Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to talk about the issue that is of foremost importance to our Nation, and that is continuing the battle against Islamic extremists. Some seem to have forgotten that the front lines of our war against these Islam extremists is not limited to the countries with active conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Nor is our approach solely military. On the contrary, from the onset of this war on terror, formally initiated by the enemy on September 11, 5 years ago, the U.S. has also employed all available political, diplomatic, and economic tools to address the growing threat which for far too long had been ignored by the previous administration. We have undertaken bilateral strategies, built coalitions, and worked through regional and U.N. forums. Make no mistake, we are engaged in a battle of ideas, and one for our very survival. The Islamic extremists have declared war against freedom-loving nations. Last year, a terrorist attack was foiled in Australia. But 52 people were killed by suicide bombers while on a public transit system in London. On November 5, 2005, the world once again looked in horror at the destruction caused by homicidal extremists in Jordan. In 2005, and as recently as in April of this year, the people of Egypt also fell victim to jihadists. Months later, in July of this year, Islamofascists attacked India's financial capital, killing over 200 innocent people. Last month, authorities in the United Kingdom announced that they had disrupted a plot to hijack as many as 10 aircraft that were headed from the U.K. to the U.S. Hezbollah carried out attacks against Israel with the assistance and the support of Syria and Iran, the world's most active state sponsor of terror, that seeks nuclear weapons capability. All of these attacks are further evidence that the war against Islamic extremists is global, it is ongoing. And it is brutal. In order to prevent future attacks, we must remain alert and proactive in the war against Islamic extremists. We need to bring the fight to their doors, and infiltrate their hierarchy, and to gain intelligence that will lead to the disruption and the fall of these groups so that they may no longer inflict harm upon the free world. Iraq and Afghanistan serve as examples of what has been done so far and what remains to be done. But daily news reports focus only on the violence and attacks feeding into these efforts by the enemy to weaken our resolve so that they can capitalize on our weakness. But there is a larger picture which is certainly more encouraging. For example, I was recently on a call with a senior Iraqi official who detailed how, despite the violence, the Iraqi Government and Iraqi forces, with the help of U.S. and coalition forces, have been able to deny the insurgents and the Islamic terrorists strongholds in the country. Iraqis participated in elections three times since the year 2005. In 2005, we also saw Iraq draft a constitution that included their right to vote, that protected individual rights and religious beliefs, and safeguarded minority rights. Iraq now has a unity government that draws upon different religious, political and ethnic groups. As Iraq has made substantial steps in its political institutions, it has also made great strides in its capabilities to secure their nation. In his August 30 briefing, General Casey, the commanding general of the multinational forces, stated that the three-step process in building up Iraqi security forces to a point of being independently capable of providing security is almost 75 percent complete. Iraq today is an Iraq transformed, an Iraq we helped rescue from the darkness of tyranny and guided them into the light of freedom. My stepson Dougie and his wife Lindsey served as Marine officers in Iraq. And we thank all of the men and women who proudly wear their Nation's uniform. And in Afghanistan, Mr. Speaker, we have denied the al Qaeda terrorist network sanctuary, and we have assisted its transition to a multiparty democracy. Once the terrorist refuge under the repressive Taliban regime, which hosted the likes of terrorist mastermind KSM, Afghanistan is now a full partner in our war on terror. There can be no safe haven allowed for Islamic extremists and their activities. They must be brought out of the shadows and seen for what they truly are. In order to rout the Islamic extremists, we have been working with like-minded allies to create a global network of information used to monitor and destroy jihadist groups and their plots. We must also work to prevent the world's deadliest weapons from reaching the hands of these Islamic jihadists and from countries of concern such as Iran. Toward that end, in May of 2003, President Bush launched the Proliferation Security Initiative, the PSI. The PSI is dedicated to stopping all aspects of the proliferation trade, and to denying terrorists, rogue states and their supplier networks access to WMD- related materials and their delivery systems. Since its inception, the PSI has grown from a handful of nations to a global partnership of more than 70 countries from all around the world. In December of 2003, the PSI enjoyed tremendous success when, as a result of a critical interdiction, Libya, a nation once designated as a state sponsor of terrorism, declared that it would eliminate all elements of its chemical and nuclear weapons program, that it would declare all nuclear activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency, that it would accept international inspections to ensure Libya's complete adherence to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and sign the IAEA additional protocol, and that Libya would eliminate all chemical weapons stocks and munitions and accede to the chemical weapons convention. The PSI is but one component of our multiprong nonproliferation strategy, which is also a critical component of our broader counterterrorism efforts. Another important pillar of our counterterrorism strategy focuses on denying terrorists the funds to carry out attacks. Just days after the 9/11 attacks, President Bush issued an executive order to starve terrorists of their support funds. The order immediately froze the financial assets of 27 different entities. It also prohibited any U.S. economic transactions of these groups. They included organizations, individual leaders, corporations and so-called nonprofit organizations, which are nothing more than fronts for Islamic extremists and jihadists. In short, as the threats evolve or modify, so do our responses. New methods and strategies are being developed to keep our country safe in the face of this indiscriminate enemy. We must not waver. We must not lose focus. We must press on. As echoed in the words of Winston Churchill, ``One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half.'' Our country, therefore, Mr. Speaker, must remain vigilant and forward-looking to ensure that we defeat the extremists and their murderous ideology. A few weeks ago, we commemorated, sadly, the fifth anniversary of the deplorable attacks against our Nation. Five years ago, our eyes could not accept the images being shown around the world. Our mind could not fathom the hatred that could drive these individuals to kill thousands of innocent human beings. At first we were surprised, but with the help and guidance of good friends and allies around the world, especially Israel, which for decades has been targeted by the likes of 9/11 hijackers, we quickly turned our sorrow, our dismay and our anger into a catalyst for action, a strategy to combat the enemy wherever it rears its head. The September 11 attacks brought into sharp focus the scope of the threat from Islamic extremists. Defeating Islamic extremists and these organizations of global reach, denying them the promise and the benefits of state sponsorship, severing their lines of financing, closing their much-needed sanctuaries and preempting the proliferation of weapons and technology are all central components of this struggle. As Chair of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia, this is my compass. There is a great documentary called ``Obsession,'' which expresses how radical Islam is fixated on hatred and destruction and poses a tremendous threat to the United States, to Israel, and to all who refuse to be subjected to this distorted ideology of hate. Central to defeating the fanatics who have distorted this religion is the realization that we are facing an enemy that has decided to declare a full-fledged war upon us and is determined to destroy western civilization and the principles upon which it is based. Islamofascism is an ideology that is engrossed in destruction and world domination. Their view is wrong and highly misguided. Consider the recent crisis in Lebanon which was triggered by Hezbollah extremists crossing the Israeli border and murdering eight Israeli soldiers and kidnapping two. It is clear that this unprovoked attack by Hezbollah was not triggered by occupation, as Israel was not occupying a single inch of Lebanese territory. Rather, it was an attack on Israel's very existence and everything that the Jewish state stands for. It was an attack against justice, democracy, tolerance and freedom, principles that are engrained in the foundation of the U.S., of Israel and the entire free world. We must recognize this as a struggle of values, a battle of freedom and tolerance versus oppression and hatred. On the one hand, an ideology that views life as the most precious possession and, on the other, one infatuated with death and destruction. Israel's mere existence in the region is a thorn to the Jihadist ideology which seeks to impose terror and oppression. It is dangerous to believe that if only Israel is to give up more land, the conflict would be resolved and everything would be all right. This theory was proven wrong in Lebanon after Israel's withdrawal in 2000 and has proven to be wrong again after Israel made the painful withdrawal from the Gaza Strip just last year. In both cases, the extremists became emboldened and enhanced their attacks against Israel, thereby clearly indicating that no land- for-peace deal would ever solve the conflict, since the ultimate goal of these extremists is, in their very own words, to wipe Israel off the face of the world. In the words of a Hamas leader, ``We do not recognize the Israeli enemy, nor his right to be our neighbor, nor to stay on the land, nor his ownership of any inch of land.'' We must not negotiate with Hamas or with any government in which an Islamic terrorist group which refuses to lay down its arms and refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state participates. Although Israel has been the primary target of Islamic terrorism, radical Islam threatens all who do not embrace it. The horrific attacks on 9/11 drove home the point that this clash expands well beyond the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is also a tremendous mistake to believe that if the U.S. weren't such a strong supporter of Israel, extremists would stop their aggression against America. Terror bombings committed by these Islamic extremists in Buenos Aires, in Madrid, in London, and the brutal murder in Amsterdam of a Dutch filmmaker who was critical of radical Islam are just a few examples indicating that the fundamentalists are waging a war beyond Israel, beyond the United States, and that this war targets western civilization as a whole. It is astonishing to me that after seeing the barbaric acts of this radical Islamofascist movement in their own countries that many in Europe still fail to see the threat posed by these fundamentalists. Surprising and dismaying as well is Europe's tremendously unbalanced condemning approach toward Israel. For a long time, Israel has been fighting on the front lines of a battle against radical Islam and it is a battle for all who value life, freedom and tolerance to join forces in the battle against these Jihadists who are threatening to destroy us. The European Union, for example, should add Hezbollah, an extremist group responsible for murdering hundreds of Europeans, Americans and Israelis, on their list of terrorist organizations. Failure of civilized nations to place groups such as Hezbollah on their list of terrorist organizations is shocking, given all the innocent people brutally murdered by these Islamic extremists. The international community must wake up from its slumber and realize the threat posed by radical Islam, and it must be dealt with decisively or we would risk eradicating ourselves because of it. In order to defeat the threat posed by radical Islam, it is essential to eliminate terror organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah that implement the brutal attacks and to isolate rogue regimes like Iran and Syria that provide the financial and military support to these extremists. As such, we must not and we cannot negotiate with any Palestinian Authority where Hamas or other Islamic terrorist entity participates. There are those who seek to bifurcate U.S. policy toward the P.A. and allow U.S. assistance to flow to ministries and offices of the Palestinian Authority that are not controlled by Hamas. But money is fungible. Assistance sent to one office can easily be diverted to Hamas or other Palestinian terrorist groups. Even the lines between Fatah and the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade are blurred. The U.S. must isolate the Hamas-led government politically and diplomatically through implementing the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act, which I introduced, and which was overwhelmingly adopted by the House in May. The bill prohibits direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority, including the PLC and other P.A. bodies; it prohibits travel to the United States by members or associates of Hamas; it audits all committees, offices and commissions focused solely on the Palestinian agenda at the United Nations and calls for their elimination; it calls for the P.A. to be designated as a terrorist sanctuary; it calls for a reduction in diplomatic ties with the Palestinian Authority and the closure of the P.A.'s office in the U.S. The version of the bill passed by the Senate, however, lacks several essential provisions that are necessary for the legislation to be effective. I am in discussions with Senate colleagues to reach a final agreement on the legislation and send a bill to the President that would make it significantly more difficult for terrorists to get their hands on U.S. funds. Without these provisions, our ability to prevent the terrorists from getting their hands on U.S. funds will be greatly diminished. Passing the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act in its strongest form is an imperative part of achieving our objectives. Our stance against Islamic terrorism must be uncompromising. We must not allow political or military victories to be used by the extremists to further their hateful agenda. We must ensure that Hamas, Hezbollah and other radical Islamic entities are weakened. A critical starting point is by cutting off their lifeline of funds and weapons. This is why, in light of the resurgence of Syria's support for terrorism, its aid to Iraqi insurgents, its pursuit of dangerous weapons and its stranglehold over Lebanese sovereignty, I recently spearheaded an effort urging President Bush to implement all currently unexercised sanctions available to him under the Syrian Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act which I introduced with my colleague Eliot Engel. If the U.S. fails to impose further sanctions on the Syrian regime and if the United Nations fails to enforce its own resolutions, Syria will be emboldened to wreak further havoc. Similarly with Iran, which is at the core of the fight against Islamofascism worldwide and whose attempt to project its power poses a threat to Israel, to the United States and to international global security, we must take immediate steps to deny it the materials, technology and much-needed funds to pursue their dastardly agenda. The Iranian regime has for years supported Hezbollah and Hamas as well as the insurgents in Iraq who carry out attacks against our U.S. troops. The recent crisis in Lebanon made it very clear how intensely involved Iran is in supplying Hezbollah with Jihadist ideology, weapons and finances. Iran has used Hezbollah to expand its tentacles into the western hemisphere. As I said, we witnessed the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Argentina and the July 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center, also in Buenos Aires. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The Iranian leadership has continuously made threats to wipe Israel off the map. It has embarked on a mission through its nuclear pursuit and expansion of its chemical, biological and missile capabilities to implement this plan. There is still time to contain the threat that is posed by Iran and adopt short and long-term policies that will compel Iran's extremist regime to change its unacceptable behavior. The Iran Freedom Support Act, which I authored and which has overwhelmingly passed the House, provides the tools to achieve the necessary short and long-term goals to counter the mounting Iranian offensive against Israel, against the United States and other freedom-loving nations. The threat of Islamic jihadists is here, and global jihad will not go away on its own. It is up to us to confront and eliminate this threat. In the past we have defeated the evil of Nazism and communism. Today we can and we must work to defeat Islamic jihadists. The film ``Obsession'' helps to explain how something as horrific and inconceivable as the events of September 11, 2001, could have transpired and why we must persevere in the international war on terror. This understanding is essential to our effective response. Even with all that has occurred lately in the Middle East, I am hopeful that the cause of moderation in the Middle East is succeeding and that progress is being made to quell the threats. Moreover, we must stand up to those who criticize our policies of supporting our allies, like Israel, and who want to apologize to the terrorists and appease them. We can remind them of the words that Churchill used to depict the scourge of Nazism, which he described as ``a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime.'' Today we face an enemy as diabolical in its thirst for domination and destruction. We have no choice but to pursue victory, for our very civilization depends on it. I would like to yield to my colleague, Mr. Thaddeus McCotter, who has been a leading spokesman on our Subcommittee on the Middle East as well as on our full Committee on International Relations, to further expand on the war on terror, our war on radical Islamic jihadists, and why the United States will prevail with the help our allies.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1849, the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act introduced by my colleague from New York, Congresswoman Sue Kelly. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women today. This legislation requires health care providers to cover hospital expenses for breast cancer patients undergoing a mastectomy or lumpectomy. In my home State of Florida, it is estimated that over 13,000 new cases of breast cancer in women will be diagnosed this year, and that over 2,500 women will die of this disease. It is our duty to reduce these numbers, both in Florida and nationwide, by ensuring medical coverage for these lifesaving procedures. I urge my colleagues to join the fight against breast cancer by supporting this and other crucial pieces of legislation.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), the sponsor and author of this resolution.

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 976, introduced by my colleague, Mr. McCaul from Texas. H. Res. 976, Condemns human rights abuses by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and expresses solidarity with the Iranian people. The resolution notes the injustices inflicted upon the people of Iran by an unaccountable government against their will. It urges the President and the international community to increase pressure on the Iranian government to improve its human rights situation and expresses unity with the Iranian people. The recent untimely deaths of two political prisoners, reinforces the urgency that Iran free all prisoners of conscience. The incarceration of student and political opposition activists is a form of intellectual terrorism that seriously undermines indigenous democratic reform. In addition, the recent decision by the Iranian government to outlaw the Center for Defense of Human Rights, which was established by the first Muslim Woman Nobel Laureate, Shirin Ebadi, is a violation of Iran's post revolutionary constitution. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is an opportunity for the American people to convey to the Iranian people that we support their efforts to bring freedom to their nation. As a co-sponsor of this measure and strong advocate for the right of every human being--every Iranian--to live free from intimidation and be able to exercise their fundamental rights, I ask that we render our strong support for this resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of House Con. Res. 317, requesting the President to issue a proclamation setting aside a day dedicated to eradicating violence and establishing greater trust among peace-loving nations and families everywhere. This resolution has a distinguished history, Madam Speaker. In the year 2000, Congress unanimously agreed to a similar resolution. The previous legislation, authored by the late Senator Paul Wellstone from Minnesota, expressed the sense of Congress that a day of peace and sharing should be established at the beginning of each year. This day would encourage people around the world to gather with family, their faith community, and neighbors to share a meal and to pledge to work for peace in the new year. It called upon Americans to match or multiply the cost of that year's meal with a contribution to fight hunger. In the following year, 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution asking the global community to set aside the first day of the year to recognize the importance of international unity, peace, and sharing. Today, Madam Speaker, we are considering House Concurrent Resolution 317, sponsored by my colleague Congressman Conyers, recognizing that in order to implement these resolutions calling for peace and the alleviation of worldwide suffering, we must rely heavily on the family. It is the family that is the basic unit of a civil society. The family is where our values are learned and carried out. Stability and peace in the global community can only be accomplished one family at a time. A special day where families worldwide can sit down to a meal and pledge to work locally for peace and to end injustice in their own communities will no doubt have a worldwide impact. I urge an ``aye'' vote, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration and to include extraneous material.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Con. Res. 317) requesting the President to issue a proclamation annually calling upon the people of the United States to observe Global Family Day, One Day of Peace and Sharing, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. House Resolution 415 expresses the sense of the House that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam needs to do more to resolve claims for confiscated real and personal property. This resolution notes the widespread confiscation of real and personal property that occurred during the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as a one- party state ruled by the Vietnamese Communist Party. Many individuals and entities, including the Catholic Church and the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam, still have not been adequately compensated for those extensive takings. Unfortunately, property confiscation is not just a thing of the past. Earlier this year, the State Department noted reports that Vietnamese officials had forced some ethnic minority Protestants to leave their homes without adequate compensation, and that land was seized from other minorities and given to state-owned coffee and rubber plantations. These events underscore the continuing need for equitable restitution and better protection of property rights in Vietnam. House Resolution 415 urges the Vietnamese Government to investigate confiscation complaints and to provide restitution. It also expresses the sense of the House that our President should consider land rights issues in determining whether Vietnam is a country of particular concern for religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act, and should include reporting on land rights and restitution issues in the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. We appreciate the efforts of this resolution's lead sponsors, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Loretta Sanchez) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), and we thank Chairman Hyde and the Committee on International Relations for moving this resolution forward. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 415) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam needs to do more to resolve claims for confiscated real and personal property, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H. Res. 942 introduced by my friend, my colleague Mr. King from Iowa. H. Res. 942, Madam Speaker, recognizes the centennial anniversary on August 5 of the Iranian Constitution of 1906. The resolution acknowledges the democratic revolution of the Iranian people going back 100 years. It notes the democratic political system created from this movement, with clearly defined separation of powers. Finally, the resolution expresses the hope that the people of Iran will be inspired by their democratic history and once again enjoy democratic rule. You might be surprised to learn that Persia was the first country in the Middle East to introduce a constitution and create a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament and popular sovereignty in 1906. The then-Shah signed the electoral law and the fundamental law of Persia that established an independent legislature and an independent judiciary. While the constitutionalist movement was temporarily undermined in 1908 during the reign of Mohammed Ali Shah Qajar, it was later rescued by the reign of his son. The ideals of the constitutional revolution were abolished with the demise of the dynasty and the rise of an absolute monarchy in 1925, and then with the Iranian revolution in 1979. Madam Speaker, this resolution is an opportunity for the American people to send a positive message to the Iranian people about their indigenous democratic tradition. We hope that this tradition will be an inspiration for the Iranian people as they seek to increase their political freedoms. I strongly support the passage of this resolution. I thank Mr. King for introducing it. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I am so pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King), the prime sponsor and author of the resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 942) recognizing the centennial anniversary on August 5, 2006, of the Iranian constitution of 1906.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 622) to recognize and honor the Filipino World War II veterans for their defense of democratic ideals and their important contribution to the outcome of World War II, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of House Resolution 622, which recognizes and honors Filipino World War II veterans for their important contributions to the victorious outcome of World War II. This resolution notes that the prior history of the Philippines as a United States territory, then as a self-governing commonwealth, during which time the Filipino Armed Forces were called into service under the command of General Douglas MacArthur in July 1941. Those servicemen fought with gallantry and courage, and thousands gave their lives resisting Japanese aggression and occupation. House Resolution 622 honors those Filipino veterans for their valiant fight, for the liberation of their homeland, and for their defense of democratic ideals. I commend the cochair of the Philippine Caucus, the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa), for introducing this long overdue resolution. It was moved forward with the strong support of the chairman of the House International Relations Committee, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde). My colleagues may not be aware that Chairman Hyde was a combat veteran of the Philippine campaign in World War II, and he piloted a landing craft in the January 1945 landing that marked the beginning of the liberation of Luzon. Madam Speaker, I submit for printing in the Congressional Record a copy of an article from the September 10, 2006, edition of Philippine Panorama, the leading weekly news magazine in the Philippines [From the Philippine Panorama, Sept. 10, 2006] Memories of Lingayen (By Beth Day Romulo) Henry Hyde, chairman of the US House International Relations Committee, led a group of four congressmen, including Melvin Watt of North Carolina, Dana Rohrabacher of California, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Eni Faleomavaega of Samoa, on a visit to the Philippines (August 11th to 15th) to assess security in this country, discuss trade relations and, in the case of the 82-year old chairman, he hoped to visit with fellow veterans of World War Two, and see Lingayen Gulf again. As a college freshman at Georgetown University, Hyde enlisted in the Navy in 1942. Why the Navy? He had never been to sea but liked the idea of ``a nice clean ship'' in comparison to life in a trench. ``It didn't occur to me that ships sink,'' he recalled wryly in an interview at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel where the group were staying. After an officers training program at Duke University, he attended a 90-day midshipmen's school at Notre Dame and won his commission as an Ensign in October 1944. Told that he would go to commanders school at Harvard, he bought new blue uniforms as befit the occasion which he never wore, since his orders were suddenly changed and he was sent to sea in the Pacific theater, as part of the operation to liberate the Philippines. Having never been at sea before, he became deathly seasick on his first night out of San Francisco, recovered on the third day and was fortunately never seasick again despite the fact that the Liberty ship took 30 days to reach Hollandia, New Guinea, zigzagging to miss Japanese submarines. Joining the flotilla of supply ships offshore of the Philippines in January 1945, young Ensign Hyde was assigned command of an amphibious Landing Craft Tank (LCT), a flat- bottomed vessel with a ramp that could tow supplies to shore and unload on beaches. He had 12 crew members, all considerably older than he, so ``I grew a full beard.'' The big ships couldn't come ashore, so it was the duty of the LCT to load from the big ships (``at night and we couldn't use lights'') everything from trucks (LCT could carry five at a time) weapons, ammunition, supplies, and occasionally personnel. By this time, General MacArthur had made his historic landing at Leyte and by March 1945, the Americans controlled Manila and Subic Bay and the Japanese army had withdrawn to the North. After two or three days at sea, water washed over the craft and filled the pontoons. The radio man was frantically calling ``we are sinking'' to the towing vessel and signaling with the blinker. Hyde recalls with wry humor that he was running around with a mattress ``trying to hold back the South China Sea.'' Eventually, the tow ship got the message and cut loose the lines which dragged down the LCT, and they limped into Lingayen. Sent on a special mission to Aparri on the northern tip of Luzon, they arrived at a beach which had no grading. ``It was like a wall.'' They couldn't move onto shore, so came in as close as they could. The deserted beach suddenly swarmed with people who came out from the trees and bushes and waded out to unload their cargo. They were guerillas in dire need of supplies. While not engaging in combat, the LCT was often under fire from enemy aircraft who dropped bombs near them ``but we were too busy to notice.'' At another time, Hyde's LCT was given a special mission to salvage the supplies from a Liberty Ship which had foundered on rocks and was lying on its side. They were sent, he found later, because a typhoon was coming and military brass didn't want to lose all the cargo. A destroyer escort took the LCT out to the grounded ship, then disappeared. They tied up to the starboard, started loading and the typhoon hit before they were finished. ``This taught me what real terror means.'' The LCT was banging helplessly against the ship. The wind blew off the conning tower and Hyde was convinced he would lose both his craft and his men. They donned their lifejackets, fully expecting to be washed overboard. ``I'll never forget it,'' Hyde recalled. ``The sky was green. The sea was green. And our complexions were green.'' Eventually, they were able to cut the lines free from the ship, and Ensign Hyde guided his craft through the swelling seas. in the direction he thought he would lead to Subic Bay. He was in luck. After all-night winds and heavy swells, dawn came. The storm was gone. And they could see Subic Bay. They unloaded their cargo. The LCT was repaired, and they headed back to the grounded ship for a second load. Getting out all the supplies and transporting them to. Subic Bay took a week in all. Lighter moments came when the administrative ship in the flotilla distributed mail from home, and when they had shore leave. After Manila was liberated, there was ``a great officers club'' where we sat around, sipped beer, and told football stories. Sometimes, they played basketball with college students. Hyde remembers spending his 21st birthday walking alone on the beach at Lingayen, wondering if he would ever see home again. Other young officers, with wives and children awaiting them, were allowed to' leave first. He was finally sent home in August 1946. When the ship was nearing San Francisco, he rose at 3 a.m. and went out on deck to wait for the sight of the lights on the bridge of San Francisco loom through the mist. ``It was the happiest moment of my life.'' When he had first sailed on the Liberty ship for the Philippines, a submarine was just coming in from the South China Sea, and the men coming and going waved at one another. He wondered then what they had experienced. Now, he knew. Congressman Hyde was able to greet a large number of Philippine veterans at a wreath-laying ceremony at the American Cemetery in Ft. Bonifacio, some of whom had called upon him in his home constancy. He was also awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal by AFP Major General Horacio Tolentino in a ceremony on August 12th in recognition of his service during the Liberation of the Philippines. Discovering the difficulties of getting to Lingayen by land, he flew over it instead, which inspired these memories. The article profiles Chairman Hyde's service in the Philippines and describes, among many others things, his interaction with Filipino servicemen who were waging a guerilla campaign against the Imperial Japanese Army at that time. I am grateful to have this opportunity today to express our appreciation to those veterans, both Filipino and Americans, who are with us. This resolution is a fitting tribute to their heroism and sacrifice and deserves our unanimous support. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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