[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 98 (Friday, June 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010

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                               speech of

                            HON. JOHN LEWIS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 25, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration of the bill (H.R. 2647) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2010 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe 
     military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2010, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise today as a cosponsor of this 
important amendment and urge of all of my colleagues to support it. I 
thank the Gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for his tireless 
advocacy on addressing human rights issues, and I would like to 
recognize Cindy Buhl on his staff and Jamila Thompson in my office for 
their hard work on this issue.
  The McGovern-Sestak-Bishop-Lewis amendment would allow public access 
to the names of graduates and instructors at the Western Hemisphere 
Institute for Security Cooperation formerly known as the School of the 
Americas. This military institution, based at Ft. Benning in Georgia, 
is known throughout the region for its questionable teachings and 
record of its graduates.
  This amendment is simply about transparency. By revealing the names 
of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation attendees, 
we can shine the light of accountability and truth on an institution 
that is unnecessarily shrouded in secrecy. We can show our regional 
neighbors that we seek to be their partners in peace, and not 
coconspirators of aggression.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support the McGovern-Sestak-Bishop-
Lewis amendment. Mr. Chair, with this amendment we can show that the 
intentions of the United States reflect a more cooperative foreign 
policy and a renewed commitment to international human rights 
standards.

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