[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10182]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO THE DEMOCRATIC PACIFIC UNION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 6, 2006

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
Democratic Pacific Union, DPU, whose goals include promoting democratic 
values, peace and prosperity among its member states. The DPU is an 
important development in the steady expansion of democracy among 
Pacific states.
  Led mainly by Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Lu 
Hsiu-lien, the Democratic Pacific Union was created last summer on the 
60th anniversary of the end of World War II. In less than a year, the 
DPU has grown to 28 member democracies and has already compiled an 
impressive record of accomplishment. This record includes publishing 
its first quarterly journal, planning regional meetings, forming a 
Pacific economic advisory group, establishing a training program for 
typhoon and flood disaster reduction, and initiating the Pacific 
Congressional Caucus project. The Speaker of Taiwan's legislature, Wang 
Jin-pyng, has also formed a Taiwan Chapter of the DPU Congressional 
Caucus.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to acknowledge the importance 
of this initiative in strengthening democracy in the Pacific region. I 
congratulate Vice President Lu, the current Chair of the DPU, the 
leaders of Taiwan, and all the member states for their role in creating 
and supporting the Democratic Pacific Union.

                          ____________________