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Congressional Record—House H5669 June 23, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5669 Wisconsin (Mr. GREEN) and the gen- infirm go for sympathy, not to the well not to introduce or refer to people in tleman from California (Mr. LANTOS) and buoyant, but to those who have the balcony. each will control 20 minutes. suffered like themselves.’’ Unfortu- Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speak- The Chair recognizes the gentleman nately, we Americans are no strangers er, I have no further requests for time, from Wisconsin (Mr. GREEN). to tragedy and loss. and I yield back the balance of my GENERAL LEAVE Mr. Speaker, the people of Algeria time. Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speak- and their government stood with us The SPEAKER pro tempore. The er, I ask unanimous consent that all after our own tragedy of September 11, question is on the motion offered by Members may have 5 legislative days 2001. They have been stalwart allies in the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. within which to revise and extend their our war on terrorism, and now it is our GREEN) that the House suspend the remarks and include extraneous mate- turn to aid our friends in a time of rules and agree to the resolution, H. rial on H. Res. 264. great need. It is with this in mind that Res. 264. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there we now express our solidarity with and The question was taken. objection to the request of the gen- our sympathy for those who have suf- The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the tleman from Wisconsin? fered in Algeria. opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of There was no objection. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of those present have voted in the affirm- Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speak- my time. ative. er, I yield myself such time as I may Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I consume. myself such time as I may consume. demand the yeas and nays. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support The yeas and nays were ordered. the gentleman from California (Mr. of this resolution, which I had the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- LANTOS) for bringing H. Res. 264, ex- privilege of writing. ant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Mr. Speaker, I want to express at the pressing sympathy for the victims of Chair’s prior announcement, further the devastating earthquake that outset my appreciation to my able as- sistant, Robin Roizman, for working on proceedings on this motion will be struck Algeria on May 21, 2003, before postponed. us today. this resolution. As many of you know, on May 21, an Mr. Speaker, I want to express my f earthquake registering 6.8 on the Rich- thanks to my colleagues, the gen- COMMENDING PEOPLE OF THE RE- ter scale struck northern Algeria, 45 tleman from Wisconsin (Mr. GREEN); PUBLIC OF KENYA FOR CON- miles east of the capital of Algiers. the distinguished chairman of our com- DUCTING FREE AND FAIR ELEC- This was followed with a series of mittee, the gentleman from Illinois TIONS AND PEACEFUL AND OR- aftershocks, five with magnitudes (Mr. HYDE); the gentleman from Indi- DERLY TRANSFER OF POWER greater than 5.0, and at least 19 with ana (Mr. PENCE); and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. PITTS), for Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speak- magnitudes ranging between 4.0 and er, I move to suspend the rules and 4.9. These were the worst quakes to joining me in introducing this impor- tant resolution. agree to the resolution (H. Res. 177) strike Algeria since 1980. commending the people of the Republic The impact was devastating. 2,268 Al- Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 264 expresses the deepest sympathy of the American of Kenya for conducting free and fair gerians were killed, making this dead- elections, for the peaceful and orderly lier than all of the other earthquakes people and of this Congress for the vic- transfer of power in their government, in the world over the past 2 years com- tims of the devastating earthquake and for the continued success of democ- bined, including the 2002 earthquake in that struck Algeria on May 21, 2003. racy in their nation since that transi- Afghanistan which killed 1,000. This was the most tragic earthquake to Thousands of buildings have been de- hit that country in almost a quarter tion, as amended. The Clerk read as follows: stroyed, and health services, water sup- century. With a Richter scale reading plies, electricity and telecommuni- of 6.8, the earthquake devastated the H. RES. 177 cations have been severely disrupted. country, severely disrupted its health Whereas on December 27, 2002, the Republic Confidence in the government has also services, water supply, electricity and of Kenya successfully held presidential, par- been shaken as press reports link the telecommunications. liamentary, and local elections; The earthquake and its aftershocks Whereas these elections were widely high death toll with poor building con- praised by objective international observers struction and mismanagement of the have killed over 2,000 innocent people of Algeria, injured over 10,000, and left as free and fair; housing sector. Whereas the Department of State stated The international response to this over 200,000 Algerian citizens homeless. We immediately responded to this that with these elections the Kenyan people disaster has been vigorous. The U.S. ‘‘have made a strong demonstration of their contribution to the relief effort is cur- disaster by providing emergency hu- democratic commitment and established an rently valued at $1.6 million, including manitarian supplies. My resolution en- important example for the region and for the $827,107 in grants and relief supplies courages our administration to con- world’’; from the U.S. Agency for International tinue providing assistance to the peo- Whereas the European Union stated that Development Office of Foreign Disaster ple of Algeria in this very difficult ‘‘the overall conduct of the elections con- stitutes an example for other countries in Assistance; $424,000 in relief supplies time. The resolution expresses our sym- the region’’; from the Department of Defense/De- pathy for the Algerian people and calls Whereas these elections signal a major fense Security Cooperation Agency; on our administration to monitor con- step forward for Kenyan democracy, particu- and $368,000 in relief supplies from the ditions there and to continue providing larly when compared with other elections held in Kenya since it became an inde- Department of Defense/U.S. European all necessary assistance to the govern- Command. For other donors, the pendent state in 1963; ment and people of Algeria. Whereas the transition of power put in mo- United Nations Office for Coordination I want to note, Mr. Speaker, that we of Humanitarian Affairs and the Inter- tion by these elections culminated on De- have in the gallery the distinguished cember 30, 2002, when former President Dan- national Federation of the Red Cross Ambassador from Algeria, and I want iel Toroitich arap Moi peaceably transferred and Red Crescent Societies are taking to express to him personally our deep the Kenyan presidency to President Mwai the lead. support and commitment to help in Kibaki; and Through this robust response, major these difficult days for his country. Whereas these elections and the subse- catastrophes have been diverted, in- quent transfer of power from leader to leader cluding cholera outbreaks. However, b 1415 represent the birth of a successful new de- there is still a long way to go on the I urge all of my colleagues to support mocracy in Kenya: Now, therefore, be it path towards recovery. Thousands of H. Res. 264. Resolved, That the House of Representa- Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance tives— homes need to be rebuilt, and struc- (1) commends the people of the Republic of tures able to withstand earthquakes of my time. Kenya for conducting free and fair elections, will need to be erected. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE and the Government of Kenya for its success- The great American educator, Cath- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. ful completion of a peaceful and orderly erine Beecher, said, ‘‘The delicate and ADERHOLT). All Members are reminded transition of power; VerDate Jan 31 2003 02:20 Jun 24, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K23JN7.009 H23PT1 H5670 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 23, 2003 (2) expresses its desire to see this new de- we all know vividly and tragically, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, mocracy in Kenya continue to thrive, as it Kenya has been the site of horrible and I rise today in support of H. Res. 177 which has in the months following the 2002 elec- deadly acts of terrorism aimed at West- commends the people of the Republic of tions; ern interests. Just last week we praised (3) urges other African countries to look to Kenya for conducting fair elections and main- Kenya as an example of a working democ- and thanked Kenya for its handling of taining a civil democracy. racy in action and to follow the example set the many refugees who have fled from Kenya, once a nation ripe with political cor- by the people of Kenya during this recent Kenya’s troubled neighbors. ruption and intertribal conflict, has now estab- election process; Mr. Speaker, I ask that we commend lished itself as an embodiment of democratic (4) reaffirms the friendship that exists be- Kenya for its successful elections and principle. Prior to the elections held in 2002, tween the people of the United States and its announced plans to attack corrup- Kenya’s system of government was used pri- people of Kenya, as two nations bound to- tion and its plans to extend basic edu- marily as a means through which to achieve gether by the shared values of democracy; cation.
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