September 21, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1777 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

ONE NATION UNDER GOD . He was denied. He demanded to tions direct the Secretary of State, the Sec- speak to a judge. He was denied. He asked retary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland HON. TED POE the American officials not to send him to , Security, and the Attorney General to provide OF TEXAS as he knew he would be tortured there. Of Congress with all documents and records in course, the Americans did not need to be told their possession relating to Maher Arar. The IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that Syria routinely its prisoners, as same request is made of the President, in Wednesday, September 20, 2006 the U.S. State Department lists Syria in its an- order to ensure that any documents in the Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, big changes can nual Human Rights report as a country that possession of the White House or the Intel- come from small places. For President Eisen- practices . Yet Maher Arar was sent to ligence Community are also provided forth- hower and every American born since his Syria for interrogation, where he was brutally with. time, big change came from a dusty old tortured, just as the American officials involved The Congress, and the American people, church pew. in his must have known he likely must learn the truth of what was done to One early Sunday morning, Eisenhower would be. Maher Arar. I urge my colleagues to support ceremoniously went to Abraham Lincoln’s Maher Arar was the victim of the Bush ad- these Resolutions of Inquiry. former church, where a new preacher, an im- ministration’s program of ‘‘extraordinary ren- f migrant, would re-shape Ike’s ideology. dition,’’ whereby prisoners in American cus- That preacher described, in his Scottish ac- tody are sent abroad for interrogation in other RECOGNIZING JASON ANDREW cent, how he had no answer for his children countries, sometimes to places such as Syria HEJL FOR ACHIEVING THE RANK when asked why God wasn’t in the Pledge of and Uzbekistan that are known to routinely OF EAGLE SCOUT Allegiance. practice torture. This is a disgusting practice He eloquently assured his children God was that brings dishonor to the United States of HON. SAM GRAVES what made America better than any other America, and ultimately endangers our troops OF MISSOURI country. So eloquently that Ike would see the in the field by validating the use of torture all IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES pledge changed in a matter of months. over the world. is noth- Wednesday, September 20, 2006 While activist judges and militant atheists ing more than the outsourcing of torture, and want you to believe that taking God out of this program must come to an immediate halt. Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause school and government is the right thing to do, The Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act, to recognize Jason Andrew Hejl, a very spe- 91 percent of Americans disagree. They still which I introduced in this House over a year cial young man who has exemplified the finest believe ‘‘in one nation, under God, indivisible, and a half ago, would end the practice of ex- qualities of citizenship and leadership by tak- with liberty and justice for all.’’ traordinary rendition. But the Republican lead- ing an active part in the Boy Scouts of Amer- We have proved that we will not bow to ter- ership has refused to bring the Torture ica, Troop 633, and in earning the most pres- rorists. But 91 percent of Americans also vow Outsourcing Prevention Act to the floor for a tigious award of Eagle Scout. not to bow to extremist judges and a tiny athe- vote. Jason has been very active with his troop, ist minority. Mr. Speaker, we don’t have many details on participating in many scout activities. Over the Americans overwhelmingly support ‘‘One the case of Maher Arar, because the Bush ad- many years Jason has been involved with Nation Under God’’ so much that they are giv- ministration has refused to divulge any infor- scouting, he has not only earned numerous ing their children’s lives to save it. mation on its program of extraordinary ren- merit badges, but also the respect of his fam- That’s just the way it is. dition and the rubber-stamp Republican Con- ily, peers, and community. Jason held the f gress have refused to conduct any meaningful principal leadership position of Venturing Crew oversight over this program. Now that the President and has actively supported VFW RESOLUTIONS OF INQUIRY ON President has admitted that the CIA operated Post 7356 in Parkville, Missouri. MAHER ARAR secret prisons all over the world, the Congress Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in must step up to the plate and conduct true commending Jason Andrew Hejl for his ac- HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY oversight on the President’s program of ex- complishments with the Boy Scouts of Amer- OF traordinary rendition. ica and for his efforts put forth in achieving the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES This week, the official Canadian inquiry into highest distinction of Eagle Scout. the case of Maher Arar, which focused on the f Wednesday, September 20, 2006 role that Canadian officials played in his ren- Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to dition, released its report. The Arar Commis- HONORING BALDWIN SCHOOL speak about Maher Arar, whose treatment at sion report clears Maher Arar of any wrong- DISTRICT the hands of American officials is a stain upon doing, and concludes that he was indeed our national conscience. transferred to Syria by the United States, HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY During a layover in New York’s JFK airport where he was tortured. American authorities OF NEW YORK in September 2002, Mr. Arar, who was born in were invited to testify before the Arar Commis- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Syria but who now holds Canadian citizenship, sion, but refused. was seized by American officials. He was held has now completed its investigation Wednesday, September 20, 2006 without access to a lawyer for two weeks in into the injustice done to Mr. Arar by Canadian Mrs. MCCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today the United States, then transferred briefly to officials, who without any evidence of wrong- to recognize the exceptional individuals at , and finally to Syria. Mr. Arar was im- doing told the U.S. he had connections with Baldwin School District, an institution which prisoned in Syria for 10 months, most of the terrorist organizations. Mr. Speaker, now this renders significant contributions to the edu- time in a dark underground dungeon the size Congress must initiate our own investigation cational development and social enrichment of of a closet. He was tortured both physically into the role that U.S. officials played in this youth. and psychologically, and forced to make false affair. We must know the truth of what hap- The future of this country depends on the confessions, including that he had attended an pened to Maher Arar, why it happened, upon hopes and dreams of its children, our commu- al-Qaeda terrorist training camp in Afghani- whose orders, and upon what justification. nity, and our Nation, and is enhanced by the stan. Maher Arar was finally released a year That is why I have today introduced five contributions of those who serve as mentors after he was seized in New York, never having separate Resolutions of Inquiry requesting and those who make mentoring programs safe been charged with any crime. copies of all documents in the possession of and strong. When he was in American custody in New the United States Government that may relate, The Baldwin School District and its leader- York, Maher Arar demanded to speak to a in any way, to Maher Arar. These five Resolu- ship have promoted and supported mentoring

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

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