Michael Capuano

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I join with my Massachusetts colleagues-- John Joseph Moakley, Edward J. Markey, Richard Neal, Barney Frank, John Olver, James P. McGovern, Marty Meehan, John F. Tierney, and William Delahunt--in honoring Neil L. Rudenstine on his retirement as the twenty-sixth President of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard, founded in 1636, is the oldest university in the United States and one of the premier academic institutions in the world. Many of Harvard's distinguished graduates have become leading public servants throughout our nation's history, including seven Presidents, as well as many members of the United States House and Senate. Neil Rudenstine began his service as President of Harvard in 1991. He brought to the post the benefit of a distinguished career both in and out of academe. Prior to becoming Harvard's President, Mr. Rudenstine served three years as Executive Vice President of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Before that, he was a Professor of English at Princeton University, his undergraduate alma mater, a member of the Class of 1956. While at Princeton, Mr. Rudenstine held a series of administrative posts, including Dean of Students (1968-72), Dean of the College (1972-77), and Provost (1977-88). He is a renowned scholar of Renaissance literature, having published works on the poetic development of Sir Phillip Sidney and he is the co- editor of English Poetic Satire: Wyatt to Byron. His academic achievements are quite notable. He was a Rhodes Scholar, receiving a second bachelor's degree and a master's degree while studying at New College at Oxford University. In 1964, Mr. Rudenstine earned his Ph.D in English from Harvard. While there, he served as an instructor and then an assistant professor in the Department of English and American Literature and Language before leaving for Princeton in 1968. Mr. Rudenstine is an honorary fellow of New College, Oxford, and Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, as well as Provost Emeritus of Princeton University. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Philosophical Society, and the Committee for Economic Development. Mr. Speaker, as Harvard's last president of the 20th century, Neil Rudenstine has many accomplishments that will sustain Harvard's academic leadership as the university moves into the new millennium. He oversaw the establishment of the Center for Public Leadership at the Kennedy School of Government and the creation of the Barker Center for the Humanities. Under his guidance, the university began a new doctoral program aimed at the intersection of business management and information technology. The medical facility has made great strides in cancer research and a new Harvard Biomedical Community has facilitated collaboration with industry on important research in that field. Neil Rudenstine also understood that a university will not achieve greatness if its doors are only open to the few. Just as our country gains its great strength from the contributions of our hard working and diverse people, a university's greatness depends upon giving educational opportunities to a wide variety of people. He expanded opportunities for Harvard undergraduates by increasing the financial aid budget by $8.3 million. This initiative has meant that students on financial aid can finish school with less debt so that they can concentrate on their educations instead of worrying about how they will pay for it. He also expanded Harvard Law School's Low Income Protection Plan so that law students can pursue the law-related career of their choice regardless of salary. Under his leadership, not only has Harvard maintained its standing as one of the premier universities of the world, but Mr. Rudenstine saw to it that Harvard was also a good neighbor to the community around it. Through his leadership, Harvard launched a $21 million affordable housing program in the Cambridge area. The University created more than 700 new jobs in Greater Boston and achieved the largest operating surplus in Harvard's history--$120 million--during President Rudenstine's tenure. In addition, he led Harvard's most successful endowment campaign, raising an unprecedented $2.6 billion. Mr. Speaker, President Rudenstine will visit Washington on April 22, 2001 for his last official journey from Cambridge to appear before Washington-area alumni and friends prior to his retirement on June 30, 2001. The members of the Massachusetts delegation in the House of Representatives wish to express our deep appreciation for the contributions of Neil Rudenstine to higher education, for the spirit of public service which characterized his decade as Harvard's president, his many years of academic leadership in other universities, and for the grace and elegance that he brought to all he has done. We wish him well in every future endeavor, anticipating the continuing benefit of his thoughtful expertise to American higher education.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Chairman, we have been seeing this chart now for the last 2 days, and it is a very interesting chart and I need to run through it quickly. As we can see here, first of all I want to start out by saying that the budget we have before us is better than the budget the President submitted to us. I give him credit for that. It is a step in the right direction and I appreciate the effort, but there is more to do. Maximum debt elimination, better budget than the President's. The Democratic alternative does more. Tax relief for every taxpayer, the only difference is we only want to cut taxes by $800 billion. That is all we want to cut taxes by. I guess I can be criticized for that, and I will take that criticism because the question is, what do we want to do with the difference? The difference is going to some debt elimination; do more for improving education; do more for the Defense Department, $47 billion more; do more for Medicare; do more for Social Security. On this particular list, we do not even see things like LIHEAP, things like housing, things like election reform, things like research, things like retraining, and we can go on and on and on. They are not here. Our budget does it. The other side does not. That is why our budget is better.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Madam Chairman, before I talk about that issue I need to go back to the chart we just saw and we have seen already three times tonight by my count, is the six items that the other side is trying to deal with. I actually agree with everything on that chart, but I want to talk about them for a minute. We talk about maximum debt elimination. I agree, we all want to do that. Surprisingly enough, the Democratic proposal does more. We want to improve education. We all agree on that. Surprisingly enough, the Democratic proposal does more. We want to have a stronger national defense. My goodness, surprisingly enough, the Democratic proposal does more. We want to modernize and stabilize Medicare and Social Security. Again, surprisingly, the Democratic budget does more. The only thing we do not do more on is tax cuts, but we are being criticized tonight as somehow being against tax cuts because we are only proposing $800 billion in tax cuts, roughly half of what the other side is proposing. The question is, what do we do with the remainder? What we do is what I am about to talk about. We do more Medicare, defense, all the things we just talked about. We also do more research, more housing, more LIHEAP, more environment, more justice and more agriculture. To talk about the vulnerable people we are going to help, because I actually think that it is not a bad thing, I can talk about adoption services; I talk about day care services; I can talk about services for people with disabilities, home-based services for the elderly, including Meals on Wheels, which we do more by. But I want to talk about one issue in particular, and that is housing, because it is so important to people in my district and in many parts across this country. America used to believe that safe, affordable housing was a basic necessity and almost a right for all Americans. For years, for years, this government stood up and helped people attain homes. No one here complains when the mortgage rates drop, and that is a de facto, quasi governmental agency. Everyone here jumps up to protect the mortgage deduction in the Tax Code. We all do that because we know how important it is. No matter what we do, no matter what we have done, not every American can afford to buy a home. I am not talking about the lazy takers amongst us. We all know there are some. We know that. That is not who I am talking about. I am talking about people who have played by the rules. They have gotten all the education they can get. They work hard every single day. They try to put money aside, but when they are faced with incredibly skyrocketing rents in many places across this country, paying back their college loan, buying a car, buying insurance for that automobile, trying to raise a family, when they are faced with all of that it is very, very difficult for many Americans to put aside money for a down payment. As a matter of fact, five and a half million Americans today pay more than 50 percent of their income for housing costs. More than 50 percent of their housing costs represent their income. That is incredible. It is much more, much more an important part of their daily lives than their tax liability, because simply put most of those Americans do not have much tax liability. They do have rental costs. They do have mortgage costs, if they can afford it. The President's budget, the budget we have before us, the Republican budget before us, cuts almost every single housing program we have. They cut $700 million from capital improvements for public housing. They completely eliminate $310 million for the drug elimination program. They completely eliminate a meager $25 million for the rural housing and economic development program. Never mind those $5.4 million, never mind the three million people who live in public housing. Of those three million, one million of them are children; they are children. Five hundred thousand are seniors. Another 300,000 are veterans. We just do not care. That is why the Democratic proposal puts that money back, and if all the money we are trying to put back into housing alone is totaled up, it totals out to a grand total of 1.5 percent of the tax cut. That is 1\1/2\ pennies out of every dollar proposed for their tax cut. That is why we are standing here trying to help the most vulnerable people amongst us. The money is short when one is comparing it to the tax cuts that we are trying to give today for people who already have housing, who already have fuel, who already have food.

Mr. CAPUANO. I yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina.

Mr. CAPUANO. Madam Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy).

Mr. CAPUANO. Madam Chairman, as you heard, I was the mayor of my community for 9 years before I came to this honorable body, and during that time the COPS program was passed and implemented. It started getting going in 1996. For a couple of years it was small money, and it really got going in 1996. From 1996 to 1998 in my community, we added eight additional police officers. In that same time period, we reduced crime by 29.2 percent. Maybe that is circumstantial, maybe it just happened to coincide with the COPS program, but I looked at my district which I did not represent then but I do now, and in my district in Massachusetts, we added 58 police officers in that time period, a 2 percent increase, but we reduced crime by 21 percent. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, we added 363 police officers across the State, reduced crime by almost 14 percent. I just happened to look at the State of Texas, they added 9,000 police officers in that time period, a 20 percent increase, and they reduced crime by 7.5 percent. In the whole country the same period of time, the COPS program helped add 115,097 police officers and crime was reduced 13.6 percent. Is all of this a coincidence? It just happened to be the same time period when the Federal Government got into the crime-fighting business on a local level. I think not. Madam Chairman, I think the additional police officers on the street with the Federal Government helping us fund them is what turned the tide, and I dare say we will be back here in a few years if we cut this COPS program making sure that we have more police officers on the street in every community in this country.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I am I am honored to pay tribute once again to the citizens of Greece on the occasion of their 180th anniversary of independence on Sunday, March 25th. Coincidentally, March 25th also marks the important religious holiday of the Feast of the Annunciation celebrated by most Greek-Americans. The history and culture of people of Greek heritage has impacted the lives of countless people throughout the world, and it is important that we recognize their contributions to mankind and the principles of democracy. After suffering more than 400 years of oppression under the Ottoman Empire, the people of Greece commenced a revolt on March 25th 1821. Many dedicated, patriotic Greeks lost their lives in the struggle which lasted over 7 years. Ultimately, the freedom the Greeks fought so hard for was courageously achieved, and the Hellenic Republic, commonly know as Greece, was born. Historically, Greece has been a dedicated United States ally. A fierce supporter during World War II, Greek soldiers fought beside Americans to preserve democracy and independence. For almost half a century, Greece has stood beside the United States as an active and important member to NATO. It has consistently proved to be a valuable player in preserving security in the Mediterranean. Greece has influenced our society in many ways. Greece is the birthplace of democracy, the foundation of American principles. No doubt, without Greece's influence, the United States would be a completely different country today. I am all too familiar with the positive contributions that are continually being made by Greek-Americans around the country. I am particularly proud of the fact that nearly 7,000 people in the Eighth Congressional District of Massachusetts are of Greek descent. Throughout the neighborhoods in Boston, Watertown, Cambridge, Chelsea, Belmont, and my hometown of Somerville, Greek-Americans are one of the most active groups in politics and community service. The Hellenic Cultural Center, the Greek Orthodox Church and other Greek-American organizations in the district are working to improve education, healthcare, and the environment. As the Greeks celebrate their day of independence, I hope all Americans will take a moment to reflect on the valuable contributions that both Greeks and Greek-Americans have bestowed on our own country. This is the least we can do for a people who gave us the democratic concept of civilization and have continued to impact our communities and daily lives.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, on July 20th 2001, we will mark the 27th anniversary of Turkey's invasion of the Sovereign State of Cyprus. On this date in 1974, Turkish troops began a campaign to forcibly evict nearly 200,000 Greek Cypriots from their homes located in the northern part of the island of Cyprus. After twenty-seven years, Greek Cypriots are still prohibited from returning to their homes and remain refugees within their own country. Nearly 1,000 women were raped, their ages vary from 12 to 78, while over 6,000 Greek Cypriots were massacred, many of them tortured to death. Over 1,600 men, women and children who vanished during the invasion have not been accounted for, and the Turkish government continues to refuse to provide information as to their whereabouts. Despite these heinous crimes, Turkey continues to relocate some 80,000 Turkish citizens to Northern Cyprus, thus changing the demographic structure in the north. Many of these Turkish citizens occupy homes and estates once belonging to Greek Cypriots who were evicted during the invasion. Additionally, historical institutions of religious and cultural heritage have been willfully pillaged and destroyed. Tragically, there are only 500 Greek Cypriots still living in the occupied area, and even those few families are subject to constant and systematic campaigns of harassment and intimidation. They are forbidden to attend school or work, denied medical assistance and cannot visit their families living in the Republic of Cyprus. This blatant violation of international law and basic human rights must not be tolerated. In 1983, Turkey encouraged a ``unilateral declaration of independence'' by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The United Nations Security Council as well as our government condemned this declaration. To date the TRNC is not officially recognized as a sovereign State by any country except for Turkey. Mr. Speaker, since that time, the international community has made some progress on this issue. In June of 1999, the European Commission of Human Rights found Turkey responsible for continuing to violate several provisions of the European Convention of Human Rights, including not accounting for missing persons, limiting the living conditions of the enslaved, and failing to protect the properties of the displaced persons. The recent decision of the European Parliament (EP) to approve a report delivered by Jaques Poos, the former Foreign Minister of Luxembourg and the Cyprus Rapporteur of the EP Foreign Relations Commission, has rattled Turkey and the Denktash regime. The decision accused the illegal TRNC regime and Turkey of a lack of progress in efforts to find a solution on the island. In addition to insisting that the Turkish occupation forces withdraw from the island, the report defended the Greek Cypriot's position that would allow for its membership in the European Union, before a settlement of the Cyprus issue. Mr. Denktash and his government at present are experiencing some difficulties of their own. Faced with collapsing banks, unemployment, inflation and devalued wages--the situation could be ready for change. Mr. Speaker, I reiterate my argument from last year that the continued occupation of Northern Cyprus is clearly an affront to over 90 United Nations and Security Council resolutions calling on Turkey to withdraw its forces and return refugees to their homes and for Turkey to respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus. This is an insult to the United States and the global community which has worked tirelessly to unify Greek and Turkish Cypriots in a peaceful manner. I hope that the United States and the international community will continue to advocate for a peaceful solution to this conflict that has torn Cyprus apart and caused 27 years of suffering for thousands of innocent people.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Somerville (Massachusetts) Arts Council and to Cecily Miller, who served as its director for fifteen years. Ms. Miller transformed a small, under- funded coterie of art lovers into a powerful community force. It is no exaggeration to say that Ms. Miller used art to forge community. Somerville has historically been a city of immigrants and working people. During the decade I served as Mayor, Somerville experienced some gentrification but no loss of neighborliness. Cecily Miller played no small part in-that achievement. To bring people together, she created ART BEAT, an annual celebration of arts, crafts, music, and dance that draws large, orderly, and animated crowds to our public squares. In addition to the public festivals, I would like to cite three of her most imaginative projects: (1) The Garden Awards--each year Somerville gardens are displayed in brilliant photographs, and the gardens are as different as our citizens. Some of the backyards are restrained and minimalist, some explode with flowers and vegetables bursting through chain-link fences. The photograph in my Longworth office shows an exuberant man, in ripe middle age, holding aloft dahlias. People have different ideas of the way they want their own yard to look, but no difficulty in recognizing the beauty of their neighbors'. (2) The Illumination Tour--Somerville householders illuminate their homes and gardens for the winter holidays. Cecily Miller recognized these decorations as a genuine art form, and organized a trolley tour of the most spectacular installations. Again, she helped citizens to share and celebrate their neighbors' observances. (3) The Mystic River Mural--a public housing projects abuts an inter- state highway that obscures the Mystic River. Cecily Miller raised grant money so that teenagers from the project could work with professional artists on a mural. They covered the barrier with imaginative approaches to the water. Now, instead of graffiti, we see a river and a riverbank: reeds, herons, people fishing, swimming, chatting. Most important, young people learned that they could transform an ugly scene into a thing of beauty. I regret that Cecily Miller is leaving the Somerville Arts Council. I am deeply grateful for all that she has done for the people of Somerville.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate, Johnny ``The Quiet Man'' Ruiz, a young man from my district, for winning the World Boxing Association Heavyweight title this past weekend in Las Vegas. I do not stand here today to boast about the athletic prowess of a world class champion but rather to commend Johnny for the grace and dignity with which he has carried himself throughout his climb to the upper echelons of the boxing world. As the first Latino heavyweight world champion, Johnny is truly a hometown hero to the people of Chelsea, Massachusetts. Johnny was a hero long before his upset victory over four-time champion Evander Holyfield on Saturday evening. Last August, after losing a very close and controversial decision to Holyfield, Johnny came home from Las Vegas to find hundreds of his supporters waiting on his doorstep to cheer his arrival. They knew they already had a champion among them. Like many young husbands and fathers throughout the country; Johnny spends his free time coaching Little League baseball, Pop Warner Football and is actively involved in the parent's group at his children's school. That is the man that is the new heavy weight champion. That is Johnny Ruiz. Like many of his neighbors, Johnny Ruiz is a hardworking family man, who proudly represents a city of hard working people. Johnny just happens to go to work at the Somerville Boxing Club under the watchful eye of his trainer Norman Stone. Years from now we will surely be hearing many stories about the boxing triumphs of this heavyweight champion from Chelsea. People will talk about how they used to watch him run by their house or storefront while he was training. We will hear about rematches and world rankings. However, there is one story that stands out in my mind. On the evening of the first Holyfield-Ruiz fight, the then-WBA champion Holyfield was hosting a postfight victory party at the Paris Hotel. Accompanied by his boyhood friends, Ruiz, an exhausted and defeated challenger walked through the many reporters, cameras and Holyfield fans to extend a congratulatory hand to his most recent opponent. This gesture caught Holyfield by surprise more than Johnny's overhand right last Saturday night. The champion told Johnny ``that was the most class an opponent has ever shown after a fight''. That story truly embodies Johnny Ruiz. It is reassuring to know that behind all the hype and trash talking in professional sports there are still athletes out there who are true gentlemen. There are still men like Johnny ``The Quiet Man'' Ruiz: a neighborhood kid who had a little bit more talent and worked a little bit harder to get his shot. More importantly, he never forgot his roots--he never forgot the neighborhood and city he was fighting from. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate ``the neeewww WBA heavyweight champ of the worllllld Johnny Ruiz!!!''

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, today I was engaged in questions with the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson during a hearing of the Budget Committee and was therefore unable to cast a vote on rollcall 28. Had I been present, I would have voted in the following manner: ``Nay'' on rollcall 28.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Madam Speaker, I guess, to a certain extent, I do not want to talk about what Joe Moakley has done, because, to me, that is not the measure of a man. It is not the measure of the reason I like Joe, and I think the reason Joe is so well loved in his own district. It is what he is. I grew up in Massachusetts, and for all of my life, like Joe, I live in my own hometown. Like Joe, I live in my own neighborhood. And I want to tell my colleagues, all of my life, I have heard about Joe Moakley, as I heard about Tip O'Neill, as I heard about Ted Kennedy, as I heard about James Michael Curly, as I heard about John Kennedy. In my world, there were many political giants. But, for me, most of them came before me. And I knew some of them in passing. I knew Mr. O'Neill a little bit. My father knew him better. This is the first time in my life I have had an opportunity to get up close to someone who is a living icon in my world, and it is the first time in my life that I know that all the things I heard about him were not just the typical media fluff that many of us around here worry about. We are all worried about our image. We are all worried about what people say about us. And Joe Moakley could not care less because he is what he is, and what he is is a regular guy. I say that representing a district that almost is a mirror image of Joe's district. We do represent all of those people. I will tell you that Joe Moakley would have been the exact same person if he did not get into politics, if he had gone the way of so many of his friends and gone to work as a Teamster, or gone to work as a longshoreman or gone to work as a bus driver, like many of the people he grew up next to, like many of the people I grew up next to, would have been the same person, would have still joked, would have still sang songs, would have still had fun, and would have still been loved by all of his neighbors and friends. The fact that we have had so much of an opportunity to get the best from Joe Moakley does nothing more than enriches us. I can only say that I am personally happy and proud to have gotten to know him as more than a political icon, as a person, a person that so many people in Massachusetts love and a person that so many people in Massachusetts wish only the best for.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the principles embodied in House Resolution 34. Introduced by my esteemed colleagues, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Cantor, Mr. Gilman and Mr. Ackerman, the resolution emphasizes how important it is for the United States to remain engaged in the Middle East and establish a good working relationship with the new government in Israel. I join my colleagues in commending the people of Israel for reaffirming their dedication to the democratic ideals of freedom and pluralism and express my sincere congratulations to Ariel Sharon on his recent election to the position of Prime Minister. We have reached a critical juncture in the Middle East region. It is imperative for the international community to support and encourage all who seek peace and who wish to end the decades of violence. Killings have become too commonplace. Congress must emphasize peace rather than partisanship and hesitate to lay blame. In this ongoing and arduous process, it is crucial that the United States maintain its involvement in the peace process and continue to work diligently with the international community and with the new Government in Israel. Real peace must be achieved and the United States must remain an active partner in the process. I extend my sincerest congratulations to Mr. Sharon and wish him and his colleagues good fortune in the coming months.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a pro-choice member of Congress who supports the recent FDA approved use of mifepristone, and I strongly oppose any efforts that would undermine the availability of mifepristone, also known as RU-486, to women who are seeking a safe method to terminate a pregnancy. I recognize that there is misinformation out there on the use and access of this drug. But, the truth is mifepristone pills must be prescribed by a doctor, and the treatment is done under strict supervision of a medical professional. The first dose is taken at the doctor's office, and the second dose is taken 48 hours later. There are some doctors that allow women to take the second dose at home, but others require a clinic visit. It is also important to note that a woman can only take mifepristone up to 49 or 63 days from the date of her last menstrual period. This restriction is well within the laws of aborting a fetus in the first trimester. Mifepristone has been laboriously studied and tested by FDA for 8 years. Nearly 10,000 American women have used this drug safely and effectively in clinical trials. Furthermore, Europeans have been using this drug for over 12 years. Women in this country should have a choice to make decisions about their own fate. Abortion is legal, and women should be entitled to all medically proven safe options available, including mifepristone. Furthermore, I believe that women should be able to choose a less invasive procedure such as mifepristone rather than a surgical abortion. Attempts to restrict a woman's access to this drug are not done to protect her safety, but rather to influence her choice. By allowing mifepristone to be prescribed by her own doctor, a woman can preserve her anonymity and be comfortable with her choice. I have advocated for the approval of RU-486 for several years, in my past and current position. I truly believe that all women should have the right to make their own choices, and I hope that they will not be denied any safe and proven methods to make those decisions.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize eleven extraordinary members of the HomeFirst Charitable Corporation's Board of Directors and one extra-special friend of the organization. HomeFirst was founded in 1990 for the sole purpose of raising funds for other non-profits in the city of Somerville, Massachusetts. At that time, the economy was in dire straits and contributions to non-profit organizations was at its lowest. HomeFirst is run by a Board of Directors, which includes local attorneys, community organizers, and business people. There is also a ten member Advisory Board that reviews and comments upon every funding request. These dedicated people deserve recognition for raising over $550,000. Every member of this Board volunteers their time and energy; no one receives a single penny for the important and generous work they do. Furthermore, funds raised by HomeFirst go directly to other, unaffiliated non-profits; not a single penny is spent or distributed by HomeFirst itself. Volunteerism is of great importance to America. Honoring dedicated volunteers, such as the Board of Directors of the HomeFirst Charitable Corporation, helps express society's immense appreciation of a job well done to these individuals and to all Americans who volunteer to make our world a little better place. In conclusion, I express the heartfelt appreciation of a grateful nation to HomeFirst Board members Mr. Robert Arnold, Mr. James Brennan, Ms Barbara T. Capuano, Ms Anna Ciccariello, Mr. Richard DiGirolamo, Ms Mary Doherty, Mr. Michael Foley, Ms Francine Mello, Mr. Frank Scimone, Ms Joyce Shallah, and Mr. John L. Sullivan. I also express similar appreciation to Mr. David Doherty, who generously gave of his time and energy to help HomeFirst with every event it ever conducted.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, today I speak on behalf of the University of Massachusetts Biologic Laboratory (MBL). For over 100 years, scientists at the Massachusetts Biologic Laboratory have made great contributions toward improving the public health of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Nation. MBL has collaborated with the National Institutes of Health, the Center for Disease Control, the Department of Defense, and state public health departments across the country to develop vaccines, plasma products and monoclonal antibodies. MBL has done this in its unique role as the only publicly owned and operated, FDA-licensed biological manufacturing facility in the United States. MBL's national contributions include the development of products such as the smallpox vaccine, the typhoid vaccine, the tetanus vaccine and a scarlet fever antitoxin. MBL also specializes in the development and manufacture of orphan biologicals--those life saving products that are either in limited use or for special populations. Under the leadership of Thomas Manning, MBL plans to build a new facility at the Old Boston State Mental Hospital property in Mattaphan. This new facility will enable MBL to maintain FDA compliance, provide space for new product development and improve operation efficiency of the plant. This facility will continue the tradition of new and great advancements in the biological community as it provides real opportunity to a community in need of redevelopment and new jobs. I fully support Massachusetts Biologic Laboratory's plans to develop a facility in Mattaphan for its expanded efforts in applied research, development and the production of biological products. The University of Massachusetts Medical School is prepared to make a large financial commitment to this project. With the benefits that MBL's products have brought to our Nation, I believe the Federal Government should also contribute to this effort. I look forward to working with Doctors Donna Ambrosino and Jeanne Leszczynski, and Thomas Manning, to secure Federal funding for MBL in fiscal year 2002.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully request a leave of absence for today, December 11, 2000. Due to a terrible case of the flu, I am unable to be present to take part in the House of Representatives' legislative activities.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in to express my disappointment that the House of Representatives chose not to consider H. Res. 596 last Thursday. This was the second time this resolution had been pulled from consideration, despite pledges by the leadership that the US would go on record to affirm their support for the Armenian genocide. It now appears that the House will not have such an opportunity before we adjourn the 106th Congress. This resolution recognized the suffering of nearly two million Armenians from 1915 through 1923, as the Ottoman Empire strove to wipe out an entire race of men, women, and children. Those who were not murdered were effectively removed from their homes of 2,500 years in what is now modem day Turkey. It called upon the President of the United States to do three things. Ensure that US foreign policy reflects consideration and sensitivity for human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in US records relating to the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of the Turkish court's failure to enforce judgments against those responsible for committing genocide; recognize, during his annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th, that this was a systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 people, and reflect upon the United States' effort to intervene on behalf of Armenians during the genocide; and finally, in his annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, emphasize that the modem day Republic of Turkey did not conduct the Armenian Genocide, which was perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire. It was eighty-five years ago that Ottoman leaders used the guise of war as an opportunity to eliminate the Armenian population from the Empire. What began as confiscation of Armenian property in order to ``support'' the war effort, ended with the murder of 1.5 million people and the deportation of 500,000 others. In May 1915, the Allied Powers of World War I charged the Ottoman Empire with a ``crime against humanity'' and vowed to hold responsible those involved in committing genocide. Despite commitments by the Allied Powers and indictments by the post-war Turkish government of the top leaders involved in perpetrating the Armenian genocide and the destruction of Armenian property, justice has not been served to those responsible for the atrocities against Armenians. It is a shame that America does not have the courage to support the 2 million Armenians that suffered through a genocide. We should look more towards our friends in the international community who have not been deterred in their recognition of the annihilation of Armenians for what it really was--a genocide. The European Parliament and the United Nations have recognized and reaffirmed the Armenian genocide as historical fact, as have the Russian and Greek parliaments, the Canadian House of Commons, the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies, and the French National Assembly. It is time for America to venerate Armenians who suffered at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. And let me stress that I am not speaking of the government of modern day Turkey, but rather its predecessor, which many of Turkey's present day leaders helped to remove from power. I commend the bravery and dedication exhibited by the Armenian people to have their story heard. I wholeheartedly supported this resolution and am disappointed that cowardliness reigned supreme to prevent its consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate a distinct and important group in this country--Italian Americans. I introduced H. Res. 347 because I felt that America should stand up and recognize the invaluable contributions bequeathed upon our society by countless Italian Americans throughout this nation's history. Last October, the Massachusetts State Legislature passed a law observing the month of October as Italian-American Heritage Month. This law recognizes the unique impression bestowed on our country's rich national heritage by Italian Americans. My resolution, H. Res. 347, not only supports the goals and ideas of Italian-American Heritage Month nationwide, but also recognizes the significant contributions Italian Americans have made to our great nation. Italian Americans have made significant contributions economically, culturally and politically to our society. Amerigo Vespucci and Christopher Columbus were some of the first explorers to discover the American continents and illustrate the geography. Italian Americans have won prestigious prizes, such as the Nobel Prize, the Pritzker Award for architecture, and the Fields Medal for mathematics. Over the past 200 years, 5.4 million Italians have immigrated to the United States. Today more than 26 million Americans are of Italian descent, 72 thousand alone reside in the eighth district of Massachusetts. As this country's fifth largest ethnic group, Italian Americans have brought to our communities a tireless work ethnic, a strong sense of family cohesion, and an artistically rich culture. This unique and profound impact of Italian culture has become an integral part of the American way of life. In fact, many Italian Americans have gone on to become prominent in our nation's academic, industrial, entertainment, and political fields. Nearly every American has experienced the unique contributions of Italian Americans. Famous Italian Americans like Hall of Fame baseball player Joe DiMaggio, world-renowed composer Henry Mancini, singer and songwriter Frank Sinatra, and Oscar winner Robert DeNiro have provided all Americans with many forms of entertainment. Millions of Americans have experienced the brilliance of Constantine Brumidi, an Italian immigrant, who was the artistic prodigy behind the elaborate paintings in the United States Capitol. Other Italian Americans have enriched our political process, including political figures such as Fiorella La Guardia, both mayor and Congressman from New York City, Anthony Celebrezze, who served during John F. Kennedy's Administration and was the first Italian American Cabinet Member, and Antonin Scalia, who is the first Italian American appointed to the Supreme Court. I invite every Member to join me in celebrating the tremendous impact Italian Americans have made to our nation and our national identity.

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank those people that have allowed this resolution to come to the floor of the House. It is relatively simple and straightforward. October, as we all know, is a month that we celebrate Christopher Columbus Day, and it is a month that many Italian Americans across this country have utilized to remember their own heritage and their own background. I think it is particularly appropriate for this resolution to be before us on the same day as H.R. 2442, which recalls the plight of many Italian Americans during World War II. They were interned at the behest of this government, which was an amazing thing, considering that it happened at the same time that probably one of the largest ethnic groups in the world helping the Americans were Italian Americans fighting in World War II, and that included my father as an Italian American, the son of Italian Americans. This resolution simply states what many people already know, and some things I think people do not know. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) went through much of it. But some of the things that people do not know is what Italian Americans and Italians have invented that help them every day, not the least of which is pianos, violins, the calendars that we all use every day were invented by Italians, radios down on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, telescopes, compasses, microscopes, thermometers, eyeglasses, steam engines, typewriters and batteries, all discovered by Italians or Italian Americans. I rise today simply to congratulate all of the people that have come to these shores, including Italians and Italian Americans, and all of their heritage, the 26 million people in America today who claim some Italian heritage, the fifth largest ethnic group, as was pointed out by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette). I also rise today to remind them that if they want to see some of the work that has been done by Italian Americans, all they have to do is simply step outside this Chamber and take a look up. Much of the art work done in this Capitol was done by Mr. Brumidi, also an Italian American. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleagues on the other side for allowing this to come up, and I join in asking for the passage of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1452, the American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000. This important legislation contains numerous provisions that will help low- and moderate-income Americans purchase their own home. Two provisions in this bill are particularly important to my District. The first allows the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide enhanced Section 8 vouchers to tenants living in buildings where the owner opted out of the program prior to 1995. There are a number of these developments around the nation, including one in my District, where tenants are at risk of being forced from their homes because of large rent increases. This important step will allow these residents to stay in their homes without the constant threat of eviction. The second provision has already passed this House as part of H.R. 1776 earlier this year, but I am especially pleased that it is included in this legislation as well. It is estimated that more than 1.5 million children are being raised by their grandparents or other relatives because of divorce, death, or other circumstances. Many of these families live in public or subsidized housing in both urban and rural communities, although their unique needs may not be best served in these situations. A group in my District, Boston Aging Concerns/Young and Old United, has developed the first affordable housing in the country designed specifically for grandparents raising their grandchildren. This innovative development, called the Grandfamilies House, has a playground, computer learning center, and after-school programs to serve the children, as well as service coordinators, and exercise classes for the elderly residents. The provision included in this bill will give non-profit groups greater flexibility with HOME and Section 8 funds so that more of these developments can be built. The staff of the Grandfamilies House has already had inquiries from groups across the country interested in developing similar projects. It is my hope that enactment of this legislation will help create new housing opportunities for these families.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to one of America's most historic crown jewels, Symphony Hall, as it celebrates its centennial and its many contributions to Boston, the Nation and the world. The Hall was the brainchild of ``Major'' Henry Lee Higginson, founder of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO). In the early 1890s, Higginson made the decision to build Symphony Hall due to the fact that the Boston Music Hall was no longer meeting the needs of the BSO and its patrons. Major Higginson chose Charles Follen McKim of the New York firm of McKim, Mead and White as the architect of the Hall. At that time, McKim was the most prominent architect in the United States. However, one of the most influential persons involved in the project was a Harvard physicist by the name of Wallace Clement Sabine. Mr. Sabine, the founder of the science of architectural acoustics, served as acoustical consultant during the construction of the Hall. As a result of Sabine's input, Symphony Hall became the first concert hall designed with the aid of modern acoustical science, and today is ranked among the three best acoustical concert halls in the world. Ground breaking on the Hall took place on June 12, 1899 and it opened its doors on October 15, 1900. Ever since its opening, Symphony Hall has played a major role in new music activity. It has been the scene of more than 250 musical world premiers, including major works by Samuel Barber, Aaron Copeland, George Gershwin, and John Williams. Though it is principal home of the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops orchestras, other performing artists use it 60-70 times a year. It is also interesting to note that for many years Symphony Hall was the largest public building in Boston and served as the city's major civic gathering place. Among such civic events were: the First Annual Automobile Show of the Boston Automobile Dealers' Association (1901); a debate on American participation in the League of Nations, advocated by Harvard President A. Lawrence Lowell and opposed by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge (1919); and all the inaugurations of Boston's Mayor James Michael Curley. The Hall has regular radio and television broadcasts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops. The first radio broadcast took place on January 23, 1926, with the first national radio broadcast took place on October 4, 1930 in honor of the BSO's 50th anniversary. Television broadcasts from Symphony Hall began in 1963 and in 1969 the program Evening at Pops was launched in co-operation with WGBH. This program has gone on to become the second longest-running series on public television, after Sesame Street. Today, Symphony Hall continues to have a profound impact on the world of music and maintains its distinction as one of the world's finest concert halls. The Department of the Interior recently paid fitting tribute to Symphony Hall's national and historic significance by designating it a National Historic Landmark. I have no doubt that Symphony Hall will continue to be a strong influence in the world of music for the next century and I want to extend my heart-felt congratulations to all those persons that have been entrusted with maintaining the legacy of Symphony Hall. So I close with wishing Symphony Hall a happy birthday and the good fortune of celebrating at least another one hundred.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to remind Americans that domestic violence and other forms of violence against women are still widespread in the United States of America. On Friday, October 6, 2000, the Boston Herald reported that the number of victims killed in domestic violence incidents in Massachusetts increased by more than 50 percent over last year's numbers. This is a frightening development, particularly when the state's average for other violent crimes decreased over the same period. When women decide that they have had enough of their abusive relationships, they frequently turn to a local shelter that provides services to survivors of domestic violence. Often times, shelters that assist women and children are chronically short on resources. In fact, throughout the nation, for every six women that seek protection at a shelter, five are turned away because of lack of space or funds. In many of these unfortunate instances, women and children are forced to return to their abusive relationship because they lack a viable alternative. Last Friday, the House passed the conference report on HR 3244, Sex Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Support of this bill is critical for several reasons. In particular, this conference report contains the reauthorization for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA is a grant program that was established under Title IV of the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Reauthorization of this bill will allow domestic violence assistance centers throughout the country to continue receiving grants to carry out programs that assist women who have been victims of domestic and sexual assault. This legislation authorizes $3.4 billion worth of grants over 5 years. The grants will support programs to reduce violence against women by strenghtening law enforcement, services to victims of violence, and education and training to combat violence, as well as reducing the effects of violence on children. This law will also better protect battered immigrant women by reforming immigration laws that are currently being used to prevent a battered immigrant spouse from reporting abuse or leaving an abusive relationship. Passage of the VAWA reauthorization is an important victory for women and is key in our nation's war against domestic violence. Until America completely eliminates domestic and sexual violence against women, we must provide these women a safe haven with adequate protection and services. VAWA reauthorization is a step in the right direction to provide assistance to the women and children victimized within their own homes. I call upon my colleagues to join me in remaining vigilant about this problem.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) for yielding me the time. Madam Speaker, as I was watching this back in the office and as I was reading the contents of the particular bill, I have to tell my colleagues I am absolutely shocked. I do not think anyone at home, certainly nobody in my district, cares who has what jurisdiction. They could care less, they care about one thing, keeping their seniors and their kids warm. And for us to sit here and argue about jurisdiction to make promises that we may not be able to keep is ridiculous. It is patently absurd and unfair. I came over today to make sure that the people I represent do not care if it is political or not. We are all politicians. We all do things for political reasons. Do my colleagues think any senior citizen who freezes in the middle of the winter cares about politics? They want heat. And for those people who do not have to rely on oil heat like we do in the Northeast, mark my words, without question, if we do nothing and oil heat price rises, natural gas prices will rise as well. There are already supply problems. If we do not do it, people like me may start thinking about changing to natural gas. If we do, that puts further demand on diminished natural gas supplies. Those prices will be right behind us. And I will tell my colleagues, whether it is political or not, my hope is that every single politician in any one of us in the Frostbelt States makes this an issue, one way or the other; I am for it, I am against it. I do not think, I have been involved with this since the day I got here, I do not think anyone who has argued for or against the Strategic Oil Preserve has said this is the only way to do it. We said there are a thousand things we can and should be doing and hopefully we will. This is one. This is the one that we can do immediately. Most of the others will take time. For us to sit here and fiddle while the Northeast and the Midwest freezes is an insult to the people who have elected us.

Mr. CAPUANO

Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, again I rise at the end of the day simply to draw the line as I did earlier about what I think this proposal is, this substitute. The difference between the substitute and the main bill is simple, very, very simple. We believe in the concept that tax cuts should first go to those who need it most. I understand there was a philosophical difference of opinion on that, and I respect that; but that is our belief. When one has to balance out where pennies should go, where dollars should go, where even billions should go, they should go to those who need it most first. That is why our proposal raises the levels to $80,000 for a single person and $100,000 for married couples. The second most important part of this bill has to do with how this gets done. Under the Republican proposal, it is a political promise; and that is all it is. Under our proposal, it remains a dedicated revenue stream. There is a distinct difference, and it is a difference that I generally hear from the majority side. The difference is that people do not trust us. I happen to agree. They do not.