Gary Ackerman

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Helene Hyland, on the occasion of her retirement, as Vice President for the Institutional Advancement at Queensborough Community College. As both an undergraduate and graduate alumna of St. John's University in Queens County, NY, Ms. Hyland achieved her Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education, Masters of Science in Counselor Education, Professional Diploma in Counselor Education, and Doctoral in Administration and Supervision. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Hyland began her career in public education as both a teacher of English and a Guidance Counselor in 1968, at the Diocese of Brooklyn. Since then, she has held positions on the Staff of the New York State Senate, in the Office of Development at St. John's University, and in the Institutional Advancement Office at Queensborough Community College. She began her work at Queensborough Community College as the Director of Development and Grants, and 15 years later, Ms. Hyland has achieved the position of Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Helene must also be recognized for her achievement as President and owner of Sand Dollar Associates. Sand Dollar is a comprehensive consulting firm that offers direction and services in the area of fund- raising, institutional advancement, public relations, grant writing and publications. Clients include many churches and seminaries in the Queens community, as well as schools and public service organizations. I am proud to represent such an exceptional individual and commend Ms. Hyland for her life long dedication to educational institutions and community service. I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to please join me in wishing Helene Hyland many years of success as she celebrates her well deserved retirement.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1465 but do so with some serious reservations. While I think we all agree that the President needs a significant amount of flexibility in order to effectively prosecute the war on terrorism, I believe we should be careful about the types of assistance that could flow to Pakistan under this particular proposal. Clearly, everyone supports the provision of economic assistance to Pakistan. Among the poorest nations in the world, Pakistan was, until a recent rescheduling, in default on U.S. loans and continues to need assistance with its massive foreign debt. In addition, the Pakistani economy remains weak although General Musharaff should be given credit for adhering to the structural adjustment plan required by the International Monetary Fund. Pakistan should also be given assistance to provide health care and education. Life expectancy is low, infant mortality is high, and too many of Pakistan's children are educated in Madrassas that provide only lessons in hatred. The problem with this bill is that it opens the door to a significant new arms relationship with Pakistan and before the United States even considers going down that road, we must consider who the arms are likely to be used against. It is clear from looking at Pakistan's immediate neighbors that the threats to Pakistan are low. In Afghanistan, the expectations for a post-Taliban government are that it would not be a threat to Pakistan. Since China is Pakistan's long-time partner on nuclear and missile-related technologies, it is unlikely Pakistan would use the weapons there. There are tensions between Iran and Pakistan but they don't seem to rise to the level of armed conflict. That leaves India, which is where any weapons we provide are likely to be used. We should think long and hard before we agree to supply Pakistan with any weapons or spare parts that would be used against India. India strongly supports the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism and does so without preconditions or reservations. Now is not the time for the U.S. to abandon its democratic friends in South Asia, or elsewhere. One final point, Madam Speaker, we should remember that among the sanctions we are waiving here today are those imposed because of the October 1999 coup in Pakistan. The message from this waiver must not be that democracy is no longer important. In fact, the one lesson we should draw from the current situation is that democracy remains the solution to extremism everywhere. We must continue to urge Pakistan to return to democracy as soon as possible.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., Nathan Hale Post No. 1469. On October 16, 2001, the post will celebrate its 75th Anniversary in Huntington New York. Chartered by Congress on October 14, 1926, the Post began with a membership of 40 veterans. Included among the original members were veterans of World War I, as well as a veteran of the Spanish--American War who survived the 1898 torpedo attack on the USS Maine. Today, with nearly 800 members, Post No. 1469 is the largest Veterans of Foreign Wars Post on Long Island and throughout downstate New York. Present members are veterans who proudly served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, the Gulf War as well as conflicts and actions around the globe. The leadership of the Post has been very active in the local level offices as well as the County, District and State offices. The current Commander serves both as Post Commander and Jr. Vice Commander of Suffolk County which has a total of 48 Posts. Post No. 1469 has also made outstanding contributions, both financially and with their time and efforts, to the local community. These include sponsoring the local Boy Scouts Troop members, holding chairs on the Town of Huntington Veterans Advisory Board, providing scholarships to students in the community and hosting ward parties for veterans confined to the local VA hospital. I am proud to represent such an exceptional Post and wish them many more years of success as they celebrate their 75th Anniversary. I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to please join me in recognizing this milestone and congratulating these brave veterans.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer my amendment to prevent the marketing of downed animals. As I stand here before you, the most horrific problem of animal abuse in the meat industry continues unchecked. A sick cow, unable to stand, is pulled off a truck by a tractor with a chain, then falls 4 feet to the ground at a stockyard. A frail day-old calf is dragged through an auction ring by a rope tied to its back leg while another calf, nearly comatose, is left in a corner dying. These are downed animals. The transport and marketing of these incapacitated animals creates tremendous human health concerns as well as humane concerns. These animals, known as downers, suffer beyond belief as they are kicked, dragged, and prodded with electric shocks in an effort to move them at auctions and intermediate markets en route to slaughter. They make up nearly one-tenth of 1 percent of the market. And not to euthanize them just because they are of no value when they are dead at marketplace is indeed a sin. It is practically impossible to move these animals humanely, so they are commonly dragged with chains and pushed around with tractors and fork lifts. In addition to brutal handling, downed animals routinely suffer for days without food, water, or veterinary attention. Livestock markets are not equipped nor can they be expected to provide these incapacitated animals with the intensive care they require, nor do we wish to saddle them with these costs. The only humane option for nonambulatory livestock at intermediate markets is euthanasia. My amendment to protect both the public health and the downed animals prohibits marketing of all nonambulatory livestock at intermediate markets, and it requires that incapacitated animals be humanely euthanized at these facilities. This amendment does not apply to activities on farms, and it does not preclude veterinary care. It provides an appropriate remedy to an unnecessary and inexcusable practice. The problem of downed animals has been addressed by many conscientious livestock organizations who have voluntarily adopted a no-downer policy in an effort to end this inhumane and cruel practice which can also pose a serious threat to our public health. Meat from downed animals has an increased risk for bacterial contamination and other diseases, including neurological afflictions such as mad cow disease. The veterinary services department at the USDA itself, Mr. Chairman, has said that downed animals are the number two risk for mad cow disease. This is not a fringe idea. Last year, the USDA itself instituted a policy precluding the purchase of beef from downed animals for the national school lunch program because of these safety concerns. How on God's Earth can they justify marketing this to the rest of the country, when they say it is unsafe to put in our school lunch program? In addition to this, the fast food chains are doing the appropriate thing. Chains such as McDonald's and Burger King and Wendy's have all banned the use of meat from downed animals in their products. And who else? California, the largest cattle producer in the country, Colorado and Illinois, have already prohibited the entry of downed animals into the food supply. Why just them? All Americans must be protected from this risk. And who else is in support? This measure is endorsed by the Central Livestock Association, which is composed of 25,000 producers in five Midwestern States alone. It is endorsed by Empire Livestock Marketing, the Georgia Cattlemen's Association, and the National Pork Producers Council; and the National Cattlemen's Beef Producer Association have put in their code of ethics that they will not use downers. And yet, and yet, there are some who kowtow to the few irresponsible folks within the industry in order to protect only one-tenth of 1 percent of the market. Earlier this year a Zogby America Poll of 1,000 people in our country found that four out of every five opposed the use of downed animals for human food. Yet despite a strong consensus within the livestock industry, the animal welfare movement and 80 percent of consumers that downed animals should not be sent to the stockyards, this practice continues, causing unnecessary animal suffering and an erosion of the public confidence in their food. We need to remedy this atrocity. I urge all who are concerned about public health, all who are concerned about the humane treatment of animals to support the amendment.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for his accepting of our amendment. We really appreciate it. I am absolutely delighted to work with the gentleman on those concerns that he has just raised, which are very, very legitimate and are of concern to us to make sure these are ameliorated as it moves forward.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I ask all Members to join in supporting the Ackerman amendment to help bring an end to the horrific abuse of our Nation's food animals and to protect our Nation's food supply. I ask that all of us vote in favor of the amendment.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, along with President, I, too, have just returned from ground zero, the site of the greatest single human tragedy in our Nation's history. The towering pyramid of wreckage upon whose perimeter in New York City I have just walked hours ago is a monument, staggering in its dimensions and horrifying in its implications. In that massive tomb, Mr. Speaker, lie the remains of a still-unknown number of my fellow New Yorkers and our fellow Americans. The terrorists who murdered these people conceive of themselves as the hand of God and have executed their wicked judgment against our people. And what were our countrymen's crimes? Their crime was to go to work in a free Nation. Their crime was to get on an airplane. Their crime was to visit one of the greatest cities in the world. And, in many cases, Mr. Speaker, their crime was to attempt to save the lives of other human beings. Mr. Speaker, the kind of havoc, murder and carnage which the terrorists have inflicted upon our Nation can only be compared to war. And war, Mr. Speaker, is what we will give them back. We know which neighborhoods these people live in. We know who their landlords are. We will find out where they get their paychecks. We will hunt them down, not only the most obvious of their public leaders, but also the most hidden of their private supporters. Tonight, Mr. Speaker, evil again is on the march, and we must respond. And respond we will. We will respond to the terror that lives in the shadows and that hides in the dark. We know, Mr. Speaker, that we have not borne our final pain; but America is embarking on a great campaign, one which will not be easy, one which will take some time. Like the beginning of the Cold War, we may not be able to foresee the end of this conflict; but, Mr. Speaker, we can be certain of who the winner will be.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, those of us, your colleagues from New York, come to the floor wounded today because we count ourselves among the mourners. And the interesting thing is, when we have resolutions of this nature from time to time, we name those for whom we mourn. We regret that we cannot even supply you with that massive list as yet. There are so many of our constituents, our friends, our neighbors, our relatives, who do not yet know that they are among the mourners. This has not fully set in to our city and to our State. And yet we mourn. And let me assure you that while we mourn, we are not broken. The forces of evil have destroyed our skyline, but they have not destroyed our resolve. They have killed our people, but they have not killed our will. We come here as well to say thank you, to say thank you to each and every one of our colleagues in the House from all over America who have been so supportive to us and to the people that we represent. We express our special condolences, and ask you to do the same, to our colleague Joe Crowley who is not with us today because his cousin, a brave firefighter, is believed to have perished. Two hundred of our firefighters, over 200, only of our firefighters, are dead. Over 50 of our policemen, representing a great city, a diverse city, made up of so many people, rushing into this burning inferno, tumbling down, knowing that 200 colleagues have already died and yet continuing to go in to try to save their fellow citizens, paying no heed to their own safety. New Yorkers are tough. We are very tough. We are going to get over this. Yesterday was a day that we practiced our democracy in our State of New York. It was a primary day. We were in the middle of an election when this happened. That election has since been set aside. I was in one part of my district outside of the city of New York where there was a race going on for county executive, millions of dollars were being spent, the fight has raged for months and months with both sides at each other. And when the election was suspended, the campaign teams of both sides were seen on line together, side by side, at the blood bank. We bleed together as Americans. We cannot give you the names. The names would fill a book. We cannot give you the number, but the number is in the thousands; the mourners in the tens of thousands. But I can tell you that each and every one of them is a martyr, unknowingly; people who went to work, people who got on a plane, people who lost their lives doing things that average Americans do. We will not rest, not one of us, Democrats or Republicans, until the evil people who perpetrated this deed are found. We will not let any rock be unturned under which they have crawled. We know their address and we know their landlords. And let them know that we will find them.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, in 1996 Taiwan held the first ever direct election for president and four years later, in the presidential election of 2000, opposition party candidate Chen Shui-bian won the presidential election. Miraculously, Taiwan had a peaceful transfer of power, and for the first time in fifty years, an opposition party replaced the ruling party. Today, Taiwan's democracy is in full bloom. Every political office is contested through free and fair elections, thus dispelling the myth that democracy and Asians don't mix. Taiwan's rapid evolution into a full fledged democracy with a capitalist free-market economy clearly signals that Taiwan is ready to play a larger role on the international stage. Already, Taiwan is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and participates actively in the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Inter-American Development Bank. Congress has repeatedly recognized Taiwan's desire to broaden its participation in the international arena by adopting legislation supporting Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization. The aftermath of the 1999 earthquake is a perfect example of why Taiwan should be allowed to participate. Unlike other disasters around the world, the United Nations delayed providing assistance to Taiwan until they got permission from China. If Taiwan had been a participant in the WHO, or better still, a member of the United Nations, no such delays would have occurred. Instead, thousands of Taiwanese suffered needlessly until the international community finally responded. After one year in office, President Chen Shui-bian has a solid record of achievement for his nation. Taiwan continues to seek resumption of dialogue with the Chinese mainland regarding eventual reunification. In addition, Taiwan has maintained a strong relationship with the United States and other friendly nations. Taiwan stands tall among nations and over the years has played a significant role in helping other nations develop. Taiwan has sent over 10,000 experts to train technicians in developing countries and has provided aid to many countries in need. It has given much to the world and the world community is enriched as a result. Unfortunately, despite Taiwan's desire to be a helpful global partner, Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations. It is time for the United Nations, on the principles of universality enshrined in the United Nations Charter, to acknowledge Taiwan's accomplishments and allow Taiwan to be a Member State. Mr. Speaker, Taiwan belongs in the United Nations. I personally support Taiwan's bid to return to the United Nations and I urge other members to do so as well.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, the Founding Fathers must be very puzzled looking down on us today. Instead of seeing us dealing with the very real challenges that face our Nation, they see us laboring again under this compulsion to amend the document that underpins our democracy. They see a house of dwarfs trying to give this government a great new power at the expense of the people and, for the first time, to stifle dissenters and the way in which they dissent. The threat must be great, they must be saying, to justify changing the Bill of Rights for the first time and decreasing rather than increasing the rights of the people. They see our beloved Bill of Rights being eroded into the Bill of Rights and Restrictions. What is the threat? What is the threat, Mr. Speaker? I ask again, what is the threat? Is our democracy at risk? What is the crisis to the Republic? What is the challenge to our way of life? Where is our belief system being threatened? Are people jumping from behind parked cars, waving burning flags at us, trying to prevent us from getting to work and causing America to grind to a halt? Mr. Speaker, do we really believe that we are under such a siege because of a few lose cannons? Do we need to change our Constitution to save our democracy, or are we simply offended? The real threat to our society is not the occasional burning of a flag, but the permanent banning of the burners. The real threat is that some of us have now mistaken the flag for a religious icon to be worshipped as pagans would, rather than to be kept as the beloved symbol of our freedom that is to be cherished. These rare but vile acts of desecration that have been cited by those who would propose changing our founding document do not threaten anybody. If a jerk burns a flag, America is not threatened. If a jerk burns a flag, democracy is not under siege. If a jerk burns a flag, freedom is not at risk and we are not threatened. My colleagues, we are offended; and to change our Constitution because someone offends us is in itself unconscionable. Mr. Speaker, the courts have said that the flag stands for the right to burn the flag. The Nazis and the Fascists and the Imperial Japanese Army combined could not diminish the constitutional right of even one single American. Yet, in an act of cowardice, we are about to do what they could not. Mr. Speaker, where are the patriots? Where are the patriots? Whatever happened to fighting to the death for the rights of someone with whom we disagree? We now choose, instead, to react by taking away the right to protest. Even a despicable low-life malcontent has a right to disagree, and he has the right to disagree in an obnoxious fashion if he wishes. That is the true test of free expression, and we are about to fail that test. Real patriots choose freedom over symbolism. That is the ultimate contest between substance and form. Why does the flag need protecting? Is it an endangered species? Burning one flag or burning 1,000 flags does not endanger it. It is but a symbol. But change just one word of the Constitution of this great Nation, and it and we will never be the same. We cannot destroy a symbol. Yes, people have burnt the flag, but, Mr. Speaker, it still exists. There it is, hanging right in back of us. It represents our beliefs. Poets and patriots will tell us men have died for the flag, but that language itself is symbolic language. People do not die for symbols. They fight and they die for freedom. They fight and they die for democracy. They fight and they die for values. To fight and die for the flag is to fight and die for the cause in which we believe. Today some would have us change all of that. We love and we honor and respect our flag for that which it represents. It is different from all other flags. I notice in the amendment that we do not make it illegal to burn someone else's flag in someone else's country, and that is because our flag is different. No, not because of the colors or the shape or the design. They mostly have stars and some have stripes and scores and dozens are red, white, and blue. Our flag is unique because it represents our unique values. It represents tolerance for dissent. This country was founded by dissenters that others found obnoxious. What is a dissenter? In this case it is a social protester who feels so strongly about an issue that he would stoop so low as to try to get under our skin, to try to rile us up to prove his point, and to have us react by making this great Nation less than it was. How do we react? Dictators and dictatorships make political prisoners of those who burn their Nation's flags, not democracies. We tolerate dissent and dissenters, even the despicable dissenters. What is the flag, Mr. Speaker? The American flag? Yes, it is a piece of cloth. It is red, it is white and blue. It has 50 stars and 13 stripes. But if we pass this amendment and desecrators decide to start a cottage industry and make flags with 55 stars and burn them, will we rush to the floor to amend the Constitution again? If they add a stripe or two and set it ablaze, surely it would look like our flag, but is it? Do we rush in and count the stripes before we determine whether or not we are constitutionally offended? What if the stripes are orange instead of red? How do we interpret that? What mischief do we do here? If it is a full color, full-sized picture of a flag that they burn, is it a crime to desecrate a symbol of a symbol? What are we doing? Our beloved flag represents this great Nation, Mr. Speaker. We love our flag because there is a republic for which it stands, made great by a Constitution that we have sworn to protect, a Constitution given to our care by giants and about to be nibbled to death by dwarfs. Mr. Speaker, I call upon the patriots of the House to rise and to defend the Constitution, to resist the temptation to drape ourselves in the flag and to hold sacred the Bill of Rights. Defend our Constitution. I urge the defeat of this ill-conceived amendment.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with mixed emotions as we pay tribute to firefighters John J. Downing, Brian Fahey and Harry Ford. As I stand here I cannot help but feel both sadness and admiration, both respect and grief. While this tragedy is unfortunately close-to-home for New Yorkers, people the world over are paying homage to these three men today. Sadness, Mr. Speaker; that these brave men's lives were tragically taken from their families, friends and communities on June 17, 2001 when they dutifully responded to the call to put out a deadly fire that was destroying the Long Island General Supply Company in Astoria, New York. Admiration, Mr. Speaker; for these three firefighters who exemplified the word: Heroes. These three heroes woke-up every morning, ready and willing to fight any fire that threatened our community. These three heroes who worked so that the rest of us could enjoy our lives free from worry or concern of a deadly fire. Respect, Mr. Speaker; for these three heroes who were dedicated to a career as firefighters that required them to work to protect individuals that they may never have known. When they were called on to rescue these people from fires, these three heroes did so with the same commitment that they would feel for protecting their own families. And grief, Mr. Speaker; for the devoted wives, loving children and proud communities that are without these three heroes as a result of this horrific tragedy. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in unity with the entire NY Congressional delegation and ask our colleagues in the House of Representatives today to join us in honoring the memory of firefighters John J. Downing, Brian Fahey and Harry Ford.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring Lillian Tick on the occasion of her 100th Birthday. Lillian Tick was born Lillian Ostrega, the oldest of five children to Isadore (Ichimayer) and Frieda (Frima) Ostrega, in the city of Wyshkov, Poland on the third day of July 1901. Mr. Speaker, Isadore Ostrega left Poland for the United States in 1908 to search for a better life for himself and his family. In 1912, after years of hard work, he was able to bring his wife, Frieda, to join him. When Frieda left Europe, it was Lillian who obtained and supplied food for her family. It took eight years before Lillian's parents were finally able to save enough money to bring their children to America. Lillian, her three brothers--Louis, David and Hyman--and her sister, Dora, all arrived at Ellis Island in 1920. Lillian eventually met and married Morris Tick, a lansman emigre from Poland. They had three children: Irving, who passed away in 1988, Theodore (Ted) and Natalie. Mr. Speaker, Lillian Tick is affectionately called Mama Lilly by all who know her and cherish her. Mama Lily's many friends and admirers include Rabbi Dr. H. Joseph Simckes, and Cantor Sol Zim and the other congregants and employees of the Hollis Hills Jewish Center, where she is nearly a permanent fixture. Mama Lily is a four-foot-nine-inch bundle of energy. To this day, she still cleans and dusts to the level of her own height, maintains her own room, and insists on doing the dishes each evening, as well as the family ironing, despite having fractured both hips and walking with the aid of a quadruped cane. Mama Lilly reads the newspapers everyday, and attends Shabbat and High Holiday services regularly. When she is able, she observes the various Yahrtzeit memorials in honor of her dear departed. Mr. Speaker, if you ask Mama Lilly how she feels, the response is invariably, ``I'm fine.'' When you meet Lillian Tick for the first time, you find a universal mother and grandmother. From then on you will always address her as, and you will always have, a ``Mama Lilly.'' The Hollis Hills Jewish Center is celebrating Lillian's 100th Birthday on June 23, 2001, so that all of Mama's many friends can share in this joyful occasion. She is beloved by all; her search for a new and better life in America, her independent spirit, and her life of hard work is the essence of our great nation: a land of immigrants yearning to breathe free. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to rise and join me now in honoring the 100th Birthday of Lillian Tick, who has touched the lives of so many people during her glorious years with us.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from the great State of New York (Mr. LaFalce), the ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 1088, the Investor and Capital Markets Fee Relief Act. This is very important legislation which will reduce the securities transaction fees, and I rise in strong support of the measure. A reduction in these fees will benefit not only Wall Street, but will benefit so many families throughout the country who today own more stock than ever before. In addition to individuals, State and local pension plans will benefit from a reduction in these fees. For example, in my State of New York, it is estimated that payments in the public pension plans alone in section 31 fees are presently projected to be approximately close to $14 million over the next 5 years. An important component of any legislation addressing reducing security transaction fees is paid parity for SEC employees. These Federal workers are stationed not just in Washington, D.C., they live throughout the Nation and work in the SEC field offices. Some of them are my constituents who work in the largest SEC field office in the City of New York. We must be able to attract and retain highly qualified regulators to ensure the integrity and strength of our markets. We are not seeking to compete with the private sector. As we all know, government service requires a special level of devotion to our Nation, which is often not well compensated, as well as work in the private sector. However, within the Federal Government, the certain standard should exist. It is simply unacceptable for the SEC regulators not to be paid on par with their counterparts in other Federal financial agencies. I am very pleased that the pay parity provision is included in this bill. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to join with so many of our colleagues both on our committee and others in the House in supporting one of the first measures to be considered on the floor from this new committee, the Committee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the passage of legislation on the floor today, swift action in the Senate and signing by the President. I encourage our colleagues to vote for this important measure.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask all my colleagues to join me in recognizing Chester (Chet) Szarejko, Cantor Doreen Gammel, Frank Biordi, Joanna Laba, and Mohammed Saleh, who will be honored by The Eastern Queens Democratic Club at its Annual Awards Dinner on May 31, 2001. Chet Szarejko has demonstrated strong leadership qualities as the Democratic District Leader of the 24th Assembly District in Queens County, NY. Chet also serves as Political Activities Chair of the Polish American Congress, which represents the more than one million Americans of Polish descent in the New York Metropolitan area. He has met with many Polish leaders, including Lech Walesa, and has worked to organize the Polish community in New York politics. He recently testified at the Holocaust Restitution Committee and helped to organize several Holocaust programs. Due to his activism among Americans of diverse backgrounds, members of the Southeast Asian Community have nicknamed Chet the ``Queens Political Ambassador.'' He has been awarded citations from various immigrant communities and has received local acclaim as a champion of immigrants and new Americans. Cantor Doreen Gamell studied music and philosophy for years before finding her true calling. When Cantor Jacob Taron asked her to substitute for him at a Friday night service in Port Washington, she found the perfect home for her voice, mind, and heart. Several years of study and several student pulpits later, Doreen Gamell became the Cantor at Temple Shalom in Floral Park. In addition to her duties at the synagogue, Cantor Gamell has been recognized for her work instructing developmentally challenged adults in the study of the Jewish texts and music, and in ritual and Torah cantillations. Frank Biordi, President of Biordi Construction Company, has long been involved in community and business affairs in Queens, and has been a strong supporter of various local and national civic organizations. Frank has been a generous benefactor of the SIDS Foundation, Cancer Care Society, Deepdale Gardens Boulevard Bank Drive, Bayside Little League, and New Hyde Park Little League. Joanna Laba is the Executive Director of Savoy at Little Neck, a world-class assisted living facility which opened in the fall of 2000. Her responsibilities include: developing and maintaining operational systems, maintaining a maximum census, developing initiatives consistent with resident-care needs, maintaining the memory support program, and supervising admission criteria practices. Joanna has also developed and managed support groups for seniors and their caregivers, including those concerning Alzheimer's and other memory-impairing diseases. Mohammed Saleh was born and raised in Bangladesh, and received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Dhaka. Mr. Saleh has served his community in several capacities: as President of the Long Island Muslim Society, Former President of the Empire State Pharmaceutical Society, and Founding President of the Bangladesh- American Pharmacists Association. He currently owns three pharmacies in the New York Metropolitan Area and is an active member of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York and the National Community Pharmacists Association. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring these exceptional Americans as they are honored by The Eastern Queens Democratic Club, for their outstanding service and tireless dedication to the community.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring the Bayside Jewish Center on the occasion of its 75th Anniversary. It was in late 1926 that a small number of Jewish residents in the Bayside West community of Queens, NY, began to meet in a store on 32nd Avenue near 201st Street, made available by Isaac Muss, father of past Honorary President Charles J. Muss. Around the same time, a group of Jewish residents in the central Bayside area rented a loft and began to meet on the third floor above some stores on Bell Boulevard. During the next seven years, the activities and participation grew steadily. In 1934, Rabbi Ariol Hyams became the spiritual leader of the Bayside West Jewish Center. Because interest had increased substantially, the space available to the members was no longer sufficient. Thus, they joined together with the group at the Center on Bell Boulevard to found and incorporate the Bayside Jewish Center. This was 1935. It was not until 1960, after many trials and tribulations in respect to finding a permanent place for the center, when the traditional and formal dedication of the new Bayside Jewish Center building was held. Immediately following the dedication of the facility, the Bayside Jewish Center became the main center of community service, a veritable beehive of activity. Many great personalities have attended meetings and functions at the Center including President Jimmy Carter, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Senator Jacob Javitz, Senator Wayne Morse, Mayor John Lindsay, Mayor Robert Wagner, numerous Members of the House of Representatives, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Cantor Moshe Kousavitsky and President Norman Lamm of Yeshiva University. The Center supported many well known causes such as the United Jewish Appeal, Bonds for Israel, Yeshiva University, and other worthy institutions. The Center was the founder of several local organizations as well, such as the Clergy Club of Bayside and the Council of Churches and Synagogues. One of the great accomplishments of the Bayside Jewish Center was the founding of the Etz Chayim Youth Organization. This organization has brought together over two hundred teenagers to hold their Sabbath Services in the Junior Ballroom of the Center, followed by lunches on each Sabbath or holiday. Etz Chayim can also take credit for weekend Shabbatons, sponsored by Yeshiva University on an annual basis and attended by over three hundred young people from many communities throughout the United States, which have become well-established events. To this day, hundreds of its members are active leaders of many synagogues and Jewish organizations throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring the 75th Anniversary of the Bayside Jewish Center and all of the people whose lives it has touched.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment by the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the Democratic leader of the Committee on International Relations, and I commend him for his leadership. I rise as someone who has consistently supported U.S. assistance to Lebanon, but I now believe that the Lantos amendment is necessary and I believe it has been carefully crafted to advance key U.S. foreign policy objectives. The Lantos amendment strikes a careful balance between promoting U.S. interests in Lebanon's recovery and development and the need to provide incentives to the government of Lebanon to address a security problem which, if left unattended, could lead to a regional war. Mr. Chairman, there is no doubt that Israel has fulfilled its obligations to the Security Council under Resolution 425 and it has fully withdrawn its forces from Lebanese territory. The U.N. Secretary- General has said so and the U.S. has confirmed it. The question is whether Lebanon has fulfilled its obligations under Resolution 425 to resume effective authority in the area bordering the State of Israel. Unfortunately, the government of Lebanon has not lived up to its requirements, as demonstrated by the ongoing and unimpeded attacks by the Hezbollah from Lebanon's southern border against the State of Israel. The continued absence of the Lebanese Army from the south of Israel is obvious and indicative of the fact that Lebanon is not even trying to keep its own border secured. Some might argue that providing security to Israel is not a Lebanese obligation. Not only is this assertion wrong, it overlooks a fundamental truth and all nations are responsible for securing their own borders. A secure border with Israel is overwhelmingly in the interest of Lebanon itself. Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri campaigned and won on a plan for the reconstruction of Lebanon predicated on the active engagement, assistance, and support of the international community. There is no question that Lebanon badly needs foreign assistance to rebuild and recover from decades of strife. But the determining factor in whether or not Lebanon will be able to elicit the outside resources it needs, is whether or not there is peace and stability on the Lebanese-Israeli border. So far the Lebanese government appears unprepared to take decisive steps to maintain a peaceful and stable border with Israel, as is its responsibility, and thus ensure that the region will not again be pushed into conflict due to cross-border attacks. Mr. Chairman, I commend my friend the gentleman from California for offering this amendment. I strongly support the Lantos amendment and ask my colleagues as well to give it their strong support.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to take part in an important annual event in the House of Representatives, the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. I am proud that dozens of Members gather each year to mark this dark chapter in human history. Such devotion to memory is not a trivial matter. We know this to be true because, even today, there are those who would vainly try to deny the past, in order to influence the future. We, as a moral people, cannot allow such wicked efforts to prosper. Even passive acceptance of such lies would be tantamount to participating in a second genocide. As we all know, surely and irrefutably, the first Armenian Genocide, occurred between 1915 and 1923, and resulted in the deliberate death of 1.5 million human souls, killed for the crime of their own existence. The second Armenian Genocide, which every year we must struggle against, is the ongoing effort by some to deny reality, to deny history, to deny one of humanity's darkest hours. Mr. Speaker, the Armenian Genocide marked a critical point in history. We can look back now, with the wisdom of hindsight, and see in the deaths of a million and a half Armenians the first signs of the breathtaking cruelty of the last century. We can see technology and hatred converging toward the creation of a new phenomenon in human history, the apotheosis of evil, the creation of genocide, the organized attempt to annihilate an entire people. The Ottoman Empire's campaign to eliminate the entire Armenian population existing within its borders was no accident, no mistake made by a bureaucrat. Genocide was official policy and 1.5 million Armenians died as a result. They were starved and shot, deported and humiliated. They were old and young, innocent and blameless. They were killed, not for what they had one, but for who they were. Mr. Speaker, when we assemble here, in the House of Representatives, and remember the Armenian Genocide, we stand as witnesses to humanity's worst potential and promise to do better. To not stand by, impassive and confused in the face of horror. We commit ourselves to our common humanity and the precious rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Genocide is incomprehensible, but not unstoppable. For genocide to be removed from our world and banished forever, we must begin with teaching our children what has happened, and recalling, publicly and clearly, the unprecedented slaughter of the innocent in the 20th century; first in Armenian and then throughout Europe. As a just and honorable nation, we must do more than shrug our shoulders at atrocities. We must bear witness, year after year, and in doing so, commit ourselves to preventing history's repetition. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I are here today for one simple reason: to remind our nation that eighty-five years ago one-third of the Armenian people, 1.5 million men, women and children, were put to death for the crime of their own birth. To deny this reality is to deny that genocide can happen again. I want to thank America's citizens of Armenian descent for their unfailing commitment to their people's history and their unwavering struggle to ensure that the memory and history of their peoples' darkest hour is never lost. Thanks to them, the Armenian Genocide and its lessons will not be forgotten in our time and in our nation. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn't thank and commend my colleagues, Congressmen Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone, the co- Chairmen of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. Thanks to their leadership, this House will again honorably fulfill America's commitment to memory and justice.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Betty Galler as she is honored by the Free Sons of Israel at it's Foundation Fund's 75th Anniversary Celebration, for her 72 years of dedicated service to the organization. In the past 72 years Betty has unselfishly led the Foundation Fund in numerous humanitarian efforts. The long and impressive list includes donations to Camp Vacamas--(a camp for underprivileged children)-- ambulances for American Red Mogen David in Israel, purchasing prothesis for those wounded in the Six Day War, and parties at the Kingsbridge Veterans Hospital and at Francis Delafield Hospital. That is only a few of the wonderful causes to which Betty has dedicated her time and energy. It is obvious what a remarkable human being Betty is. The Free Sons of Israel, the nation's oldest Jewish fraternal order, and the Free Sons Foundation Fund is extremely fortunate to have a person like Betty Galler working for them. Now at the age of 93, she shows no signs of ending her long and unbelievable career. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me now in extending our thanks and appreciation to Betty Galler, the Guest of Honor at the Free Sons Foundation Fund's 75th Anniversary Celebration, for her 72 years of tireless community service.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 428, a bill concerning Taiwan and the World Health Organization (WHO), and commend Representative Brown for his work on this issue. H.R. 428 would recognize that Taiwan and its 21 million people deserve an appropriate role in the WHO. There are three things the bill seeks to promote. First, H.R. 428 puts the U.S. Congress on record, again, as strongly supporting Taiwan's request to play a more active role in international organizations. This support reflects the results of the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review conducted by the Clinton Administration which declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations and to make every effort to make sure that this important goal is accomplished. Second, this legislation will move Taiwan toward membership in the WHO. Such membership could benefit Taiwan tremendously. For example, in 1998, the WHO was unable to assist Taiwan with an outbreak of a virus that killed 70 children and infected 1,100 more. WHO membership could have prevented needless deaths and sickness. Third, the WHO could benefit enormously from Taiwan's more active participation in the WHO. Taiwan has made tremendous achievements in the field of health, and the WHO should have full access to Taiwan's technical and financial assistance. Mr. Speaker, the bill requires the State Department to initiate a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual summit of the World Health Assembly, next month in Geneva. I believe that this is an appropriate step for the United States to take in support Taiwan's participation in international organizations. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Rhoda Stahl on the celebration of her 90th birthday on Thursday, April 26, 2001. Rhoda has lived a long and fullfilling life. She married her childhood sweetheart, Harry Stahl, on March 1, 1931. Together they had three children, Renee, Joel, and Larry. After the birth of their second child, the family moved to Long Island City, NY. While in Long Island City she aided her husband by serving as the First Lady of Congregation Adath Israel while he was the congegation's President. Rhoda was a devoted wife and mother during her 58 years of marriage to Harry. In 1978, she retired to Florida and then in 1989 she moved to San Diego, to live the rest of her long life near her daughter Renee. Rhoda is now the proud grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of six. She is fortunate enough to spend her 90th birthday with friends and family from New York, Maryland, Virginia, and San Francisco. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in extending my best wishes and congratulations to Rhoda Stahl on the occasion of her 90th birthday and in wishing her many more happy and healthy years with her loving family.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute and congratulate the nation of Bangladesh for thirty years of independence. Founded in 1971 after gaining its independence from Pakistan, Bangladesh has evolved into a moderate Muslim democracy where the United States enjoys high prestige and respect. Bangladesh plays a moderating and welcome role in international fora like the G-77, the Nonaligned Movement and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Since independence, Bangladesh has struggled with an enormous population of 128 million crowded into a nation the size of Wisconsin. Subject to regular monsoons and flooding, Bangladesh has made significant social and economic progress in a number of areas. In particular Bangladesh has made major strides to meet the needs of its growing population and is now largely self-sufficient in rice production. Bangladesh is also a leader in microenterprise lending. The world famous Grameen Bank has provided small business loans to more than 2.4 million customers in 39,000 villages. The bank has a 98 percent loan recovery rate from its customers, 94 percent of whom are women. In a recent and promising development, 40-50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas have been discovered giving Bangladesh a long term source of energy and enough to become a natural gas exporter. U.S.-Bangladesh relations have also grown in recent years. The United States is Bangladesh's number one trading partner. U.S. investment in Bangladesh has grown from $25 million to over $750 million in the last four years. But economic interests are not the only ties that bind the U.S. and Bangladesh. Bangladesh has played a significant role in international peacekeeping activities. Several thousand Bangladeshi military personnel are deployed overseas on peacekeeping operations. Under U.N. auspices, Bangladeshi troops have served or are serving in Somalia, Rwanda, Mozambique, Kuwait, Bosnia, Haiti, and East Timor. Regionally, Bangladesh is a nation at peace with its neighbors and focused on regional integration through the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. In addition, Bangladesh has demonstrated its commitment to environmental preservation by becoming the first country to participate in a debt for nature swap under the Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998. This program allowed Bangladesh to exchange a portion of its concessional debt to the United States in return for the preservation of more than 3 million acres of tropical forest home to the world's last genetically viable population of Bengal tigers. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in commending the nation of Bangladesh for 30 years of independence.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Madam Speaker, I would like to add my voice to those of my colleagues in the House of Representatives in celebration of Greek Independence Day, March 25th. All of us who love liberty are justified in noting this important day. Greece is the birthplace of the democratic ideal, the principle upon which all our work here depends. The genius of the American republic and the concept of liberty, which sustained our fight for independence, cannot be separated from the great works of the philosophers of ancient Greece. Every ethnic group in the United States can claim a special bond to our nation's essence. But Greek-Americans can take special pride in knowing that our constitution's organizing principle, ``a government of the people, by the people and for the people'' came to our shores from the heart of the Aegean. Madam Speaker, Greece has been a friend and ally to the United States longer than many countries have been in existence. And, through immigration, our nation has been the great beneficiary of the strength, wisdom and creativity of Greece's sons and daughters. Millions of Americans who can trace their family roots back to Greece have contributed in countless ways, large and small, to the greatness, prosperity and harmony of the United States. I believe the influence of Greece on our nation is underappreciated because it is so ubiquitous. We see it in our nation's architecture, it surrounds us in our theater and humanities, it is instilled in our national intellect at all of our great universities. We need only look around this chamber to sense how critical Greece's legacy to our country has been. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues, Representative Michael Bilirakis and Representative Carolyn Maloney, for helping to organize this salute to Greek Independence Day. I know that the whole House will join me in congratulating the Greek people, and all Americans of Hellenic descent, on this special occasion.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H. Res. 34, congratulating the Prime Minister-elect of Israel, Ariel Sharon. Mr. Sharon's election in a time of crisis speaks volumes about him and the State of Israel. I would add that this resolution says something important about the United States that many countries in the Middle East need to know: Whoever the Prime Minister of Israel may be, that person and the government of Israel will enjoy the friendship and full support of this House and the American people. Mr. Speaker, I have great confidence in Ariel Sharon, a man who I believe can bring both peace and security to the people of Israel. The people of Israel--the only genuine democracy in the Middle East--have spoken and the results of their election must be respected. Anyone who believes Prime Minister-elect Sharon's election can be used to heighten tension, or to drive a wedge between the United States and Israel, is badly mistaken. The bond between the United States and Israel, our longstanding friend and ally, is absolutely unshakable. Whether the prime minister is Ehud Barak or Ariel Sharon, Shimon Peres, or Benjamin Netanyahu, it is absolutely critical that all nations know that Israel will have the full support of the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, Ariel Sharon's election sends a powerful message that we would be well-advised to heed: Yasir Arafat can't be a negotiator for the ``peace of the brave'' by day and a coordinator of cowardly terrorist acts by night. The people of Israel will not tolerate terrorism as a tool of diplomacy, or as an acceptable response when Palestinians believe that Israel's diplomatic offers are inadequate. It seems to me that in giving this mandate to Ariel Sharon, the people of Israel are saying, in a very clear way, that peace initiatives will be met with peaceful responses, and that acts of violence will be met with appropriate responses, rather than further concessions. Mr. Speaker, the Palestinians should be cautioned not to misread Sharon's hardline reputation to mean he is intransigent. This prime minister-elect represents a real opportunity. The Palestinians would be well advised not to try to wait out Sharon's government until the next election; they may lose more than they gain. As an original cosponsor of the resolution, I want to commend and thank Mr. Hyde and Mr. Lantos, the Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member on the House International Relations Committee, for their dedication and effort in getting this bill before the House today.