22772 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS November 15, 2001 in the country becomes even more severe. vided for residents in Middlesex County. Unfortunately, few Americans know that According to UNAIDS, the United Nations PRAHD, which is governed by a Board of Di- many Hmong and Lao people came to the agency responsible for addressing the HIV/ rectors and is managed by an Executive Di- as refugees fleeing genocide AIDS pandemic, more than 5% of the adult rector, currently employs 38 full-time and 74 and persecution for fighting against the spread population is HIV-positive, and some sectors part-time staffers. It is also supported by the of communism in Laos, a country once part of of the population have infection rates of over diligent efforts of numerous community lead- the French colony known as Indochina, which 50%. In other human development categories, ers, who volunteer their skills and services. also encompassed Cambodia and Vietnam. Haiti’s record is just as lamentable. Half of As a result of its hard work, PRAHD has Following the French rule over Indochina Haitian adults are illiterate, and more than 1 in vastly improved the standard of living for thou- from 1863 until its withdrawal from the region 4 children under the age of 5 are malnour- sands of New Jersey families. in 1954, the United States became involved in ished. Haiti ranks 152nd out of 174 on the Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in the struggle for democracy and independence United Nations Development Program’s honoring PRAHD for its service to the commu- for Indochina from 1955 to 1975. During this Human Development Index, below such coun- nity of Perth Amboy and for its countless acts period which became known as the Vietnam tries as Bangladesh and Sudan. of kindness and compassion. War, the United States recruited Hmong and In previous years, the United States pur- f Lao people to fight against the communist Vi- sued a constructive relationship with Haiti, the etnamese Army and the Pathet Lao. Hmong poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. HONORING VERNE L. WIKERT and Lao soldiers flew thousands of deadly Between FY 95 and FY 99, the United States combat missions in support of the U.S. Armed provided $884 million in critical development HON. SCOTT McINNIS Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency, assistance funds to support agricultural devel- OF COLORADO and fought in conventional and guerrilla com- opment, democracy and governance, teacher IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES bat clashes with extreme casualties against training, health care, and many other pro- communist Vietnamese and Pathet Lao. More Thursday, November 15, 2001 grams. The United States also supported mul- than 35,000 Hmong and Lao soldiers lost their tilateral institutions that worked to improve the Mr. MCINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to lives in defense of democracy and many more lives of ordinary Haitians. More recently, how- take this opportunity to recognize Verne L. were seriously injured and disabled. ever, the United States has pursued a myopic Wikert and his contributions to this country. After the United States pulled out of Viet- policy towards Haiti and has used its veto Verne began his service to this nation in the nam in 1975, many of the Hmong and Lao power to prevent the disbursement of funds 1940’s, serving as a Merchant Marine in the soldiers and their families were forced to live from multilateral institutions such as the World Pacific theatre during World War II. in communist concentration camps known as Bank and the Inter-American Development Mr. Wikert joined the Merchant Marines at ‘‘reeducation camps’’ by the Pathet Lao. While Bank (IDB). The board of directors of the IDB the age of seventeen. Tasked with the position in these camps, thousands of Hmong and Lao has already approved $146 million in social as oiler aboard the S.S. Coast Trader, Verne people were subjected to chemical bombings, sector loans for Haiti, but because of United and his crew were responsible for supplying tortures, and genocidal murders. Many eventu- States policy, these funds have been blocked the Pacific theatre with troops and supplies ally escaped to refugee camps in Thailand from improving the lives of 8 million Haitians. throughout the war. On June 7, 1942, a Japa- and some refugees fled to the United States. This policy must change. nese torpedoed his ship. Following It is estimated that between 1975 and 1995, In order for the living standards and life the attack, Verne fought his way from below the communist Pathet Lao government killed chances of ordinary Haitians to improve, inter- deck to escape the sinking ship. This event more than 300,000 people in Laos, including national development assistance is critical. put the crew through a five-day ordeal, fighting the Royal Lao family. The United States must change its current pol- for their survival off the coast of the state of Only in recent years have we begun to rec- icy towards Haiti so that it may receive multi- . Upon rescue, Wikert, in a coma, ognize and commemorate the contributions lateral funds for pressing development needs. was near death. thousands of Hmong and Lao Americans have f Mr. Wikert recovered from this experience made during the period of the Vietnam War. In and continued his service to his country, sur- the 106th Congress, Congress passed the IN HONOR OF THE PUERTO RICAN viving two more attacks before the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act introduced ASSOCIATION FOR HUMAN DE- end of the war. As is customary in the Mer- by our esteemed former colleague the late VELOPMENT, INC. chant Marines, he received no awards or Congressman Bruce Vento, which expedited decorations for his contributions to the war ef- naturalization procedures for Hmong and Lao HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ fort, but is worthy of the praise of this body of refugees who fought in the special guerrilla OF NEW JERSEY Congress. units in Laos. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor Today nearly 195,000 Hmong and 135,000 Verne L. Wikert for his service to this country. Thursday, November 15, 2001 Lao Americans live in the United States. Large He served selflessly during a time when the Hmong and Lao communities have been es- Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today country was in great need. His actions have tablished in parts of California, Minnesota, to honor and pay tribute to the Puerto Rican brought great credit to himself and his nation. Wisconsin, North Carolina and Colorado. Association for Human Development, Inc. f In closing, I would like to congratulate Con- (PRAHD). PRAHD is a non-profit organization gressman Tancredo for his work on this legis- EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, dedicated to lation and urge my colleagues to stand in THAT PRESIDENT ISSUE PROC- providing health, educational, and social serv- strong support for the passage of H. Con. LAMATION RECOGNIZING A NA- ices to low-income residents of Middlesex Res. 88. TIONAL LAO-HMONG RECOGNI- County, New Jersey. f Since 1974, PRAHD has emerged as one of TION DAY the premier non-profit organizations in the 68TH ANNIVERSARY OF FAMINE- State of New Jersey. This dynamic organiza- SPEECH OF GENOCIDE IN UKRAINE tion provides a wide range of social services HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD essential to low-income and elderly residents OF GUAM HON. BOB SCHAFFER of Middlesex County. PRAHD currently spon- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF COLORADO sors pre-school child care programs, HIV/AIDS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES educational services, substance abuse pre- Tuesday, November 13, 2001 vention classes, and health care services for Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in Thursday, November 15, 2001 homebound senior citizens. strong support of H. Con. Res. 88, a resolu- Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, as Co-Chair The outstanding success and efficiency of tion urging the President to issue a national of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, I rise this organization can be attributed to its com- proclamation recognizing the important con- today to commemorate the memory of millions mitted staff, which is working tirelessly to en- tributions of Hmongs and Laotians to our great of innocent victims ruthlessly murdered at the sure that adequate social services are pro- nation. tyrannical hands of Joseph Stalin and other

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