Gary Ackerman

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick). (Ms. KILPATRICK asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Washington State (Mr. McDermott), the cosponsor of the resolution before us and also the newly elected cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 15. Mr. Speaker, on the morning of January 26, the devastating earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale ripped through Gujarat State in northwestern India, leaving in its wake destruction on a staggering scale. The full extent of the damage is as yet unknown, but the numbers of dead are at least in the tens of thousands, the number of injured in the hundreds of thousands, and the number of displaced is so far over a half a million. The estimate of property damage now tops $5 billion, but mere numbers cannot capture the extent of the devastation, nor the horror at the loss of life and loved ones. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my personal condolences to all of those in India for the tragic losses that they have suffered. I also want to express my condolences to those Indian-Americans whose families or friends have been affected by the earthquake. I know that the Indian-American community has mobilized since the earthquake to provide donations to those organizations that are assisting the relief operations on the ground in India, and the community should be commended for and assisted in its efforts. The U.S. Agency for International Development has responded with a pledge of $5 million in emergency assistance joining many other nations as the international community comes together to assist in the search and rescue effort. I am sure that, in this hour of India's deepest need, the United States and the international community will continue to do all that they can to assist India in the rescue and reconstruction efforts. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us today expresses the deepest sympathies of the Congress to the people of India and expresses our support as the people of India begin to rebuild their lives. I urge all of our colleagues to support the resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the founder of the India Caucus and the former chairman.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) . (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps) a member of the committee.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez). (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from the State of Illinois (Mr. Davis), the original conceiver of this resolution before us today, who has been very gracious in cooperating both with the leadership and with the women members of our delegation to allow them to speak before him, as well. (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from the State of Washington (Mr. Inslee). (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from the State of New Jersey (Mr. Holt). (Mr. HOLT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining?

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley). (Mr. CROWLEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just want to conclude by thanking the distinguished new chairman of the House Committee on International Relations on what appears to be his first successful handling of a bill in that committee on the floor. He shows a lot of promise.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis).

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have some pictures on the wall in my den, they were left to me by my mother, pictures of people that I never met. They are people in Europe, some of them in Poland, especially who my mother would refer to as her aunt so-and-so or her cousin so-and-so, people that she never saw again when she left Poland as a 6-year-old girl. People who just disappeared and nobody knew what happened to them, but everybody knew, in reality, what happened to them. They had been rounded up, little kids, their parents, husbands and wives, separated in extermination camps, put into gas chambers and just changed into smoke. The entire world, Mr. Speaker, stood by for so long during that period of time. People did not want to know. It was a catastrophe of just enormous proportions that at the end, there were over 12 million people that were exterminated, 6 million of them Jews, Catholics, labor union workers, gypsies and others. Horrible experiments done on human beings just for the sadistic curiosity of so many physicians gone mad in Nazi Germany. The world turned a blind eye. Oh, they had excuses. They did not know. They did not hear about it. When we think about it, Mr. Speaker, people disappearing in the middle of the night, half of towns just disappearing and others thinking, thinking that they better not speak up, lest something happen to them. We must recognize this tragedy of all tragedies, Mr. Speaker. The action in the House today to make the Rotunda available for a commemoration of this terribly horrific event is something that we do with a great deal of sadness, but with the knowledge of knowing that if we did not take this kind of action to keep reminding the world that, indeed, these things do happen, that they can happen, and that there are good people who must and need to speak up, then we could never prevent this from happening again. Mr. Speaker, I commend all of our colleagues who have spoken here today and all who have expressed their support for this resolution, and I thank the sponsors of the resolution for bringing it before us today.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for taking the initiative on this issue, which is of a critical nature to our senior citizens throughout this country and specifically to our constituents who happen to live presently on Long Island in New York. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to disagree with my learned colleague on the other side of the aisle who said that this is nonsensical. I think some of us read it in a different way that choosing a level that reflects a requirement, and the key word is a ``requirement,'' on the Medicare+Choice organizations to offer plans that are no less than 3 years old. We think that that means that they can expend no funds other than to write a contract that would last 3 years. Anything else would be unacceptable under the language that we are offering. Our senior citizens are in trouble in this country. They are not doing as well as so many other segments of society. There is so much uncertainty and insecurity in their lives that the instability that the current system offers them is totally unacceptable. We approach things a little bit differently on Long Island, our congressional delegation that is, and we try to do things in more of a nonpartisan way when it affects our constituents. So we worked together, each and every one of us, Democrats and Republicans alike. And in the County of Suffolk, which is on the eastern end of Long Island, which I proudly share with our colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio), we have a situation which is critical that is highlighted by this legislation. Every single Medicare+Choice plan, with the exception of one, has announced that they are leaving Suffolk County because they are not being reimbursed quickly enough or adequately enough; and our senior citizens, those of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) and mine, are absolutely traumatized. They do not know what is going to happen. The one remaining plan has already announced they are going to have an additional $75 premium each month. Somebody has to come down here to the floor and stick up for those senior citizens who are living in abject fear, whether they be in the district of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) or my district on Long Island. And those are not the only places. All of these, these are single- space lists of counties throughout the country where this problem is imminent right now. But in our county, that of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) and mine, the announcement has already been made that they are packing up and leaving. They have given their 6-month notice. These people have nowhere to go. There is but one plan left. What happens to my colleague's seniors? What happens to my seniors with the remaining plan if they are only limited to one more year? Where will these people go? They will have no coverage. And if that is the case, shame on each and every one of us for not providing to our constituents the protection that they need. The constituents of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) need it. My constituents need it. And the constituents of so many Members whose districts appear on these lists need it, as well.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bill, especially because it contains some very strong protection and preservation measures for the Long Island Sound. I also wish good luck to the New York Mets, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 835, the Estuary Habitat Restoration and Improvement Act Conference Report. This measure authorizes $1.6 billion over five years for various estuary conservation and restoration activities, including the Long Island Sound. Preservation of the Long Island Sound is not a parochial issue, but a national one. By its inclusion as a charter member in the National Estuaries Program, the Sound has been designated as one of only 28 estuaries of national significance. Congress recognized the national importance of the Sound by creating the Long Island Sound Study (LISS), which involved Federal, state, and local entities as well as private groups. The result of this study was the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). This report has detailed the many challenges which Long Island Sound faces including floating garbage, biological contamination, and industrial waste--in short, all the things which plague our modern society. The time to act is now. The $200 million over 5 years which is authorized under this agreement, will be used to provide grants to implement remedial efforts to clean up the Long Island Sound as part of the CCMP. I am proud to represent an area that borders the Long Island Sound. The Sound is one of our nation's natural treasures with important environmental, recreational, and commercial benefits. Its value as an essential habitat for one of the most diverse ecosystems of the Northeast cannot be understated. Residents and vacationers alike enjoy the Sound for swimming and boating. And the approximately $5 billion in revenue generated by commerce relating to the Sound is vital to the region and to individuals who base their livelihood on the benefits of the Sound. Unfortunately, the effects of millions of people on the shore and in the Sound are evidenced in the deteriorated water quality. Over the last several years, Long Island Sound has suffered from numerous forms of pollution. This pollution is now threatening the Sound's multibillion dollar a year fishing industry. The most recent and devastating example is the unexplained and widespread lobster die-off. We must supply adequate resources to address this lobster die-off and to examine possible problems in the water that could have caused this crisis. I am confident that this legislation will have a significant impact on the ongoing efforts to improve the quality of the Sound. For the past seven years I have sponsored legislation to provide funding for clean up and pollution control programs for the Long Island Sound. I am very pleased that today we see legislation that will protect our beautiful Long Island Sound, along with other important bodies of water in our nation. I would like to thank Mr. Shuster and Mr. Oberstar for their leadership on this legislation and their commitment to preserving our national estuaries. I would also like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of my colleagues who represent areas along Long Island Sound. Therefore, I ask my colleagues to join with me today in supporting this conference report.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, as the Republic of China's 89th National Day approaches, I wish to congratulate President Chen Shui-bian and the people of Taiwan for their continuing economic success and political reforms. On this festive occasion, it is my hope that Taiwan and the Chinese mainland will soon begin a serious dialogue on reunification issues. The time is approaching for both sides to work out their differences and find a way to co-exist without antagonism. I am certain the people on Taiwan look forward to the day when they will be able to celebrate October 10th without the fear of a bellicose neighbor threatening not only their political freedom, but also their very lives. I also would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Ambassador C.J. Chen, who recently returned to Washington after several years in Taipei. A distinguished diplomat, Ambassador Chen is now Taiwan's chief representative in the United States. Ambassador Chen is an industrious and experienced diplomat who has worked diligently for many years to strengthen ties between the United States and the people of Taiwan. Mr. Speaker, Taiwan has become a beacon of democracy in an area of the world which has known authoritarianism for centuries. The upcoming celebration of National Day in the Republic of China is a timely reminder of the importance of our friendship and support for Taiwan.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to the Queens Courier, a weekly community newspaper in the borough Queens, New York, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary. The Queens Courier was launched late in the last century by Victoria Schneps and John Toscano. Victoria was a school teacher who teamed-up with then WABC-TV reporter Geraldo Rivera to expose abhorrent conditions at the Willowbrook State School for the Mentally Retarded. Victoria's daughter Lara had resided at the facility. John meanwhile, a former political editor at the New York Daily News published the weekly newspaper Queens Week. The two entrepreneurs invested a mere $250 each to embark on their journalistic quest where in the beginning they worked out of Victoria's living room and did not take salaries for the first year. The first issue of the newspaper hit the streets on May 9, 1985 as the Whitestone/College Point Courier. The front page headline read ``Whitestone-College Point Courier: First Issue Today.'' That first edition included stories on traffic tie-ups on the Throgs Neck Bridge, local school news and political and gardening columns. Within the next few years, Victoria bought John out and the newspaper attracted many loyal readers and established a strong identity in the area. Then as readership increased, Victoria Schneps expanded the newspaper to cover most communities throughout Queens and subsequently renamed the paper to the Queens Courier. Today the borough-wide publication includes five newspapers serving 36 neighborhoods in Queens. The newspaper features quality writing and reporting in a contemporary and easy to read format. It is available both by paid subscription and can be obtained at hundreds of outlets throughout Queens. The Queens Courier has also won numerous awards for excellence in community journalism while affording local businesses and merchants, the opportunities to reach their customers in an efficient and cost- effective manner. In addition, the publication has ventured into the broadcasting and Internet domain with the weekly public affairs show ``Queens on the Air'' on local cable and an informative site on the world wide web at www.queenscourier.com. I encourage everybody to log onto this site to see what community journalism is all about. Yes, from humble beginnings--including that stint until 4 a.m. to get the very first edition out--to obtaining the respect and trust of thousands of Queens citizens, the Queens Courier has become a newspaper heavyweight in the new millennium. Yet the publication continues to stay on the original mission that it set 15 years ago--to provide local news coverage in a fair, accurate and balanced manner. Whether through the breadth of its stories, the quality of its editorials, the informative advertisements, special features and insightful columns-- the Queens Courier remains on the cutting edge of community journalism. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me now in congratulating Victoria Schneps and the entire staff of the Queens Courier for a terrific 15 years of service to the Queens community. I am confident that the Queens Courier will continue to enjoy success for many more years to come.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join with my colleagues in bringing the House's attention to the 26th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, a tragedy that continues to upset the peace and stability of the eastern-Mediterranean region. The Turkish invasion, which occurred on July 20, 1974, has led to the expulsion of over 200,000 Greek Cypriots from their ancestral homelands for more than a quarter of a century. The systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing and harassment of Greek Cypriots has significantly marred the rich history of Cyprus and its people. Lootings and destruction continued to be ordered against archaeological and religious monuments in an attempt to wipe out the Hellenic and Christian Orthodox heritage of the island. The policies of redistributing Greek Cypriots' land to the 80,000 transferred Turkish settlers brought from the mainland by the Turkish government, and of harassing those Greek Cypriot enclaves forced to live within the stifling confines to Turkish-controlled areas on the island, are offensive to our nation's values. These violations of international law, unless acknowledged and remedied, will continue to cast a grim shadow on the future of all Cypriots. We, here in the House of Representatives, must remember the thousands of innocent Greek Cypriot victims not just for the meaning of their suffering, but also as a reminder of all those who have fallen victim to vicious ethnic, religious, and social hatred. Even today, ethnic strife remains a pox on the international community, and the unrelenting pattern of conflict around the world illustrates the importance of commemorative anniversaries such as the one we acknowledge today. Perhaps, it is only when we focus on the similaries of suffering between the people of the world that we can move beyond the differences among us. Our nation's unshakable commitment to human rights and the dignity of all people demands that we acknowledge and remember all those who have suffered at the hands of bigotry, hatred and intolerance around the world. As a nation, we witnessed a myriad of atrocities in the last century. In response, rightly, we have committed our nation to both working for the peaceful resolution of ethnic conflicts around the world and to defending truth and memory where injustice has occurred. Today, I am proud that this House again ensures that the victims of aggression on Cyprus are not victimized in memory as they were in life. Mr. Speaker, I am here today for a simple reason: to publicly recall that since 1974, thousands of innocent Greek Cypriots, regardless of sex or age, have been victimized by ethnic cleansing and partition for no just cause. Failure to take note of the situation in Cyprus is to become a party to this gross injustice, for as we all know, silence and inactivity amounts to acceptance. I continue to advocate the unwavering support of this House in support of the people of Cyprus in their struggle for a peaceful and just settlement to this protracted and ugly conflict with Turkey. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to commend and thank my colleagues Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Congressman Michael Bilirakis, the co-chairs of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus. Thanks to their leadership, this House has again fulfilled America's commitment to memory and decency, and most importantly, has kept faith with the people of Cyprus. I'd also like to recognize and express my thanks for the tireless devotion of America's citizens of Hellenic descent. Thanks to them and their commitment, the atrocities which have occurred in Cyprus will not be forgotten. We must build on their successes and work together to find an end to this terrible injustice as soon as possible.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 531 and would like to add my voice to those marking the sixth anniversary of the cowardly bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aries, Argentina. This searing event horrified the world and has, unfortunately, become a barometer for the political culture of Argentina. While we commend the statements of interest and commitment made by President Fernando de la Rua, I, along with many in this House, remain wary, in light of the six years of stumbling, ineffectual investigation and the reality of justice denied. The truth in this matter points unmistakably to elements within the Argentine state and unfortunately, this reality has been a source of delay and obfuscation rather than a catalyst for action by Agentine investigators. In addition to this disturbing procrastination on the part of investigators to dig deep into the roots of official involvement, the search for justice in Argentina has also skipped lightly over the possible involvement of Hizbollah, Iran and Syria. Notwithstanding the myriad statements pledging an absolute commitment to the search for truth and justice, the reality of the Argentine investigation has been a half-hearted, poorly funded, undermanned, uninspired, slow-motion search for answers. Mr. Speaker, six years ago in Buenos Aires, 86 people were killed and hundreds more were injured by a car bomb created and delivered by an unknown group of conspirators, who targeted their victims because of their Jewish faith. Cowardly and offensive, the bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center came little more than two years after the bombing of the Israeli embassy in the same city. By all accounts, Argentina's response to these two horrific crimes has been lackadaisical and disappointing. The victims of these crimes, old and young, male and female, deserve better than to have their quest for justice fade in a bureaucratic haze. I want to commend my colleagues Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen and Congressman Lantos for their excellent leadership on this important resolution, which I strongly urge this House to adopt. Putting the House on record on this matter is a vital step toward ensuring a genuine and effective investigation, and ultimately, a fair trial which provides just punishment for the guilty parties.