[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 21]
[Senate]
[Page 29376]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 CONGRATULATING FRENCH PRESIDENT CHIRAC

  Mr. BIDEN. Madam President, I rise today to congratulate French 
President Jacques Chirac for having taken resolute steps to stop 
attacks on Jewish sites in France and, more broadly, to address some of 
the causes of anti-Semitism among Muslim youths in that country.
  As you know, Madam President, France has a large Muslim minority 
population. In the past, I have been strongly critical of President 
Chirac, the French, and other Europeans for not having been 
sufficiently attentive to the cancer of anti-Semitism that still exists 
in Europe, and in the United States to some extent.
  Some have ignored the insidious way criticism of some Israeli 
policies has been conflated into pure anti-Semitism. Others have shied 
away from meeting the problem head on because of fears of provoking 
more violence in Europe. Still others have refrained from speaking out 
for fear of alienating domestic electoral constituencies.
  Whatever their motives, until recently, precious few European leaders 
have demonstrated very much leadership with regard to combatting anti-
Semitism, which is on the rise.
  Last Saturday, a Jewish school near Paris was destroyed by an arson 
attack. Two days later, President Chirac convened a meeting attended by 
Prime Minister Raffarin and other top officials to react to this latest 
outrage. The result of the meeting, as reported in the New York Times, 
was a package of measures including beefed-up policing and prosecution 
of anti-Semitic violence, and also an earmark of nearly $8 billion 
worth of investment in urban renewal to clean up neighborhoods that 
breed Islamic fundamentalism.
  President Chirac was quoted as saying: ``Anti-Semitism is contrary to 
all the values of France,'' and that Jewish Frenchmen and Frenchwomen 
are at home in France just as are all other groups.
  Last month, the Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing on 
anti-Semitism in Europe, which revealed the shocking extent of the 
problem. Recent public opinion polls in Europe have confirmed our 
hearing's testimony.
  One of the most important weapons in the fight against anti-Semitism 
is political leadership. Or as Justice Holmes said: The best 
disinfectant is the light of day. The best disinfectant is light, and 
shedding light on the anti-Semitism in Europe, and criticizing it, can 
only be done effectively by Europe's political leadership.
  France's measures are, to be sure, only a beginning of a long 
struggle to eradicate this disease from the European body politic. I 
have been critical in the past when European leaders have not 
responded. Now President Chirac should be complimented for having had 
the courage to forcefully show the way. He deserves credit, and I hope 
it is the beginning of a process.
  (The remarks of Mr. Biden pertaining to the submission of S. Con. 
Res. 82 and S. Con. Res. 83 are printed in today's Record under 
``Submitted Resolutions.'')
  Mr. BIDEN. Madam President, I thank my friend from New Jersey. We use 
that phrase very loosely around here, but he is my friend, and I thank 
him for his courtesy.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Madam President, before the Senator from Delaware 
leaves the floor, I commend him for his arduous effort here on behalf 
of reminding the French Government that anti-Semitism is antithetical 
to a democratic society and to those with whom we have relationships.
  Senator Biden has worked on this for several years, and he is a voice 
they will listen to. We commend him again for his thoughts and his 
remarks.
  Mr. BIDEN. I thank the Senator.
  (The remarks of Mr. Lautenberg pertaining to the introduction of S. 
1882 are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced 
Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SPECTER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Pennsylvania is recognized.
  Mr. SPECTER. I thank the Chair.
  (The remarks of Mr. Specter pertaining to the introduction of S. 1888 
are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  (The remarks of Mr. Specter pertaining to the submission of S. Res. 
267 located in today's Record under ``Submission of Concurrent and 
Senate Resolutions.'')
  Mr. SPECTER. I thank the Chair. In the absence of any other Senator 
on the floor, Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Alexander). The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Talent). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. ALEXANDER. I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to speak as 
in morning business for as long as I may require.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate is already in morning business.

                          ____________________