[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11] [House] [Pages 15046-15049] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING NELSON MANDELA ON HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1090) honoring the esteemed former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela on the occasion of his 90th birthday, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 1090 Whereas Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born to the Thembo Dynasty in Mvezo in the Umtata District of Transkei, South Africa, on July 18, 1918; Whereas he joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1942 and in 1944 joined with other young dissidents to form the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), which embraced African nationalism and began building a mass movement; Whereas after the National Party came to power in an all- white election in 1948 on a platform of apartheid, a system of strict racial segregation, the ANC adopted the Programme of Action, inspired by the ANCYL, which advocated the use of boycotts, strikes, civil disobedience, and noncooperation against the National Party's apartheid policies; Whereas, in 1952, after being designated volunteer-in-chief of the Defiance Campaign Against Unjust Laws, Nelson Mandela traveled the country, organizing resistance to discriminatory legislation; Whereas in recognition of his outstanding contribution during the Defiance Campaign, Nelson Mandela was elected to the presidency of both the ANCYL and the Transvaal region of the ANC at the end of 1952, earning him a position as deputy president of the ANC itself; Whereas, after the banning of the ANC in 1960 and the continued violent response to the ANC's nonviolent methods, Nelson Mandela led the effort to set up Umkhonto we Sizwe (``Spear of the Nation''), the armed resistance organization of the ANC; Whereas, in 1964, Nelson Mandela and 9 of his fellow leaders of the ANC and Umkhonto we Sizwe were arrested, charged with treason, and brought to trial for plotting the violent overthrow the Government of South Africa; Whereas in his statement at the opening of the defense case in the historic Rivonia Treason Trial on April 20, 1964, in which he and 9 other ANC leaders were tried for 221 acts of sabotage designed to ``ferment violent revolution'' to overthrow the apartheid system, Nelson Mandela use his oratory skills as a legal advocate to lay out the reasoning for the ANC's choice to use acts of sabotage as a tactic to defeat apartheid, as doing otherwise would have been tantamount to unconditional surrender; Whereas he closed his statement with these words: ``During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to the struggle of the African people. I have fought against White domination, and I have fought against Black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.''; Whereas on June 12, 1964, 8 of the accused, including Nelson Mandela, were sentenced to life imprisonment; Whereas, from 1964 to 1982, Nelson Mandela was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off the coast of Cape Town, and thereafter at Pollsmoor Prison, nearby on the mainland; Whereas Nelson Mandela consistently refused to compromise his political demands for freedom and equality for all South Africans to obtain his freedom while in prison; Whereas Nelson Mandela became widely accepted around the world as one of the most significant leaders of the 20th century and became a potent symbol of resistance as the anti- apartheid movement gathered strength; Whereas the Congressional Black Caucus and other Members of Congress actively engaged in efforts to bring about an end to South Africa's apartheid system and played a key role in raising public awareness in the United States about South Africa's racist regime; Whereas, after nearly 14 years of opposition, the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 was finally agreed to by both Houses of Congress, calling for sanctions against South Africa and establishing conditions for the lifting of such sanctions, including the release of all political prisoners including Nelson Mandela; Whereas the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 withstood a veto by President Ronald Reagan making it the first time in the 20th century that a President had a foreign policy veto overridden by Congress; Whereas Nelson Mandela was released from prison on February 11, 1990, after the apartheid Government of South Africa agreed to his terms for release; Whereas, after his release, he plunged himself wholeheartedly into his life's work, striving to attain the goals he and others had set out almost 4 decades earlier; Whereas, in 1991, at the first national conference of the ANC held inside South Africa after the organization had been banned in 1960, Nelson Mandela was elected President of the ANC; Whereas Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa in that country's first democratic elections with full enfranchisement was granted were held on April 27, 1994, and was inaugurated on May 10, 1994, as the country's first indigenous African President; Whereas, as President from May 1994 until June 1999, Nelson Mandela presided over the transition from minority rule and apartheid to a participatory democracy, winning international respect for his advocacy of national reconciliation and international peace; and Whereas Nelson Mandela has received numerous prestigious honors, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, which was shared with Frederik Willem de Klerk, the Order of Merit and the Order of St. John from Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives-- (1) honors former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela on the occasion of his 90th birthday on July 18, 2008, and extends best wishes to him and his family; (2) honors his many accomplishments on behalf of all South Africans; (3) congratulates him for his efforts to promote dialogue to peacefully resolve conflicts between people in Africa and around the world; and (4) celebrates his contributions to South Africa, the United States, and the international community. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey. General Leave Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey? There was no objection. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me first thank our chairman, Mr. Berman, for moving this resolution swiftly to the floor in light of the time sensitivity of this resolution. Let me also recognize Mr. Jefferson for introducing this resolution and for inviting me to join him in that endeavor. [[Page 15047]] Mr. Speaker, this Friday a living icon of freedom will turn 90 years old. His birthday already has been celebrated at more than 20 different charity events around the world. Now it's time for the United States Congress to rise in its voice of praise of Mr. Nelson Mandela in recognition of his remarkable life and the contributions that he has made to humankind. His struggle on behalf of black South Africans confronted with the horrific system of racial hatred is legendary. It landed him in prison under harsh conditions for 27 years. Mr. Mandela will be remembered for many things, but perhaps the words he spoke at his trial sums up his effort best. He said: ``During my lifetime, I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideals of a democratic and free society in which all people live together in harmony with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal which I am prepared to die for.'' Mr. Speaker, death did not claim Nelson Mandela that day or in the decades of dismal imprisonment to follow. Instead, he grew to become a figure almost larger than life, an international symbol of an oppressed people's thirst for justice. He joined the pantheon of inspirational figures whose legacy belongs to all humankind: Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And as a measure of what he meant to us, Nelson Mandela's liberation and subsequent rise to become President of a free and democratic South Africa were greeted with joy and near disbelief around the world when it occurred. Mr. Speaker, Nelson Mandela was born in a small village in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. His family belonged to the Thembo Dynasty, a Xhosa noble bloodline in South Africa. He was well educated, earned a law degree, set up a law practice with his long-time friend who spent 27 years with him on Robben Island, Walter Sisulu. As a young man, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress, which was established in 1912 to fight for justice and equality for Africans against discrimination and unjust laws prescribed by the minority European settlers. For decades leaders of the ANC challenged the segregation system imposed on them and demanded, through petition to the courts and to the British Royalty and government, the freedoms and opportunities afforded the whites who dominated South Africa at that time. In 1944 Nelson Mandela, along with other young educated Africans, formed the African National Congress Youth League, in large measure to shift the traditional ANC role from an elite organization to a mass- based, African nationalist movement. After the 1948 election of the Afrikaner National Party, racial segregation laws that had been adopted incoherently were codified into a comprehensive segregation policy called ``apartheid,'' creating major challenges for Mandela, the African National Congress, and its allies. Apartheid institutionalized racism through physical and social segregation of all ethnic groups. It codified race classifications, prohibited interracial marriage, and reserved certain jobs for whites. While black Africans comprised 75 percent of the population, under apartheid they were allowed to live on only 13 percent of the worst land in the country. All public facilities were segregated by race. Black Africans were forced to carry identification cards and forbidden to be in towns preserved for whites, unless they had explicit permission to go there. In 1964 when many fellow leaders of the ANC and its armed wing were arrested, Mandela was brought to trial with other comrades who were plotting to overthrow the government by violent means. He and his seven comrades were imprisoned for life for their leadership in opposing apartheid. In 1989, on the strength of South Africa's own definition of the African National Congress, the United States Government listed the ANC as one of fifty-two organizations around the world as ``the more notorious terrorist groups.'' I am pleased to say that 2 weeks ago, President Bush signed into law a bill introduced by Chairman Berman of our committee that several of our House colleagues joined in cosponsoring to erase this injustice. Particularly, Representative Barbara Lee was instrumental in ensuring the bill's passage in the Senate. Now Nelson Mandela and others who supported the effort of the ANC will no longer face additional security measures based solely on their association with the ANC while traveling to this country. Long overdue. In 1993 Nelson Mandela received the Nobel Peace Prize, which he shared with former South African President F.W. de Klerk. {time} 1315 He also has received the Order of Merit and the order of St. John from Queen Elizabeth II and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush. Today President Mandela is revered around the world and continues to represent the values of freedom, justice and liberation for all people. He has become the champion in the fight against HIV and AIDS through his foundation. He continues to work on behalf of everyday men, women and children so that they can enjoy lives of freedom from injustice, sickness and want. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues in the House to support the measure recognizing Nelson Mandela's unique contributions to humankind. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The world recently celebrated Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday in London, and so much has been said about him. But in a world of division, a world of many deadly divisions, it's appropriate that Congress is once again making note of Mandela's legacy of unity. And I think Mr. Payne and the other authors of this resolution should be commended. I should note also that I think Chairman Berman's legislation recently signed into law that took Mandela and other African National Congress members off the terrorism list is a move that was long, long overdue. Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid. At his trial, he stood in the face of the possible sentence of death. After being freed from captivity, which were very hard years on Robben Island, he easily could have let bitterness consume him. He could have sought revenge. Some predicted that South Africa would spiral into chaos suffering racial and tribal violence. So many other countries have. Many predicted a ruined economy. But fortunately for South Africans, it was Nelson Mandela who took the helm. Mandela is a unifier. He is an exceptional unifier. Consider that he invited a former white jailer of his to attend his presidential inauguration as a guest. He invited the man who prosecuted him to a presidential lunch. He made it a point to learn the language of the Afrikaners, the architects of apartheid, and to embrace their beloved rugby, making it an obsession for the whole South African nation and signaling to all people that they had a place in the country. With these and countless other acts of reconciliation, Nelson Mandela navigated a very treacherous transition for South Africa into majority rule. Nelson Mandela left power after serving only one term as his country's first president elected by universal suffrage. He was lionized. He could have served longer, but he stepped down. What a contrast, what a contrast to the petty tyrant to the north, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe who was a fellow liberation leader who instead of championing democracy as Nelson Mandela did, instead desperately clung to power bringing his country to ruin. Mandela walked away. And he hasn't meddled with his successor's presidency. And Nelson Mandela has spoken out about human rights around the world, including the tyranny of Zimbabwe. I don't agree with every position that Nelson Mandela the politician took. He opposed America on some important issues. South Africa, in general, is too [[Page 15048]] wedded to a nonaligned ideology. Yet this doesn't diminish this man's tremendous political accomplishment and his character defined by dignity, courage, warmth, humor, and so many other attributes, nor his positive impact worldwide. South Africa isn't without many difficult challenges. The rule of law is coming under challenge because of rampant crime. Unemployment is high. Economic expectations are unrealistic. The U.S. has an interest in working with South Africa as we are to see that this young democracy meets these challenges. The future will tell. But what is certain is that South Africa would be in a far, far tougher spot were it not for the career of Nelson Mandela. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. PAYNE. I yield to the gentlelady from California, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Lee, for 3 minutes. Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman for yielding. But I also thank you for your leadership on this issue and so many issues relating to Africa, making sure that the continent of Africa is central in our foreign policy. Oftentimes you are the lone voice in the wilderness. But I think you have seen the day now where there are so many of us on both sides of the aisle who are doing the right thing as it relates to the continent. Thank you, Mr. Payne. Let me say how happy I am today that this resolution commemorating the 90th birthday of Mr. Mandela, one of the greatest and most beloved statesmen of the 21st century, is before us. And I have to thank our chair, Mr. Berman, and of course Congressman Jefferson who brought this resolution forward, to our ranking member on another subcommittee, Mr. Royce, and to all who have really worked together to make sure that we send a loud signal and raise our voices in celebration of a person whose life has triumphed. And we've lived to see the day that good has triumphed over evil and the indomitable nature of the human spirit prevails in the spirit and in the life of Mr. Mandela. For 27 years, Nelson Mandela's struggle personified the fight against apartheid. With a very dignified defiance, he never compromised his political principles or the mission of the anti-apartheid movement. In the 1970s and in the 1980s, I proudly served as a foot soldier in that movement. Through demonstrations, boycotts, divestment campaigns and being arrested, we all expressed our outrage at the cruelty of apartheid, even while continuing to fight injustices at home in the United States. It was really a very proud day for myself and all of us when the Congress passed legislation in 1986 sponsored by my predecessor, a great statesman, a former Congressman, now Mayor Ron Dellums, overriding President Reagan's veto imposing sanctions against South Africa, putting our country on the right side of history. Those sanctions really did help signal the death knell of apartheid. And under the leadership of our own Congresswoman Maxine Waters, I was very proud of the fact that she introduced sanctions in our State of California and made our State the first State to divest. And they both very recently were awarded with one of South Africa's highest honors. Not all freedom fighters live to see their struggle bring about the changes they imagined. Nelson Mandela did. He emerged from the infamous Robben Island Prison to unite and to lead a nation transformed from racial tyranny to a thriving multiracial democracy. South Africa now guarantees equal rights for all. President Mandela retired from political life in 1999. But he continues to lend his voice and moral authority to causes that affect the world. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman from California has expired. Mr. PAYNE. I yield 1 additional minute to the gentlelady. Ms. LEE. As I was saying, President Mandela continues to lend his voice and his moral authority to causes that affect the world such as the global AIDS pandemic, poverty and human rights. Nelson Mandela is a genuine hero to the world. So I was shocked last year, quite frankly, to learn when we were in South Africa with Congresswoman Donna Christensen that President Mandela and the ANC were barred from entering the United States unless they received a specific visa waiver certifying that they were not terrorists. So I'm pleased that we were able to finally rectify this indignity earlier this month when we passed, and the President signed, as Mr. Payne acknowledged, legislation to remove him and the ANC from the U.S. Terrorist Watch list. So I have to commend our chairman, Mr. Berman, Mr. Royce, Chairman Thompson, Chairman Conyers, and again, Mr. Payne for their efforts to make sure that this occurred before Mr. Mandela's 90th birthday. Just as that legislation was a fitting tribute to his legacy, this too is an opportunity for us to express our appreciation to President Mandela for his unfailing belief in the power of people to change. Mr. ROYCE. I reserve my time. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana, the sponsor of the resolution, Mr. Jefferson. Mr. JEFFERSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank Mr. Payne and Chairman Berman for moving this resolution to the floor. And I urge my colleagues and others who have joined us in support of H. Res. 1090 to honor President Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday. As an African proverb says, ``You cannot shave a man in his absence.'' Thus, it is better that we in the Congress honor President Mandela while he is still with us. That his life would have reached such a pinnacle of longevity would not have been foreseen, when one recalls the statement he made during his trial in 1964 in South Africa, the context in which it was made, and the ominous tone it struck. At the end of it he says, it's talking about the idea of equality for everyone in a nonracial society, he says ``it is an ideal which I hope to live for and achieve. But, if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.'' Through the grace of God, however, he is still alive today. And because of that, South Africa and the world have become better places. As a great leader, activist and humanitarian, President Nelson Mandela brought social and political change to South Africa, and he continues to serve Africans and the disenfranchised around the world. He was born in Transkei, South Africa, on July 18, 1918. Through his political life from 1944 to 1999, he showed courage and determination and became the symbol of resistance and freedom. But more importantly, perhaps, he championed forgiveness and redemption to the point where today he has become one of our planet's foremost moral authorities, persuading seats of power everywhere to simply do the right thing by even the simplest people. After gaining his freedom after 27 years of imprisonment, his life sacrifices were crowned on May 10, 1994, when he was inaugurated as South Africa's first black president. I was privileged to be in South Africa on that date to witness this supremely inspirational event, as did thousands of people from around the world everywhere. I have been blessed to be in the company of Mr. Mandela on a number of other occasions, including as a member of President Clinton's delegation to South Africa in 1998 and on President Clinton's peacekeeping mission in 2000 when Mr. Mandela was seeking peace for African nations in conflict. And in June 2005, as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, I was honored to present Mr. Mandela with the foundation's Phoenix Award representing the decision of the Congressional Black Caucus to honor him as the most significant African-ancestored person of the 20th century. President Mandela's work to transition from South Africa's apartheid rule has been widely recognized and respected. He has received numerous South African and International awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize he shared with Frederik Willem de Klerk, the Order of Merit and the Order of St. John from Queen Elizabeth II, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. [[Page 15049]] My own alma mater in Louisiana, Southern University, renamed its school of public policy the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy when he came to visit our school showing a great connection between us and him. President Mandela's dream, as was the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr., for human equality is still alive in our hearts and souls today and will never die. I hope that the Members of the House and our Nation will join us in unanimously wishing the happiest of birthdays and to do so while marking his accomplishments and altruism on this special day. Let us celebrate his life and work with the international community and the people of our country and extend our best wishes to him and to his family. Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time. Mr. PAYNE. Let me once again thank Chairman Berman for moving this legislation and all of those who cosponsored it. I thank Mr. Royce for his continued interest in the continent of Africa and justice in general. And with that, I yield as much time as he may consume to the chairman of the committee. Mr. BERMAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. And, Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Chairman Payne, Congressman Jefferson, Congresswoman Lee and Congressman Royce have all pointed out various aspects of this marvelous individual's career. There are very few people one sees in a lifetime who can inspire by their strength, their commitment, their dedication and their perseverance to a noble and idealistic cause the way that Nelson Mandela has inspired so many of us. And so I'm happy to join with my colleagues in speaking on behalf of this resolution and urging its support. In some ways, the most fascinating thing about Nelson Mandela's career is that after that incredible struggle against the evil of apartheid and the tyranny and the indignities that were suffered by the vast majority of the population of South Africa under the very regimented and institutionalized system of apartheid that they were forced to live under, that when victory came, and the apartheid regime ended and he took over the leadership of South Africa, that he dedicated himself to the concept not of vengeance against those who had perpetrated the evil, but to bringing forth the truth and then the reconciliation with his fellow countrymen and -women. {time} 1330 And even to the point where I read that the original president, when the legislation that institutionalized apartheid was adopted in South Africa, that he invited this man who didn't start the apartheid and the segregation, but he did more than anyone else to implement the repressive policies of apartheid, that after he became president, he invited the widow of this symbol of apartheid to come to his inauguration. And when she refused, he visited her in her house to demonstrate the depths to which he believed in that process of reconciliation. He truly was an inspirational and marvelous individual, and I obviously urge all of my colleagues to support Mr. Jefferson's resolution. Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support Mr. Jefferson's resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. PAYNE. In keeping with what the chairman said, in addition to what Mr. Mandela did with the person who really codified apartheid, he invited his jailer, the one who locked and unlocked his cell door, to attend his inauguration as president because he felt that the prison guard treated him with a modicum of respect and he invited him to also attend the inauguration. This was certainly a unique person. With that, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution. Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1090 honoring Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela as he celebrates 90 years of life. Mr. Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in Transkei, South Africa, where he was given the name Rolihlahla, meaning ``troublemaker,'' which would later seem so fitting. Throughout his early adulthood, he developed his own ideas about the oppression he had experienced which led him to join the African National Congress. His work with the ANC led him to be tried for treason. He was acquitted of the charges, but his strong opposition to South African apartheid continued. His fight against racial segregation came to a sudden halt when he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly plotting to overthrow the South African government. However, 27 years in prison could not diminish the spirit of a great leader. Once released from prison, Mr. Mandela wasted no time in becoming involved with the ANC once again. It was no surprise that this revolutionary man would become the next President of the ANC in 1990, continuing to devote himself to a multi-racial democracy for his country. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Mandela embodies the dignity, strength, and leadership that all of us should strive for. Our country was founded on the values of freedom and liberty for all, personified undoubtedly by Mr. Mandela. He grasped these ideals and fought to make them a reality for South Africa through commitment unsurpassed by others. The dedication Mr. Mandela displayed, despite the many challenges he encountered, is deserving of our highest respect. Mr. Mandela has undisputedly contributed to tremendous change with his efforts to peacefully resolve conflicts throughout the world. It is with great pleasure that I commend Mr. Mandela for his lifetime commitment to promoting the vision of freedom and equality for the people of South Africa. Mr. PAYNE. I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1090, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. ____________________