[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 163 (Wednesday, October 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8147-H8148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING GURU NANAK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Costa) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an important historical 
figure in the Sikh community on what will soon be the 550th anniversary 
of the Sikh religion.
  Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism, the fifth largest religion in 
the world, but his story is largely unknown to the Western world.

[[Page H8148]]

  Guru Nanak was born in November of 1469 in present-day Pakistan. 
According to Sikh traditions, the birth and early years of his life 
were marked with many events that demonstrated that he had been marked 
by divine grace.
  He traveled far and wide, teaching people the message of one 
universal creator and that God is good and that God is everywhere. Guru 
Nanak also preached the universal message of justice and equality for 
all women's empowerment, service to others, and a devotion to nature 
and the environment.
  Every year, Sikh pilgrims travel to his birthplace to remember his 
life and his message of love, compassion, and kindness, these values 
that we hold true every day.
  I know from personal experience in my interactions with the Sikh 
leaders across my district and throughout this country that these 
values are instilled in each and every one of us and them.

  Unfortunately, one such Sikh leader tragically passed away a week 
ago, and her loss is heavily felt by so many members, not only 
throughout California, but in India.


                    Honoring Jasbir ``Guddi'' Sidhu

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate a beloved member of the 
Sikh community in my home of Fresno, California: Ms. Jasbir ``Guddi'' 
Sidhu.
  Guddi lived an admirable life and made so many, countless 
contributions to our communities. For 25 years, she produced a weekly 
television show and was a founding member of KBIF 900, a local radio 
station.
  Her weekend programming featured interviews with community members 
and cultural figures. She was a role model and a leader to all, 
especially young girls and women. It not only aired in Fresno, but also 
halfway around the world, in India. It was also streamed by thousands 
on social media.
  Guddi was a member of numerous local organizations and worked hard to 
preserve the Punjabi culture and Sikh religion for children and 
families in her community and helped those assimilate who came from 
Punjab.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the service 
of Jasbir ``Guddi'' Sidhu, a beloved member of our community, who had a 
passion for people and made a difference.


                              Syria Crisis

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the recent 
events transpiring in northern Syria.
  Turkey's continuing actions against the Kurds in northern Syria is 
not only appalling, but it is unjustifiable, and it is not right.
  The Kurds have courageously fought side by side with our troops and 
deserve better, losing over 10,000 of their soldiers in defeating ISIL 
as the caliphate, but yet ISIL could come back. They are also guarding 
thousands of ISIS prisoners.
  The Kurds have been our partners. The United States must immediately 
impose sanctions on Turkey for their irresponsible and outrageous 
behavior.
  This White House's actions, I believe, have made the situation 
possible; and now Congress must act to confront this unfolding 
humanitarian disaster, which is also a threat to our national security 
and damaging to our international reputation.
  I will be supporting bipartisan legislation to confront the 
administration and Turkey on this matter later this week. I support 
H.J. Res. 77, which expresses the Congress' opposition to the 
administration's abandonment of our Kurdish allies.
  Though Turkey is a NATO ally, we cannot stand by and let this happen 
in the face of reckless and irresponsible behavior on Turkey's part. 
And this isn't the first time Turkey has acted in this way.
  This action has become necessary because of the unilateral actions 
that the President took without consulting Congress or our European 
allies. It makes no sense.
  It is critical that we maintain our friendships and our alliances. 
America needs to have our alliances. We need to have friends.
  When there is no longer a priority for this administration to embark 
upon maintaining our relationships with our allies--our friends--we go 
down a perilous path, mark my words. The United States needs its 
friends, and actions like this undermine our global image and risk us 
being seen as an unreliable partner in international affairs. We don't 
want to be seen as an unreliable partner in international affairs.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in calling for 
responsible leadership, on a bipartisan basis, on this issue.

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