Chris Smith

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield myself the balance of my time to conclude. I want to thank my friend for his leadership on this. This is a bipartisan issue. This is a human rights issue of American parents and of American children. We rightfully speak out on human rights abuses in China and Darfur and all over the world wherever and whenever they occur. This is a human rights abuse that's occurring against our own families, and our government--and this goes through successive administrations, Republican and Democrat--does not do enough. You know, I don't know how many you have ever seen that Seinfeld episode with the Penske file which gets moved around from left to right and George doesn't do anything of, really, substance with it. We have very good people at the State Department who have these files in hand that would love to do more but they lack the tools. They lack the ability authorized by this Congress and by law to take it to the next level. This is a government-to-government fight. Had it not been for the Congress rallying around David Goldman, Sean Goldman would still be in Brazil today because there would have been another appeal in the court and another appeal. They run out the clock and then the child is an adult. That's what is happening to all 2,800 American abducted children. The abductors are playing a game, a very dangerous game; and in Japan, as Mr. Moran and I know so well, nobody comes back. Our government has to get serious. This resolution puts all of us on record and says we mean business. This is only the first step.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield such time as he may consume to the author of the resolution, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts).

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. First, I want to thank Mr. Pitts for offering this important resolution to remember the aid workers who died in Afghanistan. These aid workers were killed because of their humanitarian efforts, because they were trying to provide the Afghan people with important services so they could live in freedom, opportunity, and prosperity. For undertaking these noble efforts, the aid workers lost their lives at the hands of murderous extremists who seek an Afghanistan in the dark ages, an Afghanistan where people are debilitated by poverty and illiteracy, where democratic elections are unthinkable, where women and girls are murdered simply for trying to go to school, where freedom is a forbidden idea. Such an Afghanistan would again be a safe haven for violent extremist groups like the Taliban and al Qaeda who seek to destroy our Nation and our allies and to plunge civilization itself into darkness. So, Madam Speaker, we continue to strive to prevent such a threatening scenario from becoming a dangerous reality. In that respect, we owe a great deal of gratitude to the many Americans who have done their part and sacrificed so very much, particularly our men and women in uniform, to build a safe, secure, and free Afghanistan. And we owe gratitude to the courageous humanitarian aid workers who risk their lives as well to save lives and to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people. In particular, we owe our thanks to the American aid workers who gave their lives almost 2 months ago--Cheryl Beckett; Brian Carderelli; Thomas Grams; Glen Lapp, who was Congressman Pitts' constituent and friend; Tom Little; and Dan Terry. We mourn their loss, and we send our condolences to their families.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to commend Congressman Mack, the ranking member of the Western Hemisphere Committee, for offering this resolution. H. Res. 1662 commends the bravery of the 33 trapped miners in Chile who have endured nearly 2 months of unimaginable mental and physical strain following the August 5 collapse of the San Jose copper-gold mine which trapped them one-half mile below ground. It was believed that these men did not survive the original collapse, but 17 days after the disaster the miners were miraculously discovered to be alive and in fair condition. Quick-thinking and decisive action led the men to take refuge in a shelter where they have been surviving for the last 7 weeks. The Chilean Government has been working tirelessly to secure the safety of the miners as quickly as possible and to secure their release. In addition, scientists and doctors from NASA, as well as private U.S. engineers and companies, have been instrumental throughout the rescue process and continue to aid in the drilling efforts. Various supply holes have reached the group to provide them with food, water, health supplies, air, and games to keep the 33 individuals safe and stable. I rise today in support of House Resolution 1662, which commends the bravery of the 33 trapped miners in Chile who have endured nearly 2 months of unimaginable mental and physical strain following the August 5th collapse of the San Jose copper-gold mine which trapped them half a mile below ground. It was believed that the men did not survive the original collapse, but 17 days after the disaster the miners were miraculously discovered to be alive and in fair condition. Quick thinking and decisive action led the men to take refuge in a shelter where they have been surviving for the last seven weeks. The Chilean government has been working tirelessly to secure the safety of the miners as quickly as possible. In addition, scientists and doctors from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, as well as private U.S. engineers and companies, have been instrumental throughout the rescue process and continue to aid in the drilling efforts. Various supply holes have reached the group to provide them with food, water, health supplies, air, and games to keep the 33 individuals safe and stable. Because of the exhausting emotional and physical impact of the situation, psychologists have made it a priority to keep them occupied, and believe it is an integral part of the rescue, and reintegration process when they are finally pulled out. Happily, recent advancements in the drilling efforts have improved rescue forecasts originally set for November. I would like to commend President Pinera and the Chilean government for their tireless rescue efforts and again recognize the invaluable contributions of the U.S. agencies and private entities that have been a part of this humanitarian endeavor. I also would like to extend my heartfelt sentiments to the trapped miners and their families. Please know that we have you in our hearts and prayers.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I want to thank my good friend for yielding, and for his leadership. This is truly a bipartisan issue, and I especially want to thank my good friend and colleague Mike Doyle. We are co-chairs of the Autism Caucus. It shows that bipartisanship still survives. And for a tremendous cause, a good cause like combating autism, it is great to join him in sponsoring this bill. He is the prime sponsor, and I am the principal cosponsor. I believe it is accurate to say that the provisions of this bill are not only important but essential in providing tangible assistance to those with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Implementation of the TRAIN Act will significantly expand the ranks of qualified service providers, who are equipped with the knowledge and tools of state-of-the-science, evidence-based educational, medical, and social interventions. Personally, Mr. Speaker, I became involved in autism as far back as 1982 when I first visited Eden Institute in Princeton. Coincidentally, Eden is breaking ground tomorrow on a new, uniquely designed autism school designed by Eden teachers who have utilized three decades of knowledge and best practices in teaching individuals with autism to reach their full potential. Huge gaps in the Federal response to autism came into sharp focus back in 1998 when I was visited by Bobbie and Billie Gallagher, the parents of two daughters with autism from my district who told me of their concern about a perceived explosion in the prevalence of autism in Brick Township. Rosemarie and Geoff Dubrowsky, whose son Daniel was diagnosed with autism as well in 1997, are another couple who told me of the realities of autism, and they were very concerned about this perceived spike. I would note that at the time, Centers for Disease Control spent a paltry $287,000 per year, straight line, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. That doesn't even buy a desk, it is so little. Now we are up to $22 million. After meeting with these families and others, we initiated an investigation led by the CDC, and they confirmed that cases of autism were significantly higher than expected in Brick. But the evidence gathered indicated a larger, potentially nationwide prevalence problem. I then introduced a bill which was accepted by Chairman Mike Bilirakis as Title I of the Children's Health Act mandating increased surveillance. You can't fight something if you don't know the who, what, when, where, and even the why of it. As established, the legislation created Centers of Excellence, and now we know that nationwide, autism affects 1 in every 110 children, 1 in 70 boys. Sadly, in my own State, it is even higher. Faced with this epidemic, Mike Doyle and I formed the Coalition on Autism Research and Education, which today has 157 members. The legislation we are considering today, the TRAIN Act, offers an opportunity for us to do something with the 1.5 million individuals living with autism every day. The legislation authorizes grants to existing University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service, or comparable entities, to provide individuals, including parents, vocational, educational, and health professionals, with interdisciplinary training, continuing education, technical assistance, and information for the purpose of improving services to children and adults with autism in their families. The bill also provides for the establishment of up to four new university centers for developmental disabilities, giving priority to minority institutions or institutions that would serve currently underserved populations. Another important provision is the selection of a nationwide organization to disseminate nationally evidence-based best practices and other models, materials, and practices developed by the university centers, or from other sources, including development of a Web portal. People need to know the information because there is often a conflict about autism. I urge Members to support this legislation. It is an excellent bill. It will help those who are afflicted.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, last week one of China's most heroic defenders of human rights, Chen Guangcheng, was transported from prison to his family's house. This was good news, but only a step in the right direction. We must not gloss over the fact that Chen, who in 2006 revealed to the world the massive violence and brutality of the one child per couple policy enforcement campaign in Linyi, Shandong province, remains under house arrest, imprisoned in his own home, which is surrounded by surveillance cameras and police. Foreign reporters attempting to enter his village have been beaten and driven away, and Chen is reportedly in need of urgent medical attention, having been regularly beaten in prison, where he lost a great deal of weight. Just today a Radio Free Asia reporter spoke with Chen and his wife over a cell phone. Chen's wife said, and I quote, ``He has a sort of haunted look. And for the first few days after his release he couldn't speak at all.'' Think about it. This is a very, very tough and articulate man, yet for the first few days after his release he couldn't speak at all. Such was the brutality of Chen's imprisonment. So it is all the more inspiring to read Chen's words. The Chinese Government may have broken his body in the laogai, but they have absolutely not broken his spirit. Chen got on the phone and called on ``international organizations and people of conscience'' to react to his continued arrest in a united manner. That's the house arrest. And, ``If they can help me today,'' he said, ``their actions will help another person tomorrow.'' A few words about Chen, Mr. Speaker. He is a self-taught lawyer, having been denied the benefits of higher education due to his blindness, and was known in Linyi for advising his neighbors on how to resist the government's injustices. In 2005 and 2006 he took the brave step that changed his life. He began interviewing people and gathering evidence about the massive violence and brutality of the one child per couple policy and its enforcement campaign that shook Linyi in 2005. What he uncovered was shocking: 130,000 forced abortions and sterilizations in Linyi County in that year alone, in addition to mass detentions and beatings. In order to stop Chen's investigation, officials placed him under house arrest. But he managed to slip away and travel to Beijing, where he met with journalists from Time magazine and conferred with legal scholars about filing a large class action suit against officials responsible for the campaign. Officials soon abducted him back to Shandong, returned him to house arrest, and then convicted him on trumped up charges of property destruction. Chen served the full term of his 4-year, 3-month sentence, despite health problems indicating the appropriateness of medical parole. Mr. Speaker, the Chinese Government's relentless pursuit of Chen corresponds to the continued violence of the one child per couple policy, which Chen bravely exposed. Sadly, what he documented in 2005 and 2006 is still going on today all over China. This year alone we have reliable reports of large-scale forced abortion and sterilization campaigns in Guangdong, Fujian, Yunnan, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi provinces. The campaign in Guangdong province was widely reported, the story having been broken by The Times of London in April of this year. In Guangdong's Puning County, officials rounded up women and men, as well as the relatives of any resisters, detained them in cramped conditions, and working 20-hour shifts for 20 days, forcibly sterilized their quota of almost 10,000 people. Mr. Speaker, Chen Guangcheng documented the fact that Chinese women are immensely traumatized by these campaigns and by the entire one child per couple policy. It's been estimated by the World Health Organization that some 500 women per day commit suicide--not per week, not per month, but per day commit suicide--in China, largely attributable to this horrific and barbaric policy called one child per couple. It is invasive. There is a crude surveillance of women's reproductive cycles, including monitoring their cycle per month. The strict birth limits drive sex selection abortion and the tragedy of what we call gendercide--the missing girls in China, which may be as many as 100 million girls since 1979, when this barbaric policy was first pushed on China by the West and by the United Nations. It's been estimated that upwards of 40 million men will not be able to find wives by 2020 because they had been forcibly aborted as part of the China policy. Finally, I appeal to our government, I appeal to our President, please speak out on behalf of Chen Guangcheng for his release so that this terrible nightmare he has had to endure will end. [Sept. 14, 2010] Radio Free Asia: Blind Activist Calls For Help A Chinese lawyer is under constant surveillance following his release from prison. Hong Kong.--Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong are holding a Chinese legal activist under house arrest though his jail term ended on Monday, prompting him to call on concerned citizens to support him in protest. Chen Guangcheng, 38, had exposed abuses by local family planning officials, leading to a jail term of four years and three months for ``damaging public property and obstructing traffic'' handed down by a Linyi municipal court in August 2006. Chen served the full term of four years and three months in spite of repeated requests for medical parole. ``Now that I have come out of jail, the authorities are putting a lot of effort into keeping me under close surveillance,'' said Chen, calling on the international community to protest his treatment by the Chinese government. ``I am hoping that international organizations and people of conscience will react to this in a united manner,'' he said. ``If they can help me today, their actions will help another person tomorrow,'' Chen said, calling on rights activists and ordinary people to come to his house and photograph the security personnel with their mobile phones. ``If they take away A's cell phone, then B can take a photo. If they go for B's cell phone, then C can record it,'' he said. Layers of security Chen's wife Yuan Weijing said there are four different layers of security personnel watching the family home. ``Between the national highway and our home, there are four layers of surveillance,'' she said. ``Yesterday I wanted to go out to buy some food but they wouldn't allow it.'' ``I told them we have to eat, and that maybe they should buy food for us, but they said that wouldn't do either.'' ``The moment I went outside, about 20 people got to their feet and started to surround me,'' Yuan said. She said friends and relatives who tried to bring food to the family were being refused entrance as well, and only Chen's 76-year-old mother was being allowed out to buy food for the entire family. Yuan, whose repeated requests for medical parole for Chen were ignored by prison authorities, said she is still very concerned about her husband's health. ``I am most worried about the continuing diarrhea and the persistent cough,'' Yuan said. ``For the first few days after his release he couldn't speak at all.'' She said Chen had lost a lot of weight in jail. ``He has a lot of grey hair and he has a sort of haunted look,'' she said. Chen suffered beatings while in Shandong's Linyi municipal prison in June 2007 for ``being disobedient'' after launching an appeal against his conviction to a higher court. ``Give his freedom back'' Chen, a self-taught lawyer, was detained repeatedly, beaten, and kept under surveillance after he helped local people take legal action against the Linyi municipal government in cases of alleged forced abortion. Beijing-based civil rights lawyer Li Subin said Chen should have his freedom back now that his jail term has ended. ``Instead, the state-run prison has followed him back home, where he is still imprisoned under house arrest,'' Li said. ``We have been working towards democracy and the rule of law for 30 years in this country, and we can still see cruelty like this today.'' ``But if everyone takes this issue seriously, I don't see how the gangster behavior of the local government and the banditry of the local judiciary can carry on for too long.'' Meanwhile, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a senior member of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, in a statement called on the Chinese government to release Chen from house arrest. ``The prison release of Chen Guangcheng, one of China's most heroic human rights defenders, is good news but only a step in the right direction,'' said Smith. ``The fact that Chen remains under house arrest, imprisoned in his own home, and is reportedly in need of urgent medical attention, must not be ignored. I appeal to the Chinese government to let Chen move about freely and ensure that he has access to the care he needs.'' Chen Guangcheng's work exposed a culture of secrecy and impunity among Chinese officials about the enforcement of China's population control policy. Local officials have admitted to taking draconian measures when they have difficulty meeting population targets imposed by Beijing.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the International Megan's Law is the culmination of over 3 years of extensive negotiations and research by multiple parties. Mr. Payne and I are deeply grateful to all who have helped craft this legislation. I want to thank the majority leader, Steny Hoyer, for scheduling this legislation today and for his commitment to mitigating the crime, the heinous crime, of human trafficking. He and I have worked on that for years. And the International Megan's Law, which is a corollary to the trafficking work, has as its singular goal the protection of children from sex predators. Special thanks to Chairman Berman and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for their strong support for International Megan's Law, for helping to shepherd it through the committee, and for their staffs for being so helpful in terms of words and phrases, as well as important concepts in the bill. I would also like to thank Chairman Payne and Ranking Member Lamar Smith and Bobby Scott for their support and their recommendations that are included in the bill as well. I would especially like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren), former Attorney General, now Congressman, an expert on Megan's Law, for his enormous contribution because he was at the forefront in his State in implementing the Megan's Law; and Ted Poe, who is the co-chairman of the Victims' Rights Caucus, for his work and for his compassion for those who are victimized by any number of crimes, including the crimes that we are talking about today. I also would like to thank Sheri Rickert, Kristin Wells, and Janice Kaguyutan, staffers who have really done yeoman's work on this legislation. I am very, very grateful for that. And the NGOs that have also collaborated with us, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, who have endorsed the bill, the Covenant House, which has done a petition drive, and World Vision, and my distinguished friend from Nevada (Ms. Berkley), I thank her for her leadership as well. This is a bipartisan bill and, hopefully, it will become law for one reason: to protect children. Mr. Speaker, our national and various State versions of Megan's Law have revolutionized how we deal with child predators. Maureen and Richard Kanka of my hometown wrote the book on neighborhood notification and protection of children and families through information. We all owe an enormous debt to Maureen and Richard for taking a horrific tragedy, the sexual abuse and murder of their 7-year- old daughter, Megan, back in 1994, and turning it into the noble cause of protecting children throughout the United States. But now it's imperative that we take the lessons learned on how to protect our children from known child sex predators within our borders and expand those protections globally. Child predators, Mr. Speaker, thrive on secrecy and lack of any meaningful accountability. The secrecy they thrive on allows them to commit heinous crimes, crimes against children, and to do so with impunity. Megan's Law, with its emphasis on notification and knowing who is doing what and where, not only protects American children, but it also will protect children worldwide. Just last month, Mr. Speaker, the GAO issued a deeply disturbing report entitled ``Current Situation Results in Thousands of Passports Issued to Registered Sex Offenders.'' The GAO found that at least 4,500 U.S. passports were issued to known registered sex offenders in fiscal year 2008 alone. The GAO emphasized that this number is probably understated due to the limitations of the data that it was able to analyze and to access. Let me also remind--we all know it--passports last for 10 years, so, again, this number would grow every year. What is even more disturbing are the details about 30 of those sex offenders, passport recipients the GAO selected for further investigation. One registered sex offender solicited trips to Mexico to find and prey on young boys. The FBI found cameras in a medical bag with a Spanish language flyer advertising lice removal for children, a procedure that requires children to undress. This offender, who is currently serving a prison sentence for possession of child pornography, applied for a passport because he plans to live in Mexico after he serves his sentence to avoid registering as a sex offender. Another sex offender in the GAO report has multiple convictions for sexual contact with 11-year-olds. The offender had traveled to the Philippines, a known child sex tourism destination, as well as to Germany and France, since receiving his passport. He was recently indicted for possession of child pornography and for attempting to have sex with a two-year-old little girl. Several of the registered sex offenders used their passports to travel to known child sex tourism destinations, including Mexico, the Philippines and the Caribbean islands. The victims of several of these offenders range from the ages of 7 to 11 years old. Mr. Speaker, the ILO estimates that there are about 1.8 million children who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation around the world each year. The GAO's report confirms that American sex offenders are a significant part of this outrage. According to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, each year about 10,000 sex offenders covered by the bill before us travel internationally. We have information and the technology at our disposal to determine what constitutes a high-risk registered sex offender and to ensure that appropriate government officials are noticed in a timely fashion. And, frankly, if the country wants to say, ``you don't get a visa, you don't come,'' or ``if you do come, our law enforcement will keep an eye on you,'' that's what we hope will happen if this becomes law. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5138 would establish the legal framework that is required to accomplish this very achievable goal of noticing. Pursuant to the bill, registered sex offenders would notify our law enforcement 30 days before they travel, allowing experts in the newly created international sex offender travel center, led by ICE, to ascertain whether the individual poses a high risk of sexually exploiting children in the destination country. If the answer is in the affirmative, our law enforcement would be able to notify officials in that country who could either monitor the activities when he enters or prevent him from entering all together. The legislation would also establish sex offender registries at U.S. diplomatic missions for U.S. child sex offenders who reside in other countries. This foreign registration system would allow U.S. law enforcement to track the location of sex offenders and to better ascertain if and when they re-enter the United States. Clearly, the goals of this legislation do not stop at protecting children overseas from U.S. predators. Sex offenders from around the world are now able to cross borders and oceans to carry out their nefarious activity under the cloak of anonymity and disappear before a child is willing or able to reveal the terrible crime. The International Megan's Law would establish the model needed for the Administration to pressure other countries to take action to stop child sex tourism originating within their borders and threatening children in the United States and everywhere else. I have finally, Mr. Speaker, had so many conversations with people from other countries, foreign dignitaries who have asked me when the United States Congress is going to do something about American sex offenders traveling to their countries to rape their children. The International Megan's Law is the answer to that question, and I hope my colleagues will support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), an esteemed member of both the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee, and founder and co-chair of the Congressional Victims Rights Caucus.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank Judge Poe for his extraordinary statement and his observation that they recommit. That is what this is all about. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren), ranking member on the House Committee on Administration, an original cosponsor of this bill, and former Attorney General of California.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia and one of the original sponsors of this legislation.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I again thank my friends on the majority side for their courtesy and for working so closely with us on this legislation. It truly is a bipartisan bill. You know, in 2000 I was the prime sponsor of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, and added the three Ps, prevention, prosecution, and protection. And a very comprehensive effort was made. We are now 10 years into implementation of that law. The TIP report that comes out every year comes out pursuant to that law. One of the things we did in that law was to try to get every other country to pass laws that look a lot like ours, and maybe better and then we will borrow from their ideas. In this legislation as well there is a real admonition to the President and the State Department to try to get other countries to enact Megan's Laws in their own countries--a few have them, most don't--so we can protect our kids from these pedophiles when they come to our shores. I urge a ``yes'' vote. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, July 21, 2010. Hon. Chris Smith, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Smith: On behalf of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), I commend you for introducing H.R. 5138, the International Megan's Law of 2010. This important piece of legislation will help protect children around the world from registered sex offenders who seek to victimize them. Sex tourism is an insidious practice whereby offenders travel to other countries for the purpose of sexually victimizing a child. According to an estimate from the U.S. Department of State, 1 million children are exploited by the global commercial sex trade each year. Currently, there are very few limitations regulating the international travel of registered sex offenders. Simply requiring registration within an offender's country of residence does nothing to protect children in other countries from victimization. It is imperative that we do everything we can to provide U.S. and international law enforcement with information that might prevent a child from being victimized. We are grateful for your leadership and your steadfast commitment to the most vulnerable members of our society. Sincerely, Ernie Allen, President & CEO. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my good friend, the ranking member, for yielding, and thank her for being one of the cosponsors of the resolution, along with Carolyn Maloney and Kay Granger and others in this body. This is a bipartisan resolution that we present on the floor today. Mr. Speaker, while the World Cup is a joyous and unifying event watched the world over, it comes at a very high cost for many women and children trapped in sexual slavery in South Africa. Going on right now, the World Cup is drawing an estimated 2.7 million local spectators and up to 500,000 visitors to the country. It is an honor and an economic boon for South Africa, but it is also a threat to vulnerable women and children--a threat that the government of South Africa is and must continue to aggressively combat. Major sporting events, Mr. Speaker, and conventions that attract large numbers of people in the United States or abroad have been proven to result in an increase in the demand for commercial sexual exploitation. Pimps and traffickers jump to respond to the demand by trafficking women and girls for prostitution to events such as the World Cup. We have seen examples of this in stories coming out of South Africa in the media over the last several months. One taxi driver covered in a story proudly advertised his ``Red Light Tour'' which includes strip bar hopping and guidance to prostituted women less likely to be HIV- positive. He, like so many in the sex industry, is hoping to cash in on sexual tourism accompanying the World Cup. Sindiswa was just 17 years old, and according to Time magazine, didn't make it to the games. Forced into prostitution at 16 after leaving her impoverished village on a bogus promise of a job, she died of AIDS complications in January of this year. Mr. Speaker, according to the U.S. Department of State, where prostitution is legalized or tolerated there is a greater demand for human trafficking victims and nearly always an increase in the number of women and children trafficked into commercial sexual slavery. In preparation for the World Cup, the Government of South Africa, to its credit, commissioned a comprehensive study of human trafficking within its borders and discovered that trafficking victims were brought in from all over the world--not just from neighboring countries where poverty and porous borders make women and children particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Law enforcement in Cape Town, for example, where some of the games are played, has been closely monitoring and tracking human trafficking. Over the last few months, Cape Town law enforcement noted a sudden increase in women arriving with falsified immigration documents from Asia, and they saw a sudden drop in the age of girls working the streets. I applaud Cape Town for its vigilance, as these were signs that criminal syndicates with the means and certainly the capacity were trafficking women and girls to the World Cup. Mr. Speaker, as you may be aware, I offered the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, and its reauthorizations in 2003 and 2005. Our most recent TIP report, which is mandated by these laws, ranks South Africa as a Tier 2 country--a country that does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. And so on behalf of my colleagues and I, we offer this resolution, H. Res. 1412, to congratulate South Africa for the steps it has taken--its first two major trafficking convictions and increased law enforcement activity, especially--in this all-important fight against human trafficking. We offer H. Res. 1412 today to underscore the urgent need for further action and trafficking funding prioritization by the Government of South Africa. Of course, that admonishment should go to each and every one of us, including the United States. While South Africa does not yet have in place a comprehensive anti- trafficking legislation, it does have legislation that offers increased protection to children. It is my sincere hope that all levels of relevant government officials will be aware of their responsibilities under the anti-trafficking provisions of the Sexual Offenses and Children's Acts and the Children's Amendment Act of 2007, and that these will be fully funded and implemented by the Government of South Africa. As we all know as lawmakers, if the law goes unenforced, it is, frankly, not worth the paper it is printed on. That goes for any parliament's or congress' law. They need to implement this--and do so faithfully. Mr. Speaker, law enforcement must be particularly vigilant in protecting children during the World Cup through an expanded law enforcement presence and raids in areas where exploitation is occurring. Trafficked women and children rescued during the games must be given special rehabilitative care in order to prevent the trauma that they have suffered from defining them and condemning them to a life of further exploitation and abuse. Aggressive prosecution of the traffickers is also a must, as organized crime will always gravitate towards whatever activity is most lucrative and least risky. Moreover, as this resolution points out, it is our sincere hope that South Africa will follow up with prosecution of any soccer fans or other tourists caught exploiting women and children. The buyers of trafficking victims are responsible for this human misery, for without demand, these women and children would not be slaves. I believe that the games are just the beginning for South Africa in its fight against human trafficking. We have seen tremendous investment of resources, will, and anti-trafficking momentum from nongovernmental organizations and faith-based organizations in the lead-up to the games. Cape Town Tourism, International Union of Superiors General and the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church, the Salvation Army, Red Card 2010 Campaign, and the Tshwane Countertrafficking Coalition for 2010 are just a few of those who have stepped up to combat this modern day slavery. South African citizens have been widely warned about the dangers of human trafficking, and many have volunteered in the fight. Human trafficking is in the public eye now, and it is time for the Government of South Africa to purge it from its cities and anywhere else that it is found. I thank my good friend for yielding and urge Members to support the resolution.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call on the President to give Israel the unequivocal, robust, and vigorous support it deserves. Since the May 31 Gaza flotilla incident, Israel has been under media attack, and even in the past few days many articles and international newspapers take a grossly anti-Israel slant. Make no mistake about it, the purpose of the flotilla was to provoke an incident, thereby to set up an international media campaign against Israel. The flotilla was an aggressive and hypocritical attempt to manipulate world public opinion and to isolate Israel. Thankfully, it has not worked in the United States, where Rasmussen polling shows that despite the anti-Israel bias of so much media coverage, less than 20 percent of Americans think that the Israeli Government is to blame for the deaths that resulted from the incident. Madam Speaker, the facts of the incident were clear within 48 hours, and it's high time our government sent a much more powerful and unambiguous message, that the United States fully supports Israel's action to intercept the flotilla. The administration should emphasize that Israel's action was legal, that it was right, and that the U.S. stands with Israel without any ifs, ands, or buts, or so long as, or any other qualifiers. It's a matter of record that on May 25 the Israeli Government offered to offload at its port of Ashdod the humanitarian aid the flotilla carried and to have the U.N. personnel deliver it to Gaza. On that same day, the Israeli Government also stated it would not permit the flotilla to break its blockade of Gaza, which is not only legal under international law; but I believe it's also just, given the rampant maritime arms smuggling, the 7,000 rocket attacks Hamas has launched on Israel from Gaza since 2005, and the unlimited aid that can flow to Gaza through proper checkpoints. Madam Speaker, the Turkish group that organized the flotilla has documented ties to Hamas, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of State as a foreign terrorist organization. Radicals with ties to other terrorist groups were aboard the ships. The flotilla launch was marked by violent, anti-Semitic rallies. Flotilla participants spoke to al Jazeera of martyrdom and sang intifada songs. All this shows the grotesque hypocrisy of those who would portray the flotilla participants as somehow being harmless peace activists. Nothing could be further from the truth. Madam Speaker, the response of the Israeli Government was extraordinarily restrained and responsible. Israeli troops boarded the ships in the flotilla carrying paint ball guns, but when the crew beat them with iron rods, stabbed and lynched them and threw one of them off the deck, they got the order to defend themselves with their side arms. This, too, was right. Every government permits its troops to defend themselves when they are attacked. I call on President Obama to give Israel our government's full support and to make unmistakably clear our government's position that Israel, in its response to the Gaza flotilla, was fully in the right. Whether or not the Israeli Government decides to adjust the blockade, our government must make it perfectly clear to all that we will never permit an anti-Israel media campaign to isolate America's most faithful and trusted friend in the Middle East.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, award-winning journalist Bill Handleman, 62, of the Asbury Park Press, tragically passed away yesterday after a long bout with cancer. A family man and a humanitarian with a great big heart and incisive wit, Bill is survived by his dear wife Judy, his three children, his mom, extended family, and a boatload of friends. And allow me to extend our deepest condolences to the family and to let them know that our prayers are with them during this very, very difficult time. Mr. Speaker, to know Bill Handleman in person or through his prolific pen is to respect and admire his innate goodness, his generosity, and good humor. For years, Bill's news beat was sports, and he especially liked the ponies. He was a four-time sportswriter of the year, in 1992, 2002, 2003, and 2005. Asbury Park Press staff writer Shannon Mullen writes in today's edition, however, that ``Bill soon discovered that he much preferred writing about everyday struggles of ordinary people rather than the coddled multimillionaire athletes he dealt with on the sports beat.'' Bill had an extraordinary penchant for a compelling subject matter and consistently turned the seemingly mundane, especially those who were left out and left behind, into compelling human interest stories. The Press's Shannon Mullen again summed it up well: ``Bill Handleman was a gifted storyteller. His writing style was direct, witty, and spare. A lifelong student of Hemingway, he used periods like an Impressionist painter uses a brush, preferring short, incisive sentences that packed a punch. And as a columnist, Handleman relished championing the underdog.'' Mr. Speaker, thank God he did. Even as he battled cancer, Bill turned out one great story after another with intriguing titles like, ``A Man With a Hole in His Heart: A Coach's Story''; ``No Longer Homeless: A Former Mogul Envisions the Future''; ``A Different Midlife Crisis: A Man Learns that He Is Adopted''; ``During the Depression, the Poor Scramble for Work and Cash''; ``A Father Leaves Behind a Secret''--it was a World War II veteran story. His stories made us laugh and touched our hearts, and they moved us to action, like the case of David Goldman. To a large extent, David Goldman ceased being invisible in his heroic battle to reclaim his son, Sean, from a child abductor in Brazil because Bill Handleman made it his passion to effectively inform, inspire, and challenge the community, including and especially lawmakers, to join David's struggle for justice. ``For 4 years, no one could hear him. He was shouting in the dark,'' David's father, Barry, told Mr. Handleman in one column. In the 16 months since Mr. Handleman began telling this story, David's seemingly intractable plight went from near total obscurity to huge prominence. Public officials at every level responded to the call. Each of Bill Handleman's approximately 24 columns not only conveyed to readers timely and critically important information about the Goldman case, but Mr. Handleman went deep behind the scenes to flesh out details of uncommon courage, sacrifice and compassion. Bill Handleman gave the community rare insights into the raw emotion and the fleeting successes, followed by frustrating setbacks, the agony and ultimately the ecstasy of David and Sean's permanent reunion. In a candor and depth of reporting found nowhere else in the print media, we got to know David in his own words as he was thinking it. Readers of the column were there with David on countless trips to Rio, to Brasilia, to Washington, and at home with him in Monmouth County. For more than a year, Bill Handleman allowed us to see it all as David did and to walk, to some extent, in left-behind-parents' shoes. Through Bill Handleman's incisive pen, we also got to know much of David Goldman's family and close friends. We will miss Bill Handleman. I, along with tens and thousands of others, read each and every column, often with tears and empathy and resolve to do more about David Goldman's case. David Goldman was, indeed, lucky that the columnist who embraced his quest turned out to be a consummate storyteller and the Handleman column a true game- changer. Bill Handleman did an exceptional job. We will miss him dearly. Again, our prayers and our condolences go out to Judy and to the family.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my good friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the condemnation of the Lord's Resistance Army expressed in S. 1067 and the bill's goal of supporting civilian protection and development in northern Uganda. Four years ago, I chaired a hearing of the Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations Subcommittee on: The Endangered Children of Northern Uganda. A courageous young woman named Grace Akallo testified about her abduction at the age of 15, together with 138 classmates at a boarding school, by the LRA. They and approximately 30,000 other children have endured horrifying atrocities as child soldiers and sex slaves. Ms. Akallo eventually escaped, and her remarkable story was recounted in a book entitled, ``Girl Soldier: A Story of Hope for Northern Uganda's Children,'' that she coauthored with human rights activist Faith McDonnell. I highly recommend the book to my colleagues and anyone who wants to learn more about these incredible human rights violations and how we can all work together to address and to stop them. Ms. Akallo stated back in 2006 that, unfortunately, her story was not uncommon. And I sadly add that, unfortunately, it is still not uncommon. Joseph Kony continues to lead the LRA in the commission of outrageous abuses and atrocities, including the abduction, rape, and killing of innocent civilians, not only in northern Uganda, but also in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and Southern Sudan. Although Kony has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for these and other crimes against humanity, he and his cohorts have yet to be brought to justice. Mr. Speaker, we must do everything possible to stop the widespread suffering that he is inflicting and to help those who have survived these atrocities to recover. In her testimony, Ms. Akallo specifically asked for more resources to help people suffering because of this conflict, emphasizing that ``it will be important for the Government of Uganda and the international community to provide returnees with adequate resettlement assistance and support in restoring and developing community infrastructure so that people can begin to rebuild their lives.'' She went on to say, ``I ask for your help and the help of others to take action to end this war so that my sisters and brothers and all children of northern Uganda can sleep in peace.'' Mr. Speaker, I ask that all of my colleagues respond to Ms. Akallo's heartfelt request, and I do hope that this bill will pass. Finally, I would like to engage my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) in a very short colloquy. I would like a clarification that neither the term ``reproductive health'' as it appears in the Peace Recovery and Development Plan for Northern Uganda, referenced in sections 6(b) and 8(b) of S. 1067, nor the term ``sexual reproductive health and rights'' in the Uganda Ministry of Health's Sector Strategic Plan II referenced in the Peace Recovery and Development Plan for Northern Uganda, nor any other references in this Act, include access to abortion for purposes of S. 1067. I yield to my friend.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I appreciate that.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my good friend, Mr. Pitts, for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1033, a resolution designating April 2010 as National Autism Awareness Month. I thank my friends and colleagues Messrs. Reichert, Gerlach, and Bachus. I especially want to thank my good friend and colleague, the cochair of the House caucus, who is Mike Doyle, and Mr. Pitts for their leadership on this very important resolution and, most importantly, on this very important issue. This resolution serves an important function of increasing awareness of the 1.5 million individuals who are living with autism spectrum disorder and of the extreme dedication and efforts of their families in providing the best possible care and environments for their children, grandchildren, brothers, and sisters. I want to especially note that the parents and the grandparents of children with autism have earned our enormous respect. I know many families with autism. It can be a very harrowing ordeal. Yet they do it with such class and with such love and dedication to their children. The concerns of the parents are validated in the community, and have since been found to be true nationwide in terms of the numbers. I will point out to my colleagues that I've been involved in autism since 1981, since my first term. I'll never forget visiting Eden Institute in Princeton, which does tremendous breakthrough research and work with autism children and young adults. Frankly, for me, it wasn't until 1998 when two parents, Bobbie and Billy Gallagher from Brick Township, New Jersey, came to me after hours and said, Congressman, we'd like you to sit down and look over some of the evidence and data we've accumulated because it is our belief that there is a prevalent spike in autism in Brick. We brought in all of the good players. We brought in the CDC; we brought in the NIH folks, and we brought in public health experts. We put together a study to find out what was or is the trigger that was seemingly causing this huge spike in autistic children in one particular town in the State of New Jersey. To our shock and dismay, as this was going on, we discovered that there was a prevalence spike for sure, but it was most likely throughout the rest of New Jersey and probably, as it was highly suggestive, throughout the entire country of the United States. So we put together a piece of legislation to establish what we called the Centers of Excellence to look at, especially, and to apply the best principles and prevalence techniques to determine what was causing this and to determine how many children were being malaffected by autism. To our shock and dismay, again we discovered that the United States didn't have a one in 10,000 prevalence, which is what the expectation was when I was elected in 1981, but that it was much higher. At that point, it was put at about one out of every 150 children. So the Centers of Excellence were funded. The legislation was passed. I'll never forget that Congressman Mike Bilirakis was kind enough to accept our legislation as Title I of the Children's Health Act, which was a very comprehensive law designed to help children. Title I not only put more money into the CDC but also into the National Institutes of Health, which then was very much underfunding this effort to try to help autistic children. Just for the record, we were spending $287,000 per year on autism at CDC. As my colleagues know, that falls off the table at some of our bureaucracies. That number has now gone up significantly to about $15 million, and now we have a critical mass of money working very synergistically with local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as on these prevalence efforts to find out what the parameters are of this developmental disability, because you can't combat something unless you know the who, what, when, where, and why of it, and that is what we are trying to do. In the early 2000s, Mr. Doyle and I launched the Autism Caucus. We have tried throughout these years to be very supportive of every legislative effort, including the cure autism efforts of these past several years. The key has been more money for research, more money for early childhood interventions and trying to deal with the issue of what happens after a child reaches adulthood. It seems to me that every dollar we spend early-on means that we can have a higher functioning autistic child, now young adult, who can get a job, who can become gainfully employed, and who can become as independent as humanly possible. So every dollar we spend on autism is a dollar well spent. Mr. Doyle and I have already entered into a compact with friends in Northern Ireland, in Wales, and in Scotland where they have an autism problem. This is a global phenomenon, as my friends and colleagues know, and we need to do more.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I have introduced a bill which would provide small grant money to fledgling nongovernmental organizations throughout the world. In my travels to places like Nigeria, I met up with a small nongovernmental organization which was like David versus Goliath. I was trying to get the government there to realize that they have an autistic problem that is estimated to affect about 1 million children in Nigeria alone. Nobody knows how accurate that is, but the best and most well-intentioned people in Nigeria have come to that number. So we do have a serious spike. What is the trigger? Is it too many vaccines given at one time, you know, where the megadosing that occurs today in that little child can't metabolize and where the body can't deal with it in a way that leads to the child's being safe from those other diseases? Is it thimerosal? For our children and for our young adults who have autism, we need to continue to leave no stone unturned in finding what the trigger is or what the multiple triggers are. Finally, again, I want to thank Bobbie and Billy Gallagher, who are the two parents in Brick Township who came forward with a stack of papers and who said, Please, will you take this up? I took it up, and I've enjoyed working closely with friends and colleagues on the other side of the aisle so that we can cure autism now. The sooner the better.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1033, a resolution designating April 2010 as ``Nation Autism Awareness Month.'' I thank my friends and colleagues, Representatives Reichert, Gerlach and Bachus for introducing this resolution--and my friend and co-chair of the House Autism Caucus, Mike Doyle. This resolution services an important function of increasing awareness of the 1.5 million individuals living with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the extreme dedication and efforts of their families in providing the best possible care and environment for their children, grandchildren and brothers and sisters. Especially the parents and grandparents of individuals with autism deserve our enormous respect and support. Also deserving recognition are the many ASD advocacy groups who have been working hard for so long and the many providers of care and services for individuals with autism. From my first session in Congress in 1981, I have been a consistent advocate for individuals with developmental disorders, including autism. In 1998, I became much more deeply involved after learning and listening to parents in a local community in my district--Brick Township--about their concerns that the frequency of autism was much higher than was being reported by officials at the time. The concerns of those parents were validated for their community and have since been found to be true nationwide. As stated in the resolution before us, autism is now known to affect every 1 in 110 children--my own state of NJ has among the highest rates in the nation at 1 in 94. Autism generally is a life-long disability that can overwhelm families, as their lives become consumed with the considerable challenges of identifying appropriate biomedical and psychosocial treatments, schooling and other needed support systems for their autistic child--and eventually for an autistic adult. Our nation is in the midst of an autism crisis that becomes more severe each passing month, a crisis that costs our nation tens of billions of dollars annually in medical care, behavioral therapy, special child care, and a range of child and adult services needed to care for these individuals. The resolution before us provides the staggering financial costs of autism--$80,000 per year to provide specialized treatment in a medical center, $30,000 per child per year for special education services, and a nationwide costs of over $90 billion per year. The resolution appropriately recognizes the critical importance of early diagnosis and early treatment for children with autism in order to have the greatest positive impact on their lives, and it recognizes the extremely important need to provide worker training for young adults and adults with autism so that they can active members of the workforce. Thankfully, Madam Speaker, in December 2006, this Congress passed and then President Bush signed the Combating Autism Act, which added significant provisions to broaden and strengthen activities related to autism. Among its provisions, that law requires the National Institutes of Health to expand ASD-related research--including investigating possible environmental causes of autism, authorizes grant programs to improve the epidemiology of autism, and also includes a very robust section ``Autism Education, Early Detection, and Intervention,'' to improve the early screening, diagnosis, interventions, and treatments for ASDs. While we all were gratified with passage of the Combating Autism Act, we also recognized that there is a tremendous unmet need to improve services for both children and adults with autism. That is why I am extremely gratified to have joined my friend Mike Doyle, along with Rep. Eliot Engel, in introducing, the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act (H.R. 2413), to provide for enhanced support, services and treatment, as well as research for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families. To mention only two provisions of the bill--it would establish an Adult Services Demonstration Project to provide an array of services to adults with autism spectrum disorders including: post secondary education, vocational and self advocacy skills, employment; residential services, supports and housing; nutrition, health and wellness; recreational and social activities; and transportation and personal safety. And it would establish a ``National Network for Autism Spectrum Disorders Research and Services'' to strengthen linkages between research and service initiatives at the federal, regional, state and local levels, and facilitate the translation of research on autism into services and treatments. I know that all of us here share the commitment to dramatically improve the lives for the well over a million American children and adults who have an autism spectrum disorder and improve the outlook for their families and other loved ones. I thank my friends Representatives Reichert, Gerlach and Bachus for introducing this resolution. And I thank my friend Mike Doyle for his leadership in establishing new programs to help individuals with autism.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution congratulating Father Coughlin on 10 years of service as House chaplain and want to thank my very good friend, Mr. Lipinski, for authoring it. Since 2000 Father Coughlin has been a blessing to us, a presence of prayer, and a reminder of the grace we have to ask God for--beg God for--as we exercise our responsibilities in this House. He has also been a personal friend to me and I want to thank him for that. Mr. Speaker, I particularly appreciate Father Coughlin's moving prayers and his Web site where he puts up a ``Thought for the Day'' and keeps the House informed of spiritual events on Capitol Hill for Christians, Jews, and Muslims, and members of other faiths. I frequently read theses prayers and thoughts, and am grateful for his inspiration to me and my fellow members. Today he has posted, as ``Thought for the Day,'' a quote from Pope Benedict XVI, from his April 18 address to young people in Malta: God loves every one of us with a depth and intensity that we can hardly begin to imagine. And he knows us intimately, he knows all our strengths and all our faults. Because he loves us so much, he wants to purify us of our faults and build up our virtues so that we can have life in abundance. When he challenges us because something in our lives is displeasing to him, he is not rejecting us, but he is asking us to change and become more perfect. That is what he asked of Saint Paul on the road to Damascus. God rejects no one. And the Church rejects no one. Yet in his great love, God challenges all of us to change and to become more perfect. Thank you, Father Coughlin, for reminding us of this--we do our work differently, and better, when we carry with us an awareness of God's love. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Lipinski's resolution also draws attention to Father Coughlin's 50 years of service to God, and His flock, as an ordained priest--Father Coughlin's fiftieth anniversary will be on May 3rd, and I want to congratulate and thank him for that as well. Father Coughlin has also, as this resolution points out, served God with the Missionaries of Charity, in India, and in Rome, as a scholar- in-residence at the North American College. I am sure that his experience in both places enriched his service to the House. Finally, I note from the resolution, that, while the House chaplaincy was instituted in 1789, in 2000 Father Coughlin became the first Catholic priest to hold the office of Chaplain of the House. He follows many others who have been a blessing on the House--and I have known several of them--and has certainly filled their shoes well. Thank you, Father Coughlin. I urge members to support this excellent resolution.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in mourning the passing of Congressman Bob Franks and to celebrate a life well lived. I would like to yield to my good friend and colleague, Leonard Lance, for as much time as he may consume.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my friend for his very powerful testimonial to our late colleague. Mr. Speaker, for Bob's surviving wife, Fran and their three daughters, Kelly, Sara, and Abigail, his mother, June; and sister, Judy; and the rest of the family, this is a tragic season of excruciating loss and bereavement. While Bob Franks was a politician's politician in the best sense of that concept, he was husband, father, son, and brother first. Nothing compared to his love for and devotion to his family. For everyone who has ever had the privilege of knowing him and calling him ``friend,'' Bob epitomized noble public service. He was honest, hardworking, extraordinarily effective, and absolutely determined to make a positive difference for his constituents, the State, and the Nation. An indomitable optimist, Bob was ever gracious and stubbornly kind to all, even with those with whom he disagreed. He treated all with respect, civility, and empathy. I know my colleagues on the floor today will attest to the fact that Bob Franks was enthusiastic almost to a fault and always greeted you with a great big smile, firm handshake, and warm greeting--a reflection of his great big heart. You usually left any conversation with Bob, well, smiling. Bob Franks devoted 21 years of his life to elected public service--13 years in the New Jersey Assembly, 8 years as a Member of Congress, and he served 4 years as State GOP chairman. In both Trenton and Washington, Bob was a consistent, powerful voice for a limited government and reduced taxes. In the assembly, he was elected twice by his peers to serve as conference leader. Among his notable achievements, he wrote the State law creating the transportation trust fund. In Congress, he served with distinction as chairman of the Economic Development, Public Buildings, Hazardous Materials, and Pipeline Transportation Subcommittee. A master strategist, Bob pushed hard to expand the economy, create jobs in the private sector, pass tax cuts, enact welfare reform, and ensure that our military was second to none. As cochair of the Missing and Exploited Children Caucus, Bob helped win passage of legislation to protect our children from Internet predators and impose life imprisonment for persons convicted of killing a child. A true friend of law enforcement, Bob took the lead in 1998 and won passage of a congressional resolution demanding the Clinton administration undertake the extradition of cop killer Joanne Chesimard, a fugitive who fled to Cuba after being convicted of murdering New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster in May of 1973. Bob helped create the bipartisan Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition to maximize both regions' political clout in Congress and played the leading role in promoting fair electrical power policy in New Jersey. As my colleague, Leonard, noted a moment ago, he ran for the United States Senate. He lost. He ran for Governor, and he lost that, too. But you would never know that from talking to Bob. He was always upbeat and very positive. After leaving the Hill, Bob served as the president of the Health Care Institute of New Jersey, a trade association for the research- based pharmaceutical and medical technology industry in the State of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday, Governor Chris Christie was joined in moving remembrance by several former Governors, including Governor Jon Corzine, Christie Todd Whitman, and Tom Kean, as well as the three godfathers to Bob and Fran's kids, Roger Bodman, Alfred Fasola, and Congressman John Kasich. Governor Chris Christie spoke eloquently at the memorial service and told those assembled, ``Bob Franks' life was grand and glorious. As Fran and his daughters know better than anyone, what Bob cared first and foremost about, despite all of the passions in his life, was family . . . no matter whether we were talking about politics or business, because it was something he knew full well: the demands of a public life, the demands of a private life, and the rewards of paying attention to both.'' Governor Christie went on to say, ``Bob Franks was enthusiastic in everything I saw him do. Whether it was rooting for the Indianapolis Colts--something that I still do not fully understand from a guy from New Jersey--whether it was some of the deepest and most significant policy issues that have faced our country for over the last 25 years, or whether it was counseling and encouraging even the smallest of potential leaders for our State.'' Always that enthusiastic Bob Franks. The Governor went on to say, ``The loss that each of us feel from Bob's death is significant in the life of our State, significant in the life of our country, because he served so ably and so well . . . In the end, I think, that's what we all hope for out of our public officials: that they care deeply, that they think deeply, that they act passionately with the ability to inspire. He checked all the boxes.'' Governor Corzine said, in brief part, that this was a ``celebration of a great life, a good man, a very good man, someone that all of us, as you have heard, believed in, learned from, and grew from. ``A man of credible character, conviction, courage, but probably the most defining thing that any of us can say about Bob is he was a man who loved. He loved politics, loved all of his friends, the folks who are here, but most of all, most notably he loved his family.'' Governor Tom Kean said, ``Politics for Bob was an honorable profession which meant responsibility and opportunity for achievement and very much an exciting adventure. After all, what is the use of living,'' Governor Kean went on to say, ``if not to strive for great causes and perhaps make this muddled world of ours a little better place. Bob did that. He cared about that.'' ``We are all better people for having known Bob,'' he went on. ``I think of him smiling. I think of his cheerfulness. I think of his enthusiasm, and today,'' Governor Kean concluded, ``I envy the angels.'' Governor Christie Todd Whitman said, ``You know a lot of people who are involved in the rough-and-tumble of politics get characterized as either being really good at the political side of it, the background, the fierce fighting, or they're the policy wonks, that's what they care about. Bob was both. He was a fierce, fierce partisan. He was a Republican. He never made it personal, because he always knew it was about policy, about doing right by the people of the State. And that's what made him such a special person.'' Our former Budget Committee chairman here in the House, John Kasich, who was godfather to one of Bob and Fran's children, summed it up well when he said, ``Our friendship was forged in the battles of trying to improve America. That's what it's all about. It was never about politics. It was always about what we could do to make the world a better place for our children and their children . . . I don't think I've ever met a more insightful man than Bob Franks. He could look at something that everybody else saw and he would see it differently. He could see twists in it. He could take advantage of it and move the ball forward. ``How about his cutting-edge humor? Always a little cutting-edge humor no matter where you were. Sometimes Bob was even good at gallows humor. You know, when there was not even a speck of light shining in the room, Bob could make us all laugh. He'd remove the pressure. He'd have a little quip, and we'd all get the belly laugh going. It would happen when there was no humor in sight.'' And on loyalty, John said, ``You know what the kids today say, 'You got my back.' Well, Bob Franks had your back. He didn't care if you were a Republican or a Democrat, a liberal or a conservative. It didn't mean anything. When you were his friend, he had your back.'' John Kasich concluded, ``I would like to call him a foxhole guy. And I measure people, `Are they a foxhole guy.' In other words, can I get into a foxhole with this guy in the middle of the worst battle you can imagine and know not only would he not jump out of that foxhole to run and preserve himself, but he would jump outta that foxhole and fight to help you. Oh, he was a great foxhole guy,'' he said. John said, ``In all of the years that I've known him, I've never heard him say a bad thing about anybody,'' and I know Mr. Frelinghuysen and others in our delegation can back that up a hundred percent. And finally Kasich said, ``There is no question he left the world a better place.'' So, Mr. Speaker, there is no question Bob Franks left New Jersey, he left the Nation and the world a better place, and we will deeply miss him. I would like to yield to my good friend and colleague, Mr. Frelinghuysen.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my good friend for his very eloquent statement, and we will all miss Bobby Franks. Remarks from current and present elected officials who spoke at the April 17, 2010 memorial service for former U.S. Congressman and former N.J. Assemblyman Bob Franks, who died April 9, 2010. The service took place at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark NJ.: new jersey gov. chris christie Bob Franks' life was grand and glorious as Fran and his daughters know better than anyone, what Bob cared first and foremost about despite all of the passions in his life was family. This summer as I had many discussion with Bob about lots of different topics he would always end each of those conversations we had whether it was in person or over the telephone, by asking me, in fact imploring me, `You're spending time with Mary Pat, right?' have you gone to some of the kids baseball games?' It was the way he ended each and everyone of those conversations, no matter whether we were talking about politics or business because it was something he knew full well: the demands of a public life, the demands of a private life, and the rewards of paying attention to both. Bob Franks' smile is the thing I will remember most, about him. When he saw you his face immediately lit up, and in turn he lit up the room. His enthusiasm was mentioned just before. And he was enthusiastic in everything I saw him do. Whether it was rooting for the Indianapolis Colts--something that still do not fully understand, from a guy from NJ--whether it was some of the deepest and most significant policy issues that have faced our country over the last 25 years, or whether it was counseling and encouraging even the smallest of potential leaders for our state, I speak about that last part from personal experience. I met Bob Franks in July of 1995 I was a first-term Freeholder who had just run for the General Assembly, and had come in sixth out of six. And in the aftermath of that primary, I received a call from Congressman Franks' office. And the person on the staff said, `The Congressman would like to know if you'd like to come by his district office Friday for lunch. He'd like to speak to you.' And I immediately said yes, of course. I thought to myself `It must be losers' week at Bob Franks' office. And I went there that day to have lunch with Bob Franks. I had no idea what the agenda was and I had no idea why I was going there. For an hour and 45 minutes Bob Franks sat with me to dissect why I had lost the race, why I had done so poorly, what I wanted to do with my future and how he thought was the best way to get there. I want to emphasis with you: I had never met him. He saw something in me in that campaign that obviously no one who voted did. And he implored me at the end of the meeting to not give up, not give up on a public life. He encouraged me to continue to fight. It will be the enduring gift that Bob Franks gave to me. And if you look around this cathedral today, there are literally hundreds of people who can say exactly the same thing. It's just a different date and a different time and a different challenge that was before them in that stage of their life. And it was Bob Franks who patted them on the back. It was Bob Franks who got in their face and told them not to quit. It was Bob Franks who by his example showed them that in fact anything was possible if you were willing to work hard enough, listen enough, and care deeply enough about making your community a better place. The loss that each of us will feel from Bob's death is significant--significant in the life of our state, significant in the life of our country, because he served so ably and so well because of that enthusiasm, that fire and that ability to inspire others. In the end, I think, that's what we all hope for out of our public officials: that they care deeply, that they think deeply, that they act passionately with the ability to inspire. He checked all the boxes. And the loss we feel is miniscule compared to the loss that his family feels. Because for all that he did for us, he was much, much more for them. This summer, the last time I met with Bob before I became governor, he said to me as I was leaving the meeting, `Don't worry about what happens--whether you win or you lose. Winning would be great, but even if you lose, I can tell you from personal experience. Life will get better.' He told me `I have felt that the last couple of years out of public life, because it has allowed me to get even closer to Fran and to the girls. And so Bob provided hope from either end of the spectrum for whatever was going to happen to you and your life. I know that the legacy he leaves is sitting here in this cathedral this morning and the circles that go out from here, because Bob Franks did what every leader aspires to do: and this is to inspire others. He has certainly inspired me. God bless you, Fran and the girls. And God Bless Bob for a life well spent. former gov. jon corzine I feel like a little loner up here. I'm not just sure how I identify, but I am thrilled to be here. Fran, I could not be more privileged or honored, to stand and say some words in celebration of a great life, of a good man, a very good man, someone that all of us, as you have heard, believed in, learned from, grew from. A man of credible character, conviction, courage, but probably the most defining thing that I think any of us can say about Bob is that he is a man who loved. He loved politics, loved all of his friends, the folks who are here, but most of all, most notably he loved his family. Fran, Sara, Abby and Kelly--a remarkable, remarkable testimony to his humanity and care. There was no pure, nor more poignant view of love than to have a conversation with Bob about his wife and his daughters. Others have spoken about that smile, but the thought and site of those girls, all those girls brought a joy and a light that I don't think I've seen in the passions that I've seen in other people anytime in life. You know, I'm probably like a lot of you. I have more pictures of Bob Franks' girls than I have of my own grandkids, because you couldn't have a meeting, a breakfast, a beer or anything else with Bob where he didn't share a picture and a posting on how the girls were doing. It meant so much to him. A special part of when you had that posting was that smile that was there as he talked about it. It was always, always there. Everybody else has said it. It was the most winning smile anyone could imagine. And almost never saw him not smile, except for a couple of occasions. Anytime the Giants were playing the Colts he had his game face on. I'm like Gov. Christie; I don't know where in the heck he got that view from, but that's the way it is. And then there were the days when we were running against each other for the United States Senate. It wasn't always smiles. Neither of us were smiling while the ads were running. In fact, I remember sitting on stage one night down at Rider College, I think it was, before a debate, we were getting mic-ed up. And he did smile, and we laughed, and we teased each other about the theater and maybe even a little bit about the B.S. that comes as you go through that process. And then he proceeded over the next 90 minutes to absolutely take me apart on healthcare, early childhood education and anything else, and the only time I saw him smile was when he dubbed me `Mr. Universal' in that night. Some of you remember that. It stuck, and I definitely remember him smiling at me that night. I actually was frowning. Anyone who followed Bob's career knew that once he found a winning argument, he knew how to stick with it. I must have heard that phrase, `Mr. Universal' a million times over the next six weeks. Message, message, message. When it came to politics, Bob knew it as well or better than anyone. And he demonstrated a remarkable talent in that campaign, because he took $6 million and made it something that was worth a lot more. And he showed what a pro could do. There was also something about that campaign that he and I actually grew to respect each other. You heard Congressman Kasich say that mutual respect is an important ingredient in our public life. Bob really believed that two people could be of principles--sometimes of different views but principled-- but they didn't have to be disagreeable, as we often hear. And after that campaign and over the years, we grew into an easy friendship based on that perspective, developed over time. We are occasional parishioners at Chuck's church, we were commiseraters over breakfast or over a beer. I did a lot with him as we supported the NJ National Guard. He did so much to support our troops that were in Iraq. And he fought for the things he believed in in political life in a lot of ways, but most of all even for a Democrat he became one of those people who offered guidance, offered perspective, offered counsel. He was true to the words that he would be a friend. Of course we had to sneak him in and out of Drumthwacket, and then we had to meet in the wine cellar for breakfast in Summit, Grand Summit Hotel. I was never sure whose reputation we were defending, his or mine. And then there were those moments at Christ's Church when we both showed up at the same time. Bob and his family on the right side. Of course, I was on the left side. We both fell into a pattern of rolling our eyes when Chuck would tell some miserable jokes about politics, which was all too frequent. It was almost a paradox because Bob was such a wonderful human being. You always wonder sometimes why he was in politics. People always trump politics in his life. He was a happy warrior. He had a passion for service and a strong sense of responsibility for community. But most importantly, as you heard others say, he loved his family. I know this is an unspeakable time for the Franks family, for Fran and the girls. There is nothing fair or right about losing Bob. I was reminded of a Winston Churchill phrase upon hearing of the death of Harry Hopkins. He said ``a strong, bright fierce flame has burned out of a frail body.'' Churchill was making clear we should never confuse the body and the soul. The strong, bright, fierce flame of Bob's soul lives in those three beautiful, beautiful girls, Abby, Sara and Kelly. His generosity and spirit, his love of people and life, his sense of purpose, justice, and oh, that smile, always that smile, will be with his girls, always. And with all of us as well. God bless Bob, his family and thank you for the life he has lived. gov. christie todd whitman Fran, Kelly, Sara, Abby, I hope you get a chance at some point to stand up and just absorb this room. Everyone here is a friend, or an admirer, a support of someone Bob mentored. They are here out of love. They are here out of love for Bob and what he stood for, and here for you, for the family. You know a lot of people who are involved in the rough-and-tumble of politics get characterized as either being really good at the political side of it, the background, the fierce fighting, or they're the policy wonks, that's what they care about. Bob was both. He was a fierce, fierce partisan. He was a Republican. He never made it personal, because he always knew it was about policy, about doing right by the people of the state. And that's what made him such a special person. He was a true gentleman, in every sense of the word. He honored the profession. He loved it. He had that smile. He lit up a room. But because he really cared. There was nothing fake about it. He wasn't putting it on. He loved and cared about everything. Of course we know he loved and cared most about his family. I can remember, Kelly, how many times did we get together at events. Your father and I would be talking about strategy or something and then all of the sudden your mom and you would walk into the room and then that was it. Forget the rest of it. It was his girls, the people he cared about the most. It was always first and foremost. But it was because he cared about all of it, all of us, what he was doing. His legacy, the people he mentored, all of that is important. We are remembering it here today and people care about it. But his real legacy is his family. And while each of you might not be able to turn around and see him sitting next to you with that sparkle in his eyes, he's there. He's in your hearts, he's the angels on your shoulder. He will always be there with you and for you. And he set an example, that is unmatched, and you are very very lucky to have had him. We are all very lucky to have had him, but though for all too short a period. It just reminds us all to take those special people and special moments and bring them close to our heart and never let that flame die. You know, Bob's flame is going to live on forever. Thank you for letting me be part of today. Governor tom kean This has been quite a week. I have not been to an event all week long, of any kind, where Bob hasn't been mentioned. Where there hasn't been some remarks, where there hasn't been some longing, been some discussion, public and private. And now to culminate in this. I think I counted seven former governors here today. I see our two United States Senators, I see the Congressional delegation. I see the legislature out there members of county government, and all of you who Bob touched in some way or another. But Fran, for you and your girls, June, for that remarkable young man that you brought up, we are here today. We come to pound on your heart with love. I remember that first time that I met Bob. There were two of us running, myself, a fellow called Phil Cottonbacker, and we're both in our early thirties. And in some ways we really didn't know what we were doing, but we were doing our best, knocking on doors, trying to meet people. And then one day, Bob came, out of Summit High School. And I remember because that's the first time I saw that smile we're all talking about. That's when I saw the cheerfulness. That's when I saw the optimism. He already knew as much about politics as I did, maybe more. I learned something else about Bob. Bob was a pied piper, because first Bob came to volunteer, then he brought a friend, then he brought two friends, then three and four friends. Soon we had 10 people from Bob's class, knocking on doors, going to supermarkets, passing out literature, pressing envelopes, whatever we needed, because Bob made it fun. Bob made it fun for other people. Bob was sometimes, I think, you know, meeting Bob was like opening a bottle of fine champagne. Everything, everything was good at that point. Well, we won that election and Bob and I stayed in touch. And it came a number of years later--I'm going to talk about three basic incidents in my life Bob touched. I was trying to decide whether to run for governor. I'd lost once already in a primary. My family was not terribly enthusiastic about the prospect. I knew there were other strong candidates in the field. I knew that one of them had much more money then we would ever be able to spend. I knew that another one had much more party support than I would ever get. And so the serious question was whether to take this one on. Well it wasn't a serious question to Bob. Not at all. Bob was on the phone. Bob was there in person. Bob was running around the state. Bob was doing whatever it took, and he would never let me for a minute even consider the possibility, that I wasn't going to run. He basically beat on my door until I finally declared. And once I declared, the campaign was basically run out of Bob's car for a while. I mean he became my first campaign manager. People would call me from different parts of the state who I'd never heard of, saying `You know, I'd like to support you for governor.' I'd say `That's wonderful. You like my ideas?' They'd say `No, I like Bob Franks.' And, of course, Bob brought a number of assets, because not only did he bring that wonderful enthusiasm and excitement and all of that, he brought Al Fasola and Roger Bodman. And once you had Al Fasola, and Roger Bodman and Bob Franks, it didn't matter who had the money, it didn't matter who had the political support--I think we ended up with four county chairmen out of 21. It didn't matter. You were going to win, because you had the best. And Bob was such an important part of that and our whole campaign with that enthusiasm. He got people in the legislature to defy their own county organizations and their own county parties and come out and endorse me, and those of you in politics know how tough that is for anybody to do. He was a remarkable. And I'll say it here: I don't know if I would have run or not, but I certainly would not have been elected if it were not for the efforts of Bob Franks. When I got there, there were a lot of problems. We were in a debt point, in a recession as we are now. We had a billion dollar deficit, had a legislature of the other party, both houses, and it was difficult. It was very, very difficult. But there in my office, would be Bob. And Bob would come it, with that smile, that cheerfulness and that optimism, showing me how we could do it, how we could get something done. He would bring in not only Republicans but Democrats. He would tell me `Have you talked to this assemblyman, or that senator? You know he's the other party, but he's really a good person, and you can talk to them about issues.' And we did that. We put together some of those coalitions. But always, always in the background was Bob, who cared so much, who wanted to see it done right, who did it himself, always the right way. You know he was always positive. He was never down. He loved his colleagues in both his parties. He could be partisan, but never negative, never nasty in any way at all. He cared so much. The bottom line I think, that not only did he love politics, but he cared so much about people. He loved them: individuals, peoples who touched his life and he came back and touched theirs in a very, very important way. Politics for Bob was an honorable profession which meant responsibility and opportunity for achievement and very much an exciting adventure. After all, what is the use of living, if not to strive for great causes and perhaps make this muddled world of ours a little better place. Bob did that. He cared about that. The Reverend mentioned St. Paul, when he was in that prison. He wrote something else. He wrote to his best friend, he wrote a note. He wrote to Timothy. He wrote these letters, these words, I think most of you know, to Timothy. He said: `I have fought the good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.' Bob could have spoken those words. Fran, you and the girls ought to be so proud, June you ought to be so very proud. We are all better people for having known Bob. I think of him smiling, I think of his cheerfulness, I think of his enthusiasm, and today, I envy the angels. Former Congressman John Kasich Look around. It's amazing today, isn't it? You know, on the wall of Bob's house is a poster of Bobby Kennedy who would be surprised? He was a man of great passion, just like Bob. I remember as a young man, one young girl holding a sign as Bobby Kennedy passed by, and the sign said: ``Bring Us Together.'' Bob Franks has brought us together, hasn't he? And not just the people at the top. He's brought so many of his young proteges here today who have grown from young into almost middle-aged men. Bob was a truly remarkable man and our friendship was forged in the battles of trying to improve America. That's what it was all about. It was never about the politics. It was always about what we could do to make the world a little better place for our children and their children. Last week I sat down with some of the people who were on this team. We went through thick and thin, through government shutdowns, and criticisms and blowups and yelling and all wonderful debate that sometimes accompanies politics when it isn't personal. It's part of life, it's part of what makes this republic special. And we listed a couple of things that we wanted to think about Bob, and I wanted to tell you about Bob. First of all, insightful. I don't think I ever met a more insightful man than Bob Franks. He could look at something that everybody else saw and he would always see it differently. He could see the twist in it. He could take advantage of it to move the ball downfield. How about his cutting-edge humor? Always a little cutting-edge humor no matter where you were. Sometimes Bob was even good at gallows humor. You know when there was not even a speck of light shining in the room, Bob could make us all laugh. He'd remove the pressure. He'd have the little quip, and we'd all get the belly laugh going. It would happen when there was no humor in sight. Loyalty. You know kids today say `You got my back?' Bob Franks had your back. He didn't care if you were a Republican or a Democrat, a liberal or a conservative. It didn't mean anything. When You were his friend, he had your back. And he exemplified exactly what we mean by that term. Friendly. Well he's known for that smile. Some said earlier, he walked into a room and lit it up. And that was exactly right, because he had that 100 megawatt smile that sort of transmitted a sense of strength. He had a sense that things are going to be OK, things are going to be good. Things can be really great. Bob never attacked anybody else. In all the years I knew him I never heard him say a bad thing about anybody. He was smart. And what made him so smart is that he understood that the key to life was not the divisions that exist between people, but the friendships that potentially could be developed. And he was a smart of a guy as I ever met and he transferred on to these three angels down here [gestures to Franks' daughters] because they're as smart as can be. Great strategist? Didn't want to be up against him, did you? Nobody wanted to be up against Bob when he got into strategy, and frankly, think about what a great general he would have been in the military. He could have sat in that tent and figured how to take advantage of every opportunity. And that's exactly what he did working with me to do something that hadn't been done in about 40 years. Oh, he loved his family. Gov. Christie's right. My conversations were always `Mr. Chairman, how's the family. How's the girls'. I'd said `Chairman, how's your family?' It always started that way. Kinda always ended that way. God, did he love his friends. Roger Bodman, Al Fasola. Oh, and Laura. Ah, he just loved you to pieces. And of course he so loved his family, and so loved Fran and those sweet girls. Saw Kelly yesterday, that she gave me a big hug. And through the gate, they were in the back yard, I got a chance to see Sara and Abbey really for the first time. Little angels, and a tribute to Fran and to Bob. Of course he loved his Colts. Governor, I could never figure it our either. I mean that Colt thing was just unbelievable. He could give you bad news, couldn't he governor? He could give you bad news but in such a way that you could accept it. He gave more bad news more of the time than I can even believe! But I heard it, and I accepted it because he had that special something. When he gave you a little bad news, you knew that he had your back. You knew that he was right with you. You could never be mad at Bob Franks. That was impossible. No matter what he did to you, you loved him. You never go upset with him. I guess it was always because you knew he had your back. What a listener Bob was. You know, it was one of the things that many of us have to do better. Bob could reply and understand because he listened. He listened intently to anything you had to say. I liked to call him a foxhole guy. And I measure people `Are they a foxhole guy.' In other words can I get into a foxhole with this guy in the middle of the worst battle you can imagine and know not only would he not jump out of that foxhole to run and preserve himself, but he would jump out of that foxhole and fight to help you. Oh, he was a great foxhole guy. Friendship. Today in the age of a media culture, fleeting, situational, conditional, tattered--not with Bob. His friendship had nothing to do with situations and conditions, he would be friend to you through thick and thin. And frankly when we think about it we can learn so much about what character and principle and tenacity is when we study the life of Bob Franks. There is no question he left the world a better place. Earlier today in the private ceremony, I wish you all could have heard the testimonies to Bob. And under all of them was a deep and abiding love and a sense that he made everybody better because he believed in them. He made this world a much better place. He inspires us. And I was inspired this morning listening to the testimony of his dearest friends and family and the young people that he raised. They're going to leave their mark on the world and they're leaving it right now as one of the top aides to the governor of the State of New Jersey. Yeah, I'm going to miss Bob. I'm going to miss those calls. But you know I'm going to remember this day, the testimonies this morning, and this crowd, which is all about how great his life was and about how many lives he impacted and affected in a real way. You know, Reverend, the Lord gives us a big promise. I've never known the Lord, as I've studied it, to break his promises. Fran, he promises in the next life, no more tears, no more heartache, no more broken relationships, no more war, no more death, and only happiness and fulfillment to be put under the wings of the Lord. I believe it. That's where Bob's today. God, Bless you Bob. We love you, we miss you. We'll see you soon.