August 1, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1385 

support from ASC Chairman Mahmoud 

Khattab. I welcome and invite all members of 

the House to co-sponsor this resolution. 

I am proud that I was able to work with Republican colleagues in the House and the 

Senate on a resolution that puts the Congress 

on record in calling upon the government of 

Russia to immediately end all weapons sales 

to Syria, support international sanctions 

against the regime of Syrian President Assad, 

and to use its influence to help bring about a 

peaceful transition of leadership within the 

government of Syria. 

Mr. Speaker, what began as a peaceful 

stand against tyranny has morphed into the 

bloodiest movement of the Arab Spring. According to the International Red Cross, more 

than 16,000 men, women and children have 

been killed in the conflict, and the violence 

has increased substantially in the past few 

weeks. An estimated 1 million Syrians have 

also been internally displaced and tens of 

thousands more have fled to neighboring 

countries. 

The massacres in Houla and Tremseh 

where dozens if not hundreds of civilians were 

killed are just two of the more shocking examples of the terror that has gripped this nation 

for over a year. 

Battles are currently raging for the country’s 

two largest cities, the capital Damascus and 

the commercial center Aleppo. In Aleppo rockets and shells have routinely been landing in 

residential areas, and there have been 

sightings of fighter planes over the city. The 

international community is holding its breath 

as the Assad regime gears up for what many 

fear will be a massacre of the city. A rebel victory in Aleppo would be a decisive turning 

point in the war, and this is something the Syrian government will prevent from happening at 

all costs. 

President Assad’s brutal crackdown in response to these protests has been directly 

fueled by the unrelenting support of the Russian Federation. Throughout the mass murders, torture and other atrocities perpetrated 

by the regime, Russia has continued to send 

weapons, knowing they are not being used for 

self defense purposes. 

Although the vast majority of the world has 

condemned the actions of President Assad 

and his government, China and Russia have 

refused to support any efforts to end the violence. Russia in particular has been Mr. 

Assad’s staunchest defender. The Russian 

Federation has now vetoed three United Nations Security Council Resolutions that would 

have imposed long overdue international sanctions against the Syrian regime. 

I agree with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she stated, and I quote: ‘‘History will 

judge this council; its members must ask 

themselves whether continuing to allow the 

Assad regime to commit unspeakable violence 

against its own people is the legacy they want 

to leave.’’ 

These comments were obviously directed 

towards Russia and China, and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Lavrov has simply repeated Russia’s support for non-intervention, 

and stated that any solution would have to be 

decided by Syrians themselves, and not a foreign power. 

Mr. Lavrov says this as his country continues to send arms to Mr. Assad and his 

army whose firepower is already vastly superior to the rebels they are attacking. 

Mr. Speaker, Russia can do what I cannot, 

and that is to sit idly by as thousands of innocent civilians are slaughtered because of their 

desire to live in a free and democratic country. 

Syrian men and women fighting for democratic ideals should not be abandoned to face 

the wrath of a tyrant alone. They should know 

that they have a friend in the American government. 

Today, I ask for my colleagues’ support for 

H. Res. 742. The Russian government has enabled the Assad regime to commit murder 

among other mass atrocities, and they need to 

be held accountable for their actions. 

As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security I have seen how America is an 

example of democracy and peace, and I wish 

to see the same outcome for Syria. 

I stand today not only to ask for the support 

of my colleagues, but to show my support and 

admiration for the rebel fighters and all those 

in Syria who are fighting against oppression 

and cruelty. 

JULY 30, 2012. 

Hon. LAURA RICHARDSON, 

House of Representatives, Longworth Office 

Building, Washington, DC. 

DEAR REP. RICHARDSON: On behalf of the 

American Syrian Coalition (ASC), I would 

like to thank you for introducing H. Res. 742, 

a bipartisan resolution condemning the Russian government for continuing to sell offensive weapons to the Assad regime of Syria, 

which is using them to violently suppress 

peaceful demonstrations and protests by innocent Syrian citizens. 

Since the beginning of the Syrian revolution in March 2011, more than 21,000 people 

have been killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and thousands 

more have been wounded, displaced, detained, and/or tortured. Emboldened by the 

Russian and Chinese vetoes at the U.N. Security Council, the regime continues its all-out 

military assault using Russian-supplied helicopter gunships and fighter jets to bomb 

Syrian civilians simply because they demanded freedom, dignity and democracy. 

Your stance with the Syrian people is courageous and we wholeheartedly appreciate 

your efforts to help put an end to the brutal 

Assad regime. 

Thank you again for supporting the Syrian 

people and for standing up for those facing 

injustice at home and abroad. 

Sincerely, 

DR. MAHMOUD KHATTAB, 

Chairman, 

f 

American Syrian Coalition. 

HONORING NAVY LIEUTENANT 

COMMANDER LAWRENCE E. 

WESTERLUND 

HON. JEFF DENHAM OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

honor the career of United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Lawrence E. Westerlund 

and to congratulate him on his upcoming retirement from the U.S. Navy, following 20 

years of active and reserve service. 

Lieutenant Commander Westerlund, a native of Fresno, California, entered the U.S. 

Navy through Officer Candidate School, Class 

8809, in Newport, Rhode Island shortly after 

graduating from California Polytechnic State 

University in San Luis Obispo, California. He 

was commissioned an Ensign on November 

18, 1988, with his father, Richard Westerlund, 

and brother, Midshipman Lance Westerlund, in 

attendance. 

After graduation from Surface Warfare Officer School in Coronado, California, he reported aboard the USS Mahon S. Tisdale 

(FFG–27), where he was assigned the position of First Lieutenant and also served as 

Helicopter Control Officer. He served two 

years aboard the USS Tisdale, earning his 

Surface Warfare Pin and deploying to Japan 

and Korea in support of PACEX89. 

In 1990, Lieutenant Commander Westerlund 

was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade. He 

entered the U.S. Naval Reserves and became 

the Administrative Officer for the USS Worden 

(CG–18) naval reserve detachment based in 

Fresno, California. 

From 1991 through 1994, Lieutenant Commander Westerlund served as a Convoy Officer for the Convoy Command Detachment in 

Seattle, Washington. In September of 1994, 

Lieutenant Commander Westerlund reported 

for duty with Mobile Inshore Underwater Warfare Units 103 and 104, where he served as 

a Division Officer and Department Head. He 

served multiple training periods in Korea and 

Bahrain with these two units. 

In June 1997, Lieutenant Commander 

Westerlund was awarded the Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal while serving as 

the Physical Security Officer during Overseas 

Operations in Manama, Bahrain, where he 

was tasked with establishing waterside security watch to counter terrorist threats. 

Lieutenant Commander Westerlund was recalled to active duty in April of 1998 for one 

year in support of stabilization operations in 

Bosnia. During this assignment, he was instrumental in writing a major force structure study 

for the US-European Command (EUCOM). 

While serving for the EUCOM, he was awarded his first Defense Commendation Medal and 

NATO Operations Medal. Shortly after returning from Bosnia, Lieutenant Commander 

Westerlund transferred to the Inactive Ready 

Reserve. 

As a result of the attacks on the United 

States on September 11, 2001, Lieutenant 

Commander Westerlund returned to active 

drilling status. He was assigned to Commander Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) Det–520 

in Sacramento, California—a capacity in which 

he served as the head of various divisions and 

departments. 

In 2004, Lieutenant Commander Westerlund 

ran a successful election campaign for a seat 

on the Fresno City Council. Before taking office, Lieutenant Commander Westerlund returned to active duty for six months standing 

the Battle Watch for COMPACFLT. In January 

2005, Lieutenant Commander Westerlund was 

sworn in as the District Four Representative 

for the Fresno City Council. During this time, 

he continued to drill in Sacramento for 

COMPACFLT Det–520. 

Lieutenant Commander Westerlund was recalled to active duty in support of Operation 

Enduring Freedom in 2007. He served from 

April 2008 to May 2009 as the Counterterrorism Train and Equip Manager for the Joint 

Special Operations Task Force for the TranSahara for the U.S. European Special Operations Command (SOCEUR) and Africa Special Operations Command (SOCAFRICA). For 


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E1386 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks August 1, 2012 

his service, he was awarded his second Defense Commendation Medal. 

In December of 2009, Lieutenant Commander Westerlund became the Officer in 

Charge (OIC) of the 38 sailors of the Military 

Sealift Command Cargo Afloat Rigging Team 

III, Detachment C based out of Lemoore, California. While serving as OIC, he was deployed 

twice onboard the USNS Guadalupe (T–AO– 

200). 

Lieutenant Commander Westerlund is married to Dora Rivera of Mazatlan, Mexico. While 

deployed overseas in Operation Enduring 

Freedom, Lieutenant Commander Westerlund 

was reelected to the Fresno City Council, and 

his first child, Zoe, was born. Lieutenant Commander Westerlund and his wife recently welcomed their second child—a son named William. 

On August 11, 2012, Lieutenant Commander Westerlund will retire from the United 

States Navy after 20 years of honorable military service. Mr. Speaker, please join me in 

honoring Lieutenant Commander Lawrence E. 

Westerlund for his outstanding career. He is a 

true public servant. I congratulate him on his 

retirement, and wish him the best of success 

in his future endeavors. 

f 

IN HONOR OF ADMIRAL JAMES D. 

WATKINS 

HON. SAM FARR OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

honor the life and exemplary service of the 

late Admiral James D. Watkins. Chief of Naval 

Operations, Chairman of the Commission on 

AIDS, Secretary of Energy, and Chairman of 

the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, he 

was called out of retirement on multiple occasions but left the service of our Nation and our 

world last Thursday night. He passed on from 

his home in Alexandria, VA at the age of 85. 

His presence will certainly be missed not just 

in Washington, but across the country and 

particularly in the ocean science community. 

A native of California and a graduate of the 

U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, 

Admiral Watkins served in the Navy for 37 

years where he rose to become the Chief of 

Naval Operations. An esteemed feat by itself, 

this position was just the starting point for 

what would become his most venerable legacy. After retirement from the Navy, Admiral 

Watkins was appointed Secretary of Energy 

during the Reagan administration. 

Accomplished through his ability to bring 

disparate groups together to understand and 

solve complex problems, he led two of the 

most important federal commissions to occur 

in the past 25 years—one on the AIDS pandemic and the other on the Congressionally 

directed Commission on Ocean Policy. Both 

commissions sought to improve the health and 

well-being of all through improved understanding of our least understood systems—the 

human immune system and the planetary 

ocean system. As a public servant and as a 

citizen, Admiral Watkins acted deliberately and 

thoughtfully to digest massive quantities of information and actors into specific challenges 

with clearly articulated steps to achieve 

agreed-upon outcomes. 

His 16-member Commission on Ocean Policy developed ‘‘An Ocean Blueprint for the 

21st Century’’ which offered comprehensive 

recommendations for a national ocean policy. 

When those recommendations were finalized 

and presented in 2004, he said, ‘‘With a clear 

mandate from the President, and strong, bipartisan support among Members of Congress, we can begin the difficult, but critical 

process of implementing a comprehensive national ocean policy.’’ He spent the last eight 

years of his life acting on implementing those 

recommendations. In his wake it will take 

many of us here in Congress, along with other 

nongovernmental actors to continue to steer 

and direct these efforts and contribute to the 

heavy lift of moving this important work forward. 

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for the whole 

House in recognizing the contributions that 

Admiral Watkins made to make this world a 

better place. We offer our condolences to his 

family and friends, and particularly his six children and his wife, Janet. Those of us who had 

the good fortune to have known him are better 

people for the experience. 

f 

HONORING MONSIGNOR FELIX S. 

DIOMARTICH 

HON. JANICE HAHN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor 

Monsignor Felix S. Diomartich, the oldest 

priest in the City of Los Angeles and the 

S ̆ ibenik region of Croatia, who is celebrating 

75 years of service in the priesthood. Monsignor Diomartich was born on November 2, 

1914, in Zlarin, Croatia. He began his life’s 

journey at the parish of Vodice as the Associate Pastor. Soon after, he was named Secretary to Bishop Mileta. He later earned two 

doctorate degrees in theology and church law 

at the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. Before leaving for the United States, he obtained 

the title of the lawyer of the Sacra Romana 

Rota. 

After arriving in the United States, Monsignor Diomartich served at three parishes in 

the Archdiocese of New York before he was 

invited to serve at St. Anthony Croatian 

Church in Los Angeles. Monsignor Diomartich 

served for 36 years as an administrator and 

as a pastor. He supported such organizations 

as the St. Ann’s Altar Society for women and 

the Holy Name Society for men. He founded 

two new societies for American-born young 

adults called the Anthonians and the St. Anthony’s Women’s Guild. His other accomplishments at the parish include the St. Anthony’s 

Annual Picnic Festival, building of a new rectory, and remodeling and expanding the original parish hall. 

In 1978, Pope Paul VI awarded him the title 

of Monsignor. The Croatian National Association and Foundation awarded him with its Lifetime Achievement award in 2008. Though he 

has retired from its administration, Monsignor 

Diomartich continues to reside at the St. Anthony Croatian Church, helping with masses 

and confessions. Through his passion of 

spreading the word of God, he has inspired 

and guided the residents of Los Angeles and 

has brought unity and pride to the Croatian 

community. 

He has truly made a difference in the lives 

of so many people. It has been a privilege to 

call him a friend and to celebrate this significant milestone. 

f 

RED TAPE REDUCTION AND 

SMALL BUSINESS JOB CREATION 

ACT 

SPEECH OF

HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO OF HAWAII

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 

The House in Committee of the Whole 

House on the state of the Union had under 

consideration the bill (H.R. 4078) to provide 

that no agency may take any significant regulatory action until the unemployment rate 

is equal to or less than 6.0 percent: 

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Chair, last week the 

House considered H.R. 4078, the Regulatory 

Freeze for Jobs Act. Like the REINS Act and 

other similar legislation this chamber has considered—and I have opposed—the Regulatory 

Freeze for Jobs Act (H.R. 4078) would prevent 

federal agencies from developing and implementing regulations that protect public health, 

consumers, and our environment. 

One of the majority’s primary arguments for 

this bill is that regulations kill jobs by making 

it hard for businesses to do what they need to 

do to succeed. In the current economy, this 

sounds plausible. Unfortunately, the facts and 

data do not support this claim. 

Since 2007 the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

(BLS) has asked businesses that have laid off 

large numbers of workers what caused them 

to make such layoffs. According to the BLS’s 

survey data government regulations contributed to only 0.2 percent of layoffs in 2009, 

2010 and through the first half of 2011. 

Instead, the BLS found that the number one 

reason companies made mass layoffs was because of reduced demand for their products or 

services from consumers. 

Surveys conducted by the American Sustainable Business Council, the Main Street Alliance, and the Small Business Majority also 

found that lack of demand is the primary challenge facing businesses today—not regulations. 

One of the other arguments the majority has 

advanced to support their claim that regulations hurt the economy is that there will be 

‘‘unintended consequences.’’ Again, this 

sounds plausible given the state of our economy. But again, this assertion does not hold 

up against the facts. 

Take, for example, the Clean Air Act and 

the regulations that resulted from the law. In 

1990, Congress passed the Clean Air Act 

Amendments on a strong bipartisan basis. Despite concerns raised by industry over the cost 

of the rules mandated by the law, the decade 

following its enactment was a great time U.S. 

businesses. The economy created 21 million 

jobs, and we had the longest period of sustained economic growth in national history. 

In fact, since passage of the initial Clean Air 

Act over 40 years ago, our economy has 

grown by over 200 percent. At the same time, 

we have improved the nation’s air quality and 

the health of the American people by reducing 

toxic and health threatening air pollutants by 

60 percent. The estimated economic benefits 


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