[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12521]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                THE GOLDEN WEST HUMANITARIAN FOUNDATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 29, 2011

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Golden West 
Humanitarian Foundation.
  Since 1998, the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation has been 
proactive in combating shortfalls in heavily mine-impacted countries. 
With innovation, forethought, partnership, appropriateness and 
affordability as its key strategies for intervention, the Foundation's 
mandate is to safeguard the lives of men, women and children across the 
globe where landmine and unexploded ordnance contamination is a major 
threat. That commitment and investment is most certainly deserving of 
recognition. Their tireless work brings countries closer to peace and 
prosperity and serves as inspiration to others to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, in December I traveled to Cambodia and saw first-hand 
the great work that Golden West Humanitarian Foundation does in that 
country. Golden West has been actively removing landmines and other 
unexploded munitions in Cambodia caused by three decades of war. 
Estimates are that up to six million landmines still remain in 
Cambodia. Landmines claim more than 200 lives annually and have caused 
more than 40,000 people to live as amputees. This means that one out of 
every 230 people living in Cambodia is an amputee.
  Mr. Speaker, the 37th Congressional District of California, has the 
largest population of Cambodians living in the United States. What 
happens in Cambodia affects my constituents in California. Every time 
someone in Cambodia is maimed or killed by a landmine, it is likely 
that person has family members or friends that live in my district.
  Mr. Speaker, the Foundation is hard at work doing the important work 
of removing landmines in Cambodia and elsewhere around the world. 
Golden West Humanitarian Foundation has implemented several other 
successful programs. They offer support to Cambodians who, while at 
work or play, face the risk of death or maiming by these remnants of 
conflict.
  One of Golden West Humanitarian Foundations' most effective programs 
is its Explosive Harvesting Program (EHP). This program recycles 
explosives extracted from existing weapons stockpiles to create 
disposal charges for humanitarian demining. Since its inception, EHP 
has provided the bulk of all demining explosives used in Cambodia. The 
Explosive Harvesting Program has deactivated over 200,000 landmines and 
has removed more than 24 tons of explosives from potential black market 
sales.
  Another effective way the Foundation is preventing unnecessary deaths 
in Cambodia is through Research and Development. Research into 
explosive and non-explosive demining tools, as well as landmine and 
unexploded detection technologies, is where investments have produced 
impressive returns on investment. The Foundation has provided cutting 
edge solutions for problems encountered in humanitarian demining. The 
technical achievements of their research have been utilized by numerous 
organizations worldwide.
  The Foundation further aids in protecting the most vulnerable group 
impacted by landmines and unexploded ordnance--children. Children are 
at a high risk of either dying or becoming physically or 
psychologically injured from land mines and other detonators in 
Cambodia. According to reports, there are two active mines in Cambodia 
for every child. Curious and trusting by nature, children are easily 
attracted by the explosives' texture and shine and too often find 
themselves exposed to the risk of harm.
  Through their Children's Education Program, the Foundation has put 
ideas into action and created effective ways of preventing the 
unnecessary and heart rending death or harm to innocent children. One 
innovation in particular is the videogame Undercover UXO (shorthand for 
unexploded ordinance). It is an interactive, aged appropriate tool 
targeted that helps bring awareness to the children of the dangers land 
mines and other unexploded ordnance.
  Golden West Humanitarian Foundation's work is critical to saving 
lives in Cambodia and around the world. The Foundation has more than a 
decade of experience making the world a safer place. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in honoring the Golden West Humanitarian 
Foundation and thanking them for the work that they do.

                          ____________________