Timothy Bishop

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution recognizing the families of the members of the U.S. Armed Forces and supporting the designation of National Military Families Week. I commend the gentleman from Arkansas for introducing this important tribute to the families of our brave men and women in Iraq, Afghanistan and along the front lines of the global war on terrorism. American families with sons and daughters deployed overseas deserve our recognition for the support and comfort they provide every day. Nearly 40 percent of service men and women who are currently deployed or away from their permanent duty stations have left famlies with children, and there are over 3,000,000 family members and dependents of those serving on active duty and in the reserves. These families share unique challenges as they endure unpredictable recalls, extended tours of duty, and deployments that can be as frustrating and painful as recovering from the traumas of war and the readjustment to life back home. By passing this resolution today, military families will know that America understands and appreciates the critically important link between the support they provide and the readiness of our troops. Having honored our fallen this past Memorial Day, we extend our appreciation to the active duty and reserve personnel, as well as their families, who continue making sacrifices to help our troops honor their commitments to the Armed Forces and to our Nation. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution and look forward to working toward providing military families the assistance they deserve for their many contributions and dedication to our troops.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time and I thank him for his leadership on this important issue. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to rise as a cosponsor of the Sanders- Stupak-Bishop amendment which will restrict funding in the appropriations bill from being used to add more oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Today, our Nation faces exorbitant energy costs, and taxpayers continue to suffer sticker shock at the gas pumps. As a front page article in today's Wall Street Journal reported, we have seen a recent decrease in the cost of oil, but compared to 1 year ago, gas prices on average are still 6 cents higher per gallon, diesel fuel is up $1.75, and jet fuel is up nearly 50 percent. Congress can and must do more to help stabilize the price of fuel. The energy bill recently passed by the House failed to address these cost increases. In fact, some reports state that the cost of fuel may actually increase between 5 and 8 cents per gallon due to provisions in that legislation. That may not sound like a lot, but for a middle-class family, already struggling to keep up with rising tuition, health care costs and saving for retirement, this increase in gas prices will add up very quickly. Today's Journal also reports that other experts estimate that the cost of oil may spike again to as high as $60 per barrel. I offered an amendment to the energy bill that would have prevented that increase, although it was not incorporated into the House-passed bill. Mr. Chairman, as we approach one of the most heavily trafficked holiday weekends of the year, let us act now to do something positive for American families. By restricting funds used to store petroleum in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and in consideration of other market factors, we can realize a drop in the cost of oil of between $6 and $11 a barrel. In 2001, President Bush ordered the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to be filled to a capacity of 700 million barrels. The Reserve currently holds 692 million barrels, nearly 99 percent of the President's goal. Thus, I believe now is the time to temporarily suspend funding for the Reserve and offer the American people a break at the pumps. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the Sanders-Stupak- Bishop amendment.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 243, a bill recognizing the Coast guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the National Safe Boating Council for their efforts to promote National Safe Boating Week. In my district on Eastern Long Island, water safety is of paramount concern to residents, vacationers, and the tourism industry--one of the most important contributing elements of the local economy, which includes pleasure and commercial boating. I commend the men and women of the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the National Safe Boating Council for their steadfast dedication to protecting boaters throughout the country. As we approach Memorial Day, kicking off the summer, we recognize National Safe Boating Week to encourage American boaters to be safe on the water and to promote the use of personal flotation devices (PFDs). It is important to highlight the progress made to safeguard boating enthusiasts in recent years, particularly with more than 13 million watercraft registered in the U.S., a number that continues to skyrocket. Even with the ever-increasing number of people enjoying the water, there are fewer fatalities on the sea. This is in no small part due to the diligence of hard-working groups like the National Safe Boating Council and the selfless, intrepid men and women of the Coast Guard. As vacationers throughout the country head for the coasts, it is our responsibility to encourage caution. I echo the National Safe Boating Council's important message urging all Americans to be safe on the water while they enjoy their family vacations this summer.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today as a cosponsor and in support of H.R. 2046, the Servicemembers' Health Insurance Protection Act of 2005. As our brave men and women continue to put their lives on the line for our Nation, we owe each of them the health care coverage they were promised and make it easier for their families to manage the transition to active duty and back to civilian life. Reservists, who fulfill a critical mission in supplementing our fighting forces, should be treated equally and feel as safe as their active duty counterparts in that their employer provided insurance will still be available upon termination of federal benefits. But for too many reservists, this is not the case. The Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act was passed, in part, to guarantee reinstatement of employer-provided health care following separation from active duty. However, an unintended consequence of that law allowed insurance companies to unfairly single out reservists by inflating their premiums once they returned to civilian life. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are working to correct this problem by offering this bill as a remedy by protecting our brave reservists from inflated insurance premiums and giving them a helping hand as they return to civilian life.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentlewoman from California for her leadership on this issue and for yielding me this time, and I want to thank the chairman for accepting our amendment. I have a statement that I will submit for the Record. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis), for yielding and introducing this amendment, which I'm proud to cosponsor. Mr. Chairman, how do you make a bad idea worse? If you're EPA, offer families $970 to videotape their children reacting to bug sprays, carpet cleaners, and other household pesticides. Then, invite the American Chemistry Council as a partner in this study, knowing that in exchange for $2 million paid toward the study, it wants looser regulations for the pesticide industry, which in turn wants to use humans instead of animals so it can justify relaxed exposure limits. EPA's study is as poorly conceived as its acronym: CHEERS--which stands for the Children's Health Environmental Exposure Research Study. It's a trifecta of unethical, immoral, and unscientific research. It violates the post World War II ``Nuremburg Code,'' which outlawed medical testing, including pesticide testing on people. It advances private rather than medical interests, putting industry ahead of public health. And despite EPA's own Science Advisory Board and Scientific Advisory Panels recommendening strict safeguards for human testing, EPA failed to adopt them. Mr. Chairman, we all want to understand how common chemicals like those found under the kitchen sink can hurt children, the elderly and the most vulnerable to poisoning. But the way to collect that information should not involve hurting the very people we want to protect. The government should not be asking families to turn their babies into lab rats. We should be protecting children, not exposing them to pesticides. Although we passed this amendment by unanimous consent two years ago, EPA resurrected the study when the fiscal year expired in October. We need to pass the Solis-Bishop amendment to ensure EPA's research is based on sound science with the highest ethical standards. Our amendment is supported by a broad coalition of environmental advocates, including the Alliance for Human Research Protection in my home state of New York. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this amendment, again thank the gentlewoman from California for her excellent work.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1544, The Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act. As yesterday's scare in this Capitol and across Washington, DC reminded us, we need to make sure that our early warning system and first response capability are highly efficient functions of our national security preparedness. First responders are the backbone of our national security. I am privileged to represent New York's finest firefighters, medical technicians, hospital employees, and other first responders I'm proud to call good friends. We owe them all the resources they require to carry out the many dangerous and critically important missions to secure our borders and prepare this Nation for emergencies. I applaud the Homeland Security Committee for producing a bipartisan bill that refines our first responder grant process to make sure funding we authorize is delivered quickly and efficiently to the brave men and women we call upon to protect us from the daily threats we face. After we pass this bill, I look forward to working with my colleagues toward restoring funding in the homeland security budget and addressing other shortfalls limiting the ability of first responders do their jobs. Mr. Chairman, we must guarantee that our home town heroes are properly funded and completely equipped and prepared to protect this Nation. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill in order to help this Nation's courageous and outstanding first responders achieve this mission.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solemn observance of Yom Hashoah, commemorating the commencement of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Today the Gateway Monument in the Warsaw Ghetto serves as a fixed memorial to the victims who were herded onto railroad cars for deportation to Treblinka, one of many death camps scattered throughout the European countryside. The Gateway Monument has etched upon its stone the names of four hundred Jews who martyred themselves for the cause of saving the lives of their neighbors and their own children, and to defend their religion from annihilation. However, another great monument exists, but in the form of the retelling of the heroic story of the uprising, one generation at a time. Mordecai Anielewicz, a young man of twenty-three years, led an army of beleaguered men and women against their oppressors, the Nazi war machine. On this day, Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day, we celebrate and honor those who offered resistance in a valiant attempt to defy deportation to death camps. Mordecai Anielewicz wrote in his last letter to Yitzhak Cukierman, friend and co-founder of the Jewish Fighting Organization, ``The fact that we are remembered beyond the ghetto walls encourages us in our struggle.'' In our united causes to `Never Forget', nor to repeat the senseless atrocities of the Holocaust, we must be ready to confront similar genocidal slaughter throughout the world. Mr. Anielewicz's heroism and the courage of the over four hundred resistance fighters of the Warsaw Ghetto resistance have earned more than words as their legacy. Our nation and those of the developed world must offer our own resistance to despot leaders who seek to commit murder on the basis of religion or race. Mr. Speaker, Mordecai was correct in his assessment of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising's impact outside the ghetto walls. Indeed, the resistance has been remembered beyond the ghetto walls, as it has become a testimonial to the human spirit that will be remembered throughout all humanity, for all time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding young woman, Marla Ruzicka, who was tragically killed in Iraq on Saturday, April 16, 2005, when a suicide bomber attacked a convoy of U.S. security contractors passing her vehicle on the road to Baghdad airport. Marla was traveling on the road to visit an Iraqi child injured by a bomb, part of her daily work with the humanitarian organization she founded--The Campaign for Innocent Victims of Conflict (CIVIC). Marla, who was only 28 years old, worked tirelessly and fearlessly on behalf of civilian victims of war in some of the most dangerous parts of the world, accomplishing more in the area of human rights during her short life than most people do in a lifetime. It is Marla Ruzicka's affiliation with Southampton College, an institution which I served as Provost for many years, that has made her tragic death very personal to me. Marla earned her undergraduate degree through Southampton College's Friends World Program, an academic program that stresses the careful consideration of world problems, and encourages a life of committed action in the world community. Many of my colleagues on the faculty and staff can recall Marla's passionate commitment to making a difference in the world, and were moved by her enthusiasm for helping those in need. To those of us who knew of Marla, it was no surprise that she gave up her life to serve the needs of others. Marla's concern for the victims of world injustice began early in life. A Northern California native, Marla began her work as a human rights activist for the San Francisco office of Global Exchange at the young age of 15. It was at this time that Marla first demonstrated her desire to educate others about global injustice by organizing discussions for her high school classmates about such issues as the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba. During her undergraduate education, Marla traveled to the Middle East, Cuba, Zimbabwe, and Nicaragua where she witnessed firsthand the suffering of those who lived there. After earning her degree, she continued her work with Global Exchange and traveled to Afghanistan after Operation Enduring Freedom, where she recorded the military campaign's effects on Afghan civilians and used the information to garner assistance for the families harmed by the conflict. In 2003, Marla organized her efforts in assisting the victims of war by founding an organization she named CIVIC--The Campaign for Innocent Victims of Conflict. Marla's assigned mission for CIVIC was both to achieve an accurate accounting of civilian casualties caused by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to secure assistance for their families. In pursuing this mission, she spent weeks at a time traveling the dangerous roads of Afghanistan and Iraq to personally interview the injured and their families, document their experiences, and work with U.S. military officials to earn them compensation. In organizing a group of 150 Iraqi volunteers who went to hospitals and into towns, Marla helped produce the first comprehensive list of people killed or injured in Iraq by U.S. weapons. Marla also achieved a great deal of success in recruiting the efforts of military personnel, humanitarian organizations, and the U.S. Congress for her cause. Through her boundless energy and determination, she lobbied the Senate and helped win the insertion of language in an appropriations bill that provided $2.5 million to help victims in Afghanistan; this money has now grown to $7.5 million. She also succeeded in securing a $10 million appropriation for Iraqi victims, which is used to rebuild homes and schools, provide medical assistance, and make loans. While in the Middle East, Marla networked with military commanders, realizing they often had the freedom and resources to assist victims quickly. In her interactions with Congress, the U.S. military, and others in positions of authority, Marla persuasively argued that achieving an accurate accounting for the loss of life in Iraq and Afghanistan would not only make the recompense of wartime civilian casualties easier, but would also assist U.S. led reconstruction efforts. Through it all, Marla's sunny disposition and ability to make friends easily proved invaluable in recruiting the assistance of journalists, U.N. officials, non-governmental organization staff, and the U.S. military in documenting the plight of civilians and providing relief to war-torn families. Marla's contributions to the most vulnerable of citizens did not come without making a great deal of personal sacrifice, however. CIVIC operated on a shoe-string budget of about $100,000 a year, which often left Marla depending on friends and family to secure enough money for airline tickets and living expenses. When returning to the U.S. from overseas, Marla would often stay with friends, sleeping on their sofas, to continue her work when returning to the United States. Her ability to succeed in the most difficult of circumstances is a testament to her natural ability and drive, and serves as an inspiration to many. Mr. Speaker, few people possess the undying commitment to selflessly and courageously pursue justice on behalf of the less fortunate as did Marla Ruzicka. During her lifetime, Marla viewed it as her personal obligation to fight for the less fortunate in this world and, under the most difficult of circumstances, demanded and achieved justice for so many victims of war and conflict. Her relentless dedication and optimism won over the hearts of the most influential people, making it possible to relieve the suffering of those most in need. Her actions were nothing short of heroic, and should serve as an inspiration to us all. I ask those in this distinguished body to join me in offering my condolences to Marla's parents, Clifford and Nancy Ruzicka. They should be commended on their daughter's extraordinary commitment to improving the world one life at a time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and congratulate my neighbor and constituent Mr. Ernest Maler, Sr. on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Mr. Maler was born on April 24, 1905 and raised in East Patchogue, New York. The upcoming century milestone is a time to celebrate the numerous achievements of a great American. Mr. Maler earned his Juris Doctor at New York University School of Law and returned to Long Island so that he could provide exemplary legal service to the people of his hometown. His passion for law is matched only by a love for his family and an affinity for the game of golf. The 100th birthday is slowly becoming an attainable goal by many Americans as medical science, better living conditions, and more knowledge about fitness and health increase our life expectancy. Today more than 70,000 Americans are 100 years old, and that number is expected to grow dramatically during the next century. Mr. Maler lived through the great depression, two world wars, and 18 presidential administrations. His first hand experiences are invaluable sources of wisdom and his life accomplishments are inspirational to all Americans. Mr. Speaker I appreciate the opportunity to honor such a noteworthy individual.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my support of the amendment offered by Mr. Castle to strike the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Siting provision in H.R. 6. The language included in H.R. 6 silences the voices of state governments, local municipalities, and environmental advocacy organizations during the LNG terminal site selection process. Mr. Chairman, the language in H.R. 6 solidifying FERC's exclusive role in the siting of LNG terminals is entirely unnecessary. Until recently, only one LNG importation terminal existed in the country. There are now five in operation and 6 more have already been approved by federal regulators. The process for selecting sites and approving LNG importation terminals is working and in no way requires removing partial-authority from states. The new FERC rule would be another example of catering to the already too powerful oil and gas industry. Furthermore, when I cast my vote in support of Mr. Castle's amendment to preserve states' rights and strike this language from H.R. 6, I know that I will also be speaking for many others residing in my district and across the Nation. Numerous organizations and legislative bodies who seek to be heard will speak through my vote, including, but certainly not limited to the League of Conservation Voters, National Association of Counties, U.S. Public Interest Research Group, National League of Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National Conference of States Legislatures, and so many more. A quarter-mile long floating LNG importation terminal has been proposed in the Long Island Sound between Connecticut and Long Island. Lawmakers and civic organizations at every level of government in my congressional district have expressed their opposition to this proposal and are furious at the prospect that their voices will be silenced during the FERC approval process. Mr. Castle's amendment, if passed, will allow their opinions to count. The Long Island Sound is an environmentally unique estuary that needs to be protected. The residents and elected officials of Long Island have fought vigorously for many years and spent millions of dollars to preserve the quality of life that the Long Island Sound offers. Additionally, our tourism and fishing industries, which provide billions of dollars to the state's economy, will be threatened, as fishermen will undoubtedly be displaced. Mr. Chairman, I will speak for my constituents by lending my support to Mr. Castle's amendment. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan measure.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 3 minutes. I am pleased to offer the Bishop-Markey-McDermott en bloc amendment this evening along with my colleagues. We have an opportunity within our reach to make a real advancement in energy policy, but we are about to do the unimaginable: pass an energy bill that will do nothing to lower gas prices. Let me say that again because I think it is important to our constituents who are paying $2.25 or more for a gallon of gas, this energy bill will not lower gas prices. In fact, according to the Department of Energy, this bill may actually increase future gas prices. Fortunately, our amendment will help consumers see immediate relief at the gas pump. The Bishop-Markey-McDermott amendment calls on the President to immediately suspend deliveries to the Strategy Petroleum Reserve until oil prices fall below $40 per barrel. When we have done this in the past, the price of oil has dropped anywhere from $6 to $11 per barrel. The United States should be the global leader in the development of new and innovative technologies. This amendment will encourage the growth of an energy-efficiency marketplace that fosters and incubates new start-ups. This will not only lead to exciting new advances, it will help create good-paying jobs for thousands of Americans. Our amendment will create a $5 billion emerging-technology trust fund, funding the technologies of the future rather than the further counterproductive subsidies to the oil and gas industries provided for in the underlying bill. The Bishop-Markey-McDermott amendment would also offer grants to States that meet new standards for efficiency in new building development. Under our amendment, the renewable energy production tax credit will be extended for 5 years. We will provide tax credits for new homes that reduce energy use, as well as tax credits for new and existing commercial buildings to reduce energy use; and we would also offer an investment tax credit for the development of higher efficiency heating and cooling systems. In short, we offer tax cuts and credits that America will embrace and at the same time create a cleaner and healthier environment for our children. We will allow consumers to make more informed decisions about energy-efficient appliances for their homes or businesses by adding greater meaning to the Energy Star label by mandating that only the top 25 percent of products will carry that label. Currently, according to the Alliance to Save Energy, approximately two-thirds of products are eligible to wear the Energy Star label, rendering the distinction almost meaningless. Mr. Chairman, let us give Americans in the Northeast and on the West Coast something to cheer about. America needs electricity reliability and protection from fraud and blackouts. H.R. 6 would repeal the Public Utility Holding Company Act. Our act would strike that provision. PUHCA is the only line of defense for millions of taxpayers protecting them from skyrocketing energy costs and greedy corporations. We should not allow utility holding companies to use the profits obtained from their regulated business activities squeezed from their captive rate-payers and pour it down the sinkholes of unregulated businesses. PUHCA should not be repealed; it should be applied appropriately and enforced. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 6 is anti-taxpayer, anti-consumer, and anti- environment. And I will say it again, it does nothing to lower gas prices. We can do better. The Bishop-Markey-McDermott en bloc amendment offers real incentives for energy efficiency and real relief at the pump. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), the cosponsor of this amendment.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott). (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Yes, I would, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. It is, in fact, a drafting error. These efficiency standards were taken from the Senate bill from the 108th Congress and it is a drafting error. The date needs to be updated.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. If the gentleman can just give me one second. Mr. Chairman, I guess what I would say in response is that I understand the questions that the gentleman from Texas is raising and I understand, I guess, the consternation that he has with respect to receiving such a lengthy amendment with little notice. I would only say that the underlying bill is equally complex, equally dense, and that there are sections of the underlying bill that were not subjected to hearings, as well.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak).

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 513.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the heroic actions of the members of the 106th Air Rescue Wing. Over the past few days, the Northeast experienced torrential downpours causing massive flooding throughout Sussex County, New Jersey. The rain became so terrible that it washed out the only road connecting tiny Mashipacong Island to the mainland, stranding five residents. In response, Langley Air Force Base scrambled two Pave Hawk helicopters from the Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing, which is based at Gabreski Air Force Base in Westhampton, New York. Fortunately, the 106th was able to respond in time; not only did they rescue the five residents, they also rescued one nearby individual on his roof, along with a dog and a cat. This is the most recent heroic rescue in the storied history of the 106th, and I am proud to commend the men and women of this unit for their selfless dedication to duty and the protection of those in need. The exploits of the members of the 106th were made famous following their actions depicted in the book ``The Perfect Storm''. More recently, during our ongoing conflict in Iraq, the pararescue specialists of the 106th played an integral role in rescuing two downed soldiers flying on the CH-47 Chinook helicopter that was shot down west of Baghdad in November of 2003. As the only rescue unit of its kind in the Northeast, the 106th has once again proven its unique value to the safety and security of our region and our nation. Mr. Speaker, the 106th has proven its worth time and time again. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women of the 106th Air Rescue Wing. I hope we can show that gratitude by letting them continue to serve and protect our nation.