CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 154, Pt. 11 July 15, 2008

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 154, Pt. 11 July 15, 2008

15046 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 154, Pt. 11 July 15, 2008 drilling for additional supplies of en- which advocated the use of boycotts, strikes, dent Ronald Reagan making it the first time ergy. And I would just ask all of my civil disobedience, and noncooperation in the 20th century that a President had a friends on the other side of the aisle to against the National Party’s apartheid poli- foreign policy veto overridden by Congress; join us on this side of the aisle in pass- cies; Whereas Nelson Mandela was released from Whereas, in 1952, after being designated prison on February 11, 1990, after the apart- ing use-it-or-lose-it legislation. It is es- volunteer-in-chief of the Defiance Campaign heid Government of South Africa agreed to timated by the Minerals and Manage- Against Unjust Laws, Nelson Mandela trav- his terms for release; ment Service of the Department of the eled the country, organizing resistance to Whereas, after his release, he plunged him- Interior that 81 percent of the known discriminatory legislation; self wholeheartedly into his life’s work, reserves of oil and natural gas are al- Whereas in recognition of his outstanding striving to attain the goals he and others ready available for lease and the vast contribution during the Defiance Campaign, had set out almost 4 decades earlier; majority of those leases are not being Nelson Mandela was elected to the presi- Whereas, in 1991, at the first national con- dency of both the ANCYL and the Transvaal acted upon. So we are going to try to ference of the ANC held inside South Africa region of the ANC at the end of 1952, earning after the organization had been banned in pass, on this side of the aisle, use-it-or- him a position as deputy president of the 1960, Nelson Mandela was elected President lose-it legislation, and I would ask my ANC itself; of the ANC; friends on the other side of the aisle to Whereas, after the banning of the ANC in Whereas Nelson Mandela was elected Presi- join us in that effort. 1960 and the continued violent response to dent of South Africa in that country’s first With that, Mr. Speaker, I continue to the ANC’s nonviolent methods, Nelson democratic elections with full enfranchise- reserve the balance of my time. Mandela led the effort to set up Umkhonto ment was granted were held on April 27, 1994, we Sizwe (‘‘Spear of the Nation’’), the armed and was inaugurated on May 10, 1994, as the Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield resistance organization of the ANC; myself such time as I may consume. country’s first indigenous African President; Whereas, in 1964, Nelson Mandela and 9 of Whereas, as President from May 1994 until In returning to the resolution at his fellow leaders of the ANC and Umkhonto June 1999, Nelson Mandela presided over the hand, congratulating the East High we Sizwe were arrested, charged with trea- transition from minority rule and apartheid School in Denver, Colorado, I would son, and brought to trial for plotting the vio- to a participatory democracy, winning inter- just like to ask that all of us be sup- lent overthrow the Government of South Af- national respect for his advocacy of national portive of this, not just to recognize rica; reconciliation and international peace; and Whereas in his statement at the opening of that school but to recognize that pro- Whereas Nelson Mandela has received nu- the defense case in the historic Rivonia merous prestigious honors, including the gram and what we the people have done Treason Trial on April 20, 1964, in which he to educate people about the Constitu- Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, which was shared and 9 other ANC leaders were tried for 221 with Frederik Willem de Klerk, the Order of tion and the Bill of Rights and make acts of sabotage designed to ‘‘ferment vio- Merit and the Order of St. John from Great all of us better citizens. lent revolution’’ to overthrow the apartheid Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, and the Presi- Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance system, Nelson Mandela use his oratory dential Medal of Freedom from George W. skills as a legal advocate to lay out the rea- of my time. Bush: Now, therefore, be it soning for the ANC’s choice to use acts of Resolved, That the United States House of Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speak- sabotage as a tactic to defeat apartheid, as Representatives— er, I yield back the balance of my time. doing otherwise would have been tanta- (1) honors former President Nelson The SPEAKER pro tempore. The mount to unconditional surrender; Rolihlahla Mandela on the occasion of his question is on the motion offered by Whereas he closed his statement with 90th birthday on July 18, 2008, and extends these words: ‘‘During my lifetime I have the gentleman from New York (Mr. best wishes to him and his family; dedicated myself to the struggle of the Afri- BISHOP) that the House suspend the (2) honors his many accomplishments on can people. I have fought against White rules and agree to the resolution, H. behalf of all South Africans; domination, and I have fought against Black (3) congratulates him for his efforts to pro- Res. 1261, as amended. domination. I have cherished the ideal of a mote dialogue to peacefully resolve conflicts The question was taken; and (two- democratic and free society in which all per- thirds being in the affirmative) the sons live together in harmony and with between people in Africa and around the rules were suspended and the resolu- equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I world; and tion, as amended, was agreed to. hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs (4) celebrates his contributions to South be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to Africa, the United States, and the inter- A motion to reconsider was laid on national community. the table. die.’’; Whereas on June 12, 1964, 8 of the accused, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- f including Nelson Mandela, were sentenced to ant to the rule, the gentleman from HONORING NELSON MANDELA ON life imprisonment; New Jersey (Mr. PAYNE) and the gen- Whereas, from 1964 to 1982, Nelson Mandela HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY tleman from California (Mr. ROYCE) was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, each will control 20 minutes. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to off the coast of Cape Town, and thereafter at The Chair recognizes the gentleman suspend the rules and agree to the reso- Pollsmoor Prison, nearby on the mainland; from New Jersey. lution (H. Res. 1090) honoring the es- Whereas Nelson Mandela consistently re- teemed former President Nelson fused to compromise his political demands GENERAL LEAVE for freedom and equality for all South Afri- Rolihlahla Mandela on the occasion of Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask cans to obtain his freedom while in prison; unanimous consent that all Members his 90th birthday, as amended. Whereas Nelson Mandela became widely The Clerk read the title of the resolu- accepted around the world as one of the most have 5 legislative days to revise and ex- tion. significant leaders of the 20th century and tend their remarks and include extra- The text of the resolution is as fol- became a potent symbol of resistance as the neous material on the resolution under lows: anti-apartheid movement gathered strength; consideration. Whereas the Congressional Black Caucus The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there H. RES. 1090 and other Members of Congress actively en- objection to the request of the gen- Whereas Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was gaged in efforts to bring about an end to tleman from New Jersey? born to the Thembo Dynasty in Mvezo in the South Africa’s apartheid system and played Umtata District of Transkei, South Africa, a key role in raising public awareness in the There was no objection. on July 18, 1918; United States about South Africa’s racist re- Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in Whereas he joined the African National gime; strong support of this resolution, and I Congress (ANC) in 1942 and in 1944 joined Whereas, after nearly 14 years of opposi- yield myself such time as I may con- with other young dissidents to form the Afri- tion, the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act sume. can National Congress Youth League of 1986 was finally agreed to by both Houses Let me first thank our chairman, Mr. (ANCYL), which embraced African nation- of Congress, calling for sanctions against BERMAN, for moving this resolution alism and began building a mass movement; South Africa and establishing conditions for swiftly to the floor in light of the time Whereas after the National Party came to the lifting of such sanctions, including the power in an all-white election in 1948 on a release of all political prisoners including sensitivity of this resolution. Let me platform of apartheid, a system of strict ra- Nelson Mandela; also recognize Mr. JEFFERSON for intro- cial segregation, the ANC adopted the Pro- Whereas the Comprehensive Anti-Apart- ducing this resolution and for inviting gramme of Action, inspired by the ANCYL, heid Act of 1986 withstood a veto by Presi- me to join him in that endeavor. VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:07 May 03, 2011 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR08\H15JY8.000 H15JY8 erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with BOUND RECORD July 15, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 154, Pt. 11 15047 Mr. Speaker, this Friday a living traditional ANC role from an elite or- Mr.

View Full Text

Details

  • File Type
    pdf
  • Upload Time
    -
  • Content Languages
    English
  • Upload User
    Anonymous/Not logged-in
  • File Pages
    4 Page
  • File Size
    -

Download

Channel Download Status
Express Download Enable

Copyright

We respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of all users. All uploaded documents are either original works of the uploader or authorized works of the rightful owners.

  • Not to be reproduced or distributed without explicit permission.
  • Not used for commercial purposes outside of approved use cases.
  • Not used to infringe on the rights of the original creators.
  • If you believe any content infringes your copyright, please contact us immediately.

Support

For help with questions, suggestions, or problems, please contact us