Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for giving us an opportunity to share some crucial human catastrophes that are occurring around the world.

I'm challenging all of my colleagues and those who would listen that sometimes we are, in fact, through peaceful means, our brothers' and sisters' keeper. First, as we have seen the ascending violence occur in Syria, a nation-state that I have visited, bloodshed that has included the loss of women and children, hearing news reports where citizens of Syria are begging for someone to do something, it is almost as if you came out of your house and stood by as your neighbor's house burned. We know [Page: H588] in America many would try to get a garden hose, others call 911; but they do something because of the horror of what they're seeing.

Constantly, our media airwaves are being beat with the sounds of gunshots, smoke and devastation and a steadfast refusal of Dr. Assad to step down. His first representation was that these were al Qaeda and terrorists, and we need to listen to him. There is a general respect for the sovereignty of a nation. And I'm not one pushing the immediate attack by the United States. The American people have spoken on their cautiousness--our soldiers and their treasure are precious. But just as I was with a number of our men and women this past Saturday who had been to Iraq or Afghanistan or are prepared to go elsewhere, our soldiers are always prepared to defend the needs of people who cannot help themselves.

But I call upon today the recognition that the United Nations has to fix itself. For as a consensus was coming together for the right approach--possibly U.N. troops to maintain the peace, as was done in places on the continent of Africa--who raises their selfish voices? Two countries, China and Russia, veto the consensus of many to try and help these people who are in need--children and women dying in the streets, not able to live in peace.

So I believe that those who had an idea need to go back to the Security Council. They need to make sure that we know that the U.N. is the entity that it was crafted to be in the late 1940s, the voice of reason, the ability to step in. They need to pressure these two, in essence, outlanders--those who want to stand out of the circle of care just because of selfish reasons of oil--to get out of the way or be part of the team.

I believe it is important as well, as we look at Libya and its quietness now, working quietly to try and restructure. Many people fought against that. I was delighted to be with a number of my colleagues, the first Members of the United States Congress to go stand in front of the Libyan Embassy and say Qadhafi must go. Sometimes you have to step out of the circle of comfort.

I ask Syrian Americans to stand up and be heard. Go to the United Nations; ask that your countrymen be safe. Let us hear your voices. Likewise, I ask for Egyptian Americans--we have been allies with Egypt for a long time, and I am trying to understand the tension or confusion between governments. But my point is, this is a government-to-government issue. Let my people go. Let the Americans go. You can find no basis that they have intently, with intent, done anything that deserves that they are, one, indicted and, two, cannot travel out of the Egyptian boundaries. I call upon Egyptian Americans to rise up and be heard, for our alliance is better than a few Americans.

I take great issue with Republican Presidential politics trying to claim this is the same thing as the hostages in Iran. Let us make no political statement about this. These are Americans. We want them out; we want them out now. But the idea is that there must be some responsible leadership in Egypt to recognize that spoiling or ending the alliance between Egypt and the United States is not worth this petty action.

So I ask for Syrian Americans, Mr. Speaker, and Egyptian Americans to go to my Web site, Sheila Jackson Lee--you can find it. Let me know what you want to do and how you're going to support the efforts of making peace or having peace in Syria and saving our fellow Americans in Egypt. Now is the time. It is no time for languishing in fear.

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