Gary Ackerman

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to applaud the achievement of the Queens Borough Public Library which has grown to become by far and away the busiest library in the entire nation. The following article from the Washington Post describes how the library has continually sought input from a growing immigrant community. The Queens system checks out over 15.3 million books and materials a year, and spends more money per capita on books than any other major urban American library. The Queens Borough Public Library should serve as a model of how one institution can bring together people of various races and ethnicities for the good of an entire community. A Boroughful of Bookworms--Motivated Immigrants Make Queens Library Busiest in U.S. By Blaine Harden New York, April 27--Pin-Pin Lin treks twice a week with her two sons and a big shopping bag to a crowded library in the borough of Queens. The Taiwanese immigrant herds her boys as they plunder books from library shelves and toss them in the bag. Sitting between her sons at a library table while they riffle through the books, she looks up words in an English- Cantonese dictionary and frets about any ``no-good'' English words they might read, speak or think. ``I no want to miss anything,'' explains Lin, who every Thursday morning, when her boys are in school, attends English language class at the Queens library. ``If I don't learn about American culture and speak English, I could lose them. If they think I not understand, they not do what I say.'' Book-obsessed, worrywart immigrants like Pin-Pin Lin are the driving reason why the Queens Public Library is far and away the busiest in the United States. Most library books in Queens do not go out of date. They wear out from overuse and fall to pieces. The library circulates the nation's highest number of books, tapes and videos--15.3 million a year. In the sprawling borough that lies across the East River from Manhattan, library card holders check out more books per capita than users of any big city library system in the country. The 1.95 million residents of Queens use the public library five times more frequently than residents of the District of Columbia, twice as often as residents of Prince George's County and a third more frequently than people in Montgomery County. The Los Angeles library serves about 1.4 million more people than the Queens library, but last year people in Queens checked out 4 million more books. ``We have complaints all the time from our older clientele, who want quiet and who want space. Well, our libraries aren't quiet and, for the most part, they aren't spacious,'' says Gary Strong, director of the Queens Public Library, one of three public library networks in the city. There is also a library system in Brooklyn and the New York Public Library serves Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island. ``The people who use our library are highly motivated,'' Strong adds. ``They want jobs. They want to learn how to live in America.'' Queens has the highest percentage of foreign-born residents of any borough in New York, a city that at the end of the 20th Century is sponging up one of the great waves of immigration in its history. Nearly half the residents of Queens speak a language other than English at home. More than a third were born in a foreign country. The extraordinary love affair between immigrants and libraries is a century-old story in New York, as it is in other American cities that have been immigrant gateways. The most crowded libraries in New York have always been in neighborhoods with the largest population of recent immigrants. That love affair continues at the end of the century, but with complications, especially in Queens. The book lovers who elbow each other for space in the library's 62 branches are more than ever before a mixed bunch--racially, linguistically and culturally. The busiest branch in the nation's busiest library system is in Flushing, which has been inundated in the past decade with Chinese, Korean, Indian, Russian, Colombian and Afghan immigrants. Until a handsome new library building opens this summer, the Flushing branch is crammed into a former furniture store. Inside, there are not nearly enough little chairs for all the little kids who wiggle and squeal and devour picture book after picture book. Stacks of blue plastic-coated foam pads are available so kids and parents can sit on the tile floor. Queues form behind computer terminals that allow immigrants to search home country periodicals using Chinese, Korean and Roman writing systems. ``Watch Your Belongings!'' signs are in English, Spanish and Chinese. There are no public bathrooms--space being too precious to waste on nonessentials. But there are librarians who speak Russian, Hindi, Chinese, Korean, Gujarati and Spanish. ``Have you ever wondered where the new South Asian materials are?'' asks a sign taped to a pillar in the Flushing branch library. ``Well, wonder no more. They're here! You can find materials in: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam and Urdu.'' ``We have gone from a dozen countries to a hundred countries,'' says Strong. ``We are not just waiting for them to come to us after they have solved all their problems, after they have a job and after they have the kids in school. We go after them. We advertise. We do not check their immigration status.'' Immigration had already transformed Flushing from a staid middle-class Italian and Jewish community into a polyglot boom town when Ruth Herzburg took over eight years ago as library branch manager. Herzburg quickly discovered that the branch was falling behind the newcomer mix. Herzburg tentatively put a small collection of Korean- language books out on a shelf five years ago. ``Those books walked off the shelves. Before that, we didn't really know the Koreans were here,'' she said. As immigrants make the transition from their native language to English, Herzburg says they hunger for basically the same kinds of books--translations of potboiler American fiction like Danielle Steel, self-help books and computer books. Many immigrants to Queens have technical skills, she says, and they demand science, technology and business books. By spending more money per capital on books and other materials than any other major urban American library system, the Queens Public Library has marshaled its resources to seduce each new group of immigrants and lure them into the branches. The seduction starts by sending library emissaries to immigrant associations that work with recent arrivals. In the languages of the immigrants, they explain how the library can show them how to get a driver's license, navigate the Internet and learn English. The library runs the largest English-as-a-second-language program in the country and says it could double its enrollment if it had more space and money. ``Starting with survival skills, they get introduced to the library and it is often the beginning of a lifelong habit,'' said Adriana Acaucan Tandler, head of the library's New Americans program and herself an immigrant from Brazil. Using census data and a demographer and by commissioning polls among Queens residents, the library has been able to spot holes in library usage. The biggest hole in the late 1980s was among Spanish speakers. The library went after them with an aggressive public relations campaign. It translated applications for library cards into Spanish, purchased spots on Spanish radio and pulled together a Spanish collection of 100,000 items in 10 branches. ``In just three years, we found that Spanish speakers were using the library as much as anybody in the borough. They read everything from Cervantes to `Superman.' The secret of our success is that we give people what they want, instead of what we think they should have,'' Acauan Tandler said. What adults want, above all else, is translations of American bestsellers in their own language. The library tries to buy them quickly and in quantity. At the Flushing branch, the head librarian has about $125,000 a year to spend as she wishes on ``hot'' books. ``We don't wait for the central office to send out popular books. We like to go around to all the local bookstores and buy popular books off the shelves. All the books are in foreign languages. We don't even have an English-language bookstore in Flushing,'' said Herzburg. Pin-Pin Lin tries to steer her boys, ages 10 and 13, away from Chinese-language books. She prefers they read only in English. To that end, she makes sure they leave the library after each visit with 20 or so English books in the shopping bag. ``I don't care if they read all. Kid is kid. If they don't like books. I bring them back and get more,'' said Lin.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 222 commends the Organization of American States for its role in successfully aiding the transition of Nicaragua from Civil War to democracy. Mr. Speaker, the OAS role in Nicaragua has proven to be invaluable. The international support and verification commission has resettled former combatants; distributed food and humanitarian assistance; and investigated and documented human rights abuses. In addition, the OAS- CIAV brokered negotiations between the Government of Nicaragua and the rearmed groups; provided critically needed infrastructure; and established local peace commissions to provide an avenue for alternative dispute resolution. Clearly, Santiago Murray and Sergio Caramagna are to be commended for their work as are all the members of the OAS-CIAV team and the follow- on OAS technical cooperation mission. These dedicated professionals have labored long and hard to ease the journey as Nicaragua consolidates its democracy. I want to thank and commend the chairman for introducing the resolution and I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues to honor an extraordinary man, the President of India, Mr. K.R. Narayanan. Tonight he is receiving the Appeal of Conscience ``Statesman of the Year'' award, and it is hard to find someone who is more deserving of this honor. Mr. Speaker, President Narayanan has had a distinguished career in public service for almost half a century. He served with distinction in the Indian Foreign Service for over 30 years, eventually serving as India's Ambassador to the United States from 1980 to 1984. It was after his tenure in Washington that he then entered the realm of politics, and served as a Member of Parliament from the district in which he was born from 1985 to 1992, at which time he was elected to serve as India's Vice President. In July of 1997, Mr. Narayanan, I am proud to say, assumed the office of the President of India. He has also, over the course of his career, become an accomplished author of several books and articles on social, political and international theory. During his tenure, President Narayanan has shown a great respect for human rights in general, the rights of minorities in particular, and the rule of law. As the leader of the largest democracy in the world, he has done a remarkable job in continuing to move India in the direction of economic liberalization and ever greater political freedom. India's most recent parliamentary elections demonstrate the stability of this nation and the leadership that President Narayanan has provided in stewarding the country through a fairly tumultuous year in domestic politics. In international affairs, President Narayanan has shown an innate ability to get along with leaders of all stripes, and work for the common good, not merely for India's interests, as we continue to navigate through the uncertainties of the post-Cold War era. He is a diplomat, a public servant, an educator, and an author, but more importantly, he is a concerned human being and citizen of the world, who is dedicated to ensuring that those who can't care for themselves are cared for. Most of all he is unswerving in the notion that all people, no matter their origin, race or other distinction, deserve peace, happiness and security in life. On the occasion of the nations of India and Israel celebrating their 50th year in existence, I think it is important to point out that these were the basic principles upon which they were both founded, and the same ones which my good friend President Narayanan sincerely and honestly espouses. That is why the ``Appeal of Conscience'' Statesman of the Year award so befits President Narayanan.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 215 is a straightforward resolution which commends the people of Guyana for conducting what were, by all accounts, free and fair elections. An assessment of the voting by the International Foundation for Election Systems indicates that election day went very smoothly, that poll workers were professional, that relations between the poll workers and poll watchers from the major parties were cordial, and turnout was very high. The problems began after the polls closed when it became apparent that the poll workers were not as well trained in the mechanics of counting the votes as they were in actually administering the polls. In some instances, the elections commission had to reject incomplete tally sheets because they could not determine where the votes had been cast. In addition, the reporting of the returns took several days and caused public unease and suspicion which in turn led to unrest and violence. The resolution makes note of these issues; commends the Caribbean community for its offer to audit the results; and urges all parties to respect the outcome of the audit, and to work for peace and stability in Guyana by supporting the rule of law and respecting human rights. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank and commend our colleagues Congressmen Payne and Bishop, for introducing the resolution, and Chairman Gallegly for moving forward with the bill. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, together with my colleagues, to commemorate the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. This is an episode of human history so dark, and so repulsive to our sense of decency and morality, that it deserves our special attention. In the eight years of the genocide, more than 1.5 million Armenians of the Ottoman Empire were systematically slaughtered. Their property was confiscated, and many were forced on long marches, often without food and water, during which thousands of victims died. Others were forced into slave labor, while many were simply tortured and executed. These atrocious acts comprised the first instance of genocide in the twentieth century--and tragically it was not the last systematic attempt to destroy an entire race of people. It is of the utmost importance that we not allow this tragedy to lapse from our memory. Equally important is that we should not by means of obfuscation and equivocation attempt to deny these horrifying events. It has been said that denial of genocide is the final state of genocide: by attempting to erase the memory of the act and trivialize the suffering of its victims it destroys the dignity of all those who died. I therefore call on the Turkish government to right a wrong and recognize the occurrence of the Armenian Genocide. In this way, we can finally come to terms with this tragedy, not as Turks or Armenians or members of any particular ethnic group, but as human beings. For it is only after we have acknowledged the evils of which humankind is capable, that we can prevent these evils from occurring again. Many are aware of the remark made by Adolph Hitler as he was planning the ``final solution'' for the ``Jewish problem'' that ``who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?'' The fact that he could take comfort in our collective amnesia only proves the need to remember these atrocities. I am honored to be joining with all those who are commemorating the Armenian Genocide today throughout the world, and I thank my colleagues, Congressmen John Porter and Frank Pallone, for helping to keep Members of the House focused on this very important issue. I implore everyone, young and old, to heed well the all- important phrase: ``We must never forget!''

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have both procedural and substantive problems with this resolution. First, this resolution was circulated among committee members only last Wednesday evening. The International Relations Committee held a mark-up less than 24 hours later to consider the bill. The Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere never had a chance to consider the resolution. Second, committee rules require a week's notice before mark-up legislation. In this instance we got only a few hours notice. Only in unusual circumstances are such procedures allowable under the rules and then only after consultation with the ranking minority member. No such consultation took place. Mr. Speaker, I cannot understand why we must ram this resolution through the House. It's not as though the helicopters called for by the bill will get there any more quickly. They're not even built yet. With regard to the resolution itself, Members should be aware that, as the resolution implies, this is not about just 3 Blackhawks. This about many more. Three is nowhere near enough for the Colombian National Police to have an effective capability. In fact, to be effective, they need more like 12. The 3 Blackhawks in last year's foreign operations bill cost $36 million. That means that Congress will be on the hook for $144 million, not $36 million. And that's without even considering the outyear costs for additional training and maintenance. Mr. Speaker, the language in last year's foreign operations bill was not considered by the House or Senate before it emerged from conference and it has never been the subject of hearings. Never aired in subcommittee or full committee in either the House or the Senate. I submit that it has skewed the entire anti-narcotics budget for Latin America, causing cuts in funding for both Bolivia and Peru, countries which have been very successful in their anti-narcotics efforts. This congressionally driven mandate has never received any sort of formal assessment to determine whether it meets the most pressing counter- narcotics needs of the Colombian police. We have never asked ourselves whether the CNP has the pilots to fly these or whether they have the mechanics to maintain them. The answer to both is no. No pilots. No mechanics. No capability. In fact, both the Colombian Army and Air Force already have Blackhawks, already have the pilots, and already have the mechanics. Yet they seem unwilling to support the counter-narcotics mission of the CNP. As I understand it, the Blackhawks that were sold to Colombia previously were supposed to support that counter-narcotics mission. This lack of support indicates to me that the Colombian Defense Ministry does not believe that the counter-narcotics effort is a matter of national security. I believe it is perfectly reasonable for us to ask for--and get--cooperation between the Colombian military and the CNP. Mr. Speaker, just a month ago the GAO criticized the administration for not prioritizing the types of equipment that should be provided to Colombia. To my knowledge, no such assessment has been done with regard to Blackhawks. I think we should at least hold ourselves to the standard that we criticize the administration for not meeting. Let me say finally, that the Colombian National Police, led by General Serrano and the anti-narcotics unit led by Colonel Gallego, have a difficult and dangerous mission. Thousands of their men have given their lives in the fight against narcotics. I believe we should assist Colombia. The question is how best to do that. Last year's bill was not the way to do it and this resolution does not make the situation any better. I urge my colleagues to oppose the resolution. Thank you.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, we are pleased once again to recognize and celebrate Greek Independence Day, commemorating the successful struggle of the Greek people for national sovereignty. Since that time, Greece and the United States have enjoyed a close relationship, characterized by a shared commitment to democracy, peace, and respect for human rights. The ancient Greek civilization was the birthplace of democracy and we as a nation are proud to carry on the principles which were first created there. We are especially proud to have had Greece as our ally during this last century's upheavals. Greece has been our ally in every major international conflict during this time, and has always acquitted itself with bravery and honor. In particular we recognize the valiant resistance to Axis occupation as commemorated by ``OXI'' day and the refusal of the Greeks to cooperate with or accede to the Holocaust. We also celebrate the heroism and determination shown by Greek soldiers in the crucial Battle of Crete, a turning point in the struggle for democracy and against fascism and oppression. The many Greek-Americans who have participated in the economic, cultural, and political life of America are testimony to the special relationship between our two peoples. The celebrations for Greek Independence Day which occur both in Greece and all across America demonstrate the spirit of civic pride and participation which have enriched both of our cultures. I am glad to have this opportunity to once again celebrate Greek culture and toast the Greek people. I had the opportunity late last year to demonstrate my commitment to preserving the territorial integrity of Greece by co-sponsoring a resolution expressing our recognition of Greece's claim to the Imia islands. I will continue to support our Greek allies in the future and express my best wishes to all those who are now celebrating the 177th Greek Independence Day.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, Annette Lantos, the wife of our colleague Congressman Tom Lantos of California has been a leading advocate for the Hungarian Holocaust hero, Raoul Wallenberg. Well before her husband was elected to Congress, Annette had established the International Free Wallenberg Committee to press Soviet authorities to release the Swedish humanitarian from prison. Much of the credit for bringing the tragic plight of Wallenberg to international and particularly to American consciousness has been the result of her work. On February 8, Mr. Speaker, Annette Lantos delivered a Tribute to Raoul Wallenberg at a special meeting of the Sydney Australia, chapter of WIZO (Women's International Zionist Organization), the non-party voluntary charitable women's organization which is similar to the organization Hadassah here in the United States. I have received reports of her exceptional presentation, and I ask that her recent address be placed in the Record. Tribute to Raoul Wallenberg (By Annette Lantos) Fifty-four years ago, on March 19, 1944, as the Nazi's campaign of terror and genocide finally overtook our native land of Hungary, a young idealistic Swede made his way to Budapest to interpose his own frail body between the Nazi war machine and the persecuted, unarmed thousands facing deportation and annihilation in Auschwitz. By the time Raoul Wallenberg arrived to Budapest, 500,000 Jews from the Hungarian countryside had already been taken to Auschwitz where most perished. But Raoul Wallenberg's arrival to Budapest delayed the execution of the death sentence upon the remaining 300,000 Jews of the cities long enough to enable some 100,000 of them--including my husband Tom and myself--to survive. It is on their behalf, and behalf of their children and their grandchildren that my husband, Tom, and I have dedicated many years of our lives to make Wallenberg's story known, and to honor this great man. When I began my work for Wallenberg in 1975, I had two goals in mind. First and foremost, I wanted to free him from the horrors of the Gulag where he was languishing--by that time for over 30 years. The second goal was to make Raoul Wallenberg's life and accomplishments penetrate the consciousness of mankind and to inspire all those who are touched by his story to become better, more unselfish, more caring human beings, willing to transcend the barriers of race, religion, or nationality in their concern for others. Raoul Wallenberg taught us two major things. First, he taught us that a single individual committed to a noble goal can achieve miracles. Second, he taught us that human rights are indivisible, that it is not enough just to be concerned simply with our own human rights. As Jews or Catholics, Australians of Hungarians or Americans, the only relevant concern for human rights that deserves respect is a concern that transcends religion and race and color and national origin. Raoul Wallenberg did not go to Budapest in 1944 to save Lutheran Swedes. He went there to save Hungarian Jews, with whom he had nothing in common except his common humanity. Raoul Wallenberg not only fought evil, but he also fought indifference, and indifference is the twin of evil. Those who kill are murderers, but those who stand by and do nothing in the face of murder share a complicity in crime. Wallenberg's message was loud and clear. We must fight evil, but just as hard we must fight indifference. Most of you have heard the story of Wallenberg. He started out issuing Swedish passports to all who managed to reach him at the Swedish legation in Budapest. He brilliantly negotiated with the Nazis and later the Arrow Cross gangsters (Hungarian Fascists) who ran Hungary in the final few months of the German occupation, until they recognized the validity of these fictional documents and exempted their owners from deportation and having to wear the yellow star. He bought or leased 32 large apartment houses and succeeded in declaring them Swedish territory in Hungary. Thousands of people were crowded into these protected houses, many of whom he brought back personally from the forced marches heading toward the death camps. He rushed the saved persons to the protected Swedish houses in Budapest. He even brought people back from the railroad cars, pulling them out of deportation trains, and from the banks of the Danube river. He interposed his own body between the fallen victims and the machine guns that were leveled at them by the Arrow Cross guards. When the Russians finally liberated Budapest in January 1945, he believed he was finally safe, and went to their headquarters to report and ask for food and medicine for the surviving victims. The Soviets didn't believe his story. They were convinced that he was an American spy. They kidnaped him on January 17, 1945, and he languished in the Soviet Gulag until 1981, when I personally believe that he finally died still in a Soviet prison. Even today, people ask me whether I think Raoul Wallenberg still lives. I personally do not believe that he is physically alive anymore, but I do believe that in the spiritual sense Wallenberg is more alive than most of us who are still around living our ordinary, day-to-day lives. He is more alive than most of us, because of what he has done. He not only saved lives, but he saved our faith in humanity. He continues every day to touch the lives of thousands of young people the world over, who, hearing or reading his story, testify that they have been inspired to become better human beings and to dedicate themselves to fight for the right of others who are still persecuted and oppressed all over the world. I would like to share with you tonight the writing of one of these young people who has been inspired by Wallenberg. The letter I am about to read to you was written by my granddaughter Chelsea Swett at age 10, on the occasion of the dedication of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. This truly magnificent museum, a considerable portion of which was paid for by successful Holocaust survivors in America, is not only a memorial to honor those who were consumed in the flames of the Holocaust, but it is intended as a warning to future generations of Americans of the consequences of unbridled racism, religious intolerance and national hatreds. The exhibits at the Holocaust Museum not only highlight the brutality and callous disregard for human life, but they also reflect the occasional heroic willingness of non-Jews to risk their lives in order to save another fellow human being. I am also very grateful that we succeeded in passing an Act of Congress to rename the street upon which the U.S. Holocaust Museum is located as Raoul Wallenberg Place. It is most significant that in addition to the permanent exhibition at the museum there is a special exhibit entitled ``Remember the Children,'' which commemorates the more than one million children who died in the Holocaust. This special exhibit also provides a presentation aimed at children so that they can understand the experience of children who suffered in the Holocaust. It is in connection with the special exhibit ``Remember the Children'' on the occasion of the dedication of the U.S. Holocaust Museum that my granddaughter Chelsea read the following letter: Dear Mr. Raoul Wallenberg: I have wanted to write you a letter for a long time. My grandparents told about you all the time. They tell me stories about how you saved hundreds of thousands of people in Hungary from the Nazis and their concentration camps. You are a hero. Sometimes I think and wonder what happened to you. Grandfather says that it has been almost fifty years since anyone has heard from you. Still, no one can forget what you did and how brave you were. My grandparents told me that you were very shy and modest. I can't believe that you were ever shy. My grandparents have told me how tough and strong you were against the Nazis. They said that, representing Sweden, you would walk up to people on their way to the camps and with a handful of fake passports, you would hand them out and say, ``Of course you're Swedish. Here's your passport,'' and you'd take them away to safety. You had houses where you would hide these people and they were safe because you flew the Swedish flag over the homes. My grandparents said that you even went onto the death trains and pulled people into safety. Most of all you are my hero because you saved my grandparents. You gave my grandfather a passport so he could escape the Nazis in Hungary. My grandfather is now a Congressman in the United States and he will never forget what you did for him and thousands of others. He worked to pass a law in Congress saying that you are an honorary citizen of the United States. My grandmother also escaped from Hungary with a Portuguese passport. She, along with my mom, organized a committee to find you after you disappeared. After a long time of looking hard, they still could not find you. That is why you are a hero to me. That is why you are a hero to so many others. You stood up to the Nazis and did what was right, You saved thousands of lives because you were brave and courageous. Now, a museum for the Holocaust is being dedicated in Washington, DC and it is on a street named for you, Raoul Wallenberg Drive. There are so many of us who owe so much to you. For all of us, I say thank you for all you did. Thank you. Your friend, Chelsea Swett Some rescuers risked their lives for an hour, some for the duration of the war. Some save one life, others saved thousands. What all the rescuers have in common, and what their message and legacy is to all of us was their inability to avert their eyes to the tragedy of others. Tom and I have tried personally to carry on this legacy of Wallenberg through the creation of an organization called the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. It is a totally non- partisan organization. Democrats and Republicans work shoulder to shoulder to accomplish its purposes. It has one single goal, to make Wallenberg's message a reality globally. The congressional Human Rights Caucus fights for human rights, wherever human rights are abased. We try to implement daily Wallenberg's message that human rights are indivisible. We fight for the right of Christians to practice their religion in China and Africa; we fight for the Jews in Syria; we fight for the rights of Tibetans to retain their culture and religion in Tibet; we fought for the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Transylvania; we fight for the Ba'hai in Iran so that the Ayatollah cannot succeed in crushing that peaceful, gentle people. It is not an accident that in the entire history of the United States that the two men have been honored by the U.S. Congress with honorary American Citizenship--Sir Winston Churchill and Raoul Wallenberg. These two men represent the two great ideals of our century. Churchill, the champion of freedom and democracy, and Wallenberg, the champion of human rights. I suspect that as time goes on the scope, the heroism and the depth of these two giants will increasingly penetrate the world, and future generations will see their timeless ideals fulfilled in their own lives. Long after all of us here in this room are gone, long after the sound and fury of this twentieth century have been relegated to the garbage heaps of history, the ideals and the memory of Raoul Wallenberg will live on. He will live on to teach future generations what I think is the single most important lesson of human history-- that in order to survive, in order to create more livable condition in this world, we must accept the responsibility of becoming our brothers' and our sisters' keepers. This is the meaning of Wallenberg's legacy, and this is the meaning of our struggle for human rights across the globe.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my constituents and the friends and family of Jack B. Levy as they gather in Long Beach, New York to celebrate his 100th birthday. Jack is the quintessential example of the American success story and exudes those characteristics and traits that are part of the great American heritage. Born on February 25, 1898 in Levov, Russia as Yankel Levov, he immigrated to America at age 15. Passing through Ellis Island and by the whim of an immigrant inspector, he emerged into his new country as Jack B. Levy. Having been taken in by his aunt and uncle, Jack took advantage of the many opportunities being offered him and on his second day in America began his first job. Jack was not one to sit idly by and undertook a series of jobs that would include cab driver, train engineer and anything else at which he could earn a living working 12 hours a day seven days a week. With a voracious appetite for reading the daily papers, a habit which he still maintains, Jack quickly learned to read and write English. He soon became a citizen and established the practice of having voted in every local and national election. In 1924, he married Mollie Steinman and began a family that was to include his children, Lawrence, Aaron and Irene, eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. Much to the perseverance and dedication of their parents, the work ethic, the concept of community service and giving of one's self to help others became ingrained in their daily lives. Retirement has not changed Jack as is evidenced by the County of Nassau recognizing him for his outstanding work among senior citizens. Not only has he continued to be a source of joy and enlightenment to his entire family, he has also taken his many talents and effectively applied them to the members of the Senior Center of Long Beach, New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to rise and join with me in honoring Mr. Jack B. Levy. At a time when we search for heroes and outstanding leaders to provide us with that leadership imbued with warmth, compassion and understanding, we are well-served by the extraordinary efforts of Jack Levy.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my constituents and the friends and family of the Milton and Shirley Gralla family as they come together to celebrate Shirley being awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Yeshiva University. Shirley Gralla's story is that of a child of Eastern European Jewish immigrant parents who came to America. Through her many talents, keen insight and most compassionate nature, Shirley has succeeded in giving aid and hope to those people seeking to come to America and experience the blessings of freedom and prosperity that she has experienced. For more than a decade Shirley Gralla has been recognized as an international leader in assisting refugee families trapped in the former Soviet Union. More recently, Shirley Gralla has become immersed in a comprehensive approach to provide Jewish education and communal services for such refugee families in the United States. Mrs. Gralla has striven mightily to provide the emotional stability and compassion these people need to establish new and successful lives in America. In conjunction with her husband Milton, a Trustee of Yeshiva University, Mrs. Gralla has initiated a ``Celebration of Religious Freedom,'' enabling Soviet Jewish couples who have immigrated to the United States to be remarried in traditional religious ceremonies denied them under the Communist regime. These ceremonies have taken place throughout the United States as well as Canada and Israel. Shirley Gralla has consistently demonstrated that she can not only develop dynamic and far-reaching programs, but also roll up her sleeves and join in making things happen. In 1985, with her husband Milton, they sponsored a ``Freedom Flight'' of Soviet Jews from Bucharest to Israel and personally accompanied these refugees aboard the plane. As more and more Eastern European Jewish emigres obtained their freedom through the demise of the Soviet Union, Mrs. Gralla has extended her efforts and resources to assist and help stabilize these people through educational support programs at Yeshiva University and elsewhere. The Grallas have recently endowed a scholarship fund at Yeshiva University for such students. In addition, Mrs. Gralla and her husband have become Yeshiva University Benefactors by endowing the Gralla Family Research Center for Brain Disorders at the University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine. It is in the truest tradition of our great country that we give of ourselves freely to assist others. Shirley Gralla has taken this timeless tradition and filled the lives of countless people with love, hope, stability and a realization that even in the darkest moments of one's being there will always be hope. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to rise with me in honoring this great woman.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join with my constituents and members of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church as they gather to honor Fr. George G. Passias for two decades of service to our community. Originally a native of Chicago, Fr. George received his early education in Morton Grove, IL. At the University of Illinois, he received his B.S. in structural science and mechanical engineering, and an M.S. in theoretical and applied mechanics. Against this background of intensive education, he married Mary Ellen Orlando and maintained an active participation in the parish of St. John the Baptist in Des Plaines where he served as a teacher in the church school, was the GOYA advisor, a parish council member and executive board member. In 1976, answering to a higher calling, Fr. George left his doctoral studies and with his wife moved to Boston to enter the Holy Cross School of Theology to undertake a master of divinity degree. He graduated in 1979 and received the Massachusetts Bible Society Award. At this point in their lives and with two children, Fr. George moved his family to Bayside, NY, and became assistant pastor of St. Nicholas. The next 20 years were not only years of dynamic growth for the parish, but also for Fr. George. He devoted his efforts to help in making St. Nicholas a parish known for caring, learning and serving people in fulfilling themselves. Under his efforts, the church's educational programs were expanded and the William Spyropoulos Greek American Day School was formed. In addition, he spearheaded the formation of the young adult league, adult Bible classes and retreats for members of all ages. In 1982, he was appointed pastor of St. Nicholas and undertook a program that rapidly expanded the physical building of St. Nicholas, increased its membership and brought to the parish a most warm and compassionate sense of dedication and involvement. It is now the largest parish in the archdiocese. After two decades of service, Fr. George has been appointed chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Church of America. In all his years as a priest, Fr. George has been endowed with a spiritual warmth that not only made him a builder of a church, but a builder who combines all the good and positive feelings in a person that leads to success and fulfillment. As he now assumes the chancellorship of the Greek Orthodox Church of America, it is with great pride that I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this man who will now spread his warmth and compassion throughout our great country.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Herricks Middle School in Albertson, NY, which has recently received a Blue Ribbon Award for academic excellence by the Department of Education. The school will be honored in a ceremony with Education Secretary, Richard Riley on November 6. Herricks Middle School strives to give every student the most well rounded education possible by fostering each child's cognitive, social, and physical development. Students are required to take a seventh grade guidance class, where they can initiate a positive relationship with a guidance counselor, early on in their academic careers. The school's academic teams, which consist of teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, and parents, focus upon each individual student, in order to provide critical support during difficult times. Herricks Middle School also has a diverse and innovative extracurricular program. The school has also placed an important focus upon computer literacy programs. The administration has recognized that a computer in a classroom may not necessarily foster a student's education unless a teacher is fully versed in the proper technology. Thus, a part time staff member has been hired to train teachers in computer technology and help them apply it in a classroom setting. Since this training program was implemented, computer use by teachers has tripled. The school's innovative curriculum also includes interdisciplinary units on the Holocaust and immigration. All of these factors have combined to create an extraordinary learning environment. The average daily attendance rate at Herricks Middle School exceeds an astounding 96 percent. The school's average standardized test scores in reading and math fall between the 82d and 92d percentiles nationwide. Much of this success can also be attributed to the leadership and commitment of the school's principal, Dr. Seth Weitzman. Herricks Middle School is working to build tomorrow's leaders through innovative academic and guidance programs, constant teacher training, and diversified extracurricular activities. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in honoring this school for their extraordinary work and congratulating them on receiving the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School, in Greenlawn, NY, which has recently received the prestigious Blue Ribbon School Award by the Department of Education. The school will be honored at a ceremony on November 6 with Education Secretary Richard Riley. The Thomas J. Lahey Elementary has taken many innovative steps to involve the entire community in improving the quality of education for its 962 students. Volunteers throughout the community assist in a variety of tasks from reading to children to providing computer instruction in the classroom. The school also works in conjunction with local businesses to further the growth of both the community and the students. For example, for National Book Week, a local supermarket donated more than 800 grocery bags which students used to create a drawing and write a summary of their favorite books. These bags were distributed throughout the town of Greenlawn. This unique partnership between school and community should serve as a model for other schools who are trying to do more for their students in a time of declining budgets. The partnership also reminds us all of the role we in the community need to play in bettering our Nation's schools. Much of the school's success can also be attributed to the work and dedication of its principal, Dr. Janet Perrin, who can often be found reading to children and participating in classroom instruction. Under her leadership, parents, students, and teachers have been challenged to give more of themselves to better both the school and the community. The school has taken important steps in increasing the children's access to the Internet and the World Wide Web. At the same time, the school is working with the community to teach students the importance of the arts in our society. The Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School truly embodies the ideals of creativity and innovation. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly dynamic institution.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, later this month Shyamala B. Cowsik, the Deputy Chief Minister at the Embassy of India, will conclude a 2-year tour of duty in the United States. During this 2-year period, Ambassador Cowsik has been a central figure in the growing diplomatic relationship between the United States and India. She has worked tirelessly to build new bridges between the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy and to destroy many misconceptions which kept our countries apart for many years. As a member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian- Americans, I have been privileged to know Ambassador Cowsik and to interact with her on several occasions. She has been an outstanding representative of her country's interests in Washington and in other cities across the United States. My own district in New York City and Long Island has a large, growing and prosperous Indian-American community which has been a source of inspiration and pride for me in my capacity as a Member of Congress. I am certain my constituents will miss Ambassador Cowsik as she departs to become India's Ambassador to Cyprus. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in taking this opportunity to congratulate Shyamala Cowsik on a job well done and to wish her every success in the future. I applaud her for her excellent service in Washington.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 1270, the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1997. Few policy decisions will have a more significant impact on our environment and the safety of our communities than this bill before us today. High-level waste is a daunting responsibility which must be afforded the most stringent and thorough deliberation. The determination to transport nuclear waste through 43 States, affecting 52 million people, should not be mandated by political motivations. The potential cost, in terms of the loss of life and the impact on our environment is too great to dictate arbitrary deadlines. If the scientific community is not yet prepared to support the political rhetoric coming from this floor, how can we feel qualified to preempt their authority and expertise? When we in Congress fail to meet our deadlines on appropriations bills, we pass a continuing resolution, and extend the time afforded us to pass informed legislation. With the passage of H.R. 1270, we will be directing the Department of Energy to abide by a deadline which they are not adequately prepared to implement. By doing so, we will endanger our environment and the constituents of almost every Member in this House. As conscientious legislators, we must grant the Department of Energy the same latitude to make informed decisions that we allow ourselves. To do anything less would be the ultimate form of hypocrisy. The scientific feasibility of the Yucca Mountain site has not yet been determined, and when every significant environmental and citizen organization is in opposition to this bill, we must at least acknowledge that there are serious concerns which have not been adequately addressed. In good conscience there is simply no way we can place this deadly material in untested canisters and ship it on poorly maintained railways, through ill prepared and unaware communities, until every issue is resolved and every precaution is taken. If we pass this legislation we have failed our community, we have failed our Nation, and we have failed ourselves. I strongly urge all my colleagues to vote against this dangerously flawed bill.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my constituents and the friends of the Pedersen-Krag Center as they honor Peter Tilles as the recipient of their Humanitarian Award on this their 40th anniversary. The Pedersen-Krag Center, founded in 1957 is a State licensed nonprofit outpatient mental health and chemical dependency agency offering a full continuum of services to Long Islanders of all ages. Peter Tilles represents the true humanitarian who, despite significant business and family commitments, has always been able to devote considerable time and resources to serving a variety of communities in need of leadership and resources. In the area of building development, Peter has built and managed millions of square feet of office space on Long Island. Nassau Crossways International Plaza and the Big ``H'' Shopping Center in Huntington serve as examples of his expertise in this area. Yet in the field of philanthropy and civic involvement, Peter has compiled an equally impressive record. He is an active trustee of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, has chaired the golf tournaments of the March of Dimes, the Coalition on Child Abuse and Neglect, and the Tilles Center's Swing for Kids Program. In addition, he serves as a trustee of the Planting Fields Arboretum, is a member of the advisory board of Title Guarantee and a committee member of Israel Bonds. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join with me and the Pedersen-Krag Center in saluting Peter Tilles. It is the goodwill and support generated by Peter Tilles that has helped countless patients of the center find the compassion and stability so necessary to enhance and fulfill their lives.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today full of joy and fulfillment as my constituents and the other members of Temple Beth David of Commack, Suffolk County, prepare to join together to observe a most special Yom Kippur service. This Saturday, on Yom Kippur 5758, the most sacred of all days in the Jewish calendar, Rabbi Leonard Troupp of Temple Beth David and his congregants will reunite a sacred Holocaust Torah scroll from the town of Dobris, in what was then Czechoslovakia, with Petr Herrmann, a resident of that village prior to the Holocaust. Thus, the congregation will, in the words of Rabbi Troupp, ``witness the victory over evil and glimpse the possibility of God's promise for all mankind.'' Mr. Herrmann's biography is one from which great novels can be written. It is full of adventure, good and evil and is filled with the indomitable human spirit to survive and maintain justice, love and freedom. The Herrmann family lived in Dobris from 1793 until the tragedy of the Holocaust. Uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors and even Mr. Herrmann's father, Alois, became B'nai Mitzvah as they stood before the Torah scroll that now has found a home at Temple Beth David. That Torah was a part of their lives that was viciously torn from them in 1939 as the Holocaust descended upon Europe. Mr. Herrmann, his parents, relatives and friends were taken from Dobris and sent to locations whose names evoke the most unbelievable horrors and cruelty that have yet been devised: Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, Birkenau. Sadly, many of the Dobris Jews perished at these death camps. On this Yom Kippur, 55 years since he and the Jewish community of Dobris were deported, Petr Herrmann will show that he has done more than just survive. He and his wife, Jarmilla, will stand once more before the Dobris Torah and recite the traditional Jewish blessing that gives thanks for having been able to observe and participate in this event. He will proudly recite the family names from Dobris--Arnstein, Bloch, Bohm, Fleischmann, Frankl, Gluck, Katz, Kosiner, Lederer, Lion, Oppenheimer, Pollack and Porges--families that were proud members of the Dobris Jewish community; families who are now but memories. Mr. Speaker, as we observe this solemn and moving occasion, it is fitting that we pay tribute to those self-effacing people who in the times of greatest adversity still reflect the compassion and courage of our society. I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me now in commending the efforts of Pamela Gershowitz, head of the Dobris Committee at Temple Beth David; Werner Reich, who led the search that brought Mr. Herrmann to Commack, Rabbi Leonard Troupp, and other members of the Temple Beth David congregation, in recognizing the heroic tale of Petr Herrmann, and in welcoming the Herrmann family back to the Dobris Torah in Commack.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, October 10 marks the 86th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China [ROC]. In Taiwan, October 10 is known as National Day and is a day of celebration and remembrance. I think it is important that my colleagues and I take a moment to send our congratulations to the 21 million people on Taiwan for developing a strong participatory democracy. The ROC government began 11 years ago to take the final steps toward true political maturity. They broadened the scope of local and national elections, increased licensing of private TV and radio stations, and privatized government-owned monopolies. These reforms culminated with the popular, direct election of Lee Teng-hui as Taiwan's President. Mr. Speaker, the Republic of China's current representative to the United States, Dr. Jason C. Hu has been an integral part of the positive political developments of the past 11 years. In 1991, as a cabinet official under President Lee, Dr. Hu helped to open the political system to greater participation. As the President's spokesman during the last election, Dr. Hu helped to get out President Lee's message of political inclusion which helped garner Lee more than 54 percent of the vote in a four-way race. As representative to the United States, Dr. Hu has worked to strengthen ties between the United States and the ROC. Later this month, Dr. Hu will be returning to the ROC to become the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In this very senior position within the President's cabinet, Dr. Hu will build on the work he has begun here in the United States. I am sure he will help guide the ROC to even better relations with the United States. I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating the ROC on its National Day, and in wishing Dr. Hu well and thanking him for all his assistance.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, it is basically a triple taxation. We pay taxes on the 15th of April; then there is a user fee which is a tax of $65 on the American people in order to get the passport, so that will tax twice. Then they decide that that is not good enough, we are going to tax people for the information, like going to the grocery store and ask the grocer where the milk is, and he says, ``Ask that guy, but he's going to charge you to tell you where the milk is.'' I mean it is an absolute absurdity. There is a solution, and I appreciate the suggestion, and it is certainly a good one. An additional suggestion would be to dedicate the $65 fee to the State Department to allow them to use that money rather than putting that money back into the general fund. But triple taxing the American people for basic government information, basic service to which they are entitled, is an absolute absurdity, and I salute the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. ACKERMAN. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman is absolutely correct. We have a case of a nun who lived in my district. She had been adopted, had a different name in her adulthood, was selected by her order to represent them overseas and had to get a passport. She had to call this 900 number. She got trapped in this system. They did not know how to fix this thing. She was spending $60 calling 900 numbers. Everybody was looking at her kind of crookedly in her convent, as my colleagues know, why is she on this 900 number all night, and the deal was she was the nun who could not fly. They could not fix this for her. Mr. Chairman, certainly she is entitled to basic government services as every other U.S. citizen is without being taxed three times, and I appreciate the cooperation of gentleman from New Jersey and the chairman and ranking member on this.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I appeal the decision of the Chair.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith] for yielding, and I thank the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Rogers] for his understanding and cooperation on this issue and the leadership of the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith], as well as the gentleman from West Virginia [Mr. Mollohan], the ranking member. The American people and, I think, the Members of the House should just roughly understand what is happening here. The State Department decided that they were upset because we did not fully fund everything that they were asking for. So they decided to come up with their own tax on the American people and say, well, we do not have enough money to answer the phones, so we will just contract and let somebody else perform that duty. It is almost as if we decided that we were upset that we did not get enough money for our legislative offices and said, ``Let us not answer the phones. Let us get a company to answer the phones for us, and it is a 900 number, and they will tell what we are in favor of or not in favor of and free up our staff to do something else.'' It is kind of outrageous. I just want to raise the ante from what the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith] said. It is not double, it is triple taxation. They pay taxes on the 15th of April.

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition, although I am not opposed.

Mr. ACKERMAN

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman, the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Rogers], for his cooperation and his decisive leadership in this matter, and I urge the adoption of this amendment in the House.