[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 168 (Wednesday, November 19, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H11529-H11533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING AFGHAN WOMEN FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN AFGHAN GOVERNMENT 
                           AND CIVIL SOCIETY

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 393) commending Afghan women for their 
participation in Afghan government and civil society, encouraging the 
inclusion of Afghan women in the political and economic life of 
Afghanistan, and advocating the protection of Afghan women's human 
rights in the Afghanistan Constitution, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 393

       Whereas the women of Afghanistan suffered horrible 
     tragedies under the Taliban regime;
       Whereas the Afghan people have rejected the Taliban and are 
     in the process of building a free and democratic republic and 
     repairing the damage inflicted upon Afghan society by the 
     Taliban;
       Whereas those efforts have improved the daily lives of 
     Afghan women, children, and refugees;
       Whereas more Afghan girls are attending school than ever 
     before in the history of Afghanistan and, in addition, many 
     millions more adult women are either returning to school to 
     make up for the time they were not allowed to attend school 
     during the Taliban regime or taking vocational training 
     classes to prepare for the job market;
       Whereas women in Afghanistan now are able to work outside 
     the home and hold positions in all levels of government and 
     in private sector organizations, as they did before the 
     Taliban regime;
       Whereas the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the writing 
     of the Afghanistan Constitution provide a unique opportunity 
     to continue this success and to affirm women's human rights 
     under the law;
       Whereas, in order for women to fully participate in Afghan 
     society, they must have the right to vote, the right to run 
     for office, equality of opportunity, and access to health 
     care, education, and employment;
       Whereas women's human rights must be guaranteed in the 
     Afghanistan Constitution; and
       Whereas the United States, through its diplomatic 
     activities, is actively involved in encouraging the full 
     inclusion and participation of Afghan women in the political 
     and economic life of their country, and must continue to do 
     so throughout the reconstruction process: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the participation of Afghan women in 
     Afghanistan's government and civil society;
       (2) proclaims its ongoing commitment to encouraging the 
     full inclusion of women, and indeed all members of Afghan 
     society, in the political and economic life of their country; 
     and
       (3) advocates the protection of the human rights of all 
     Afghans, particularly women, in the Afghanistan Constitution.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).


                             General Leave

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  In 1996, a heavy shroud was placed on the people of Afghanistan when 
the Taliban captured Kabul. But the Taliban's brutality and blatant 
disregard for the lives and the well-being

[[Page H11530]]

of the Afghan people was perhaps most clearly evident among half of its 
population, the women of Afghanistan. They had been made destitute, 
sick and marginalized. They were banned from receiving any education 
past the age of 8. They were denied proper medical treatment. 
Throughout, the strong will and courage of the Afghan women helped them 
endure these most deplorable of circumstances.
  Today, the Afghan people are free. Women are enjoying freedoms and 
opportunities previously denied to them under the Taliban. The new 
Afghan Ministry of Education estimates that over 5 million children are 
in school, and 42 percent of these are girls. A Ministry of Women's 
Affairs has been created for the sole purpose of advocating for the 
rights of women and ensuring their access to, and participation in, all 
sectors of Afghan society. The current head of the Human Rights 
Commission is an Afghan woman, Dr. Sima Simar. Afghan women are playing 
an active role in the political and economic reconstruction of their 
nation, including as members of the commission responsible for the 
drafting of the Afghan Constitution. Their contributions can already be 
seen in this draft document. Articles 44, 83 and 84 of the Constitution 
mandate the promotion of women's education and the elimination of 
illiteracy while also establishing requirements that seek to ensure 
female representation throughout the government. After suffering 
unspeakable oppression, persecution and violations of their most basic 
freedoms, the women of Afghanistan, as the women's minister recently 
stated, ``can have our position in the society, and our people in 
Afghanistan can be under one Constitution.''
  All of these developments, Mr. Speaker, as the International Crisis 
Group has described it, ``heralded a new day for women in 
Afghanistan.'' However, this would not have been possible without the 
support of the international community and, in particular, the 
unwavering commitment of our United States. One of the many ways in 
which we have demonstrated our commitment to the full participation of 
women in Afghanistan's political and economic reconstruction has been 
through programs such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, 
AID, and its contribution of $2.5 million for the creation of women's 
resource centers in various provinces throughout Afghanistan.
  The resolution before us details the developments that have taken 
place since the end of the Taliban regime and the progress made in 
improving the daily lives of Afghan women. Further, it notes the 
efforts of the United States in encouraging the full inclusion and 
participation of Afghan women in the political and economic arena and 
proclaims our ongoing commitment on this front. House Resolution 393 is 
a straightforward resolution that commends the participation of Afghan 
women in civil society and underscores the will of the U.S. House of 
Representatives that the protection of the human rights of all Afghans, 
particularly women, be protected in the constitution of Afghanistan.
  I ask my colleagues to support this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of this resolution. First I would like to 
thank the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Maloney) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) for their important contribution in bringing this issue to 
our attention.
  Mr. Speaker, Afghanistan is entering a crucial phase in its efforts 
to leave behind the legacy of two decades of nightmare, civil war, 
narco-terrorism, the Taliban, and the appalling abuse of women and 
girls. Over the coming year, the Afghans will be approving a new 
constitution and a new Afghan government hopes to hold free and fair 
elections. These acts will determine Afghanistan's course for decades 
to come.
  The role of women and girls in this process remains, unfortunately, 
unclear. After suffering for so long under the brutal Taliban regime, 
Afghan women are finally participating in Afghan society, including the 
political process in that country. But despite progress being made, the 
threat still remains that Afghan women will once again become the 
subject of both discrimination and violence. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, 
girls' education is coming increasingly under attack, with the burning 
of schools dedicated for that purpose. And there are disturbing reports 
of abuses of women's rights by local warlords in spite of the efforts 
of the Afghan transitional authority to protect them.
  Our resolution commends the participation of Afghan women in the 
government of Afghanistan and in civil society, and it encourages the 
full inclusion of women in all sectors of Afghan society, particularly 
the political, economic and educational sectors. As the key decisions 
on the Afghan Constitution draw near, the United States and the 
international community must continue to press the Afghan government to 
allow the full inclusion of women in Afghan society at all levels and 
to provide for the full protection of women's human rights in the 
Constitution of Afghanistan.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 393.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), the sponsor of the resolution.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
this time and for her very helpful input on this resolution. Her 
commitment to protecting human rights is well-known, and I am honored 
to work with her to support the women of Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this very important 
resolution. I am honored to sponsor it and I thank the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Maloney) for introducing it with me. I also want to 
thank my neighbor, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) along with 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the staff on the 
Committee on International Relations for helping to bring this 
resolution to the floor.
  Frankly, it is no secret that Afghan women had a very, very hard time 
under Taliban rule. Women were frequently beaten, raped, kidnapped and 
killed. They had no access to education or health care. For 5 years, 
they were told that the only place for them was at home with their 
husbands or in the grave. Women were systematically and routinely 
singled out for abuse simply because they were women. In short, they 
lived in nightmarish conditions that few of us could even imagine.
  Two years after the fall of the Taliban, the women of Afghanistan are 
making tremendous progress in reclaiming their rightful place in 
society. Women are returning to positions they held in pre-Taliban 
times, working as doctors, lawyers, teachers, civil servants and in 
numerous other professions. Most girls are attending school, which was 
not true ever before in the history of this country. They are no longer 
forced to wear the burdensome burqa, although many of them do, and 
hopefully they are no longer living in fear of being brutalized simply 
because they are female.
  These women have overcome unimaginable obstacles and they deserve our 
ongoing support as they work to build a new democracy. I have been 
involved in several meetings here in the United States and a video 
conference with women leaders in Afghanistan through the U.S.-Afghan 
Women's Council. It is encouraging to see that the country is 
transforming itself into a democracy and the Afghan women are 
participating, working towards elections, and some of these women will 
be candidates. All of this is good news, but there is still so much 
more that must be accomplished.
  As part of the rebuilding process, the people of Afghanistan are 
drafting a constitution that will define the principles of their new 
democratic government. Under the Bonn agreement, the final draft will 
be finished in a few short months. As the drafters continue the hard 
work of crafting that important document, we must continue to encourage 
the inclusion of women and the protection of their most basic rights. 
The creation of a permanent Afghan government marks an important

[[Page H11531]]

transition in the history of that country. It also provides a unique 
opportunity to commend the women of Afghanistan for overcoming the 
monumental challenges they have faced and to reiterate the U.S. 
commitment to protecting the human rights of all. This is what the 
resolution does.
  The United States has a vested interest in promoting a democratic 
regime in Afghanistan. As President Bush put it, women will be the 
backbone of a new Afghanistan. It is critical, therefore, that women be 
assured of their right to participate in the civic life of their 
country. It is encouraging to note that women have been involved in the 
drafting of the constitution. However, in order for women to continue 
participating in public life, this right must be protected.
  I am pleased that the U.S. has taken such an active role in aiding 
the women of Afghanistan. In the last Congress, we passed and the 
President signed into law the Afghan Women and Children's Relief Act. 
This much-needed legislation provided educational and health care 
assistance for women and children living in Afghanistan and as refugees 
in neighboring countries. This was an important first step that 
provided immediate assistance. Now, however, it is time to look beyond 
the short term and provide long-term assurance that the women of 
Afghanistan will never again be targeted for abuse by their government 
and forced to live under such horrific conditions.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an important and timely resolution. In order to 
promote true democracy in Afghanistan, we must do all we can to 
encourage the inclusion of women in the civic life of their country. I 
am honored to support this resolution, and I encourage my colleagues to 
do so as well.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 4 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) who has been an indefatigable 
fighter for all human rights issues and without whom we would not be 
considering this resolution.

                              {time}  1145

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time and acknowledge the tremendous role that he and the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Hyde) had in the passage of this resolution.
  I rise in strong support of this resolution which commends Afghan 
women and supports their participation in government and the inclusion 
of women's rights in the Afghan constitution. The gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), my good friend, and I co-authored this 
resolution to acknowledge the struggles that Afghan women have faced 
and to show the support of this Congress for winning the battles that 
remain.
  Women under the Taliban were denied their basic rights to work, 
education, and health care; and they suffered greatly over the course 
of 23 years of war. The end of the Taliban regime, appointment of women 
to the cabinet, and the establishment of the Ministry of Women's 
Affairs and the participation of over 200 women delegates in the June, 
2002, Loya Jirga gave women hope. Yet many women continue to wear the 
burka out of fear of attack from fundamentalist extremists, and there 
are extremely disturbing reports of discrimination and the burning of 
over 30 girls' schools.
  Earlier this Congress showed their support not only in words but with 
financial support. Our amendment to the fiscal year 2004 emergency 
supplemental appropriations legislation directed $5 million to the 
Independent Human Rights Commission in Afghanistan and $60 million in 
direct funding for the Ministry of Women's Affairs and Afghan women-led 
governmental organizations which is necessary to build permanent 
institutions to safeguard women's rights in Afghanistan.
  For women to advance in Afghanistan, they must have equal rights 
under the law, they must have the right to vote and the right to run 
for office and the equality of opportunity and access to health care, 
education, and employment. These rights will not be possible in 
Afghanistan without their inclusion in the constitution and without the 
ability of delegates to the December Loya Jirga to speak out for 
women's rights and human rights without fear of reprisal.
  I deeply thank this Congress and the leadership of this Congress for 
being committed to helping the women in Afghanistan, for their support 
of the passage of this important resolution, and their earlier support 
for direct appropriations to help the women in Afghanistan. I 
particularly thank the leadership of the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and the gentlewoman 
from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), a staunch defender of 
human rights worldwide.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution and commend those who were involved with bringing it to the 
floor today.
  About 5 months ago, I traveled across Afghanistan. Just actually my 
wife and I decided to travel by car, and we were told that it was 
rather risky and that it was a precarious situation; but we wanted to 
see exactly what was happening on the scene, and I would like to report 
a little incident that happened.
  As we were traveling between Kabul and Mazar Sharif, we saw the 
devastation throughout the countryside, burned-out Russian tanks and 
buildings that had been destroyed. We noticed some young people, 
hundreds of people, gathered at this old building that seemed like a 
bombed-out relic from World War II; and we had our driver stop, and we 
walked over and we had an interpreter with us. And there we found, I 
guess, about 100 young Afghan children all about 8, 9, 10 years old, 
sitting in this burned-out building where they had piled rocks together 
and formed little desks, trying to teach each other how to read and to 
write. There was never a symbol of a people who were more committed to 
moving ahead and to bringing themselves out of the ashes of this 
horrible catastrophe that has befallen their country for these last 25 
years than these young children; and what was most important is they 
were not just a bunch of boys. There were young boys and young girls 
who were there being taught to read and to write and to improve 
themselves and thus bring up their country, and it was one of the most 
inspiring sights I had seen.
  The United States has a special burden here in Afghanistan. We turned 
away from the Afghans before, and it led to another era of crises after 
the Soviets left; and let me just note that I am afraid to offer this 
to my colleagues: I think we need to pay more attention to Afghanistan. 
This resolution is an important step, but we need to pay more 
attention. Things are sliding back in the wrong direction if we do not 
pay attention.
  And I think we have a message today to the people of Afghanistan, and 
that is democracy is sometimes slow to move, but we are committed to 
helping them rebuild their country and to build those institutions that 
provide for human dignity. We respect their religion, we respect their 
faith, but we also know that the persecution of women is not required 
by Islam, that this Taliban extremism and Islamic extremism that we see 
in various parts of the world does not reflect the broad cross-section 
of Muslims who would grant women their rights and have little children 
who happen to be girls educated and treated equally and with due 
respect. But today we have to work with the Afghan people to make sure 
that the Taliban does not come back, and that threat still exists. And 
to the people of Afghanistan we say today do not give in to these evil 
people again. The Americans have not left. We will not leave until they 
are secure from the return of the Taliban and al Qaeda and the 
terrorists that held them in bondage.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend from California 
for his powerful statement.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Lofgren).
  (Ms. LOFGREN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this resolution, 
but I must note that it is not enough. We need to make every effort to 
assist the women of Afghanistan to become full and participating 
members of society as so many women there wish.

[[Page H11532]]

  Inside the Beltway it may seem that we are doing enough, but we have 
continually appropriated money to help Afghan women and children, 5 
million in 2003, 25 million in 2004, 60 million in the recent 
supplemental appropriations bill. But unfortunately the money is not 
necessarily getting to the women themselves, and Members of Congress 
have written to our President about that, but we have not actually made 
the difference that we would want.
  Last week when I returned to my district, I met an Afghan women's 
advocate, Afifa Azim, who was full of hope but has been let down by 
this administration. She had come all the way to America to search for 
support from private organizations in California. Imagine, she had to 
travel here to find private help when we have appropriated millions of 
dollars for women's programs and the President has told us he is 
committed to administering the money in the best possible way. Other 
Afghan women advocates are telling me the same.
  The problem is not that the women of Afghanistan are not full of 
hope, nor is the problem with Congress who has appropriated funds. The 
problem is that the administration has not tracked the resources to 
make sure that they get to the Afghan women who need these funds; and I 
would like to read from the San Francisco Chronicle a story about Ms. 
Azim. She said, ``What's most unfortunate is that in the beginning, the 
international community was promising to first help the women, but that 
has not happened. For almost 2 years, they were promising to open 
women's centers in different provinces, but it hasn't happened, all 
because of a lack of resources, not desire.''
  If the President is serious about winning the war on terror, he must 
not forget that a great key to our success lies in the women of 
Afghanistan. I support this resolution, but I would be happier if we 
were actually directing the President to send the resources necessary 
to the women of Afghanistan. And I include in the Record the article 
from the San Francisco Chronicle about Ms. Azim's visit.

           [From the San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 17, 2003]

 Afghan Woman Soldier on Bay Area Visit To Raise Support for Freedoms 
                            Not Yet Realized

                         (By Anastasia Hendrix)

       Standing just 5 feet tall, even in heels, Afifa Azim may 
     appear diminutive but her ambition to improve the lives of 
     women in Afghanistan is enormous, and she is visiting the Bay 
     Area to get some help.
       Though the world's attention has shifted to the conflict in 
     Iraq and the repressive Taliban regime has been chased out of 
     Afghanistan, women there have not been able to enjoy the 
     freedoms they had decades ago, she said.
       ``Most of the women outside of Kabul, in the villages, are 
     still oppressed, still wearing burkas and still are afraid,'' 
     she said. ``I am saying please be patient and pay attention 
     to Afghanistan. We still desperately need it.''
       Azim is the director of the Afghan Women's Network, an 
     umbrella organization comprised of 65 nonprofit, 
     nongovernmental groups designed to support, train and employ 
     women.
       Born in Kabul, the 49-year-old mother of two daughters and 
     three sons oversees the agency's headquarters in Peshawar, 
     Pakistan, as well as two offices in Afghanistan. The agency 
     has yet to get a working fax machine, she said, but has 
     received grants for several computers.
       She is meeting with native Afghans and women's rights 
     advocates as part of a program developed by the San 
     Francisco-based Women's Intercultural Network (WIN), which 
     strives to create a network of women's organizations around 
     the world for ``collective action on mutual concerns.''
       ``A lot of people are going into Afghanistan now doing 
     refugee work, doing work on housing, food and infrastructure, 
     but nobody's really working directly with the women to build 
     the capacity of their organizations,'' said Marilyn Fowler, 
     president and chief executive officer of the network. ``It's 
     not just about money, but also the training and technology 
     that is so badly needed.''
       Azim is one of nine women on a committee participating in 
     the drafting of Afghanistan's new constitution, which will be 
     important to legally protect women's rights, she said.
       It is a more daunting task than it may seem, said Rona 
     Popal, executive director of the Fremont-based Afghan Women 
     Association International, who recently returned form a 
     trip to Kabul.
       ``For example, the Ministry of Women's Affairs is one of 
     the poorest ministries (in the Afghan government). Many 
     programs have been closed, and a lot of women have had to be 
     laid off,'' she said. ``What's most unfortunate is that in 
     the beginning, the international community was promising to 
     first help the women, but that had not happened. For almost 
     two years they were promising to open women's centers in 
     different provinces, but it hasn't happened--all because of a 
     lack of resources, not desire.''
       If anyone is up to the challenge of fighting for the 
     emerging women's rights movement in Afghanistan, it is Azim, 
     said Irene Lu, a senior at Standford University who spent six 
     months this year working for the Afghan Women's Network in 
     Kabul.
       ``It's amazing how much she really loves her country. She 
     works day and night thinking of specific projects,'' Lu 
     said,` `She's often at the office until1 1 or 12 at night, 
     and she even came to the office at 3 a.m. to talk to me about 
     one of the projects we were working on.''
       With Azim, Lu created a national directory of nonprofit 
     women's groups in and around Afghanistan, surveyed women in 
     refugee camps and created a paid internship program for 
     female students at Kabul University.
       Azim said there are setbacks and times of sadness and 
     frustration, but that she relies on the strength of other 
     women's rights advocates for motivation and her family for 
     inspiration.
       Her three sons, ages 18, 19, and 20, all volunteer for her 
     organization. Her daughters, ages 8 and 22, are constant 
     reminder of her goals, she said.
       ``I want them to have a bright future, to be able to have a 
     good and happy life,'' she said.
       Her husband, Azim, is also supportive of her efforts, it 
     not necessarily her frequent trips to Kabul, she said. The 
     family fled Afghanistan in 1985 but plans to move back by new 
     year, she said.
       Today, Azim is headed back to Pakistan. She said she will 
     travel and work as much as necessary to broaden awareness 
     about the struggles still facing Afghan women.
       ``We know that American women are strong and have the power 
     to do something to help our women, even if the government 
     can't or won't'' she said. ``Of this, I am confident.''.

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Royce), a strong leader in our Committee on 
International Relations.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this bill commending the participation of 
Afghan women in that society. But let me share with the Members that I 
had an opportunity to travel in Afghanistan, and there is a small 
orphanage that I have supported. I have been a board member for a 
number of years on this particular board for this school that attempts 
to teach orphans in Afghanistan. And I wanted to see about the work 
that they were conducting. So when I was there, I actually had an 
opportunity to talk not only to the students, several of whom spoke 
English, but also with the teachers.
  One of the teachers showed me, by the way, the scars on his legs and 
arms. He was caught by the former regime. He was not teaching jihad. He 
was teaching mathematics. He was teaching science. And that was 
considered verboten. That was forbidden by that government. And as a 
consequence, he was tortured for that. But the school continued its 
work clandestinely, and today that work continues. And I asked the 
young students there what they intended to be when they grew up, and we 
got different answers from different students. But one young woman 
stood up and she said, ``When I grow up, I want to go to the University 
of Kabul because I am going to be a physician.''
  And I asked her, ``Why do you want to become a doctor?''
  She said, ``I want to become a doctor because I want to help my 
people.''
  We forget that two thirds of the physicians in Afghanistan before the 
Taliban, two thirds of physicians, were women. But, in fact, when that 
society was hijacked by the Taliban and that brutal regime began the 
process of excluding women not only from education but from the 
workforce and from riding a bus or from visiting a doctor, we forget 
just how brutal that regime was.
  I have got a great deal of respect for what the new government is 
trying to do. The new Afghan government has established a Ministry of 
Women's Affairs dedicated to improving women's rights, but in the 
meantime the reality continues, that at the hands of regional warlords 
and brigands and religious fanatics, women are still beaten and they 
are still raped and they are still abducted.
  However, as this is happening, women are playing a role in the 
political reconstruction of Afghanistan. Seven women are members of the 
constitutional drafting commission. That is 20 percent of the 
commission. Under the released draft constitution, Afghanistan's 
president can nominate

[[Page H11533]]

women to hold up to 50 percent of the seats of the upper house of 
parliament.
  For the first time in years, Afghans are hearing the voice of women 
on the air because the broadcasts of Radio Free Afghanistan air 
commentary from both the women in the Afghan ministries and the men and 
women that are interviewed on the streets, in the towns. And it is 
important to remember again that before 1978 women were very 
influential in this society. Not only were they two-thirds of teachers, 
as I mentioned, but they played a role throughout the society, 
throughout the workforce, and they must play a vital role in helping 
Afghanistan become a stable state.
  There is so much work to be done, and there is so much more attention 
that we as a Congress, not just the administration, but we as a 
Congress need to pay to this problem.
  But Afghanistan has made tremendous strides, at least in Kabul, in 
the liberation from the Taliban; and we have to remember that the 
Taliban is still rooted in parts of that country. And I ask my 
colleagues to support this resolution and to continue to focus in their 
own time and in their own ways on ideas of how we can expand some 
measure of progress beyond the capital into the regional areas of 
Afghanistan.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), my good 
friend. It is always a real honor and a pleasure to work with him. He 
is a man of integrity, great intelligence, and I consider him one of my 
mentors. It is always a pleasure to handle a bill on the floor with 
him.

                              {time}  1200

  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would merely like to underscore the stark 
contrast between the Afghanistan that we had under the Taliban and the 
free Afghanistan that today is working to rebuild from the ruins of 
over 20 years of war and oppression. But all is not perfect, as we 
heard from many speakers here today. The road ahead will not be an easy 
task, but nothing that is worth doing and having usually comes easy.
  The Afghan people and especially the women of Afghanistan need our 
support. They need our steadfast commitment to stay with them, to 
remain engaged for the long haul. This resolution before us reiterates 
that commitment, a commitment that was articulated by President Bush 
just this morning, and I ask my colleagues to support the resolution of 
the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) and the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Maloney).
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong 
support of the resolution commending Afghan women for their 
participation in the Afghan government. Overcoming a history of 
suppression under Taliban rule, the women of Afghanistan have worked to 
strengthen women's rights in Afghanistan's new democracy.
  Prior to Taliban rule, Afghanistan had a Constitutional democracy 
that affirmed women's rights, including the right to vote and equal pay 
provisions. However, under control of the Taliban, women were silenced 
and denied basic-fundamental rights to healthcare, education and 
employment. Today, Afghan women have emerged to help build a brighter 
and more stable future for Afghanistan.
  Afghan women are more involved than ever in the Afghanistan 
government. Currently, there are two women holding high-ranking 
positions in Afghanistan's transitional government. Additionally, on 
September 5, 2003, the third annual conference of Women for Afghan 
Women (WAW) met in Kandahar to draft an Afghan Women's Bill of Rights 
to present to President Hamid Karzai. These rights include mandatory 
education for all women, protection and security from gender abuse, 
freedom to vote and the ability to run for all elections.
  Afghanistan is at a crucial transition point and it is imperative 
that the United States continue its support in promoting democracy and 
equality for both men and women of Afghanistan. I urge all of my fellow 
Members to vote with me in support of H. Res. 393 and commend the women 
of Afghanistan for their contributions and involvement in the Afghan 
government.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shaw). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 393, as 
amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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