Ed Royce

Mr. ROYCE

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add any extraneous material to the Record.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1992) to amend the requirements relating to assessment of Israel's qualitative military edge over military threats, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. ROYCE

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, in closing, let me note again that the tragedy of international abduction affects thousands of children every year here in the United States. When the Committee on Foreign Affairs considered this bill back on October 10, we heard from multiple members whose constituents were dealing with the nightmare of being illegally separated from their children, and our human rights subcommittee heard directly from several left-behind American parents in a May 9 hearing. H.R. 3212, by Mr. Smith, is a measured response to this pressing problem. I want to again thank the gentleman from New Jersey for the vision and for the perseverance, frankly, reflected in his bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I do think Mr. Eliot Engel of New York should feel proud about this bill. He is the original author of the House- passed version. I would say that, in the interest of expediting this measure, we on the Foreign Affairs Committee worked, frankly, not only across party lines but across Chambers in order to draft legislation that preserves congressional prerogatives, that advances U.S. interests, and, as Eliot Engel said so succinctly, that saves lives. This bill does that. It achieves these objectives. We worked in tandem with the Senate on Mr. Engel's original draft to get this done. This bill does not affect direct spending. It doesn't affect revenues. It does not create new programs or include major new policy provisions. I want the Members to understand that. It is a streamlined, bipartisan measure that does extend critical PEPFAR authorities that expired, and it maintains the gains achieved through the 2008 reauthorization process. Besides the leadership of Mr. Engel on this bill, I would like to recognize the work of Representatives Ros-Lehtinen and Lee to shape this measure, as well as efforts by our leadership to ensure that we do not miss this narrow window of opportunity to send this bill to the President's desk without further delay. I would also share with our Members that it helps get us on a path towards graduating countries from assistance. It conditions and limits assistance to the Global Fund. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1545) to extend authorities related to global HIV/AIDS and to promote oversight of United States programs.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all of our Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous materials that they might wish to include on this resolution.

Mr. ROYCE. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1545. They call this the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act of 2013. It was just over a decade ago that AIDS threatened to decimate an entire generation of men and women and children around the world, and particularly in Africa. Without access to lifesaving treatment, there was then no incentive to get tested. Without testing, it was impossible to detect and prevent new infections. In the hardest-hit countries, an estimated 35 percent of the population was HIV positive, and life expectancy in those countries dropped to as low as 34 years. The global AIDS pandemic was a massive humanitarian challenge, but it also threatened our economic and national security. The pandemic struck down men and women in their most productive years. The economies of emerging trade partners contracted. Socioeconomic conditions deteriorated. Tens of millions of orphaned children, forced to fend for themselves, became vulnerable to trafficking. They became vulnerable to criminality and recruitment by extremists. Infections among security forces in southern Africa was disturbingly high. It was against this backdrop that the United States mounted the most significant effort of any nation to combat a single disease in history. Authorized by Congress in 2004, and reauthorized in 2008, the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, as we call it today, was a game-changer, and has since become among the most successful U.S. foreign aid programs since the Marshall Plan. Like many of my colleagues, I have been to Africa and witnessed the saved lives. Today, nearly 10 million people receive treatment supported by PEPFAR. Thirteen countries have reached a tipping point in their AIDS epidemic, the point where the number of adults on treatment exceeds the number of new infections. So across Africa, the new infections have declined by 33 percent. There is now hope that an AIDS-free generation may be within reach. We should be proud of that effort. But the United States cannot and should not do this alone. It is in our interest to ensure that our bilateral programs, our programs like PEPFAR, are complemented by an effective, efficient, and accountable global fund to fight AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. The PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act of 2013 provides a framework for the continuation of PEPFAR's success. Among other things, this legislation locks in important social values provisions mandated in the 2004 and 2008 bills that could be jettisoned if we don't move forward with this legislation. It improves transparency and reporting in a way that reflects the current direction of the program, and it extends limitations on U.S. participation in the Global Fund, including a 33 percent limitation on U.S. contributions and a 20 percent withholding requirement linked to transparency and management reforms at the Global Fund. So this bill is time-sensitive. During the week of December 1, the Global Fund will convene a donors' conference. Without the 33 percent cap and 20 percent withholding requirements firmly in place, which is what the bill does, the ability of the United States to leverage both our contributions and our reforms would be diminished. So I urge my colleagues to support this important, timely measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a former member of my staff, Young Kim, who recently left my office to pursue her passion for public service. Young has had an exceptional career, representing Orange County through my office for over 20 years. After graduating from the University of Southern California and a stint in the private sector, Young began working for me in 1990, while I was a California State Senator. She continued working with me when I was elected as a U.S. Representative in 1992. As my congressional staff member, Young served as District Representative and Director of Asian Community Affairs. In her capacity, she was a liaison to the cities within my district, advised me on issues pertaining to the Asian community, and helped keep the community involved and informed about my legislative priorities. Young also helped to establish the Asian Pacific Congressional Advisory Council (APCAC) to foster a better relationship between the Asian-American community and the U.S. Congress and served as the APCAC Coordinator. She also assisted me with my work on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She traveled to Washington, DC, and Asia to coordinate the activities of the U.S.-Republic of Korea Interparliamentary Exchange (USROKIE) and the International Parliamentarians Coalition on North Korean Refugees and Human Rights (IPCNKR). Through USROKIE and IPCNKR, Young played a key role in addressing the issues affecting U.S.-Korea relations, including human rights, comfort women and trade. Outside of work, Young has always been very active in the local community. Young is most proud of her involvement with the Orange County Chapter of the Korean American Coalition (KAC-OC), having served as President, Treasurer, and a member of the Board of Directors. Young played an instrumental role in establishing KAC's presence in Orange County. Young also is a well-known Television Talk Show Host, and radio commentator. She hosted Season 2 episodes of REAL TALK on Arirang-TV, produced and hosted LA Seoul on KSCI-TV Channel 18, and KTE Journal on Korean Television Enterprise. Since July 2007, Young has provided weekly commentaries on political and public affairs through the 24-hour Radio Seoul, 1650 AM. Young's dedication to community service has earned her many honors, including the distinction of ``Rising Asian Woman'' by the World Affairs Council, and ``Community Bridge Builder'' by the Korean American Federation. She has been presented with the prestigious American Marshall Memorial Fellowship (AMMF) by the German Marshall Fund, the ``Advocate for Asians Dedicated to the Community through Political Empowerment'' Award from the Asian Business Association of Orange County, and the ``International Leadership'' Award by the International Leadership Foundation. One of Young's greatest joys is her family. She is married to Charles Kim. They reside in Fullerton and have raised four wonderful children. On behalf of California's 39th Congressional District, thank you Young for your service, and best wishes in your future endeavors.

Mr. ROYCE

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deepest condolences to the people of the Philippines in the aftermath of what was possibly the strongest typhoon in recorded history to ever hit land. As many as 10,000 people are feared dead and 600,000 displaced. As chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I am committed to helping the people of the Philippines recover and rebuild. The U.S. is providing $20 million in immediate humanitarian assistance. As we speak, the U.S. Navy and Marines are working hand in hand with their Filipino counterparts in the rescue and recovery process. Mr. Speaker, the situation in the Philippines is dire. American assistance in post-disaster relief is often the difference between life and death. Even as we speak, the American people are opening their hearts and making contributions to the relief effort. We stand with the people of the Philippines as they begin the long road to recovery. The United States and the American people are by your side. Today, we are all Filipinos, and we share the unimaginable grief that many of you in the Philippines are feeling right now.

Mr. ROYCE

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 102nd National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Also known as ``Double Ten Day,'' this important anniversary marks a special occasion for the good people of Taiwan. Taiwan is a modern-day success story that exemplifies the prosperity and opportunity that comes from a strong commitment to the rule of law, democracy, and human rights. I know that the people of Taiwan are rightfully proud of these achievements, and I will stand with them to preserve the free and open society that exists there. Indeed, Taiwan has come a long way in a short time. This is why it is more important than ever to strengthen the United States' relationship with Taiwan. The U.S.-Taiwan relationship is the cornerstone of American foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region. Earlier this year, I led the successful bipartisan effort to end over four decades of isolation for Taiwan at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), because safety in international air travel should not be held hostage to geopolitics. I commend the President for signing this important legislation into law, and I am even more excited that as a direct result of our efforts in Congress, Taiwan has finally been invited to participate in ICAO this year. It is the first time since 1971 that this has happened. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. enjoys a very positive and productive economic relationship with Taiwan. It comes as no surprise that Taiwan is America's 11th largest trading partner. In fact, in my home State of California, the two-way trade with Taiwan is even more significant, particularly with so many Taiwanese visitors travelling to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program. Given the importance of our trading relationship, I urge the Administration to quickly finish the ongoing U.S.-Taiwan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement negotiations and move on to a broader, more comprehensive Bilateral Investment Agreement with Taiwan. As we join with the people of Taiwan in celebration of Double Ten Day, it is important to remember that the bond between the U.S. and Taiwan remains vibrant and strong. As a longtime friend of Taiwan, I know that Taiwan's national day is a very special occasion for Taiwanese people living all over the world. So, as we mark the 102nd National Day of Taiwan, let us salute the strong friendship between the U.S. and Taiwan, and let us recognize the shared strengths that make this relationship one of the most important.

Mr. ROYCE

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following exchange of letters on H.R. 3233, between myself and the Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte). House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, October 2, 2013. Hon. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, House Committee on the Judiciary, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your consultation with the Foreign Affairs Committee on H.R. 3233, which temporarily extends the period during which certain Iraqis previously employed by the United States Government may be granted special immigrant status. I agreed to the Foreign Affairs Committee being discharged of our referral so that the bill could be promptly considered on the House floor this evening. I am writing to confirm our mutual understanding regarding the Foreign Affairs Committee's continuing Rule X legislative jurisdiction over portions of H.R. 3233, which is not affected by that waiver decision. I appreciate your assistance in expediting this important legislation for floor consideration. Sincerely, Edward R. Royce, Chairman.

Mr. ROYCE

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2848) to authorize appropriations for the Department of State for fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and place any extraneous material into the Record on this measure.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Department of State Operations and Embassy Security Authorization Act is a measure to provide our diplomats with the tools that they need to do the job effectively, as efficiently as possible, as safely as possible, and it has been over 10 years now since the last Department of State authorization bill was passed into law. Now in the interim, our ability to exercise oversight and push for reform within the Department has been eroded. That is why it is so essential that we get this authorization into law--because it is not good for Congress; it is not good for the Department; it is not good for the taxpayer. Authorizing these programs is going to increase our oversight ability. It will improve Members' ability to legislate new programs. It will save money. It will reform old programs. And when we do not authorize, as you know, departments are less accountable; they can drift. As Members know, the Department's failings on security were laid bare in Benghazi, Libya. The Accountability Review Board, looking into Benghazi, found: Systemic failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels within two bureaus of the State Department resulted in a special mission security posture that was inadequate for Benghazi and grossly inadequate to deal with the attack that took place. That was the finding; the local guard force in place to protect Benghazi was inadequate. The closure of 21 U.S. embassies in August and the recent closure of our embassy in Beirut demonstrate the continued threat to our facilities and personnel overseas. Indeed, this week, the Department renewed its global terrorism alert for U.S. citizens. This is why this bill authorizes full funding for embassy security. One of the principal functions of the Department is to protect our facilities and personnel that are stationed overseas. The other body, our colleagues in the Senate, have also introduced legislation on embassy security, and we have been in consultation with them because we intend to have this signed into law. This legislation carries much of the same language, including: One, language requirements for diplomatic security personnel in line with the ARB report recommendations. We need the security personnel to be able to speak that local dialect. Two, implementation of the expanded marine security guard program, including a plan to deploy these additional personnel and station them appropriately. We need the marines at the gate. We need to be able to guard the gate. It needs to be reinforced. Three, authority to protect soft targets overseas. Four, regulations for the reemployment of personnel to fill staffing gaps at high-risk, high-threat posts. We need that personnel to be able to get that retraining to speak the local dialect in order to help protect that facility. Importantly, this bill contains a provision, championed by committee members Mr. Radel and Ms. Frankel, which will award local security guard contracts now on the basis of best value rather than lowest cost. For our highest threat posts, we need only the highest quality security personnel, not personnel that's going to flee in the face of a threat. This bill also requires the Department to develop contingency plans for increasing security at high-threat posts. These plans must include options for employing additional military personnel and equipment to bolster security in response to a threat, as well as plans for a rapid deployment of assets in response to an attack. We need a rapid response force to be stood up so that they can be called into action if there's a threat in this part of the world to our consulates and to our embassies. The strong emphasis on embassy security in this legislation, H.R. 2848, and the legislation that's over in the Senate is timely and responsive to urgent needs. Working in a bipartisan manner, this bill was able to authorize full funding for embassy security while still producing a fiscally responsible product. Overall, this bill is a 9 percent cut from the fiscal year 2012 level, and this includes a cut of nearly 22 percent, that's $2.4 billion, in Department administration costs. Further savings to the taxpayer have been achieved by placing a cap on pay for those personnel stationed overseas by closing a bureaucratic loophole that allowed personnel to draw both a pension and a salary, except in the most extenuating of circumstances, by capping the amount of paid time off for employees and authorizing current employees to fill staffing vacancies. By doing it that way, we negate the need to hire more Foreign Service Officers. So this bill also reforms some of the core management functions of the Department by prohibiting those convicted of fraud or embezzlement or theft or other offenses from receiving government contracts in the future. The bill also prohibits funding for the proposed Foreign Affairs Security Training Center unless there's an independent feasibility study that's completed and presented to the appropriate congressional committee. This bill also has strong bipartisan support. When I say ``strong,'' Mr. Engel and myself have worked with Members on both sides of the aisle. We took some 11 amendments. We've worked out the differences. We got bipartisan support in the committee, and I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation so it can be promptly sent to the Senate and then on to the President for his signature, thereby ensuring that our embassies and personnel stationed abroad are protected at a time of their greatest need. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations and, I would add, Mr. Speaker, the author of important State authorization and embassy security laws in past Congresses.