Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

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

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, who has been working hard on this bill from the very beginning.

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. Madam Speaker, I am here to speak on a different topic, on U.S. assistance to Libya and the need for U.N. and foreign aid reform in our budgeting process. Madam Speaker, just as the convicted extremist of Pan Am Flight 103 was being given a hero's welcome in Libya and just prior to the Libyan leader's own bizarre 93-minute diatribe against all freedom-loving nations before the U.N. General Assembly last week, the Congress was receiving a notification from our State Department that it intended to provide $2.5 million in economic support funds for Libya. That's unbelievable. The State Department plans also to send 400,000 of those dollars to organizations run by members of the Qaddafi family; $200,000 of this is to go to the Qaddafi Development Foundation for assisting indigenous NGOs identify potential for reform. Reform in Libya? You have got to be kidding. This foundation is not a nongovernment organization. It has direct links to Libyan Government and is actually run by the son of Qaddafi. For those of who don't know Qaddafi's second oldest son, he is the one who personally escorted the man responsible for the tragedy of Pan Am Flight 103 from Scotland upon his release back to Libya on his father's personal jet. The foundation run by Qaddafi's second eldest son is the very group that was used by the Libyan regime to channel funds to compensate American victims of Libyan-sponsored attacks, including victims of Pan Am Flight 103. State Department funding for this foundation may, in fact, serve as a backdoor replenishment of funds used by Libya to compensate our victims of Libyan-sponsored attacks. Turning to a separate $200,000 slush fund proposed under the heading of ``Inclusive Economic Law and Property Rights: Promoting Women's Economic Opportunities,'' the State Department has indicated that the anticipated implementing partners will be the United Nations Development Programme and an organization run by Qaddafi's daughter. Qaddafi's daughter also serves as the UNDP's goodwill ambassador to Libya, so she gets two opportunities to directly benefit from U.S. Government programs in Libya at our taxpayers' expense. The role of the United Nation Development Programme is very disturbing. It has been the center of several major corruption scandals in recent years. It reportedly cannot account for millions of American dollars that it received in Afghanistan. It also allegedly funneled hard currency to the North Korean regime while Kim Jong Il was consolidating his nuclear program. UNDP then retaliated against the whistleblower who uncovered this wrongdoing. So I ask you, was funding for the Qaddafi family and a notoriously unaccountable UNDP what Congress had in mind when it appropriated funds to support what they call promotion of democracy and human rights in Libya? Oh, my gosh. Absolutely not. Unfortunately, the Libya aid program presents just one more example of the need for broad, comprehensive reform of the United States foreign assistance program. Our U.S. foreign assistance can go a long way in improving people's lives while promoting our most cherished ideals of freedom and human rights. However, when administered poorly where unaccounted foreign governments, international organizations and bureaucrats are the beneficiaries, then our foreign aid programs only serve to undermine our very own interests. It is time for us to get serious about reforming our foreign aid system and about effectively vetting our programs and partners. Toward this end, Madam Speaker, I have proposed two separate pieces of legislation: H.R. 1062, the Foreign Assistance Partner Vetting Act, and H.R. 557, the United Nation's Transparency, Accountability, and Reform Act, and I hope that we can get those bills heard forthwith. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, the Miami-Dade Heart Association will hold its Miami-Dade Start! Heart Walk this Saturday, October 2, at the beautiful Tropical Park. Miami's walk is just one of nearly 400 similar events across our great country that will help the tremendous lifesaving activities of the American Heart Association. This major undertaking is designed to promote physical activity and heart-healthy living in a fun-loving atmosphere for the whole family. More than 1 million walkers from around the Nation are expected to participate in this massive effort to help those afflicted by the Nation's number one and the Nation's number three killers, heart disease and stroke. The main reason behind the walk is to raise awareness that physical inactivity significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Seventy percent of Americans don't get enough exercise; and as a result, our waistbands have expanded and so have the number of preventable illnesses and health care costs. Madam Speaker, both locally and nationally, the Heart Association is showing the way to help improve our Nation's health care through this momentous endeavor. Let's all start walking this Saturday.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I would like to congratulate Mr. Wexler for introducing this resolution to enhance global road safety and to reduce the risk of road crash deaths and injuries around the world by fostering partnerships in cooperation between governments, public and private sectors and within civil society. I support the measure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 74 notes the importance of the goals and ideals of a decade of action for road safety. As this measure reminds us, 40,000 people in the United States and 1.3 million people worldwide die in road crashes each year, and many more are injured. Road crashes are the leading cause of death globally for young people. In light of these facts, we ought to explore ways to do more to help prevent road crash-related deaths and injuries. This resolution expresses support for the goals of a decade of action for road safety. It urges the Obama administration, the Department of State, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to set ambitious road traffic casualty reduction targets for American citizens. Finally, it urges the administration to work with nations around the world to achieve the goals and ideals of a decade of action for road safety. I would like to thank my colleague and good friend from Florida (Mr. Wexler) for introducing this important measure, which I am pleased to support. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 2131, introduced by my good friend Ambassador Watson. In terms of commerce, culture, military power, and just about any other field of human endeavor, our Nation is a key actor in the complex world of the 21st century. Sometimes, however, our goals and our intentions are misunderstood or are deliberately misinterpreted by those who mean us harm. People cannot fully understand American interests without understanding American ideals, economic and personal freedom, democracy and human rights; and people will not fully grasp those American ideals without having a sense of the diverse genius of the American people whose resolve, good will and generosity constitute the true heart of our Nation. We cannot take that knowledge for granted, Mr. Speaker. Showing the true face of America to the people of the world is the lofty aim of our U.S. public diplomacy efforts. In the wrenching aftermath of the Second World War, Congress created the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy in 1948. According to its current charter, the Commission ``appraises U.S. Government activities intended to understand, inform and influence foreign publics.'' For example, just last year, the Commission issued a 36-page report critiquing and making recommendations for personnel practices of the current Public Diplomacy bureaucracy in areas such as recruitment, training and integration into broader State Department operations. This short bill before us today will keep the Commission's legislative authorization from expiring at the end of this month. This will give the Foreign Affairs Committee and this Congress another year to assess the work and the efficacy of the Commission and its relationship with our broader Public Diplomacy apparatus before undertaking a more comprehensive, longer-term reform effort. I would like to again thank my colleague from California, Ambassador Watson, for introducing this measure, and I support its adoption by this House. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, so 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 also rise in strong support of this resolution addressing the recent natural disaster of typhoon winds and mudslides that struck Taiwan. This resolution expresses our sincere condolences to our Taiwanese friends who lost loved ones, homes, and businesses due to the devastation which struck the island on August 8. At least 602 people were killed, 81 others are missing, and over 190,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in the fury of the storm and in the aftermath of mudslides. Over 100 inches of rain turned streams into raging rivers which destroyed everything in their path. Whole villages were inundated by floodwaters and mud. But, Mr. Speaker, the people of the United States feel those sympathies even more deeply today at a time when so many of our fellow Americans are suffering from tragic and deadly flooding in Georgia and Tennessee, and our deepest condolences go to our neighbors in the South. On Taiwan, it is noteworthy that for the first time since official ties with Taiwan were severed in 1979, the United States dispatched humanitarian relief to the island to aid the victims of the typhoon. In response to this critical emergency for our Taiwan friends, the U.S. Marine Corps, based in Okinawa, sent two C-130s to southern Taiwan to deliver relief supplies. The amphibious transport ship USS Denver was also dispatched to the area and provided helicopters to engage in humanitarian operations as well. Thus, these deeply tragic circumstances served as a means to demonstrate the enduring, the unbreakable ties which exist between the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan. In this 30th anniversary year of the Taiwan Relations Act, Mr. Speaker, the United States can do no less than to continue to aid the people of Taiwan in their hour of need. I urge all of my colleagues to join us in vigorous support of this timely and heartfelt resolution. Mr. Speaker, with that, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart).

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey), the author of this important resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member of 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, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of H.R. 3593. I want to thank my good friend from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, for introducing this measure. Thirteen years ago next week, on September 29, 1996, Radio Free Asia first went on the air with a Mandarin language broadcast into China. Today, RFA broadcasts into China, Tibet, North Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma in nine local languages and dialects. It provides timely, objective news to people who are denied the benefit of a free press in their own homeland. Not only did Congress create and fund that surrogate broadcasting service, we also urged RFA to increase its transmissions to particularly vulnerable populations, such as the people of North Korea, as we did in the North Korea Human Rights Act of 2004 and last year's reauthorization of that law. We are proud and supportive of the good work that Radio Free Asia continues to do. While the authorization of appropriations for RFA was previously extended, it appears that the statutory section detailing RFA's grant- making authority was inadvertently omitted from that reauthorization, leaving it to expire at the end of this month. Therefore, we have this one-sentence bill before us today to correct that oversight. In the time when we see bills of over 1,000 pages in length which many have not read, it is wonderful to see a very simple bill, a brief bill, but a very important bill. Both Republican and Democrat versions of The Foreign Relations Authorization Act introduced in this Congress include a provision that would remove the sunset of RFA authority, making it permanent. I look forward to working toward a long-term reauthorization of the RFA on a bipartisan basis during the year ahead. I urge support for this measure. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the author of this legislation and the individual behind the United States' international broadcasting of Radio Free Asia, Mr. Royce of California.

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 such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), a cosponsor of this measure and the ranking member of the Select Committee on Intelligence who obviously has deep roots, having been born in the Netherlands.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. The United States and the Netherlands are strong allies. The roots of our close relationship stretch back for more than 100 years before our Nation's independence. In September of 1609, Henry Hudson explored a vast river and territory in what is now New York State while on an expedition for the Dutch East India Company. On his return from that expedition, Hudson wrote such glowing reports on the promise of the lands that he had discovered that Dutch citizens were inspired to cross the Atlantic and establish the New Netherland settlement. The values of those early Dutch settlers--values of entrepreneurship, democracy, tolerance and hard work--continue to influence our society today 400 years later. The friendship between the young United States of America and the Netherlands was tested when America was on the brink of bankruptcy due to the financial cost incurred in its fight for independence and reached out to the Netherlands for financial support. Ultimately, the Dutch provided the United States with a loan that proved vital to ensuring the survival of our young Nation. Subsequently, in another strong sign of friendship, the Netherlands was the first European country to diplomatically recognize the new United States of America. Many of us have grown up with the story of brave young Hans Brinker who saved the people of the Netherlands by sticking his finger in the dam to prevent a devastating flood. Well, what many people don't know is that this story was actually made famous in 1865 by American author Mary Mapes Dodge to illustrate for American children the characteristic values of bravery, resourcefulness and self-sacrifice, associated with the people of the Netherlands. In this story, Hans Brinker stood alone. However, the history of the Dutch-American relationship demonstrates our commitment that should either be in need, the other will stand by them. This commitment has truly been in evidence whenever the Dutch and Americans have fought side by side through the second World War, the Korean War, the Gulf Wars, and numerous other global efforts. Today we're working together in Afghanistan and in Iraq to prevent extremists from unleashing devastating violence against the people of those countries and our own. I am pleased to support this resolution today, which marks the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Hudson River and the beginning of the deep and lasting friendship between the Netherlands and the United States of America.

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, Ambassador Susan Rice, our Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has emphasized that the U.S. is ``taking a new approach'' to the U.N. as part of its broader ``new era of engagement.'' Instead of protecting the investment of our tax dollars, instead of conditioning our contributions on real reform, the U.S. has adopted a strategy of ``money now, maybe reform later.'' At the U.N. General Assembly as it begins its new session this week, there is perhaps no better time to evaluate the effectiveness thus far of this so-called ``new approach.'' Well, let's see what has resulted. In March, the U.S. sent an observer to participate in the U.N.'s so-called Human Rights Council, which is dominated by dictatorships like China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia, and is notoriously anti-Israel. Despite U.S. engagement, the Council stayed true to form. What did they do? Overwhelmingly passed five separate resolutions condemning Israel, passing no resolutions condemning human rights violations by the regimes in Iran and Syria, Sudan, Cuba, Zimbabwe or many other dictatorships. True to form, the Council-appointed panel recently released a report accusing Israel of ``war crimes'' and ``possibly, crimes against humanity'' for defending its citizens against rocket and mortar fire from Islamic militants in Gaza. When it comes to the Council's biases and backwardness, there is no end in sight. There is no change in sight. Yet, the U.S. silently nods and sends millions of our taxpayer dollars, with no questions asked. There is also UNRWA, the United Nations Relief Works Agency, the U.N.'s discredited, biased agency for Palestinian refugees. This year alone, we have given UNRWA a record of $260 million. In return, UNRWA continues to compromise its strictly humanitarian mandate by engaging in propaganda against Israel and in favor of Hamas. In fact, UNRWA's head says she doesn't even consider Hamas to be a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and her predecessor even admitted that members of Hamas were on the payroll of UNRWA, saying ``I don't see that as a crime.'' Deputy Secretary of State Jacob Lew testified before our Foreign Affairs Committee in May, and he said UNRWA's activities received ``the highest level of scrutiny'' by the State Department. But we don't even require UNRWA to vet its employees and aid recipients through the U.S. watch lists. Turning to the U.N. General Assembly, Madam Speaker, it remains silent in the face of intense repression and violent attacks by the Iranian regime against peaceful demonstrators. Yet, in late June, it moved swiftly to condemn and isolate the constitutional democratic government of Honduras for acting in accordance with and in protection of the rule of law. As for the leadership of the new session of the General Assembly, it's a ``who's who'' of the world's worst regimes. The President? The former foreign minister of Libya. One of the vice-presidents? From Sudan. A vice chair of the legal committee? Iran. But the U.S. has said nothing as such rogue regimes were selected for leadership positions at the U.N. Administration officials have said, ``The U.N. is essential to our efforts to galvanize concerted actions that make Americans safer and more secure.'' Libya, Sudan, Iran? Are you feeling secure now? One of the greatest threats to the security of our Nation and an existential threat to our ally Israel comes from the Iranian regime and its nuclear program. This week, for the first time, a President of the United States will chair a meeting of the U.N. Security Council and will have a golden opportunity to raise the threat of Iran on the world stage. The Council will even be holding a special summit on the general issue of nuclear nonproliferation. Yet the actions of specific countries such as Iran will be ignored. The U.S. will not use its presidency of the Council this month to push for increased sanctions on Iran or any other regime that pursues nuclear capabilities or sponsors violent extremist groups. The International Atomic Energy Agency continues to provide nuclear technical assistance to Iran and Syria, and the U.S. remains silent. The U.N. Development Program is accused of misusing funds in Zimbabwe, in Afghanistan and in North Korea, to name a few, and the U.S. continues to provide them with hundreds of millions of dollars every year in funding. No strings attached. Madam Speaker, enough is enough. Let's put U.S. taxpayer dollars to work for the American people, and not for the U.N., where the inmates run the asylum.