Joe Crowley

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, on May 17, 2000, I was unavoidably detained in New York. Therefore, I missed roll call votes 190, 191, 192 and 193. I would like the Record to reflect that had I been here, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall Vote 190, ``aye'' on rollcall votes 191 and 192, and ``nay'' on rollcall vote 193.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I am opposed to the Kasich, Condit, Shays, Frank, Bachus, DeFazio amendment to withdraw our troops from Kosovo before the completion of their vital mission in the Balkans. The U.S. has committed a great deal of men, material and money to Kosovo and the Balkans region. Now is not the time to limit our activities. We must see it through. I think it is very dangerous to tie the President's hands in the region when U.S. troops are on the ground and so much has been invested in the future of the region. This isn't a budget issue. It's a national security issue and must be viewed as such. I agree with the proponents of the amendment that we must pressure our European allies to pay their fair share in Kosovo and the region. I think most of my colleagues would agree as well. But, I can't in good conscience allow the President to be prevented from doing what he feels is in the vital interests of the U.S. Especially when a new President will inherit the current situation in Kosovo next year and be forced to deal with this amendment if it passes here today. That is why George W. Bush joined with the Clinton Administration in opposing this amendment. We must not link U.S. national security priorities with the perceived inaction of our allies. We all want to ensure our European allies to pay their fair share, but this is not the way to do it--diplomacy is. No matter how you dress it up, this amendment could force the withdrawal of American troops from Kosovo. What kind of message does that send to our allies and enemies and most of all our troops? It sends the message that if you wait out the United States, we'll give up and go home. This message is irresponsible and dangerous. Mr. Chairman, once again, this is a national security issue. We can not allow concerns over burdensharing to cloud our judgment on this issue. Yes, the Europeans must pay their fair share. Yes, the U.S. is often in a position where we must pay more than our fair share. And yes, I want our European allies to live up to their commitments. But, I will not sacrifice our security to do it. I urge my colleagues to oppose this shortsighted amendment.

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Dreier/ Skelton amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to reduce the waiting period for the export of computers from 180 days to 60 days. The current 6-month waiting period clearly does not make sense for products that have a 3-month innovation cycle and are widely available from our foreign competitors. Until recently, export controls affected only a small number of computers. But with recent advances in microprocessor performance, many of the commonly available U.S. business computers will be subject to U.S. unilateral export controls. This amendment will enable American high tech companies to compete more effectively around the world. But I also want to express my hope that this legislation is only a first step to a more comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. Export Control System. We have to realize that our broken export control system threatens to cost our computer industry valuable sales in some of the most critical markets in the world. This bipartisan amendment is support by the administration and by the computer industry. I urge my colleagues to support it today.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall), my good friend, for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the amendment offered by the gentleman from Colorado, my good friend and colleague. This amendment would provide a dedicated stream of funds for the Urban and Community Forestry Program, a valuable yet underfunded program. As the only Member from the New York State delegation on the Committee on Resources, and representative of the most urban district on the committee, I have realized that the Urban and Community Forestry Program is vital to the regreening of our Nation's cities. In my home State of New York, over the last 4 years, the Urban and Community Forestry Program has provided more than $1 million to contain and prevent further tree loss associated with the Asian longhorned beetle, an invasive species that has destroyed thousands of trees throughout both New York City and Chicago metropolitan areas. The Urban and Community Forestry Program has provided technical assistance to help local officials plant and care for trees that are resistant to the beetle to prevent future outbreaks in the City of New York and throughout the United States. The Urban and Community Forestry Program currently assists over 13 major U.S. metropolitan areas, including Denver, Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, East St. Louis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and South Florida. With additional assistance, this worthwhile program could provide even more assistance. Additionally, the Urban and Community Forestry Program has provided technical assistance to help community groups plant trees, restore riverbanks, improve watersheds and provide conservation education that makes our urban communities a better place to live and to work. Therefore, I am pleased to stand with the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) in strong support of this amendment. Again, I thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) for this landmark legislation.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act offered by the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller). I salute these two gentlemen as well as all the Members who have worked so hard to see this bill progress this far. As the only Member of the New York State delegation to be a member of the Committee on Resources, I was pleased to support this legislation, both in committee and here today on the floor of the House. There are so many great projects in this legislation, but I would like to specifically point out one in particular, that of urban parks. If this legislation is signed into law in the form we have it today, my home State will receive $11 million a year for the urban parks and recreation recovery program, which will allow New York to purchase and restore recreation areas and facilities throughout the State. This money will go a long way towards improving the quality of life for the residents of my Congressional District, the 7th Congressional District in Queens and the Bronx, and millions of other urban residents as well. These funds are badly needed. A report by a nonprofit organization in New York City released last year showed that the City of New York has a growing reliance on private philanthropy to fund urban parks. While I will always welcome community involvement in private philanthropy, the report went on to state that these private dollars overwhelmingly flow into those parks which are situated in wealthy neighborhoods, like Central Park and Madison Square Park in Manhattan. Urban green spaces in middle class neighborhoods like mine, like in the areas of Queens and the Bronx, that I represent, are simply ignored. There is very little public assistance to remediate or create new open spaces in these neighborhoods, and there is little private sector dollars flowing into those communities. CARA will address this troubling situation. There is no reason that hard-working Americans should be deprived of open green fields, deprived of places for their children to engage in after-school sports, or be deprived of safe shaded places to stroll. In my opinion, every American community should have its own version of Central Park. That is why I am a strong supporter of this legislation, and, again, I want to thank the chairman, the gentleman from Alaska, and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), for all their hard work, and every Member who worked hard in seeing that this bill came before the House today.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, today, National Teacher's Day, we honor our nation's teachers and recognize the lasting contribution they make in our children's lives. Teachers are fundamental to the future successes of our children. They inspire our children to learn and instill them with the tools they need to be successful in their careers and in their lives. People who enter the teaching profession don't do it for the money-- they do it out of love. That love is reflected in the countless hours they spend outside the classroom, preparing lesson plans, being involved in extra curricular activities, and even buying supplies with their own money. Mr. Speaker, the average teacher spends $408 of his or her money each year to meet the needs of their students. Let me tell you about the teachers we have in my district. They certainly don't teach for the money--in fact many salaries barely pay rent--but they are the most dedicated workforce I know. I invited the Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, to my district to witness first hand the problems the schools in my district face with overcrowding. He visited on April 27, 2000, along with the new chancellor of the New York City Board of Education and we had a very informative and productive tour and meeting. When deciding which school to highlight for Secretary Riley, I selected PS 19, which operates at 157% capacity, and is one of the most, if not the most, overcrowded elementary school in the City of New York. I contacted the Principal at PS 19, Catherine Zarbis, who agreed to open up her school during their spring break, to show the Secretary and the Chancellor their overcrowded conditions and numerous portable classrooms. When we visited the school the day before, we found many teachers there--on their spring break--cleaning their classrooms, making new room and hall decorations, and preparing lesson plans. These teacher came in, on their own free time, to clean the building and prepare for the Secretary's visit. In fact, everyone from the teachers to custodial staff to the security personnel pitched in for this event. I want to personally recognize everyone for their hard work: Principal Catherine Zarbis, Assistant Principal Roseann Napolitano, Assistant Principal Dina Erstejn; Mr. Miria Villegas, Mrs. Janina Juszczak; and Mrs. Kathleen Ktistakis, who is affectionately called Mrs. K by her students. The custodial staff: Mr. Thomas Zerella, the Custodial Engineer; Ms. Renee Rhein; Mr. William Bischoff; Mr. Fernando Seara; Mr. Louis Bischoff; Mr. Leonard Rooney; Mr. David Fasano; Mr. Wilmer Romero; Mr. Omar Yahia. And the parent volunteers: Mrs. Zoraya Torres; Mrs. Ana Hernandez; and Mrs. Julliana Bonetti. These educators truly represent what teachers really stand for and should serve as role models to us here in Congress as well as our children. I urge my colleagues to put aside partisanship and help these teachers--reduce their class size average of 36, give them full classrooms, instead of converted closets, bathrooms, hallways, and attics. We need to pass substantial school construction legislaiton as well as class size reduction, implement after school programs, safe and drug free schools, and provide access to technology. Our teachers and our children deserve it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3313, the Long Island Sound Restoration Act. I congratulate Representative Nancy Johnson for crafting this bi- partisan legislation that represents an excellent step in the right direction towards cleaning up and maintaining the water quality of Long Island Sound. A great many of my constituents benefit from this water body--whether it be vacationing on her beautiful beaches, working on her shores or eating the fish products caught in the Sound. Long Island Sound is a vital lifeline for the people of my district and of the whole tri-state area. Unfortunately, with the population explosion along the shores of Long Island Sound, new threats are appearing. This legislation will increase the funding for the Long Island Sound Office by $77 million. Additionally, this legislation will address the efforts to reduce nitrogen discharges into the Sound and authorizes the surrounding states to provide additional subsidies to designated distressed communities from a state's clean water fund. Finally, this legislation will not hinder the environmentally important dredging efforts occurring in communities surrounding Long Island Sound. In my district, dredging operations have vastly improved both the economic as well as the environmental climate in a number of communities. As a deliberative body, we must ensure that important dredging projects, such as ones occurring in Flushing Bay and New York Harbor continue unencumbered. I urge my colleagues to support this valuable, environmental legislation.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me this time. I rise in strong support of H.R. 3293, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Authorization, and I congratulate the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), the sponsor of this important legislation to commemorate those brave men and women who fought in Vietnam. I signed onto this legislation because I believe the time has come to commemorate those brave veterans of the Vietnam War who gave up their lives for their country but have yet to receive any public tribute. But this legislation should only be a starting point here in Congress. We should all work together to advance the priorities of all of our Nation's veterans', including providing a fair distribution of health care resources to veterans regardless of where they reside in our Nation. We should make the term ``homeless veteran'' an oxymoron. We must keep letting our Nation's veterans know that the people who fought to allow us to come to this floor every day and debate issues both large and small that we do and did value their services. Our veterans have provided so much while requesting so little. In my opinion, this memorial should be constructed in the honor of these brave men and women, and I am pleased the House of Representatives is debating this legislation today. Again, I would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), for bringing this legislation to the floor. This is a good bill. It is long overdue. I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation today.

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 3293, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Authorization. I congratulate Congressman Elton Gallegly, the sponsor of this important legislation to commemorate those brave men and women who fought in Vietnam. I signed on to this legislation because I believe the time has come to commemorate those brave veterans of the Vietnam War who gave up their lives for their country but have yet to receive any public tribute. But this legislation should only be a starting point in this Congress. We should all work together to advance the priorities of all our nation's veterans, including providing a fair distribution of health care resources to veterans regardless of where they reside in our nation. We should make the term ``homeless veteran'' an oxymoron. And we must keep letting our nation's veterans know--the people who fought to allow us to come to the floor every day and debate issues both large and small--that we do value their service. Our veterans have provided so much while requesting so little. In my opinion, a memorial should be constructed in honor of these brave men and women. I am pleased the House of Representatives is debating this legislation today and would again like to thank my friend and colleague Representative Elton Gallegly for bringing this legislation to the floor today. This is a good bill. It is long overdue and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation today.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, this year more than 200,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer. These women are our mothers, our sisters, our friends, and our colleagues. I am proud to be a cosponsor of the bipartisan Breast and Cervical Treatment Act that will enable low-income, uninsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer early detection program [NBCCEDP] to obtain treatment. Currently, the CDC detection programs provide eligible women with screening, but if cancer is detected, there are no funds to provide much-needed treatment. Instead, these women have to find other funds for treatment. No woman should have to worry about funding her treatment. H.R. 4386 is bipartisan legislation that would add the life-saving treatment component to the NBCCEDP. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act has overwhelming support and was passed unanimously by the Commerce Committee. I support this critical legislation and urge every member to vote for passage. It is simply unfair that low-income, uninsured women are not given every treatment available to save their lives because they cannot afford costly medication and treatments. Passage of this legislation is the best Mother's Day gift we can give our mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters. All women and their families in this country deserve the peace of mind that if diagnosed with one of these terrible illnesses, they will have access to the treatment they deserve. While I strongly support the overall bill, I am deeply concerned about the provision included on human papillomavirus [HPV] and believe it is misguided from a public health perspective. The condom labeling requirement may have the unintended effect to discouraging condom use, which, as we all know, is effective in preventing other serious STDs, including HIV/AIDS. HPV is a serious public health issue, which deserves Federal funding and a coordinated response to educate men and women on its causes, effects, and treatment. I urge my colleagues to provide that by supporting more funding for title X, and other programs that work in a comprehensive and holistic way to improve women's health. We should be advocating for public health policy that encourages women to be screened through Pap smear examinations to prevent the potential for cervical cancer, not discouraging condom use. I urge my colleagues to reexamine this issue.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from upstate New York (Mr. Hinchey).

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania. He reminds us all that although Cardinal O'Connor spent the last years of his life in New York, he really was not a New Yorker by birth, and he never really belonged just to New York, he belonged not only to the United States, but to this world. I think the next speaker would like to expand upon that as well. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from San Francisco, California (Ms. Pelosi).

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Manhattan, New York (Mr. Rangel).

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I want to thank my colleague and my good friend, the gentleman from Staten Island, New York (Mr. Fossella), for joining me in offering this resolution today and for his outstanding work in recognizing the life of our friend, Cardinal O'Connor. I would also like to thank the other original cosponsors on this side of the aisle: the minority leader, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens), the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Forbes), the gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty), the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady), the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce), the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt), the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski), and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey). All of these Members are also original cosponsors of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to express my profound sorrow at the passing of John Cardinal O'Connor. As a spiritual leader of over 2 million Catholics in one of the most diverse archdioceses in our Nation, Cardinal O'Connor was an active participant in the debate of the role of the church and the role of society in helping those who could not care for themselves, those least fortunate amongst us. The Cardinal has always embodied the biblical passage of the Good Samaritan. In both his words and actions, Cardinal O'Connor clearly demonstrated his devotions to the teachings of Christ and his spirit of the principles of that passage. I can daresay that no individual whoever came before Cardinal O'Connor was ever left on the side of the road. He used not only his pulpit to teach the word of Christ but also the true meaning of those words as he saw them. He was one of the first Church officials to recognize the horrible toll of the AIDS epidemic and used his moral authority to open New York State's first only unit to treat AIDS at St. Clare's Hospital in New York City. Additionally, he also provided compassion through words and actions and made it known that every one of us was a child of God and was deserving of love, compassion, and respect. He strove to strengthen relations between his flock and those of other faiths, recognizing the value of all people and the power of the interfaith alliance. He was a man who has dedicated his life to helping lift others up, all the while never seeking out worldly possessions or public accolade. These are just some of the reasons I rise today. But there are others, more personal reasons. In my own family, three of my relatives received the devine calling to dedicate themselves to do the work of the Lord. My uncle, Father John Crowley, is currently the pastor of St. John of the Cross Church in Vero Beach, Florida. My other uncle, Father Paul Murphy, is a Catholic priest in Philadelphia, a member of the Vincesian order. He, like Father John Crowley, has been inspired by Cardinal O'Connor and viewed him as a personal figure of inspiration. My aunt, Sister Mary Rose Crowley, is a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame and is based in West Palm Beach, Florida, as well. She, too, has reflected upon the grace, the power, and the compassion of Cardinal O'Connor. These people, all dedicated to the teachings of Christ, have received both encouragement and guidance from Cardinal O'Connor. The Cardinal has always served as a role model of conduct and solid Christian behavior for my relatives and for millions of other Catholics not only in New York but throughout the Nation and throughout the world. As the leader of New York's Catholics, he has also been influential in establishing and maintaining a series of high quality, Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese. In fact, I attended Power Memorial High School in Manhattan and, as a graduate of parochial schools, I have been brought up with the values of the Cardinal, and I hope that I at some point will be able to instill those same values of my family that I was taught, values of family and faith, into my son, Cullen, who was baptized recently into the Catholic faith. No other person, I do not think, in the city of New York did more for relations, especially between the people of the Catholic faith and the Jewish faith. In fact, I think Cardinal O'Connor can be credited with much of the movement we saw recently out of the Vatican toward revisiting World War II and the Holocaust and the role of the Church during that time. I think the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) would remember the great warmth between Cardinal O'Connor and the former mayor of New York Ed Koch. I think that said an awful lot about how New Yorkers felt about Cardinal O'Connor from all persuasions. On behalf of all my constituents in the Bronx, which is part of the Archdiocese in New York, and my constituents in Queens, a part of the Brooklyn/Queens Archdiocese, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution in honor of this great man, Cardinal O'Connor. May God bless his soul. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, just in closing on our side, I just want to say that I do not think anything more can be said about this great man that has not been said already here on the floor. All of New York will miss Cardinal O'Connor. I speak for all my constituents, both Catholic and non-Catholic alike. He was a man who touched the heart and soul of every person in this country and in this world, and the world is lesser for not having him anymore. Before I came to the floor this evening to manage debate on this, I called my mother to let her know that we would be doing this, and to maybe give my aunt and uncles a call in the religious community, that they might want to tune in to hear a few words about Cardinal O'Connor. She said, ``You know, I loved him;'' and my mother means she really loved him. I think that is really representative of so many people. My mother was not even in his diocese, but she loved Cardinal O'Connor, and she was not ashamed to say it, and there are millions and millions of people who feel the very, very same way. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Staten Island once again for his work on this effort. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) for his words, especially bringing light and attention to the fact that Cardinal O'Connor had played such a major role in the Irish peace process and in many, many different ways. He had a tremendous amount of pride in his Irish heritage, and I probably dare say that one of his greatest days was March 17 every year. When the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) talked before about all the parades, I have to say that March 17 was probably his favorite day of all the parades, and he had the biggest smile on that particular day. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I too rise with a heavy heart this morning to express my profound sorrow at the passing of John Cardinal O'Connor. As the leader of the largest archdiocese in the Nation, Cardinal O'Connor was an active participant in the debate about the role of the church and the role of society in helping those who could not help themselves. The Cardinal embodied the biblical passage of the Good Samaritan. In both his words and actions, Cardinal O'Connor demonstrated his devotion to the teachings of Christ and the spirit and principles of that passage. He not only used his pulpit to teach the words of Christ, but also the true meaning of those words. The Cardinal has stated recently that he would like his epitaph to simply say that he was ``a good priest.'' What an understatement. He certainly was. Mr. Speaker, may God bless him as he returns to the comforting arms of God for eternal salvation and peace.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I speak today in strong support of House Resolution 464 to urge the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to formally recognize its Israeli counterpart, the Magen David Adom (MDA) as a full member. Unfortunately, international bias against the State of Israel still exists today. While the Israeli people have taken tremendous risks in negotiating peace with their Arab neighbors and promoting normalized relations with all nations, anti-Israel sentiment in international organizations still prevails. The reluctance of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to provide recognition to the Magen David Adom is just another manifestation of this attitude. The Magen David Adom not only provides important services in the State of Israel but also works internationally alongside other humanitarian relief organizations providing invaluable emergency aid to people in many countries, regardless of nationality or religious affiliation. Israel's recent response to the tragic earthquake in Turkey underlines that the Magen David Adom is an important member of the worldwide humanitarian community. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, the House International Relations Committee on which I am privileged to serve, unanimously supported this resolution and I urge my fellow Members to give this legislation the same overwhelming support on the floor today and send a strong message that the United States will not accept discrimination against the State of Israel.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for organizing this special order this evening on the Armenian genocide. The leadership on this issue of importance to Armenian people has been vital. It is with some sadness that I know this will be the last statement of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Porter) on the Armenian genocide in this body, and I thank the gentleman for all his fine work. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to take note of the tragic occurrences perpetrated on the Armenian people between 1915 and 1923 by the Ottoman Turkish Empire. During this relatively brief time frame, over 1\1/2\ million Armenians were massacred and over 500,000 were exiled. Unfortunately, the Turkish Government still has not recognized these brutal acts as acts of genocide, nor come to terms with its participation in these horrific events. I believe that by failing to recognize such barbaric acts, one becomes complicit in them. That is why as a New York State assemblyman, I was proud to support legislation adding lessons on human rights and genocide to the State education curricula. I am also a proud cosponsor of H. Res. 398, the United States Training on and Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Resolution. H. Res. 398 calls upon the President to provide for appropriate training and materials to all foreign service officers, officials of the Department of State, and any other executive branch employee involved in responding to issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide by familiarizing themselves with the U.S. record relating to the Armenian Genocide. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this very important resolution. April 24 is recognized as the anniversary date of the Armenian Genocide. The history of this date stretches back to 1915, when on April 24, 300 Armenian leaders, intellectuals and professionals in Constantinople were rounded up, deported and killed, beginning the period known as the Armenian Genocide. Prior to the Armenian Genocide, these brave people with the history of well over 3,000 years old were subject to numerous indignities and periodic massacres by the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. The worst of these massacres occurred in 1895 when as many as 300,000 Armenian civilians were brutally massacred and thousands more were left destitute. Additional massacres were committed in 1909 and 1920. By 1922, Armenians had been eradicated from their homeland. Yet, despite these events, the Armenian people survived as a people and a culture in both Europe and the United States. My congressional district has a number of Armenians, especially in the Woodside community, and their community activism is extraordinary, to say the least. Mr. Speaker, I make note of this because of a statement by Adolph Hitler when speaking about the ``final solution,'' when he said who remembers the Armenians. Mr. Speaker, I remember the Armenians and so do many of my colleagues speaking here this evening.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my serious concerns with H.R. 4051, Project Exile, the Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act. Project Exile is a worthwhile program that provides collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement, along with community involvement. Too bad H.R. 4051 only seeks to link itself to Project Exile in name and does not take this lesson to heart. H.R. 4051, despite its stated intentions, will not do enough to keep our streets safe and keep guns out of the hands of criminals and children. In 1998 Congress appropriated $1.5 million to provide Philadelphia prosecutors with funding to help combat gun violence. However, H.R. 4051 provides only $10 million for all of the States eligible for grants under this program. Clearly, this level of funding is insufficient to address the monumental problem of gun violence in our society. Now, I agree with the supporters of this legislation in one key respect, the U.S. Congress must provide enhanced resources to enforce existing gun control laws. That is why I have joined with Ranking Member Conyers, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and a number of my colleagues in supporting H.R. 4066, the Act for the Effective National Firearms Objectives for Responsible Common-sense Enforcement of 2000 or ENFORCE Act. H.R. 4066, unlike H.R. 4051, provides real resources to assist law enforcement officials in the apprehension and prosecution of those who violate our gun control laws. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4066 authorizes funding for 500 new Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents and inspectors, as well as over 1,000 Federal, state and local gun prosecutors. This legislation also improves gun tracing and ballistics testing systems, funds smart gun technologies and closes the dangerous loopholes that allow criminals and children to obtain guns by hindering the enforcement of gun control laws. H.R. 4066 would go a long way toward apprehending and prosecuting criminals who violate gun control laws. Too bad H.R. 4051 was brought directly to the floor as a suspension without any opportunity for Democrats to offer amendments. Too bad my colleagues across the aisle are only interested in paying lip service to the enforcement of existing gun control laws, because if they were serious, they would bring up the ENFORCE Act under suspension or allow it as an amendment. Mr. Speaker, I find it hard to believe that despite the overwhelming desire by the American people for reasonable and common sense limitations on access to guns, this Congress has still not passed and sent to the President the Senate version of the Juvenile Justice bill. The parents of America are concerned. And, given the tragedies that have occurred across this nation, they have a right to be. They are concerned about the proliferation of guns, of kids gaining access to guns without trigger locks, of guns being bought and sold at gun shows and flea markets without adequate background checks, and of the ability to buy guns anonymously over the Internet. They are concerned, Mr. Speaker, because current U.S. law is inadequate to prevent guns from easily falling into the wrong hands. They are concerned and want action by this Congress. Mr. Speaker, despite my very serious concerns with H.R. 4051, I plan to vote in favor of this legislation for two reasons. One, it does provide some additional resources for the fight against gun violence. Two, I have high hopes that the Senate will do the right thing and make this into a better piece of legislation that will make our streets and neighborhoods safer.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we celebrate World Health Day. Unfortunately, though, too many of the world's women have no cause for celebration. Nearly 600,000 women die each year from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. That is one woman every minute. For every maternal death that occurs worldwide, an estimated 30 additional women suffer pregnancy-related health problems. More than 150 million married women in developing nations still want to space or limit childbearing, but do not have access to modern contraceptives. Yet, despite these startling statistics, the U.S. commitment to women's health remains woefully inadequate. That is why I, along with 31 of my colleagues, support legislation to increase the U.S. commitment to women's health by $300 million as part of our legislation, the Global Health Act 2000. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3826, the Global Health Act of 2000, authorizes $1 billion in additional resources to improve children's and women's health and nutrition, provide access to voluntary family planning, and combat the spread of infectious diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS. Mr. Speaker, by passing the Global Health Act, the United States would make a giant leap forward in promoting access to healthcare for millions of the world's women. I hope we all can keep this in mind as we observe World Health Day tomorrow.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I am a strong supporter of H.R. 1776 and commend my colleagues, the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach); and my friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce); along with my other good friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) for their hard work on this bill which will expand housing opportunities for all Americans. While I support H.R. 1776 and its intentions to make affordable homeownership available to more Americans, I think we can make this bill a little better. I am pleased to join my colleagues, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), and the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) in offering an amendment to authorize the Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS, also known as the HOPWA program, from $260 million to $292 million. While new breakthrough drugs have extended the life of people living with HIV and AIDS, there are still many affected by this disease who are unable to work and who are too sick to provide for themselves. These people have to make the decision to take life-extending and lifesaving drugs or pay for a roof over their heads. It is estimated that 60 percent of the people living with HIV/AIDS require some sort of assistance during their course of illness. People with HIV/AIDS have continually experienced housing discrimination, from being thrown out of their current living situations to outright being denied housing by some landlords. In my Congressional district, a group called Steinway Child and Family Services provides what is one of the largest confidential housing programs for people with AIDS that is funded in part with HOPWA funding. We cannot throw families out on the street, Mr. Chairman. HOPWA saves taxpayers' money by allowing people to live in their own house or apartment in a healthy, safe setting. We save money that would be spent on acute care facilities to treat the same people. This is what the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) was talking about. It costs the taxpayers over $1,000 a day to pay for Medicaid treatment for homeless persons in a nursing home who are sick with AIDS. That adds up to almost $400,000 a year. It costs the taxpayers only $55 to a $110 a day to keep the same person in their own home or a group care facility under the HOPWA program. HOPWA makes sense. I urge my colleagues to support the Shays-Nadler- Crowley-Morella amendment.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the significance of a document that was fundamental in shaping the United States as a land of liberties. I am not speaking about the Declaration of Independence, or the Constitution, for that matter. The document I want to recognize is the Flushing Remonstrance, which was written nearly 120 years before the Declaration of Independence. For 300 years, the Flushing Remonstrance, the first recorded defense of religious freedom in the new world, was locked away in a vault in Albany, New York. The Remonstrance is believed by historians to be the first Declaration of Independence and a forerunner of the first amendment. As a result of the efforts of the Queens Courier, an award-winning community weekly newspaper, this historic document was brought to Queens for a viewing at the Flushing Library. The initiative was spearheaded by David Oats, a historian and special projects editor for that newspaper. Now that that public display at the library is ending, I am working with the Courier and community groups to seek permanent custody of this document in Queens County, particularly in Flushing, New York. The saga of the document began more than 340 years ago when a group of about 30 freeholders in Flushing held a town meeting to discuss Governor Peter Stuyvesant's restrictions on the Quakers because they were not members of the Dutch Reform Church. The Flushing Remonstrance lay the groundwork of this early colony in America, which is located in what is now called Flushing, in my congressional district of Queens, New York. I have informed the State that the best argument for moving the document to Flushing is its very name, the Flushing Remonstrance. It has lain dormant for years in a vault in Albany. I will continue to urge the State of New York to permanently relocate the Flushing Remonstrance in its rightful place in Flushing, Queens, New York. Mr. Speaker, Flushing, New York, in all likelihood, is probably the most diverse place in the entire world. We have more ethnic and racial and religious makeups than any corner of this country certainly, and, therefore, I believe, anywhere in the world. It is appropriate that the Flushing Remonstrance find its way home to Flushing, Queens. We probably need it more now than ever to remind people of the rich history of diversity and tolerance in Queens County, particularly in Flushing. It will be a perfect reminder for not only future generations but for generations here now, to remind them of the rich history that lay in Flushing, Queens, a rich history that I would like to bring out more. I believe if this document is relocated back in its rightful place and home, we will go a long way in accomplishing that. Mr. Speaker, I commend the Queens Courier and the Queens Public Library for its campaign to bring the Flushing Remonstrance to Queens permanently.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would first like to thank Congressman Lantos for taking the lead on this important Resolution. As a survivor of the horrors of the Nazi regime, he knows better than anyone on the International Relations Committee or in this Congress the dangers of complacency. Congressman Lantos knows that remaining silent when hate-mongers come to power is not an option. And I thank him again for his leadership and his dedication. Mr. Speaker, everyone in this Congress has heard the comments made by Jorg Haider and leaders of the Freedom Party. Comments praising Hitler's policies. Statements praising the Waffen S.S. Assertions consistently blaming problems in Austria, including low employment, high taxes and the spread of disease on immigrants. Mr. Haider's views are clear and his intentions are known. And his attempt to apologize each time he makes an offensive statement has grown as tiresome to me as his hateful statements. And although Mr. Haider has resigned his position, his party, the Freedom Party, remains in a coalition government in Austria with the People's Party. This must not be accepted. That is why I have joined with Congressman Lantos, Chairman Gilman, Ranking Member Gejdenson, another survivor of the Nazi era, and a number of my colleagues in introducing H. Res. 429. The House International Relations Committee has passed this Resolution and it is appropriate and necessary that the U.S. Congress put itself on record as disapproving of such a Government. Once again, I would like to thank Congressman Lantos for his leadership on this pressing issue, as well as Chairman Gilman and Ranking Member Gejdenson for their support. I urge my colleagues to support this important Resolution.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I speak today to express my strong opposition to this so-called Supplemental Appropriations bill and to express my outrage at its ridiculous level of funding. H.R. 3908, as approved by the House Appropriations Committee on March 9, would appropriate $1.701 billion for counter-narcotics activities, including $1.07 billion for Colombia, $4.956 billion for peacekeeping operations in Kosova and related matters, and $2.243 billion for Hurricane Floyd and other disaster assistance, plus several smaller non-emergency items. Amendments considered during the course of debate on this measure have dramatically increased its cost. A major concern of mine regarding this supplemental is that no authorization language was passed to allow Members the opportunity to argue for funding for projects important to them. As a Member of the Committee on International Relations and the Representative of the largest Colombian-American community in the U.S., I was hoping to be involved in the development of our policy on Colombia. We should have developed a bill that would strike a balance between the needs of international concerns, such as Colombia, human rights and Kosova, and domestic spending priorities. I would have supported such a bill. Unfortunately, despite the inclusion of the amendment by Congressmen Gilman, Goss, Delahunt and Farr, this supplemental doesn't balance these issues. Mr. Chairman, the reasons to oppose this legislation are too numerous to list in a short floor statement, so I will just highlight some key issues, mostly dealing with the military and counter-narcotics assistance provided in this package. First, I object to the fact that such a large change in U.S. policy regarding Colombia and counter-narcotics assistance has not gone through the normal authorization process. The Republican leadership and the International Relations Committee had ample time to introduce legislation and have it debated in Committee. As it now stands, we are appropriating billions of dollars in military and counter-narcotics assistance, and who knows what else, without the benefit of thoughtful policy evaluation that the authorization's process was designed to give. Second, the supplemental originally sent to the House floor is about $3.8 billion higher than the President's request and the Appropriations Committee had only offset $421 million. Meaning the rest must come out of the budget surplus--not that there is any left after the Republican tax cut scheme passed recently. Third, while I am extremely supportive of assistance to Colombia, it needs to be the right kind of assistance. The provisions in this legislation dealing with civil society programs are woefully inadequate, especially when compared to the vast funding levels for counter-narcotics assistance. Mr. Chairman, I have met with Colombia leaders in Washington, D.C., in my Congressional District and in Colombia. I have traveled to Colombia and seen the need for U.S. assistance. I know the problems of the Colombian people and I am especially supportive of judicial reform efforts, but this supplemental is not going to help them. Fourth, where is the money for domestic prevention and treatment? Interdiction plays a role, but it is next to useless without prevention and treatment programs. Demand will always find supply. Congresswoman Pelosi's amendment should have been protected under the rule. Fifth, I am troubled by some of the provisions in this supplemental which are being termed an emergency. Certainly, I believe the money for LIHEAP, the assistance for Colombia civil society and money for peacekeeping funds for Kosova warrant an emergency, although one we saw coming last year. However, there are a number of spending provisions which do not come close to meeting the definition of an emergency, yet they are not offset. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose the supplemental and I request that the relevant committees be asked to deal with these funding increases through the normal budget process.