January 17, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H337 in America for his courage and dedica- ers. In the days and weeks ahead, my cared for in 59 camps run by the United tion to democracy. office will be working to provide what- Nations Relief and Works Agency, or I believe that if Turkey wants to fur- ever assistance is necessary to help the U-N-R-W-A, sometimes referred to ther explore the opportunities that she these workers get back to work. But as UNRWA. wishes to do within the present Euro- they want their jobs. Nearly 60 years after the first of pean Union, she must address the issue Mainers have rallied for each other these camps were established, virtually of article 301. I hope my colleagues will during difficult times in the past and nothing has been done to return this join me in honoring the memory of will do so again. I’ll continue to be in- population to a settled existence. The Hrant Dink and continue to urge the volved in meeting the needs of our 1.3 million Palestinians living in these repeal of article 301. workers affected by this announce- camps live in a world of poverty, their f ment, and I’ll stay in close contact day-to-day existence solely reliant on with plant officials and workers in the international handouts. b 1500 days ahead. The history of Palestinian refugee ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE But this Congress has to look at the problems clarifies why the Elon peace fundamental problem with our flawed plan is so needed at this time: The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a trade models and trade deals that Following the Israeli War of Inde- previous order of the House, the gen- we’ve been passing in this Congress. pendence in 1948, hundreds of thou- tleman from Maine (Mr. MICHAUD) is And this Congress is no different than sands of Palestinians were displaced. recognized for 5 minutes. the previous Congress. We continue to At the time, hundreds of thousands of Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I use the same flawed trade model, and Jews fled also or were ousted from rise today on behalf of the workers at that’s going to continue to hurt work- their homes in Arab lands. The U.N. es- NewPage Corporation in Rumford, ers and manufacturing businesses here tablished the U.N. Relief and Works Maine, and Fraser Timber Limited in in this country. Agency in 1949 to care for the Arab/Pal- Ashland, Maine. These workers re- This Congress has to wake up to estinian refugees. The U.N. has never ceived some devastating news this what’s actually happening out there. created an agency solely to serve the week about job losses and layoffs. Fra- We will not need any economic stim- interests of one displaced group of peo- ser Timber Limited will lay off 70 ulus package if we make sure that we ple. workers on February 8, 2008 to June 1, pass fair trade deals that are good for Many of the refugees do not even 2008. NewPage Corporation announced our workers here, that are good for our have historical roots in the territory a shutdown of a paper machine in businesses here in this country. now known as Palestine. Many of those Rumford as of February 25, 2008. This f residing in the West Bank are descend- decision could impact approximately 60 The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a ants of those who came from Syria and to 70 jobs in Maine. previous order of the House, the gen- the Trans-Jordan area. In Maine, we are all too familiar with tleman from North Carolina (Mr. While the displaced Jews of the re- an economic and trade policy that has JONES) is recognized for 5 minutes. gion settled in Israel and were inte- devastated our manufacturing sector. (Mr. JONES of North Carolina ad- grated into the Israeli society, the Pal- As a mill worker for nearly 30 years at dressed the House. His remarks will ap- estinians remain sequestered in these Great Northern Paper Company, I pear hereafter in the Extensions of Re- refugee camps. Why the Arab commu- know how devastating this news is for marks.) nity that perpetually talks about the these workers and their families. When welfare of the Palestinians does noth- f this happens in small rural commu- ing to relocate these people out of nities in Maine, it ripples through the THE ELON PEACE PLAN these camps is strange and, for many, economy and throughout the region. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a it’s considered no mystery. Many of When the House considers a potential previous order of the House, the gen- these regimes fought against Israel in economic stimulus package in the next tleman from Florida (Mr. WELDON) is 1948, seeking to destroy Israel, and few weeks, I’ll keep the workers of recognized for 5 minutes. their desire is to perpetuate the camps NewPage and Fraser at the forefront of Mr. WELDON of Florida. Madam and to perpetuate the terrorism the my mind. Any economic stimulus Speaker, today I rise to bring to the at- camps breed. package the House considers must con- tention of the House an important new This, in my opinion, is unfortunate, sider what’s good for our workers and plan that seeks to bridge the long- and UNWRA is a U.N. agency estab- their industry. We must get back to standing divide between the Israelis lished purportedly for the benefit of fiscal discipline, yet provide the relief and the Palestinians. The plan is titled the refugees. However, in my opinion, so many people in Maine need. ‘‘The Right Road to Peace,’’ and it is a it serves to perpetuate the terrorism But if we are truly trying to reform comprehensive proposal for finding an problem. our economy, we must also address the avenue to peace, as well as addressing While UNWRA lets camp residents serious trade imbalance that’s creating the humanitarian needs of the Pales- run their own activities, under its own this job loss. It’s no secret that trade tinian people. oversight, the camps have become cen- has gotten the better of Maine’s manu- As we know, the Palestinian people ters of terrorism, lawlessness, and facturing industry. Since passage of have, for nearly three generations, lan- crime. This further victimizes the Pal- NAFTA, Maine has lost 23 percent of guished in U.N.-run refugee camps in estinians in the refugee camps who our manufacturing base. Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza and the West have no involvement in these criminal Today the USTR Trade Representa- Bank. The author of the proposal, Mr. activities. Palestinian terrorists oper- tive Susan Schwab said that moving Binyamin Elon, a highly respected ate freely in many of these camps, co- forward on these trade agreements will member of Israel’s Knesset, he, at the ordinating attacks against innocent actually help our economy. Well, I can heart of this plan, has offered an inno- Israeli civilians and Palestinians who tell you this, she obviously hasn’t vative approach for providing oppor- oppose their terror agenda. talked to the men and women of tunity, housing and education to a pop- In 2004, the UNWRA commissioner, NewPage and Fraser. She hasn’t talked ulation which, for a long time, has Peter Hansen, admitted in an interview to other workers in Maine and across lived as a ward of the international with the Canadian Broadcasting Cor- this country that have been devastated community. Mr. Elon’s proposal would poration that the agency employs indi- by these NAFTA-style trade deals. end the cycle of dependence that long viduals who are members of groups like These workers don’t want more TAA. has shackled Palestinian development. Hamas, a group the U.S. Government They want their jobs back. Madam Speaker, I will include a considers to be a terrorist organiza- I’ve been in touch with the Maine De- summary of the document entitled tion. partment of Labor Rapid Response ‘‘The Right Road to Peace’’ into the Madam Speaker, it is high time that Team, the workers at the mills, to dis- RECORD after my remarks. the truth be told and that the UNWRA cuss the implication of this, the paper Today, there are approximately 1.3 mandate come to an end. In its place, a machine shutting down on these work- million registered Palestinians being proposal should be adopted that would

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We must give the Iraqi people regimes in the Arab world have a diplo- proof of that, nearly 300 American and back their sovereignty, and we must matic foil with which to attack Israel. Iraqi soldiers and Iraqi civilians have give them their hope for a brighter fu- The Elon plan is simple. Working co- been killed or wounded so far this ture. operatively with nations around the month alone. Yes, the bloodshed con- f tinues. world, Israel and the international The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a community will assist the Palestinian And after nearly 5 years of occupa- tion, our leaders still have no exit previous order of the House, the gen- refugees to find new homes outside the tleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. camps. strategy. They have even stopped pre- ENGLISH) is recognized for 5 minutes. Why should Palestinians continue to tending that they have one. Last year they told us we couldn’t get out of Iraq (Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania ad- languish? Support the Elon plan. dressed the House. His remarks will ap- THE ISRAELI INITIATIVE: THE RIGHT ROAD TO because things on the ground were going badly. This year they’re telling pear hereafter in the Extensions of Re- PEACE marks.) PRINCIPLES OF THE ISRAELI INITIATIVE us we can’t get out because things are f (1) Rehabilitation of the refugees and dis- going well; and if we get out, they’ll go mantling of the camps. Israel, the US, and badly again. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a the international community will formulate So if you follow the administration’s previous order of the House, the gen- it multi-year program for full and rapid re- argument to its logical conclusion, this tleman from Maryland (Mr. CUMMINGS) habilitation of the Palestinian refugees. is what you get: we can’t leave when is recognized for 5 minutes. while absorbing them as citizens in various things are good; we can’t leave when (Mr. CUMMINGS addressed the countries. During the rehabilitation process, things are bad. Which means we can House. His remarks will appear here- UNRWA, an organization that perpetuates never leave. The result is permanent after in the Extensions of Remarks.) the status of the refugees, will be disman- occupation, which is precisely what the tled, and all residents of refugee camps will f be offered permanent places of residence, administration appears to want. citizenship, and a generous rehabilitation Forgetting about the bloodshed in b 1515 Iraq is bad enough. But it’s dangerous grant. The refugee camps will also he dis- FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH for many, many other reasons. It gives mantled following this process. INDIA (2) Strategic cooperation with the King- the administration a free hand to dom of Jordan, Israel, the U.S., and the ratchet up the threats against Iran. It The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a international community will recognize the takes the pressure off the Iraqi Govern- previous order of the House, the gen- Kingdom of Jordan as the sole legitimate ment to make progress toward national tleman from California (Mr. DREIER) is representative of the Palestinians, and Jor- political reconciliation. It means our recognized for 5 minutes. dan will again grant citizenship status to the Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, today residents of Judea and Samaria. The Pales- military will continue to be over- tinian Authority in Judea, Samaria and stretched and less capable of meeting my very good friend Mr. CROWLEY of Gaza will no longer be recognized as a rep- real challenges to our national security New York, in a bipartisan way, and I resentative body, and all weapons will be col- that may and will arise elsewhere. It joined together, and we now have, I’m lected from armed organizations. continues to make America appear to happy to say, our good friend from Israel, the US, and the international com- be a lawless and arrogant Western oc- north Dallas, a great Member of the munity will invest in the long-term develop- cupier of the Middle East. And it al- Rules Committee, PETE SESSIONS as a ment of the Kingdom of Jordan to restore lows our budget to be plundered at a cosponsor of legislation, a resolution and strengthen its economy. actually calling for free trade negotia- Israel and Jordan, together with Egypt, time when our economy is more than Turkey, and the US, will create a strategic shaky. People are in danger of losing tions to begin between the United organization to halt the Islamic axis based their jobs here at home; but thanks to States and India. We introduced this in Teheran, and to promote overall peace be- the administration’s policies, the boys resolution to highlight the tremendous tween Israel and the Arab countries. at Blackwater will always have their benefits of deeper economic engage- (3) Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Sama- high-paying military contractor jobs in ment between the world’s two largest ria. In coordination with Jordan, Israel will Iraq where they can continue to terrify democracies. extend its sovereignty over Judea and Sama- the Iraqi people. While bilateral trade has spurred ria. Arab residents of these areas will be- growth in both of our countries, we come citizens of Jordan (Palestine). Their We are spending over $300 million status, their relationship to the two coun- every day in Iraq, Madam Speaker. We have not yet come close to realizing tries, and the nature of the administration couldn’t afford that when the economy the full benefits of complete access to in the populated areas will be formulated was good, and we certainly can’t afford each other’s markets and full liberal- and set forth in an agreement between the it as the economy goes into recession. ization of the Indian economy. governments of Israel and Jordan. But thankfully, thankfully, the Madam Speaker, the American peo- f American people are too smart to fall ple are very focused on the economy into the trap of believing that every- right now, understandably. While THE CONFLICT IN IRAQ IS STILL thing is just swell. According to a re- growth remains strong and unemploy- GOING ON cent CBS News poll, nearly 60 percent ment remains low, and we just this The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a of Americans continue to believe the morning got the report of the drop in previous order of the House, the gentle- occupation is going badly, and 58 per- unemployment claims, the prevailing woman from California (Ms. WOOLSEY) cent believe the U.S. should never have economic stories, however, in the news is recognized for 5 minutes. gotten into Iraq in the first place. stir up a great deal of fear and concern Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I Madam Speaker, we cannot stick our among working families. The subprime rise to make an important and urgent heads in the sand and pretend that Iraq mortgage crisis has dominated the announcement to the House: the con- isn’t a problem anymore. The only way headlines for months. The housing flict in Iraq is still going on, and we to change course is to hold the admin- slump in many communities makes are still occupying that country. istration accountable, and the only homeowners feel like their financial se- I have to make this announcement way to do that is to keep the pressure curity is threatened. And as always, because apparently some people have on the administration every single day. Madam Speaker, there is the natural forgotten all about Iraq or don’t think That’s why I’ll continue to raise my anxiety that comes from the highly dy- it’s an important issue anymore. voice against the madness of this occu- namic and fast-paced environment of That’s because it doesn’t dominate the pation, and why I will continue to urge the global economy.

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