Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank my good friend Mr. Meek of Florida for presenting this resolution for us today. I rise in strong support of this resolution, which honors the life of Rafael Jose Diaz-Balart, a prominent attorney, an elected official in pre-Castro Cuba, who is also the grandfather, as we have heard, of our esteemed South Florida Congressional colleagues, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Mario Diaz-Balart, as well as their two other brothers, Jose Diaz- Balart, a very well known television personality and news anchor, and Rafael Diaz-Balart, a prominent South Florida businessman. Their grandfather, Rafael Jose Diaz-Balart, was a native of Santiago de Cuba, and completed his studies at the University of Havana with a law degree in 1919. While maintaining his law practice, he was also elected city council president and mayor of Banes, and later as a member of the Cuban House of Representatives, similar to our body. Following the 1959 communist takeover by Fidel Castro, Rafael Jose Diaz-Balart fled to the United States to live in exile with his family. Shortly following, he proudly became a citizen of the United States. Along with his son, Rafael Lincoln, he commenced law school at the University of Madrid, Spain, and in 1965, at the age of 66, earned a second law degree. He sadly passed away in Miami, Florida, in 1985. He, like my father Enrique Ros and so many others who fled Cuba due to Castro's tyrannical regime in the last 50 years, Rafael dreamt of a free Cuba, a country where human rights are respected, where political prisoners are freed, with a democratic, multi-party political system that flourishes and a free market economy that thrives, thus allowing the Cuban people and their foreign economic partners to own their businesses and to prosper. None of those things are allowed today. I am so glad that this Saturday, February 10, the Florida International University College of Law will dedicate its new law center as the Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall. We are also proud of the many accomplishments of FIU, Florida International University, my alma mater, and we think this is a positive step forward. So I ask my colleagues to join us in commemorating the life of a great patriot, Rafael Jose Diaz-Balart, a tremendous mentor, a loving husband, a father and one of the most outstanding members of the South Florida community, a freedom fighter from his first to his last breath. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on House Resolution 131.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I rise in strong support today, Mr. Speaker, of H.R. 512, the commission to study the potential creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Community Act. And I would like to thank my dear friend, Mr. Becerra of California, for his commitment in bringing this important legislation to the floor. We have been working on it for a number of years. It has got strong bipartisan support, and it has been a delight for me to have worked with him and members of my staff to have worked with his staff as well. As the Republican lead on this legislation, I am so pleased that this bill will take the next step in developing a plan of action for an establishment of a National Museum of the American Latino. The commission would be comprised of experts in art and museum administration, as well as individuals with experience in the development of similar cultural institutions. The commission would have the responsibility of examining and reporting to Congress and the President a plan to establish a new national museum. Even as the largest minority group in the United States, Hispanic Americans, are not fully represented by one of the permanent exhibits in Washington's museums, currently there are over 42 million Hispanics in the United States. Furthermore, the Census Bureau estimates that in the year 2050, the Hispanic population in the U.S. will reach over 100 million. As we can see, Hispanic Americans are our country's largest and fastest growing minority group, and they continue to expand and contribute to the greatness of our wonderful country. As the first Hispanic American woman elected to Congress, I am so proud to advance the issues affecting all citizens living in our great country. I have been proud to represent my diverse south Florida constituency for many years now in Congress, and I look forward to a future that is, indeed, bright for individuals across our terrific country. Hispanic Americans are playing an increasing role also in the Nation's economy and in our workforce. For example, according to the Office of Management and Budget, the unemployment rate among the Hispanic community dropped to 4.7, an all-time record low. This statistic demonstrates that the economic policies of lower taxes and less government regulations are working and that all Americans are benefiting from it. The great diversity of ethnicities and nationalities of the many people of the United States is what makes our Nation strong, is what continues to be a home for many different cultures; and this national museum will signify our strong commitment to proudly exhibit America's rich cultural diversity. Therefore, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in support of this important legislation to ensure that visitors to our Nation's Capital gain a more complete understanding of who we are as Americans.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), one of the co-authors and co-creators of this commission. (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I also rise in strong support of House Resolution 24, reestablishing the House Democracy Assistance Commission for this 110th Congress. I was an enthusiastic cosponsor of the legislation creating the commission in the year 2005, and I am proud of what it has accomplished during these years. Our colleagues, as Mr. Lantos mentioned, Mr. Dreier and Mr. Price, deserve our thanks for their hard work and identifying candidate legislatures in emerging democracies to receive commission assistance. The 12 partner countries selected so far include nations of strategic importance to all of us, such as Afghanistan and Lebanon. They include the largest Muslim majority nation on Earth, Indonesia, which has emerged from authoritarian dictatorship to become the world's third largest democracy. It includes countries that have overcome Soviet-era communism such as Georgia, Mongolia and Ukraine. They include one of the world's newest nations, East Timor. It also includes important neighbors in the hemisphere such as Colombia and Haiti and friends in Africa, among many others. To these nations, the commission provides not only technical support, but moral support as well. Many of us have heard of how much democratic reformers and parliamentarians overseas appreciate the formal relationships with the House provided by this commission. All of us here know democracy is more than just about holding an election. It is also about building responsive institutions that can earn the public trust and the public's allegiance. To be effective in a democratic context, legislatures must have the independent capacity for research, for analysis and for legal drafting. So the expanding programming that the commission plans to undertake during this Congress is vitally important, Madam Speaker. I have no doubt that the commission will continue to do great things with the limited resources that it shares with our Committee on Foreign Affairs. It represents a modest investment in sharing with the people of the world one of our most treasured legacies, government of the people, by the people, for the people. For these reasons, Madam Speaker, this resolution before us deserves our unanimous support. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to Mr. Boozman of Arkansas, our last speaker, who has made incredible contributions to the House Democracy Assistance Commission as a founding member of that body.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, we have no further requests for time, and yield back the balance of our time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry), one of the founding members of the commission and who is staying on to make sure that we have a successful commission once again this year.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is a profound honor to be on this floor following the words of our chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Mr. Lantos, the loan survivor in Congress of the Holocaust, and I echo all of his sentiments. I also wish to commend my good friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), for offering this resolution. Although we come to the floor and pass resolutions, and sometimes we don't take the time to read them, I hope that all of my colleagues do read this inspirational story of the Sharp family and the way that they helped so many flee the Nazi atrocities, and I rise today in strong support of Mr. McGovern's resolution. It recognizes Reverend Waitstill Sharp and his wife Martha Sharp as genuine American heroes. Further, it pays tribute to the Reverend Sharp and his wife Martha for having their names added to the Wall of Rescuers in the permanent exhibit of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on September 14 of this year. It further commends the organization founded to support the Sharps' work, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, for its role in rescuing Jews and opponents of the Nazi regime in Europe from the years 1939 to 1945, as well as carrying on to this day the legacy of the Sharps by working to save the lives of people in places like Darfur, Sudan, and to protect human rights worldwide. Furthermore, it requests that a copy of this resolution be provided to the direct descendants of these courageous individuals in remembrance of their valiant efforts. Mr. Speaker, the Sharp family is an example for all to emulate. They demonstrated unparalleled courage in the face of Nazi aggression by providing relief and humanitarian assistance to Jewish refugees, particularly children, and to establish escape routes that were the difference between life and death for many Jews during the Holocaust. They deserve to be honored and they deserve to be remembered today and always. Elie Wiesel has said that he decided to devote his life to telling the story of the Holocaust because, in his words, ``Having survived, I owe something to the dead, and anyone who does not remember betrays them again.'' We would be betraying the victims as well as the survivors if we did not also remember and honor those who risked their own lives to save the lives of others. For this reason, I ask my colleagues to render their full support to the resolution before us. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, again I congratulate Mr. McGovern for authoring this important resolution. And that selfless and giving nature of the American spirit as exemplified by this tremendous family is alive and well with so many people trying to stop the genocide in Darfur and in other dark places of the globe.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, on Monday, January 15th, Americans in my Congressional district of South Florida and across the nation will gather to celebrate the birth, the life, and most importantly, the dream of civil rights pioneer Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. While Dr. Kings' dream has yet to be fully realized, he reminds us that ``Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable . . . Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals. `` In reflecting upon the words of Martin Luther King Jr., I am reminded of the many members of the South Florida African-American community who led the struggle for equal rights, most notably the late Athalie Range--a civil rights advocate and dedicated civil servant. As the president of the Liberty City Elementary PTA in 1953, Athalie Range launched an unprecedented fight against the dismal conditions and lack of resources available to students attending local segregated schools. Steadfast in her conviction, Athalie went before the all-white school board, demanded immediate improvements--and got them. In 1966, Athalie became the first African-American to serve in the Miami Commission, where she fought to improve her community's local infrastructure, reduce crime and poverty, and expand local government services for minorities. In the 1970's Athalie continued to break ethnic barriers when she served as the head of the Florida Department of Community Affairs, and then appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the National Railroad Passenger Corp. Athalie also guided the careers of many prominent members of the South Florida African-American community including former Congresswoman Carrie Meek, with whom I had the pleasuring of serving with in the House of Representatives. Athalie's passing this November was a tremendous loss to our community, a community she loved so much. During her decades-long career, Athalie brought about tremendous and positive change, while opening doors for our community, and leading an example for others throughout the Nation. As Americans and citizens of humanity, we owe a debt of gratitude for leaders such as Athalie Range and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for their invaluable contributions to democracy, equality, and freedom.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I object.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I am, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit with instructions.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, since its creation by this administration in the year 2002, the Proliferation Security Initiative, known as PSI, has quickly become one of this country's most valuable tools in helping to stop spread the weapons of mass destruction and preventing them falling into the hands of terrorist countries. Our PSI partners, working at times with others, have stopped the transshipment of materials and equipment that have been bound for Iran's ballistic missiles programs and also has prevented Iran from procuring goods to support its WMD programs, including its nuclear program. Again, it was PSI cooperation between the United States, Britain and other European partners that began the demise of the Dr. A.Q. Khan network, an action that also contributed to the decision of the Libyan Government to stop and abandon its nuclear weapons and longer-range missile program. However, despite this extraordinary record of success, some of our Democratic colleagues tell us, as noted in the Dear Colleague that they have circulated today, that securing United Nations authorization under international law would persuade countries that are not currently cooperating with us in the United States to prevent this illicit trade in items of proliferation concern to somehow cooperate with us. They dismissed a coalition of the willing, on which the PSI is based as an ad hoc assembly. But the PSI has been a success precisely because it is a coalition of the willing. Countries that might wish to slow or limit its activities have no means of doing so. The fact is that no country that genuinely wishes to cooperate with the United States, another PSI participant, is prevented from doing so. The idea that there is a need for the United Nations to provide legitimacy to the PSI under international law to permit countries to cooperate is nonsense. I do not share the sentiments of my Democratic colleagues who have the surprising faith in the United Nations' desire to advance the interests of the United States. Whether it is Iran, Syria, terrorism, Middle East peace, the U.N. is rarely a help and more often than not a hindrance to the advancement of the goals of the United States. Rather, the desire for consensus, an agreement for agreement's sake, as a result, is a race to the bottom. We have seen this with the so-called Human Rights Council, Mr. Speaker. If we allow the section cited in the motion to remain in the bill, a similar result is likely to happen with PSI. Some of my Democratic colleagues appear to regard U.N. authorization under international law as something upon which U.S. action must be predicated, that it is a higher authority to which we must turn in order to secure authorization for all our actions, a permission which may be granted or held as the U.N. sees fit. We must reject that interpretation. I am certain that many of our constituents do reject it. What troubles me most are statements that begin with the phrase ``international law does not allow.'' We on this side of the aisle do not believe that international law controls what the U.S. can and cannot do, what it must do to protect the interests of the American people. That is why I have included language in this motion to recommit stating that simple truth. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield the remaining time to Mr. Wolf of Virginia, a man who understands the failures of the United Nations. And I strongly urge my colleagues to vote for this restatement of the fundamental principle upon which our Constitution and the foreign policy of our country is based.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my chairman for his leadership and for his time. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of this legislation, Mr. Speaker, and as cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, I rise in support of H.R. 5682, the Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006. I would like to thank Chairman Hyde, as well as Ranking Member Lantos, for their dedicated work on this issue and for their willingness to work with me and so many members of our House International Relations Committee, as well as the House as a whole, to ensure that the conference report before us tonight achieves the difficult balance of expanding cooperation with our democratic ally, India, while also promoting U.S. global nonproliferation policy. Because the conference report closely tracks the bill which was passed overwhelmingly by the House in July, I need not list its specific provisions, other than to say that it preserves the central features of the House text, such as ensuring that Congress retains its traditional role in approving nuclear cooperation agreements. Also in reinforcing the indispensable role of the nuclear suppliers' club in preventing proliferation and encouraging India's cooperation in stopping Iran's efforts to develop their nuclear weapons capability. It has been significantly strengthened by the inclusion of many important sections from the companion legislation approved by the Senate. Let me address the larger and more important context in which this legislation should be viewed. By providing the legal foundation for civilian nuclear cooperation between the United States and India, it achieves a key step of the global partnership with India that was announced on July 18 of last year by President Bush and Prime Minister Singh. This far-sighted and historic initiative is a long-delayed recognition that the two largest democracies share an extraordinary array of common interests and that a closer and increasingly cooperative relationship between them holds enormous potential to promote the strategic partnerships and interests of both. If allowed to grow, it will undoubtedly produce a major realignment of the international system as a whole and an entirely positive one. India and the United States have already traveled a long way toward building that new relationship. India stands alongside the United States in the effort to confront and eliminate the scourge of global terrorism and to reduce the instability and the conflict in South Asia and elsewhere. We look forward to expanding the areas of common interest and joint action. Nowhere is that cooperation more important, Mr. Speaker, than in stopping the spread of nuclear weapons. I should note that this legislation affirms that India is a country that has demonstrated responsible behavior with respect to nonproliferation of technology related to weapons of mass destruction programs and the means to deliver them and that it is working with the United States in key foreign policy initiatives related to nonproliferation. To further that goal, this legislation establishes as U.S. policy securing India's participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative, which is a cooperative arrangement among the world's powers to intercept the illicit movement of nuclear materials and other dangerous items by sea or air. India's cooperation would be a major addition to the world's efforts in this difficult but essential task. I am confident that her government will move quickly to assume a more prominent position among the initiative's growing ranks. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I am glad that this historic bill carries the name of Henry Hyde; a leader of great proportions, a mentor to so many of us, a man of principles, a living legend, our friend, Henry Hyde.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close. Let me just say, again, that it is always such a pleasure to work with my wonderful mentor, Mr. Lantos, on all of these issues dealing with the Middle East, and I hope to be working with him in an even closer manner in the future. He has been a true friend. And also Chairman Hyde who has been very generous in allowing all of the bills from our Middle East and Central Asia Subcommittee to come to the floor of the House. And we hope that this is just the beginning of a long road to peace and security in the Middle East. I thank Mr. Weiner for the wonderful contributions that he made to the House text, and we will work on those issues in the next session. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would simply emphasize that this bill is but the beginning of our efforts to deny Hamas or any other foreign terrorist organization the economic resources, the political legitimacy and the excuses to pursue their threatening agenda. Hamas and other Islamic terrorist entities and their supporters are now put on notice. We clearly outline in this bill the path to peace and security, requirements that include those outlined in international agreements. It is up to Hamas leaders to heed this call. If they do not, we will return to the floor next year to address developments on the ground. Until that time, we must undertake efforts to ensure that the United States taxpayers are not directly, nor indirectly, contributing to Hamas activities and policies. This bill, Senate bill 2370, provides a critical tool towards such protections and safeguards. I ask my colleagues to render their full support for this bill.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2370) to promote the development of democratic institutions in areas under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority, and for other purposes.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, Senate bill 2370, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, seeks to prevent U.S. tax dollars from reaching the hands of Hamas-controlled Palestinian Authority until Hamas agrees to recognize Israel, renounces violence, and agrees to all previously made agreements. In January of this year, Mr. Speaker, Hamas, a terror organization responsible for murdering and injuring hundreds of Israelis and scores of American citizens, took control of the Palestinian Authority. This was a tremendous blow to the efforts of the United States and to the international community that have been working to bring peace and security to the region. Since Hamas took power, the terror group has made it clear that they have no intention of changing their hateful charter which calls for the destruction of Israel. In fact, rockets launched by Palestinian extremists continue to rain upon Israel, and the flow of cash and weapons that are being smuggled into Gaza from Egypt is providing the terrorists the means to carry on with their destructive agenda. The U.S. must isolate the Hamas-led government financially and diplomatically through implementing this bill. Among other provisions, Mr. Speaker, the Senate version of the bill denies visas to any officials of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority and designates the territory controlled under Palestinian Authority as a terrorist sanctuary under the 9/11 recommendations. Similar provisions were in the House-passed version of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act. However, let us focus on what is arguably the most important concern for us, the parameters and the restrictions relating to assistance to the Palestinian Authority. While not ideal, as we would have preferred the House text in this regard, the Senate version of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act works in tandem with current U.S. law and strengthens components of the current policy. For example, current U.S. law prohibits direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority, but it offers a broad national security waiver, and it is applicable only for the duration of the fiscal year appropriations. The Senate version of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act provides a very limited waiver for: ``National Security Waiver: In general, subject to paragraph (2), the President may waive subsection (a) with respect to: (A) the administrative and personal security costs of the Office of the President of the Palestinian Authority; (B) the activities of the President of the Palestinian Authority to fulfill his or her duties as president, including to maintain control of the management and security of the border crossings, to foster the Middle East peace process and to promote democracy and the rule of law; and (C) assistance for the judiciary branch of the Palestinian Authority and other entities.'' Some of this is allowed in the House version. However, the President may only exercise this authority after, and I am reading directly from the bill: ``Consulting with and submitting a written policy justification to the appropriate congressional committees and certifying to the appropriate congressional committees that it is in the national security interest of the United States to provide assistance otherwise prohibited under subsection (a); and (ii), the individual or entity for which assistance is proposed to provided is not a member of or effectively controlled by, as the case may be, Hamas or any other foreign terrorist organization.'' Further, Mr. Speaker, the Senate bill also has a number of reporting requirements that further increase congressional authority and oversight. Essentially, under this language, if the Congress does not believe that the threshold has been met, we can place a hold on the proposed funding and prevent such assistance from going to any individual or entity of the Palestinian Authority that is linked to Hamas or any other foreign terrorist organization. We must look at the bill in its totality, Mr. Speaker, and the safeguards that it places on indirect assistance which coincide with many of those appearing in the House bill. Further, while the Senate bill does not contain provisions concerning the PA and Palestinian-related activities at the United Nations, the Senate authors are committed to working with us next Congress to address these other components and make such changes as necessary to reflect the changing conditions on the ground. This bill sends a strong message about the direction of the United States policy and provides a strong foundation from which to build on. I ask my colleagues to render their full support of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, 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. 1088) expressing support for Lebanon's democratic institutions and condemning the recent terrorist assassination of Lebanese parliamentarian and Industry Minister Pierre Amin Gemayel.

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, at this time I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to one of our leaders on the International Relations Committee, Mr. Burton of Indiana.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 1091 authored by my good friend from Florida, Mr. Alcee Hastings. This resolution does some very important things, Mr. Speaker. It condemns Iran's commitment to hold an international Holocaust denial conference next week. The Iranian leadership has been the source of vile and appalling anti-Semitic statements denying the Holocaust and calling for Israel to be wiped off the map. Iran's commitment to hold an international Holocaust denial conference reaffirms the radical regime's hateful policy aimed at destroying the State of Israel. Iran's continued defiance of the international nuclear nonproliferation standards and its unrelenting support of the Shiite insurgents in Iraq as well as terror groups like Hezbollah and Hamas clearly indicates that Iran's reprehensible statements are more than mere rhetoric. The hateful words of the extremist regimes must be taken seriously. This resolution by Mr. Hastings condemns Ahmadinejad's stated intent to hold the Holocaust denial conference and calls on the United Nations to officially repudiate all of Iran's anti-Semitic statements and hold accountable United Nations member nations that promote such hateful statements. Moreover, Mr. Hastings' resolution reaffirms the commitment of the United States to prevent Iran from achieving its nuclear ambitions and vows to never forget the murder of millions in the Holocaust. To ensure that the atrocities of the Holocaust must never happen again, it is critical that the world community in a united and cohesive manner condemns in the strongest form possible the actions and the statements of those who deny the Holocaust while actively planning yet another one. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.