Ed Towns

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Hector B. Fernandez, an accomplished professional and model citizen of New York. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding man and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his impressive service. Hector B. Fernandez was born in the Dominican Republic to Mercedes and Benjamin Fernandez. At the age of 7, his family immigrated to the United States and settled in the borough of Manhattan, New York. He was reared in a traditional Latino home where hard work and education is valued and rigorously enforced. Mr. Fernandez received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Metropolitan College of New York and has over 25 years of professional experience with the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation and local not-for-profit organizations. He has dedicated the past 20 years of his life to serving individuals and their families afflicted with the illness of addiction. His strong convictions and compassionate nature serves him well in supporting those individuals that are less fortunate. As the Addiction Program Administrator for Chemical Dependency Services in the Department of Psychiatry at the North Brooklyn Health Network, Mr. Fernandez is responsible for planning, creating and delivering innovative programs and initiatives. He is driven by the affirmations of the successes and accomplishments of those he serves. One of his strongest attributes is his ability to build and sustain relationships with key stakeholders to increase the quality of services and resources at Woodhull Medical Center. His determination to succeed is supported by his team of staff as they collectively develop ideas and strategies for the clients and the community at large. Mr. Fernandez is a certified New York State Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, and he has been recognized for his exemplary work ethic by the North Brooklyn Health Network Department of Social Work. His success is built on a strong family nucleus consisting of his wife Nancy, and three children of whom he is very proud: Jeremy, Natalie and Xavier. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Hector B. Fernandez. His deep commitment to family and community makes him most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to the Austrian Consulate in New York as they honor one of my district's outstanding human rights groups, The Rav Tov International Jewish Rescue Organization. Founded in 1973, at the behest of the former Grand Rabbi of Satmar, Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum of blessed memory, in 1973, Rav Tov was initially established to rescue the persecuted Jewish community living in the former Soviet Union. Rabbi Teitelbaum, himself a survivor of the Holocaust, saw his family perish at the hands of the Nazis. He envisioned Rav Tov as the protective shield for the global Jewish community living in tyrannical regimes. Rav Tov's heroic accomplishments of rescuing and resettling Soviet Jewry was only possible with the unflinching cooperation and support of the Austrian government, which hosted the refugees as they waited for their final resettlement. It is estimated that 367,000 Jews stayed in Vienna between 1968-1989 rebuilding their often shattered lives in free countries. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the focus of Rav Tov's and Austrian efforts have been to save other endangered Jewish communities that still exist around the world. As a result of the enduring bonds between Rav Tov and the Austrian government, the Austrian Federal President, Dr. Heinz Fischer, has decided to confer the prestigious Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold to Rabbi David Niederman, Rav Tov's Chief Executive for over three decades, which will be presented to him at a ceremony today at the Austrian Consulate in New York. This wonderful event is not only a testament to the resolve of the Austrian government in saving Jews in peril, but a celebration of the strong relationship between the United States and Austria. Mr. Speaker, as Rav Tov's representative in Congress, I have been privileged to work with them and the Austrian government on many pressing issues facing Jews in danger. I would like to particularly make mention of Austria's New York Consul General Brigitta Blaha and the Deputy Consul General Andreas Launer for their tireless work on Rav Tov's behalf. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me today in commending the Austrian government and Rav Tov for their phenomenal partnership in rescuing Jews around the world living in fear and danger.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Benita A. Allison, a distinguished citizen of Brooklyn, New York. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding woman and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing her many accomplishments. Born to the late Lamonias Smith-Ody and William Smith, Benita A. Allison remains a part of the Brooklyn community today. Ms. Allison is a product of the New York public school system and has received certificates from Brooklyn College and New York University. Ms. Allison has had many firsts in her career and life, among them; she was the first Black woman to be an Institutional Stock Trader for a major bank in New York City. She was accepted in one of the first classes that included woman of color to enter and graduate from the New York City Police Academy as a New York City Police Officer where she served 18 months. Ms. Allison has been very involved in the community. She represents her church, 1st Baptist Church of Crown Heights, as a ``Mission Advocate''. Ms. Allison holds numerous memberships and sits on many community boards. She sits on the Economic Development Board of Community Board 8 and is a member of the Service Corp of Retired Executives. Ms. Allison is a lifetime member of Church Women United in Brooklyn and is a past member of the National Council of Negro Women (Flatbush Section). Ms. Allison served as a Regional Resource Consultant for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she was responsible for providing capacity building services to the minority community/faith based HIV/AIDS population. She has also served on the Mental Health Advisory Board for Brookdale University Hospital in Brooklyn, New York and the Pastoral Care HIV/AIDS Advisory Board for Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. Since 2003, Ms. Allison has worked as a Parent Coordinator for New York City Department of Education. As a Parent Coordinator she works and partners with community organizations to assist parents and families with such issues as housing, employment, adult training and education. She has held workshops to address such topics as adult education training, immigration and conflict mediation. Ms. Allison's work has not gone unnoticed and has earned her recognition from the New York City Conference of Mayors, the New Jersey HIV Care Network and Barber-Scotia College. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the work of Benita A. Allison. Her deep commitment to her family and community makes her most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the jazz musician, Wayne C. Wiltshire, distinguished artist of the music industry. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding artist and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his impressive accomplishments. Wayne C. Wiltshire has spent his entire 33 year career trying to improve access to healthcare for thousands of New Yorkers. First, as administrator for Emergency and Ambulatory Care Services at Cumberland Hospital and then as Associate Executive Director at Woodhull Hospital, which he helped open in 1982. Mr. Wiltshire then returned to renovate the new Cumberland D&TC, and served as their first Executive Director for 8 years. He later was transferred to Bellevue Hospital where he served for 5 years as the hospital's first African-American Associate Executive Director for Psychiatry and Emergency Services. During this time, Mr. Wiltshire was also an adjunct professor at St. Joseph's College in Brooklyn and owned his own ambulette service--Health Link, Incorporated with his father Cuthbert Wiltshire and brother David Wiltshire. With a Master's Degree in Community Health from LID and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Politics from Shaw University, Mr. Wiltshire, a Canarsie High School graduate, is currently the Chief Executive Officer for the Paul J. Cooper Center for Human Services, Inc., formerly the Brownsville-Oceanhill Mental Health Service. Mr. Wiltshire celebrated his twenty-first wedding anniversary in July with his wife Donna, who is also a twenty-nine year health professional. They have four children--Marc, Ngina, Kelli-Lin and Victor. From Fort Greene to Williamsburg, and now Brownsville, Mr. Wiltshire has helped shape the health care landscape of Brooklyn, which has helped improve access to health care for thousands of New Yorkers. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Wayne C. Wiltshire. His commitment to improving healthcare access makes him most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the renowned jazz musician, Nathan East, a distinguished member of the music industry. It behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding artist and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his impressive accomplishments. Born one of seven children to Thomas and Gwendolyn East on December 8, 1955, in Philadelphia, PA, Nathan East and his family moved to San Diego, CA, when he was 4 years old to accommodate his father's aerodynamic engineering position at General Dynamics. As a child, East would peck out familiar melodies on the family piano. Music filled the home as his sister Cecilia practiced the French horn and their sister Gertrude played the flute. When Nathan was in the seventh grade, he began playing cello in the junior high school orchestra. At age 14, he switched to bass guitar, inspired by his older brother David's mastery of the guitar. He began playing for local church groups and folk masses with his brothers. East played along with the recordings of jazz bassists Ray Brown, Ron Carter, Charles Mingus, Buster Williams, Scott LaFaro, Motown's James Jamerson, James Brown, Sly Stone with Larry Graham, Cream, and horn bands like Chicago, Tower of Power and Blood, Sweat & Tears as they came over the radio or out of his record player. The young bassist began playing in his high school's jazz ensemble, marching band, choir, chorus, and pep band, as well as local Top 40 bands. He also listened to Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Cannonball Adderley, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, George Benson, Bob James, Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, session bassist Chuck Rainey, Earth, Wind & Fire's Verdine White, and Francis Rocco Prestia. East's breakthrough came while he was a member of a band named Power. They were hired as the house band for a Stax revue. The recognition brought the attention of Barry White, who hired the entire band for a national tour. Still a teenager, East became a member of the Love Unlimited Orchestra (``Love's Theme'') playing The Apollo Theater, Madison Square Garden, Kennedy Center and other major U.S. venues. East earned a bachelor of arts degree in Music from University of California at San Diego. He began work on a master's degree when instructor Bertram Turetzky suggested that he already had enough education and that it was time for him to move to Los Angeles to try and start a lucrative music career. While involved with the San Diego club and studio scene, Barry White contacted him to play on many of his recording projects. In early 1980, veteran writer/arranger Gene Page, whom East had worked with on White's sessions, called the bassist to play on a recording session for a Hertz commercial jingle. Impressed with East's ability to read music as well as his diverse playing skills, Page used East on numerous projects (Dionne Warwick, Johnny Mathis, Whitney Houston, and Madonna). As East's reputation grew on the L.A. session scene, so did his job calls. From that point on, East worked consistently, He did sessions for Lionel Richie (``Endless Love,'' Kenny Rogers' ``Lady'') and Kenny Loggins (``Footloose'', ``Vox Humana''). He toured with Loggins appearing with the singer at Live Aid in 1985. Eric Clapton heard East and invited him to join his band. With keyboardist Greg Phillinganes and drummer Phil Collins, they toured the world over and performed multiple concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall which resulted in the release of Clapton's ``24 Nights'' CD, 1988. In 1990, East was one of four musicians that formed the supergroup, Fourplay. The group had phenomenal success: albums selling millions of copies, several times charting at No. 1 as well as remaining on the chart as long as 90 weeks and a Grammy nomination. East was voted the Most Valuable Player in the bass category at the International Rock Awards. He also won Britain's most prestigious Ivor Novello Award for co-writing the number one hit song ``Easy Lover'' with Phil Collins and Philip Bailey. East has developed his own Yamaha Signature Series bass guitar (the BBNE-2) available in stores worldwide. He also has an instructional VHS video, Contemporary Electric Bass and instructional DVD, The Business of Bass, (distributed by Hal Leonard Music Publishing Co), a behind the scenes look that goes into considerable detail on the steps he has taken, the choices and decisions made and the mindset that has successfully earned him both the profile and a respect many players would be pleased to call their own. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Nathan East, as he offers his talents and services for the betterment of our local and global communities, Mr. Speaker, Nathan East's selfless service has continuously demonstrated a level of altruistic dedication that makes him most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. Mr. Speaker, this red ribbon is saying to people across this country, don't get involved with drugs. Young people, stay in school. That is what it is saying, and stay away from drugs. So every time you see this red ribbon, especially you young people, understand that it is saying, do not get involved in drugs. Camerena gave his life trying to make this world a better place for us to live. We should never forget that. So we should wear the red ribbon, saying to people everywhere that we will not tolerate the use of drugs in this country, illegal drugs. Also, let me just conclude by saying that we have an obligation and a responsibility to keep the work of Camerena alive; and we need to do that by demonstrating everywhere that we go that we have this red ribbon on, and that is what it means. The red ribbon says no to drugs. Stay in school, young people.

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H. Res. 1028, a resolution that recognizes and supports the concept of Red Ribbon Week. The Red Ribbon campaign began in 1985 after drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered Kiki Camarena, a United States Drug Enforcement agent. Red Ribbon Week is sponsored by the National Family Partnership. Each year more than 80 million people show their commitment to a healthy, drug-free life by wearing a red ribbon. During the last 8 days of October, those who wear the red ribbon are saying that we will not tolerate the use or sale of illicit drugs in our Nation. Substance abuse, and the sale of illegal drugs, is a serious problem in this country. That is why it is so important that as we approach the month of October that we remember Kiki Camarena by wearing a red ribbon. Preventing substance abuse and the associated violence that took Kiki's life is of great concern to me. Let us celebrate the life and work of Kiki Camarena by passing H. Res. 1028. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the jazz supergroup, Fourplay, distinguished artists of the music industry. It behooves us to pay tribute to these outstanding artists and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing the group's impressive accomplishments. Fourplay debuted with a splash in 1991. Their self-titled debut album sold more than one million copies and lodged for 33 weeks at the top of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz charts. The follow-up album, Between the Sheets, reached number one, earned gold status, and was nominated for a Grammy in 1993. The band went three-for-three in 1995 with its third release, Elixir, which also hit number one and stayed on the charts for more than a year and a half. And, as if to save time, its fourth album, 4, entered the charts at number one. The magic of Fourplay is based on the interactions between keyboardist Bob James, bassist Nathan East, guitarist Larry Carlton, and drummer Harvey Mason, each a pop music icon in his own right. Now in heavy rotation at radio throughout the country, Fourplay X, the supergroup's landmark tenth album, entered the Billboard Jazz Charts at the number one position and has remained No.1 for five weeks. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Fourplay. The group's phenomenal success makes them most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of the reauthorization of the Older American Act of 2006. For the past 40 years, millions of senior citizens have benefited from the support and nutritional services provided by this law which promotes the dignity and independence of older people and meet the challenges associated with the aging. Seniors are the fastest growing population group in the United States. In 2000, there were an estimated 35 million people age 65 and older, representing about 13 percent of the population. It is predicted that by 2030, this number will double to 70 million people; and about 20 percent, or 1 in 5 Americans, will be age 65 and older. According to the New York State Office for the Aging, the 60 and older population will grow by 40 percent over the next 30 years due, in large part, to the influx of baby boomers. As the elderly population increases, more services will be required to ensure their independence. I will continue to ensure that necessary funds are allocated, so that New York is not penalized because of the redistribution of funds to ``high growth'' States. We must not allow meals and services to be taken away from elderly people in one State to give to elderly people in another State. I hope my colleagues will join me in preserving this much-needed program for American seniors everywhere.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. This bill, maybe if we changed the name of it, maybe it might help some folks, because this is called the winner-loser bill. Calling it Ryan White is a misnomer. I think that is a shame, that we would move legislation without the opportunity to amend it and to try to make it better and to be able to deal with the States that are getting hurt. We act as if we are not talking about human beings. New York State would lose $17 million. And, of course, the Governor of the State has said he is against the bill and the mayor of the city indicated that he is against the bill. And every Member of the New York State delegation, New York City delegation has indicated that they are actually against this legislation. I don't understand why we have to rush this and put this kind of bill on suspension. It seems to me that this is a bill that we would bring up and give people an opportunity to amend it and make it as strong as possible, because we are talking about lives. So the reauthorization does not have to be brought up this kind of way. And let us be candid, Brooklyn itself would lose approximately $3 million, and that is the epicenter of the disease. So I don't understand why we can't take our time and provide help for the people that truly need help. Of course I am against this bill in every way, and I am hoping that my colleagues understand that we can do a much better job and that we need to do a much better job. What we have to do now is to defeat it and then let us go back and come up with a bill that is going to improve the quality of life for people that need it. I hope the Members of this body will understand that. These States that are losing, and there are quite a few of them, I think that we would want to do something and do it right on behalf of the people. So I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to welcome to the United States, our true friend and strong ally, the President of Kazakhstan, His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev. Since gaining independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has overcome numerous obstacles and challenges to emerge as one of the world's most dynamic and promising nations. Much of the credit for that should go to President Nazarbayev who led his country through difficult and painful reforms which brought about strong economic and democratic change. Economically, Kazakhstan is accelerating beyond neighboring countries and most other countries in the world. It is evident that citizens of Kazakhstan are being offered a better tomorrow because the leadership remains committed in investing in its people and country. Democratically, the ongoing economic liberalization inspired by President Nazarbayev would not be possible without the establishment of democratic institutions coupled with a civil society unique to the social-political nature of Kazakhstan and its people. The creation of over 5,000 NGO's, the founding of an independent judiciary, and the institutionalizing of a pluralistic, multi-party system are just a few examples of the impressive ``resume of freedom'' that this nation has built over the last decade. Kazakhstan is setting a noble example of what can be accomplished through democracy. Democratization and domestic initiatives are intricately linked to foreign policy. Kazakhstan's dedication to the war on terror is admirable and deeply appreciated by the United States. It is important that the United States and Kazakhstan continue to work together to defeat those who want to destroy our most treasured values. Today, Kazakhstan is a strong promoter of global peace and stability and I commend President Nazarbayev for taking concrete steps to bring together people of different religions by initiating the Congress of World and Traditional Religions which has become a respected forum where believers of all faiths can work in partnership to find better ways for a better future. Additionally, Kazakhstan continues to serve as a model to the global community in its leadership on nonproliferation by voluntarily disarming what was once the world's fourth largest nuclear arsenal. Mr. Speaker, Kazakhstan has a rich cultural heritage and a bright future. The people of Kazakhstan should be proud of their achievements and their leader. It is my hope that the United States and Kazakhstan will continue to build bridges, share ideas, and work closely together for years to come. I am confident that President Nazarbayev's visit to Washington is a strong testament of our growing strategic partnership, and I join many of my colleagues in wishing him a joyful and productive stay in our Nation's Capital.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I am extremely disappointed that after an entire year, we cannot get the Ryan White reauthorization process right. We should not be robbing Peter to pay Paul. That means we should not be cutting precious funds from places like New York, New Jersey, California, and many other States that have historically borne the burden of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. We should have enough money to take care of the people who are most at risk, regardless of where they live. The amendment that I offered in committee that would have added the needed funds was defeated. But I plan to offer it again on the floor, and I hope that the outcome is very, very different. We need to get the money to places that have substantially high HIV/ AIDS populations, particularly African American and Hispanic women and men, and substance abusers. We cannot leave these most at-risk populations without medications and care. This reauthorization in its present form does just that. And it is wrong, and I am hoping that the Members of this body will realize that we need to do something about this and should not leave people just to die and die because we are not acting properly.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, recently, Dal Khalsa USA held a seminar in support of Khalistan, the Sikh homeland. It was a significant demonstration of the continuing support that the Sikh people have for freedom for their homeland. Paramjit Singh Sekhon and Gagandecp Singh, who lead Dal Khalsa USA and organized the seminar, are to be congratulated. Speakers, included Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, Dr. Ajit Pal Singh Sandhu, and Dr. Arjinder Singh Sekhorn. Freedom is a dream that people all over the world share and we should be encouraging it, Mr. Speaker. Both here and in Punjab, support for Khalistan is on the rise and getting more visible. As the beacon of liberty in the world, it is our duty to encourage people who are reaching for freedom. The essence of democracy is the right to self-determination. But in India, all that elections do for minorities is to change the faces of the oppressors. The time has come to go on record in support of a democratic vote on freedom for Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagaland, and all the minority nations of South Asia. And we should stop our aid to India and our trade until human rights are respected. Mr. Speaker, the Council of Khalistan issued a press release on the seminar. I would like to add it to the Record. Dal Khalsa USA Holds Seminar on Khalistan Washington, D.C.--Dal Khalsa USA held a seminar on Khalistan In Fremont, California from August 25 to August 27, The seminar focused on the need to liberate Khalistan, the Sikh homeland, from Indian occupation. Khalistan is the Sikh homeland that declared its independence from India on October 7, 1987. Speakers included Dr. Gurmit Singh aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, Managing Editor of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs, Dr. Ajit Pal Singh Sandhu, Colonel Arjinderpal Singh Sekhon (US Army Reserve), and others, The seminar was organized by Sardar Paramjit Singh Sekhon, President of Dal Khalsa USA, and Sardar Gagandeep Singh, General Secretary of Dal Khalsa

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, the President of the Council of Khalistan, whom many of us know, has been awarded the International Peace Prize Award by Dal Khalsa USA. It was awarded for his tireless efforts in support of peace in South Asia and freedom for the Sikh nation. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Aulakh on this prestigious award and congratulate Dal Khalsa on selecting such a worthy honoree. Dr. Aulakh bas worked for over 20 years to free the Sikh nation from oppression that has taken the lives of more than a quarter of a million Sikhs and left over 52,000 as political prisoners. He has worked with many of us here in Congress on both sides of the aisle to expose this repression and free his people. Mr. Speaker, we should help this struggle by declaring our support for a free and fair plebiscite in Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagaland, and wherever they are seeking the kind of freedom that we enjoy, and we should stop giving aid and trade to India until it stops oppressing its people. I would like to insert the press release on Dr. Aulakh's award into the Record. Dr. Aulakh Receives International Peace Award Washington, D.C., Sept. 12, 2006.--Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh. President of the Council of Khalistan, received the International Peace Prize Award on August 27 from Dal Khalsa of America, headed by Sardar Paramjit Singh Sekhon. The award was presented at a ceremony at the Fremont Gurdwara in Fremont, California. He was nominated for this prestigious award by Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, Managing Editor of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs. According to a Dal Khalsa USA press release, he was given the award ``for his tireless service to preserve peace in South Asia in particular and the world in general.'' The release cites Dr. Aulakh for ``continuing the Sikhs'' struggle to regain their lost sovereignty, independence, and political power, by peaceful means.'' The award was presented for Dr. Aulakh's continuing efforts to internationalize the peaceful, democratic, nonviolent Sikh struggle for independence and the human rights violations against the Sikhs in India. He has been a tireless worker for the cause of Sikh freedom. Dr. Aulakh has raised awareness of the massive human-rights violations in India. The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikh infants, children, youth, men, women, and elderly since 1984, more than 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, over 90,000 Muslims in Kashmir, tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims throughout the country, and tens of thousands of Assamese, Bodos, Dalits, Manipuris, Tamils, and others. Indian police arrested human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra after he exposed their policy of mass cremation of Sikhs, in which over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested, tortured, and murdered, then their bodies were declared unidentified and secretly cremated, Khalra was murdered in police custody. His body was not given to his family. No one has been brought to justice for the kidnapping and murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra. The police never released the body of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke after SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna murdered him. He has never been tried for the Jathedar Kaunke murder. In 1994, the U.S. State Department reported that the Indian government had paid over 41,000 cash bounties for killing Sikhs. A report by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR) quotes the Punjab Civil Magistracy as writing ``if we add up the figures of the last few years the murder of innocent persons killed would run into lakhs [hundreds of thousands.]'' The Indian Supreme Court called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse than a genocide.'' The MASR report states that 52,268 Sikhs are being held as political prisoners in India without charge or trial, mostly under a repressive law known as the ``Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act'' (TADA), which expired in 1995. Many have been in illegal custody since 1984! There has been no list published of those who were acquitted under TADA and those who are still rotting in Indian jails. Tens of thousands of other minorities are also being held as political prisoners, according to Amnesty International. ``We demand the Immediate release of all these political prisoners,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``Why are there political prisoners in a democracy?'' Missionary Graham Staines was murdered along with his two sons, ages 8 and 10, by a mob of militant, fundamentalist Hindu nationalists who set fire to the jeep, surrounded it, and chanted ``Victory to Hannuman,'' a Hindu god. Missionary Joseph Cooper was beaten so badly that he had to spend a week in an Indian hospital. Then the Indian government threw him out of the country. None of the people involved has been tried. The persons who have murdered priests, raped nuns, and burned Christian churches have not been charged or tried. Police broke up a Christian religious festival with gunfire. The murderers of 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat have never been brought to trial. An Indian newspaper reported that the police were ordered not to get involved in that massacre, a frightening parallel to the Delhi massacre of Sikhs in 1984. ``Sikhs and other minorities cannot live under Indian rule,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``The actions of the Indian government have made it clear that there is no place for Sikhs or other minorities such as Christians, Muslims, Dalits, and others in India's Hindu theocracy,'' he said. Dr. Aulakh took note of the charges filed against 35 Sikhs for making speeches and raising the Khalistani flag. ``Clearly India is scared of the peaceful, democratic, nonviolent movement for freedom inside and outside Punjab, Khalistan,'' he said. History shows that multinational states such as India are doomed to failure. Countries like Austria-Hungary, India's longtime friend the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and others prove this point. India is not one country; it is a polyglot like those countries, thrown together for the convenience of the British colonialists. It is doomed to break up as they did. Currently, there are 17 freedom movements within India's borders. It has 18 official languages. ``Only a sovereign, independent Khalistan will end the repression and raise the standard of living for the people of Punjab,'' said Dr. Gurmit Aulakh. ``As Professor Darshan Singh, former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, said, `If a Sikh is not a Khallstani, he is not a Sikh.','' Dr. Aulakh said. ``We must free Khalistan now.''

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, the Council of Khalistan recently published an open letter showing that the effort to liberate Khalistan from Indian occupation is closer than ever to success. It took note of the speeches and the raising of the flag in support of Khalistan, of the seminar that was given that promoted Khalistan, and numerous other activities that have moved forward the peaceful effort to liberate Khalistan. The letter argues that Khalistan is the only issue facing the Sikhs. It cites examples of people living in tyranny who put their differences aside to oust the tyrants and urges the Sikh nation to learn from those examples and do the same. It calls on the political leaders in Punjab, Khalistan, to focus their attention on the issue of liberating Khalistan from Indian occupation rather than the lesser issues that so often command their attention. I recommend this letter highly, Mr. Speaker. It provides an excellent overview of the situation in Punjab, Khalistan. Mr. Speaker, we must do our part to ensure freedom to the people of Khalistan and all the oppressed people of south Asia and the world. This is critical if we are proclaiming the American values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, which are cornerstones of American foreign policy. In pursuit of that goal, we should end our aid to India and our trade with India until it respects the basic human rights of all people under its control, treating them fairly, equally, and with dignity. And we should actively support democracy for the people of Khalistan and all the occupied nations, such as Kashmir, Nagalim, and others, in the form of democracy and self-determination. They should have a free and fair vote on their status, the democratic way. Does India have a problem with democracy for the people it rules? If so, it is not worthy of our support. I would like to put the Council of Khalistan's open letter into the Record for the information of my colleagues and the American people. Sikh Leadership Must Unite to Free Khalistan August 14, 2006. Dear Khalsa Ji: As I write this letter, we are again approaching Indian Independence Day. Although it is a celebration for the uppercaste Hindus, it is a black day on the calendar for Sikhs and other minorities suffering under the boot of Indian repression. Over 52,000 of our Sikh brothers and sisters remain in illegal Indian custody as political prisoners without charge or trial. More than a quarter of a million of our fellow Sikhs have been murdered by the Indian government. Similar genocide has been inflicted on Christians, Muslims, and other minorities. Is this what India celebrates? Are they celebrating bloodshed, violence, brutality, and tyranny? Unfortunately, that is the way it looks. How does a democracy justify that kind of celebration? The flame of freedom continues to burn brightly in the heart of the Sikh Nation. No force can suppress it. The arrests last year and earlier this year of Sikh activists, mostly from Dal Khalsa, merely for raising the Khalistani flag and making pro-Khalistan speeches shows that the movement to free our homeland is on the rise. It has gotten the attention of the world. The seminar organized by former Member of Parliament Sardar Atinder Pal Singh, who has publicly asked why we can't have Khalistan, also moved the cause of freedom for Khalistan forward. We are closer to freedom than ever before, despite the ongoing repression. Recently, a coalition of Sikh leaders led by Simranjit Singh Mann has come together to oppose both Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal. While it is good to oppose both of these leaders, who are puppets of the brutal Indian regime, the small, incremental proposals that the Mann-led coalition is making do little to solve the basic problems of the Sikh Nation. The real issue is Khalistan. That is why these 35 Sikhs face charges from the Indian government for raising the Khalistani flag and speaking for Khalistan, not merely for opposition to Badal and Amarinder. As worthwhile as it may be to oppose them, it is diverting the attention of the Sikh Nation from the real issue of Khalistan. India is trying to subvert Khalistan's independence by overrunning Punjab with non-Sikhs while keeping Sikhs from escaping the brutal repression in Punjab. We must redouble our efforts to free our homeland, Punjab, Khalistan. That is the only way to keep these atrocities from continuing and to protect the Sikh Nation. This is a direct challenge to the Sikh leadership, irrespective of their party affiliation. Yet the new coalition wants to practice politics as usual, within the Indian system. That will never achieve freedom, dignity, security, or prosperity for the Sikhs of Punjab, Khalistan. They must speak out forcefully for Khalistan or their efforts are useless. Please do not waste the Sikh Nation's time on other issues that divert our attention from liberating Khalistan. Those issues can and should be dealt with after Khalistan is free. But until then, no other issue matters to the future of the Khalsa Panth. Other nations that have faced repression have taught us the lesson that these politicians need to learn. When Nicaragua suffered under a repressive government in the 1980s, the opposition factions put aside their differences and worked together to free the people from the repression of the Ortega regime. A similar thing is happening in other countries around the world today. They know that these differences, as important as they may be, are for a later day. First, they must secure freedom. Any organization that sincerely supports Khalistan deserves the support of the Sikh Nation. However, the Sikh Nation needs leadership that is honest, sincere, consistent, and dedicated to the cause of Sikh freedom. But we should only support sincere, dedicated, honest leaders. The Council of Khalistan has stood strongly and consistently for liberating our homeland, Khalistan, from Indian occupation. For over 20 years we have led this fight while others were trying to divert the resources and the attention of the Sikh Nation away from the issue of freedom in a sovereign, independent Khalistan. Mr. Mann is not trustworthy. He is conniving with the Indian government. His letter pledging support for ``the constitution and territorial integrity of India'' is reproduced on page 185 of Chakravyuh: Web of Indian Secularism. Last year, he was escorted around America by Amarjit Singh. At a Vaisakhi celebration in New York in 2000, he called for the Council of Khalistan office to be closed. He has accused Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon and me of being Indian government agents! All factions of the Akali Dal are to be viewed with suspicion. The Akali Dal has lost all its credibility. The Akali Dal conspired with the Indian government in 1984 to invade the Golden Temple to murder Sant Bhindranwale and 20,000 other Sikh during June 1984 in Punjab. If Sikhs will not even protect the sanctity of the Golden Temple, how can the Sikh Nation survive as a nation? The Akali leaders also walked out when I predicted at a seminar around the celebration of Guru Nanak's birthday that Khalistan will soon be free, a prediction that was greeted with multiple enthusiastic shouts of ``Khalistan Zindabad.'' How will these Akalis account for themselves? Remember the words of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Professor Darshan Singh: ``If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.'' Khalistan is the only way that Sikhs will be able to live in freedom, peace, prosperity, and dignity. It is time to start a Shantmai Morcha to liberate Khalistan from Indian occupation. Never forget that the Akal Takht Sahib and Darbar Sahib are under the control of the Indian government, the same Indian government that has murdered over a quarter of a million Sikhs in the past twenty years. These institutions will remain under the control of the Indian regime until we free the Sikh homeland, Punjab, Khalistan, from Indian occupation and oppression and sever our relations with the New Delhi government. The Sikhs in Punjab have suffered enormous repression at the hands of the Indian regime in the last 25 years. Over 50,000 Sikh youth were picked up from their houses, tortured, murdered in police custody, then secretly cremated as ``unidentified bodies.'' Their remains were never even given to their families! More than a quarter of a million Sikhs have been murdered at the hands of the Indian government. Another 52,268 are being held as political prisoners. Some have been in illegal custody since 1984! Even now, the capital of Punjab, Chandigarh, has not been handed over to Punjab, but remains a Union Territory. How can Sikhs have any freedom living under a government that would do these things? Sikhs will never get any justice from Delhi. Ever since independence, India has mistreated the Sikh Nation, starting with Patel's memo labelling Sikhs ``a criminal tribe.'' Wbat a shame for Home Minister Patel and the Indian government to issue this memorandum when the Sikh Nation gave over 80 percent of the sacrifices to free India. How can Sikhs continue to live in such a country? There is no place for Sikhs in supposedly secular, supposedly democratic India. Let us work to make certain that 2006 is the Sikh Nation's most blessed year by making sure it is the year that we shake ourselves loose from the yoke of Indian oppression and liberate our homeland, Khalistan, so that all Sikhs may live lives of prosperity, freedom, and dignity. Sincerely, Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President, Council of Khalistan.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, on September 11, while we were observing the anniversary of a horrible terrorist attack on America, 13 Catholic schools were closed in Lucknow, India, after the Convent of Loreto, the school there, and the chapel were attacked by the violent Hindu organization the Bharatiya Janata Yuva, a youth arm of the BJP, which is part of the RSS, a Fascist organization that published a book on how to get minorities, including Christians, falsely implicated in criminal cases. The spokesman for the BJP demanded a high-level inquiry into the school, according to the Tribune newspaper of Chandigarh, saying it engaged in ``irrational behavior.'' Apparently, being a Catholic is irrational behavior and ``unscientific activity'' in the world of Hindu militants. Unforturlately, Mr. Speaker, this is not an isolated incident. There has been a wave of attacks against Christians. According to an article that appeared in the Journal of the London Institute of South Asia, some Christian boys were shot while praying. A mob of Hindus burned a missionary, Graham Staines, and his two sons (ages 8 and 10) to death and they have gotten away with it. Another missionary, Joseph Cooper, was severely beaten and then expelled from India. Christians have been arrested for sharing their religious beliefs. Violent Hindu Fascists have raped nuns, murdered priests, burned churches, and committed other acts of violence against Christians. More than 300,000 Christians have been killed by the Indians in Nagaland alone. This would be bad enough if it were just Christians, Mr. Speaker, but, sadly, it is not. Sikhs, Muslims, and other minorities, such as Dalits, have been similarly repressed. The Muslims had their most revered mosque in India destroyed. Somewhere between 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims were murdered in one pogrom in Gujarat. More than 90,000 have been killed in Kashmir. The government has murdered over a quarter of a million Sikhs. Their most sacred place of worship, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, which has been called the Sikh equivalent of the Vatican, was attacked in June 1984. Hundreds of people were brutally murdered there, and more than 20,000 were killed in the month of June 1984. More than 52,000 Sikhs are political prisoners in India. They have murdered human-rights activists for exposing their secret cremations, murdered religious leaders, murdered toddlers, and paid out more than 41,000 cash bounties to police officers who killed Sikhs. I would like to thank Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh of the Council of Khalistan for bringing the Loreto attack to my attention. Mr. Speaker, we are at war right now with Fascists using the cover of Islam. Many of us have criticisms of the war policies, but the recent anniversary of September 11 reminds us that we cannot let terrorists carry out their awful deeds with no consequences. So why do we refuse even to raise our voices against Fascists who use the cover of the Hindu religion and oppress and kill Christians, Muslims, Sikhs. and others? At the very least, Mr. Speaker, we should be willing to stop trading with India and cut off our aid, and we should stand for the principles that America represents by seeking a democratic solution to the repression in the form of a free and fair plebiscite on the status of Christian Nagaland, predominantly Sikh Khalistan, Kashmir, and the others who seek their freedom. Mr. Speaker, I would like to put the Council of Khalistan's press release on the Loreto attack in the Record. Catholic Schools in Lucknow Closed After Attack on Convent by Militant Hindus Washington, D.C.--Thirteen Catholic schools were closed today to protest vandalism on the premises of the Loreto Convent, according to the Tribune of Chandigarh. Among the schools that were closed is the Loreto School. Militant Hindus from the Bharatiya Janata Yuva (a youth movement affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) and the Fascist RSS) attacked the Convent of Loreto, Loreto Chapel, and the school there. A spokesman for the BJP, Mr. H. Dikshit, demanded an investigation of the school, saying that it encourages ``irrational behavior'' and ``unscientific activity.'' Mr. Dlkshit said that the state government is ``overreacting to breaking a few flower pots.'' The attacks are part of a pattern of violence against Christians that has been going on heavily since Christmas 1998, which is in line with similar tyranny against other minorities. Missionary Graham Staines was murdered along with his two sons, ages a and 10, by a mob of militant, fundamentalist Hindu nationalists who set fire to the jeep, surrounded it. and chanted ``Victory to Hannuman,'' a Hindu god. Missionary Joseph Cooper was beaten so badly that he had to spend a week in an Indian hospital. Then the Indian government threw him out of the country. None of the people involved has been tried. Several states have enacted anti- conversion laws, which in practice prevent anyone from converting to any religion except Hinduism. Such a law is being considered by the Lok Sabha, the national Parliament. Christians report that they have faced threats, physical attacks, and jail time for sharing their beliefs. The Rashtirya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu Fascist organization that is the parent organization of the BJP, published a booklet on how to implicate Christians and other minorities in false criminal cases. The people who have murdered priests, raped nuns, forced them to drink their own urine, and burned Christian churches have not been charged or tried. In 2002, the Associated Press reported an attack on a Catholic church on the outskirts of Bangalore in which several people were injured. The assailants threw stones at the church, then broke in, breaking furniture and smashing windows before attacking worshippers. Last year, two young Christian boys were shot at while they prayed. Police broke up a Christian religious festival with gunfire. Sikhs and Muslims know the same repression that Christians have been experiencing lately. In June 1984, Indian forces invaded and desecrated the most sacred center and seat of the Sikh religion, the Golden Temple in Amrltsar, along with 37 other Gurdwaras throughout Punjab. Over 20,00 were killed. Several young Sikh boys were taken into the courtyard of the Darbar Sahib complex and asked if they supported Khalistan (the independent Sikh homeland.) When they answered with the Sikh religious statement. ``Bole So Nihal,'' they were summarily murdered. The Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, was shot full of bullet holes. Indian police arrested human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra after he exposed their policy of mass cremation of Sikhs, in which over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested, tortured, and murdered, then their bodies were declared unidentified and secretly cremated. Khalra was murdered in police custody. His body was not given to his family. No one has been brought to justice for the kidnapping and murder of Jaswant Singh Khaira. The police never released the body of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke after SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna murdered him. He has never been tried for the Jathedar Kaunke murder. In 1994, the U.S. State Department reported that the Indian government had paid over 41,000 cash bounties for killing Sikhs. A report by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR) quotes the Punjab Civil Magistracy as writing ``if we add up the figures of the last few years the number of innocent persons killed would run into lakhs [hundreds of thousands.]'' The Indian Supreme Court cal[ed the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse than a genocide.'' The MASR report states that 52,268 Sikhs are being held as political prisoners in India without charge or trial, mostly under a repressive law known as the ''Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act'' (TADA), which expired in 1995. Many have been in illegal custody since 1984! Tens of thousands of other minorities are also being held as political prisoners, according to Amnesty International. Last year, 35 Sikhs were charged and arrested in Punjab for making speeches In support of Khalistan and raising the Khalistani flag. The murderers of 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat have never been brought to trial. An Indian newspaper reported that the police were ordered not to get involved in that massacre, a frightening parallel to the Delhi massacre of Sikhs in 1984. The most important mosque in India. the Babri Mosque, was destroyed by militant Hindu fundamentalists who have never been held responsible for their actions. ``The attack on the Loreto Convent shows that minorities have no place in India's so-called democracy,'' said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, which leads the Sikh struggle for an independent Khalistan. Khalistan declared its independence on October 7, 1987. History shows that multinational states such as India are doomed to failure. Countries like Austria-Hungary, India's longtime friend the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and others prove this point. India is not one country; It Is a polyglot like those countries, thrown together for the convenience of the British colonialists. It is doomed to break up as they did. Currently, there are 17 freedom movements within India's borders. It has 18 official languages. ``The only way that the repression of Sikhs, Christians. Muslims, and other minorities will end is to liberate our homelands, such as Khalistan, Nagaland, Kashmir. and the rest, said Dr. Aulakh. ``As Professor Darshan Singh, former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, said, 'If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.','' Dr. Aulakh said. ``We must free Khalistan now.''

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the late Pastor Bishop Clarence Harmon, a man who was a giant among men in the Brooklyn, New York community. Although he has passed on, it behooves us to pay tribute to this outstanding leader. I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his impressive accomplishments, as the community prepares to honor the memory of this great man of God at a memorial service on July 30, 2006. Clarence Harmon was born July 26, 1926 in Columbia, South Carolina. After completing high school, he came to New York City. After several years in New York, he met and married Catherine P. Penn. To that union, three children, one daughter and two sons were born. It was after their marriage that he accepted Christ as his personal Savior and joined Betterview Baptist Church. Upon departure from Betterview, he became affiliated with the Institutional Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Reverend Carl E. Williams. There, God began to mold and shape him for greater service. On Easter Sunday, 1951, he preached his first sermon. He graduated from Shelton College in 1956. In April 1956, he started a mission at 645 Halsey Street, Brooklyn. Shortly thereafter, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, Elder Harmon was led to 623 Madison Street. The building was totally void. However, the spirit of God confirmed to him whispering the words ``This Is It'' and the Lord blessed his hands to build a structure such as the one that is known as Unity Temple. During the latter part of 1956, Unity Temple became affiliated with the Church of God in Christ, Inc. Eastern New York Jurisdiction. For the next 30 years, Pastor Harmon held various leadership positions within the COGIC, such as: President and Administrative Assistant of the Pioneers, Chairman of the Board of Elders; President of the State Benevolent Committee; and Superintendent of District No. 3 under the leadership of the late Bishop F. D. Washington. As an Assistant Bishop to over 100 churches throughout the dioceses of the Churches of God in Christ, Bishop Harmon instituted a benevolence committee to take care of the pioneers and widows of the Eastern N.Y. Jurisdiction. In 1988, he was appointed to the position of First Assistant of the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Eastern New York; the late Bishop Ithiel Clemmons, Jurisdictional Prelate. In October 1995, he was elevated to the office of Bishop in the Churches of God in Christ. He served as Presiding Bishop of the O. M. Kelly/F. D. Washington Brotherhood. Bishop Harmon was a pioneer in the Brooklyn community, hosting one of the largest food pantries in Bedford-Stuyvesant feeding over 4,000 people a month. Bishop Harmon was a generous person donating his time and talent to those in need. He had an open door policy at the church, often allowing weddings and funerals to be held without cost. Bishop Harmon's favorite saying was ``Everybody is somebody'' and he lived and proved that every day. Through his ministry, 15 churches to date have been birthed. Though small in stature, Bishop Harmon stood tall among men. He acquired the name ``Muscles'' from his friends in the ministry because of his strength and tenacity in defending the underprivileged. Some of those friends included the late Bishop F.D. Washington, Bishop O.M. Kelly and Bishop I. Clemmons, to name a few. He was and still is an inspiration to those who knew him. Bishop Harmon's church community continues his legacy through the implementation of the Clarence Harmon Scholarship Fund that will award two scholarships in his name to high school seniors seeking a college degree. This tribute will further serve as a reminder to our youth that no height is too great for them to achieve. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the accomplishments of Pastor Bishop Clarence Harmon, a man who offered his talents and services for the betterment of our local and global communities. Mr. Speaker, Bishop Harmon's selfless service has continuously demonstrated a level of altruistic dedication that makes him most worthy of our recognition today.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut for supporting the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time,

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Chairman, I am really concerned that, in implementing any health information technology initiative, that we will not have the best information to address the needs of medically underserved areas. My amendment to H.R. 4157 creates a critically important study that would give us the benchmarks to use in implementing this technology in these communities, both urban and rural. First, the proposed study will examine and determine the impact of health information technology on improving the capacity of primary care providers in medically underserved communities. Second, the study would identify the barriers to the implementation of health information technology in these communities. Third, the study will assess the feasibility and costs associated with implementing health information technology in these communities. Some of the Nation's finest foundations have done tremendous work in how health information technology can be used in hard-to-reach and difficult areas to serve in our Nation. They include the Markle Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. We want to incorporate this work and other's work done by the Agency For Health Care Research and Quality, and make sure it is applied to the development and implementation of health information technology and medically underserved areas. For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I believe that this study is vital to the assessment, examination, and implementation of health information, technology in medically underserved areas in this Nation. And I do believe that my amendment adds considerable value to the health information technology bill. I have worked in a bipartisan fashion on this bill with Representative Ferguson of New Jersey to present the portion of the bill related to grants in medically underserved areas. Mr. Chairman, I do feel that this amendment strengthens this bill and is something that we really need to do if we want to reach the hard-to- reach areas and to be able to have the kind of data and have the kind of information to give them quality health care. On that note, Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the disturbing economic trends in Puerto Rico detailed in recently released reports by the General Accountability Office (GAO), and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). Taken together, these finely written and well-documented studies paint a bleak picture of an island that-- instead of being a model of economic development--has fallen further behind the 50 states. Nothing could be clearer from these reports than that we have failed the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico miserably for over 50 years. Not because of bad intentions, or because of some sort of benign neglect, but because of failed policies that have provided few, if any, of their promised benefits. These studies vividly demonstrate the need for a different approach that will more directly benefit the residents of Puerto Rico, including making them eligible for the refundable portion of the child tax credit, which I proposed in legislation introduced earlier this Congress (H.R. 4451). These studies paint a fairly stark picture of the ways in which Federal policies have markedly neglected working Americans in Puerto Rico, by denying them basic support accorded to families in the rest of the United States who are struggling to make ends meet. The focus of the GAO report is the economy of Puerto Rico during the phase-out of the Possessions Tax Credit (``Sec. 936''), the cornerstone of the U.S. tax policy in Puerto Rico until Congress repealed it in 1996. GAO (and an independent study by the Brookings Institution), determined that the repeal of Sec. 936 to a significant degree did not cause the companies that had previously taken advantage of the program to flee the island; instead concluding that ``a substantial amount of possession corporation activity has been continued by other types of businesses,'' primarily by the companies conversion to controlled foreign corporations, which do not have to pay taxes on their PR source income. As such, the GAO provides the most comprehensive and objective assessment that while corporate structures have changed, underlying economic activity has not markedly changed during the Sec. 936 phase- out. The bottom line conclusion is that the tax policies that have been in place have failed to put Puerto Rico on a path toward equality with the mainland. Growth has been insufficient to reduce the gap in per capita income (one third that of the mainland), living standards (four times the number of people live below the poverty level) and unemployment (twice as high as the mainland)--nor improve the abysmally low labor force participation rate. Clearly the data supports the conclusion that the past approach has had little--if any--direct and positive effect on the welfare of individuals living and working on the island. The JCT study points out that tax incentives such as Sec. 936 cannot be permanent additions to the Internal Revenue Code, and that there are market distortions associated with these incentives. While not opining on a preferred approach, JCT states that other options might gain a higher rate of return. JCT surveys some of these options, putting them in the context of the various political status alternatives. Unfortunately, JCT articulates the costs, but dodges the really big question of measuring the possible economic benefits of the different status options (independence, statehood, or continued commonwealth status). Most importantly, the JCT study points out how much misguided federal tax policies have neglected the people of Puerto Rico--and point to a direction that would clearly have a measurable, positive, impact on the very people who need it most: the working poor of Puerto Rico. This is through application of work incentives available to working families in the 50 states: the per-child tax credit (CTC) and Earned Income Credit (EIC), both of which are available to working families on the mainland to offset payroll taxes (which are also paid by residents of Puerto Rico). By paying payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare without receiving the earned income tax credit, working families in Puerto Rico face a heavily regressive tax burden. To illustrate, a Puerto Rican on the island who files as a head of household with two children and $20,000 of income has a total Federal tax liability of $792. Yet that filer's brother in New York with the same income and family circumstances would receive a tax refund of $3,708. According to the JCT study, simply making Puerto Ricans eligible for the EITC would provide an annual fiscal stimulus of $540 million directly to the local economy, which some estimates show would reduce tax burdens on over 90 percent of taxpayers (about 950,000 taxpayer returns). My legislation, making families eligible for the child tax credit (now applicable only to families of 3 or more), would further reduce taxes for another 32 percent of all tax filers or about 560,000 taxpayers (and add another $180 million, annually, to the local economy). Independent analysis shows that these targeted tax credits would be up to 40 percent more effective in stimulating the economy than failed subsidies we have tried, which amount to billions of dollars every year (and continue to this day). In closing, let me say, I applaud GAO and JCT for drawing our attention to the problem of Puerto Rico's economy. The ball is now in our court. It is the responsibility of this Congress to implement new policies. I am not sure what all these policies should be, but do know that what we have tried did not work, and that we should consider a range of options--including my own legislation--with an eye toward what would best serve the nearly four million U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, who need and deserve our help. I urge my colleagues to move forward expeditiously in this effort.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, recently spoke at the London Institute of South Asia, which was holding a seminar on separate electorate in India. He also contributed an article to the Journal of the London Institute of South Asia. Both presentations were on the same theme: freedom for Khalistan, the sovereign Sikh state that declared its independence from India on October 7, 1987, and has been under Indian occupation ever since then. Dr. Aulakh stressed that a separate electorate within India, although it might help some of the oppressed minorities there, would not be appropriate for the Sikh nation, which is separate and distinct from India. He said that the achievement of full sovereignty and independence for Khalistan is inevitable. He took note of the Sikh farmers whose farms were bulldozed earlier this year by the Government. He discussed the Sikh activists who were arrested for raising the Khalistani flag. ``How can India claim it is a democracy and continue to hold political prisoners?'' he asked. ``How can a democratic, secular state make it a crime to raise a flag and make speeches? Would America arrest people for raising the Confederate flag? Would the United Kingdom arrest people for speaking in support of Scottish independence?'' And the answer is that of course we wouldn't. We may not like these things, but they are not crimes. Yet in India the equivalent act gets you arrested. Dr. Aulakh noted several other acts of tyranny against the Sikhs, including the kidnapping of human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, the murder of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke, the killing of the driver for Sikh religious leader Baba Charan Singh, who was tied to two Jeeps which drove in different directions, tearing this human being apart, and many other atrocities. These things are the mark of a tyrannical, totalitarian regime, Mr. Speaker. Dr. Aulakh writes that in light of these atrocities, ``independence for Khalistan is inevitable.'' Dr. Aulakh takes note of the rising support for Khalistan in Punjab. He notes the marches being organized, that politicians and other Sikh leaders are speaking out for Khalistan, the seminars held by a former member of Parliament on the subject, and other activities in support of freedom for Khalistan. Mr. Speaker, the essence of democracy is the right to self- determination. All people and all nations have a right to be free. That is the idea that gave birth to America. As such, we must be active and vigilant in supporting freedom around the world. We should stop our aid and trade with India, which is only propping up the repressive regime. The time has come to put the U.S. Congress on record in support of a free and fair plebiscite in Khalistan and all the minority nations that seek their freedom in South Asia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to place Dr. Aulakh's article from the Journal of the London Institute of South Asia into the Record at this time. [From the Journal of the London Institute of South Asia, July, 2006] Flame of Freedom Burns in Khalistan: Establishment of a Sovereign Sikh State Is Inevitable (By Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh) January 2006 was not a good month for the Sikh farmers in Uttaranchal Pradesh, India. Their farms were bulldozed and they were thrown out of the state. They had worked peacefully all their lives, but now everything they had worked for was destroyed. Once again, the government had decided to make Sikhs the victims. This continues a pattern of repression that has kept the Sikh Nation from living in freedom or prosperity. Since 1984, over a quarter of a million Sikhs have been murdered at the hands of the Indian government. There is no way for these farmers to gain redress within the Indian system. They have lost their life's work with no way of making themselves whole. And they have no means to begin again. They received no compensation for their bulldozed property. This is just a recent example of why Sikhs need their own independent country, Khalistan. Khalistan, the Sikh homeland, declared its independence from India on October 7, 1987. Since then, India's brutal repression of the Sikh nation has intensified. Last year on Republic Day, 35 Sikhs were arrested for making speeches in support of Khalistan and raising the flag of Khalistan. This past June, even more Sikhs were arrested for hoisting a flag and making speeches. They join at least 52,268 Sikh political prisoners that India admitted to holding, according to the Movement Against State Repression (MASR) (as well as tens of thousands of other political prisoners, according to Amnesty International.) India proclaims itself the world's largest democracy. How can India claim it is a democracy and continue to hold political prisoners? How can a democratic, secular state make it a crime to raise a flag and make speeches? Would America arrest people for raising the Confederate flag? Would the United Kingdom arrest people for speaking in support of Scottish independence? The Sikhs are a separate people from India--culturally, linguistically, and religiously distinct. As such, the Sikh Nation is logically and morally a separate nation, a separate people. Every day Sikhs pray ``Raj Kare Ga Khalsa,'' meaning ``the Khalsa shall rule.'' It is part of the Sikh consciousness that we are either rulers or we are in rebellion. Since 1947, the Indian government has been enslaving the Sikh Nation. Under Indian rule, Sikhs are slaves. They are exploited, tortured, and killed for the convenience of the rulers. Despite India's repression of the Sikhs `symbolized by half a million troops enforcing the peace of the bayonet' the Sikhs are reclaiming the freedom that is our birthright. The record of India's treatment of the Sikhs makes it clear that there is no place for the Sikhs in `India's democracy'. In 1995, human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra published a report exposing India's policy of secret cremations of Sikhs under which Sikh men are picked up, tortured, and murdered, then their bodies are declared `unidentified' and secretly cremated. Khalra did his work by studying several cremation grounds in Punjab. He established about 25,000 Sikhs who have been secretly cremated. Follow-up work has established that the number is around 50,000. Their bodies have never been given to their families. For his work, Sardar Khalra was murdered in police custody; no wonder his body also disappeared. The one witness to the Khalra kidnapping, Rajiv Singh Randhawa, has been consistently harassed by the Indian regime. He even got arrested for trying to hand information about the repression of the Sikhs to the British Home Minister outside the Golden Temple. Former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke was murdered by police official Swaran Singh Ghotna. He has never been brought to justice. The driver for Sikh religious leader Baba Charan Singh was killed when his legs were tied to two jeeps which then drove in different directions. The cases of torture by rolling heavy rollers over the legs of Sikh prisoners are too numerous to mention. In 1994, the U.S. State Department reported that the Indian government paid out over 41,000 cash bounties to police officers for killing Sikhs. The only way that Sikhs will be able to live in freedom, peace, stability, dignity, and prosperity, without constantly fearing for their lives, is by liberating Khalistan. The establishment of an independent Khalistan is inevitable. Support for an independent Khalistan is rising in Punjab. Last November, Khalistan slogans were raised at Nankana Sahib during the celebration of Guru Nanak's birthday and at a subsequent seminar. More than 25,000 people were in attendance for the birthday celebration. There have been numerous marches demanding freedom for Khalistan in Punjab. Former Member of Parliament Atinder Pal Singh held a seminar on Khalistan. Even when the Punjab Legislative Assembly canceled the agreements that had allowed Punjabi water to be diverted to other states, they openly asserted the sovereignty of the state of Punjab. It seems that the Indian government is aware and afraid of the rising tide of support for Khalistan. As Steve Forbes wrote in Forbes Magazine in 2002, ``India is not a homogeneous state. Neither was the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It attacked Serbia in the summer of 1914 in the hopes of destroying this irritating state after Serbia had committed a spectacular terrorist act against the Hapsburg monarchy. The empire ended up splintering, and the Hapsburgs lost their throne.'' India is doomed to a similar fate. It is not a single, homogeneous state, but many countries thrown together under one umbrella by the British colonial rulers for their convenience. It has 18 official languages. Such countries historically fall apart. The Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia are other examples from recent history. Even former Home Minister L.K. Advani has acknowledged the instability of India, saying in Parliament: ``if Kashmir goes, India goes.'' At a seminar in Lahore in November 2005, I predicted that India will break up into five or six different countries. This caused the Akali leaders present to walk out, betraying the interests of the Sikh Nation once again. Sikhs are willing to sit down and negotiate the borders of a free and independent Khalistan. as long as that is the sole subject for negotiation. The Sikh Nation has a long and distinguished history of freedom and secularism. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib established the Khalsa Nation in 1699 at the historic Vaisakhi Congregation in Anandpur Sahib. This event is celebrated every April on the Sikh holiday of Vaisakhi Day. By his action, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib firmly established a distinct identity for the Khalsa Panth. He gave the Khalsa the blessing of sovereignty and independence: Ain grieb Sikhin ko deon Patshahi. `Khalsa Bagi Yan Badshah.' The Gurus laid down the correct way for the Sikh Nation by their example. Guru Nanak Sahib, the first Sikh Guru, confronted the atrocities of the first Mogul ruler Babar against the innocent population. Guru Arun Dev Ji Sahib became a martyr in defense of his principles and acceptance of the will of God. Guru Teg Bahadur Singh Sahib sacrificed his life in defense of the weak and other religions, defending Hindus from forced conversions. Today, it is nationalist Hindus who are carrying out forced conversions, more precisely forced reconversions of those who have converted to another religion. The tenth and last Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, completed Guru Nanak Dev Ji Sahib's mission. He infused a new spirit into the Sikh Nation and designed a new road map for the Sikhs. He initiated the Sacrament of Steel (khande de pahul), ordained the first five Sikhs as Singhs B the Panj Piaras, or Five Beloved Ones B and instituted the Order of the Khalsa. From then on, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib commanded the Sikhs to mark their distinct identity known through five symbols: unshorn hair, symbolizing natural and saintly appearance (worn under a turban); a special comb to keep the hair clean; a steel bracelet symbolizing discipline and gentility; the Kirpan. or sword, a symbol of courage and commitment to justice, truth, freedom, and human dignity; and special knee- length under shorts, symbolizing chastity. In 1706 Guru Gobind Singh left this world for his heavenly abode. Just two ears later. Banda Singh Bahadur established a Sikh Raj. It lasted from 1710 until 1716. From 1716 to 1765, Sikhs went through horrible persecution by the Mogul ruler Aurang Zeb. During that period, Sikhs experienced the chhota ghalugara (small holocaust) and the wadde ghalugara (large holocaust) In 1762, one third of the Sikh population was killed in three days. In 1765, Sikhs again established Sikh rule in several Sikh missals (free cantonal republics) as well as the principalities of Patiala, Nabha, Faridkote, Kapurthala, Jind, and Kalsia. This lasted until 1799 when Maharajah Ranjit Singh established Khalsa Raj in Punjab by uniting the missals and principalities. They marched into the capital city of Lahore and hoisted the Sikh flag, manifesting the spirit of liberty reaffirmed at the Vaisakhi of 1699. This Khalsa Raj lasted until 1849 when the British conquered the Sub-continent. This Sikh nation of Punjab was recognized by most of the Western powers of the time. The contemporary struggle to liberate the Sikh homeland, Punjab. Khalistan, is part of the same historical process. Maharajah Ranjit Singh's rule was the Golden Age for Punjab. Sikhs destroyed Mogul rule and stopped invasions from the Afghan rulers to the west. Under the command of Hari Singh Nerwa, Sikhs defeated the Afghans and occupied Kabul. Nelwa left Kabul after securing the promise from the Afghans that they would not cross east of the Khyber Pass. Maharajah Ranjit Singh and Hari Singh Nerwa invaded Kashmir, which was part of Afghanistan. and annexed it to Punjab in 1819. India and Pakistan owe a debt of gratitude to the Sikhs, as both countries claim Kashmir as their own. During Maharajah Ranjit Singh's rule, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians all had a share of power alongside the Sikhs. All of them were represented as ministers in his Cabinet. The Faqir brothers, who were Muslims, were trusted ministers in the inner circle of Maharajah Ranjit Singh. General Ventura, a Christian, was in charge of the artillery. The Hindu Dogras (Dhian Singh Dogra and his brother Lal Singh Dogra) wielded enormous power with Maharajah Ranjit Singh. The Dogras betrayed the Sikhs and connived with the British in the defeat of the Sikh army. When Hari Singh Nalwa took a lone bullet from an Afghan, he wrote his last letter in blood rather than ink to bid his last fateh to Maharajah Ranjit Singh. Nalwa had previously asked for more troops but those letters were intercepted by the Dogra brothers, who kept the requests to themselves instead of telling Maharajah Ranjit Singh. They wanted Hari Singh Nalwa to be killed. Nalwa instructed the messenger to give his letter to Maharajah Ranjit Singh personally and to no one else. The messenger arrived early in the morning. Maharajah Ranjit Singh and Dhian Singh Dogra were out for a morning walk. When the messenger tried to give the letter to Maharajah Ranjit Singh, Dogra tried to intercept it. The messenger told Maharajah Ranjit Singh that he was instructed to give the letter to him personally. When Maharajah Ranjit Singh read the letter, he was so angry with Dhian Sigh Dogra that he hit Dogra with his water bucket. Then he instructed the army to get ready to march towards Afghanistan. They arrived at the River Attack. It was flooded. It had overflowed its banks. The Sikhs wanted to wait until the flood was over, but Maharajah Ranjit Singh led his horse into the river. The water went down and the Sikhs crossed the river. Maharajah Ranjit Singh fought the Afghans and defeated them. That stopped the incursion of the Afghans into the Sikh territory of Punjab. After the demise of Maharajah Ranjit Singh in 1839, the British infiltrated their agents like the Dogra brothers and others into the Sikh Raj. Sikh rulers were murdered, one after the other. The Sikhs gave the British a tough fight in the Anglo-Sikh wars, but the Sikhs lost the war through the betrayal of the Dogra brothers and the British annexed Punjab in 1849. The Sikh Nation's desire for sovereignty has not diminished. Sikhs always recite the couplet `Raj Kare Ga Khalsa' after their morning and evening Ardas (prayers.) The Sikhs actively participated in the Indian struggle for independence from the British. Although Sikhs were just 1.5 percent of the population, they gave over 80 percent of the sacrifices in the freedom struggle. 2,125 Indians were executed during the freedom struggle. Of these, more than 1,500 were Sikhs. Out of 2,645 exiled by the British, 2,147 were Sikhs. At the time of India's independence in 1947, the Hindus of India and the Muslims of Pakistan received sovereign, independent states. Sikhs were supposed to be a party to the arrangement and receive their own state as well. But the Sikh leadership of the time accepted the false promise of Jawahar Lal Nehru (reaffirmed in resolutions of the Indian National Congress) that they would have `the glow of freedom' in Punjab and no law affecting Sikh rights would be passed without Sikh consent. On this basis Sikhs took their share with India. However, soon after the independence of India. the Sikhs discovered that they had been betrayed. The Indian leaders had no intention of giving them what they had promised. Home Minister Patel shamefully sent out a memo describing Sikhs as a `criminal tribe'. The repression of the Sikh Nation began with that memo and continues to this day. The time has come for Sikhs to break free of the repressive Indian regime. This is the only way that their human rights will ever be respected. And the world is beginning to notice. In the United States Congress, the Congressional Record is serving as a vehicle to keep an accurate record of the repression and to defeat India's effort to whitewash the situation and the history of the Sikhs and other minorities. The Congressional Record carries repeated calls for a free and fair plebiscite on the independence of Khalistan and the other nations seeking their freedom from India. There are also repeated calls for a cut off of U.S. aid to India until human rights are respected. The pressure is mounting for human rights and freedom in South Asia. How soon will India collapse under the pressure? It is only a matter of time.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, recently the London Institute of South Asia held an event to honor author Professor Gurtej Singh, who has a significant book on the repression in India. In connection with that, they held a seminar on the topic of a separate electorate in India for minorities. Dr. Gunnit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, spoke at the Institute in connection with the seminar. He spoke about the struggle to liberate Khalistan, the Sikh homeland. As you know, Mr. Speaker, Khalistan declared its independence on October 7, 1987. Yet Indian repression of the Sikh Nation continues to this day. Dr. Aulakh spoke out against a separate electorate within India for the Sikhs, arguing that only full independence will allow the Sikhs to live in peace, prosperity, dignity, and freedom. He said that independence for Khalistan is inevitable, noting the recent marches, seminars, and other events showing the rising tide of support for freedom for Khalistan. And the politicians in Punjab have noticed and are beginning to speak out for Khalistan. That is a good sign. Even the Congress Party government of Punjab explicitly asserted the sovereignty of Punjab when it cancelled the agreements allowing the transfer of Punjabi water to non-riparian states last year. He reported on the repression of the Sikhs that continues to show up in the form of the Indian Government destroying Sikh farms with bulldozers, farms that Sikh farmers had worked their lives for, only to see a lifetime of work destroyed by the Indian regime. This repression takes the form of arresting people for raising the flag of Khalistan, even though the Indian courts have ruled that wearing the saffron of Khalistan or raising a flag is not a crime. But the Indian Government apparently believes that it is not bound by the law, a position held not by democratic, but totalitarian governments. As my friend from California has said, for minorities, ``India may as well be Nazi Germany.'' Mr. Speaker, we cannot sit idly by and let this repression continue. I know that there are many pressing problems on the world stage that require our attention, such as the situation in Lebanon and the continuing fight against terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. But we must not let the necessity of attention and action in these important situations allow us to let Indian repression slip under the radar. It is our duty to the principles on which this country was founded to support freedom everywhere in the world, not just in the hot spots. It is time to take action, Mr. Speaker. America should cut off aid and trade with India until all people there are allowed to live in freedom. And we should support real democracy, the kind India claims to believe in, in the form of a free and fair plebiscite in Punjab, Khalistan, in Nagalim, in Kashmir, and wherever people seek their freedom in South Asia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to place the Council of Khalistan's press release on Dr. Aulakh's visit to the London Institute of South Asia into the Record at this time. Dr. Aulakh Speaks to London Institute of South Asia--Book Award to Professor Gurtej Singh Washington, D.C., July 12, 2006.--Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, spoke last month at the London Institute of South Asia (LISA.) He went there for a ceremony honoring Professor Gurtej Singh IAS for his book, Tandev of the Centaur, which won the LISA Book Award. The seminar addressed the topic of a separate electorate for Indian. minorities. Dr. Aulakh spoke on the topic of the liberation of Khalistan. He said that the idea of CI separate election could be good for some minorities but was something that would hold back the struggle for freedom of minority nations that are dominant in their areas. He gave four radio interviews on Punjabi stations that are listened to worldwide. Professor Gurtej Singh said, ``As part of my narration [for the book], I found myself suggesting a theory indicating the spurious nature of India's struggle for freedom. I am aware that it renders the main activities of the Congress Party and its leaders to an exercise in collaboration. But I am in good company in coming to that conclusion. Michael Edwards, in his The Myth of the Mahatma. has clearly shown that the British really feared the `Western style revolutionaries' whom Gandhi effectively neutralized. The Administration considered Gandhi as an ally of the British as a neutralizer of rebellion.'' ``This book does not clarify everything, but it clarifies a lot,'' said Brigadier Usman Khalid, Director of LISA. ``It lays the foundation for friendship between two irrepressible nations of the subcontinent--the Muslims and the Sikhs. The national cohesion that exists within the Muslims and the Sikhs cannot be replicated in the caste based Brahminic society,'' Brigadier Khalid said, ``Indian secularism is 'fraudulent; Indian nationalism is a pious hope without foundation or purpose. The book nails those lies. It is a great starting point for the `freedom for all in South Asia.' '' ``Despite the Indian Government's massive efforts over two decades to crush the Khalistani freedom movement and the other freedom movements, there remains strong support for Khalistan in Punjab and the surrounding Sikh areas,'' Dr. Aulakh said. He noted the anniversary of the attack on the Golden Temple and the atrocities that were committed in Operation Bluestar. He took note of the arrests of Sikh leaders in Punjab for making speeches and hoisting the flag. He noted that Khalistan slogans were raised inside the Golden Temple recently. He noted the seminars organized by Atinder Pal Singh and took note of the atrocities committed by the Indian government. such as the kidnapping and murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra, the murder of Akal Takht Jathedar Gurdev Singh Kaunke, tearing apart the driver of Saba Charan Singh, and the mass cremation of Sikhs. He cited the Chithisinghpora massacre, the bombing of an Indian Airlines flight in 1985, and other atrocities committed by the Indian government. A report issued by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR) shows that India admitted that it held 52,268 political prisoners under the repressive ``Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act'' (TADA) even though it expired in 1995. Many have been in illegal custody since 1984. There as been no list published of those who were acquitted under TADA and those who are still rotting in Indian jails. Additionally, according to Amnesty International, there are tens of thousands of other minorities being held as political prisoners. The MASR report quotes the Punjab Civil Magistracy as writing ``if we add up the figures of the last few years the number of innocent persons killed would run into lakhs [hundreds of thousands.]'' The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, over 90,000 Muslims in Kashmir. tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims throughout the country, and tens of thousands of Tamils, Assamese, Manipuris, and others. The Indian Supreme Court called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse than a genocide,'' Government-allied Hindu militants have burned down Christian churches and prayer halls, murdered priests, and raped nuns. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) described the rapists as ``patriotic youth'' and called the nuns ``antinational elements.'' Hindu radicals, members of the Bajrang Dal, burned missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two sons, ages 10 and 8, to death while they surrounded the victims and chanted `Victory to Hannuman,'' the Hindu monkey- faced God. The Bajrang Dal is the youth arm of the RSS. The VHP is a militant Hindu Nationalist organization that is under the umbrella of the RSS. ``The genocidal policies of the Indian government are aimed at eliminating all these groups,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``Self- determination must be the standard,'' he said. ``Short of that, it is hard to see how the freedom of all people in South Asia will be protected.'' We thank the London Institute of South Asia for including Dr. Aulakh in its presentations. We would like to thank General Khalid, Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, V.T. Rajshekar, and all the trustees of the Institute for inviting Dr. Aulakh to make this presentation.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, on June 17, 2006, more than 10,000 Iraqis accompanied by delegates from 121 parties and associations took part in the Iraqi people solidarity congress in Ashraf City, Iraq, the declaration by 5.2 million Iraqi citizens, 121 political parties and social groups, 700,000 women, 14,000 lawyers and jurists, 19,000 physicians, 35,000 engineers, 320 clerics, 540 professors, 2,000 tribal sheikhs and 300 local officials were among the signatories of the declaration. Following is an excerpt from the declaration by 5.2 million Iraqis, partly printed in the New York Times, on June 23, 2006. The Iranian regime's leaders have repeatedly declared that they have been the first winners of the war in Iraq. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, ``God placed the fruit of the occupation of both our neighboring countries (Iraq and Afghanistan) on Iran's lap.'' He concluded, ``We must be prepared to run the world.'' (January 5, 2006) After the elections in Iraq, Iran's Interior Minister announced, ``From the ballot boxes in Baghdad and Iraqi provinces, one can hear the Slogans of the Muslim people of Iran.'' He said, ``This major historic Phenomenon attests to the realization'' of Khomeini's motto ``of conquering Qods (Jerusalem) via Karbala.'' (Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi, December 22, 2005) As Iran's rulers acknowledge, nuclear weapons are the strategic Guarantee for their survival. Would nuclear weapons not also empower them to separate the oil-rich southern territory in Iraq? As a result: A. The Iranian regime prevents the establishment of security, Stability and democracy in Iraq and poses an immediate threat to our Country's integrity and liberty. It is the main obstacle to our Independence and the quick departure of the Multi-National Force. B. Presently, the main dispute is between democracy and Dictatorship. The first and most important political alignment in Iraq is between democratic and patriotic forces with their various inclinations and thoughts on the one hand and affiliates of the Iranian regime on the other. C. During the elections and formation of the new government of Iraq, an Iraqi alternative was formed against the option presented by Iran's ruling mullahs, thus providing an encouraging prospect for the country. D. In this geopolitical situation and in this juncture of History, democracy in Iraq and democracy in Iran are interdependent, Guaranteeing each other's survival. E. The solution and the only encouraging prospect for Neutralizing these threats come through eviction of the Iranian regime from Iraq and recognition of the status of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, which is the principal bulwark against the Iranian regime's interventions. Similarly, the MEK's disarmament upset the strategic balance in this sensitive region of the world in favor of the Iranian regime. The Iranian regime, however, launched an astounding demonizing and Disinformation campaign against the MEK. Iran's agents in the Interior Ministry kidnapped MEK members while others discontinued the government's allocation of food rations, medicine and fuel for residents of Ashraf City contrary to all Islamic and Iraqi traditions. Through the Iraqi National Security Advisor, the government announced that the MEK ``may not even use their allocation of food.'' (November 18, 2005) The Iranian regime's fingerprints are evident in paragraph C of Article 21 of the Constitution. Contrary to all international laws on Asylum, this paragraph disentitles the accused of the right to asylum merely based on the unverified charge of terrorism. Repeated calls by the Iranian regime and its operatives in Iraq for Retribution of the MEK and confiscation of their property (ex. Asshahed weekly, April 4, 2005), the Iranian embassy's advertisements in the Iraqi press demanding ``retribution of members of this organization as a more important opening for democracy in Iraq'', setting their ``prosecution'' or at least ``expulsion'' as a ``test'' for the government of Iraq (Badr weekly, September 5 and November 27, 2005) and urging their referral to the ``Criminal Court'' (Asshahed weekly, January 15, 2006) are the most obvious signs of collusion with the Iranian regime. Having investigated the MEK's 20-year residence in Iraq and stressing their readiness to defend the rights of the MEK in any court of law, over 12,000 Iraqi jurists declared in January 2006, ``The MEK has never interfered in Iraq's internal affairs and the claim that the Organization participated in the suppression of the Kurds or Shiites is a sheer lie fabricated by the Iranian regime to tarnish the image of its opposition and alternative.'' We urge the following: 1. Agreement of the government of Iraq with the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran and the coalition of National Council of Resistance of Iran on a worthwhile legal and political status for them in Iraq; 2. Acknowledgment of MEK members' right to political asylum in Iraq and ensuring respect for their right to own their places and Properties; 3. Modification of article 21C of the Constitution in the Course of reviewing this clause, so that the Iranian regime would not be able to manipulate it against its opposition; 4. Commitment of the government of Iraq to international laws, conventions and agreements on the status of the MEK in Iraq, Particularly with regards to the principle of ``non- refoulement'' in relocating people from one country to another as verified by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) in the case of the MEK; 5. Coordinated measures by the government of Iraq and the MNF-I to secure the release of the two abducted MEK members. We declare that: The terrorist designation of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, 120,000 of whose members and sympathizers have been murdered by the Iranian regime and is the prime victim of state-sponsored terrorism is neither legitimate nor credible and should not be regarded as a basis for relations with this organization.