[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 102 (Monday, July 25, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FISCAL YEARS 2006 AND 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 20, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2601) to 
     authorize appropriations for the Department of State for 
     fiscal years 2006 and 2007, and for other purposes:

  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment and the 
effort to bring attention to the murders of more than 400 women and 
girls over the past 12 years in the border town of Ciudad Juarez, 
Mexico and Chihuahua City, Mexico. The latest victims of this violence, 
two 7- and 10-year-old girls, were raped and brutally murdered in May.
  As the author of House Concurrent Resolution 90, which has garnered 
more than 100 bipartisan cosponsors, I know we must do more to help end 
these murders, bring the true perpetrators to justice, and bring 
closure to the families of victims who have disappeared but their 
bodies never identified.
  Women and young girls from all parts of Mexico have migrated to 
Ciudad Juarez, just 5 minutes from the U.S. border, in hopes of finding 
work, including jobs at American-owned maquiladoras. Women have been 
kidnapped on their way home from work at the maquiladoras, and many are 
later found in deserted or abandoned areas--with their bodies showing 
signs of rape, torture and mutilation.
  I have worked closely with my House and Senate colleagues on this 
resolution and other efforts to encourage the Bush administration to 
put pressure on the Mexican government to protect the women in Ciudad 
Juarez and bring their murderers and rapists to justice.
  This spring, I worked with Senator Bingaman from New Mexico to ensure 
USAID funding for independent forensic investigators from Argentina to 
work in Ciudad Juarez. These independent investigators are working to 
identify up to 70 victims who up until now have been nameless 
casualties of horrific violence. The Reyes amendment, as well as my 
resolution, states the importance of these independent, impartial 
efforts.
  I was also pleased to learn that the United States Ambassador to 
Mexico, Tony Garza, traveled to Ciudad Juarez yesterday to meet with 
the independent forensic investigators and the District Attorney for 
the State of Chihuahua. It is important that the United States 
continues to work with Mexico not only to identify remains of women 
already murdered, but also to thoroughly investigate these crimes and 
bring an end to the murders.

                                Congress of the United States,

                                      Washington, DC, May 3, 2005.
     Mr. Adolfo Franco,
     Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Latin American and the 
         Caribbean, U.S. Agency for International Development, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Franco: As you know, we are very concerned about 
     the murders and disappearances of women in Ciudad Juarez and 
     Chihuahua, Mexico. We have visited Ciudad Juarez and have led 
     Congressional Delegations to Juarez on several occasions, and 
     we recently introduced Congressional Resolutions (H. Con. 
     Res. 90 and S. Con. Res. 16) encouraging the U.S. government 
     to help Mexico resolve this tragedy.
       In our visits with the families of missing and murdered 
     women, they have told us that they are requesting the 
     services of independent experts to help identify their family 
     members. There are more than 60 unknown victims in Ciudad 
     Juarez and Chihuahua that require forensic and DNA testing. 
     There are also families that are requesting identification 
     services because they have credible doubts about the results 
     of prior forensic testing.
       It has been our understanding that USAID had been making 
     progress to assist in this very important forensic effort to 
     identify all of the unknown victims. However, without any 
     rationale, we have been informed that USAID will no longer be 
     able to assist in the effort to secure independent scientists 
     to conduct exhumations and forensic testing.
       We have attempted to call you to find out why these efforts 
     have been stalled, without success. We, along with our other 
     congressional colleagues, are committed to alleviating the 
     anguish and uncertainty of many families of their missing and 
     murdered family members. Please provide us with a detailed 
     explanation as to whether or not USAID will be able to fund 
     independent forensic testing to help identify the remains of 
     the missing or unknown victims. A timely response would be 
     appreciated by May 11, 2005.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Hilda L. Solis,
                                               Member of Congress.
                                                    Jeff Bingaman,
     U.S. Senator.
                                  ____

                        U.S. Agency for International Development,


                                 Washington, DC, May 31, 2005.

     Hon. Hilda L. Solis,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congresswoman Solis: Thank you for your inquiry of May 
     3, 2005, concerning the U.S. Agency for International 
     Development's (USAID) forensic capacity building program in 
     Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. We share your concerns and 
     understand the anguish of the numerous families of missing 
     and murdered women in Chihuahua. We are committed to provide 
     technical assistance to the government of Chihuahua for 
     criminal justice reforms so that both countries can 
     collaborate in finding solutions and bringing an end to this 
     tragedy.
       USAID appreciates your acknowledgement of the progress the 
     Agency has made in addressing the myriad of inter-related 
     justice concerns in Ciudad Juarez. While not a typical area 
     of assistance, given the importance of supporting the State's 
     interest in bringing emotional closure and relief to the 
     victims' families, and its close relation to our criminal 
     justice reform objectives, we are in the process of securing 
     final approval to support forensics capacity building in 
     Chihuahua.
       In the meantime, USAID has been instrumental in bringing 
     together the state Attorney General and the internationally-
     respected Argentine Forensic Team. Last week, at a meeting 
     facilitated by our USAID Mission in Mexico, Attorney General 
     Patricia Gonzalez not only agreed to have the Argentine 
     Forensic Team identify up to 70 bodies, but also agreed to 
     assume some of the financial responsibilities.
       With the approval to fund forensic capacity building work 
     and training of related law enforcement personnel under our 
     criminal justice program, USAID will be prepared to 
     contribute up to an estimated $300,000 for laboratory fees 
     and forensics training. We are working close1y to ensure that 
     the identification of these bodies by independent top caliber 
     scientists will be a collaborative, bi-national effort.
       We truly appreciate your support and recognition of USAID's 
     ability to provide the necessary technical assistance to the 
     State of Chihuahua. We are trying to expedite our internal 
     bureaucratic hurdles; and request your kind patience and 
     confidence that soon, USAID along with the Argentine Forensic 
     Team will bring relief to many Mexican families.
       Thank you, once again, for your concerns and interest in 
     this matter. We will keep you closely updated on USAID 
     activities and developments related to Ciudad Juarez. If We 
     can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to let 
     us know.
           Sincerely,

                                                J. Edward Fox,

                                          Assistant Administrator,
                        Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs.




                          ____________________