December 17, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2601 right, and not just politically correct. Will be ing the Commitment of the House of Rep- thank our troops for their hard work and dedi- sadly missed by all that knew and loved her. resentatives to Achieving Victory in Iraq’’. Be- cation in keeping us safe. May God Bless her. cause of the severe importance of this issue, f f I feel it is crucial that I explain my position on this issue. As we are all aware, on Friday, De- PENSION PROTECTION ACT OF 2005 SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND cember 2, 2005, 10 United States Marines IDEALS OF KOREAN AMERICAN were killed in a bomb attack on their foot pa- SPEECH OF DAY trol outside Fallujah. The following day, 11 HON. BART STUPAK SPEECH OF Iraqi soldiers died after insurgents ambushed a joint patrol of American and Iraqi forces just OF MICHIGAN HON. NANCY PELOSI north of Baghdad. In my District of Houston, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA TX, several Disabled Veterans, family mem- Thursday, December 15, 2005 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES bers of current and fallen soldiers, and friends Tuesday, December 13, 2005 joined in a ‘‘call to action’’ to let this Adminis- Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the Pension Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, it is with pride tration know that enough deaths have amassed in the Iraq war to warrant an imme- Protection Act on a vote of 294–130. I voted that I rise to join my colleagues in recognizing in favor of this bill in order to move the legisla- the 103rd anniversary of Korean American im- diate plan to redeploy our troops back to the U.S. We see daily examples that define this tive process forward because failure to ap- migration to the United States, and honoring prove pension reform legislation endangers the contributions of the Korean American com- situation as a crisis that continues to increase. Americans deserve a serious exit strategy— the retirement security of hundreds of thou- munity to our country. sands of workers. Without changes our pen- On January 13, 1903, the S.S. Gaelic ‘staying the course’ has clearly failed. sion system, many employers will face even docked in Hawaii, carrying with it the first I salute our brave women and men who are greater pressure to file for bankruptcy to termi- wave of immigrants from Korea, and ushering serving and who have served in our military, nate their workers’ pension plans. Though I in a new chapter in our nation’s heritage. as they have been victorious. There is no sep- supported H.R. 2830, it is my hope that the These pioneering individuals—56 men, 21 aration among Americans on our belief that final conference report will be a product more women, and 25 children—would blaze a trail our troops deserve and should receive honor. closely resembling the version that passed the for more than two million Korean American im- However, as many defense specialists and Senate on a near unanimous vote. migrants and their descendents who live other scholars have suggested, our troops It is my understanding that when the Con- throughout our nation today. continued presence in Iraq may constitute and Following World War II and the Korean War, be the basis for the increased violence. We ference Committee convenes, Education and a second wave of thousands of Korean immi- must transfer authority and oversight to a sov- Workforce Chairman BOEHNER will support in- grants came to the United States. Like all im- ereign Iraqi Government. They should then cluding a Senate provision that provides some migrants, they sacrificed everything they knew seek to gain the support of certain Arab na- industries with needed time to address their to answer the calls of freedom and new oppor- tions. There is no success in the mounting unique financial circumstances. Without imme- tunity, with the hopes of building brighter fu- bloodshed. The Washington Post reported on diate passage of this bill, some defined benefit tures for themselves in America. December 3, 2005 that sources suggest plans may be forced to default on its pay- Over the course of one hundred years of media groups in the United States might have ments to retirees. immigration, Korean Americans have worked paid Iraqi press to publish favorable propa- While not perfect, H.R. 2830, the Pension hard to achieve the American dream through ganda about U.S. military operations there. Protection Act, contains many important provi- their resolve, determination, and an abiding With this and numerous other possible inci- sions that will strengthen our defined benefit belief in the greatness of this country that we dents that raise suspicion as to the credibility system. For example, the Act provides relief to love. While well known and celebrated for its of certain American government officials, the multi-employer pension plans by allowing entrepreneurial spirit, the contributions made troops are in a very tenuous position in a land more affordable and appropriate contributions by the Korean American community to our so- foreign to them amid daily attacks by insurgent to maintain their employees’ pensions. This ciety extends to all areas of the American fab- groups. Let us be proactive in helping to save will greatly benefit workers in the skilled ric and have profoundly enriched our national lives and honor our troops by bringing them trades, such as plumbers, carpenters, and heritage. Korean Americans have broken home safely. transport workers. I was disappointed that down language and social barriers, and fought Part of the plan that I suggest includes the multi-employer pensions were excluded from back against the obstacles of racism and dis- following steps: the temporary pension relief that was signed crimination to succeed in and contribute to all (1) acts of American diplomacy in further- into law last year, and I am glad that this bill aspects of American life—all. ance of the creation of an international coali- provides long overdue relief to secure these As Representative of California’s 8th Con- tion of support, workers’ pensions. gressional District, it is my privilege to rep- (2) convening of a summit of Arab nations Though House passage of H.R. 2830 is bet- for the purpose of engaging leadership on the resent a diverse Asian American and Pacific ter than passage of no bill at all, this legisla- question of what steps can be taken to aid this Islander community, including a vibrant and tion must be improved during the conference region, active Korean American community. between the House and Senate. I would like (3) cessation of the redeployment of Amer- In marking the 100 year anniversary of Ko- to see a bill that does more to protect older ican troops to multiple tours of duty to the re- rean American immigration, the Centennial workers whose employers convert their de- Committee on Korean Immigration designated gion, (4) allocation of resources and attention to fined benefit pension plans to cash-balance January 13 of each year as Korean American the over 15,000 injured soldiers and the need plans. Further, this bill provides that the Pen- Day. By honoring this day, we celebrate the for medical and educational services, sion Benefit Guarantee Corporation guarantee extraordinary contributions of this unique com- (5) establishment of a special memorial to some, but not all, pensions when a factory or munity to our country, and rededicate our- honor those who have fallen in the Iraq en- plant shuts down. Stronger protections for selves to making the American dream a reality gagement, and older workers and insurance for all shut down for all. (6) establishment and articulation of a com- pension benefits should be included in the This legislation has my strong support, and prehensive exit strategy that will result in the final Conference Report. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring redeployment of the troops back to the U.S. All workers in every type of industry require this vibrant community. and the restoration of sovereignty to the in- immediate changes in our current pension f stalled Iraqi government. Democrats should laws if we are to ensure that future genera- VICTORY IN IRAQ RESOLUTION distinguish themselves by their alliance on this tions are able to participate in the defined ben- issue. efit retirement plans that offer superior retire- HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE Many of the Democratic resolutions, specifi- ment security. Failure to pass this bill and cally that introduced by Mr. MURTHA, deserve move the legislative process forward endan- OF TEXAS gers thousands of workers pensions. Though IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES our support. They represent excellent vehicles to distinguish Democrats before the American the Pension Protection Act is not a perfect bill, Saturday, December 17, 2005 people. We must do that! I am compelled to support this legislation so Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in fur- that our pension system can be changed to I rise in opposition to H. Res. 612, ‘‘Express- thering these initiatives, and I would like to assist all employees.

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