Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I agree, and one of the things I think that made us so sad on this trip is hearing from European leaders, knowing the history of that continent, an area that had suffered so long under tyranny, under a dictator, where the rights were stripped of its citizens, where we continually said never again would those horrendous situations ever occur. And yet right now they are willing to continue to wheel and deal with a dictator for a few fast dollars, looking the other way when they realize it is a slave economy. And they say, yes, we realize that this trade continues to maintain Fidel Castro in power, and he will continue to degrade the Cuban people, and he has no free election, but if we can make a cheap dollar, then we are willing to do it. And to see these country leaders, knowing the rich history of the terrible situation for centuries they have endured, and have them not stand in solidarity with us in our struggle to help the Cuban people, that was a real tragedy. And if there was any sad moment, it was hearing those leaders time and time again try to excuse their immoral behavior by using this trade organization as a tool to wash their hands of blood that cannot be washed away. So I thank the gentleman for his time and his leadership on this issue, and our fight has just begun.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Miami so much. I think the U.S. Congress would have been very proud if they had had the opportunity, if our colleagues had been there with us, to hear Congressman Diaz-Balart's statements time and time again to the different officials from various countries with whom we visited and his very patient explanation time and time again of this law. I think we have a greater appreciation of Ambassador Eizenstat's patience now that we have undergone some of what he has been doing for the past months. And as Congressman Diaz-Balart so well pointed out, we are very distressed over the naming of the panelists by the World Trade Organization to hear this European Union complaint against our overwhelmingly supported legislation, Helms-Burton legislation, which was drafted, to a great extent, by my colleague, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, as well as other colleagues, such as the gentleman from New Jersey, Bob Menendez, and many others. This challenge, as we know, is based on what the European Union considers to be the extraterritorial aspects of not only Helms-Burton, but the challenge presented by the European Union in May includes many other aspects of United States policy toward Cuba, including, but not limited to, the embargo placed by the President in the early 1960's, the 1985 sugar certification requirements, the 1992 Torricelli law dealing with a ban on United States subsidiaries abroad that are doing business with Cuba and which places restrictions on cargo vessels going to Cuba, and on and on and on. The list is rather long, and it is outlandish and incredible for the European Union to challenge the foreign policy of the United States. As Congressman Diaz-Balart has pointed out, we have the right to dictate our domestic and foreign policies, just as the European Union countries have the right to establish those policies with no interference from abroad. And the World Trade Organization, just by them taking this step of naming the panelists to hear this grievance, threatens the support of the United States for this budding organization. If the U.S. Congress could vote again on the establishment of this organization and our participation in it, it might very well be defeated. It passed with almost 150 votes against its formation and our participation. It is not in the European Union's interest nor the United States' interest for the WTO to continue with this challenge, but as Congressman Diaz-Balart has pointed out, the United States is ready, willing, and able to invoke the national security exception, and leading Members of Congress have officially asked our Government representatives to do so immediately. It is very sad to see the European Union continue to ignore the sad situation of the oppressed people of Cuba. Cuba, under Castro, has the worst human rights situation in the Western Hemisphere. It has no free and fair elections. The Cuban people have no freedom to speak, to express their opinions. There is no free press. Raul Rivero, an independent Cuban journalist, has been hounded by Castro's thugs day in and day out, his home surrounded by them as they shout, ``Traitor!'' to him. And what is his crime? He calls out for democracy. Just yesterday, two more independent journalists in Cuba were charged with working against the revolution. And what was their crime? Well, they had subversive materials: Newspaper articles, articles which call for liberty. And there are hundreds and hundreds of political prisoners. Dissidents are jailed, rounded up, and harassed. Just 2 days ago in our community, we commemorated a very sad 1-year anniversary of the killing by Castro's military of four brave young men who were on a humanitarian mission in a civilian plane in international airspace. It was in their name, the names of Pablo, Carlos, Mario, and Armando, that President Clinton signed the Helms-Burton bill into law. It was in the name of over 40 men, women, and children who were killed just a few years ago in 1994 by Cuban authorities as they sat in a tugboat trying to flee the island, and it was in the name of hundreds and hundreds of so many who were killed fighting for Cuba's freedom that we presented the legislation known as Helms-Burton. And time and time again, Castro himself states that he will reform nothing. When they ask him about elections, he says, ``Elections for what?'' Every dollar in Cuba by European investors is one more dollar Castro uses to keep himself in power. But we recognize the right of the European countries to continue to trade and do business with Castro, however morally reprehensible we feel that such commerce is. Helms-Burton does not infringe upon their right to do so. Helms- Burton does not tell any country with whom they can trade, it just says that you cannot use illegally confiscated property that once belonged to U.S. citizens for you to do your dirty deed. You may continue to build the hotels on Cuban beaches, even though native Cubans are not allowed to enter those hotels. They cannot eat in the restaurants, they cannot swim in the pools that these European investors have built, but they can continue to build those hotels as long as the land they are using does not belong to United States citizens. Once again we explained it day in and day out. Do they not understand, or do they just pretend not to understand? It is very important for the United States to maintain our right to set our immigration laws. The U.S. Congress will be outraged if this organization goes through with hearing this complaint and believes that it has jurisdiction over who we can or cannot enter into our borders. Through this European Union challenge to Helms-Burton, the World Trade Organization is set to rule on United States immigration policy, and that is outrageous. The WTO is a multilateral trade forum, but Helms-Burton is not a trade bill. We have asked the European countries as well as Mexico and Canada to join us in our quest, to join us in our struggle, to join us in our strong desire to help the Cuban people live in a democracy, live in liberty, and enjoy the same rights that they enjoy in those countries and that we enjoy in ours. Congressman Diaz-Balart so correctly pointed out a column by Patrick Buchanan, nationally syndicated columnist, who talks about the European assault on United States policy, and he says, ``At stake here is the question who has the final authority to decide what America may or may not do to defend her national security: Us or them? At stake are the sovereign rights for which the American Revolution was fought. ``Let us have this issue decided now! As the Europeans are the ones who escalated, by taking Helms-Burton to the WTO, warning us of a conviction in absentia, let us accept the challenge and tell them: There will be no back channel discussions on Helms-Burton, no compromises, no capitulation. America's right to use her power to advance her foreign policy is nonnegotiable.'' I think the U.S. Congress will hear a lot about this discussion, and they know, and we must make clear time and time again, that its sovereignty, our sovereignty, will not be compromised by the WTO. The administration's decision not to recognize the WTO jurisdiction was a correct first step. However, we must make it clear that we are prepared to use our national security clause, which is permitted under WTO, and these rules must be used to defend Helms-Burton and our right to conduct our foreign policy. I am sure that Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart and many other Members of Congress, we are on a campaign, and we will not be discouraged by our European allies. We will continue to fight the good fight on behalf of the enslaved people of Cuba and fighting for the United States sovereignty, and we will not let this issue die down. They have many months to decide, and we have many months to continue to debate this issue, and, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding his time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it is inconceivable but true. A multinational organization, headquartered in another country, is about to rule on whether we here in the United States can establish our own immigration policies. The World Trade Organization has set up a three-person panel which is hearing the challenge presented by the European Union against our overwhelmingly supported anti-Castro law known as Helms-Burton. That law says that anyone who knowingly trafficks in illegally confiscated property which belongs to a U.S. citizen will not be allowed into our borders. Protection of private properties is not only an American cornerstone, it is also international law. Cuba should be no exception. The administration must make it quite clear that the United States will not allow any international organization to dictate our foreign policy, and we must assert our willingness to use the national security clause to defend the Helms-Burton law. Anything short of this will compromise our rights as an independent and sovereign Nation. The U.S. Congress writes our laws and not a multinational organization.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the Clinton administration keeps telling us that we do not need to worry about how many hundreds of millions of dollars go to organizations that perform abortion overseas or that lobby for pro-abortion laws, because we already have laws on the books that forbid these organizations from using the actual U.S. taxpayer dollars to pay for the abortions or for the pro-abortion lobbying. But this simply ignores the fact that money is fungible. When we give these pro-abortion organizations $1 million, we instantly free up other money that they are free to use for whatever they want, including more abortions and more abortion lobbying. None of us would run our personal lives the way the Clinton administration wants us to run our government. If one of us had a friend who was doing something of which we deeply disapproved, perhaps this friend had a drug habit, and asked us to give or lend him $100 a month to buy drugs, of course, we would have to refuse. But then suppose that friend said, all right, I understand that you disapprove of drugs, but suppose you give me $100 a month to help pay my rent. I promise not to use your $100 for the drugs. I will apply your $100 toward my rent, and that will free up my $100 to buy drugs. We would still have to refuse, of course, because we would know that by giving the $100 we would be enabling and empowering the friend to buy drugs. Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the same way that the groups that perform and promote abortions go about their ways. If we give them an extra $123 million and they remain in the abortion business, it does not make any difference whether they give us a piece of paper that says ``We used your money to buy contraceptives and our money to perform abortions.'' By subsidizing and enabling and empowering these groups, we subsidize, empower, and enable all of their activities, including abortions. The Clinton administration is, in effect, urging Congress to spend U.S. taxpayers' money and not worry too much about the consequences. But we cannot ignore the way the world works. I urge my colleagues to support the Smith amendment.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition of H.J. Res. 36, for this is a thinly veiled attempt to manipulate the Members of this Chamber into releasing population control funding 4 months prior to the date stipulated in the appropriations bill. The Clinton administration seems to be under the impression that it can invoke waivers on any law or make findings such as these with no concrete evidence to support its contentions, just rhetoric. It is simply an attempt to justify breaking the compromise reached during last year's debate. Supporters of these programs would have us believe that their objective is to save lives, that these programs are needed because the countries in Latin America and other regions are unable to sustain population growth. However, if they are truly concerned about the well- being of the people of these countries, then why do not they take the $385 million they want released and apply them toward vaccination programs or better medication to improve child survival rates or better nutrition programs? The future of all nations is in the hands of today's children who, if given an opportunity, will become the leaders of tomorrow. Yet these population programs are directly and purposefully advocating abortion as a form of birth control, and by doing so they are helping to deprive these countries of their potential. Abortion should never be promoted as family planning. The United States commits a grave mistake in always assuming that it knows what is best for others. Are we to be so patronizing of our neighbors in the hemisphere and other regions to think that we know what their society needs better than they do? It seems that the Clinton administration is not content with increasing government intervention in the affairs of U.S. citizens. Apparently, it now feels the need to run the lives of individuals in other countries, dictating what is best for women whose social, cultural, and religious backgrounds differ greatly from those of the United States. But the problem goes beyond this argument and the promotion of abortion. These population control programs are also being interpreted as licenses to conduct widespread sterilization of women in Latin America, in the Caribbean, and in other regions. We have received numerous accounts from Central America, for example, of women who have been asked general questions about their families, their economic situation, and then about whether or not they want more children. This then is translated by those involved with the population control programs as a request for sterilization without the express consent or full knowledge of the women, and these procedures are performed. By the time these women realize what has taken place, it is far too late. How can we possibly release the funds for such activities? In summary: This bill is unjust, offensive, and should not be passed. I urge my colleagues to defeat this measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join with The Simon Weisenthal Center in recognizing the achievements of Mr. George Feldenkreis and his family. On Sunday, March 16, 1997, the Simon Weisenthal Center will be celebrating this family's remarkable story. Thirty-six years ago, George Feldenkreis escaped the Castro dictatorship to come to the United States. With him were his one-year-old son, Oscar, and a daughter, Fanny, on the way. Like the thousands of refugees from oppression who came before them, all the Feldenkreis family members brought with them was a capacity for hard work and the desire to realize the American dream. Years of struggle were rewarded by success in the business world and the respect of his peers. George Feldenkreis, as head of Supreme International, is a leader in the American apparel industry. Additionally, he heads Carfel Inc., which deals with the importation and distribution of auto parts. George Feldenkreis chose to give back to his community by lending his considerable talent and energy to civic causes. He served as a leader for Temple Menorah and the Hispanic Heritage Committee, as well as president of the Cuban Hebrew Division of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation for 7 years. He currently serves as a vice president of the federation. In addition to giving their father six grandchildren, both of George Feldenkreis's two children, together with their spouses, contribute to the success of the family enterprises. Oscar serves as president and CEO and Fanny and her husband, Salomon Hanono, also serve in prominent positions in the firm. Oscar and his wife, Ellen, together with Fanny and her husband also carry forward the family tradition of service. Fanny and Salomon give their time to the Michael Ann Russell Jewish Community Center and the Samuel Hillel Community Day School. Oscar and Ellen work on behalf of Temple Menorah, the Lehrman Day School and Israel Bonds. Mr. Speaker I ask the House to join with me and The Simon Weisenthal Center in recognizing a family whose achievements have realized the American dream.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize ``Love Your Neighbor Week'' and its driving force, Jim Ward. Encompassing Valentine's Day, the week seeks to encourage reaching out to all people in the community. Its mission is to identify us as a community that cares for all people without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, or social status. Toward that goal, Mr. Ward is seeking to mobilize all organizations that call south Florida home. This includes public, private, educational, business, and civic groups. The pledge asks individuals to ``live the spirit of Love Your Neighbor [LYN] in my daily life; to be kind and considerate to everyone; and to unite my community through thoughts, actions, and words.'' Organizations are asked to display LYN decals and signs and employees are asked to use the phrase in greeting customers. Mr. Ward, a 27-year resident of south Florida, and Dade County's human resources director, is the man who put together this celebration of community. He has pledged to ``go anywhere in behalf of the cause and to do all the work'' necessary to see that this program gets off the ground. Mr. Ward and all the volunteers who have put this healing exercise together deserve our thanks and support in their effort to make the world a better place.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an extraordinary colleague whom we lost to cancer, Congressman Frank Tejeda. Congressman Tejeda's life is an inspiration to all Americans for his was a story of hard work, dedication and perseverance, and those qualities symbolize the American dream that all of our citizens can reach. After dropping out from high school at the age of 17, Congressman Tejeda joined the Marines, where he bravely served our Nation in Vietnam, earning a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. After his incredible military career he returned to his academic studies, where he demonstrated that dedication and perseverance he showed on the battlefield, earning degrees from the University of California, from Yale and from Harvard. In Congress he was a tireless warrior for the less fortunate of our Nation, as well as for the constituents of his beloved city of San Antonio, and he was committed to maintaining excellence in the military that he so honorably served. This great institution was honored to have Congressman Tejeda among its Members. His life should be a source of inspiration to all, but especially to the thousand of young Hispanics who look for role models in their daily lives. Frank will be truly missed by all of us in this institution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to express my best wishes to Secretary James Howell, M.D. MPH, and Executive Administrator Annie R. Neasman, R.N., M.S., as they assume the leadership of the State of Florida's new Department of Health. The Florida Legislature voted in 1996 to create the Florida Department of Health as a separate entity. The legislature charged the Secretary and staff with promoting and protecting the health and safety of all Florida residents and visitors in partnership with county governments. On February 3, Secretary Howell and the Florida Department of Health staff in Dade County will gather at Miami Dade Community College Wolfson Center with their local partners to inaugurate the department. I congratulate them on this day as they embark on their mission to make Florida healthier. I know that under the leadership of Secretary Howell and Administrator Neasman, their dedicated staff and their community partners will rise to the many challenges ahead.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the personal achievement of one of our community's most talented and dedicated young men, Mr. Jon A. Kastrup. Jon's own success is sweeter than most, as he not only had to overcome the regular stresses of daily living but, also had to accomplish this while being profoundly deaf. Many people like Jon would surrender to their condition, but Jon, never questioning his resolve, earned dual degrees in the fields of mechanical engineering and law and now holds the distinction of being one of only four functionally deaf attorneys in the United States. After his graduation from the Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark School of Law, Jon served as a legal intern for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, DC. Previously, Jon lent his valuable services to the California Center for the Law and Deaf in Oakland, CA where he served as a legal assistant and law clerk, and in the State of Utah as a court appointed special advocate for the Guardian Ad Litem Program. Jon has also served in several notable capacities for private and public sector institutions, including the Department of Human Development at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he served as a student development assistant. He was also an engineering aide for the U.S. Navy and previously served as an engineer drafter for the Unidynamic Corp. of St. Louis, MO. Jon has excelled in everything he has set out to accomplish. Despite his physical limitations, he never once relented in his ambition to succeed. Jon has proven that through steadfast dedication and a deep belief in oneself, ``if you can dream it, you can do it.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to express my congratulations to the Coral Gables Senior High School Rueda Kids for their fantastic dancing abilities and their desire to keep our Hispanic heritage alive through their performances in Cuban salsa music--Rueda Casino. Their exceptional talent and dedication to this art has brought much happiness to all those who have been privileged enough to witness their dances. The Gables Rueda Kids started only last year as an informal group and has since then received two awards from the U.S. Postal Service and won first prize and a special award at the Dade County Youth Fair in March. Among the group's future plan is to compete in a State competition to be held next spring and the member's participation in the Calle Ocho festival held yearly in Miami honoring their Cuban heritage. The dancers are 13 students, 10 of whom were born in Cuba, 2 of Cuban parents and 1 that is originally from Honduras. Michael Alonso, Kathleen Andino, Yurlaimes Caballero, Anyer Cruz, Niviys Diaz, David Espinosa, Yulaidy Lopez, Eddy Gamayo, Evelyn Gonzalez, David Hernandez, Jesus Moreno, Carlos Osle and Alicia Reyes-Quesada, who is also their teacher, compose the group. All 13 demonstrate their love for salsa music through their dances and prove that America's teenagers are aware of their cultural background and display it with pride. I commend them not only on their desire to keep their Hispanic heritage alive, but also in their spirit and commitment to share it with everyone else.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to extend my congratulations to Mr. Alejandro Aguirre, deputy editor and publisher of Diario Las Americas, on his being named as chairman of the Metro-Dade Cultural Affairs Council. In this position he will have the opportunity to expand support for this entire range of south Florida's cultural life. As in so many communities, the council faces the task of providing first rate art and entertainment at prices that allow the broadest rage of the community to share in the experience. In his new role, Mr. Aguirre will have the opportunity to inject into the arts community the same energy and enthusiasm he has brought to Diarro Las Americas and his other civic involvements. Those other involvements range from the Red Cross and Florida International University to defense of press freedoms as a leader in the Inter American Press Association which represents 1,400 newspapers throughout this hemisphere. It is difficult to overstate the importance of art and culture to the enjoyment of life. As Cuban poet and patriot, Jose Marti, said, ``beauty is a natural right * * * where it appears, light, strength and happiness arise.'' We are all too aware of the problems that mark urban life. But one of the joys of an area like south Florida is the broad and diverse cultural life that it can support. Again, congratulations to Mr. Alejandro Aguirre on his new responsibilities and best wishes for a successful and satisfying tenure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, Economic Development Administration [EDA] funding of an economic development grant is being sought for the South Dade/Homestead Motorsports Exhibition Center. Mr. Speaker, the Homestead/South Dade community is still recovering from the brunt of hurricane Andrew in 1992. We continue to seek economic revitalization assistance from the Federal Government, the State of Florida and from the private sector to bring this community back to prosperity. The South Dade/Homestead Motorsports Speedway Complex has already attracted millions of tourists to the area and has generated jobs at all levels in the community. The city of Homestead and a nonprofit partnership involving private businesses, have proposed a motorsports exhibition center which will build on the success of this complex. The south Florida community is hopeful that the Subcommittee on Commerce, State and Justice and the EDA will support this project in fiscal year 1997.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, due to unavoidable circumstances, I was unable to vote on House rollcall vote No. 413, the conference report on energy and water appropriations for fiscal year 1997. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, Rev. David Mueller has devoted the past 32 years of his life to parish ministry, including 15 years of service at Concordia Lutheran Church in south Dade County. This Sunday, September 15, Reverend Mueller will retire from his full-time parish ministry and this will be marked by a special service at Concordia. Along with his wife Cassie, his children, Paul and Becky, and his brother and sister, the congregation will be joined by his former classmate Rev. Ronald Schuette in recognizing Reverend Mueller's contributions. Reverend Mueller has provided leadership based on faith and compassion throughout the past three decades. He has served as a chaplain to the men and women of three branches of our armed services, the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. He ministered to our troops in Vietnam, where he was present during the Tet offensive, and later to those who serve in the U.S. Coast Guard. As a reservist, Reverend Mueller pioneered the circuit-riding ministry with the 7th District Coast Guard cutters and was awarded the Coast Guard Achievement Medal in 1989 for this work. The Lutheran Church also recognized his work with the Bronze Saint Martin of Tours Medal. South Florida has been the primary beneficiary of Reverend Mueller's labors. His first assignment, following graduation from Concordia Seminary in 1964, was to develop congregations in the Florida Keys. After serving as an active-duty chaplain, he returned to south Florida in 1975 as pastor of Concordia in Kendall. Reverend Mueller has also been active in the field of human care ministry. In addition to his theological education, he was awarded a master's degree in counseling from the University of Miami. Reverend Mueller has served as director of Christian counseling for the Christian Community Service Agency in Miami. He has lent his background and leadership to a number of community efforts, including the Lutheran Disaster Response which worked to ease the suffering inflicted by Hurricane Andrew. As he lays down the burdens of full-time parish ministry, Reverend Mueller will now devote himself to pastoral counseling, as well as temporarily serving as a vacancy pastor at Mount Olive Lutheran Church and School in Perrine. While all the members of his congregation will miss him, the example he has set will continue to be felt in the years to come. Reverend Mueller can look back over his years of work and say, in the words of Saint Paul, ``I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, as a public servant and educator, and a mother, I think it would be a great disservice to our children to make English the official language of the land, not only because of the domestic and international ramifications that it would have, but more so for the future of our children. It is time that as Americans we understand what educators throughout the world already seem to know, that proficiency in many languages ultimately results in increased understanding of others, awareness of other cultures and traditions, and ultimately improvements in our Nation's prosperity and welfare. Today, as a nation, we stand together joined by English as our primary language, and we hold hands as a nation, where our acceptance of diversity has given us greatness. Chief Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren once said, ``We are now at the point where we must decide whether we are to honor the concept of a plural society which gains strength through diversity, or whether we are to have bitter fragmentation that will result in perpetual tension and strife.'' As a Cuban-American who immigrated to this country in 1960, I was granted the honor of living here in the United States, a nation where differences, not similarities are the norm and, most of all, a nation where for over 200 years this plural society has been the standard and where speakers of different tongues and persons of diverse cultures, ethnic backgrounds and walks of life have come with one goal: To live, persevere, and succeed in the United States of America, the land of the free and the melting pot of the world. With the onset of the 104th Congress, there have been proposals made by various of my colleagues that seek to make English the official language of the United States of America and to eliminate bilingual written and oral assistance for language minority voters. Persons who have immigrated in the past, who do so in the present, and who will continue to do so in the future, already understand that in order for them to be able to do well in this great Nation of liberty and freedom, where equality is the law of the land, they must learn English and no law is needed to stress this. Moreover not only do over 97 percent of Americans speak English, but newcomers to our great Nation are learning English faster than ever, thereby making English as the official language a moot point. There are many benefits to having no official language in a country renowned for our diversity and home to communities where many different languages are heard. Among some of the benefits are those to public health and safety, a better and improved educational system for our children, the continuation of Government access to millions of taxpaying citizens and residents and the creation of a more cohesive American society. Some would say that we are indeed a diverse nation, that we must provide for a common heritage through the use of the English language. Our heritage, however, is not so much English itself, but instead that regardless of race, color, creed, and our language preference, we have been given the honor of all being Americans. The fact that we are all members of this great Nation and benefit from its Democratic ideals and liberties is a far more cohesive bond than any language could ever be. From a more global perspective, it is obvious to all that America today is undoubtedly one of the world's top economic powers. In an everyday more globally interdependent world, where an astonishing four out of five jobs are created through exports, it is necessary that knowledge of other languages be encouraged in order to facilitate our business with the rest of the world and not force others to deal with us strictly in English. Establishing English as our official language would serve to undermine our competitiveness on a global scale. As a Florida certified teacher and a former owner of a bilingual private school in south Florida, I know this bill will not facilitate the transition for children who have already come to the United States and do not have enough of a grasp of the language to understand challenging subject matters. ``English only'' legislation would only prove to be a disservice to these children instead of facilitating their learning abilities. Congressman McDade Acquitted (By unanimous consent, Mr. Shuster was allowed to speak out of order for 1 minute.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, as a naturalized American who has benefited from multi-language instruction, I rise in support of the amendment.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the leadership of the House for scheduling floor action so quickly on this bill to reauthorize the Development Fund for Africa. In this era of declining real foreign aid appropriations, it is important that Congress help set our foreign aid priorities by legislation and through negotiations with the executive branch. Foreign aid needs in Africa are one of our highest priorities and deserve some legislative protection from the other demands upon the foreign affairs budget. The money we invest today in promoting economic development, private enterprise development, and democratization in Africa is a wise investment. As we have been in recent years, the lack of economic development and economic opportunities and the lack of democratic political systems has led to some extremely expensive humanitarian crisis and costly U.N. peacekeeping operations--such as those we have faced in recent years in Somalia, Rwanda, Angola, and Liberia, to name only a few countries on the continent. While other regions of the world have shown economic progress, sub- Saharan Africa continues as a region with the least economic prosperity. Given the lack of economic development, we should continue our efforts in Africa while phasing out our programs in the countries where they have now achieved their objectives. I therefore strongly support the reauthorization of the DFA and an authorized level of $704 million--which is the administration's requested level for the next fiscal year--with the hope that the Appropriations Committees will be able to find the resources to meet the needs of Africa. This is a bipartisan effort, and I urge all Members of the House to support this bill.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Subcommittee on Africa I urge all our colleagues to give strong support to this resolution addressing the appalling situation in Mauritania. The resolution was reported out of the Africa Subcommittee by a unanimous vote, and reported by the Committee on International Relations again by unanimous vote. It seems incredible that in the year 1996, we are still faced with the need to address reports that chattel slavery exists in any country. Reports that slavery continues to exist in practice, if not in law, in Mauritania are persuasive. We continue to maintain unrelenting pressure on the Government of Mauritania to force them to take effective action to eliminate the practice of chattel slavery. Their actions to date have been ineffective. We must focus on the plight of the victims of this practice. What could be worse than being held in slavery and to know that your children and grandchildren will be condemned to be slaves all their lives? That human beings are held in bondage, bought and sold like animals, is simply not going to be tolerated in this day and age. What is needed is for the Government of Mauritania to start to enforce the laws against slavery with vigor, and to prosecute those who violate those laws. The Africa Subcommittee, in conjunction with the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, held a joint hearing on this subject, and it was clear that action was needed to bring about a positive change and an end to this horrid situation of slavery in Mauritania. I support this resolution without reservation and urge the House to report this resolution by unanimous vote.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it comes as no surprise to those of us from south Florida that, as reported by the Miami Herald yesterday, the DEA is investigating a connection between Cuban tyrant Castro and the shipment of over 5,000 pounds of cocaine which was confiscated in Miami early January. The Herald reported that United States drug enforcement agencies suspect the drugs were offloaded inside Cuban territory from a Colombian freighter and the agency is investigating a photo which documents a meeting between Castro and one of the drug smugglers arrested. But will the mounting documentation on this and other cases result in an indictment of Castro? As long as the administration refuses to confront, for political reasons, the role that the Cuban Communist regime plays in drug smuggling, our Nation will never win the war on drugs and stop the devastating effects that narcotics have on our children and society. Unfortunately, the administration continues to drag its feet because the leadership at the top is not there and it ignores the facts in order to avoid a confrontation with Castro. Once again, President Clinton fails the drug test. It is time for the rhetoric to stop and action to be taken. The finger points to Fidel Castro. Will President Clinton investigate?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, this morning the south Florida community woke up to new evidence, in addition to the vast amounts which now exist, of the involvement of the Castro regime in drug smuggling into the United States. The Miami Herald reported that the Drug Enforcement Agency is investigating a link between Castro and a drug shipment of over 5,000 pounds of cocaine which was confiscated in Miami on January 9. The Miami Herald reports that the drugs were apparently off loaded inside Cuban waters, to speedboats destined to the United States, from a freighter which originated in Colombia, which had previously docked in Havana to off-load cargo. The Herald story adds that United States law enforcement agencies have apparently also found pictures of the individual responsible for smuggling the drugs with Cuban tyrant Fidel Castro. Mr. Speaker, no longer can the United States turn its back on Castro's aiding and abetting drug traffickers, because the mounting body of evidence connects Castro with drug trafficking. These allegations deserve to be examined and investigated thoroughly by our drug enforcement agencies. Castro is desperate for hard currency, especially because of the chilling effect that the Helms-Burton law has had on foreign investment on the island, so it is to be expected that the tyrant will increase his involvement in illicit activities to finance his regime. Every day it becomes increasingly clear that unless our Government addresses Castro's role in drug smuggling, we will never succeed in the war against drugs. It is time to expose the tyrant's involvement and lift the veil of silence on his complicity in drug smuggling. President Clinton wants to continue to ignore Castro's drug ties because this United States administration wants to avoid a confrontation with the dictator in this election year, but the time for turning your cheek is over. It is time to step up our efforts to stop the cooperation that Castro provides the drug barons of our hemisphere. Unless this is done, our borders, especially in the southeast, will continue to be invaded by these diabolical drugs which impart so much harm on our youth. So there are many important questions that we must ask: Where is the criminal indictment against Fidel Castro for his help in the illegal shipment of drugs? What are our U.S. agencies doing to gather hard evidence against the dictator? Where is the follow-up on all of the allegations, reports, and accusations we have been reading about for years? How much more evidence is needed and what is being done to gather this evidence? The only sounds we hear are the dragging of the feet of our agencies because the leadership at the top is not there. Is this a case of see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil? Are we willing to ignore the facts in order to avoid a confrontation with Castro? These and many other issues must be explored by our antidrug agencies. And they must be explored now. We are writing, Mr. President. Our community, indeed our Nation, is plagued with the deadly poison of drugs. The finger points to Fidel Castro. Does the Department of Justice and the President not see this? Or do they choose to not see this?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, the Deutsch-Heineman amendment is to protect all of those who work to protect us. Throughout this country thousands of men and women serve their communities as police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians. They all perform the vital and dangerous work of keeping us and our families safe from crime, fire, and accident. We all accept the contract between society and the members of the Armed Forces who are injured in our defense. It is simple fairness that we recognize that the same obligation exists between society and those who risk their lives defending us against domestic threats. In a number of jurisdictions, an officer who can no longer work, due to job related injuries, can lose his health coverage. This nearly happened to two police officers, Officer Joseph Alu and Detective James O'Hara, who were severely wounded in responding to a hostage situation. This amendment simply affirms the principle that those public safety officers who are injured in the line of duty will not have their heroism rewarded by being stripped of health coverage.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the island of Cyprus was invaded by a foreign army on July 20, 1974. As we remember this sad anniversary, we must renew our determination to do whatever is in our power to achieve the restoration of a united Cyprus, free from foreign military control of one-third of its territory. For 22 years now, the people of the Republic of Cyprus have lived with a foreign army in their country in violation of all international norms. Two hundred thousand Greek Cypriots were forced from their homes in the northern third of the island by the invading army. The invaders engaged in massive violations of the human rights of the Cypriot people, including murder, rape, and looting, according to the European Human Rights Commission report in 1976. The world community is in agreement that the State of Cyprus must remain a single sovereignty and international personality, with a single citizenship, and with its independence and territorial integrity preserved. The continued presence of 30,000 foreign troops in Cyprus prevents the people of that island from reaching a settlement of these political differences. These troops must be withdrawn as soon as possible. Demilitarization of the Republic of Cyprus would meet the security concerns of all parties involved and would enhance prospects for a peaceful and lasting solution that would benefit all the people of Cyprus. This can only be achieved if the invading army withdraws from Cyprus and returns to its own territory--where it belongs. The great tragedy of the foreign invasion of Cyprus is that the people of that island have lived together for centuries, and can work out their differences as fellow Cypriots. They did not need a foreign army and an outside government to come into their country and seek to impose a foreign solution to their problems. A continuation of a divided Cyprus is not in the interest of any of the Cypriots. Since the invasion and occupation of the northern third of the island in 1974, the people living in the free two-thirds have seen their economy soar and per capita incomes increase from $1,500 in 1973 to over $10,000 today. The free people of Cyprus are negotiating with the European Union to join the Union as full and respected members of modern European society. Meanwhile, in the occupied territories, living standards have stagnated--an inevitable consequence of the lack of real freedom and justice. That all Cypriots will one day again live in freedom under a just and democratic government, free from foreign military domination and control, is the goal that we must have. Today, as we remember the events of 22d years ago, I reiterate my firm support for that goal.