Frank Wolf

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, on August 13, when the Congress was in recess, the Washington, DC, region lost one of its great civic leaders when Leonard B. ``Bud'' Doggett, Jr., passed away at the age of 87. Bud will be remembered by all for his steadfast dedication to community, especially through ``Heroes,'' the non-profit organization he founded to support the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters killed on the job. His legacy of civic involvement should be an inspiration to all of us. I ask that an editorial in the Washington Post about Bud's life, as well as the obituary about him from the same paper, be inserted in the Record. We offer our sympathies to his family. L.B. Doggett Jr.; Parking Tycoon, Civic Leader (By Adam Bernstein) L.B. ``Bud'' Doggett Jr., 87, a publicity-averse D.C. commercial parking magnate who emerged in the 1960s as a major civic leader and a central backstage figure in politics and community development, died Aug. 13 at his home in Washington after a heart attack. Mr. Doggett was president and chief executive of Doggett Enterprises, the parent corporation of Doggett's Parking, which was founded by his parents in 1926. It was the city's first private parking company, and the younger Mr. Doggett guided it quietly to greater prominence after taking over in the 1950s. For decades, he was a force in preventing the District from building municipally owned parking garages and challenging private firms, a rarity for a large U.S. city. Mr. Doggett, who also amassed a large portfolio of real estate interests, was a dominant business figure in the city under the old federally appointed District Commissioners system and during the emergence of elected leaders in the mid-1970s. He liked to joke privately that he was ``Shanty Irish,'' but he was an effective fundraiser for politicians on Capitol Hill and in what was then known as the District Building as well as a trusted power broker between the political elite in the city and the federal government. His support was considered crucial to the completion of large ventures, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the old Washington Convention Center, heralded as the country's fourth largest after it was built in 1982. It was demolished in 2005. A key legacy was Mr. Doggett's belief in keeping business in the, city despite the devastating riots of 1968 and later tax increases. He held high offices with what is now the Greater Washington Board of Trade--he served a term as president in 1967--and led many efforts to rejuvenate downtown. While leading the board, he helped donate thousands of dollars' worth of equipment for training courses in typing and hairdressing as well as sports uniforms and toys for residents of the Valley Green housing complex in Southeast. Longtime broadcasting executive Andy Ockershausen said Mr. Doggett was ``a good negotiator and believed in downtown Washington. He always felt if downtown was thriving, the whole metropolitan area would thrive. He kept his business here, refused to move it out of city.'' Leonard Brent Doggett Jr. was born Aug. 25, 1920, in the District and attended Georgetown Preparatory School. He entered World War II as an Army Air Forces pilot, then transferred to the Army infantry after he was reprimanded for flying under a bridge during training in Texas. As an infantryman, he received decorations for heroism. They included the Bronze Star for organizing a defense unit as others evacuated wounded soldiers from a besieged French village. He took over his family's parking business in the 1950s and began a large push into real estate. He bought old rowhouses, which he rented as rooming houses before razing them for parking lots. He also won federal parking concessions, including lots for the State Department and the Environmental Protection Agency. He later focused on major hotel chains, such as Sheraton and Hilton. With other parking barons, such as Dominic F. Antonelli Jr. of Parking Management, he forged important business ties to Capitol Hill. They made campaign donations to legislators including Rep. John L. McMillan (D-S.C.), the longtime chairman of the House District Committee, to prevent the creation of a municipal parking authority. He also was board chairman of several Washington banks and a director of Pepsi-Cola Bottling. Ockershausen said Mr. Doggett prohibited publicity for his extensive charitable work. In 1964, Mr. Doggett founded a nonprofit organization, Heroes, that dispenses financial aid to families of law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. John Tydings, a former Board of Trade president who is involved with Heroes, said Mr. Doggett gave millions of dollars out of his pocket to help 225 law enforcement families in the Washington area. ``He set the bar high for civic leaders,'' Tydings said. His wife of 57 years, Gladys Denton Doggett, died in 1999. A son from that marriage, Leonard Doggett Ill, died last year. Survivors include his wife of eight years, Cherrie Wanner Doggett of Washington; a daughter from his first marriage, Frances Foster of Boca Raton, Fla.; a stepdaughter, Kristine Harrington of Arlington County; a sister, Rose Marie Melby of Gaithersburg; and three grandchildren.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I would like to call to the attention of the House an article written by my constituent, Mitchell L. Hubbard of Winchester, Virginia, about his son's experience while deployed to Iraq. His son's story should make us all think about our armed forces, as well as the police and first responders, who risk so much to serve us every day. Touching the ``Face of Grace'': Do We Have the Ability, or Desire, To See our Soldiers in the Same Way? (By Mitchell L. Hubbard) Whatever your political take on the war in Iraq, nothing can alter it more than having a loved one in the midst of it. Nor is anyone's current perspective balanced until they hear at least some things from a soldier's point of view. My wife and I learned these truths when our son--a 2004 Handley graduate--decided to join the Army in 2006. His reasoning was simple: He wasn't comfortable knowing that thousands of others his age were sacrificing their own freedoms to protect his. When he signed up to join those thousands, it changed our perspective as well. Up to that point, it had always been other peoples' sons and daughters doing the fighting. Now it would be our own child. Naturally, no one wants their child to volunteer to go in harm's way for freedom's sake. It was something of a conviction, though, when my wife and I had to ask ourselves why it shouldn't be our own son in the Middle East, why we should be spared the rituals of anxiety, prayer, hope, and waiting that tens of thousands of other families over here have already endured. In early June, we flew to Fort Hood, Texas, to see our son deploy for a 15-month tour in Iraq. Again, one's perspective is limited until one attends a deploying ceremony for a unit of soldiers. Spouses, children, parents, siblings, and friends, all crowding a gym, all clinging closely to their treasures-in-uniform, accompanied by flags, prayers, cheers, and tears. Our son had joined a ``Band of Brothers.'' My wife and I had joined the ``Band of Others,'' who would be waiting at home. Both those going, and those left behind, carry the War on Terror in a personal way. Still, those of us left behind need to see something of what our soldiers see, and not only what is offered us in the news. To that end, here is one story our son, Luke, shared with us by phone, that must be shared with anyone who claims an interest in what our soldiers are doing in the Middle East. Stationed outside a city on the Tigris River, Luke had accompanied his colonel into town as part of a security team, while the colonel spoke with a local sheik. While standing guard, Luke noticed a woman approaching from behind, and cautiously turned in her direction, his rifle at the ready. An interpreter told our son it was OK--the woman just wanted to touch a soldier. Still uneasy, Luke stood still while the woman reached out her hand and touched his face, tears in her eyes. Looking to the interpreter for meaning, our son was told: The woman had simply ``wanted to touch the face of grace.'' It seems this trembling woman, like most of the people in her town, looked upon our soldiers as angels of grace, sent by God to protect her from the violence and oppression her people had come to know up to then. Learning this, our son squeezed and kissed the woman's hand, and she left, weeping. The ``Face of Grace.'' How many of us, safe at home debating the politics of the War on Terror, have ever seen our soldiers in such a light? How many of us have ever even read such an uplifting newspaper account of our soldiers? To be sure, our soldiers are not virtuous simply by being soldiers. At home in their ``civvies,'' they are as unangelic as the rest of us. Yet when they voluntarily get into ``full battle rattle'' (as they call their battle gear) in a hot and hostile land, their job is both protective and sacrificial-- as angelic a purpose as humans can take on. People like this woman, having suffered years of oppression and fear, have eyes and a heart to see this, and to desire to ``touch the Face of Grace.'' Do we have the ability to see our soldiers in the same way? And not merely our soldiers: Can we see the ``Face of Grace'' in the police who protect us in every town, day and night? Or in the fire and rescue teams who are soldiers in their own right? My wife and I obviously pray that our son and his ``Band of Brothers'' will come safely home to their personal ``Band of Others.'' After listening to our son's experience, though, we have added the prayer that Americans in every community will be given the eyes and heart to see the ``Face of Grace'' in all who protect our lives and freedoms--especially in soldiers like our son.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my House colleagues in support of this resolution recognizing September 11 as a day of remembrance; extending sympathies to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and their families; honoring the heroic actions of our Nation's first responders and armed forces, and reaffirming the commitment to defending the people of the United States against any and all future challenges. We all will always remember where we were on that fateful morning of September 11, 2001, a beautiful, sunny and clear early autumn day in the Nation's capital when terrorists launched their attacks on America. It is etched forever in our memories. We will never forget--those who died; those who survived and live with the scars; the firemen who ran up the stairs of the World Trade Center to save lives and gave theirs; the heroes on the plane in Pennsylvania; the families left behind whose lives will always have a void; the neighbors, the friends, the countless strangers who performed selfless acts of kindness we will never even know about. On this solemn anniversary I always think back to the sermon the pastor of my church gave the Sunday after September 11 when he said: ``Life is fragile. Evil is real. God is sure.'' Life is fragile. It can end in an instant. The families of those who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in a field in Pennsylvania never thought that would be their last day to see their loved ones. A woman in New York said, ``We parted with a kiss on the Union Square Subway platform at around half past eight that morning. Jason was heading to his new job at Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center; I was heading to my office in SoHo. He must have made it to his desk moments before the plane struck the building.'' Evil is real. We saw on September 11 that evil men did evil deeds to innocent people. Thirty people from Virginia's 10th congressional district died on 9/11. I went to the Pentagon that day and saw with my own eyes the destruction. I returned to the Pentagon this morning to join the dedication of the beautiful and moving memorial to hose who died there seven years ago. I went to Ground Zero in New York City two months after 9/11 and saw the devastation. I saw the notes written on the wooden railing of the viewing platform from family members. One said, ``I love you Daddy'' in a childish scrawl. Another said, ``We miss you Dad. When you look down we hope we will always make you proud.'' Evil is real, but God is sure. Psalm 46 says: ``God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.'' Our lives changed on September 11, and in many ways are still changing and will continue to change. Clearly, we are much more aware of the threat we now face. We had heroes on 9/11--those who lost their lives and those who tried to save them--and we continue to have heroes today. They are the brave men and women who are fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq showing the terrorists that we will take the fight to them. They are the thousands of civilian employees at numerous Federal agencies supporting those efforts. Some of those heroes, like those on 9/11, have given their lives to protect our way of life. To them and to their families, we will be forever grateful. I am reminded of a quote from President Ronald Reagan, who was such an optimist. He believed in America and for what she stands. He once said in describing America, ``We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we can always be free.'' Indeed, we will always remember. And we will always be grateful that we live in the United States of America where, it has been said, unlike almost any other nation on earth, our identity is rooted not in blood, religion or birthplace, but in the idea of freedom. Freedom has never been with a price. We owe our lives to each and everyone who has paid that ultimate price so that we can continue to live in freedom. And so today, we remember 9/11 and those souls who perished, and we also honor those who responded to the horrific events of that day, and resolve to continue the fight against terrorism and those who would seek to destroy freedom.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Army Family Action Plan which took place on August 15. The Army Family Action Plan is an Army-wide program that aims to improve Army quality of life. Through this plan, all members of the Army, including active, reserve, and National Guard soldiers, family members, retirees, surviving spouses, DA civilians, and military technicians have a forum to voice concerns to Army leadership and make recommendations for a change regarding standards of living. The past 25 years has proven to be a success for the Army Family Action Plan as the Army leadership has trusted its recommendations and taken action on many new policies due to the plan's ideas. I was originally involved with the creation of the Army Family Action Plan after watching a film called ``Where's Dad'' by Dr. James Dobson. This video addresses some of the greatest threats to meaningful family life: fatigue, time pressures, overcommitment and workaholism watching it was a life changing experience for me. Afterward, I changed my priorities, put my family first and committed to keeping Sundays free of events to spend more time with my family. Because this video had such a profound impact on me, I shared it with others who I thought it may help, including other members of Congress and also General Wickham, who was instrumental in developing the Army Family Action Plan. I commend the Army for enacting this plan which provides soldiers and their families a way to get their perspective heard which in turn betters the quality of life of those who serve or have served in the Army. I am proud to join with the Army in celebrating this significant anniversary.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, the years 2011 through 2015 will mark the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, a momentous milestone for our nation that provides an exceptional opportunity to examine the war, its causes and its legacies. The sesquicentennial commemoration of the American Civil War needs to involve full participation at the local, State and Federal levels. However, as there are currently no Federal plans for the sesquicentennial, the states have stepped in to take the lead in planning for this watershed event. I am proud to announce that Virginia leads the nation in being the first to establish a sesquicentennial commission that is planning events and activities that offer a fair and balanced depiction of Civil War history that includes all perspectives. I am pleased to support the work of the Commission and endorse its plans. Virginia was the epicenter of the Civil War in the 1860s and continues to be a central location in terms of what visitors can see and experience today. Virginia has more Civil War battlefields, museums and historic sites than any other state, including the historic site of the first land battle of the Civil War at Manassas that is located in the 10th Congressional District, which I represent. Too often when we study history, we tend to think that battles were neatly fought within the split-rail fenced boundaries. In truth, most of Virginia was a battleground during the Civil War. Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission The Virginia General Assembly created the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission in 2006 for the purpose of preparing for and commemorating the sesquicentennial of Virginia's participation in the American Civil War. Speaker of the House of Delegates William Howell chairs the Commission, whose other members include President Pro Tempore of the Senate Chuck Colgan, members of the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia, citizens, and the renowned Civil War historian Dr. James I. ``Bud'' Robertson, Jr., of Virginia Tech. It is important to recall that Dr. Robertson was selected by President Kennedy to serve as executive director of the Federal Centennial Commission 50 years ago. The Commission is charged with: Planning commemorative programs and activities that are designed to involve all citizens and result in a positive legacy and long-term public benefit, Encouraging civic, historical, educational, economic, and other organizations throughout Virginia to organize and participate in activities to expand the understanding and appreciation of the significance of the American Civil War, and Providing technical assistance to localities and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War. The Commission has established the following goals to guide the commemoration that are reflective of values that are important to Americans today: Diversity: The commemoration will be inclusive of and meaningful to all Virginians, particularly: diverse racial and ethnic groups, citizens who are new to this country and those who do not have a hereditary link to the American Civil War, and young people and others seeking to understand the relevance of the American Civil War to today's society. Inclusiveness: The commemoration will seek to portray a fair and balanced story of Virginia's participation in the American Civil War that includes African-American, Union, and Confederate perspectives. Statewide Accessibility: The commemoration will be statewide, involving all localities and encompassing all Civil War-related institutions, museums, battlefields, parks, and facilities. Education: The commemoration will include a strong education component designed to ignite a renewed interest in Virginia's historical heritage. Opportunities will be provided to re-examine the lessons of the past and the legacies of the Civil War to understand how they affect the present and continue to shape our future. Permanence: The commemoration will imprint Virginia history and leave a positive and rich legacy well beyond 2015. The Commission has begun to develop plans for how to recognize the magnitude of this occasion. The Commission has adopted a vision statement that will guide the commemoration period, ``Understanding Our Past, Embracing Our Future,'' launched a Web site that is receiving national and international attention (www.VirginiaCiviIWar.org), and is developing a comprehensive array of initiatives, including: Statewide coordination: Linking, coordinating, and promoting the hundreds of Civil War museums and sites throughout the state. Museum exhibitions: Partnering with the Virginia Historical Society to develop a major exhibition, ``An American Turning Point: The Civil War in Virginia,'' as well as the Civil War 150 HistoryMobile, a mobile museum vehicle that will be capable of traveling throughout the nation to bring these important stories directly to the people. Legacy Project: Document Digitization: Using the sesquicentennial as an opportunity to preserve and provide access to unknown diaries, journals, letters, and other documents that are in private hands, the Library of Virginia will lead a major initiative to identify, catalog, and preserve those documents through digitization and web access. Locating and uncovering this material will provide a boon to Civil War research for years to come. Signature events: Signature events begin in 2009 with a conference on the coming of the Civil War at the University of Richmond, and a joint commemorative event with the State of West Virginia, planned in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of John Brown's raid on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry. High profile events are planned for the duration of the commemoration to mark important milestones, such as a national event at Manassas in 2011 to mark the 150th anniversary of the first land battle of the war and to set the tone for the sesquicentennial. I would like to commend the leadership role that the Commonwealth has taken and recognize the work of the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission and urge others to join with them to participate in this commemorating this special occasion.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentleman. I thank him for yielding. I want to thank Mr. Berman and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mr. Chabot for bringing the bill up. I also want to thank President Bush for meeting yesterday with the dissidents, and I know they were probably passionate with him to explain how important it is to speak out. I also want to second what Mr. Chabot said about the Speaker. I appreciate Speaker Pelosi raising this issue on human rights and religious freedom in China. There is tremendous persecution. Catholic bishops are in jail. A large number of house church leaders are still in jail. As Mr. Smith said, there is a list of 730 dissidents that we should advocate publicly for. In the days during the Reagan administration, President Reagan would advocate publicly for names. That is very important. We know what they've done in Tibet in the Drapchi prison in the persecution of Tibetan monks and nuns. We know the Uighurs, Rebiya Kadeer, whose children have been arrested and are in jail as we now speak. They're plundering, beating the Falun Gong. And even in Flushing, New York, we believe--and the FBI is investigating--that the Chinese embassy was involved in a counter-demonstration beating of the Falun Gong in Flushing, New York. Not in Flushing, China, but in Flushing, New York. We know of the labor camps, the laogais. We know what Harry Wu has told us of the labor camps that are still operating, and there are more labor camps in China today than there were gulags in the Soviet Union. We know when the Speaker said, very accurately, the genocide in Darfur, the Chinese government is the number one supporter of the genocidal government in Khartoum. And as Mr. Smith and Mr. Pence said on the one-child policy on forced abortion, we know what they're doing. What I would urge the administration to do and the President to do--I want to make sure we don't violate the rules and I speak to the Speaker--is to give a speech the way that President Reagan gave a speech at the Danilov Monastery. It was a very powerful speech. As Natan Sharansky said, when Ronald Reagan gave the speech in Orlando, Florida, where he called the Soviet Union the Evil Empire, it sent a message through the Perm. The prisoners in the Perm knew of what President Reagan was publicly speaking out and advocating for, and the people in the Perm and the people in jail knew when President Reagan gave the Danilov Monastery speech that he was speaking out. So I would urge the President to give a Danilov Monastery/Evil Empire speech in China. Select a Catholic church or a house church or a university and boldly speak out. Keep in mind Reagan boldly spoke out and called the Soviet Union the Evil Empire, boldly spoke out in the Danilov Monastery.

Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentleman. Ronald Reagan spoke out both times very boldly. If you recall, at President Reagan's funeral, Gorbachev came and attended the funeral. You can do it in that way. So I urge the President. I would also urge the committee to bring up Congressman Smith's Global Online Freedom bill so we can send a message, because when we were there, we saw that sometimes some American companies are cooperating with the Chinese government using American technology to cooperate. My closing comment, Madam Speaker, is that we urge the President to give a Ronald Reagan Danilov Monastery-type speech so that when he leaves China, it is clear to the dissidents who are in prison--because they will hear him--it is clear to the family members of those dissidents--because they will hear him--and it will be doubly clear, triply clear to the Chinese government that America and the President of the United States stands for freedom, and that must be done publicly.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of this measure, I rise in support of H. Res. 1351. In 2004, I led the first congressional delegation to Darfur with Senator Sam Brownback, and witnessed the nightmare there first hand. In July 2007 the United Nations' Security Council passed resolution 1769 which authorized a joint African Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur to take necessary actions to support the Darfur Peace Agreement and to protect its personnel and civilians. However, to date, only 10,000 of the 26,000 peacekeeping troops authorized by resolution 1769 have been deployed. They are in desperate need of proper equipment and air transportation and have increasingly become subject to attack by various rebel groups. It has been widely acknowledged in the international community that these troops do not have the necessary resources to effectively carry out their mandate. On July 8, seven UNAMID peacekeepers were killed and 22 were wounded in a rebel ambush in the northern region of Darfur. The peacekeepers on the ground in Darfur have become demoralized by the impossible conditions on the ground. I am pleased to support H. Res. 1351 and reaffirm the commitment of the United States of America to the people of Darfur and the peacekeepers who are putting their lives on the line to protect them.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res, 1008, condemning the persecution of the Baha'is in Iran. The Baha'is are Iran's largest non-Muslim minority and have faced severe and often brutal persecution since the Iranian government banned all formal Baha'i activity in 1983. Incidents of violence and persecution targeting members of the Baha'i community have increased under the current regime of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. On July 18, the house of the Shaaker family in Kerman was torched only weeks after their car went up in flames. Officials investigating the scene attributed the incidents to electrical problems despite a series of threatening phone calls received by the family in the days leading up to the incident. This is one of over a dozen cases in a string of arson targeting Baha'is over the past 15 months. These attacks follow the arrest and detention of the seven members of Iran's national Baha'i coordinating group in May. All of these individuals remain isolated in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran without access to legal representation and are prohibited from contacting their families. At this time, no formal charges have been brought against these seven individuals. I am pleased to join a bipartisan group of my colleagues as a cosponsor of this important resolution, and I hope its passage will send a strong message to the Iranian government that the United States Congress will always stand in solidarity with the persecuted people of the world.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I had the privilege of attending the 100th anniversary commemoration event for the Federal Bureau of Investigation on July 17 at the National Building Museum. I insert for the record the remarks of Robert S. Mueller III, who was appointed the sixth director of the Bureau just one week before the terrorist attacks on America of September 11, 2001, and salute Director Mueller and the thousands of FBI employees and leaders over the years for their dedication and bravery in protecting their country and their fellow citizens. 100th Anniversary Commemoration, National Building Museum, Washington, DC, July 17, 2008 (By Robert S. Mueller III, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation) Good morning. It is truly an honor to be here today to mark this significant milestone in the Bureau's history and to share in the celebration of this occasion--the 100th anniversary of the FBI. My thanks to Attorney General Mukasey and the many other distinguished guests for joining us today. My special thanks, also, to Directors Webster, Sessions, and Freeh, for being here. Together, they represent three decades at the Bureau in which we saw a strong emphasis on white collar crime and organized crime, as well as counterintelligence cases. We witnessed innovations in crime- solving technologies and a dramatic expansion of our international program. But let's go back a bit further in history. One hundred years ago, Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte organized a group of investigators under the Justice Department. In July, 1908, the Bureau of Investigation opened its doors. The first Bureau employees numbered just 34--nine detectives, thirteen civil rights investigators, and twelve accountants. They investigated, among other things, antitrust matters, land fraud, and copyright violations. Compare that to today's FBI--a threat-based, intelligence- driven, technologically supported agency of over 30,000 employees--employees who are working in 56 field offices and 61 offices overseas. Employees who are combatting crimes as diverse as terrorism, corporate fraud, cyber crime, human trafficking, and money laundering. J. Edgar Hoover would have been proud. Today's FBI is often, and I believe accurately, described as one of the world's few intelligence and law enforcement agencies combined. The culture of the FBI is now, and for the past 100 years has been, a culture of hard work and dedication to protecting the United States, no matter what the challenges. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, it became clear that the FBI's number one priority must be the prevention of another terrorist attack. We refocused our mission, revised our priorities, and realigned our work force. We strengthened lines of communication between the Bureau and our partners in the global intelligence and law enforcement community. And we are now stronger and better equipped to confront the threats we face today. Today's FBI continues to reflect and embody its motto-- Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity. It is a motto emblazoned on the FBI Seal. And it is worth its weight in gold. For the past 100 years, the men and women of the FBI have lived out their commitment to Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity. It is precisely because they have done so that the Bureau has the reputation that it enjoys today. Even so, these are qualities that need to be constantly burnished by the men and women of the Bureau, to ensure they do not rust for lack of use. For most of us, fidelity is faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty. For the men and women of the FBI, fidelity also means fidelity to country. It means fidelity to justice and the law, fidelity to the Constitution, fidelity to equality and liberty. Bravery is the quality of being willing to face danger, pain, or trouble; to remain unafraid. Bravery is not merely the act of rushing in where others flee. It is the quiet, diligent dedication to facing down those who would do us harm and bring them to justice. The well-known tennis champion and social humanitarian, Arthur Ashe, once said, ``True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.'' Bravery is the capstone in the stories of Special Agents Rodney Miller, John O'Neill, and Lenny Hatton. On September 11, Miller and O'Neill went up, not down, the stairs of the North Tower of the World Trade Center to help others get out. Rodney Miller went all the way up to the 86th floor, offering assistance to fire and police personnel on the scene. Through radio transmissions, Lenny Hatton reported the crash of the second plane, and then assisted with evacuation efforts. Neither he nor John O'Neill survived. And we will never know how many lives were saved as a result of their and the other first responders' extraordinary bravery on that day. Although their stories are unique, their bravery is repeated by the men and women of the FBI working each and every day around the country, and around the world. Whether cracking down on public corruption or white collar crime that corrodes the public trust. Or capturing criminals who exploit children on the Internet, or commit violent crime, hate crime, organized crime, espionage, or terrorism. Such bravery can be seen in the story of Jay Tabb, a member of our Hostage Rescue Team. Tabb received the FBI Star after being shot and seriously wounded during the arrest of a wanted fugitive. Just months later, during a search of a terrorist safe-house in Afghanistan, he was injured again by a suicide bomber. Despite his own injuries, he rescued four wounded soldiers. After each incident his first question was, how soon can I get back to work with my team? Bravery can be seen in the story of Port Authority Police Detective Tom McHale, who has served on our Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force since 1995. The morning of September 11, McHale was blocks from the World Trade Center when he heard the first plane fly overhead. He raced to the scene to assist with evacuations and rescues. He was caught in both building collapses and injured. And yet as a trained ironworker, McHale spent the next weeks in the rubble cutting through steel and recovering bodies. He worked at Ground Zero for 12 hours a day, before reporting for duty on the Joint Terrorist Task Force to help with thousands of leads. Bravery can be seen in the work of Jennifer Keenan, the first female Special Agent to be stationed in Pakistan and Yemen, and who helped carry out dangerous missions in both of those countries. Along with Tom McHale, Keenan was part of the FBI team in Pakistan who captured Al Qaeda suspect Abu Zubaidah. Bravery can be seen in the story of Special Agent Bruce Bennett and three other agents, who were seriously wounded just last March in a terrorist bombing, also in Pakistan. And it can be seen in the story of Walter Walsh, our oldest living Special Agent, who survived shootouts with gangsters in the 1930s. And it so happens that each of these individuals is with us today. Would you all please stand so we can recognize you? And yet there is no shortage of heroes in the FBI. I am certain there are also many unsung heroes with us in the audience today--heroes whose stories may never be told. We honor them as well. For the men and women of the FBI, bravery is reflected not only in the physical courage often necessary in the job. It can be seen in the courage of conviction, in the courage to act with wisdom in the face of fear, and in the courage it takes to admit mistakes and move forward. This brings us to the third quality that defines the Bureau, and that is integrity. It is the quality of being of sound moral principle; uprightness, honesty, and sincerity. For the men and women of the FBI, integrity is reflected in all that we say and we do--in honesty, in keeping promises, in fairness, in respect for others, and in compassion. Integrity is, in some ways, the most important of the three words that make up our motto. Integrity is the fire by which fidelity and bravery are tested. Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity set the expectations for behavior; they set a standard for our work. More than just a motto, for the men and women of the FBI, Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity is a way of life. And it has always been a way of life. It has been said of FBI employees that they stand on the shoulders of their predecessors. Indeed, we do. And while it is a time of change in the FBI, our values will never change. It is not enough to stop the terrorist--we must stop him while maintaining his civil liberties. It is not enough to catch the criminal--we must catch him while respecting his civil rights. It is not enough to prevent foreign countries from stealing our secrets--we must prevent that from happening while still upholding the rule of law. The rule of law, civil liberties, and civil rights--these are not our burdens. They are what make us better. And they are what have made us better for the past 100 years. The men and women of the FBI today are part of history in the making. We understand that we have been passed a legacy and that it remains our responsibility to both build on and to pass on that legacy to those who will succeed us. John F. Kennedy once said, ``. . . when at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment on each of us . . . our success or failure, in whatever office we hold, will be measured by the answers to four questions: First, were we truly men of courage? Second, were we truly men of judgment? Third, were we truly men of integrity? Finally, were we truly men of dedication?'' The men and women of the FBI, here and around the world, past and present, can resoundingly answer yes to each of these questions. That is because they live our motto each and every day. Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity remain the attributes of an organization with a proud history of distinguished service to the nation. And each of us is indeed honored to be part of that. With Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity defining every FBI employee, we stand fully ready to face the challenges of the next century. Thank you all again for being here with us today and God bless.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, over the Fourth of July recess, Representative Chris Smith and I traveled to Beijing, China. We had become increasingly disturbed by reports of harsh crackdowns by Chinese security forces on the dissident community in the run up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Although both Representative Smith and I have been outspoken critics of the Chinese government over the years, we embarked on this trip with open minds ready to be convinced that the Chinese government had taken steps to improve its abysmal human rights record. Unfortunately, what we saw while we were on the ground cannot be considered by any stretch of the imagination to be progress. Upon our arrival, we were informed that the three people that we had invited to have dinner with us that evening were threatened by Chinese security forces not to attend and placed under house arrest. One of these individuals, a prominent human rights lawyer to whom I had presented the National Endowment for Democracy Award just weeks earlier on Capitol Hill, was taken several hours outside of Beijing and detained for the duration of our trip. I insert two articles for the record from The New York Times and The Washington Post, which further detail the detention of these individuals. We also visited a ``house church,'' an underground Protestant church which is forced to operate illegally out of private homes because the Chinese government refuses to recognize these churches as legitimate places of worship. It was clear that we were being followed to the house church by Chinese security forces so we were only able to stay a short time because we did not want to endanger members of the congregation. House church members and leaders are often targeted for harassment and detention by the Chinese security forces because they are viewed by the government as a threat to the stability and control of the communist regime. One example of this repressive policy is Pastor Zhang Rongliang, also known as Uncle Liang. Paster Zhang is the leader of the China for Christ Church, a network of house churches that is estimated to have over 10 million members throughout China. Chinese authorities raided Pastor Zhang's home on New Year's Eve 2005 and formally arrested him. He was detained for 6 months without being charged. On June 29, 2006, Pastor Zhang was charged and convicted of fraudulently obtaining border exit documents and sentenced to 7\1/2\ years in prison. Pastor Zhang is currently being held at Henan Prison Number One and has reportedly been subjected to electric shock while imprisoned. He suffers from diabetes and hypertension. He is only allowed one 30-minute visit a month from members of his family and prison guards surround him during these visits. During a two-hour meeting with Ambassador Li Zhaoxing, the former Chinese foreign minister who now chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, Congressman Smith and I both pressed for the release of detained individuals, such as Pastor Zhang. We presented Ambassador Li with a partial list of political prisoners compiled by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and asked for the immediate release of all 734 individuals on the list. A copy of this list is available online at www.cecc.gov. I have met with many former political and religious prisoners and dissidents like Pastor Zhang. These are peaceful people. They are not violent rogues seeking to overthrow the Chinese government. All they ask for is freedom; they yearn for freedom--the freedom to gather together and worship and celebrate and share their religious beliefs. But the Chinese government will not allow this. They throw their own people in jail and subject them to the most base and violent forms of torture. And despite all this, the government of China was awarded the honor of hosting the 2008 Olympic Games. In 1988, in the midst of the cold war, President Ronald Reagan publicly addressed religious leaders at the Danilov Monastery in Moscow and called on the Soviet Union to promote religious tolerance. I call on President Bush to follow the example of Ronald Reagan. While he is in Beijing for the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, he should make a public speech calling on the Chinese government to release all the political and religious dissidents who languish in labor camps and prisons across China. The people of China, and the dissidents who sit in their jail cells day after day, week after week, year after year, should know that the President of the United States of America and leader of the free world stands with them in their quest for freedom, and not with the repressive communist regime of China. [From the Washington Post, July 1, 2008] U.S. Lawmakers Decry Olympics After Dissidents Blocked (By Chris Buckley) Beijing.--Two U.S. Congressmen on Tuesday urged President George W. Bush to rethink attending the Beijing Olympic Games after they were prevented from meeting Chinese human rights activists. Republican Congressmen Frank Wolf from Virginia and Chris Smith from New Jersey said they had come to Beijing to meet Chinese citizens pressing for greater political and religious freedoms, including two who recently met the U.S. president. But Chinese authorities pressured or forced nine activists from meeting them at a dinner on Sunday or subsequently, according to a document handed out by the lawmakers. They said such actions, and other repressive steps taken by the Chinese Communist Party, have cast a shadow over the Games and over Bush's vow to attend them. ``Tragically, the Olympics has triggered a massive crackdown designed to silence and put beyond reach all those whose views differ from the official `harmonious' government line,'' Smith told a news conference held in the U.S. embassy in Beijing. The friction between the visitors and wary Chinese authorities has underscored the political tensions of the Games, with Beijing under criticism from Western politicians and international rights groups over Tibet, censorship and restrictions on religion and political dissent. Wolf, who with Smith presented Chinese officials with a list of 734 Chinese prisoners they said were jailed for dissent, said Bush should not attend the Games unless there were big changes. ``I personally believe that unless there's tremendous progress over the next few weeks whereby they release some of these prisoners, I personally do not believe the president should attend. Nor do I think the Secretary of State should attend,'' said Wolf. ``SIMPLY RIDICULOUS'' China later hit back, saying the politicians' attempted meetings violated the claimed purpose of their visit. ``The two U.S. Congressmen came to China as guests of the United States Embassy to engage in internal communications and consultations,'' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a news conference. ``They should not engage in activities incompatible with the objective of their visit and with their status.'' Speaking by telephone before leaving Beijing, Wolf called China's explanation ``simply ridiculous'' and said he expected the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to take up the issue. Two of the Chinese citizens who could not meet the lawmakers, Beijing-based lawyers Li Baiguang and Li Heping, met Bush at the White House on June 23 after receiving awards from the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy. Li Heping said security officers had ostentatiously tailed him and told him not to meet the U.S. politicians. He said by telephone that he was surprised the audience with Bush had not given him and Li Baiguang some immunity. ``He said he was very concerned about human rights and the rule of law in China, especially religious freedom and the freedom of the press,'' Li Heping said of the meeting. ``He also said that when he comes to Beijing for the Olympics he will raise these issues with President Hu.'' Li Baiguang, an evangelical Christian who has now met Bush twice, could not be contacted. His mobile telephone was cut off and other activists said he has been held by state security police on the outskirts of Beijing. Wolf said the U.S. government should apply more public pressure to seek the release of jailed Chinese dissidents. ``I think you need to do it publicly,'' he said. ``Frankly, they have to be done the way we used to do it with regard to the Soviet Union.'' [From the New York Times, July 2, 2008] China Blocks U.S. Legislators' Meeting (By Jim Yardley) Beijing.--Two United States congressmen who were in Beijing to lobby for the release of more than 700 political prisoners had hoped to have dinner on Sunday with a group of Chinese human rights lawyers. But security agents had a different idea: they detained some of the lawyers and warned the others to stay away. The incident is the latest example of how Chinese security agents are increasing pressure on dissidents in advance of the Beijing Olympics in August. The ruling Communist Party has issued broader orders for local governments to defuse public protests, as a violent demonstration involving an estimated 30,000 people erupted last weekend in southwestern China. In Beijing, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said the congressmen, Republicans Frank R. Wolf of Virginia and Christopher H. Smith of New Jersey, had overstepped their visas in arranging to meet the lawyers. The legislators, both sharp critics of China, expressed outrage over the interference by security agents. ``The people we were supposed to have dinner with all got stopped,'' said Mr. Smith in a telephone interview on Tuesday afternoon. ``All of the world is watching, and this kind of behavior doesn't bring anything but more scrutiny to their human rights abuses.'' Mr. Wolf called on President Bush to boycott the Olympic opening ceremonies if the detained lawyers were not released and if there was ``no progress'' on releasing 734 political prisoners on a list the two congressmen presented to the Chinese. President Bush has been invited to the opening ceremony by Chinese president Hu Jintao and has rejected calls that he not attend. On Tuesday afternoon, Liu Jianchao, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said the two legislators, who had travel visas, should not have tried to meet with the lawyers. ``They should not intervene in China's internal affairs or conduct something that is harmful to China-U.S. relations,'' he said during a regular news briefing. Asked if visiting congressmen must get approval from the Chinese government to meet with private citizens, Mr. Liu added: ``The two congressmen applied to come to China to get in touch with the United States consulate. We hope the two U.S. congressmen can respect the country they visit and obey Chinese laws. Regarding the issues on religion and human rights, the exchange between the two countries is more meaningful than meeting private citizens.'' The congressmen said they came to Beijing to discuss human rights, religious freedom, the Olympics and Darfur. Mr. Smith said they met Monday with the country's former foreign minister, Li Zhaoxing, and gave him their list of political prisoners. ``He took it and said they would look at it,'' Mr. Smith said. ``Our argument is that these people have done nothing wrong.'' The guest list at the Sunday night dinner was supposed to include three activist lawyers, Li Baiguang, Teng Biao and Li Heping. They were among this year's winners of the ``Democracy Award'' by the National Endowment of Democracy in Washington. Li Baiguang and Li Heping have met with President Bush. On Sunday afternoon, authorities took Li Baiguang to a Beijing suburb, where he was placed under house arrest, according to Chinese Human Rights Defenders, an advocacy group. Mr. Teng, who was also detained earlier this year, was taken to the same Beijing suburb but later returned to his apartment under house arrest. Another well-known lawyer, Jiang Tianyong, was blocked from leaving his apartment by two Beijing police officers, the advocacy group said. Still another lawyer, Li Fangping, said three police officers were stationed outside his apartment and threatened to follow him wherever he went. The two representatives did manage to meet with a Chinese pastor, Zhang Mingxuan, but Mr. Smith said security agents placed the pastor under house arrest afterward. The tightened scrutiny of dissidents comes as China is making broader efforts to increase security and curb public protests as the Olympics draw near. On June 8, the central government held a video conference to launch a national campaign to prevent petition campaigns by disgruntled citizens and to stop demonstrations and other ``mass incidents'' in the name of preserving harmony for the Olympics. Localized demonstrations have become common in China, especially in rural areas where peasants protest against illegal land seizures and corruption. Often, peasants organize petition campaigns and travel to Beijing to present their grievances. But authorities, concerned about a potentially embarrassing spectacle during the Games, are calling on local officials to solve problems and prevent petitioners from coming to the capital. The potential for unexpected protests was illustrated over the weekend when thousands of people burned government buildings in the county of Weng'an in Guizhou Province. China Daily, the official English-language newspaper, reported that 30,000 people participated in a ``mass action'' after a smaller group protested against possible police malfeasance in handling a case that involved the death of a local teenage girl. Family members of the girl believe she was killed by relatives of local officials. The riot erupted after the police ruled her death a drowning and cleared the officials' relatives. Rioters burned government buildings and smashed police cars. Paramilitary police have since been dispatched to the county to restore order.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the distinguished career in aviation and aviation safety of Captain Edward K. Miller of Fairfax County in northern Virginia. Captain Miller served for 6 years as a U.S. Air Force fighter interceptor pilot during the Korean War era and followed that service as a pilot for United Airlines, retiring in 1990. During his career with United, he became concerned with earthquake and volcanic ash hazards following the eruption of the Mt. St. Helens volcano in Washington State and served as a flight safety volunteer with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). After his retirement with United, he continued his air safety consulting activities with ALPA, focusing on volcanic ash and aviation safety. He became a recognized worldwide leader in this specialized talent and served on the Natural Hazards Committee chaired by the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology, which works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Federal Aviation Administration and other related agencies. In cooperation with ALPA, United Airlines, NOAA, NWS, FAA and USGS, earlier this year he was involved in the effort to produce a free volcanic ash aircrew training video for the aviation community. We salute Captain Miller, who in June retired ``again'' from the aviation community, for his devotion to flight safety in a career that spanned almost six decades, and wish him the best in the future.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, when Congressman Chris Smith and I were in China 1\1/2\ weeks ago, all of the dissidents that we were to meet with were arrested, many before they even got to the meeting. And some of the dissidents were ones who had met with President Bush, and at the very time the Secretary of State was there in town, they arrested them. I call on the President of the United States, if he is going to go to the Olympics, to give a major address the same way that Ronald Reagan gave a major address in the Soviet Union in the Danilov Monastery where he spoke out on behalf of religious freedom and human rights. Thirty-five Catholic bishops in jail, hundreds of house church leaders in jail. They have plundered Tibet. They are persecuting the WEAGers. They are spying on this country. I urge the President to give a major address the same way that Ronald Reagan did in the Danilov Monastery, and he should do it in a large church in China to speak out on behalf of those who are being persecuted for their faith, on human rights and religious freedom.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor who stood up to the Nazis, said, ``The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.'' And this Congress is failing to serve the American people and failing to serve our children. We have more than $53 trillion in unfunded liabilities and $9 trillion of debt. China, who violates human rights and religious freedom, holds our debt. The Saudis, who fund radical Wahhabism all over the world, hold our debt. Standard and Poor's Investment Service predicts loss of AAA bond rating as early as the year 2012. Is this bleak scenario what the 110th Congress wants to leave our children and grandchildren? If the ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children and grandchildren, this Congress is failing miserably. Congressman Cooper and I have a bill, the SAFE Commission Act that has 105 cosponsors, that would put everything on the table, entitlements and tax policies, in order to rein in Federal spending. If we could come together, both sides of the aisle, we can ensure that our children and our grandchildren don't have to worry about the day when China and Saudi Arabia decide to call in our debt.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lt. Ron Haugsdahl of the Fairfax County Police Department. Lieutenant Haugsdahl has helped lead the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force and has personally supervised the evolution of the task force from its beginning to today's nationally recognized unit dedicated to fighting gangs and crime. His tireless efforts coordinating the 15 participating agencies have led to marked achievements in the fight against violent gangs in northern Virginia. Lieutenant Haugsdahl has served in the Fairfax County Police Department since 1993, and previously served in the city of Falls Church Police Department from 1986 to 1993 as well as in the U.S. Army as a military police officer from 1983 to 1986. Over his many years in law enforcement, Lieutenant Haugdahl's duties have included patrol sergeant, gang detective, criminal investigator, and firearms instructor, in addition to his more recent leadership role with the task force. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to acknowledge today this fine public servant devoted to upholding the law and protecting the residents of northern Virginia. His service is greatly appreciated.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing a resolution calling on the Government of Egypt to respect and uphold religious freedom for all of its citizens. In the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's 2008 report, Egypt remains on the watch list of countries that seriously violate freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief. Members of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the largest non-Muslim minority in Egypt, have a very difficult time. In the last several years there has been an upsurge of attacks targeting Copts. Such attacks include arson of churches, destruction of Coptic-owned property and businesses and physical assaults. While authorities often arrest suspects in these cases, formal charges are rarely pursued. The Baha'i religion has been banned since 1960 due to a presidential decree. Members of the Baha'i faith have difficulties obtaining civil documents such as official ID cards, birth certificates, passports, and marriage licenses. Material vilifying Jews regularly appears in state-controlled and semi-official media, including anti-Semitic cartoons aimed at influencing the opinions of Egyptian youth. The Jehovah's Witnesses cannot congregate in numbers greater than five without facing harassment by government security services. This resolution is modeled after a similar measure recently passed by the European Union Parliament. The United States was founded upon the principle that all men are endowed with certain unalienable rights, including religious freedom. Ronald Reagan once said that the Constitution is ``a kind of covenant. It is a covenant we've made not only with ourselves but with all of mankind.'' The United States Congress has a responsibility to speak out for these religious minorities. I encourage all my colleagues, who care about persecuted believers of all faiths, to cosponsor this resolution and add the House's voice to that of the EU Parliament in calling on the Government of Egypt to fully implement and protect the rights of religious minorities as full citizens.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the historic Town of Leesburg in the 10th Congressional District of Virginia. Leesburg was established in September 1758 by an act of the Virginia House of Burgesses who appointed Nicolas Minor to design the initial layout of the town. The Town of Leesburg quickly grew from a quiet town of sleepy streets to a bustling epicenter in the early 18th century. Settlers flocked to the town for its strong sense of community and numerous market-to-town opportunities. The agriculture and transportation industries grew as Leesburg became the center of commerce in Loudoun County and other regions of northern Virginia. Leesburg was the temporary capital of the United States during the War of 1812 and also served as a battleground during the American Civil War in the Battle of Balls Bluff. Leesburg has been home to many prominent Americans including President James Monroe, noted African- American attorney Charles Houston, General George C. Marshall and entertainer Arthur Godfrey. In 1970, Leesburg received a place in the National Register of Historic Places and was cited as one of the best and most picturesque downtowns in Virginia. Today, Leesburg maintains its status as the center of the crossroads of northern Virginia and is the largest town in northern Virginia. I encourage my colleagues to join me in celebrating this historic event by driving 40 miles northwest from the Capitol to visit historic Leesburg and partake in some of the town's year-long festivities in honor of the anniversary. The town is holding a flag-design contest in honor of this historic event, to design an official flag for the town. On September 14, 2008, the town will celebrate her 250th birthday and I invite all to attend to commemorate history and enjoy the distinctly Americana spirit of the day's activities.--- I have been proud to serve the people of Leesburg since the start of my terms in the House and I share in the town's celebration of this significant anniversary.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, next Tuesday, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen will visit the White House. I sincerely hope that the President will seize this opportunity to be bold and make Vietnam's deplorable human rights record a point of focus. Any further cooperation between the U.S. and Vietnam should be contingent upon establishing benchmarks for improved human rights and increased religious freedom in Vietnam. Vietnam's human rights record remains a disgrace despite its ascension to the World Trade Organization--a move that many believed would help liberalize the political as well as the economic situation. The citizens of Vietnam today remain unable to change their government. Last November, the government arrested and imprisoned two Vietnamese citizens and three foreign citizens for preparing pamphlets which advocated democratic change in Vietnam. One of those five is an American citizen, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan, who continues to languish in prison despite numerous appeals by the U.S. government for his release. According the Human Rights Watch, since mid-2006, 40 peaceful activists have been arrested. They join the over 350 religious and political prisoners sentenced since 2001. Vietnam it not progressing, it is regressing. Government officials continue to harass religious groups. Religious institutions are required to apply for permits; but many of these applications are ignored or denied leaving congregations without protection of the law and vulnerable to abuse. In the Central Highlands, provincial officials have been trained to deny medical, educational, financial and other government services to religious families. Local police beat a Protestant man in Phu Yen province for refusing to renounce his religion; he later died of internal injuries from the beating. The activities of the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam are actively banned. I was disappointed when the State Department removed Vietnam from its list of Countries of Particular Concern in regard to religious freedom. I have asked the State Department that Vietnam be added back onto the list. Trafficking in persons also remains a major problem. Vietnam was listed as a Tier Two country in the State Department's 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report. Poor women and teenage girls in rural areas remain most at risk of being trafficked, primarily for sexual exploitation. I was very disappointed when I read of an exchange U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak had with journalists and he only mentioned human rights one time. I have written to Ambassador Michalak several times and urged him to make promoting human rights his top priority. The U.S. Embassy in Vietnam should be an island of freedom and work to promote human liberty and dignity. Regrettably, it is not. Several of my colleagues have joined me in writing Ambassador Michalak and asking that he invite all Vietnamese dissidents to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi on July 4--America's Independence Day. I look forward to his response. I will continue speaking out for the Vietnamese people who want to see their government turn away from violence and repression, and embrace the universal principles of human rights and religious freedom.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentleman from California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill. Dr. Brazelton, the leading pediatrician in the country, has said that upon the birth of a child, the connection between a mother and a newborn begins with the first breath and touch of the child, literally, the bonding process begins. In 1993, when this issue first came up, I voted the other way. I was on the wrong side of the issue. I would remind Members of the Congress that two of the best Members of Congress that I have ever served with were for this bill. Congressman Henry Hyde, who was a giant, and I would say one of the more pro-family people here in this Congress, and also former Senator Dan Coats, who was ranking Republican on the Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families, both voted for the Family Leave Act at that time. I would urge Members to support this, because the bonding process and the immediacy and opportunity for mom to spend time with that child at the very, very beginning is very, very important. I ask for a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I was on an official leave of absense to attend the commencement ceremony for Potomac Falls High School, a high school in my congressional district, at which I was the main commencement speaker. Had I been present and voting, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 5781, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2008.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia for his leadership. I am going to miss him and everyone is going to miss him as he leaves the body. I would shudder to think how the Nation's Capital would function without Metro. Visitors from all over the country, as the other Members have said, and all over the world use this system when visiting the Nation's Capital. Metro's highest ridership days have come when national events were taking place, Presidential inaugurations, holiday celebrations, 4th of July and such as the recent visit of the Pope. Lastly, this system is vital to the emergency needs of the Nation. During the terrorist attacks of 9/11, when the Pentagon was hit, this city was immobilized and you could not get in and you could not get out. Metro was the reliable source, the reliable way to ensure that thousands were able to safely and quickly evacuate the city. This is, as the majority leader said, America's system. I thank Mr. Davis again, and God bless him on his service. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by my Virginia colleague and long-time advocate for the transportation needs of the Washington metropolitan area. This House and this region are going to miss Tom Davis. He has worked tirelessly to provide the needed support and oversight of the Washington Metro system to ensure that it serves not only the residents and commuters of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, but the millions of visitors to the Capital City. I have been pleased to work with Congressman Davis as well as Congressman Hoyer and others in the Washington metropolitan area congressional delegation to spur Congress as Metro's partner, providing the Federal investment to operate the system. Every Congress and every administration since 1960 when President Eisenhower signed the National Capital Transportation Act creating the agency to develop a rapid rail system in the Nation's capital has recognized the Washington Metro system as America's subway. I shudder to think how the Nation's capital would function without Metro. Visitors from all over the country and indeed the world use the system daily when visiting our nation's capital. Metro's highest ridership days have come when national events were taking place here, attended by thousands of citizens from across the country--presidential inaugurations, holiday celebrations, and events such as the Pope's recent visit. The Metro system also supports the Federal workforce. Federal employees rely on Metro to commute back and forth to work and home every day, and also between Federal offices during the day. During peak times, over half of Metro's riders are Federal employees and contractors. Finally, this system is vital to the emergency needs of the region. During the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Metro was the reliable way to ensure that thousands of people were able to safely and quickly evacuate the city. Now today, with gas prices soaring, Metro serves as the mass transit option for growing numbers of commuters. It was a 16-year effort after President Eisenhower signed the planning legislation which culminated in Metrorail's opening day in 1976 with five stations operating 4.2 miles on the Red Line. Some 12 years later in 1988, Metrorail carried its one-billionth rider. In 2001, Metro opened the five-station, 6.5-mile segment to Branch Ave, completing the 103-mile, 83 station Metrorail system. With Metro's growing use and importance in providing mobility for thousands of riders every day, it is critical that this Congress makes sure that capital improvements and preventive maintenance are provided to ensure the system's continued operation. With the federal investment, however, comes the expectation that Metro be accountable for the taxpayer funds which it uses. This amendment is important to that effort and I urge adoption of Congressman Davis's amendment.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, in August 2006, four of the computers in my personal office were compromised by an outside source. This source first hacked into the computer of my Foreign Policy and Human Rights staff person, then the computers of my Chief of Staff, my Legislative Director and my Judiciary Committee staff. On these computers was information about all the case work I've done on behalf of political dissidents and human rights activists around the world. That kind of information, as well, everything else on my computer, e-mails, memos, correspondence and district case work, was open for outside eyes to see. I'm aware that the computers in the offices of several other Members of the Congress were similarly compromised, as well as a major committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee. That means the computers in the House Foreign Affairs Committee have been compromised. It is logical to assume that critical and sensitive information about U.S. foreign policy and the work of Congress to help people who are suffering around the world, was also open to view from those official computers. In subsequent meetings with the House Information Resources and the FBI, it was revealed that the outside sources responsible for this attack came from within the People's Republic of China. Just so it's understood, they acknowledged that this attack came from within the People's Republic of China. The cyber attacks permitted the source to probe our computers to evaluate our systems defenses and to view and copy information. My suspicion is some say that I perhaps was targeted by the Chinese sources because of the history of speaking out about China's abysmal, very abysmal human rights record. My offices' computers were cleaned and returned to me by House Information Resources, but ever since this happened, I've been deeply concerned that this institution, the institution of the United States Congress, is definitely not adequately aware of or protected from these types of threats. I've also learned that this threat exists not only here in the Capitol complex, but also when Members travel overseas. I've been told that, particularly in countries in which access to information is tightly controlled by the government, Members are at risk of having their conversations and information recorded or stolen from their cell phones and Blackberry devices. That means, when a Member of the House, the Senate or the administration goes abroad, goes to China, everything, and if they use their cell phone or they use their Blackberry, it's being recorded by the Chinese government. And I don't believe any Member of the Congress has been told of that. As I've shared my office experience with other Members, it has become clear to me that many Members and committees of other offices in the House do not fully understand the extent of the threat against the security of their offices and how to protect themselves. I have no information to confirm this, but it would be realistic that the Senate may also be at risk. The committees in both Chambers on Government Reform, Intelligence, the Judiciary Committee, the Armed Services and the Homeland Security should have hearings on this issue. This is an issue that must have public hearings, as well as closed door and private hearings. That is why, Madam Speaker, I'm here today on the House floor. I'm speaking out about the threat of cyber attacks from China and other countries on the entire U.S. government, including our military, because of my deep concern about maintaining the security and the integrity of our government. According to a report from the Congressional Service, and I quote, ``U.S. counterintelligence officials reportedly have stated that about 140 different foreign intelligence organizations regularly attempt to hack into the computer systems of U.S. government agencies and U.S. companies.'' This happens with alarming frequency, according to a recent Business Week article entitled ``The New E-spionage Threat.'' This article states that U.S. Government agencies reported almost 13,000 cyber security incidents in fiscal year 2007, triple the number from just 2 years earlier. The May 31 cover story of the National Journal, the respected National Journal, says, ``The Chinese Cyber-Invasion,'' and every Member should read it, titled the ``Chinese Cyber-Invasion'' reported, ``Electronic devices by the U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and his party during a December 2007 visit to China were invaded using spyware that could steal information.'' Gutierrez was in China with a high-level delegation to discuss trade-related issues. Now, this Congress said it's concerned about trade-related issues with China, and that's why he was there, such as intellectual property rights, consumer product safety, and market access. The Associated Press also reported on the breach. Why did we learn about this in the press instead of from our own government officials? Did our government do anything about this attack? Did they get information from Secretary Gutierrez that could be used against American business in negotiation of trade agreements? China, in particular, is actively engaged in espionage against the United States. I recently had the opportunity to read, and I hope every Member of the Congress has read, the U.S.-China Economic Security Review Commission's classified report--it is in the House Intel Committee--to the Congress and found the report's conclusions to be very alarming. The report addresses China's activities in the areas of espionage, cyber warfare, and arms proliferation. I strongly urge all Members of the House to read this report as it gives a clear picture of the threat that China poses, the threat, and in their words, that China poses to our national security. In fact, the Pentagon's 2008 annual report to Congress stated that ``in the past year, numerous computer networks around the world, including those owned by the U.S. Government, were subject to intrusions that appear to have originated within the People's Republic of China.'' According to the Business Week article in 2007, the U.S. Government launched a classified operation called Byzantine Foothold to combat sophisticated new attacks that were compromising sensitive information at the State Department and a defense contractor, such as Boeing, the source of which U.S. officials allege is China. The Business Week article states that computer attacks have targeted sensitive information on the Internet works of at least several Federal agencies: the Defense Department, the State Department, the Energy Department, the Commerce Department, the Health and Human Services Department, and the Agriculture Department, and the Treasury Department. Defense contractors Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Electric, Raytheon, and General Dynamics have also been targeted. Despite everything we read in the press, our intelligence and law enforcement, national security, and diplomatic corps remain hesitant to speak out on the problem. Perhaps they are afraid that talking about the problem will reveal our vulnerability. In fact, I have been urged not to speak out about this threat. But our adversaries already know we are vulnerable. Pretending that we are not vulnerable is a mistake. As a Nation, we must decide when we are going to start considering this type of activity a threat to our national security and the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces, a threat that we must confront and which we must protect ourselves. Madam Speaker, the apparent lack of national urgency to address this problem only gives those who wish us harm an extra advantage. The Government Accounting Office reported in 2007 that no comprehensive strategy exists yet to coordinate improvements of computer security across the Federal Government in the private sector. I strongly believe that the appropriate officials, including those of the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, should brief all Members of Congress in a closed session regarding threats from China and other countries against security of House technology including our computers, BlackBerry devices, and phones. There must be a session where any Member who is interested has the opportunity to get briefed by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security and others. The potential for massive and coordinated cyber attacks against the United States is no longer a futuristic problem. We must prepare ourselves now and develop procedures for responding to this threat. Members need to know how best to protect themselves, their staff, and their official business from these threats. I have experienced this threat firsthand, as have others in the Congress, and are deeply worried that this institution, the United States Congress, is not adequately protected. Congress should take the lead in protecting our government and indeed our country from the threat posed by cyber espionage activities. James Lewis, the director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies remarked last year in testimony before the House committee on Homeland Security that ``If gangs of foreigners broke into the State or Commerce Department and carried off dozens of file cabinets, there would be a crisis. When the same thing happens in cyberspace, we shrug it off as another of those annoying computer glitches we must live with.'' The apparent complacency in both the private and public sectors toward this threat is astonishing. We must know about the threat. We must speak out about how to protect ourselves and form a comprehensive strategy with which to respond. Stephen Spoonamore, a CEO of a cyber security firm called Cybrinth, put the matter succinctly in the National Journal article. He said, ``By not talking openly about this, they are making truly a dangerous national security problem worse . . . Secrecy in this matter benefits no one. Our Nation's intellectual capital, industrial secrets, economic security are under daily and withering attack. The oceans that surround us are no protection from sophisticated hackers, working at the speed of light on behalf of nation-states and mafias.'' We must cease, Madam Speaker, this Congress must cease, the administration must cease denying the scope and scale and risk of the issue. And he goes on to say a growing number of his peers ``believe that our Nation is in grave and growing danger.'' Mr. Spoonamore is right. We are making this dangerous national security problem worse by not discussing it openly. I believe this institution, as my resolution states, should get the facts, and armed with these facts, should take the necessary action to protect the safety and integrity of the House. In 1789, Madam Speaker, British Parliament member William Wilberforce, speaking to his colleagues about the slave trade, said, ``having heard all of this, you may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say you do not know.'' This Congress on both sides of the aisle and people in the administration can never again, can never again say you do not know; and the American people should ask their Members of Congress, Do you know and what are you going to do about it. We cannot afford to look the other way when foreign sources are threatening to compromise our government institutions, our economy, our very way of life through cyber espionage. We cannot sit by and watch. I urge the adoption of the resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan, the ranking member on the Intelligence Committee, Mr. Hoekstra.

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) for 2 minutes.