggest that this body should violate the privacy of the American people for the purposes of granting credence to the rantings of oppressors and terrorists is ludicrous. It is shameful, it is ridiculous. It is so far beyond the stretch of the imagination that it does not even merit further discussion in any serious debate of U.S. foreign policy objectives and national security interests. In fact, if this amendment were to pass on a recorded vote, that would mean that our own State Department would have to then report on the activities of this very body. Why do I say that? Just last week, on Friday, the president of Cuba's national assembly, a nondemocratically elected group, denounced this very bill as, quote, anti-Cuban actions and rendered an official complaint, which is the only criteria required by the Serrano amendment. So according to this amendment introduced last night, our very own State Department would have to investigate us and put us on the State Department list. I know, Mr. Chairman, that my colleagues will vote against the Serrano amendment and I reiterate our call for a recorded vote against it. I wish that the Member of Congress who proposed this amendment would instead be trying to pass legislation calling for free elections in Cuba. I wish that our colleague on the other side of the aisle would instead be denouncing the human rights violations that occur daily in Cuba. But instead he is doing Castro's work for him in this body. I think that he should rethink that decision and I know that this body will rethink our vote on that amendment, and that is why we will be proud to call for a recorded vote at the proper time. I ask Mr. Serrano, shouldn't U.S. taxpayer money be put to better use? Wouldn't U.S. foreign policy objectives be better served by requesting reports on human rights abuses; on Castro's narcotics trafficking; on Castro's support for terrorism worldwide? I know this would be a better use of funds, time, and effort for the U.S. Government and specifically the State Department. Amendment Offered by Ms. Brown of Florida

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to express my congratulations to the residents of a beautiful municipality, the Village of Pinecrest, for its first successful year of incorporation. Over a year ago, on March 12, 1996, the Village of Pinecrest became the 29th municipality of Dade County. As a result of this anniversary, the Village of Pinecrest is celebrating many firsts this year, including the first anniversary of its first mayor, Mayor Evelyn Greer, and the first meeting of the Pinecrest Village Council. The council members include Cindie Blanck, Barry Blaxberg, Leslie Bowe, and Robert Hingston. In addition, the citizens of the Village of Pinecrest recently inaugurated the Village Hall of Pinecrest. I was pleased to be a participant in the Founders Day Parade of the Village of Pinecrest on March 15 of this year where I witnessed the pride of the residents of the village, as well as the unity and cooperation that they possess as a community. My sincerest and deepest congratulations to the Village of Pinecrest, its mayor, village council, and most of all, its residents, for making the village a great place for many to call home.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. I rise in strong support of the Diaz-Balart amendment that requires the President to keep TV Marti operating if the President finds that it is in the national interest of the United States to do so. Radio and TV Marti have been invaluable tools to break through the information monopoly that the Castro dictatorship uses as a weapon of repression against the people of Cuba. Without the Marti's broadcast the Cuban people would not have a source of independent objective news that they would turn to in order to learn more about world events and about the sad reality inside Cuba. The Cuban people need TV Marti. The Castro regime was once again condemned just a few weeks ago by the international journalist groups for its repression of independent journalists who seek to report only the truth about the regime's repression. Over and over we hear from these journalists and other dissidents inside Cuba about the invaluable service that Radio and TV Marti provide to the Cuban population for being a prime source of objective news coverage. These are the same independent journalists who are being brutally harassed daily by the Castro regime. Many are subjected to the so-called repudiation acts, which are nothing more than State-sponsored mobs who attack their homes. Others end up in prison merely for reporting the truth about the dictatorship in Cuba. TV Marti is supported by the U.S. Information Agency, including its director, Joseph Duffey, who has been a strong proponent of its pro- freedom, pro-democracy broadcast. USIA is working on changing the TV Marti signal from VHF to UHF so that its power is increased into the island and Castro's attempts at jamming its signal be further prohibited. For the Cuban people the TV broadcasts are a window to the outside world denied to it by the Castro regime. Without Radio and TV Marti, the Cuban people would never have known about the brutal attack by Castro's thugs to the 13th of March tugboat where over 40 Cuban refugees, mostly women and children, were indiscriminately murdered at sea in Cuban territory. Without the TV and Radio Marti broadcast, the Cuban people would be ignorant of the repression of the regime against the church through the expulsion of priests and the harassment of those who merely seek to worship in their religion. Without radio and TV broadcasts, Mr. Chairman, Cubans would have no clue about the disaster of the Cuban economy and about the exploitation by foreign companies of the Cuban workers and the subjugation of independent trade unions under Castro's slave economy. Without Radio and TV Marti's message of hope, the suffering people of the island would be ignorant of the efforts in this Congress to help them in their struggle to break the shackles of tyranny that has enslaved Cuba sadly for over 38 years. I do not believe this Congress is prepared to strip away that small window of reality and that small ray of hope for the Cuban people, nor are we willing to grant a propaganda victory to Fidel Castro by eliminating this valuable service. The Radio and TV Marti broadcasts have made a real difference in Cuba, just like other worldwide services have done, like Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty in the former iron curtain of Eastern Europe. Let us not let the suffering people of Cuba down, Mr. Chairman. Let us support this message of freedom broadcast daily by TV Marti. I strongly support the Diaz-Balart TV Marti amendment, and I hope that my colleagues will as well.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the bill introduced by the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], our distinguished colleague and the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, and everyone's friend. The impact and ramifications of this bill, Mr. Chairman, are wide- ranging. However, I would like to focus on a particular provision which would guarantee that the integrity and purpose of U.S. foreign policy and related laws passed by our legislative body are not being compromised. The measure I am referring to is one which establishes reporting requirements on the implementation of title IV of the Helms-Burton law. As the evidence clearly demonstrates, the Castro dictatorship in Cuba is, without a doubt, an enemy of the United States and presents a threat to the security of the American people. It is a terrorist regime that has repeatedly exported violence to other countries in our hemisphere. It attempts to undermine our stability by its involvement and support for the illicit narcotics trade. It serves to ridicule the U.S. Government by being the last bastion of communism in the U.S.'s own backyard, and it is rated by our own State Department as well as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights as the worst human rights violator in our hemisphere. It is thus imperative for us in the United States Congress to stand firm by our policy of isolating this pariah state and not allow feel- good promises from our allies to diminish our resolve, and we must lead our allies in making sure that we are no longer in violation of U.S. laws by passing weak and inconsistent implementation of Helms-Burton. The provision in this bill does what we set out to do when we passed the law. The fact is supported by the attacks that it has attracted from senior officials from the Castro regime who, over sheer desperation over the ramifications of the passage of this bill, felt compelled to hold an internationally broadcast press conference this past Friday to use their propaganda machine to attack this and other measures. They are certainly doubtful about the commitment of this administration to implement Helms-Burton to its full extent. The periodic written reports required by our provision provide a more thorough documentation and will allow us to track the progress of the implementation of our laws over time. It ensures transparency in the process, it ensures the full force of the Libertad Act. Until we see concrete actions from our European allies and others who choose to negotiate with Castro and thereby extend the suffering and the oppression of the Cuban people at the hands of this brutal dictator, this Congress must stand firm and refuse to allow our laws to be weakened for the purpose of appeasing our allies. As we have stated on numerous occasions, diplomacy does not mean surrender. For this and many other reasons, Mr. Chairman, it is imperative for the passage of this bill that we include this provision. Furthermore, as we have emphasized during committee consideration, we have seen how Helms-Burton has yet to be implemented. I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida, [Mr. Diaz-Balart], for yielding, and I thank the chairman of the Committee on Rules, the gentleman from New York, [Mr. Solomon], for giving me the time as well. I rise to render my strong support for the rule of the bill before us, and I thank my colleague from Florida for once again making sure that everyone understands what it is that it is in front of us. The bill that is in front of us is related to the foreign relations authorization bill, State Department, as well as the NATO expansion bill. We are fully committed to making sure that we pass the supplemental, the disaster relief funds, and that will come very soon, as soon as that legislation is ready. I thank my colleague for yielding me this time, because these bills before us today are certainly very important. They encompass a wide variety of legislative initiatives to increase the effectiveness of U.S. foreign policy. Under the leadership of our chairman, the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], we made sure that we safeguarded U.S. national security priorities, that we cracked down on the Castro dictatorship, and that we protected the interests of American citizens. One provision of this bill which accomplishes all of these objectives is a measure I introduced which sets reporting requirements on the implementation of title IV of the Helms-Burton law, the Libertad Act. This provision helps ensure that Helms-Burton will be actively enforced as Congress always intended by requiring regular official notification on the denial of visas to persons doing business with Castro, using property illegally stolen from U.S. American citizens. It ensures that those who act in total disregard for the security and foreign policy concerns of our country by engaging with a terrorist regime near our borders are held accountable for their actions, and it reaffirms the spirit and the rule of law of the Libertad Act. It sends a clear message to those countries which place a greater value on profits from business with the Castro regime than on helping to free the Cuban people from their oppression and subjugation. The message is clear: It says foreign companies can continue to exploit U.S. property in Cuba, that is certainly their right. However, in doing so, they must pay a price, and that price is that they can risk their access to our U.S. markets. We cannot sit back and allow for the continued violation of U.S. property rights of U.S. citizens without taking action. We must obey the law and Helms-Burton is the law. The administration must understand that Congress means business, that when we pass laws and when the President signs them, that we expect those laws to be implemented, fully implemented to their full extent. We must not jeopardize concrete tools for vague assurances from our trading partners. We must stand firm. No compromises should be allowed when American interests are at stake. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and the rule related to it.