Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 134) condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 134 introduced by my good friend and colleague from Illinois (Mr. Dold). House Resolution 134 condemns the Iranian regime's persecution of Iran's Baha'i minority. Baha'is are the largest non-Muslim minority in Iran, numbering over 300,000 members in Iran alone. This resolution marks the 12th congressional action urging the Iranian regime to end its persecution of the Baha'i minority. And still, Baha'is do not have the freedom to practice their religion. In fact, restrictions on Baha'is extend far beyond their religious practices to further restrict their civil rights and human rights. Many members of the Baha'i faith living in Iran are even subject to harassment, to persecution by the regime, and others with extensive reports of confiscation of property, restrictions on travel, and raids on Baha'i homes and businesses. The Iranian Government continues to arrest and detain Baha'is based on their religious beliefs, with at least 60 cases logged last year alone. The members of the national leadership of the Baha'i in Iran, arrested in 2008 and unfairly tried with minimal access to their defense attorneys, are now serving a 20-year sentence for crimes, crimes including insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the regime. The government maintains possession of many Baha'i properties that were seized following the 1979 revolution, including holy places, cemeteries, and historical sites. Many of those properties have now been destroyed. Baha'is are barred from leadership positions in the government and are only permitted to enroll in schools if they do not identify themselves to be Baha'i and are required to identify as members of another religion in order to register for their entrance examinations. Many Baha'is are denied admission to the universities, and even those who are admitted may face expulsion due to their faith. The Baha'i Institute for Higher Education, established after Baha'is were barred from attending other universities, was declared illegal this year and six educators from that institute are currently imprisoned in Iran. These are just a fraction of the injustices that the Baha'is face at the hands of the Iranian regime. The regime has sought to make life as a Baha'i in Iran simply unlivable. They seek to take away aspects of everyday life that you and I would consider fundamental, inalienable rights. This resolution draws attention to their plight and calls on the Iranian regime to end its campaign of abuse against the Baha'is. It condemns the Iranian regime for the persecution of the Baha'is and calls on the regime to immediately release the Baha'is that it wrongfully holds in captivity, including the seven Baha'i leaders and the six Baha'i educators; and it calls for the President and the Secretary to publicly express the same sentiments. Finally, the resolution urges the President and the Secretary of State to use measures already enacted into law under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 to sanction Iranian officials responsible for human rights violations against Baha'is and others. Mr. Speaker, I was a co-author of that legislation, and those measures are not here for show. They are there to punish those responsible for these egregious crimes and deter future human rights violations. It is therefore time for the administration to walk the walk and hold the Iranian regime officials--from the so-called ``supreme leader'' and Ahmadinejad on down--responsible for their violations of the human rights of the Baha'is and other Iranians. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from New York for those kind words. Mr. Engel is a true mensch. That's a good thing. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Dold), a member of the Financial Services Committee, the Tom Lantos Congressional Human Rights Committee, and the author of this measure, whom we will miss greatly.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for time. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 834) urging the governments of Europe and the European Union to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization and impose sanctions, and urging the President to provide information about Hizballah to the European allies of the United States and to support the Government of Bulgaria in investigating the July 18, 2012, terrorist attack in Burgas.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 834, introduced by my good friend and colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly). The resolution before the House condemns the ongoing violence perpetrated by Hezbollah. It urges the European Union to classify Hezbollah as a designated terrorist organization. Now, in March of 2005, the House voted on a similar resolution urging the European Union to add Hezbollah as a designated foreign terrorist organization; yet here we are again, Mr. Speaker, nearly 8 years later, calling for the EU to take this long overdue action. As the purveyor of one of the most expansive extremist networks in the world, Hezbollah has engaged in nearly three decades of attacks against Americans, Europeans, Israeli civilians, in addition to plots and attacks on nearly every continent. Among the most egregious examples of Hezbollah attacks against innocent civilians abroad were its bombings of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in March 1992 and the Jewish Cultural Center in Buenos Aires in 1994. Hezbollah has never missed an opportunity to target innocent civilians, especially innocent Israelis, as the 2006 conflict in southern Lebanon illustrated, while using innocent Lebanese as human shields. Hezbollah has even turned its weapons on Syrians and against other Lebanese, as the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has uncovered. And most recently, Mr. Speaker, Hezbollah attacked innocent Israeli and Bulgarian civilians in Burgas, Bulgaria. Mr. Speaker, given Hezbollah's long and grisly record, it is no surprise that many of our allies--from Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand--have designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, because that is what it is. In this respect, it defies comprehension that our allies in the European Union continue to purposely omit Hezbollah from their list of designated terrorist organizations. The logic of the European Union's decisionmaking on this matter is, at best, baffling, particularly against the backdrop of our mutual efforts to address the threats of Hezbollah patrons Iran and Syria. By simply designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and stating the obvious, the European Union could deprive Hezbollah of access to millions of dollars in European banks and other financial institutions, while making an enormous contribution to regional stability, saving hundreds of lives that would otherwise be Hezbollah's future victims. Again, I strongly support this Kelly resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly), an esteemed member of our House Foreign Affairs Committee and the author of this bill.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 193) calling on the new Government of Egypt to honor the rule of law and immediately return Noor and Ramsay Bower to the United States, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, 3\1/2\ years ago, Colin Bower's two sons, Noor and Ramsay, were abducted from the United States by their mother in violation of the custody ruling given by the courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The boys' mother used forged passports to remove the boys from the United States and take them to her native land of Egypt, despite the fact that a court ruling stipulated that she was not to remove them from Massachusetts. Last I checked, Egypt was not in Red Sox country. One of the objectives of the Hague Convention, Mr. Speaker, on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction--of which Egypt and the United States are members--is to ensure that custody rights and access under the law of one contracting state are respected in the others. That means helping to bring Noor and Ramsay home to their father. The resolution is not calling for anything extraordinary. We are simply appealing to the Egyptian Government to uphold its responsibilities and return these two boys to their rightful home. I would like to thank my colleague from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) for working so diligently to secure the safe and speedy return of these boys to their dad. This bipartisan measure deserves our unanimous support. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also will miss Mr. Frank for his friendship and his great insight on many of the issues, and I thank him so much for caring deeply about constituents in his district, and we will continue to fight on their behalf. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6649) to provide for the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material in the Record on this bill.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 6649, the Naval Transfer Act of 2012, as amended. According to the Secretary of the Navy, authority to transfer surplus vessels is an important element of the U.S. strategy for decommissioned ships. It enables our Navy to manage its inventory while strengthening ties with our key security partners and with allies by transferring ships that meet key operational requirements. This legislation authorizes the transfer of 10 decommissioned Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigates to Mexico, to Thailand, to Turkey and Taiwan. Six of the 10 vessels would be authorized for transfer on a grant basis as excess defense articles under section 516 of the Foreign Assistance Act. Mexico, Thailand, and Turkey would each receive two frigates. With respect to Turkey, I remain greatly concerned with the deterioration in that country's relations with, and policy toward, the democratic Jewish state and our ally, the State of Israel. Since the 2010 flotilla incident--a crisis on the high seas that triggered a tailspin in Turkish-Israeli relations--we have witnessed a Turkey that is increasingly hostile toward Israel. From its recall of its Ambassador to Israel, its attempts to marginalize Israel in other international fora, and its continued occupation of Cyprus to the embrace of the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots, current Turkish policy is unacceptable. I will continue to challenge those and take steps to ensure, for example, that Turkey is sanctioned for its activities regarding the Iranian regime. But, Mr. Speaker, the proposed transfer that we're talking about today is not validation of the current Turkish policy in the region. It is about our Nation's long-term national security interests. That is what this bill is all about. Turkey is a NATO ally that we need to continue participating in joint anti-piracy operations, for which they would use these frigates. It has even commanded the Combined Joint Task Force 151, fighting piracy in the Gulf of Aden and along the Somali coast, protecting American citizens who are traveling in that volatile region. Additionally, in light of the deteriorating security environment in Syria and Turkey's critical role in that arena, the Department of Defense feels that it was necessary for our foreign policy priorities and security objectives that Turkey receive these transfers. Finally, Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the last time that Congress authorized such naval transfers, we approved the grant transfer of three OSPREY class mine-hunter coastal ships to Greece, but no transfers to Turkey. Lastly, these transfers are job creators here at home. Each frigate transferred will require 40 to $80 million of repair and refurbishment. This represents economic benefit to the United States through labor and services during the transfer process, as well as the potential for millions more in follow-on services, equipment, and training. According to estimates from U.S. sources, each frigate transfer creates or sustains approximately 100 shipyard jobs and 50 services jobs in the U.S. for approximately 6 months. Performing this ship transfer work in domestic shipyards that perform U.S. Navy overhauls and repairs lowers the cost of U.S. Navy maintenance by spreading costs over a wider base. The end result is an overall lower cost to our U.S. Navy and thus for the American taxpayer. The alternative to foreign ship transfers for ships no longer required by the U.S. Navy is to place the decommissioned ships into cold storage or have them be sunk. Navy funding is required for both the storage and the sinking option. Turning to the other four frigates, Mr. Speaker, these would be authorized for transfer to our close friends and ally, Taiwan. The transfer of these four frigates is not only a symbol of our enduring commitment to a secure and democratic Taiwan but will also provide the island with additional capabilities to conduct maritime security operations in the Taiwan Strait. The legislation also requires that any expense incurred by the U.S. in connection with a transfer authorized by this bill shall be charged to the recipient. Mr. Speaker, passage of this bill will help advance United States foreign policy interests and our broader national security requirements. Therefore, I urge adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida, my colleague, Mr. Bilirakis, an esteemed member on our Committee of Foreign Affairs.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in a snapshot, this is the background to this bill and the inclusion of Turkey. I'd like to explain this. These are DOD requests for our U.S. national security interests. Turkey is a NATO ally that DOD needs to continue participating in joint anti-piracy operations for which they would use these frigates. In light of the deteriorating situation regarding Syria and Turkey's critical role, DOD insisted that it was timely to do this transfer. Now, just a few years ago, in 2010, Congress authorized the grant transfer of three Osprey class minehunter coastal ships to Greece-- Osprey MHC-51, Blackhawk MHC-58, and Shrike MHC-62. So today's bill, Mr. Speaker, maintains the Turkey-Greece balance. This lowers costs to our U.S. Navy, as they won't have to deal with decommissioned frigates. This bill creates U.S. jobs, as the mammoth portion of maintenance work is done here in the United States. On the issue of granting to Thailand, to Mexico, to Turkey versus the selling of the ships to Taiwan, this is what our U.S. Navy says: The determining factor on the grant or sale of extra defense articles is always what is in the best interest of the United States. Granting the hull does not make it free to the receiving nation. Among the types of extra defense articles that are granted to partner nations, ships are unique in that there is always a significant refurbishment cost paid by the receiving nation. The current legislation requires the refurbishment of the hulls here in the United States. This is approximately $60 million per hull; though with Turkey our experience has been that they will spend even more. Because of the high cost of refurbishment, we always try to grant the hulls. Both Armed Services Committee Chairman McKeon and Intelligence Committee Chairman Rogers support this bill with the inclusion of Turkey. Mr. Speaker, when our military officials tell me that they need these specific transfers, including to Turkey, because it is in our Nation's security interests and it advances our priorities, I believe that all of us here should take note. I trust our U.S. military when it comes to the operational needs and joint military and anti-piracy activities. This is why Turkey was included--and not at the last minute under the cover of night. No, quite the contrary. For almost 2 weeks, the text of this bill has been posted not just for our fellow colleagues to review but for all of the American people to review at their leisure. This bill is a standard bill that is done at the end of each Congress. Two years ago, as I stated, under a different majority, a similar annual transfer bill was considered at the end of the session. So, in short, Mr. Speaker, this bill helps our ally Taiwan. It advances our U.S. national security interests, and it reduces costs to our Navy. It creates jobs for Americans right here at home, and I hope that our colleagues see it as such. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2318) to authorize the Secretary of State to pay a reward to combat transnational organized crime and for information concerning foreign nationals wanted by international criminal tribunals, and for other purposes.