He made clear, however, that he wasnt focused on the d. C. Memorial but his goal was a world war i memorial here. While i very much believe in commemorating all world war i veterans, i had to oppose altering the integrity of the d. C. Memorial. The d. C. Memorial was built with the blood and treasure of d. C. Residents only, including funds from schoolchildren. More than 26,000 d. C. Residents who served in world war i, the 491 who died, more than the number from three states, have their names enfwraved on the memorial. Our memorial is deeply symbolic of historic and continuing concerns of this of district veterans, particularly our veterans who continue to serve without equal congressional representation, equail equal rights as citizens and equal local government control. In the spirit of Cooperation Among members, members of both party the housepassed version of h. R. 6364 would have protected the d. C. War memorial and h. R. 6364 is amended as amended by the senate similarly will have no effect on the d. C. War memorial. In fact all the provisions regarding memorials have been removed from the bill. Instead it establishes a commission to observe world war i across the country as we approach the centennial of the start of the war. I emphasize that the commission approach means that the reason this has been done reflects on nothing more than the fact that the commission approach approached two important commemorations almost always has been the the commission has been the approach. The usual approach, almost always, to important commemorations, and world war i had enormous effects on those who fought, on the nation, and on the world. More than four million member and men and women from the United States served in uniform in world war i. Among them two future president s, harry s. Truman and dwight w. Ize and dwight d. Eisenhower. Two million men and women served overseas in world war i. The United States suffered 375,000 casualties during that war including 116,516 deaths. The National Commission can plan and develop and execute programs to commemorate world war i throughout the United States, importantly, not only here but throughout the United States, people are anxious to learn more about the history of this war, become involved in its commemoration, especially considering the effects of this war on the 0th century until today. We very much look forward to the commissions efforts to honor the participation and sacrifices of the United States and its citizens in the war effort. Once again, i want to thank representative poe for the extraordinary effort and energy hes put into this bill and the way hes worked cooperatively with all of us on both sides of the aisle and madam speaker, i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman reserves. The chair will receive a message. The messenger madam speaker a message from the senate. The secretary madam speaker. The speaker pro tempore madam secretary. The secretary i have been directed by the senate to inform the house that the nat has passed without amendment h. R. 3641, cited as the National Park act. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from utah. I have no fufert speakers and reserve the balance mr. Chaffetz i have no further speakers and reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from the district of columbia. Ms. Norton i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from utah. Mr. Chaffetz i would like to thank representative poe for introducing this legislation. The intill bipartisan in its approach, it creates a means for properly commemorating the centennial of the great war and honoring those who fwallantly fought. I urge my colleagues to vote in concurrence with the Senate Amendment to h. R. 6364 and remind people that no taxpayer dollars will be used to carry out this act. I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this an yield back the balance of our time. The speaker pro tempore the question is will the house suspend the rules and concur in the Senate Amendment to h. R. 6364 . Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. Ms. Norton i object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present the speaker pro tempore in the opinion of the chair, 2 3 being in the affirmative. The gentlewoman from the district of columbia. Ms. Norton madam speaker, i object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and make a point of order that a quorum is not present. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to clause 88 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentlewoman from florida seek recognition . Ms. Roslehtinen i move that the house suspend the rules and pass h. Con. Res. 145 as amended. The clerk the clerk will report the bill. The clerk house concurrent resolution 145, calling for universal condemnation of the north Korean Missile launch of december 12, 2012. The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from florida. Ms. Roslehtinen i ask that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend and include extraneous material in the record on this bill. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Ms. Roslehtinen i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman is recognize. Ms. Roslehtinen i rise to support this strongly bipartisan measure which condemns the latest provocation by north korea. Pyongyang has once again violated past United Nations resolutions and the assurances goive sixparty partners. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely congratulate president elect park for her victory in south koreaests hardfought president ial election. The republic of korea is one of our nations closest friends in asia. Ours is a steadfast Alliance Forged in the crucible of war. Two decades ago, with all eyes on europe, the United States prematurely celebrated victory over communism and an end to the cold war but in 1989, the same year the berlin wall fell, tanks roll spood Tiananmen Square crushing in a bloody massacre the hopes of the Chinese People. While communism was gone in europe it was revitalized in the Worlds Largest nation. Pyongyangs Missile Launch awakens us to a fact that communism still casts a long shadow over asia. The nuclear proliveuation threaten not only our allies in the pacific but our own people as well. In asia the cold war never ended an the United States and south Korean Forces stand guard together on this last frontier. Attempts to engage pyongyang over the past four years have been met with repeated prove cage. The kidnapping of two american journalists, repeated Missile Launches, one more nuclear test, the sinking of a south korean naval vessel with the loss of 46 lives and the shelling of a south korean island. How much more should we endure before we say enough is enough . Sweet talking pyongyang only seems to inspire further belligerence. Our extended hand is met only with a clinched a clenched fist but a fist fwrass ing a knife. Those hoping for openness and reform from this new generation of the kim dynasty saw their dreams go up in smoke on a north korea launch pad. The only answer appears to be a coordinated, firm, International Strategy where current sanctions are reinforced and strengthens. Strengthened. This requires the cooperation of beijing, a u. N. Security Council Permanent member who deseptember ily seems to sell one thing to washington and yet another to pyongyang. Press articles hail the fact that china in anticipation of the recent launch had begun inspecting cargo on north korean ships in search of contraband. The question this raises is why has chi gnat not been inspecting north korean ships since 2006 as called for in a u. N. Resolution, reinforced by another resolution in 2009. If u. N. Member states would only enforce the sanctions currently on the books, north korea would be unable to ignore the swer National Community and the civilized world. The time for coordinated International Action is now. The time, in fact, is long overdue. With that, mr. Speakering i reserve the balance of our time. The speaker pro tempore the squom from florida reserves. The gentleman from california, mr. Berman is recognized. Mr. Berman thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of h. Con. Res. 145 as amended and yield myself such time as i may consume. Sproy the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Berman i would like to thank the sponsor of this legislation, ms. Roslehtinen, for her leadership on this issue and her work in addressing the north korean threat. Earlier this month, north korea carried out a Missile Launch using Ballistic Missile technology in correct defiance of the interNational Community this important resolution condemns their launch, calls on the north korea to live up to its commitments, admere to its International Obligations and deal piecefully with its neighbors. This is a blatant violation of the u. N. Security council resolutions. 1718 and 1874. We urge the Security Council to take strong and concerted action to demonstrate that pyongyangs actions are completely unacceptable. In familiar in particular we call on china and russia to work construct ily with other members of the council to show that the interNational Community is united in condemning north koreas provocative behavior. North korea is only further isolating itself with its irresponsible action and the development of Ballistic Missiles and Nuclear Weapons will never bring the Real Security and acceptance by the interNational Community that the regime so desperately wants. Instead of pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into its socalled Space Program, nuclear programs, and massive military, north korea should instead work to feed its own citizens and improve its dismal economy. We must continue to remain vigilant in the face of north korea korean provocations and fully committed to the security of our allies in the region. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentlewoman from florida is recognized. Ms. Roslehtinen i would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from california, mr. Royce, the chairman designate of the full committee in the next congress. Who is not here. So i will reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from florida reserves. Mr. Berman is recognized. Mr. Berman i continue to reserve our time. Ms. Roslehtinen and im pleased to yield this time to mr. Royce to speak on the north creey belligerent action and i thank him for his leadership on this and many of the issues that are facing our Foreign Affairs committee. So mr. Royce, the time is yours. Mr. Royce thank you for yielding. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for as much time as as he wishes. Mr. Royce thank you. I rise in support of this resolution of which i am an original cosponsor. I think members are very rightly concerned right now as the same technology thats used to put a satellite into space is also used in order to launch a Ballistic Missile. This experiment by north korea is definitely an advance for them, its definitely a threat to the region, its definitely a threat to the United States because what were talking about here are three stage icbms. It is estimated that north korea has spent 3 billion since 1998 on that missile program. That is the amount of money that would have bought enough corn to feed that country over the last three years, but instead of feeding its people and i have been in north korea, i have seen the malnutrition. Instead of feeding its people it continues to put billions of dollars into its military. Thats the type of despicable regime were dealing with, where 3 billion went into this project instead of feeding the population. And this is why the house passed legislation, to prohibit the United States in giving food aid to north korea because when we do so money is fungible, and we have found in the past that that aid is both used to feed the military and sold for hard currency. U. S. Policy toward north korea hoping that north korea will give up its weapons for aid has been a failure. Its been a bipartisan failure, frankly, for decades, and its gotten us now to this point. The hope that north korea can be induced to abandon its ambitions for Nuclear Weapons and missiles distracts us, north. It distracts us from pursuing the very policies that might actually change the behavior of the regime and support its people. Going forward, we need to move away from an unimaginative policy here to one with energy and creativity and focus, so lets tackle north koreas illicit activities, its counterfeiting of u. S. Currency. This regime will do anything for money. It is, as many North Koreans will tell you, it is a gangster regime. Lets interfere with those shipments and disrupt the Bank Accounts that are used. Lets ramp up radio broadcast in the country where there is information wall that is cracking. And lets help the refugees who are literally dying to escape the prison north of the 38th parallel. Severely weakening the regime is the only way to make the Korean Peninsula secure. Until it was dropped in favor of a failed Diplomacy Program several years ago, the Treasury Department went after north korea. If we remember 2006, we went after north koreas illgotten games. We put the brakes on the counterfeiting. We cut the flow of currency to the regime. The head of state could not pay his generals. It created a crisis inside north korea. Well, that policy was mistakenly dropped. Id like to see it reapplied. Lets go back to where we are proactively defending u. S. Interests instead of just condemning another north korean provocation every few months. Lets do something that has proved to work in terms of putting the pressure on north korea. I yield back the balance of my time. I thank the chairman. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentlewoman from florida reserves. The gentleman from california is recognized. Mr. Berman i have no further requests for time and prepared to yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentlewoman from florida. Ms. Roslehtinen thank you, mr. Speaker. I have no further requests for time and yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields back. The question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to house concurrent resolution 145, as amended. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. Mr. Berman mr. Speaker. I object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and i make a point of order that a quorum is not present. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman will suspend. In the opinion of the chair, 2 3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the concurrent resolution is agreed to. The gentleman from california. Mr. Berman mr. Speaker, i object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and i make a point of order that a quorum is not present. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. For what purpose does the gentlewoman from florida seek recognition . Ms. Roslehtinen thank you, mr. Speaker. I move that the house suspend the rules and agree to h. Res. 134, as amended. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the resolution. The clerk House Resolution 134, resolution condemning the government of iran for its statesponsored persecution of its bahai minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on human rights. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from florida, ms. Roslehtinen, and the gentleman from new york, mr. Engel, will each control 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from florida. Ms. Roslehtinen i thank the speaker, and i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials into the record on this measure. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Ms. Roslehtinen i thank the speaker. I yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman is recognized for as much time as she wishes to consume. Ms. Roslehtinen thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of House Resolution 134, introduced by my good friend and colleague from illinois, mr. Dold. House resolution 134 condemns the Iranian Regimes persecution of irans bahai minority. Bahai are the largest nonmuslim population in iran, numbering over 300,000 members in iran alone. Mr. Speaker, this resolution marks the 12th congressional action urging the Iranian Regime to end its persecution of the bahai minority. And still bahais do not have the freedom to practice their religion. In fact, restrictions on bahais extend far beyond the