7337 Hon. Jennifer Dunn

April 22, 1999 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 7337 Romanian authorities. Former US Ambas- questions and kindly appeal for your inter- the world, while believing that these things sador to Romania, Mr. David Funderburk, vention to the proper departments in order are going to be dealt with properly. has visited our church and my family several to insure that the image United States is I thank you all for listening or reading this times, and continuously showed his support, portraying to the Romanian tourists is a letter, for understanding our feelings and for thus alleviating some of the pain. better one. taking action. Following the 1989 Romanian Revolution, I Another great concern that I have per- Respectfully yours. have been blessed with an invitation to take taining to travelling in the United States is f part in the 1990 National Prayer Breakfast, the procedure that the U.S. Department of as a pastor, together with a Romanian dele- State has established for Romanian appli- SALUTE TO NEWT gation. I have been part of this magnificent cants for visitor’s visas. I have raised this event every year. Since 1990, I have visited issue in conversations with U.S. Ambassador the United States several times for meetings to Romania James Rosapepe and the U.S. HON. JENNIFER DUNN with diplomats and/or social-cultural and re- Consul, Mr. Patterson, and was told that my OF WASHINGTON ligious organizations. My colleagues are concern was not uncommon but unfortu- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES looking at me as at someone who truly sup- nately procedures are set in Washington DC. ports relations with the United States by An application for a visitor’s visa, which Thursday, April 22, 1999 proven activity. However, I am saddened to is, in fact, an interview tax, costs $45. Apart Ms. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, at the ‘‘Salute to say that not all of my visits have been pleas- the fact that the applicant must dem- Newt’’ last Wednesday, our former Speaker of ant. This last arrival in your country has onstrate ‘‘strong ties’’ to the origin country the House again proved that, in the words of been most uncomfortable, to say the least. and, therefore, for the U.S. Embassy to avoid TIME Magazine, he ‘‘belongs in the category On January 7th 1999, I arrived in the the danger of a new immigrant, (demonstra- United States with a Visitor’s Visa and Dip- tion that is not always taken into consider- of the exceptional.’’ Newt Gingrich is a man lomatic Passport, on board flight no. 120 ation on a consistent criteria basis), the ap- who thinks both with a vision for our country (Route: Bucharest-Zurich-Atlanta) of Swiss- plicant has to pay for the visa, for the travel and with compassion in his heart, and I bring air, at Atlanta’s International Airport, to Bucharest in order to give an interview his remarks from that special evening to your around 2:00 p.m. Upon the U.S. Immigration with the Consul, interview which occurs only attention. inspection service, I was asked by a female 1 or 2 out of 10 applications, the rest being Joined by the Gingrich family and friends, officer of the U.S. Customs if I was from Ro- just useless conversations with some desk of- the event was a wonderful tribute to Newt. mania. As a result of my positive answer, she ficer at the U.S. Consulate. A simple arith- Mary Tyler Moore, International Chair of the asked me to open my luggage and they start- metic shows that the applicant pays some- ed taking my personal belongings out in the times his or her monthly salary (an average Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, said it best in open while laughing. When I saw the scene salary in Romania is about $120/month) just her introduction of Speaker Gingrich. Moore caused by this incident, I asked kindly to see to learn that he or she has been rejected and said, ‘‘Newt Gingrich may be many things to what they were looking for. ‘‘Food’’, they re- thus is not allowed to travel to the U.S. many people, but to us he is a champion and plied. I told them I didn’t have any. How- Should I mention to you also that rejected a hero—and his leadership in Congress will be ever, they continued to do the same thing. applicants never get back their money? Or is sorely missed.’’ A portion of the proceeds from When they were done emptying my luggage, there a way to make money out of the sin- this event were donated to the Juvenile Diabe- I started collecting my pajamas and other cere and legitimate desire of Romanians to tes Foundation. belongings attempting to pack as people travel to the U.S.? And when taking into were looking at me as to a criminal who just consideration the original if not strange As the man who led us in capturing and got caught smuggling something illegal into technique of the ‘‘visa lottery’’, one could holding a Republican majority in Congress for the United States. I can’t explain my hurt picture a very commercial way to observe the first time since 1928, his comments con- and embarrassment caused by these officers the universal right to free travel and circula- tinue to offer each of us insight for the future. who continued to joke. When they asked me tion of any citizen of the world. I strongly In a very real way, I hope tonight does what I was coming to the States for, I told believe that principles are to be observed not symbolize what America is all about. Jona- them that I was invited to attend the Na- only by declarations, but also by facts. And than as a person, not just a symbol for a tional Prayer Breakfast with their Presi- people can feel the difference. I remember a cause. Mary Tyler Moore as a person, not dent. They laughed again. I showed them the demonstration in front of the U.S. Embassy just a symbol of a cause. But the fact that Diplomatic Passport and the invitation, when people were carrying slogans like: America is about 260 million real people of which prompted them to laugh even harder ‘‘The Berlin’s walls were moved to the U.S. remarkable diversity, each of them with ex- and said: ‘‘Send our greetings to Bill Clinton Embassy’’. traordinary God given talents, and each of from us, Tom & Jerry’’.... I was shocked Few years ago, talking to the U.S. consul them needing the help of their fellow Amer- by their arrogance. in Bucharest about visa issues, I told him ican to use all those talents. Of all the custom inspection services in the that the U.S. Government was accusing We were able, for a five-year period, to do world, this should have been the most pain- Ceausescu about restraining the Romanian’s a great job because of each of you. Because less and most comfortable, especially since I right to travel free and he replied that ‘‘trav- of those of you who are members, those of did not break the law in any way. If a U.S. eling to America is not a right, but a privi- you who are on my staff, those of you who citizen travelling to Romania would be sub- lege’’. were supporters, donors, volunteers, friends; jected to such humiliation and mockery, U.S. citizens come to Romania without ap- it was team effort. would probably say that Romanians are bar- plying for a visa, nor paying for one (unless Time magazine named me ‘‘Man of the barians and the country is still communist. they stay longer than 30 days). I strongly be- Year’’ in 1995, but in fact, it should have been I honestly hope that you can imagine my lieve that in the spirit of democracy, The the ‘‘Team of the Year,’’ because it was a frustration. United States Department should take meas- very remarkable, collective effort, by an ex- The fact is that this incident with the ures to waive discriminating treatment and traordinary range of people. opening and emptying of luggages in cus- to envisage a reciprocal one. My daughters talked about me as a father, toms was not a first. In September 1996, at As an advocate for the democratic system but the truth is, they’re pretty good daugh- the International Airport in Portland, Or- of United States who has not given up under ters. And they spent a lot of time on the egon, I had another similar experience. Other the pressure of communism, I come before phone with me, and now we’re all into email colleagues and acquaintances have told me you urging you to take this appeal in consid- so it’s gotten even more chaotic, {laughter} their experiences as well, leading me to the eration. People of Romania are not 2nd class and they and Marianne track me as much as conclusion that some measures must be citizens, they are not beggars, nor criminals. I track them because I think life, in that taken. We have our dignity and would like to be sense, is a team effort. What is the conception or the mentality of treated accordingly. We look up to the Marianne recognized, and I was so grateful the U.S. Customs Officers pertaining to us United States, to Americans, to anything that she did so, and we talked about it ear- Romanians who come in the United States as that carrys a label ‘‘made in America’’ with lier, but she recognized the Capitol Police.

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