[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14925]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              WOMEN INVOLVED IN MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in the backdrop of 50 Israelis 
and Palestinians losing their life, there was a glimmer of hope in 
Oslo, Norway, where I met with Palestinian women, leaders of 
government, along with Israeli women, members of the Knesset Israeli 
parliament. Although it started off with tense feelings, members 
walking out of the meeting, recounting the deaths of their loved ones, 
at the end these women stood together and committed themselves to a 
cooperative effort toward peace.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe it is imperative that women be engaged in the 
peace process. That is why I will file legislation to reignite the 
United Nations resolution which has not been implemented to create a 
peace commission comprised of women to be involved in the Middle East 
peace process and peace processes around the world.
  I commend the fact that there is an envoy appointed by the President, 
but I would also commend the names of former Presidents Jimmy Carter, 
William Clinton and George Bush, and former Secretary of State 
Madeleine Albright to be engaged in this process that should not be a 
start and stop, but rather an ongoing process for peace.
  Women bring a unique perspective to peace, and this Oslo, Norway 
summit, in cooperation with the Nobel Peace Institute, is imperative.
  Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I ask for an investigation into the 
findings of the weapons of mass destruction, and I believe we can do 
this in the name of truth.

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