[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 113 (Wednesday, September 13, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6505-H6509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FOURTEENTH DALAI LAMA CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the Senate bill (S. 2784) to award a congressional gold medal to Tenzin
Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, in recognition of his many enduring
and outstanding contributions to peace, non-violence, human rights, and
religious understanding.
The Clerk read as follows
S. 2784
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fourteenth Dalai Lama
Congressional Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai
Lama--
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(1) is recognized in the United States and throughout the
world as a leading figure of moral and religious authority;
(2) is the unrivaled spiritual and cultural leader of the
Tibetan people, and has used his leadership to promote
democracy, freedom, and peace for the Tibetan people through
a negotiated settlement of the Tibet issue, based on autonomy
within the People's Republic of China;
(3) has led the effort to preserve the rich cultural,
religious, and linguistic heritage of the Tibetan people and
to promote the safeguarding of other endangered cultures
throughout the world;
(4) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his
efforts to promote peace and non-violence throughout the
globe, and to find democratic reconciliation for the Tibetan
people through his ``Middle Way'' approach;
(5) has significantly advanced the goal of greater
understanding, tolerance, harmony, and respect among the
different religious faiths of the world through interfaith
dialogue and outreach to other religious leaders; and
(6) has used his moral authority to promote the concept of
universal responsibility as a guiding tenet for how human
beings should treat one another and the planet we share.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate
shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on
behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate
design, to Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, in
recognition of his many enduring contributions to peace and
religious understanding.
(b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury
(referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a
gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions
to be determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of
the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such
regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price
sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor,
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and
the cost of the gold medal.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this
Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title
31, United States Code.
(b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and
5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under
this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to
be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise
Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of
the medals struck pursuant to this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of
duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be
deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Frank) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
General Leave
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks on this legislation and insert extraneous material
thereon.
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.
As the House author of this legislation, I rise in strong support of
Senate bill 2784, the 14th Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal Act.
I would like to thank my dear friend and colleague, the ranking
member of International Relations Committee, Congressman Tom Lantos,
for his dedicated work on this legislation as the Democratic lead of
this House bill. I also would like to commend the Financial Services
chairman, Michael Oxley, and his staff for their great work on this
resolution as well as the House leadership and their staff for their
assistance in bringing this important legislation to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House International Relations
Committee and as a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, I
have had the opportunity to meet personally with the Dalai Lama on
several occasions, most recently in November 2005, when he spoke to
Congress on issues relating to democracy, human rights, and Tibet.
Born to a peasant family, His Holiness was recognized at the age of
two, in accordance with the tradition of Tibet, as the reincarnation of
his predecessor, the 13th Dalai Lama, and thus an incarnation of the
Buddha of Compassion.
His enthronement ceremony took place in the capital of Tibet on
February 22, 1940, at the tender age of five. A decade later, on
November 17, 1950, His Holiness was called upon to assume the position
of head of state for the people of Tibet.
His Holiness is the embodiment of serenity and understandings. His
inner peace and calm demeanor give us hope that a resolution can be
reached on the issue of Tibet. As the 14th Dalai Lama, he is the
manifestation of compassion. To look at him is to understand the
meaning of Dalai Lama, which is ``Oceans of Wisdom.''
By awarding the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal, we are
recognizing his lifelong advocacy on behalf of peace, tolerance, human
rights, nonviolence, and religious understanding throughout the world.
By definition, a Congressional Gold Medal is the highest expression by
Congress of national appreciation for the most heroic, courageous, and
outstanding individuals.
Given the overwhelming support of this legislation as evidenced by
the bipartisan support of 312 cosponsors in the House companion
legislation, I am confident that Members of this Chamber deem that the
Dalai Lama is indeed such an individual.
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However, we are not the first to recognize the tremendous
achievements of this humble man. In 1989, the 14th Dalai Lama received
the Nobel Peace Prize for his work bringing democracy and freedom to
his people. In the recommendation, the committee members of the Nobel
Prize wrote: ``The committee wants to emphasize the fact that the Dalai
Lama in his struggle for the liberation of Tibet consistently has
opposed the use of violence. He has instead advocated peaceful
solutions based upon tolerance and mutual respect in order to preserve
the historical and cultural heritage of his people.''
The 14th Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal Act comes at a crucial
and hopeful turning point in the ongoing negotiations between the Dalai
Lama's representatives and the People's Republic of China.
In a speech delivered following His Holiness' acceptance of the Nobel
Peace Prize, he said, ``It is my dream that the entire Tibetan plateau
should become a free refuge where humanity and nature can live in peace
and in harmonious balance. It would be a place,'' he continues, ``where
people from all over the world could come to seek the true meaning of
peace within themselves, away from the tension and pressures that occur
in much of the rest of the world. Tibet could indeed become a creative
center for the promotion and development of peace,'' he concluded.
Join me, I ask my colleagues, in paying homage to this fearless
leader who has led the efforts to preserve the rich cultural,
spiritual, and linguistic heritage of the people of Tibet while also
promoting the safeguarding of other endangered cultures throughout the
world.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the
14th Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal Act.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, this is a very important
piece of legislation recognizing one of the truly great advocates of
human rights in our time, a man who in the face of enormous adversity
generated by the People's Republic of China's oppression has really
held forth the banner of human rights.
I therefore am delighted to yield as much time as he may consume to
our champion of human rights here in the House of Representatives, the
ranking member of the Committee on International Relations who has for
his entire life been a very vigorous defender of the cause of freedom
in a variety of also adverse circumstances, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos).
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of our legislation
to
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award the Congressional Gold Medal to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
I would first like to express my great appreciation to my dear friend
Congressman Barney Frank not only for yielding me some time, but, far
more importantly, for being a tireless champion in advancing human
rights. Let me also thank the chairman of the Financial Services
Committee, my friend, Mr. Oxley, for expediting consideration of this
legislation, as well as my colleague from the International Relations
Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and for her leadership on this
legislation on behalf of the Tibetan people and all human rights
issues.
Mr. Speaker, 19 years ago this month, His Holiness the Dalai Lama at
the invitation of my wife, Annette, addressed the Congressional Human
Rights Caucus that I cofounded and which I currently chair with our
colleague Frank Wolf. The historic speech His Holiness delivered was
his first major policy address outside of India and the first time he
had ever appeared before the Congress.
The Dalai Lama unveiled his Five Point Peace Plan for Tibet. We did
not know it at the time, but what we heard was to become the foundation
for the Dalai Lama's fight on behalf of the people of Tibet.
While we were welcoming His Holiness on Capitol Hill, the State
Department and the White House refused to meet with him. The
individuals responsible for crafting our foreign policy back then
crouched under their desks unwilling to risk the ire of the Chinese
Government by meeting with the true leader of the Tibetan people.
Nearly two decades later, His Holiness regularly meets with
Presidents and Secretaries of State. During his last visit to
Washington, this brave man, small of stature but with an infinite
heart, was greeted by dozens of Members of Congress. Tens of thousands
of Washington residents packed an auditorium for several nights to hear
his words of wisdom.
His Holiness has used his international acclaim to speak out
forcefully against the cultural and religious annihilation of the
Tibetan people. Rather than resorting to force, the Dalai Lama has
actively pursued a negotiated solution to the Tibetan issue with the
Chinese Government. In five rounds of discussions, representatives of
the Dalai Lama have argued with determination to the Chinese that the
Tibetan people must have true religious, cultural, and economic
autonomy, and that the current marginalization of the Tibetan people in
their own land must end.
Awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to His Holiness the Dalai Lama
will send a strong signal of congressional support for a negotiated
settlement to the Tibetan issue that preserves Tibetan culture and
promotes genuine autonomy for the long-suffering people of Tibet.
Through his words and through his deeds, the Dalai Lama has made an
enduring contribution to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and
religious understanding. With our action here today, Mr. Speaker, His
Holiness will join the ranks of Pope John Paul II, Elie Wiesel, Nelson
Mandela, and Mother Teresa, all of whom have been awarded the
Congressional Gold Medal, a pantheon of peacemakers. I strongly support
passage of this legislation.
Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to another
staunch defender of human rights throughout the world, the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich), such time as he may consume.
Mr. KUCINICH. I want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for
his own commitment to human rights and thank Mr. Lantos for the
lifetime of work that characterizes not only himself but Mrs. Lantos as
well.
This is an important moment for this Congress because through
recognizing the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal, we also
recognize his lifetime of work which has been about elevating the human
spirit. Because in that we transcend the little labels of Democrat and
Republican, liberal and conservative, and we come to an understanding
of human unity, those principles which unite us all. We learn through
celebrating the Dalai Lama's life and his contributions the
transformative power of love, the transformative power of compassion.
In his work, he has challenged us to look at those things in our
lives which cause anger, to look at those things in our lives which
relate to negativity, and to consciously work on those things so that
we become more perfect. Wasn't that really the message of our Founders
with respect to the creation of the United States itself, that the work
of our government should ever be to form a more perfect Union?
So it is that the spiritual work of the Dalai Lama informs all of us
that we can perfect ourselves, that we can practice daily, taking a
walk down the path towards a more meaningful life. He teaches us
patience. And certainly, in this great body, patience is something that
lends us to understanding of each other, to having compassion for each
other.
This is an important moment for this Congress, when we understand
that the Dalai Lama's teachings involve karma, an understanding of the
power and the consequences of every thought, word, and deed, knowing
that for every action there might be another action that follows. The
symmetry between Buddhism and some of the teachings of Christianity is
instructive here. Buddhists talk, and the Dalai Lama talks, about the
law of karma. Christianity, we know of teachings that say as you sow,
so shall you reap. So much of our lives are penetrated by spiritual
dimensions that we often don't pay much attention to. But in moments
like this when we celebrate the life and the work of a single person,
we come to an understanding of not only his relationship to us and our
relationship to him, but of our relationship to each other. And so when
we celebrate him, we are celebrating ourselves, too, and our higher
potential, not only as public servants but as human beings.
The Dalai Lama speaks about a path to tranquility. Is it possible in
a public forum which is centered on such vigorous debate that we can
find tranquility? His teachings would say, yes, because tranquility is
an inner condition.
So, Mr. Speaker, the honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, our leader Ms.
Pelosi, this is an important moment for this Congress, and I am proud
to play a small part in recognizing the great work and person of the
Dalai Lama.
Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. And
to close out our side here, and I think the debate, I yield such time
as she may consume to a woman who has not only been a leader in human
rights but was an early advocate and personal friend of the Dalai Lama.
Let me say, Mr. Speaker, that a few years ago when he spoke at
Brandeis University in the district of my colleague, Mr. Markey and I
were there to meet him, and he had taken a stand that may have been a
little controversial. And the first thing he said to me was, this was
years before the gentlewoman from California had ascended to
leadership. He said, ``Congressman, please tell Nancy Pelosi not to be
angry; I am going to explain this to her.'' So when the Dalai Lama is
concerned about her opinion of him, I think that says a great deal
about her own commitment and dedication. And, of course, he did
explain; and, no, she was not angry. She respected him then, she
respects him now, and I am delighted to yield to her such time as she
may consume.
Ms. PELOSI. Well, at the time I think the message that I told myself
was, we can't be holier than His Holiness. If it is okay with him, it
was okay with me.
I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for all of his
leadership and assistance in bringing this important legislation to the
floor. And I also commend Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for her
leadership, not only on bringing the legislation, but her work on this
important issue. Tom Lantos, Frank Wolf have just been relentless for
His Holiness; and in the Senate, Senator Dianne Feinstein who
represents California in the U.S. Senate but is a close personal friend
also of His Holiness.
The Congressional Gold Medal is the most distinguished award bestowed
by the United States Congress. It is reserved for the most heroic, most
courageous, most outstanding individuals who have made lasting
contributions to society, individuals such as John Paul II, Mother
Teresa, Elie Wiesel, and Nelson Mandela.
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Today, by honoring His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we not only honor
him, but we add luster to this Congressional Gold Medal. We honor our
Nation and the American people by awarding it to His Holiness. I am
proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation.
His Holiness often described himself in the following way: ``I am
just a simple monk, no more, no less.'' But he represents much more to
people throughout the world.
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Tibetan Buddhists believe that the Dalai Lama is the earthly
manifestation of the living Buddha. On the world stage, he is seen as
the head of state and the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. For
millions, he is seen as a source of spiritual refuge and a connection
to inner peace and harmony, that my colleague Mr. Kucinich was
discussing.
His Holiness has traveled the world, building bridges between and
among the different faiths. He has used his position to promote wisdom,
compassion and nonviolence as a solution, not only in Tibet, but to
other world conflicts.
His leadership is not only in the area of faith and harmony among
people, but also in protecting the environment. I remember it was a
great joy seeing him speak at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992.
The Dalai Lama has made the human rights situation in Tibet an issue
of international concern. Indeed, the situation in Tibet is a challenge
to the conscience of the world. Under Chinese occupation, hundreds of
thousands of Tibetans have died. Freedom to practice their religion and
political expression have been severely curtailed. So powerful is the
image of the Dalai Lama that Tibetans are imprisoned for simply owning
a picture of him.
As a new Member of Congress in 1987, I was in attendance, at the
invitation of my colleague from San Francisco Tom Lantos, when the
Dalai Lama proposed the historic Five-Point Peace Plan toward resolving
the future status of Tibet. The Dalai Lama proposed a ``Middle Way
Approach'' that seeks genuine autonomy for Tibetans within the
framework of the People's Republic of China. Autonomy, not
independence.
In recent years, Tibetan envoys have traveled to China for five
rounds of discussions on the status of Tibet. While open dialogue is a
first step, it is clear that the Chinese government has been stalling
all along.
The Chinese are missing an historic opportunity to negotiate with a
partner who has the authority and the legitimacy to implement a
comprehensive agreement. The Chinese are missing an opportunity for a
solution that would ensure internal stability in Tibet and bolster
China's reputation in the world.
The Dalai Lama has asked for international support for his efforts to
engage the Chinese government. I am proud to say that the U.S. Congress
has been a bedrock of support for the Tibetan cause. By awarding the
gold medal to the Dalai Lama, Congress is sending an important signal
of support for going further.
This is not the first gift our country has given to His Holiness. Of
course, for many years and decades, we have given the gift of respect,
of reverence and appreciation for all that His Holiness is and does.
But when he was a little boy, the special relationship he had with
America was demonstrated when Franklin Roosevelt, as President of the
United States, gave His Holiness one of his favorite gifts which was a
gold watch which had the phases of the Moon on the watch. It was a
wonderful thing, a gift from the President to this little boy who had
been named the Dalai Lama.
When His Holiness was driven out of Tibet by the Chinese invasion, it
was one of the few things that he carried with him. So he had the gold
watch, and now all these many years later, out of respect and reverence
for him, he will have the Congressional Goeld Medal.
I urge my colleagues to support it and look forward to the day when
we can present it to him in the halls of Congress.
Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I consume just to express to the government of the People's Republic of
China, on behalf I think of this entire House, a plea that they
understand that their desire to be recognized as a great Nation, their
security in this world will be enhanced, not diminished, if they reach
out to this great leader who has moved in a direction beyond what some
would want him to go to try and reach a compromise involving autonomy
for the people of Tibet.
It is simply unbecoming for a Nation with the economic might of
China, with the potential military might of China to appear to be
frightened of this gentle, loving advocate of human dignity.
So we urge the Chinese Government, the entire House does, to
reconsider its unwillingness to meet halfway as the Dalai Lama has
agreed to do, and to give him the ability to return to Tibet, to a
people that yearns for him, to reconcile with the people of Tibet and
with the Dalai Lama, and the Chinese Government will be the
beneficiaries, not the victims.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the House is able to pass this bill,
unanimously I believe we will be doing it
Mr. OXLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support of S. 2784, the
``Fourteenth Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal Act,'' and urge its
immediate passage.
This legislation was introduced by the Senator from California, Mrs.
Feinstein, and is identical to H.R. 4562, introduced by the gentle lady
from Florida, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. The House version currently has 312 co-
sponsors, is compliant with all House and Financial Services Committee
rules, and has been scored as budget-neutral by CBO.
Under the legislation, the Speaker and the President Pro Tempore of
the Senate are authorized to present, on behalf of Congress, a gold
medal to Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, or spiritual,
cultural and, in effect, governmental leader of Tibet, who has lived in
exile from his native country since 1959, when he fled the power of the
People's Republic of China.
Mr. Speaker, the Dalai Lama has spent the 47 years of his exile
peacefully seeking to establish a form of autonomous self rule for
Tibet. In doing so, he has earned the great respect of the world
community for the quiet, disciplined and non-violent way he has chosen
to lead his struggle--in fact, the respect is so great that in 1989, he
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Committee said the award
came ``for his consistent resistance to the use of violence in his
people's struggle to regain their liberty . . . He has instead
advocated peaceful solutions based upon tolerance and mutual respect in
order to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of his people.''
Mr. Speaker, Tibet is a long way from the United States, and a far
different land about which most Americans know little. But the Dalai
Lama's basic beliefs--peace, human rights, preservation of culture and
of the environment, and the promotion of harmony and respect among
religions--are so familiar to all of us that we may feel we know this
quiet man in some special way, and he us. In fact, at a ceremony in the
Capitol Rotunda in 1991, the Dalai Lama said of his childhood view of
the United States: ``What truly inspired me were your ideas of freedom
and democracy. I felt that your principles were identical to my own,
the Buddhist belief in fundamental human rights, freedom, equality,
tolerance and compassion for all.''
Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian
honor the Congress can bestow. Previous recipients have included Pope
John Paul II, Mother Teresa and Elie Wiesel. His Holiness, the
Fourteenth Dalai Lama, stands with them in his beliefs, and in the way
his life embodies them. It is appropriate and, perhaps, overdue that we
confer upon him this medal, this mark of respect and admiration. I urge
immediate passage of this bill.
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, with great sadness I must rise to oppose this
measure granting a congressional gold medal to the 14th Dalai Lama.
While I greatly admire and respect His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and
fully recognize his tremendous status both as a Buddhist leader and
international advocate for peace, I must object to the manner in which
this body chooses to honor him.
I wonder if my colleagues see the irony in honoring a devout Buddhist
monk with a material gift of gold. The Buddhist tradition, of course,
eschews worldly possessions in favor of purity of thought and action.
Buddhism urges its practitioners to alleviate the suffering of others
whenever possible. I'm sure His Holiness the Dalai Lama would rather
see $30,000 spent to help those less fortunate, rather than for a feel-
good congressional gesture.
We cannot forget that Congress has no authority under the
Constitution to spend taxpayer money on medals and awards, no matter
how richly deserved. And I reiterate my offer of $100 from my own
pocket to pay for this medal--if members wish to honor the
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Dalai Lama, all we need to do is pay for it ourselves. If all 435 of us
contribute, the cost will be roughly $70 each. So while a gold medal
sounds like a great idea, it becomes a bit strange when we see the
actual cost involved.
If Congress truly wishes to honor the Dalai Lama, it could instead
start by showing more respect for his views in the areas of foreign
policy, war, and terrorism. The bellicosity often demonstrated on the
floor of this institution toward entire nations and their people
conflicts sharply with the peaceful teachings of the Dalai Lama.
Consider the following words of His Holiness:
``When September 11 happened, the next day I wrote a letter to
President Bush as a friend--because I know him personally. I wrote this
letter and expressed, besides my condolences and sadness, a
countermeasure to this tragedy: a nonviolent response because that
would have been more effective. So this is my stance. And then just
before the Iraq crisis started, millions of people from countries like
Australia and America expressed their opposition to violence. I really
admired and appreciated this.''
``When the war started, some people immediately asked me if it was
justified or not, whether it was right or wrong. In principle, any
resort to violence is wrong.''
Consider also these thoughts from the Dalai Lama regarding the
terrible pointlessness of war:
``We have seen that we cannot solve human problems by fighting.
Problems resulting from differences in opinion must be resolved through
the gradual process of dialogue. Undoubtedly, wars produce victors and
losers; but only temporarily. Victory or defeat resulting from wars
cannot be long-lasting. Secondly, our world has become so
interdependent that the defeat of one country must impact the rest of
the world, or cause all of us to suffer losses either directly or
indirectly.''
``Today, the world is so small and so interdependent that the concept
of war has become anachronistic, an outmoded approach. As a rule, we
always talk about reform and changes. Among the old traditions, there
are many aspects that are either ill-suited to our present reality or
are counterproductive due to their shortsightedness. These, we have
consigned to the dustbin of history. War too should be relegated to the
dustbin of history.''
``Of course, the militaristic tradition may not end easily. But, let
us think of this. If there were bloodshed, people in positions of
power, or those who are responsible, will find safe places; they will
escape the consequent hardship. They will find safety for themselves,
one way or the other. But what about the poor people, the defenseless
people, the children, the old and infirm. They are the ones who will
have to bear the brunt of devastation. When weapons are fired, the
result will be death and destruction. Weapons will not discriminate
between the innocent and guilty. A missile, once fired, will show no
respect to the innocent, poor, defenseless, or those worthy of
compassion. Therefore, the real losers will be the poor and
defenseless, ones who are completely innocent, and those who lead a
hand-to-mouth existence.''
Mr. Speaker, in closing let me join my colleagues in stating my
tremendous respect for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. While I cannot
agree with forcible taxation to pay for gold medals, I certainly hope
Congress takes the teaching of His Holiness to heart and begins to
rethink our aggressive, interventionist foreign policy.
Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of our time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 2784.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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