September 19, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6437 

Justin A. Officer, of Wichita, KS; LCpl Timothy M. Jackson, of Corbin, KY; SrA Mark 

Forester, of Tuscaloosa, AL; LCpl Ralph J. 

Fabbri, of Gallitzin, PA; SGT Mark A. Simpson, of Peoria, IL; SPC Donald S. Morrison, 

of Cincinnati, OH; PFC William B. Dawson, 

of Tunica, MS; PFC Jaysine P. S. Petree, of 

Yigo, GU; SPC Marc C. Whisenant, of Holly 

Hill, FL; SPC John Carrillo Jr., of Stockton, 

CA; PFC Gebrah P. Noonan, of Watertown, 

CT; PFC Clinton E. Springer II, of Sanford, 

ME. 

LCpl Anthony J. Rosa, of Swanton, VT; 

LTC Robert F. Baldwin, of Muscatine, IA; 

CWO Matthew G. Wagstaff, of Orem, UT; 

CWO Jonah D. McClellan, of St. Louis Park, 

MN; SSG Joshua D. Powell, of Pleasant 

Plains, IL; SGT Marvin R. Calhoun Jr., of 

Elkhart, IN; LT Brendan J. Looney, of 

Owings, MD; SCPO David B. McLendon, of 

Thomasville, GA; SO2 Adam O. Smith, of 

Hurland, MO; SO3 Denis C. Miranda, of Toms 

River, NJ; SrA Michael J. Buras, of Fitzgerald, GA; PFC Joshua S. Ose, of Hernando, 

MS; SPC Joshua A. Harton, of Bethlehem, 

PA; MAJ Paul D. Carron, of Union, MO; PFC 

Barbara Vieyra, of Mesa, AZ; SPC Timothy 

L. Johnson, of Randolph, NY; SFC Ronald A. 

Grider, of Brighton, IL; 1LT Eric Yates, of 

Rineyville, KY; SSG Jaime C. Newman, of 

Richmond, VA; 1stLT Scott J. Fleming, of 

Marietta, GA. 

SPC Deangelo B. Snow, of Saginaw, MI; 

SrA Daniel R. Sanchez, of El Paso, TX; SGT 

Aaron K. Kramer, of Salt Lake City, UT; 

SGT John F. Burner III, of Baltimore, MD; 

SrA James A. Hansen, of Athens, MI; SGT 

Ryan J. Hopkins, of Livermore, CA; 1LT 

Todd W. Weaver, of Hampton, VA; Cpl John 

C. Bishop, of Columbus, IN; SGT Philip C. 

Jenkins, of Decatur, IN; PVT James F. 

McClamrock, of Huntersville, NC; Sgt Jesse 

M. Balthaser, of Columbus, OH; Cpl Philip G. 

E. Charte, of Goffstown, NH; LCpl Ross S. 

Carver, of Rocky Point, NC; CPT Jason T. 

McMahon, of Mulvane, KS; PFC Diego M. 

Montoya, of San Antonio, TX; SSG Vinson B. 

Adkinson III, of Harper, KS; SGT Raymond 

C. Alcaraz, of Redlands, CA; PFC Matthew E. 

George, of Gransboro, NC; PFC James A. 

Page, of Titusville, FL; LCpl Joshua T. 

Twigg, of Indiana, PA. 

1LT Mark A. Noziska, of Papillon, NE; SSG 

Casey J. Grochowiak, of Lompoc, CA; LCpl 

Christopher B. Rodgers, of Griffin, GA; LCpl 

Cody A. Roberts, of Boise, ID; Sgt Joseph A. 

Bovia, of Kenner, LA; CPT Dale A Goetz, of 

White, SD; SSG Jesse Infante, of Cypress, 

TX; SSG Kevin J. Kressler, of Canton, OH; 

SSG Matthew J. West, of Conover, WI; PFC 

Chad D. Clements, of Huntington, IN; SGT 

Patrick K. Durham, of Chattanooga, TN; 

SPC Andrew J. Castro, of Westlake Village, 

CA; Gy Sgt Floyd E. C. Holley, of 

Casselberry, FL; CPT Ellery R. Wallace, of 

Salt Lake City, UT; PFC Bryn T. Raver, of 

Harrison, AR; SPC Chad D. Coleman, of 

Moreland, GA; Private Adam J. Novak, of 

Prairie du Sac, WI; SPC James C. Robinson, 

of Lebanon, OH; SSG James R. Ide, of 

Festus, MO; MSgt Daniel L. Fedder, of Pine 

City, MN. 

PO3 James M. Swink, of Yucca Valley, CA; 

SPC Justin B. Shoecraft, of Elkhart, IN; 

LCpl Robert J. Newton, of Creve Coeur, IL; 

Sgt Ronald A. Rodriguez, of Falls Church, 

VA; SGT Steven J. Deluzio, of South Glastonbury, CT; SPC Tristan H. Southworth, of 

West Danville, VT; SPC Pedro A. Millet 

Meletiche, of Elizabeth, NJ; Sgt Jason D. 

Calo, of Lexington, KY; SGT Brandon E. 

Maggart, of Kirksville, MO; PFC Alexis V. 

Maldonado, of Wichita Falls, TX; LCpl Nathaniel J. A. Schultz, of Safety Harbor, FL; 

SPC Christopher S. Wright, of Tollesboro, 

KY; LCpl Cody S. Childers, of Chesapeake, 

VA; Cpl Christopher J. Boyd, of Palatine, IL; 

SOC Collin Thomas, of Morehead, KY; SGT 

Martin A. Lugo, of Tucson, AZ; SFC Edgar 

N. Roberts, of Hinesville, GA; LCpl Kevin E. 

Oratowski, of Wheaton, IL; PFC Benjamen 

G. Chisholm, of Fort Worth, TX. 

Private Charles M. High IV, of Albuquerque, NM; SSG Derek J. Farley, of Nassau, NY; SPC Jamal M. Rhett, of Palmyra, 

NJ; SSgt Michael A. Bock, of Leesburg, FL; 

Cpl Kristopher D. Greer, of Ashland City, 

TN; SGT Christopher N. Karch, of Indianapolis, IN; Sgt Jose L. Saenz III, of Pleasanton, 

TX; PFC John E. Andrade, of San Antonio, 

TX; PFC Paul O. Cuzzupe, of Plant City, FL; 

LCpl Kevin M. Cornelius, of Ashtabula, OH; 

PFC Vincent E. Gammone III, of Christiana, 

TN; SGT Andrew C. Nicol, of Kensington, 

NH; PFC Bradley D. Rappuhn, of Grand 

Ledge, MI; SPC Faith R. Hinkley, of Colorado Springs, CO; Cpl Max W. Donahue, of 

Highlands Ranch, CO; MSG Jared N. Van 

Aalst, of Laconia, NH; SGT Kyle B. Stout, of 

Texarkana, TX; SPC Michael L. Stansbery, 

of Mount Juliet, TN; CPT Jason E. Holbrook, 

of Burnet, TX; SSG Kyle R. Warren, of Manchester, NH. 

LCpl Shane R. Martin, of Spring, TX; PO3 

Jarod Newlove, of Renton, WA; LCpl Abram 

L. Howard, of Williamsport, PA; PO2 Justin 

McNeley, of Wheatridge, CO; LCpl Frederik 

E. Vazquez, of Melrose Park, IL; SSG Conrad 

A. Mora, of San Diego, CA; SGT Daniel Lim, 

of Cypress, CA; SPC Joseph A. Bauer, of Cincinnati, OH; SPC Andrew L. Hand, of Enterprise, AL; LtCol Mario D. Carazo, of Springfield, OH; Maj James M. Weis, of Toms River, 

NJ; PFC James J. Oquin, of El Paso, TX; 1LT 

Michael L. Runyan, of Newark, OH; Cpl Joe 

L. Wrightsman, of Jonesboro, LA; Cpl Julio 

Vargas, of Sylmar, CA; SSG Brian F. Piercy, 

of Clovis, CA; Cpl Paul J. Miller, of Traverse 

City, MI; SGT Jesse R. Tilton, of Decatur, 

IL; SGT Anibal Santiago, of Belvidere, IL; 

1LT Robert N. Bennedsen, of Vashon, WA; Gy 

Sgt Christopher L. Eastman, of Moose Pass, 

AK. 

SGT Justin B. Allen, of Coal Grove, OH; 

SSgt Justus S. Bartelt, of Polo, IL; Cpl Dave 

M. Santos, of Rota, MP; SFC John H. Jarrell, 

of Brunson, SC; SSG Leston M. Winters, of 

Sour Lake, TX; SGT Matthew W. Weikert, of 

Jacksonville, IL; SPC Chase Stanley, of 

Napa, CA; SPC Jesse D. Reed, of Orefield, 

PA; SPC Matthew J. Johnson, of Maplewood, 

MN; SSG Zachary M. Fisher, of Ballwin, MO; 

1LT Christopher S. Goeke, of Apple Valley, 

MN; SSG Christopher T. Stout, of 

Worthville, KY; SSG Sheldon L. Tate, of 

Hinesville, GA; PVT Brandon M. King, of 

Tallahassee, FL; SPC Christopher J. Moon, 

of Tucson, AZ; SSG Shaun M. Mittler, of 

Austin, TX; SPC Nathaniel D. Garvin, of 

Radcliff, KY; SPC Carlos J. Negron, of Fort 

Meyers, FL; LCpl Tyler A. Roads, of Burney, 

CA; LCpl Daniel G. Raney, of Pleasant View, 

TN; SSgt Christopher J. Antonik, of Crystal 

Lake, IL. 

We cannot forget these men and 

women and their great sacrifice. These 

brave individuals left behind parents, 

spouses, children, siblings, and friends. 

We want them to know this country 

pledges to preserve the memory of our 

fallen soldiers who gave their lives for 

our country. 

f 

RECOGNIZING SOLON 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am 

delighted to commend the Solon Elementary School of Solon, ME, on being 

named a 2012 National Blue Ribbon 

School of Excellence. This prestigious 

recognition of high accomplishment 

was bestowed by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. 

Created in 1982, the Blue Ribbon 

Schools award is considered the highest honor an American school can obtain. Schools singled out for this national recognition reflect the goals of 

our Nation’s education reforms for 

high standards and accountability. 

Specifically, the Blue Ribbon Schools 

Program is designed to honor public 

and private schools that are either academically superior in their States or 

that demonstrate dramatic gains in 

student achievement. 

This award recognizes that Solon Elementary students achieve at the highest level academically. Solon Elementary School is a top-performing school 

on State-required assessments, and 

staff at the school use assessments 

throughout the academic year as a tool 

for improving and customizing instruction. The school works closely with 

families to forge a strong school community where students are connected 

and encouraged to pursue their interests. 

I applaud not only the students, but 

also the administrators, teachers, staff, 

and parents of Solon Elementary 

School. Together, they are succeeding 

in their mission to generate momentum for learning. They are making a 

difference in the lives of their students, 

helping them reach their full potential 

as independent, responsible learners 

and engaged citizens. 

I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has selected Solon 

Elementary School for this well-deserved honor, and I congratulate the 

entire community for this outstanding 

achievement. 

f 

RECOGNIZING HOPE ELEMENTARY 

SCHOOL 

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am 

delighted to commend the Hope Elementary School of Hope, ME, on being 

named a 2012 National Blue Ribbon 

School of Excellence. This prestigious 

recognition of high accomplishment 

was bestowed by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. 

Created in 1982, the Blue Ribbon 

Schools award is considered the highest honor an American school can obtain. Schools singled out for this national recognition reflect the goals of 

our Nation’s education reforms for 

high standards and accountability. 

Specifically, the Blue Ribbon Schools 

Program is designed to honor public 

and private schools that are either academically superior in their States or 

that demonstrate dramatic gains in 

student achievement. 

This award recognizes that Hope Elementary students achieve at the highest level academically. Hope Elementary School is a top-performing school 

on State-required assessments, and 

staff at the school use assessments 

throughout the academic year as a tool 

for improving and customizing instruction. The school works closely with 

families to forge a strong school community where students are connected 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with SENATE
S6438 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 19, 2012 

and encouraged to pursue their interests. 

I applaud not only the students, but 

also the administrators, teachers, staff, 

and parents of Hope Elementary 

School. Together, they are succeeding 

in their mission to generate confidence 

and momentum for learning. They are 

making a difference in the lives of 

their students, helping them reach 

their full potential as independent, responsible learners and as engaged citizens. 

I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has selected Hope 

Elementary School for this well-deserved honor, and I congratulate the 

entire community for this outstanding 

achievement. 

f 

U.S. ARMY’S SUICIDE STAND 

DOWN DAY 

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise 

today during Suicide Prevention 

Month to recognize the Army’s Suicide 

Stand Down Day, which will take place 

later this month on September 27, 2012. 

The stand down is an opportunity for 

the Army to take a hard look at current efforts to address the issue of suicide among soldiers and focus on ways 

to improve these efforts. It will emphasize eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health injuries, which 

too often prevents our service men and 

women from getting the help they 

need. 

This could not come at a more critical time. The incidence of suicide 

among our troops has skyrocketed to 

alarming levels due, in part, to over 10 

years of repeated and protracted deployments to combat zones around the 

world. In fact, the Army experienced a 

record-high 38 Active-Duty suicides in 

July and is on track to surpass last 

year’s total. This is absolutely tragic 

and requires urgent and sustained action. 

The central theme of the stand down 

is ‘‘Shoulder to Shoulder: We Stand up 

for Life.’’ This is such a critical message—our servicemembers should never 

have to suffer alone. Our military men 

and women make tremendous sacrifices each and every day in service to 

our Nation, and we have a sacred obligation to take care of them in return. 

This means ensuring they feel comfortable seeking the care that they 

need without fear or repercussion or 

being stigmatized. This also means improving access to mental health care 

and providing support for our military 

families. 

While there is no single solution to 

preventing military suicide, efforts 

like the Army’s Suicide Stand Down 

Day are important steps because they 

provide an opportunity to have a frank 

conversation across all levels of leadership about the profound stressors our 

troops are experiencing. 

I strongly encourage all branches of 

our military to continue to review and 

improve their suicide prevention programs because it is clear that more 

must be done and that it must be done 

now. 

Suicide reaches far beyond one individual—it devastates entire families 

and affects communities. Our military 

families are resilient and they display 

incredible courage in the face of so 

many unique challenges, but no one 

person or family can be strong all the 

time. 

That is why we must continue to do 

everything in our power to send the 

message to our servicemembers, veterans, and their families that it is OK 

to ask for help and that the care and 

support they need is waiting for them. 

I urge our citizens, our government, 

and our Nation to continue to stand 

shoulder to shoulder with our Armed 

Forces and recommit ourselves to 

stemming the tide of military suicide 

once and for all because we can all 

agree that one suicide is one too many. 

f 

REPORT ON THE NATIONAL 

ELECTION IN TAIWAN 

Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, in 

August I submitted a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that 

the U.S. Government should continue 

to support democracy and human 

rights in Taiwan following the January 

2012 Presidential and legislative elections. The International Election Observers Mission has prepared a Report 

on the National Election in Taiwan 

that includes some important details 

and findings. I ask unanimous consent 

that the summary of that report be 

printed in the RECORD. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the 

RECORD, as follows: 

REPORT ON THE NATIONAL ELECTION IN

TAIWAN, JANUARY 14, 2012 

To: International Committee for Fair Elections in Taiwan 

From: The International Election Observers Mission (IEOM) 

By: Woodrow W. Clark II MA, PhD, Lead 

Author and Senator Frank Murkowski, 

Chair and all IEOM Members. 

OVERVIEW

Taiwan is an island nation of 23.2 million 

people (November 2011) in an area of 35,980 

sq. km. The nation has 18.1 million eligible 

voters, all citizens who are 20 or more years 

of age. The winner of the January 14, 2012 

Presidential Election, with 51.6 per cent of 

the vote, was Mr. Ma Ying-jeou, the incumbent and the nominee, Chinese Nationalist 

Party (Kuomintang or KMT). Ms. Tsai Ingwen of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) followed with 45.6 per cent 

and the nominee of the small People First 

Party (PFP), Mr. James Soong received 

about 2.8 per cent of the vote (Taiwan Election Results, January 2012). 

At the same time, voters also elected the 

113 members of the national parliament, the 

Legislative Yuan. The KMT won 64 seats, 

while the DPP won 40 seats and the PFP, the 

Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and non-partisan independent candidates each won three 

seats. Compared with the 2008 legislative 

election, the KMT won 17 fewer seats, the 

DPP gained 13 additional seats, the PFP won 

two additional seats and the TSU, with its 

three seats, returned to the legislature after 

a four-year absence. 

POLITICAL BACKGROUND

Taiwan experienced a long political struggle during the authoritarian era. Democracy 

in Taiwan only began after the death of 

President Chiang Ching-kuo in January 1988 

and the accession of Lee Teng-hui to the 

presidency. The political system is not divided between ‘‘left’’ and ‘‘right,’’ though the 

DPP does place somewhat more emphasis on 

‘‘social justice.’’ Instead, ‘‘the primary political cleavage between the political parties 

has been and remains the issue of national 

identity, often referred to as the ‘unification-independence’ issue’’ (Taiwan Elections 

Handbook, 2012: p.13), or between the ‘‘panblue’’ alliance (Kuomintang and associated 

parties) and the ‘‘pan-green’’ alliance (DPP 

and aligned parties). 

Mr. Ma’s percentage of the vote fell from 

the 58 per cent he gained four years earlier 

and, as indicated earlier, the new KMT majority in the legislature was much less than 

the huge victory, which it won in 2008 (Cole, 

March 9, 2012). 

THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVER

MISSION (IEOM)

Eighteen (18) observers from seven countries were invited by the International Committee for Fair Elections in Taiwan (ICFET) 

to form an International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) for the January 2012 

Presidential and Legislative elections in Taiwan. See the list of members of the IEOM 

below in Table 1. 

The group consisted of observers from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan, 

Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United 

States, ranging in experiences from academia, elected representatives, religious 

groups, businesses, and civil society. As observers, the IEOM members tried to be 

strictly neutral in all their activities, data 

gathering, and conclusions. 

Most members of the IEOM were in Taiwan 

from January 10–15, 2012. Members visited locations in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, and 

Taichung. As a group, they met with campaign organizers, staff, and candidates from 

the three political parties running presidential tickets: the Democratic Progressive 

Party (DPP), the Chinese Nationalist Party 

(KMT), and the People First Party (PFP). 

Then, on the day before the election (January 13, 2012) and during Election Day (January 14, 2012), the IEOM split into smaller 

groups of 2–4 members who observed political 

rallies, street campaigns, and polling station 

as well as the Central Election Commission 

counting center on Election Day. 

This report consists of direct IEOM observations by its members as well as other 

sources, including the Taiwan and international press as well as post-election news 

sources in Chinese and English. Other observer groups were also present in Taiwan. 

One other neutral observation group, the 

Asian Network for Free Elections Foundation (ANFREL), headquartered in Bangkok, 

Thailand, deserves special mention. 

ANFREL produced an Observers Report (entitled ‘‘Credible Elections but a Tilted Playing Field’’) after the Election that corresponds with many IEOM observations as 

well as our Press Release and this Report. 

The ANFREL Report (2012) will be cited 

herein. 

FULL REPORT

The full report of the IEOM was published in Taiwan on June 11th 2012, and 

is available on the website of the International Committee for Fair Elections 

in Taiwan (ICFET) at: http:// 

www.taiwanelections.org/wp-content/ 

uploads/2012/08/Taiwan-2012–ElectionsIEOM-Final-Report.pdf 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with SENATE