March 13, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E307 For the next three and one-half years, the County community and the world a better Cyprus, and international oil and gas compa- surviving men of the and Perth suf- place. nies, warning them not to ‘‘step out of line.’’ fered together through humiliation, degrada- Today, the Lancaster Rotary Club works to Furthermore, Turkey’s acts of provocation have also been directed at the United States. tion, physical and mental torture, starvation foster cultural understanding and bring people With regard to the Aegean Sea, a Turkish and horrible tropical diseases. Only 291 men together. Each year, the Rotary hosts and coastguard vessel collided with a stationary from the Houston’s complement of 1008, and helps to subsidize foreign exchange students Greek coastguard vessel near the Greek is- 214 of the Perth’s complement of 681, re- who attend Lancaster area high schools, and land of Imia, on February 12, 2018. Video turned home after the War. This shared his- promotes Group Study Exchanges between footage of the incident has since been re- tory speaks to the American spirit and grit as international Rotary Districts. I am extremely leased and shows damage to the Greek ves- well as to our enduring alliance with Australia. grateful to all those involved for their contin- sel’s stern. In addition, Turkey continues to Back in Houston, Texas, news of the de- ued efforts. violate Greece’s airspace. According to press reports, 33 Turkish aircraft have violated struction of the warship hit the city hard. The Again, I wish to congratulate President Greece’s airspace during the first twelve result was a mass recruiting drive for volun- David Uhl and the entire Lancaster Rotary days of February 2018. Combined with what teers to replace the lost crew. On Memorial Club upon this historic milestone, and convey transpired on the seas, these are very serious Day 1942, a crowd of nearly 200,000 wit- my most sincere appreciation for their ability to incidents that risk placing lives in harm’s nessed 1,000 ‘‘Houston Volunteers’’ inducted place ‘‘Service above Self.’’ way and violate international law. into the Navy. An accompanying bond drive f With regard to Cyprus and implications to raised over $85 million, enough to pay for a the potential for energy security, Turkish new cruiser and an , the USS AMERICAN HELLENIC INSTITUTE warships harassed the surveying vessel of San Jacinto. LETTER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP Italian oil company Eni and threatened on February 23, 2018 to sink it in the exclusive According to a 1949 Houston Chronicle arti- REGARDING TURKEY’S CONTIN- UED AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS IN economic zone of Cyprus. According to press cle commemorating the event, word of the reports, Eni’s ship was forced to make ma- ship’s fate ‘‘aroused a fever pitch of patriot- THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN neuvers to avoid a collision after the Italian ism’’ in the city. ‘‘Her loss made the war captain’s request to the Turkish vessel to something more of a personal conflict to more HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS change course went unanswered. than half a million people,’’ the article reads. OF FLORIDA The Republic of Cyprus has the sovereign right under international law to explore and ‘‘Official news of her destruction . . . slapped IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the city squarely between the eyes, and set off exploit its natural resources within its ex- Tuesday, March 13, 2018 clusive economic zone. The United States a series of events that stands unequaled in has stated repeatedly it supports Cyprus’ the nation.’’ Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I include in the sovereign right to explore energy in its off- So this week, we pause to remember the RECORD a letter from the American Hellenic shore areas, most recently by a State De- brave men of the USS Houston (CA–30) who Institute regarding Turkey’s continued dan- partment Spokesperson earlier this month. inspired their country and who gave so much gerous actions in the eastern Mediterranean ‘‘The United States recognizes the right of to fight tyranny in the Pacific. They who ‘‘Still and broader region that threaten regional se- the Republic of Cyprus to develop its re- Stand Watch Over Sunda Strait’’ represent our curity and U.S. interests. As one of the co- sources in its Exclusive Economic Zone,’’ the enduring commmitment to liberty. And I thank chairs of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, I spokesperson said, adding, ‘‘the island’s oil have advocated for the rights of Greece and and gas resources, like all of its resources, the American Defenders of Bataan and Cor- should be equitably shared between both regidor Memorial Society and the USS Hous- Cyprus against the intimidating actions of Tur- communities in the context of an overall set- ton CA–30 Survivors’ Association and Next key. Since Turkey’s Presidential referendum tlement. Furthermore, Turkish aggression in Generations for ensuring that the sacrifice and vote, Erdogan’s government continues to ig- Cyprus’ EEZ presents an endangerment to lessons of this greatest generation is remem- nore and violate long-standing international U.S. companies, such as ExxonMobil and bered and honored. law and treaties—a threat to regional security Noble Energy, who have been, or will be, working to explore for hydrocarbons in the f and an impediment to regional interests, sta- bility, and prosperity. eastern Mediterranean. CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNI- As we have done times before, we must Moreover, Turkey continues to dem- onstrate it is not a true and dependable U.S. VERSARY OF THE ROTARY CLUB continue to condemn these acts of aggression OF LANCASTER, OHIO and NATO ally. President Erdogan threat- and renew our call for President Erdogan’s ened United States military forces with an government to demonstrate to the international ‘‘Ottoman slap’’ if they continued to partner HON. STEVE STIVERS community that it is committed to all inter- with Syrian Kurds. Turkey’s military cam- OF OHIO national laws and agreements. Additionally, paign against the Kurds in Syria places U.S. troops in Manbij at risk of peril at the hands IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the United States and our strategic regional al- lies must be better prepared to respond quick- of a NATO partner. Further, Turkey’s $2.5 Tuesday, March 13, 2018 ly and forcefully to transgression of inter- billion purchase of four divisions of S–400 surface-to-air missiles from Russia has Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on national law from any nation including NATO raised concern among NATO partners and behalf of the people of Ohio’s 15th Congres- ally Turkey through targeted sanctions and for- potentially subjects Turkey to U.S. sanc- sional District to celebrate the 100th Anniver- eign aid restrictions. tions based upon the recently-enacted Coun- sary of the Rotary Club of Lancaster, Ohio. President DONALD J. TRUMP, tering America’s Adversaries Through Sanc- From its founding in 1918 in the parlor of President of the United States, tions Act (CAATSA), according to a U.S. ad- the New Martens Hotel, countless members of Washington, DC. ministration official. our Lancaster community have been called by DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: On behalf of the na- Mr. President, Turkey is a significant force the Club’s motto ‘‘Service above Self,’’ to tionwide membership of the American Hel- of instability and a failed U.S. ally. Histori- lenic Institute (AHI), I write to urge the U.S. cally, this has been the case; however, Tur- spread goodwill to their neighbors. The impact government to condemn strongly the acts of key demonstrated this yet again in the short of this organization throughout the 15th District Turkish provocation and aggression in the span of three weeks this month. Turkey’s ag- is immeasurable; like a pebble dropped in a eastern Mediterranean and broader region gressive and provocative actions directed at pond, the ripples are far-reaching. that have dire implications to U.S. security the United States and U.S. allies, Greece and Over the past century, the Lancaster Rotary interests. Cyprus, are overt, egregious and dangerous. I Club has been involved in numerous initiatives During this month alone, Turkey’s antago- urge the administration to act to uphold the and projects benefitting not only their commu- nistic behavior—or ‘‘gunboat diplomacy’’—in rule of law and to call on Turkey, the nity, but the furthest corners of the globe. the Aegean Sea against NATO partner provocateur of these tensions, to cease and Greece, and bellicose threats to EU member desist with its aggressive actions that are a From supporting local students with a scholar- Republic of Cyprus’ sovereign right to ex- threat to peace and stability and are not in ship fund that honors the late Dr. Jacob Sims, plore for natural gas with its exclusive eco- the best interests of the United States. to fundraising for PolioPlus and supporting the nomic zone (EEZ), were taken to new dan- Sincerely, development of Operation Smile, the Lan- gerous heights. In fact, Turkish President NICK LARIGAKIS, caster Rotary Club has made the Fairfield Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened Greece, President.

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