Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 266, which celebrates 90 years of U.S.-Polish diplomatic relations and the fact that Poland has proven to be a strong partner for the United States in advancing freedom around the world. Poland has come a long way since throwing off the yoke of Communism 20 years ago. In fact, it was only 2 months ago that Poles celebrated the 20th anniversary of the first free and democratic parliamentary elections in their country, held in 1989, which followed decades of Communist rule and Soviet domination of Poland. The election, in fact, helped provide the inspiration for the peoples of other Central and Eastern European nations to subsequently free themselves from the shackles of the Communist regimes in their countries. Today, Poland is a free and democratic country and a full and valued member of a number of international organizations, including the European Union and NATO. Through NATO, Poland is a full ally of the United States and, in that role, has significantly contributed to the United States-led efforts to fight global terrorism. This resolution, Mr. Speaker, celebrates the 90th anniversary of the U.S.-Polish diplomatic relations. It congratulates the Polish people on their great accomplishments as a great democracy, and it expresses appreciation for Poland's partnership with the United States. Given the specific intent of the resolution before us today dealing with the importance of our relationship with our ally, Poland, I would like to comment on the recent decision by President Obama to cancel the long-range missile defense project with Poland. We could debate the recent decision to cancel the long-range missile defense project in Poland, a decision with which many of us, obviously, disagree. In light of the history of Eastern Europe over the past century, and of Poland, in particular, we should exercise care in the ways that we arrive at decisions that have great consequence to our allies in that region. In this instance, the decision to cancel the missile defense project was communicated to Polish officials only the night before it was announced. The decision was also announced on the 70th anniversary of the invasion of the Soviet Union of Poland in 1939. What an insult. In light of the timing of the decision, and given that Russian troops invaded Georgia last year, should we have been surprised when our Polish allies reacted with alarm at the suddenness of the announcement? I think not. In short, Mr. Speaker, our relationship with Poland requires skillful handling and needs to take into account what Poland has experienced over the past 100 years in order to avoid sending unintended and potentially damaging messages to such a close ally. Mr. Speaker, I support the resolution before us today. I reserve the balance of our time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks), a member of the Armed Services and Judiciary Committees and the co-Chair of the House Missile Defense Caucus.

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of House Resolution 603, a measure recognizing the 140th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. At the outset, let me express my deep appreciation to our distinguished chairman, Mr. Howard Berman, my good friend from California, for his strong support of this bipartisan resolution and to the co-Chairs of the India Caucus for their cosponsorship. Mr. Speaker, I introduced this resolution to honor the extraordinary life and the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. The broad outlines in the life story of this remarkable human being are, of course, generally well known: his struggles as a young lawyer in South Africa for the civil liberties and the political rights of Indian immigrants; his return to India and his leadership in the long and complex struggle for home rule and then independence; and his campaign against violent communalism and terror, a struggle that ultimately cost him his life. In the course of this journey, Gandhi believed and developed the distinctive philosophy of nonviolence. This philosophy has influenced so many great figures of world history from Nehru to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., to Aung San Suu Kyi. Today, Cuban dissidents and political prisoners such as Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet turn to Gandhi's tenets of peaceful civil disobedience to challenge the Cuban tyranny and demand the freedom of the Cuban people. In a world too often worked marked by violence and vast inequity, Gandhi said, ``be the change you want to see in the world.'' ``Be the change you want to see in the world.'' This reminds us all of the need for personal integrity in the struggle for peaceful change and the fullest respect for human dignity. Mr. Speaker, as we have all come to understand, the life and the teachings of this deeply philosophical and spiritual man have touched millions of people around the world. Indeed, in world affairs, the person who arguably affected change more than anyone else, more effectively than anybody else, was Mahatma Gandhi. Mr. Speaker, ultimately, what was it about this complex and enigmatic man that made him one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century? As a recent biographer noted, fundamentally, Gandhi was a man of vision and action, who asked many of the most profound questions that face humankind as it struggles to live in a community. It was this confrontation out of a real humanity which marks his true stature and which makes his struggles and glimpses of enduring significance to us all. As a man of his time who asked the deepest questions, even though he may not have had all of the answers, he became a man for all times and all places. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge support for this resolution, and with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. To close on our side, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, to open the debate on our side of the aisle, I am so pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this resolution expressing profound sympathy to our good friends and allies, the people of the Philippines, for the loss of life and property that they have suffered in the recent storms which devastated their country. I also wish to express condolences to those among the over-3 million members of our Filipino American community who lost loved ones or who had family and friends injured in the floods and the landslides. Over 600 people are now reported dead, and over 4,000 homes have been destroyed. An estimated 400,000 persons in Manila and in its vicinity had to flee their homes after 80 percent of the capital was submerged by water. The damage is estimated to be almost $5 billion. I was pleased to note that the Agency for International Development, AID, has allocated $1.8 million in emergency relief funds. The ties between the United States and the Philippines are among the strongest we have with any Asian country. Our two peoples have stood together in war and in peace, with Filipino comrades-in-arms enduring, with our own veterans, the siege of Corregidor and the Bataan Death March. The Filipino people then fought bravely for over 3 years, waiting for General MacArthur to fulfill his pledge to return. More recently, Manila has served as a stalwart ally in the war on terrorism being waged in southeast Asia. So your loss is our loss. When the people in the Philippines mourn, we also mourn. As friends and allies, we will continue to stand by you. I urge my colleagues to strongly support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, this week at the United Nations another assault is being launched on the democratic Jewish State of Israel, an assault that the United States must unequivocally oppose and defeat. Predictably, this assault has its roots in the U.N.'s so-called ``Human Rights Council,'' an institution that has been hijacked by dictatorships and gross human rights violators. This past winter, in Operation Cast Lead, Israel defended its citizens--and its existence--against the actions of Hamas and other violent extremist groups in Gaza. The Human Rights Council responded by passing a resolution authorizing a so-called ``fact finding mission'' to investigate Operation Cast Lead. This mission's mandate had nothing to do with fact finding and everything to do with persecuting Israel for defending herself. The mandate prejudged Israel's guilt, authorizing the mission to investigate only assumed human rights violations by Israel. The mandate did not include or even mention the thousands of rocket attacks and mortar attacks spanning 8 years by Hamas and other violent extremist groups in Gaza against civilian targets in southern Israel. Then, last month this so-called ``fact finding mission'' released its report. It's a 575-page collection of distortions and double standards. The report made baseless accusations that Israel's military had deliberately attacked civilians. The report disregarded extensive evidence that violent extremist groups in Gaza used civilians as human shields, operating from schools, from mosques, from hospitals. It ignored the Israeli military's extraordinary efforts to target its operations in order to minimize civilian casualties. It gave a free pass to the Iranian and the Syrian regimes, which provide material and financial assistance to Hamas and other murderous groups in Gaza. Finally, this report recommended further persecution of Israel through follow-up action by the U.N. Security Council, the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, and the International Criminal Court, among others. In fact, today, the Security Council met at the request of the Libyan regime and considered this very biased report. Later this week, with the blessing of the U.N. Secretary General, the Human Rights Council is expected to hold a special session on this report. What will they do? They will pass yet another resolution condemning Israel, and only Israel. And what has the U.S. done in response to this anti-freedom onslaught? While acknowledging that the report and its mandate were biased, administration officials still claim that the report raised serious issues and should be considered seriously by that rogues gallery known as the Human Rights Council. Is this how the United States supports Israel and counters the anti-Semitic and anti-Israel bias that is present every day at the U.N.? We must recognize what is at stake here. If the democratic political and military leaders of Israel can be hauled before an unaccountable court for defending their nation against violent extremists in Gaza, then how long before U.S. officials and those of other NATO countries will face the same for defending our Nation against al Qaeda and other such threats? Ultimately, this report is an effort by the enemies of freedom to deprive democracies of the right of self-defense, making it open season for global jihadists to come after Israel or the U.S. and other free nations. As the leadership of the Simon Wiesenthal Center stated in a recent letter to our ambassador, Susan Rice, consideration of this report is a prescription for disaster not only for Israel, but for the United States and every country that fights violent extremism. Mr. Speaker, we must oppose any effort to grant consideration or legitimacy in any forum to this irredeemably biased U.N. report. We must support the right of Israel, the right of the U.S., the right of all democracies to defend ourselves and our citizens. Once again, Mr. Speaker, it is time for the U.S. to lead. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Michael Fux on the grand opening of the Michael Fux Family Center at Miami Children's Hospital. It is with great pride that I recognize Michael's exemplary work and dedication throughout the years supporting underprivileged children. The Michael Fux Family Center is a state-of-the-art facility that will provide families with up-to-date medical information, activities, and entertainment. Throughout the center, families can access information about their child's condition and meet and network with other parents. It truly warms my heart to know that the families visiting and the patients staying at Miami's Children Hospital will have a place to get together to share a peaceful environment. Michael, on behalf of all south Florida and the United States Congress, thank you, thank you so much for your life of selfless giving.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, this week, a delegation of Monroe County elected officials, led by Mayor George Neugent, will be traveling here to Washington, D.C. In addition to meeting with Members of Congress, the Monroe County delegation will also meet with senior officials at FEMA on the issue of downstairs enclosures. I have met with middle class homeowners in the Keys who are unable to secure flood insurance because of their downstairs enclosures. These homeowners utilize this additional living space to house an elderly resident, a family member, or to provide affordable housing to others. No one can afford to be without flood insurance in the Florida Keys. And since an inspection is required before any current flood insurance policy can be renewed, many residents are being left to fend for themselves. While the issue of downstairs enclosures is certainly an important one, the state of our economy is the single most important issue for Keys residents. In recent months, I have had the opportunity to travel throughout the Keys to hear firsthand from teachers, from students, from entrepreneurs, retirees who are struggling because of uncertain economic conditions and a dwindling tourist economy. I have met with commercial fishermen in Key Largo who are abandoning their boats and leaving their lifetime passion in pursuit of part-time jobs that will at least pay the bills. Many of these fishermen are unable to make a living because of onerous fishing regulations and unfair moratoriums. I have met with small business owners in Key West who are closing down shop because of their inability to secure a bank loan which would at least carry them forward until next year. The economic success of our community rests on the success of our fishermen and our hotel owners as well as on the environmental preservation of our beaches, our coral reefs, and other precious ecosystems. As a Member of Congress who proudly represents the Florida Keys, I have consistently fought for increased Federal action to protect our environment. For example, our Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a world-renowned institution, and we have beautiful coral reefs that are a major economic engine for our local economy. Last month, the House of Representatives passed the Coral Reef Conservation Act, a bill that I cosponsored. This bill increases Federal oversight of coral reef monitoring and rehabilitation efforts as well as promoting community-based conservation initiatives. In addition to conservation efforts, I am working with my colleagues here in Congress to support the Aquarius Underwater Sea Lab, which is based in Key Largo. Aquarius is the only permanent underwater lab in the world, and its facilities are used in partnership with NASA and the Navy to train astronauts, divers, and to develop cutting-edge technology. I have been in contact with officials at NOAA to voice my strong support for the continuation of this important program, Aquarius, which is of great benefit to the scientific community and to our local economy. During this time of economic uncertainty and volatile gas prices, it is more important now than ever that we reduce our dependency on foreign oil. The foundation of a comprehensive energy policy depends upon our ability to develop alternative sources of energy. In Congress, I have been a consistent advocate of green energy initiatives. I voted to raise national fuel economy standards for our automobiles and establish a Federal renewable electricity standard. I have also voted to increase tax incentives for small businesses that utilize energy-efficient technologies in the workplace, such as solar panels or hybrid cars. The Florida Keys has the potential of becoming a major market for green tourism, both nationally and internationally. And of course in order to achieve this goal we need to improve both our transportation infrastructure as well as our wastewater infrastructure. I am proud to say that I have been a leader in securing millions in Federal dollars for our roadways, our bus facilities, as well as for the Florida Keys Wastewater Project. Securing Federal funds for the Florida Keys Wastewater Project is a top priority of mine in Congress because we have to protect our National Marine Sanctuary from further environmental damage. In the past year, I have secured more than $25 million toward this project. Later this week, the House of Representatives will vote on a Homeland Security Appropriations bill, which includes funding for a new emergency operation center which will serve all of Monroe County. I know that the need for Federal dollars is great, and I will continue to do my part for the Federal funds for the Keys. Welcome, Keys representatives, to Washington.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, on rollcall no. 754, a motion to instruct Conferees on H.R. 2647, the Department of Defense Authorization, FY2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Saturday, October 20, at Bayfront Park in Miami, in my congressional district, we will be having the 14th Annual Miami/Fort Lauderdale Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Since its inception in 1996, the Miami/Fort Lauderdale Race for the Cure has raised more than $4.5 million and has reached hundreds of thousands of people through educational outreach and grassroots efforts. Volunteers are dedicated to ending breast cancer by making it a nonlife-threatening disease through community grants to support research, education, screening, and treatment. More than 465,000 die from this disease every year, Mr. Speaker. But there are more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors alive in the U.S. today, the largest group of all cancer survivors. The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure helps them fight the disease through breast cancer survivors networks. Thanks to this Race for the Cure, we are making great strides toward a world without breast cancer. I encourage all in our community in south Florida to participate on Saturday, October 20, at Bayfront Park in Miami, to fight breast cancer.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to express my strong support for the upcoming November elections in Honduras and to underscore my ongoing concern with the current U.S. policy toward this Central American nation and its people. I have just returned from Honduras, where I had the opportunity to see with my own eyes what is happening on the ground there. Let me tell you, Madam Speaker, it's very quiet on the streets of Tegucigalpa. Despite the efforts of the pro-Zelaya camp to create the impression that chaos is reigning in Honduras, there are no tires burning in the streets, there are no massive protests urging Manuel Zelaya's return, no collapse of democratic order or institutions. I met with officials of the constitutional, democratic Government of Honduras. I met with Honduran civil society. I met with their religious leaders. I met with the Honduran press. I even had the opportunity to meet with some of our fellow Americans who are living in Honduras now. And through it all, there was a very consistent and a very clear message. That is: The Honduran people are committed to the defense and the protection of their democracy, of their constitution, of the rule of law. The people of Honduras do not want Manuel Zelaya back in office. The Honduran people do not want outside actors infringing upon and determining their democracy and their rule of law. For the Honduran people, the November 29 elections are the solution, they are the way forward, and I couldn't agree with them more. I introduced House Resolution 749. What does it do? It calls on Secretary Clinton to support the efforts of the appropriate authorities in Honduras to ensure that the November elections are free, are fair, are now transparent. It calls on President Obama to recognize these elections as an important step in the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law in Honduras. No matter how one views the events of June 28, it is critical that the implementation and the recognition of the validity of the November 29 Honduran elections remains separate and independent from the current political fray. The date of the elections, the presidential candidates, and the presidential term were determined long before Zelaya's removal, and nothing has changed since then. Again, the Honduran electoral process is continuing in accordance with the Honduran Constitution. The U.S. has historically recognized free, fair, and transparent elections as a fundamental component of a democracy. So why now is the U.S. so quick to admonish what appears to be the only viable way forward for a peaceful resolution in Honduras? How could the U.S. help to open the door to the Cuban tyranny to rejoin the Organization of American States but yet push for Honduras' expulsion because the Honduran people defended their constitution and their democracy? How could the U.S. directly engage with Ahmadinejad, let him into the United States to address the General Assembly at the United Nations yet revoke the visas of the constitutionally democratic constituted representatives of the Honduran Government? These are all questions that I have been asking officials in this administration and have been asked time and time again. Madam Speaker, I'm concerned that if we in the U.S. continue along this misguided path and continue to impose this misguided Zelaya- centric policy, that the goodwill and the respect and the admiration that the U.S. currently enjoys in Honduras will now start to dissipate. We can't afford for that to happen. The United States has always been the beacon of democracy. How can we take this undemocratic way forward for Honduras? I'm deeply concerned about the impact that this action will have on our U.S. security interests as well, Madam Speaker. After all of my meetings and briefings and during my visit in Honduras, I'm more concerned and more convinced than ever that the current U.S. approach is severely undermining our immediate security interests in Honduras-- in fact, in Central America as a whole--and it will significantly impact and have detrimental long-term ramifications for the stability and the security of our hemisphere. But there is still time to reconsider. There is still time to correct our wrongs and find a way forward, and that can begin with the U.S. Government publicly announcing that it will respect the sovereignty of the free Honduran people and respect what it says in the Honduran Constitution, that the U.S. will support the will of the Honduran people and recognize free, fair, transparent elections in Honduras this November. The future and the will of the Honduran people are far too important to let Manuel Zelaya or his puppeteers run the show any longer.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, during breast cancer awareness month, in solidarity with, and through the strength of, thousands of breast cancer survivors and victims throughout these United States. I stand by my friend and colleague Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz whose fight with this disease is an incredible story of will and perseverance; I stand by many longtime friends in our community who have been affected by this terrible disease; And I stand by hundreds of thousands of women whom I will never know nor meet, but whose stories we already know all too well. And though breast cancer affects both genders, it disproportionally targets women, with men being about 100 times less likely to be stricken with the disease. And as women, our chances of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in our lives is incredibly high, by some counts a 1 in 8 chance. This makes breast cancer the second most common cancer among women. Almost everyone in this country unfortunately knows someone who has suffered from breast cancer. Whether that person is your mother, sister, partner, or friend, the story is always heart wrenching. Through efforts such as breast cancer awareness month, all of us work to bring about greater breast cancer education, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. But it is stories of some of the brave women with this terrible disease that I want to share today. Linda Gayle Burrowes never expected to be a statistic. But for her 49th birthday she received the gift that would save her life. A friend of hers insisted on giving Linda a mammogram; and the day after Linda's birthday, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is a survivor because this angel sent gift caught the disease early, and Linda was determined that other women would not be like her, leaving their life up to chance. Three months after her mastectomy, she started the breast cancer support and educational group ``Your Bosom Buddies'', which has meetings the 3rd Thursday of each month at the Women's Health Center at Baptist Hospital in my community. There is also the story of Mary Lamberts, who is a 9-year breast cancer survivor. Mary has a history of cancers on both sides of her family, so she always prepared for the worst on her check-ups. But 90% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. The diagnosis came after Mary had a mammogram, followed by an ultrasound that same day after her radiologist saw something suspicious. During the surgery to follow, her doctor found multiple tumors. Most of the tumors were removed but she had to undergo over 30 treatments of radiation, and remain on a regimen of powerful drugs for years afterwards. Thankfully, many men and women do survive this terrible disease. And no one knows the simple gifts in life like a survivor. Rosa Andreu Vila was diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years ago and went through a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation and has mercifully been in remission. She has told me that in the 12 years since her diagnosis, due to early detection and treatment, she has been able to see both of her sons graduate from college and be married, and is now a proud first- time grandmother. These are stories of survivors, but new cases of breast cancer happen every day. Dr. Frank Mave, a local doctor of osteopathy, is one of the newly diagnosed males with breast cancer and just had surgery this month. He is only just now beginning his ``long and winding road'' with chemo and radiation, and we pray for him and all others who are on their way to being survivors. These stories show that there is hope, and people are increasingly surviving breast cancer. In the United States, breast cancer is becoming one of the most survivable cancers, if the disease is detected early. And this is the point of breast cancer awareness month. We must remain vigilant in our efforts to educate and diagnose and treat. With these three pillars, we can and will save lives. Let us make sure that we educate one another on the dangers of breast cancer and the need for routine checkups. In memory of Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis, who passed away at the age of 57 while serving last Congress after a two-year battle with breast cancer; For all men and women in my community and throughout the United States currently battling this terrible disease; For my daughters, and my new baby granddaughter Morgan Elizabeth, I thank my friend and colleague Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz for her leadership on this issue. Her story serves as an inspiration to all. Let us make sure our efforts to defeat this terrible disease continue at full force.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize CDR Seth Foster Hudgins III, United States Navy. Commander Hudgins is retiring from the Navy after 22 years of honorable service as a commissioned officer. Commander Hudgins is the eldest son of Seth and Joy Hudgins of Cornwall, NY and is a 1987 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Shortly after graduation, Commander Hudgins entered U.S. Navy undergraduate flight training, and in 1989, he earned Naval Aviator wings as a jet pilot. Since that time, Commander Hudgins has served his country in many different capacities, most notably serving as his squadron's Operations Officer and Acting Executive Officer in Operation Enduring Freedom. Throughout his sterling service to our Nation, Commander Hudgins has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, two Air Medals, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, among others. He has accumulated over 3000 flight hours and more than 500 carrier landings. Commander Hudgins has served our great country with honor and distinction. I wish him and his wife Jennifer all the best as he retires from the Navy and continues to serve our nation at the Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we gather today to honor the life and the accomplishments of Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, a pioneer in the field of the fight against world hunger. The world suffered a great loss with the recent passing of Dr. Borlaug, whose achievements in the field of agriculture have helped to feed millions of hungry people around the world. He passed from this world bearing the title of Father of the Green Revolution, his breakthrough advancement in wheat production and wheat adaptation having proven vital to those in need. In rural areas around world, Dr. Borlaug's tireless efforts increased wheat output, helping to feed millions of starving people. Dr. Borlaug spent almost 30 years collaborating with scientists to alleviate world hunger through wheat development. In 1944 he accepted an appointment to the Cooperative Wheat Research and Production Program in Mexico, and it was there that he developed high-yielding, disease-resistant wheat, otherwise known as miracle wheat, opening the Green Revolution in global agriculture. In 1970, Dr. Borlaug was awarded the distinguished Nobel Peace Prize for his work, the only person in the field of agriculture to be bestowed with such an honor. He was later awarded such distinctions as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Dr. Borlaug's work was essential to those in need. He never wavered in this fight to fight world hunger, and he continued his efforts until his recent death. It is estimated that Dr. Borlaug's work helped to save over 1 billion people from starvation, but nevertheless, he warned that what he had helped to achieve was only a ``temporary success in man's war against hunger and deprivation,'' and he leaves behind a world in which many people still struggle to find enough to eat. Mr. Speaker, challenges remain before us, but we can indeed be proud of the humanitarian work that Dr. Borlaug, an American patriot, demonstrated to the world. Today his Green Revolution stands as a singular success story for our efforts to assist those in dire need of our help around the world. I am pleased to support this important resolution which honors the life of a true American hero, Dr. Norman Borlaug, whose incredible achievements in the fight against hunger should never be forgotten. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham), a member of the Committee on Appropriations and the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King), a member of the Agriculture, Small Business, and Judiciary Committees.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong and enthusiastic support of this resolution which calls for the release of one of the true heroes of the democracy movement in China. I want to thank our colleague from Idaho, Mr. Minnick, for introducing this measure and for agreeing to include portions of the similar resolution that was introduced 4 months ago beforehand by my friend, the chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, Mr. McCotter. As a young professor, Liu Xiaobo served bravely as an advisor to the students at Tiananmen Square. For his courageous stand, he was detained and imprisoned by the Chinese Communist authorities. Now he has been detained again. What led to Mr. Liu's detention this time was his promotion of Charter 08, which he signed last December on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Mr. Liu's court sentencing awaits, however, another anniversary. A military extravaganza to be staged by China's Communist Party will take place tomorrow. Tanks will roll in once again and the sounds of the boots of PLA soldiers will echo once more in Tiananmen Square as they did on that fateful June night two decades ago when democracy in China was killed. Tomorrow's holiday, October 1, is remembered as the day in 1949 when Chairman Mao stood atop the Gate of Heavenly Peace and declared victory for Communist forces. After that, things were neither heavenly nor peaceful in China. Mr. Liu saw the need for reform. He and his associates took their inspiration for a charter calling for greater freedom of expression for human rights and for free elections from the Charter 77 movement in Czechoslovakia. One of the architects of that movement, democracy advocate and former Czech President Vaclav Havel, had this to say about Mr. Liu and his efforts. In a December 19, 2008, opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Havel wrote, ``The Chinese Government should learn well the lesson of the Charter 77 movement that intimidation, propaganda campaigns, and repression are no substitute for reasoned dialogue. Only the immediate and unconditional release of Liu Xiaobo will demonstrate that, for Beijing, that this lesson has been learned.'' Our words should echo those of that greater fighter for democracy, Vaclav Havel. Beijing, open your eyes. That flashy new weapon that you will display in tomorrow's military parade is no substitute for the torch light of the Goddess of Freedom and the Goddess of Democracy torn down in Tiananmen Square. Use the October 1 movement, that anniversary, to immediately release democratic activist Liu Xiaobo. That would be the best way to commemorate China's national day. I urge all of my colleagues to join us in vigorous support for this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that we meet here today to consider this resolution, for tomorrow, as I said, will mark a day of infamy that has profoundly influenced the history of the world for the past 60 years. On October 1, 1949, Chairman Mao stood astride Tiananmen Gate in Beijing and declared a new communist China. That was the same square where 40 years later on a June 9 night in 1989, tanks and troops overran students, workers and the goddess of democracy, crushing their peaceful cries for democratic reform. Tomorrow 200,000 PLA troops will march through Tiananmen Square. In a display worthy of the height of Stalinism in the former Soviet Union, Beijing's leader will show off the might of their latest military hardware. Foreign diplomats have been warned to close their windows and stay off their balconies as this parade passes by, however, for fear of being shot. This is the new China which Mao proclaimed. Some say that we should hold our tongues with regard to the Beijing regime's actions because that regime holds America's pocketbook. Others say that the day of accommodation has arrived. But I believe that this is a wrong, misguided, and immoral stance. We should stand tall for American values and with the goddess of democracy and not remain silent in the face of systematic human rights abuses. Next week, that ambassador of peace and serenity, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, will visit us in Washington. Every President since George Herbert Walker Bush has met with the Dalai Lama during his Washington visits, despite vigorous protests from Beijing that he is a splittist. President Obama should do no less. Tomorrow I will join my voice with that of Liu Xiaobo and the other signers of the Charter 08 whom we honor in this resolution in calling for a new, free and democratic China. This is what we should commemorate on October 1, rather than 60 years of repression by the Communist regime in China. Mr. Speaker, I'm now pleased to yield such time as he may consume to Mr. Cao, a member of the Homeland Security and Transportation Committees.

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