SPEAKERS       CONTENTS       INSERTS    

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2003
TO AMEND THE MICROENTERPRISE FOR SELF-RELIANCE ACT OF 2000 AND THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961; TO AMEND PUBLIC LAW 107–10; TO AMEND SECTION 527 OF THE FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FY 1994 AND FY 1995; URGING PASSAGE OF A RESOLUTION ADDRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN NORTH KOREA; SUPPORTING THE GOALS OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY; CONDEMNING THE PUNISHMENT OF EXECUTION BY STONING; COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RESCUE OF BULGARIAN JEWS FROM THE HOLOCAUST AND COMMENDING THE BULGARIAN PEOPLE FOR THEIR TRADITION OF ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE

MARKUP

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

ON
H.R. 192, H.R. 441, H.R. 868, H. Res. 109,

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H. Con. Res. 57, H. Con. Res. 26 and

H. Con. Res. 77

MARCH 5, 2003

Serial No. 108–1

Printed for the use of the Committee on International Relations

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.house.gov/international—relations

COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois, Chairman

JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa
DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey,
  Vice Chairman
DAN BURTON, Indiana
ELTON GALLEGLY, California
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida
CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina
DANA ROHRABACHER, California
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EDWARD R. ROYCE, California
PETER T. KING, New York
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio
AMO HOUGHTON, New York
JOHN M. McHUGH, New York
THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado
RON PAUL, Texas
NICK SMITH, Michigan
JOSEPH R. PITTS, Pennsylvania
JEFF FLAKE, Arizona
JO ANN DAVIS, Virginia
MARK GREEN, Wisconsin
JERRY WELLER, Illinois
MIKE PENCE, Indiana
THADDEUS G. McCOTTER, Michigan
WILLIAM J. JANKLOW, South Dakota
KATHERINE HARRIS, Florida

TOM LANTOS, California
HOWARD L. BERMAN, California
GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York
ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American Samoa
DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey
SHERROD BROWN, Ohio
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BRAD SHERMAN, California
ROBERT WEXLER, Florida
ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts
GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
BARBARA LEE, California
JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York
JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL, Pennsylvania
EARL BLUMENAUER, Oregon
SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada
GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California
ADAM B. SCHIFF, California
DIANE E. WATSON, California
ADAM SMITH, Washington
BETTY McCOLLUM, Minnesota
CHRIS BELL, Texas

THOMAS E. MOONEY, SR., Staff Director/General Counsel
ROBERT R. KING, Democratic Staff Director

DANIEL FREEMAN, Counsel/Parliamentarian
LIBERTY DUNN, Staff Associate

C O N T E N T S

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MARKUP OF:

    H.R. 192, To amend the Microenterprise for Self-Reliance Act of 2000 and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to increase assistance for the poorest people in developing countries under microenterprise assistance programs under those Acts, and for other purposes

    H.R. 441, To amend Public Law 107–10 to authorize a United States plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual summit of the World Health Assembly in May 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland, and for other purposes

    H.R. 868, To amend section 527 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 to require that certain claims for expropriation by the Government of Nicaragua meet certain requirements for purposes of the prohibition on foreign assistance to that government

    H. Res. 109, Urging passage of a resolution addressing human rights abuses in North Korea at the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, and calling on the Government of North Korea to respect and protect the human rights of its citizens

    H. Con. Res. 57, Supporting the goals of International Women's Day

    H. Con. Res. 26, Condemning the punishment of execution by stoning as a gross violation of human rights, and for other purposes

    H. Con. Res. 77, Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the historic rescue of 50,000 Bulgarian Jews from the Holocaust and commending the Bulgarian people for preserving and continuing their tradition of ethnic and religious tolerance
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LETTERS, STATEMENTS, ETC., SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD

    The Honorable Robert Wexler, a Representative in Congress from the State of Florida: Prepared statement on H.R. 441

TO AMEND THE MICROENTERPRISE FOR SELF-RELIANCE ACT OF 2000 AND THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961; TO AMEND PUBLIC LAW 107–10; TO AMEND SECTION 527 OF THE FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FY 1994 AND FY 1995; URGING PASSAGE OF A RESOLUTION ADDRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN NORTH KOREA; SUPPORTING THE GOALS OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY; CONDEMNING THE PUNISHMENT OF EXECUTION BY STONING; COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RESCUE OF BULGARIAN JEWS FROM THE HOLOCAUST AND COMMENDING THE BULGARIAN PEOPLE FOR THEIR TRADITION OF ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2003

House of Representatives,
Committee on International Relations,
Washington, DC.

    The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Henry J. Hyde presiding.

    Chairman HYDE. The Committee will come to order. We do not have a working quorum yet. We need 17. However, we can do some work, waiting for the quorum to appear. There are some markups in other Committees which are borrowing our Members, but there is one bill we will actually mark up in terms of procedure, and that is H.R. 192, the microenterprise bill. There are six other bills which are really relatively noncontroversial, and we can debate those now, prior to a motion to consider them en bloc and adopt them by unanimous consent.
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    So I will be happy to recognize Members on any of the six bills which you have before you, and I should read them off, and they are here: H.R. 441, to authorize a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual summit of the World Health Assembly; H.R. 868, to require that certain claims for expropriation by the Government of Nicaragua meet certain requirements for purposes of the prohibition on foreign assistance to that government; H. Res. 109, urging passage of a resolution addressing human rights abuses in North Korea at the 59th session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights; H. Con. Res. 57, supporting the goals of International Women's Day; H. Con. Res. 26, condemning the punishment of execution by stoning as a gross violation of human rights, and for other purposes; and H. Con. Res. 77, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the historic rescue of Bulgarian Jews from the Holocaust and commending the Bulgarian people for preserving and continuing their tradition of ethnic and religious tolerance.

    [The bills referred to follow:]

      
      
  
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    Chairman HYDE. Now, any Member who wishes to submit a statement for the record is encouraged to do so, and it shall be received without objection, and anybody who wishes to speak on any of these bills, we will recognize you as you seek recognition.

    [The prepared statement of Mr. Wexler follows:]
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PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE ROBERT WEXLER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA

    Mr. Chairman,

    I rise in strong support of H.R. 441, to endorse observer status for Taiwan at the upcoming annual World Health Assembly Summit in Geneva, Switzerland and to recognize the invaluable contributions Taiwan has made toward the promotion of global health.

    In the past decade, Taiwan has blossomed into a strong and dynamic democracy—the first in over 5,000 years of Chinese history. Taiwan has experienced unprecedented economic, political and social growth, culminating with its recent entry into the World Trade Organization. Since September 11, Taiwan has boldly joined the campaign against international terrorism and has assisted global efforts to rebuild Afghanistan in a post-Taliban regime. At the same time, Taiwan is not resting on its past achievements. The government of Taiwan has clearly stated its vision of additional financial, educational, judicial and political reform.

    Today with the support of the United States, Taiwan has set higher goals to become an even stronger democracy with greater prosperity and participation in international bodies, such as the World Health Organization. This is a vision that we, as members of Congress, have a professional responsibility and moral obligation to help Taiwan fulfill. It is unconscionable that 23 million Taiwanese are precluded from receiving the benefits of membership status in the WHO, including participation in innovative research programs, collaborative efforts to combat infectious disease, the allocation of humanitarian assistance and the development of basic health care throughout the world.
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    The exclusion of Taiwan from the WHO has deprived people of Taiwan from a number of progressive health care developments, impaired its crisis response teams and created a wall of separation between Taiwan's medical field and the rest of the global health care community. Moreover, Taiwan's exclusion from the WHO has deprived other member populations—including the poorest nations of the world—from the invaluable contributions Taiwan has made to promote global health.

    Irrespective of their exclusion from the WHO, Taiwan has boldly taken the lead in contributing to HIV/AIDS research, donating one million dollars to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS in the past year. Taiwan has also provided humanitarian relief to 78 countries in the past eight years—including the United States and Afghanistan—and has donated over 120 million dollars to medical or humanitarian relief funds.

    Mr. Chairman, health is an issue that transcends borders and politics, and can be accomplished more effectively and efficiently through international cooperation. This is why the United States must have the courage and conviction to fully support Taiwan's efforts to obtain observer status at the World Health Assembly in May, 2003.

    I rise in strong support for HR 441 and I urge my colleagues to do so as well. The people of Taiwan have overcome great odds to become a beacon of freedom, prosperity and hope for the world, and they deserve inclusion—let alone observer status—in international organizations, such as the WHO.

    Mr. PITTS. Mr. Chairman.
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    Chairman HYDE. Mr. Pitts.

    Mr. PITTS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have a few questions regarding H. Con. Res. 57, and I would like to ask Mr. Lantos or one of the sponsors of this resolution for clarification. May I ask the gentleman questions?

    Chairman HYDE. I am sure it is okay. Now whether he will answer you or not, I have no prediction.

    Mr. PITTS. On page 5 of the resolution, line 1, it says, and I think, in general, the resolution is basically acceptable, but in line 1 it says, ''We support the goals of the International Women's Day,'' and I am wondering if the gentleman could elaborate on what the goals of International Women's Day might be. My concern is this, Mr. Lantos. If we are supporting abortion as a human right, if we are supporting the ratification of CEDAW by the Senate, if there is a pro-choice agenda, I would like to know that before voting on this.

    Mr. LANTOS. If my friend will yield.

    Mr. PITTS. Yes, Mr. Chairman.

    Mr. LANTOS. There is no hidden agenda in this proposal. We all know each other's respective positions. I happen to have a 100 percent pro-choice voting record over 23 years, so there is nothing hidden about that agenda.

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    This is a resolution which is designed to underscore the rights of women to equality in all societies, which we painfully know is not the case. So if my friend is asking is there a hidden agenda, the answer is no. If my friend is asking are we changing our positions with respect to the question of choice, I do not think people on either side of this issue will change their position as a result of this resolution. It is a resolution which recognizes that half of the globe's population is made up of women, who in many countries, some of them allied to the United States, have a distinctly second-class status, in some places are persecuted, discriminated against, have no opportunity of functioning as free individuals, and that is the purpose of this resolution.

    Chairman HYDE. If the gentleman would permit,——

    Mr. PITTS. Yes.

    Chairman HYDE [continuing]. We have a vote on the Floor. It is a journal vote. I think if we include the microenterprise legislation, in my unanimous consent request, we could finish our work this morning and get on to the Floor vote and not have to return. Mr. Flake.

    Mr. PITTS. Could I just say, Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, that I agree with the sentiments that the gentleman expressed. We certainly want to support ending violence against women and the discrimination against women. I will not object to the resolution but for the record want to state that support of this resolution does not in any way indicate support of a goal that might be a pro-choice agenda, abortion as a human right, or encouraging the Senate to ratify CEDAW, for the record. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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    Chairman HYDE. Ms. McCollum. No? Mr. Flake.

    Mr. FLAKE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, just for about 15 seconds. I just want to register my concern. I know I do not have votes to prevail, but on the microenterprise loans, increasing the amount by $25 million over the next year seems to me—at a time of deficit and debt in this country—that we ought to look at areas where we can cut, if not hold the line. This seems rather extreme to me, and I just want to register my concern and objection.

    Chairman HYDE. Thank you. All right. If there is no further commentary, for which the Chair expresses deep appreciation, without objection, the Chair is authorized to request consideration of the following bills under suspension of the rules: H.R. 441, H.R. 192, H.R. 868, H. Res. 109, H. Con. Res. 57, H. Con. Res. 26, H. Con. Res. 77. Without objection, it is so ordered, and the Committee stands adjourned. Thank you for your cooperation.

    [Whereupon, at 10:37 a.m., the Committee was adjourned.]