August 1, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1203

Congress passed the Equal Rights Amend- MENG, GWEN MOORE, GRACE NAPOLITANO, missed rollcall votes No. 411, on the Pompeo ment (also known as the Women’s Equality WILLIAM PASCRELL, EDWARD PERLMUTTER, amendment, and No. 412, on the Amash Amendment). This historic amendment was in- CHELLIE PINGREE, MICHAEL QUIGLEY, CHARLES amendment. Had I been present, I would have tended to affirm in our United States Constitu- RANGEL, RAUL RUIZ, TIMOTHY RYAN, LINDA voted ‘‘yea’’ on the Pompeo amendment, and tion fundamental equality based on sex in all SA´NCHEZ, SCOTT DAVIS, TERRI SEWELL, CAROL ‘‘nay’’ on the Amash amendment. areas of society. SHEA-POTTER, BRAD SHERMAN, LOUISE f In 1972, Congress passed the ERA with a SLAUGHTER, BENNIE THOMPSON, DINA TITUS, measure that it had to be ratified by the nec- PAUL TONKO, NIKI TSONGAS, CHRISTOPHER VAN ENERGY CONSUMERS RELIEF ACT essary number of states (38) within 7 years. HOLLEN, NYDIA VELA´ZQUEZ, MAXINE WATERS, OF 2013 MELVIN WATT, HENRY WAXMAN, PETER WELCH, Though this deadline was extended, it was SPEECH OF only for 10 short years. With this narrow time and FREDERICA WILSON. I urge my fellow limit, the ERA was unfortunately just three Members of Congress to join in support. HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN states shy of full ratification when the deadline f OF MARYLAND passed in 1982. Other constitutional amend- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REUNIFICATION ON THE ISLAND ments were given much wider deadlines for OF CYPRUS Wednesday, July 31, 2013 ratification. One example is the 27th amend- The House in Committee of the Whole ment, concerning Congressional pay raises, HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON House on the state of the Union had under which was accepted after a 203 year ratifica- consideration the bill (H.R. 1582) to protect OF TEXAS tion period. consumers by prohibiting the Administrator This Congress I intend to finally add the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of the Environmental Protection Agency word ‘‘women’’ to the constitution. It is time for Thursday, August 1, 2013 from promulgating as final certain energy- our nation to understand the necessity of Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. related rules that are estimated to cost more than $1 billion and will cause significant ad- equality for women based on the way it has Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage re- been deprived of them. While we have made verse effects to the economy, with Ms. ROS- newed efforts to bring about reunification on LEHTINEN in the chair. cracks in the glass ceiling many times before, the island of Cyprus. Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chair, I rise in we have yet to shatter it. I believe that this In 2004, the inhabitants of the island partici- amendment provides that recognition to pated in a referendum put forward by the strong opposition to this so-called Energy women without taking equality rights away United Nations under Secretary-General Kofi Consumers Relief Act, which would be more from others. Annan. The proposal known as the Annan accurately titled the Blocking Public Health Over the past several decades, legislative Plan foresaw a bi-communal, bi-zonal federa- Protections Act. The best I can say about this efforts have increased women’s rights—but tion based on political equality. Unfortunately, bill is that it is going precisely nowhere—and these strides toward achieving equality are not it was overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cyp- for good reason. Under this legislation, the Department of En- irreversible. Without the ERA, women have riots in 2004 despite vast support by Turkish often been denied the ability to seek justice Cypriots. Had it been accepted, it would have ergy would be required to waste increasingly when they have experienced discrimination. brought about a resolution to this longstanding limited resources undertaking costly and time- Though certain court decisions, such as the separation of the island and contributed to po- consuming review of certain ‘‘energy-related’’ Supreme Court decision in the Virginia Military litical stability in this region of the world. EPA rules. The term ‘‘energy-related’’ is not Institute case (Virginia v. United States), In 2008, the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cyp- defined, and no time limit is given for comple- helped to clarify that gender cannot be used to riot leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a tion of DoE’s duplicative analysis. keep women from achieving social, legal and bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political As a result, H.R. 1582 would have the prac- economic gains, important decisions like this equality as defined by relevant Security Coun- tical—and intended— effect of blocking or in- can also be overturned. In addition, laws can cil resolutions. These talks proceeded through definitely delaying important public health pro- still perpetuate gender classifications that keep May 2012, often being guided by former tections, even if the Secretary of Energy never women from achieving their full potential. Pas- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki- exercises his authority to overturn the EPA— sage of the ERA would provide a Constitu- moon. The framework included a federal gov- protections like the Mercury and Air Toxic tional affirmation of the Supreme Court deci- ernment with a single international personality Standards, which will reduce mercury and sion. as well as a Turkish Cypriot constituent state other harmful toxins from power plants; or the Our democracy rests on the principle of ‘‘lib- and a Greek Cypriot constituent state, both of vehicle tailpipe standards, which, ironically, erty and justice for all.’’ We need the ERA to equal status. Unfortunately, this process has are already saving consumers money at the ensure that this concept applies equally to all. been put on hold for more than a year, as Cy- pump. I am pleased to introduce this bill with nine- prus has dealt with serious economic crises Madam Chair, Americans expect their gov- ty-three of my bipartisan colleagues, Rep- and political reforms. ernment to ensure that their air is healthy and resentatives CYNTHIA LUMMIS, RODNEY The time has come for both sides to resume their water is clean. H.R. 1582 is poorly draft- FRELINGHUYSEN, JERROLD NADLER, KAREN this process and seek long-term solutions that ed, ill-conceived legislation that would take us BASS, JOYCE BEATTY, XAVIER BECERRA, SAN- will bring peace and prosperity to the island. in precisely the opposite direction. FORD BISHOP, TIMOTHY BISHOP, EARL BLU- On July 28, Turkish Cypriots successfully I urge a ‘‘no’’ vote. MENAUER, CORRINE BROWN, G.K. BUTTERFIELD, completed elections, advancing the cause of f LOIS CAPPS, MICHAEL CAPUANO, TONY democracy on the island. I congratulate the ENCOURAGING PEACE AND REUNI- CA´RDENAS, KATHY CASTOR, DAVID CICILLINE, Turkish Cypriots for holding free and fair elec- FICATION ON THE KOREAN PE- YVETTE CLARKE, WM. LACY CLAY, JAMES CLY- tions, and wish them well as they endeavor to NINSULA BURN, STEVE COHEN, JAMES COOPER, JAMES form a new government. But a broader solu- COSTA, JOSEPH COURTNEY, JOSEPH CROWLEY, tion, involving the participation of both sides of HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN ELIJAH CUMMINGS, DANIEL DAVIS, SUSAN DAVIS, the island, is essential to Cyprus’s long-term OF MARYLAND PETER DEFAZIO, DIANA DEGETTE, CHARLIE success. It is my strong hope that economic IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DENT, JOHN DINGELL, TAMMY DUCKWORTH, conditions have stabilized sufficiently on the KEITH ELLISON, SAM FARR, CHAKA FATTAH, island to allow this process to move forward. Thursday, August 1, 2013 WILLIAM FOSTER, MARCIA FUDGE, TUSLI The United States should do all it can to sup- Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, as a co- GABBARD, JOHN GARAMENDI, ALAN GRAYSON, port this process. sponsor of H. Con. Res. 41, a bill encouraging AL GREEN, RAUL GRIJALVA, MICHELLE LUJAN f peace and reunification on the Korean Penin- ´ GRISHAM, LOUIS GUTIERREZ, BRIAN HIGGINS, PERSONAL EXPLANATION sula, I rise to encourage my colleagues to join JAMES HIMES, RUBE´N HINOJOSA, STEVE ISRAEL, me in support of the bill. SHEILA JACKSON LEE, HAKEEM JEFFRIES, EDDIE HON. JOYCE BEATTY This month, hundreds of Korean War vet- BERNICE JOHNSON, HENRY ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, erans will gather in the nation’s capital to com- OF OHIO MARCY KAPTUR, WILLIAM KEATING, JOSEPH memorate the 60th anniversary of the Korean IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES KENNEDY, DANIEL KILDEE, BARBARA LEE, SAND- War Armistice. In recognition of their service ER LEVIN, JOHN LEWIS, DAVID LOESBACK, ZOE Thursday, August 1, 2013 and for those who continue to serve on the LOFGREN, STEPHEN LYNCH, BETTY MCCOLLUM, Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, peninsula to this day, we pause to express our JAMES MCDERMOTT, JAMES MCGOVERN, GRACE July 24, 2013, due to unforeseen illness, I appreciation and support.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 08:04 Aug 02, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A01AU8.063 E01AUPT1 tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E1204 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks August 1, 2013 The Korean War began when North Korea 100,000 Korean-Americans, from their families ance with South Korea and our commitment to invaded the South on June 25, 1950. A peace in the North. As we pause to recognize the working with South Korea to encourage the treaty was never signed, only an armistice sacrifice of those who fought and died in the North to cease its nuclear proliferation activi- marking the end of hostilities. Today, Korea conflict, we must also remember all the others ties so that talks to reunify the peninsula can remains a divided nation, separating more who were affected as well. This resolution re- commence. than 10 million South Koreans, including affirms the commitment of the US to our alli-

VerDate Mar 15 2010 08:04 Aug 02, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A01AU8.067 E01AUPT1 tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS