Diane Watson

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Representative Ruben Hinojosa.

Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill and yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the U.S. passport system is broken and the average Americans are paying the price. We have heard their call for help and are here today to pass the Passport Backlog Reduction Act to help the State Department address this bureaucratic crisis. Every citizen of our Nation has the right to hold a passport and getting one should only take a few weeks at most, but millions of Americans have had to wait for months on end simply for the right to travel abroad. People are lining up at dawn every day at passport offices around the country trying to salvage trips at the last minute. They are desperate to get the one document that will let them see ailing relatives overseas, conduct important business, or begin studying abroad programs. A passport is much more than a travel document, and these delays are much more than an inconvenience. A passport is proof of American identity and, for many Americans with immigrant heritage, a passport is proof of their identity and commitment to America and the American idea. A passport must be available to any American citizen who requests one, and delays that are currently clogging our system are preventing American citizens from fully exercising their right of citizenship as well as freedom of travel. Three years ago, Congress passed the law requiring travelers to show passports if they were returning from anywhere in the Western hemisphere. Demand for passports in the last year has been at record highs, but poor planning by top officials meant that the State Department was unprepared to cope with the surge in applications. My colleagues and I on the Foreign Affairs Committee have been outraged by this poor planning and the resulting bottleneck. Last week the committee held a hearing on passport delays, and we heard testimony about the hard-working employees who are working through the night and giving up their weekends to clear the backlog of applications. At passport bureaus across the country the State Department has shipped in junior staff, government fellows, and rehired retirees to meet the crushing demand. Yet, phone calls to regional passport bureaus and to consular affairs offices have often gone unanswered on tens of thousands of occasions. Meanwhile, congressional offices are being flooded with phone calls from outraged citizens. They wonder if their passports have simply disappeared. The Passport Backlog Reduction Act will assist the State Department's efforts to get all of the filed passports back to waiting travelers, and keep up with the demand in the coming months. This bill lifts legal impediments so that the agency can hire retired foreign service officers to process passport applications. Some of these officers will also be permitted to assist the officials who investigate passport fraud to ensure that passports only go to those citizens who are eligible for them and who do not pose a security risk. Endless delays in exercising every citizen's right to a passport are outrageous and absolutely unacceptable. So, I urge my colleagues to support this bill so the House can take one additional step to ensure that our citizens' demands for their passports are met expeditiously. Madam Speaker, I strongly support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 966) to enable the Department of State to respond to a critical shortage of passport processing personnel, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 378) honoring World Red Cross Red Crescent Day, as amended.

Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I would first like to commend our distinguished colleague, Mr. Fortuno of Puerto Rico, for introducing this resolution. More than 140 years ago, the great Henry Dunant founded the International Committee of the Red Cross after witnessing the atrocities of the Battle of Solferino in 1859. Mr. Dunant's heroic advocacy on behalf of the humane treatment of wartime sick and wounded spawned a global movement dedicated to helping those in need and protecting human dignity for all. Today, there are more than 185 Red Cross, Red Crescent and Magen David Adom societies throughout the world and more than 750 chapters in the United States alone. These organizations help vulnerable people in communities prevent, prepare for and respond to and recover from disasters, complex humanitarian emergencies and life-threatening conditions. The red symbols of these great organizations are unambiguous, internationally recognized, signs of comfort, hope and protection. The American Red Cross, in particular, is a vital lifeline for many people, both in this country and abroad. In conjunction with its sister national societies throughout the world, it has assisted millions of distressed individuals. In 2006 alone, the American Red Cross responded to 23 international disasters and contributed more than $16.1 million in financial support. Often beyond the lens of cameras or public view at some of the most devastated corners on Earth, the American Red Cross represents our country and our national spirit of generosity and hope. To honor Mr. Dunant's legacy and the work of thousands of volunteers and donors, the American Red Cross and its partners will celebrate World Red Cross Red Crescent Day. This resolution pays tribute to this event and to the work of thousands of volunteers internationally. It reaffirms our country's support for the world's largest humanitarian network and celebrates the values of the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, and Magen David Adom societies. I am pleased to note that for the first time World Red Cross Red Crescent day will include Magen David Adom, Israel's national Red Cross society, which became a full member of the international movement in 2006. I strongly support this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. WATSON

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

Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I would like to thank our colleague, Congresswoman Thelma Drake, for sponsoring this important resolution and for her leadership on this issue. Twenty-five years ago, William and Kathleen Magee of Virginia traveled with other medical professionals to the Philippines to treat children with facial deformities. Little did they know it was a trip that would change their lives and the lives of thousands of children around the world. Inspired by the Filipino children, the Magees decided to start their own organization designed specifically to address cleft palates and cleft lips in countries where medical care leaves those afflicted with few options. They called it Operation Smile, and the Magees were the perfect couple to start it. William is a plastic surgeon, and Kathleen is a nurse and social worker. Since 1982, operating out of their headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, they have led a dedicated coalition of medical services workers to address facial deformities around the world. Aside from appearance and comfort level, these are serious conditions that can cause problems with feeding and speech, as well as ear disease. In the past 25 years, Operation Smile has provided corrective reconstructive surgery to some 100,000 children and young adults in 25 countries. Operation Smile adeptly recognizes the differences in these countries and brings together medical professionals to tailor their care depending on the setting. The organization coordinates training activities, as well as fellowships and professorships, to further both its own mission and the medical system in these countries overall. Operation Smile provides a network of resources to assist families in the United States with children born with facial deformities. It runs an annual international student leadership conference and student leadership program, and it trains surgeons in certain advanced skills. We can all learn from Operation Smile and the model it provides to medical professionals and organizations around the world, and we can all learn from the Magees that public service can go far beyond one's chosen profession. That is why I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to honor Operation Smile and William and Kathleen Magee on the 25th anniversary of their organization. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 208) honoring Operation Smile in the 25th Anniversary year of its founding, as amended.

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Thank you very much, Chairman Lantos. And thank you, Chairman Skelton, for crafting this resolution and giving us the opportunity to discuss the war. And I want to thank our Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, who has been steadfast in moving this Congress and this country towards an honorable exit from our occupation of Iraq. We are now 6 months into President Bush's vaunted escalation of the war in Iraq, and we are not seeing progress. Recently, the Washington Post reported that U.S. military commanders are increasingly relying on Sunni militias to fight insurgent groups. Our military officers are giving these militias weapons and intelligence and setting them loose. Mr. Speaker, just a few months ago, the President told us he needed to escalate the commitment of the United States soldiers to Iraq to disarm ethnic militia. Now, we are arming them? Just a few months ago, the President told us that ethnic militias were undermining the security and stability of Iraq. Now, they are the guarantors of the stability and security of Iraq? When the President's strategy for victory involves arming the people who, just a few months ago, were our sworn enemies, it becomes difficult for any of us to explain to our constituents what our troops are still doing there in Iraq. The troops have done their job, and in an honorable way, but they will not be successful if the President cannot decide what the mission really is. And I remember him several years ago saying ``mission accomplished.'' I am sure we will hear from a number of people here that we need to give the escalation more time, that we need to wait until September. I'm not willing to do that, Mr. Speaker. I'm not willing to explain to the families of the soldiers who will die between now and September that it took an extra 3 months to figure out the President's plan, and there has been no strategy given to us for success.

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the links between oil, poverty, and corruption that plague too many people on the continent of Africa. Kensington International is a United States-based firm that is owed money by the Government of the Republic of Congo. In an effort to collect on its debts, Kensington took the Government of the Republic of Congo to Court in Hong Kong. The Government of Congo, based in Brazzaville, had claimed that, because of the poverty of their nation, that they were unable to pay their debts. I would encourage my colleagues to examine the documents produced as evidence in this court case. They are available on the Internet at www.globalwitness.org, under the heading, ``Congo: Is President's son paying for designer shopping sprees with country's oil money?'' The documents online include: 1. Bill for credit card spending by Mr Christel (son of President, head of Cotrade) on luxury items and other apparently personal expenses. 2. Bank letter indicating that Long Beach Ltd is paying credit card bills for Mr Christel. 3. Corporate record identifying Mr Christel as the owner of Long Beach. 4. Credit card bill for Blaise Elenga, counsel to Cotrade, also indicating apparently personal expenses. 5. Bank letter indicating that E Investments Ltd is paying credit card bills for Mr Elenga. 6. Corporate record identifying Mr Elenga as the owner of E. Investments, formerly known as Elenga Investments. 7. Document indicates business relationship between Long Beach, Elenga Investments and Sphynx Bermuda, the latter a company controlled by Denis Gokana, found by the London High Court in November 2005 to be involved in selling state oil through shell companies, a facade intended to deceive Congo's creditors, from which he personally profited and at considerable cost to the Congolese Treasury. 8. Documents indicating payments to Long Beach and Elenga Investments by Pan Africa, a company involved in oil-related transactions with the Congolese state oil company. 9. Bank documents indicating payments to Elenga Investments by Africa Oil and Gas Corporation (AOGC), which was described by the London court in 2005 as a ``sham company'' involved in ``sham transactions'', the profits of which ended up in AOGC. 10. Bank documents indicating payments to Long Beach from AOGC. 11. Documents indicating that Long Beach received payments related to sales of Congolese oil by the state oil company. These documents are important because they raise serious questions about what appears to be personal financial transactions to the benefit of public officials with funds that may derive from state oil sales. This comes at time when 70 percent of Congolese citizens earn less than a dollar a day. Because commitments to prevent conflicts of interest in the oil sector are a key condition for Congo to receive full debt relief, I am concerned that these documents show a blatant failure to comply with the commitments they made as part of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, also know as ``HIPC''. The Republic of Congo committed to the United States, and the international community, in March 2006, that, in return for progressing towards full HIPC debt relief, that it will carry out reforms of the oil sector including ``preventing conflicts of interest in the marketing of oil [and] requiring officials of SNPC [the state oil company] to publicly declare and divest any interests in companies having a business relationship with SNPC.'' The context of this commitment is strong U.S. Congressional and international concern about corruption in the oil sector in Congo. One of the conditions of the HIPC program is the completion of a diagnostic study on SNPC's marketing of oil by independent auditors, which is not yet completed. The U.S. supports the strengthening of the HIPC triggers in relation to oil sector transparency and anti-corruption measures. These concerns are particularly acute given the Congo's reputation for serious corruption. Madam Speaker, too many African governments are unable to serve their people because of the crushing burden of international debt. Debt relief for Africa needs to be a top priority for the United States, in order to enable these governments to serve their people. But we owe it to the people of Africa to do debt relief right. We need to make sure that we are not rewarding governments that are not serving as good stewards of their citizens' national wealth. I urge my colleagues to join me in pressing forward to relieve current African debt while simultaneously working to prevent the debt cycle from starting all over again.

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Consulate General of the United States in Bermuda on their events to celebrate the 231st anniversary of American independence, of which G.K. Butterfield and myself acted as cosponsors. The American Society of Bermuda and the United States Consulate skillfully joined together in such an exemplary manner that it deserves to be noted here in Congress. These events are powerful examples of how we can partner with our host countries around the world to the benefit of America's sound principles and democratic values. At a time when we need the strongest promotion of what is truly the American way, the staff of the United States Consulate General in Bermuda provided the activities and the outreach that immediately impacted on all those present and portrayed the richness of our American philanthropy and caring.

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Chairman, I find this very odd, this situation we are in. We heard a number of our Republican colleagues come to the floor today to object to particular spending items in the bill, but this might be a first. Mr. Pence has an amendment here to prevent spending on something that doesn't exist. Mr. Chairman, I think it's worth us having a real debate on the need for a fairness doctrine. But before we get into the merits of the Fairness Doctrine, we should point out that the Fairness Doctrine has not existed since 1987, so that the argument that the Fairness Doctrine has somehow caused bias in America media is a complete red herring. But I think we need to take a hard look at what happens to our public dialogue in this country when only six companies have dominion over public debate. Mr. Pence says he doesn't want the Federal Government deciding what is fair and what is not fair, but at least the Federal Government is accountable to voters. And so I think we need to get back to what is really fair in an open society. And I urge my colleagues to vote against the Pence amendment. And I would urge Mr. Pence to join us in working to open up a free, true market in American media. And I stand ready to work with you, Mr. Pence, or any other Member of this House who wants to shift our public debate away from the centrally planned media environment we have today to a truly, functional, free market where new entrepreneurs have a chance to compete with established media companies and where new ideas have a chance to compete with the old and failed policies of the past.

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney has been serving as the Vice President now for 7 years, and he is claiming that he is not a member of the executive branch. We didn't hear the Vice President disputing his place in the executive branch when he claimed executive privilege at congressional attempts to have Cheney make public his energy task force members. No, Cheney is once again trying to do an end-run around the rules. Last week the House Oversight Committee learned that Cheney had exempted his office from the Presidential order that establishes government-wide procedures for safeguarding classified national security information. Editorials nationwide are decrying Cheney's actions. The Kansas City Star said that this is another example of his ``insistence on secrecy and his disdain for open government.'' USA Today said there was ``no surer way for leaders to get the country in trouble than to mix arrogance with secrecy.'' Let's see if the President is still actually standing up to his second.

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 416) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the public service of Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of this resolution. As one of the co-Chairs of the bipartisan United Kingdom Caucus, I am honored to have the opportunity to speak in support of H. Res. 416, a resolution saluting the public service of Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. I would first like to commend our distinguished colleague, Mr. Peter King of New York, for introducing this timely resolution that pays tribute to the remarkable political career of one of America's strongest allies. Two days from now, Prime Minister Tony Blair will leave 10 Downing Street for the last time. He will be leaving behind a legacy of domestic reform and international activism. His successor, Gordon Brown, praised his accomplishments and told him that ``Whatever we achieve in the future will be because we are standing on your shoulders.'' Mr. Blair was first elected to Parliament in 1983 and served as Prime Minister for over a decade, securing a place in the record books as the only Labor leader to have won three successive elections. Mr. Blair has been a strong and steadfast ally of the United States throughout his time in office. No American will ever forget the solidarity he expressed on behalf of our British cousins in the days following the devastating terrorist attacks of 9/11, when he announced, ``We were with you at the first. We will stay with you to the last.'' Mr. Blair was the first foreign leader to visit Ground Zero. He further demonstrated his support by sitting in this Chamber during President Bush's speech before a joint session of Congress 2 weeks later. American hearts went out to Mr. Blair and the British people in July of 2005 when cheers of celebration over London's successful Olympic bid turned to tears of mourning following the devastating terrorist attack on the city's public transportation system. Domestically, Mr. Blair was unwavering in his commitment to securing a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. Blair aided the negotiations that led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on April 10, 1998. This momentous agreement brought all communities into the governmental process, providing a framework in which the ballot box replaced the bomb as a means of political expression. During his final months in office, Mr. Blair witnessed the fruits of his labor as age-old enemies Ian Paisley of the Democratic Unionist Party and Martin McGuiness of Sinn Fein took their places as first and deputy first ministers in the restored Northern Ireland Assembly. Mr. Blair welcomed the opportunity for Northern Ireland to ``escape the heavy chains of history'' and ``make history anew.'' It is appropriate that this House recognizes the outstanding public service of Tony Blair during his decade as Britain's Prime Minister and thank him for his unfailing friendship during our Nation's time of greatest need. I strongly support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be the author, with my good friend, Darrell Issa, of this resolution to honor the life of a great American and dear friend, Jack Valenti. Both Washington and Hollywood lost an icon in April with the passing of Jack Valenti. For nearly four decades, Jack served as the public face of Hollywood as the head of the Motion Picture Association of America where he was most famous for creating the film rating system we use today. Jack's career as a public servant began during World War II when he flew B-25 bombers for the United States Army Air Force. After the war, Jack served as one of President Lyndon Johnson's closest advisers. Jack left the White House after several years to become a pioneer in the entertainment industry. Joining MPAA in 1966, Jack created the movie rating system that we use today. Jack served as one of Washington's most effective lobbyists, moving easily between Hollywood and Washington as the president of the MPAA for 38 years. After his tenure at the Motion Picture Association, Jack joined the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as a final mission in his extraordinary life and committed himself to working tirelessly to increase the quality of life of those suffering from the devastating effects of disease and poverty across the globe. He served as a relentless spokesman for disease-devastated communities across the globe while navigating the Halls of Congress with statesmanlike agility to ensure that the United States increased its funding to the Global Fund to fight AIDS and to fight tuberculosis and malaria and other programs that save lives. Not only has the global health community lost a great advocate, but so has the entertainment industry and Washington lost a truly great friend. So I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.

Ms. WATSON

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson).

Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Hank Johnson, for sponsoring this important and timely resolution on the nightmarish conflict in northern Uganda. Two decades of horrific battle between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Ugandan government have taken up to 200,000 lives and displaced nearly 2 million civilians from their homes. But the human tragedy in Uganda cannot be simply represented but numbers and statistics. It is about the daily pain and terror of victims and their families. Like other rebel forces that have fought the tragic civil wars of Africa, the Lord's Resistance Army built its ranks with child soldiers, both girls and boys, and used vicious and unspeakable methods to alienate these children from their families and their villages. Time and again, Uganda child victims have been forced to commit unthinkable acts, to kill their parents and other relatives before being abducted themselves. Over two decades of war, more than 30,000 children have been kidnapped and faced a horrible fate, becoming absorbed into the LRA. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of terrified children leave their home villages each evening at dusk and walk to distant towns to avoid being kidnapped by the LRA and pressed into service. They are known in Uganda as the ``night commuters.'' Mr. Speaker, every parent in the United States labors to reassure their young children that they are safe at home when sleeping in their own beds. The greatest crime of the Lord's Resistance Army is to take even this basic right away from children and families of northern Uganda. While the LRA is responsible for the overwhelming majority of violence and abuse of children and their families, the government of Uganda also has been cited time and again for human rights violations. In August of last year, South Sudan's President brokered a cessation of hostilities agreement between the government and the rebel forces, but the accord broke down and only last month did the 10-month effort resume. I believe the Uganda people deserve both peace and justice. It is incumbent upon the international community to work with Uganda people, particularly the people of northern Uganda, along with the International Criminal Court and the Ugandan judiciary, to make sure both a lasting peace and real justice are achieved. The healing and the recovery of the Uganda people, particularly the children, from this tragic war, requires that we make their personal peace the priority right now. It is the only path to lasting stability for northern Uganda. That is why I urge the passage of this legislation, to put Uganda on a path to peace once again. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.