Shelley Berkley

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I'd particularly like to thank my colleagues, Representatives Towns and Issa, for expediting the floor consideration of this resolution, because it is very time sensitive. I would also like to thank Mr. Wamp for his work on this resolution and for joining me as a lead cosponsor. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 790 and in support of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who served this Nation in building and maintaining our nuclear defenses since World War II. In my home State of Nevada, we have thousands and thousands of our fellow citizens who have worked at the Nevada test site, the essential Nevada test site, and put themselves at great risk to make sure America had a first-rate nuclear weapons program. From the nuclear scientists, to the janitors, to the secretaries, and the drivers, these people devoted their lives in defense of their country, creating a nuclear weapons program for our Nation's security and defense. Many were unwittingly exposed to beryllium, ionizing radiation and other toxic substances and hazards. Many of these extraordinary workers have since developed deadly diseases, mostly cancer, as a result of their work at the Nevada test site and other sites around the country--in Georgia, Kentucky, New Mexico, Ohio, and Texas, just to name a few. And so we stand here today to honor these heroes and to call upon our fellow Americans to do so as well. In my home State of Nevada, the Atomic Testing Museum--on the grounds of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where my colleague Congresswoman Dina Titus taught and is an expert in this field--will host an event on October 30, this Friday, to honor and remember those who sacrificed in order to protect our great Nation. Whatever one may think of America's nuclear program, we can all agree on one thing: these workers deserve our thanks and our gratitude for their work and for their subsequent sacrifices. I thank them. I thank my colleagues once again for their support. I urge my colleagues to vote strongly and resoundingly in favor of this resolution.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud daughter of Greece, and as a cosponsor of this resolution, to join my colleagues in honoring the Daughters of Penelope, an organization of women who exemplify Hellenic values and ideals, both within the United States and across the globe. Over the past 80 years, the efforts of the Daughters of Penelope have had a significant impact on the welfare of those in need. From assistance to battered women and children, to support for cancer research and funding for schools, the work of these women is deserving of our wholehearted recognition and praise. I want to draw special attention to the contributions that the Daughters of Penelope have made in the fight against breast cancer. Not only has the organization participated in a variety of fundraisers for breast cancer research, the Daughters of Penelope have engaged members of different ethnic communities in countries across the world by preparing and distributing awareness pamphlets that they translated into several languages. Raising awareness is a vital method of fighting breast cancer and I commend the efforts of these women in educating underserved communities about this disease. Another notable accomplishment of the Daughters of Penelope is the Greek Immigrant Oral History Study, recordings that document the history of Greek women, like my grandmother and great-grandmother, who immigrated to the United States. This project marked the first time that an ethnic organization had submitted its oral history to the Library of Congress, paving the way for other ethnic communities to share their own stories as well. With great appreciation and admiration, I recognize the invaluable contributions the Daughters of Penelope have made in the spirit of Hellenism. I join in supporting this resolution and urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act, which helps State and local governments do their part to divest from Iran. The Iranian regime represents a threat to us, to Israel, and to our allies throughout the Middle East and beyond. Their president has threatened to destroy Israel and has repeatedly denied the Holocaust. Iran's leaders have sought to destabilize the entire Middle East and are sparking an arms race in that region. In the last few weeks, we have seen just how far the Iranians are willing to go to conceal their weapons programs, and only time will tell how many more hidden nuclear sites we will find there. With this bill today, we help our States and local governments to play a role in the international effort to halt Iran's march toward nuclear weapons. As is so often the case, they have not waited for us to act. I am proud that, in June of this year, my home State of Nevada passed a law to help make sure our State Public Employee Retirement System does not invest in Iran, or in companies that do a large amount of business with Iran. Steps like this will help to show just how determined we are--on every level--to stopping Iran's nuclear threat. We must do everything we can to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The UN Security Council must act now, and place further sanctions on Iran. UN member states must do their part to enforce the already-existing sanctions. We in Congress will soon pass our own further sanctions, and I hope we will continue to give our government the tools it needs to further tighten the screws on Iran's financial sector. We must use every tool available to us before it is too late. I urge support for this bill.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, a recently identified retrovirus called XMRV has been linked to the debilitating neuroimmune disease that affects more than 1 million people in the United States. Scientists from the Whittemore Peterson Institute, located at the University of Nevada, Reno, and their collaborators from the National Cancer Institute and Cleveland Clinic have discovered a retroviral link to chronic fatigue syndrome. This is a major breakthrough in understanding the origins of this debilitating disease. I rise in order to congratulate Harvey and Annette Whittemore. Ms. Annette and her husband, Harvey, have a daughter that was diagnosed with chronic disease syndrome. They have worked tirelessly and relentlessly to fund and ensure that they can find a cure to this disease. I rise also to tell people that the money to purchase the equipment used to discover this medical breakthrough was funded by an earmark by the United States Congress. This is a good expenditure of taxpayers' dollars and will ultimately save millions of our fellow Americans' lives. I congratulate the Whittemores and the institute. I look forward to working with them, not only to identify and isolate this enzyme that causes this disease, but to actually cure it.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Congressman Murphy for providing me with the opportunity to speak on this important issue. As a cosponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, I fully support the repeal of the unjust, unnecessary, and unsound ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy. I believe we must reject current practices that have institutionalized discrimination against many valuable members of our armed services for too long. Instead, we must establish a new policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' is simply unjust. It flies in the face of the fundamental American value of equality for all. No individual, including those in our armed forces, should be discriminated against based on his or her sexual orientation. Members of our armed services have fought honorably to protect our safety and freedom, so the least we can do in return is to fight to protect their freedom and equality as well. My hometown of Las Vegas includes Nellis Air Force Base, one of the premier Air Force facilities in the U.S., and I believe the courageous men and women who serve there deserve to be treated with equality and respect, regardless of their sexual orientation. The ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy is also completely unnecessary. The vast majority of Americans believe our troops deserve the opportunity to serve with honesty and honor. And most importantly, a majority of servicemembers have said they would have no reservations about serving alongside gay and lesbian troops, proving the problems this policy supposedly prevents are not, in fact, problems at all. Not only is this practice unjust and unnecessary, it is also unsound. Our military should not fire valuable servicemembers simply for being gay, particularly during a time of war when we need every American who is willing and able to serve. Furthermore, repealing ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' would increase, not undercut, unit cohesion by fostering openness and trust among troops. Ultimately, ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' does nothing to contribute to our national security. In reality, it only undermines the strength and integrity of our military system. I believe this practice should be repealed immediately, not only for the benefit of our armed forces, but for the safety of Nevada and our Nation as a whole.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentlewoman and I thank her for her hard work on this and every other piece of legislation that this body votes on. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the conference report of the National Defense Authorization Act. I'm pleased to see that the conference report includes an important provision which would require a study on providing Federal retirement benefits to former Air America employees. From 1950 to 1976, Air America was a government corporation owned and operated by the CIA that supported America's missions during the cold war. The corporation conducted flight operations in various countries, including China, Korea, and Vietnam, on behalf of the Department of Defense and the CIA. The CIA conducted Air America operations in secret and did not acknowledge that Air America was a government corporation. Therefore, those Air America employees have never received their government retirement benefits. This noncontroversial Air America provision included in section 1057 of the conference report simply requires a report from the Director of National Intelligence on the visibility of correcting this oversight and retroactively giving these employees Civil Service Retirement System benefits. It is only right. It is only fair. Air America employees served their country with distinction, often at great risk to themselves. They earned these benefits. This, in addition to so many other parts of this bill, make it well worth voting for, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentleman for the recognition. I rise in support of this important piece of legislation. This bill would ensure that members of the U.S. military, the Foreign Service, or the intelligence community who are deployed overseas are not penalized by the requirement to repay the first-time homebuyer tax credit. For those who have been stationed abroad for at least 90 days this year, it would also provide an additional year to qualify for the first-time homebuyer tax credit. This would include the 1st Squadron, 221st Cavalry out of Las Vegas, Nevada, and the 1st Battalion of the 168th Medevac Unit of the Nevada National Guard. Both are deployed overseas in Afghanistan on behalf of their Nation. The brave men and women who selflessly serve this country should not be penalized because of their commitment to our Nation. This legislation ensures that they do not miss out on the important housing tax benefit. I encourage my colleagues to support the passage of this bill.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentlelady for yielding, and I particularly thank Mr. Delahunt for his steadfast leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Travel Promotion Act. In these difficult economic times, this bill is vital for our Nation's economy. It is essential to my hometown and congressional district of Las Vegas, which is the very definition of tourism and travel. Last year, the United States lost nearly 200,000 travel-related jobs. In my district of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, we've been hit particularly hard, with one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and a hotel occupancy rate just about as low as we've ever seen it. This bill will bring back these jobs and put Americans back to work. Independent economists say that for every dollar we spend on this program, we will bring in $3 of increased revenue from added jobs and economic growth that will be created by increased tourism to our country. And this could be accomplished without adding to our national debt. Every State in our Nation benefits from tourism. Tourism is one of the largest industries in America. Whether you have mountains, beaches, amusement parks, vineyards, ballparks, historic monuments or gaming, we all benefit from this bill. This is a great piece of legislation that will help energize our economy at a time when we need it most. I urge support for this bill.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Thank you, Congresswoman. I would like to thank both Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and my dear friend Congressman Sue Myrick for leading the charge, and a special thank you to Debbie. She did mention that we're next-door neighbors. And I want to tell you, Debbie, I used to--you know, in the morning before I start getting ready to come to work--and I am always at work by 8 o'clock no matter where I have to be; it's usually by 8. And I would be sitting at my dining room table having my cup of coffee and reading the newspaper, and at ungodly hours there was Debbie getting into her car, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out where she was going at this hour. I said, Where can this woman be going? But then by 8 o'clock I would see her at whatever meeting we were at. And I never knew until you made that public disclosure of what you were going through and that you were going through it by yourself, with your loved ones, but not sharing with your colleagues because you wanted to keep this personal and not tell people at that time. And I cannot tell you the admiration I had for you long before that, but particularly afterwards. And, Sue, same thing. I recall distinctly when you were going through your treatments and how brave you were during that time, and it's an inspiration for all of us. This is a very important piece of legislation, and that's why I came to the floor at 9 o'clock in the evening. It's particularly personal to me. There isn't a woman in my family that has not died of cancer, of breast cancer: both my grandmothers, all of my aunts, my mother. The worst day of my life is when my sister, Wendy, 47 at the time, called me up and told me that she had been diagnosed with cancer. Given the background of my family, listening to this my knees buckled because I was so fearful of her fate. But because times have changed and there's early detection and better awareness of this dreaded, horrible disease, horrible disease, she was able to get the treatment that she needed. They practically killed her to cure her, but she's alive today and doing not only very well but she just became a grandmother last Friday. And that could not have happened in my mother's generation or my grandmothers' because they weren't aware of what they needed to do in order to protect themselves. I am hoping that when we are discussing health care in this country that we are able to change the paradigm of how we deliver health care services to the people that we represent throughout the United States of America. This is a perfect example of legislation that is important because it raises awareness for all women, young and old, but particularly younger women that need to know what to look for, what to expect, what are the signs, and what they can do when they suspect that they have the early signs of cancer. I think the reality is with early detection, you can prevent these diseases and seek the treatment that you need so that you can go on to lead a long and wonderful life and have children and grandchildren just like my sister Wendy. Women don't take very good care of ourselves. We're always taking care of everyone else. And the little aches and pains we have we tend to ignore because we're too busy during the day to deal with it. We cannot afford to let that happen because sometimes it's those little pains, those little bumps, those little things that we don't pay attention to that could ultimately lead us down a path that we don't want to go. If you have a sick mother, you have a sick family because in most cases, the mother is the linchpin of the family. And if you're going to have a women that doesn't take care of herself, doesn't know what the early signs of cancer are, doesn't know what to look for and what to do should they suspect, then they're not going to treat themselves; they're not going to have early detection; they're not going to have prevention of this disease. And the entire family is going to be harmed, and the loss to the family is dramatic. So I cannot thank you enough for introducing this legislation. I'm a proud cosponsor. I look forward to being on the floor and voting for this and pressing that green button. And I thank you all, not only on behalf of the women in my family-- those that have gone, those that are still here and those that are yet to be born--but for the millions of other American women and families that this legislation is going to help and to save. And I thank you both for that.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to re-introduce the Small Business Tax Equalization and Compliance Act, legislation that would extend the existing tip tax credit--the 45(b) credit--to employers in the salon industry and at the same time encourage tax compliance through education and improved tip reporting requirements. This legislation makes needed changes to the tax code to help support a vital and growing sector of America's economy, the salon industry. The salon industry is one of America's most diverse industries and home to a large number of entry-level jobs, but with room for advancement and opportunities that go far beyond minimum-wage. The industry is also a significant employer of women, particularly working mothers who need flexibility in their work schedules. In 1993, Congress formally recognized that employers should not be responsible for paying FICA taxes on income that was not paid by them, and granted the restaurant industry a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on the employer's share of FICA taxes paid on tip income above the minimum wage. Much like restaurants, salon employees receive a large portion of their income in the form of tips. As a matter of tax fairness, it is time to extend similar treatment to the salon industry. My bill also includes provisions to improve tip reporting to ensure that all salons--whether the traditional employer-employee model or the non-employer salons where independent contractors report their own tips--are fully complying with reporting requirements. I believe that small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and salons are an important part of the small business community. Eighty-two percent of salon establishments have fewer than 10 employees and 98 percent of salons are single-unit operations. Extending the tip tax credit to these small businesses would provide much needed tax relief, particularly in these challenging economic times, and allow them to reinvest in their businesses, employees, and communities. A strong economic recovery will depend on the health and strength of our small business sector. It is imperative that we work to ensure our tax rules governing this sector are fair, simple, and encourage compliance. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I seek to call my colleagues' attention to the powerful and important speech that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered to the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2009. In it, he calls on all nations to stand with Israel in confronting the threats posed by Iran and by terrorists around the world. This is a conflict between civilization and barbarity, he says, and the record of the United Nations hangs in the balance. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Speech to the General Assembly Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, nearly 62 years ago, the United Nations recognized the rights of the Jews, an ancient people 3,500 years old, to a state of their own in their ancestral homeland. I stand here today as the Prime Minister of Israel, the Jewish state, and I speak to you on behalf of my country and my people. The United Nations was founded after the carnage of World War II after the horrors of the Holocaust. It was charged with preventing the reoccurrence of such horrendous events. Nothing has undermined that mission, nothing has impeded it more, than the systematic assault on the truth. Yesterday the President of Iran stood at this very podium, spewing his latest anti-Semitic rants. Just a few days earlier, he again claimed that the Holocaust is a lie. Last month, I went to a villa in a suburb of Berlin called Wannsee. There, on January 20, 1942, after a hearty meal, senior Nazi officials met and decided to exterminate my People. They left detailed minutes of that meeting and these minutes have been preserved for posterity by successive German governments. Here is a copy of the minutes of the meeting of senior Nazi officials instructing the Nazi government exactly how to carry out the extermination of the Jewish people. Is this protocol a lie? Is the German government, are all German governments lying? A day before I was in Wannsee, I was given in Berlin the original construction plans for the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. These plans of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps I now hold in my hand. They contain a signature by Heinrich Himmler--Hitler's deputy himself. Are these plans of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp where one million Jews were murdered, are they a lie too? This June, President Obama visited another concentration camp--one of many--the Buchenwald concentration camp. Did President Obama pay tribute to a lie? And what of the Auschwitz survivors whose arms still bear the tattooed numbers branded on them by the Nazis? Are those tattoos a lie too? One-third of all Jews perished in the great conflagration of the Holocaust. Nearly every Jewish family was affected, including my own. My wife's grandparents, her father's two sisters and his three brothers, and the aunts, and uncles and cousins--all murdered by the Nazis. Is this a lie? Yesterday, the man who calls the Holocaust a lie spoke from this podium. To those who refused to come and to those who left in protest, I commend you. You stood up for moral clarity and you brought honor to your countries. But to those who gave this Holocaust-denier a hearing, I say on behalf of my people, the Jewish people, and decent people everywhere: Have you no shame? Have you no decency? A mere six decades after the Holocaust, you give legitimacy to a man who denies the murder of six million Jews while promising to wipe out the State of Israel, the State of the Jews. What a disgrace! What a mockery of the charter of the United Nations! Now, perhaps some of you think that this man and his odious regime, perhaps they threaten only the Jews. Well, if you think that, you're wrong--dead wrong. History has shown us time and time again that what starts with attacks on the Jews eventually ends up engulfing many, many others. For this Iranian regime is fueled by an extreme fundamentalism that burst onto the world scene three decades ago after lying dormant for centuries. In the past thirty years, this fanaticism has swept across the globe with a murderous violence that knows no bounds and with a cold- blooded impartiality in the choice of its victims. It has callously slaughtered Moslems and Christians, Jews and Hindus, and many others. Though it is comprised of different offshoots, the adherents of this unforgiving creed seek to return humanity to medieval times. Wherever they can, they impose a backward regimented society where women, minorities, gays or anyone else deemed not to be a true believer is brutally subjugated. The struggle against this fanaticism does not pit faith against faith nor civilization against civilization. It pits civilization against barbarism, the 21st century against the 9th century, those who sanctify life against those who glorify death. Now the primitivism of the 9th century ought to be no match for the progress of the 21st century. The allure of freedom, the power of technology, the reach of communications should surely win the day. Ultimately, the past cannot triumph over the future. And our future offers all nations magnificent bounties of hope because the pace of progress is growing, and it is growing exponentially. It took us centuries to get from the printing press to the telephone, decades to get from the telephone to the personal computer, and only a few years to get from the personal computer to the Internet. What seemed impossible a few years ago is already outdated, and we can scarcely fathom the changes that are yet to come. We will crack the genetic code. We will cure the incurable. We will lengthen our lives. We will find a cheap alternative to fossil fuel and yes, we will clean up the planet. I am proud that my country Israel is at the forefront of many of these advances--in science and technology, in medicine and biology, in agriculture and water, in energy and the environment. These innovations in my country and many of your countries offer humanity a sunlit future of unimagined promise. But if the most primitive fanaticism can acquire the most deadly weapons, the march of history could be reversed for a time. And like the belated victory over the Nazis, the forces of progress and freedom will prevail only after a horrific toll of blood and fortune has been exacted from mankind. This is why the greatest threat facing the world today is the marriage between religious fundamentalism and the weapons of mass destruction. The most urgent challenge facing this body today is to prevent the tyrants of Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Are the members of the United Nations up to that challenge? Will the international community confront a despotism that terrorizes its own people as they bravely stand up for freedom? Will it take action against the dictators who stole an election in broad daylight and then gunned down Iranian protesters who died on the sidewalks and on the streets choking in their own blood? Will the international community thwart the world's most pernicious sponsor and practitioner of terrorism? Above all, will the international community stop the terrorist regime of Iran from developing atomic weapons, thereby endangering the peace of the entire world? The people of Iran are courageously standing up to this regime. People of goodwill around the world stand with them, as do thousands of people who have been protesting and demonstrating outside this hall all this week. Will the United Nations stand by their side? Well, ladies and gentlemen, the jury is still out on the United Nations, and recent signs are not encouraging. Rather than condemning the terrorists and their Iranian patrons, some here in the United Nations have condemned their victims. This is exactly what a recent UN report on Gaza did, falsely equating terrorists with those they targeted. For eight long years, Hamas fired rockets, from Gaza on nearby Israeli cities and citizens--thousands of missiles, mortars--hurtling down from the sky on schools, homes, shopping centers, bus stops. Year after year, as these missiles were deliberately fired on our civilians, not a single UN resolution--not one!--was passed condemning those criminal attacks. We heard nothing--absolutely nothing--from the UN Human Rights Council, a misnamed institution if there ever was one. In 2005, hoping to advance peace, Israel unilaterally withdrew from every inch of Gaza. It was very painful. We dismantled 21 settlements--really bedroom communities and farms. We uprooted over 8,000 Israelis. We just yanked them out from their homes. We did this because many in Israel believed that this would get peace. Well, we didn't get peace. Instead we got an Iranian backed terror base fifty miles from Tel Aviv. Life in the Israeli towns and cities immediately next to Gaza became nothing less than a nightmare. You see the Hamas rocket launchers and the rocket attacks not only continued after we left, they actually increased dramatically. They increased tenfold. And again, the UN was silent--absolutely silent. Finally, after eight years of this unremitting assault, Israel was forced to respond. But how should we have responded? Well, there is only one example in history of thousands of rockets being fired on a country's civilian population. This happened when the Nazis rocketed British cities during World War II. During that war, the allies leveled German cities, causing hundreds of thousands of casualties. I'm not passing judgment. I'm stating a fact--a fact that is the product of the decision of great and honorable men-- the leaders of Britain and the United States fighting an evil force in World War II. It is also a fact that Israel chose to respond differently. Faced with an enemy committing a double war crime of firing on civilians while hiding behind civilians--Israel sought to conduct surgical strikes directed against the rocket launchers themselves. Now mind you that was no easy task because the terrorists were firing their missiles from homes and from schools. They were using mosques as weapons depots, as missile caches, and they were ferreting explosives in ambulances. Israel, by contrast, tried to minimize casualties by urging Palestinian civilians to vacate the targeted areas. We dropped countless flyers over their homes. We sent thousands and thousands of text messages to the Palestinian residents. We made thousands and thousands of cellular phone calls urging them to vacate, to leave. Never has a country gone to such extraordinary lengths to remove the enemy's civilian population from harm's way. Yet faced with a clear-cut case of aggressor and victim, whom do you think the United Nations Human Rights Council decided to condemn? Israel. A democracy legitimately defending itself against terror is morally hanged, drawn and quartered, and given an unfair trial to boot. By these twisted standards, the UN Human Rights Council would have dragged Roosevelt and Churchill to the dock as war criminals. What a perversion of truth! What a perversion of justice! Now, Delegates of the United Nations, and the Governments whom you represent, you have a decision to make. Will you accept this farce? Because if you do, the United Nations would revert to its darkest days, when the worst violators of human rights sat in judgment against the law-abiding democracies, when Zionism was equated with racism and when an automatic majority could be mustered to declare that the earth is flat. If you had to choose a date when the United Nations began its descent, almost a free fall, and lost the respect of many thoughtful people in the international community, it was that decision in 1975 to equate Zionism with racism. Now this body has a choice to make. If it does not reject this biased report, it would vitiate itself: It would begin or re-begin the process of vitiating itself from its own relevance and importance. But it would do something else; it would send a message to terrorists everywhere, saying: Terrorism pays; all you have to do is launch your attacks from densely populated areas, and you will win immunity. And then a third thing: in condemning Israel, this body would also deal a mortal blow to peace. Let me explain why. When Israel left Gaza, many hoped that the missile attacks would stop. Others believed that even if they didn't stop, at the very least Israel would have made this gesture, an extraordinary gesture for peace, but it would have international legitimacy to exercise its right of self- defense if peace failed. What legitimacy? What self-defense? The same UN that cheered Israel as we left Gaza, the same UN that promised to back our right of self-defense, now accuses us--my people, my country--of being war criminals? And for what? For acting responsibly in self-defense, for acting in a way that any country would act with a restraint unmatched by many. What a travesty! Ladies and gentlemen, Israel justly defended itself against terror. This biased and unjust report provides a clear-cut test for all governments. Will you stand with Israel or will you stand with the terrorists? We must know the answer to that question now. Now--not later. Because if Israel is again asked to take more risks for peace, we must know today that you will stand with us tomorrow. Only if we have the confidence that we can defend ourselves can we take further risks for peace. And make no mistake about it. All of Israel wants peace. Any time an Arab leader genuinely wanted peace with us, we made peace. We made peace with Egypt led by Anwar Sadat. We made peace with Jordan led by King Hussein. And if the Palestinians truly want peace, I and my government, and my people, will make peace. But we want a genuine peace, a defensible peace, a permanent peace. In 1947, this body voted to establish two states for two peoples--a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews accepted this resolution. The Arabs rejected it and invaded the embryonic Jewish state with hopes to annihilate it. We ask the Palestinians to finally do what they refused to do for 62 years: Say yes to a Jewish state! As simple, as clear, as elementary as that. Just as we are asked to recognize a nation-state for the Palestinian people, the Palestinians must be asked to recognize the nation-state of the Jewish people. The Jewish people are not foreign conquerors in the Land of Israel. It is the land of our forefathers. Inscribed on the walls outside this building is the great Biblical vision of peace: ``Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. They shall learn war no more.'' These words were spoken by the great Jewish prophet Isaiah 2,800 years ago as he walked in my country, in my city--in the hills of Judea and in the streets of Jerusalem. We are not strangers to this land. This is our homeland. But as deeply connected as we are to our homeland, we also recognize that the Palestinians also live there and they want a home of their own. We want to live side by side with them, two free peoples living in peace, living in prosperity, living in dignity. Peace, prosperity and dignity require one other element. We must have security. The Palestinians should have all the powers to govern themselves except a handful of powers that could endanger Israel. This is why the Palestinian state must be effectively demilitarized. I say effectively, because we don't want another Gaza, or another South Lebanon, another Iranian backed terror base abutting Jerusalem and perched on the hills a few kilometers from Tel Aviv. We want peace. I believe that with good will and with hard work, such a peace can be achieved. But it requires from all of us to roll back the forces of terror, led by Iran, that seek to destroy peace, that seek to eliminate Israel and to overthrow the world order. The question facing the international community is whether it is prepared to confront those forces or to accommodate them. Over 70 years ago, Winston Churchill lamented what he called the ``confirmed unteachability of mankind.'' By that he meant the unfortunate habit of civilized societies to sleep and to slumber until danger nearly overtakes them. Churchill bemoaned what he called the ``want of foresight, the unwillingness to act when action will be simple and effective, the lack of clear thinking, the confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong.'' Ladies and gentlemen, I speak here today in the hope that Churchill's assessment of the ``unteachability of mankind'' is for once proven wrong. I speak here today in the hope that we can learn from history--that we can prevent danger in time. In the spirit of the timeless words spoken to Joshua over 3,000 years ago, let us be strong and of good courage. Let us confront this peril, secure our future and, God willing, forge an enduring peace for generations to come. [Translation from the Hebrew] ``The Lord will give strength to His people, the Lord will bless His people with peace.''

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I want to single out and say how much I appreciate the work of Congresswoman Dina Titus from the State of Nevada, as well as Chairman Rangel and Chairman Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Stark on this very important issue. The economic downturn has hit many parts of this country very dramatically, but none more dramatically than in the State of Nevada, and certainly in the southern part of the State that I represent. I have 100,000 Social Security recipients in my congressional district, many of whom will be impacted by the increase in the Medicare part B premiums next year. Since this increase is not going to be offset by the normal cost-of- living increase in their Social Security checks, I think this is a very important way and a very necessary way of helping to keep my seniors, who rely on Social Security and who will be harmed with this additional payment, keep them whole. So I want to thank my colleague again and join with her in protecting the seniors in the State of Nevada and throughout the country.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to announce the introduction of a concurrent resolution honoring the Black Stuntmen's Association and the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women for their central role in the fight for racial equality in the film and television industry. I have the honor of representing some of the founding members of these organizations, and I feel it is time the Congress of the United States recognizes the part they played in combating discrimination in Hollywood. The film and television industry was not immune to the racial and cultural struggles of the 1950s and 1960s in America. This was reflected in the small number of African-Americans and other minorities working throughout the industry. When stunt doubles were needed for the few African-American actors working in Hollywood, common practice was to ``paint down'' white stuntmen, using makeup to darken their complexion. As more African-American actors began to find work in the major studios in the 1960s, the almost exclusive use of white stuntmen became a more visible example of the racial discrimination still plaguing our society. In 1967, a group of African-American stuntmen, athletes and extras founded the Black Stuntmen's Association to address these lingering problems in the industry. The Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women was formed in 1973 to continue the fight against racial bias in Hollywood. Together these groups confronted the studios over their discriminatory practices, pursuing legal action to bring additional diversity to the industry and monitoring compliance with the resulting agreements. Through their tireless efforts, members of the Black Stuntmen's Association and the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women paved the way for greater racial equality in film and television in the ensuing years. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize some of the individuals who were involved in the founding and operation of the Black Stuntmen's Association and the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women: Eddie Smith, Marvin Walters, Jadie David, Ernie Robertson, Henry Kingi, Alex Brown, S.J. McGee, and Willie Harris. The efforts of these men and women, as well as many others, bore fruit in other aspects of the industry as well. African-Americans began to break through racial barriers both in front of the camera as actors and behind the camera as directors, producers and in other management positions. Their lasting contributions have changed the way Hollywood does business, and they truly deserve our recognition and gratitude. I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the Black Stuntmen's Association and the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from California for yielding me this time, and I thank my colleague from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as cochairman of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus and in support of this resolution and in support of the people of Taiwan. It was a horrific and frightening thing to see the devastation that the typhoon wrought on Taiwan; over 600 dead, scores missing, and so many thousands hurt. Nearly 200,000 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. We mourn these losses and send our deepest condolences to the people and Government of Taiwan. At the same time, I am so proud of the United States of America, the fact that we sent timely aid and helicopters to help our friends in their recovery efforts. While the Taiwanese people are strong, certainly strong enough to recover completely on their own, I hope that as a friend of Taiwan, we will continue to show our support for them and help them through this difficult time. Taiwan is an important trade partner, fellow democracy, and a strong U.S. ally in a very volatile region of the world. It is my sincere hope that our two democracies, that our two countries, will continue to have a close and strong relationship for many years to come through the good times and the bad. This certainly is as bad as it gets, but it will get better.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, today I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the centennial anniversary of Cragin and Pike Insurance in Las Vegas. In 1909, the first insurance company in Las Vegas opened its doors in newly incorporated Clark County, Nevada. Peter Buol, the original owner, provided real estate and insurance services to the citizens of the newly established City of Las Vegas. The business philosophy established by Peter Buol was carried on by partners Ernie Cragin and William Pike. Their combined dedication to and vision for our community contributed immensely to the political, economical, and environmental development and history of Southern Nevada. Ernie Cragin served as Las Vegas Mayor for 25 years and was instrumental in establishing the Helldorado Days celebration and parade downtown. He also worked to bring the U.S. Army's Aerial Gunnery School, which is now known as the world famous Nellis Air Force Base to Southern Nevada. William Pike, who began as an assistant to Peter Buol and would later own the company, witnessed the construction of the Hoover Dam and helped many of the workers meet their financial and insurance needs. After the passing of Ernie Cragin and William Pike, Paul McDermott and Frank Kerestesi continued the name of Cragin & Pike Insurance. The current partners--Tom Kerestesi, Mark McKinley, Greg McKinley and Tom Burns continue the Cragin & Pike tradition of personal service by providing insurance, risk management and surety products to Southern Nevadans. On September 24, 2009, Cragin & Pike Insurance celebrates 100 years of continuously doing business in Southern Nevada. I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating Cragin and Pike Insurance on their 100th Anniversary.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, today the House will consider the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act. The legislation would extend unemployment benefits by up to 13 weeks for over 300,000 jobless workers who reside in high unemployment States and that are projected to run out of unemployment compensation by the end of September. This bill will serve as a lifeline, aiding those who are still struggling to find work in Las Vegas and other parts of Nevada. The once recession-proof economy of my district of Las Vegas has not been spared from the effects of this downturn. In fact, Nevada has been hit harder than any other State by the foreclosure crisis, and our unemployment rate has skyrocketed to over 13 percent, the second highest in the Nation. This legislation will bring much-needed relief to many jobless Nevadans. It is absolutely critical that Congress step up and pass this federally funded extension of unemployment benefits. I support the bill we are considering today because it will help hardworking Nevadans get by until the situation improves--and it will--and they can return to work.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, Nevada has been a boom State for as long as I can remember. My family has been there for 46 years, and with every passing year, more and more people moved in and more and more people flourished in a very strong economy. But when the bust came, it came with a vengeance, and I am afraid that the State of Nevada, like many other States in this country and many other countries in the world, is suffering and is in the midst of an economic crisis. We have the highest mortgage foreclosure rate in the country in my congressional district and I have one of the highest unemployment rates. And what makes this so startling is perhaps a year ago there was virtually no unemployment in my district and in the State of Nevada. There has been a lot of criticism about the stimulus package. It is called the Recovery Act, more commonly known as the stimulus package. People say it is not big enough. People say it is not fast enough and that it is not working. But I have to tell you, the people of Nevada have received extraordinary benefits from this stimulus package. There was a reason that I voted for it. It provided education funding, unemployment benefits, health care benefits, tax breaks, Social Security money for my seniors, and my disabled veterans received substantial funds as well. According to the Nevada State Treasurer, $426 million in stimulus funds have already been paid out to people in Nevada. That doesn't include the tax cuts, the Social Security payments or the payments to our disabled veterans. Money is flowing into Nevada and is keeping many families afloat during this economic crisis, and it is an economic crisis the likes of which none of us have ever seen and none of us ever thought would happen. But let me tell you in real terms how this stimulus package is benefiting the folks back home. Tax cuts: The Making Work Pay tax credit. I know you recall, Madam Speaker, there was $400 for individuals, $800 for families. Ninety-five percent of American families and individuals are already seeing a decrease in their withholding and their paychecks. One million families in Nevada are seeing more money in their monthly paycheck because of this stimulus package at a time when this money is so desperately needed. 118,000 Nevada families are going to benefit from the Child Tax Credit expansion. American Opportunity Tax Credit. There is a new $2,500 tax credit that is going to help 32,000 Nevadans go to college. I know what it is like when you don't have money to go to college and you have to take out loans and grants. This is going to help kids, like me, that went to school and depended on these loans and grants. Alternative minimum tax. 31,000 people in my district would have been slammed by the alternative minimum tax if the stimulus package had not been passed. There is tax relief for business as well. Whether you are a large casino or a small business in the State of Nevada, we provided relief for you: cancellation of indebtedness, bonus depreciation, small business expensing. For most of us, we don't understand what that is, but for small business people and businesses in general, this is their very lifeblood, and we have saved thousands of Nevada's small businesses from going under. Unemployment insurance. With an unemployment rate of over 12.5 percent and going higher--we haven't bottomed out yet--the very fact that we were able to provide unemployment benefits, extension of unemployment benefits and expansion, so that Nevada families that find themselves unemployed for the first time ever are going to be able to use this as a bridge to get from where they are now to where we need to be. Health care. So many of my constituents, the very poorest of us, depend on Medicaid money. The State of Nevada had no Medicaid money. The Federal Government came in and helped the State of Nevada so that we can continue to provide health care for the poorest among us. Education. We all talk about the importance of education and how it is the most important thing that we can provide children for their future and for the future of this country. Well, Nevada was broke. The State legislature couldn't figure out where we were going to get the money, and the Federal Government came to our rescue; $400 million in fiscal stabilization funds. What is that? That means that we are going to prevent teacher layoffs and other education cuts. We were restoring the money that was slashed by the Nevada Legislature, $70 million in special education, $70 million in disadvantaged student funding. These were so important for the people of Nevada, so important for our schoolchildren. And when things get tough and people are laid off, the first thing they are going to need is food stamps in order to feed their families. I know that my time is almost up, but there are three things that are so important. A $250 one-time payment to all Social Security beneficiaries. That is 100,000 people in Nevada that will benefit from that. Veterans, a $250 one-time payment to disabled veterans. 18,000 veterans in Nevada will benefit from that. And infrastructure funding as well. $200 million will be spent in Nevada on infrastructure. $33 million are for flood control projects, and the rest is going to go to the Regional Transportation Commission to continue to improve our infrastructure, all very important. The people of the State of Nevada need to know this, and I appreciate the fact that this body passed that legislation.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate once again the anniversary of Turkey's illegal invasion and occupation of Cyprus, beginning in 1974, lasting up to the present time. The division of Cyprus has wreaked havoc on the island nation and left its Turkish- occupied section in disarray. It is cruel that the Cypriot people should continue to be subjected to this conflict. Three summers ago, we were all pleased to see the two sides reach a major breakthrough in the troubled history of this divided island. After years of conflict, both sides committed themselves to the re- unification of Cyprus based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation and political equality. By agreeing to these principles, they recognized the status quo is unacceptable and that continuing it only hurts Turkish and Greek Cypriots. It is my hope--and I believe my colleagues share in my feeling--that the two sides will soon be able to begin full-fledged negotiations, leading to a final status agreement and the removal of all Turkish troops from the island. Last Congress, this House expressed its support for these efforts by unanimously passing H. Res. 405, of which I was a proud cosponsor. Madam Speaker, we urge the two parties to move forward in their discussions and, at the same time, we urge the international community to step back and allow the Cypriots--and the Cypriots alone--to make the decisions affecting their future. No one can force an agreement on them.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill. It addresses climate change, promotes the development of clean-energy sources, and brings us closer to our goal of securing America's energy independence. This bill also takes extra steps to protect consumers while creating new green jobs. Nevada is in the forefront of renewable energy use. In 1997 Nevada enacted a renewable portfolio standard requiring that 20 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2015. Nevada's solar potential, coupled with our State's geothermal and wind resources, will bring jobs to Nevada and make us a leader in the use of production of clean energy. In contrast, the alternative proposed by the House Republicans continues the same old failed policies, including the Yucca Mountain project. It doubles the amount of nuclear waste that can be shipped to Nevada and jams twice as much of this radioactive garbage down our throats. The Republican plan to more than double the size of the Yucca Mountain dump would only double the danger to families in Nevada and across our Nation at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding and for his steady leadership on this and so many other issues, the ranking member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) for his leadership on this and so many other Middle East-related issues as well. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and in support of the people of Iran whose voices deserve to be heard in a free, open and democratic way. We are not here today to discuss the outcome of this election or involve the United States in the internal politics of Iran. The American people, through their elected representatives, are here today to stand with the people of Iran and people all over the world who yearn to express their opinions and to exercise their right to free speech and fair elections. It takes an enormous amount of courage to stand up to your government in a repressive society, and the American people applaud those heroes who face intimidation and oppression for expressing their views. I am personally in awe of the Iranian people and hope others will learn by their example. I also support President Obama, who I believe has steered an excellent course for dealing with this situation. While some have called upon him to condemn the Iranian government more forcefully, I believe it is essential that the United States not interfere in this remarkable debate and public demonstration. What the world is watching unfold in Iran is condemnation enough of what is happening in that country. We should, however, encourage free speech, free elections and nonviolence for all the parties involved. It's a wise course, and I believe it is one we would have benefited from in years past. I thank the gentleman from California once again. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation. I support it totally.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on rollcall Nos. 340 through 350. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on each. Thank you.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank my colleagues Mr. Waxman and Mr. Klein for putting this resolution together. Mr. Speaker, the shooting at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a sad reminder of how anti-Semitism, intolerance, and hatred can lead to senseless acts of violence and death. My deepest condolences go out to the family of our security officials, Officer Johns, who was killed while defending the visitors and staff of the museum. His bravery and actions in the line of duty are to be commended and will long be remembered. This disturbing attack on Washington's Holocaust Memorial Museum and the accompanying loss of life underscore the importance of teaching each new generation about the causes of the Holocaust and how we must work together to prevent the spread of intolerance and hatred based on religion, ethnicity, race, color, anything you choose. This shocking and horrific hate crime should be condemned by all Americans. We must speak with one voice that this is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the United States of America. This resolution is a worthy first step in this effort. I urge unanimous vote in favor of this resolution by my colleagues.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding and for his extraordinary leadership not only for this bill but on our committee. I rise today in support of this important bill. It contains a number of important elements that all of my colleagues should support. It increases our diplomatic corps dramatically, allowing the hiring of 1,500 additional Foreign Service officers over the next 2 years; it increases our financing of peacekeeping missions in Darfur and Chad; it doubles the size of the Peace Corps and sets out a plan for better response to humanitarian needs worldwide. The bill also contains a sense of Congress calling for the release of captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. He has been held hostage for nearly 3 years, and it's time that he be brought home to his family and his loved ones. If there is ever to be a Palestinian state, returning Gilad Shalit would be a true demonstration that the Palestinians are capable of self-governance and humanitarian behavior. With that, I call on my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. BERKLEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I hope that I do not take the remainder of your time. I am here to speak in strong support of this resolution. I think it's a very important one and one that needs to be stated in this legislation and stated far more often. The fact of the matter is is that Iran poses an existential threat to the entire civilized world. It is as much a threat to the United States and Europe and the Arab countries in the region as it is to Israel. A nuclear Iran cannot be allowed to happen. The only difference is that the President of Iran, Ahmadinejad, has singled out Israel for particular hatred and contempt and has threatened to wipe Israel off the map. We have learned after Adolf Hitler that when the leader of a country threatens to exterminate you or wipe you off the map, you ought to take them seriously. So you have a President of Iran that is desperately attempting and rapidly attempting to acquire nuclear capability, not necessarily for peaceful means but for military means and a threat to Israel to wipe it off the map. I suggest to you that this is a very dangerous combination, and that is why this resolution is important. And I thank the gentleman very much for introducing this amendment. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Ms. BERKLEY

Ms. BERKLEY. Well, Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to be able to share this time with my very dear friend and colleague, Eliot Engel from New York. I think he made very clear how anxious we are to see peace come to the Middle East and how we support a two-state solution that has been America's policy in the Middle East for many years. But there is another component to that, and that component is that the Palestinians have to show good faith too--and by showing good faith, that means recognizing Israel's right to exist, adhering to prior agreements and doing other things that would demonstrate, including ending the terror and the violence against Israel--that they are serious partners for peace. Eliot, when they talk about sitting down at the peace table, you need to have a partner at the peace table, particularly one that recognizes your right to exist. If your peace partner, so-called, doesn't recognize your right to exist, what are you negotiating, for your right to exist for 10 years, 20 years, 30 years? When the Palestinians show good faith by truly ending the terrorism, recognizing Israel's right to exist, adhering to prior agreements calling for peace and other measures, then the Israelis can have the security they need to sit down and negotiate a two-state solution. They have made unilateral withdrawals of land over multiple decades, and, as my dear colleague knows, these have been very, very tough choices for Israel. They have made them with very little in return.