Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: “I would like to first rise in support of House Resolution 508, introduced by my good friend, Mr. Saxton of New Jersey…”

“I would like to first rise in support of House Resolution 508, introduced by my good friend, Mr. Saxton of New Jersey, and I would like to congratulate him for offering this resolution before us today because the United States security objectives in the Asia-Pacific region could not be achieved without the staunch support of our friends and allies in Tokyo. The United States-Japan alliance is, as this resolution recognizes, the cornerstone of regional stability and prosperity. When Pyongyang tested a nuclear weapon last fall, we relied heavily on our good friend, Japan, which was then serving as president of the U.N. Security Council. Together, we achieved passage of Security Council Resolution 1718 condemning North Korea's reckless action and imposing a series of sanctions. We must continue to work with Tokyo to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis in order to ensure regional peace and stability. Japan has also been an irreplaceable partner in support of our efforts to fight global terrorism.”