Joe Crowley

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in sadness at the passing of my colleague and friend Patsy Mink. But I also rise in great joy and gratitude as I reflect on the paths she cleared for so many people. Patsy Mink blazed trails for women and people of color. She was a stalwart progressive voice and aggressive leader on issues important to the American people. She is known all over this great country for her work on minority affairs and equal rights. Various groups have called her an inspirational role model for students and an ``American political trailblazer extraordinaire.'' The National Organization for Women called her a valiant champion. One of her greatest successes was the passage of Title IX, which she sponsored. Title IX literally leveled the playing field for women in academics and athletics, bringing countless women into athletics in high schools and colleges and universities, and helping to fuel the successes of many professional women's teams today. Patsy Mink's biggest fans were also her most important fans--the people she represented in Congress for 24 years, as well as the Hawaii Legislature and the Honolulu City Council, where she consistently advocated on behalf of and delivered for her constituents. This tireless work explains why her local papers described her as ``a true champion of the people.'' While there are words in honor of her vibrant life in service to the American people, perhaps the most fitting tribute is to strive to capture her extraordinary spirit in this great House as we continue the critical work she devoted her life to achieving--expanding job and education opportunities for women, promoting peace in our troubled world, and fighting for social justice. My own special memory of Patsy was of the annual gift of chocolate covered macadamia nuts she gave Members of Congress from her native Hawaii. She was not only thoughtful, she was an all around class act. Mr. Speaker, we all came to Congress to help better the lives of people we represent. We fight hard everyday to achieve results that will improve the quality of life for people in our hometowns. But few can claim the results that Patsy Mink delivered for the people of Hawaii. She is an inspiration to all of us. While being a role model for so many young people in Hawaii and across the nation, she is also a role model for each of us. God bless her distinguished career in public service. And may God bless her family.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4600. This bill's proponents say the legislation helps curb the costs of healthcare and helps doctors stay in business by reducing their insurance rates. However, they are wrong. I would like to illustrate why they are wrong and why I will oppose this legislation. First, the $250,000 cap on non-economic damages will impede the right of patients and victims of gross negligence. Under this legislation, victims would not be allowed to sue for pain and suffering. That is wrong. Consider the cases of the patient who has the wrong leg amputated or who finds surgeon's initials carved into her skin or the recent example in Massachusetts where a surgeon left in the middle of surgery to go cash a check at the bank. Who would dare look these victims in the eye and say they should not be allowed to sue for anything beyond what this cap allows. Under current law, the onus is on the victims to prove they are deserving of a particular award. If they succeed in making their case, then they deserve to be awarded the appropriate amount by a jury of their peers in accordance with the law. This legislation leaves victims isolated without assistance and without the tools to protect themselves and their families. Second, the bill takes power away from jurors and judges. Our constitution provides for trial by jury to ensure fair trials for all. Now the Republican majority believes that the Constitution is wrong and people are not trustworthy; that power should be in the hands of the insurance companies not the American public. This bill is a one-size-fits-all approach to ruling on legislation. It says that even if jurors, who have conscientiously listened to every fact presented by both sides, want to award a plaintiff an amount beyond the cap, they are unable to do so. This bill says that judges, who are trained to listen to the specifics of a case and to understand the specifics of the law, cannot award damages as they see fit. This bill ties the hands of those who are expected to know the most about the law and about individual cases. Third, the bill, which was drafted under the auspices of trying to lower malpractice insurance costs, offers no guarantees that medical malpractice costs will fall. Proponents claim the bill's intent is to reduce malpractice insurance rates, yet malpractice insurers can easily choose to price gauge. A June 24, 2002 Wall Street Journal article discusses the direct impact of insurers' ``pricing and accounting practices'' on increased malpractice rates. If we want to limit the burden on doctors, we need to limit their insurance rates, not limit victims' rights. Finally, this bill places caps on suits due to negligent doctors who shouldn't be practicing, dangerous HMOs that should be shut down, and faulty pharmaceuticals and faulty devices that should be off the market. Unfortunately there are bad pharmaceuticals and bad devices in this country. Consider the Dalcon Shield, the inter-uterine device that used to be on the market. This device caused many women to develop serious uterine infections or worse, and the company knew it was faulty. Their negligence was punished by crushing lawsuits that caused the corporation to go bankrupt--and they should have gone bankrupt because they were killing women. This bill would allow manufacturers of devices like the Dalcon Shield to pay off small awards by their insurance company to their victims and continue to kill. Additionally, this bill exempts all HMOs from litigation for denials of care. So many of my Congressional colleagues talk about wanting to protect Americans against HMOs, yet here we are discussing a bill that would do precisely the opposite. This bill is protection for HMOs. This bill saves HMOs from paying victims whatever amount the judicial systems finds is just. Patients need and deserve stronger protections against their HMOs than this bill permits. This bill simply takes power away from judges, jurors, and victims while guaranteeing no relief for hospitals and physicians. My constituents have been waiting for Congress to pass a serious Patients Bill of Rights, protect patients and their families, and lower medical costs. This bill will accomplish none of these goals. Therefore, I will be opposing this vote and urge all Members who care about their constituents and about health care costs to oppose this bill as well.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of The Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club of the Bronx, New York. I congratulate them on their recently awarded $218,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. This grant will fund the Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP). JUMP is a one-on-one mentoring program that takes at-risk youths from the Bronx neighborhoods of Co-Op City, Baychester, Edenwald, and Williamsbridge, and gives them the kind of activities they want and need. The goals of this program are to reduce gang participation, promote academic achievement and school attendance, and promote positive social behavior. The activities include college campus visits, outings to sporting events, and reading time with caring adult mentors. That is precisely what is so wonderful about Gloria Wise--it recognizes the needs of this community and it provides services that serve this community. That is the mark of understanding, seasoned leadership--leadership provided by Gloria Wise's Executive Director, Charlie Rosen. Mr. Rosen has proven his commitment to the neighborhood for decades. And he continues to respond to the needs of this varied and diverse community. Under his leadership, Gloria Wise has grown into a model community center, serving the young, the old, those in need of assistance, and those who long to help, this center serves all of us. This Federal grant certainly speaks to the quality of Mr. Rosen's leadership. It also speaks to the quality of the Gloria Wise programs and staff, people like the Jeff Aulenbach who is the Deputy Executive Director who actually wrote the grant application--an application that was successful in a very competitive year where only three of these awards were given out in New York State. This program has a lot of people behind it, including myself. This center has been blessed with incredible staff and an incredible leader. I am glad that the Federal Government and the Department of Justice has recognized how exceptional this Boys & Girls Club is to the Co-Op City community. For all of their work, I thank them.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion to Go to Conference. As a Representative from New York City, I have seen and heard first hand the massive need for such a Federal backstop. While our nation has plunged into a recession over the past 2 years-- the economic conditions of New York City are even more precarious. For example, between August 2001 to May 2002 while unemployment rates have risen 13 percent in the U.S. they have increased by 20 percent in New York City. While there are a number of factors for this decline, one is the lack of new construction and building. This dearth of investment and new construction is due to a lack of financing by banks that will not provide lending to a project that cannot get commercial property and casualty insurance. Furthermore, for those few businesses that can obtain limited insurance coverage often do not have adequate coverage and are paying drastically higher prices for such limited coverage. This again saps vital and badly needed resources out of New York's and all of America's economy. Providing a Federal backstop is good for workers and good for the economy. Additionally, while in conference, I also hope that the Conferees will give serious consideration to an issue I brought up with Chairman Oxley during Committee mark up--that of providing a backstop to personal lines of property and casualty insurance lines as well. While personal P&C insurance carriers now claim they can handle any claims for unthinkable terrorist attacks that could effect personal property and casualty holders, such as homeowners, we heard this same thing about commercial lines pre-September 11. No one can predict the future, and we need to be prepared for anything. Could personal lines provide for a large-scale attack on a neighborhood using nuclear, biological or chemical terrorism? We don't know, and that is why I brought this issue up at mark-up and am hopeful for some work on this issue in conference. Additionally, I am hopeful that the Conferees will work to provide a real backstop and strip out an extra legislative riders such as the damaging tort reforms added by the Republicans leadership to the House bill in the dark of night. These riders threw a red herring into this debate and slowed Congressional action on this issue--not a lack of trying by the Senate, including Senator Schumer of New York, a leading proponent of backstop legislation. America needs a Federal backstop for both commercial and personal lines or property and casualty lines and we need to keep such a bill clean for extraneous amendments that are divisive and bad for our economy. I wish the Conferees well and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference Report for the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act. I can give my colleagues one reason to support this legislation-- fairness. This bill will restore fairness to our nation's bankruptcy laws for those Americans who work hard and pay their bills on time. A few days ago, representatives from a number of credit unions came to my office, including Rob Nemeroff of the Melrose Credit Union in Woodside, Queens in my Congressional District. He detailed about how the hard working, middle class people of his credit union--and of my District--continually have to pick up the tab for those who file bankruptcy--whether legitimately, as many do, or irresponsibly, as far too many do. This bill will provide them some fairness--something that my constituents do not often get from this Congress. H.R. 333 provides fairness to the victims of criminal corporate executives by mandating that these corporate pirates can no longer shield their multi-million dollar homes from defrauded investors seeking to reclaim some of their lost assets. It provides fairness for those families who suffered losses in the terror attacks of last year by walling off any of the compensation paid to them through the Victims Compensation Fund or other victims' funds from being considered as income for repayment plans. And this bill provides fairness for women and children in their ability to collect child support and alimony obligations. And for those who do file for bankruptcy, this bill includes numerous new protections for them and their families. This bill permits filers to keep their homes and provide health insurance for themselves and their families before taking their assets into account for repayment plans. This bill states that low income debtors will be exempt from many of the provisions of this bill if their median family income is below the average for their state. This legislation represents a fair, common sense approach towards tackling the important yet complicated issues surrounding the issue of bankruptcy in a way that will benefit those working Americans who pay their bills while providing for those who cannot. Finally, I applaud my colleague from New York, Senator Charles Schumer for his tireless battle to include tough penalties for the people who try to discharge debt from clinic protesting. This was the right thing to do, and I applaud him for including it in this bill. Overall, this bill is about fairness and I am pleased to support this Conference Report.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and dear friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for yielding to me at this time. I want to thank the majority leader, the leadership of House, my good friend from Staton Island, New York (Mr. Fossella), my very dear friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) for all the work that was put into making sure that this eventually takes place, that this meeting on September 6 becomes a reality. The attack on the World Trade Center in September of last year was the attack heard around the world. And much the same way that Lexington, Concord and other events around the world and the shots that were fired, left impressions forever in the minds of people, the attack on the World Trade Center last year will never be forgotten. There is probably not a place on this Earth that people do not know about the horrific events of September 11 of last year. The 3,000 individuals who lost their lives, many of them giving their lives trying to save human life, including my first cousin, John Moran, 42 years old, a battalion chief in the New York City Fire Department, a father of two boys, a musician, an attorney, a historian, a patriot, someone who loved this country so much. We lost John Moran. We lost thousands of people like him that day. And on September 6, the eyes of the world will be on New York City once again at Federal Hall, appropriately so, one of the places in which this great Nation was founded, that we should meet as a body for a meeting to commemorate the attack upon our great Nation, upon our fair city. There is no doubt that New York City is still reeling from that attack. We are in pain. We are suffering. We may not wear it on our sleeves. We are not talking about it every day. We appreciate the outpouring of support that we have received from all parts of this country and from all corners of the world. We are deeply, deeply appreciative of the membership of this House and of the other body uniting as a country and coming to the aid and assistance of our great city in our time of great need. But a great deal more will have to be done before New York City is fully back on its feet. But when you come to New York City on September 6, do not be surprised because we are a resilient city, we are a resilient people, and we are fighting back and we are coming back strong. And we will show you a city that has been reborn since the attack of September 11 in large part because of the work of this body, in large part because of the work of my colleagues, the gentlemen from New York (Mr. Rangel) and (Mr. Nadler), and all the New York delegation in uniting to see to it that New York City, New York State is not forgotten during these very, very difficult times. Mr. Speaker, I will be at Federal Hall on the morning of September 6. I hope that each and every Member of this great body find themselves at what I think will be one of the most memorable occasions in the history of the House of Representatives. Help make that an even more memorable occasion by your presence there. I thank you. My constituents will thank you. Over 105 families who have lost loved ones in my constituency will thank you. Our city will thank you. Our State will thank you, and our country will thank you.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this conference report as it represents real reforms to protect investors, and will lead to the first steps to restore investor confidence in our markets. In addition to strengthening the role of the audit committees, prohibiting executives from trading the stocks when employees cannot, and including strong language with respect to disgorgement, this bill also cracks down on the formerly unaccountable accountants. As every American with a 401(k) knows, working Americans saw new examples of accounting abuses almost daily, leading to a complete breakdown in the system of outside auditing of publicly traded firms. This bill prohibits these practices and I salute the ranking member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce), for championing these types of reforms from day one, even when Democrats were being voted down on party line votes in the committee to pass these types of reforms. This bill strengthens audit committees, punishes criminal acts by greedy CEOs and, most importantly, will ensure the independent auditors of America's publicly traded corporations are actually independent. I think that this landmark legislation serves as a great tribute to our departing colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce). This House and all American investors owe a deep debt of gratitude to the gentleman. This is a good bill, and I salute the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley), Senator Sarbanes, and especially the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce) for their hard work.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague and good friend from the Bronx for yielding during this colloquy to reiterate the statements made by him regarding the mail delivery problems we are experiencing in the Bronx in New York. Like the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), I have heard from far too many of my constituents about mail delays, misdelivered mail, lost mail, late deliveries, 9 o'clock at night, and even no mail delivery at all. One of the most affected areas in the Bronx is the Morris Park Post Office. I would like to express my deep gratitude to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Chairman Istook) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), for including report language that was mentioned by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano) mandating that the New York Post Office headquarters conduct a study and implement recommendations to improve the mail delivery in Morris Park. Stating that, this community's problems are just the tip of the iceberg. I have heard of mail complaints in Throggs Neck, Soundview and Co-Op City, just to name a few places, meaning more must be done. Again, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano) for yielding me this time, as well as the gentleman from Oklahoma (Chairman Istook) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for their actions to improve mail delivery for my constituents. I also want to recognize the great work of City Councilwoman Madeline Provenzano, as well as members of the Assembly, Kaufman, Klein and Rivera for bringing this issue to my attention.

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, twenty-eight years ago this week, Turkey invaded Cyprus, violating international law and provoking an international outcry. Since June 1974, Turkey has occupied the northern third of this beautiful Mediterranean island--although no other country recognizes the occupation as legitimate. Cypriot President Glafcos Clarides and Turkish Cypriot Leader Rauf Denktash have re-engaged in peace talks aimed at reconciling the two communities of Cyprus since January. A resolution is not yet in sight, however, despite the incentive of accession to the European Union for both Turkey and Cyprus. We must now hope that a compromise will be reached soon, to ensure that Cyprus achieves its potential as a prosperous, progressive nation. I was fortunate enough to visit Cyprus last summer. It was an eye- opening experience to be on the Green Line in Nicosia and then to walk a few blocks into the heart of a successful European Capital. This dramatic contrast--where conflict and normalcy can co-exist within a few city blocks--reinforces the need to find a solution to this dispute that removes hatred and division from the heart of Cyprus. Today, Cyprus faces many challenges. The island is split across the middle by a barbed wire fence over one hundred miles long. Thirty-five thousand Turkish troops illegally occupy a third of the island, in what some consider one of the world's most militarized zones. Two hundred thousand Greek Cypriot refugees want to return to their homes in the north of the island but cannot as a result of the Turkish occupation. Behind these disturbing statistics, there is a fundamental disagreement on the ultimate objective. Greek Cypriots seek a bi-zonal bi-communal federation--a solution endorsed by the United States, the European Union and the United Nations. The Turkish Cypriot leadership, however, seeks a loose confederation of two independent Cypriot states. Turkey has, to date, rejected the UN Security Council's resolutions, which call for the withdrawal of both Turkish troops and the 115,000 Turkish settlers introduced to the north since 1974. It is clear that consensus will not be easily reached, but the leadership of both sides must work diligently to implement a solution, as ordinary Cypriots on both sides of the barbed wire continue to suffer. Congress must remain committed to helping the two sides settle this twenty-eight year old dispute. First and foremost, the island must be re-united as a bi-zonal, bi- communal federal Cyprus on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions. It is also crucial that the north of the island be de-militarized and that the two hundred thousand Greek Cypriot refugees be allowed to return safely to their homes. In addition, the Turkish Cypriot leadership must address the plight of Greek Cypriots living in northern enclaves. During my trip last year, I attempted to visit Cypriots trapped in such enclaves, but was prevented from doing so by the Turkish Cypriot Authorities. I have co- sponsored House Concurrent Resolution 269, which calls for an end to restrictions on Greek Cypriots living in the North, because I believe that the human rights of this community must be respected by the Turkish Cypriot leadership. Furthermore, the Administration should continue its annual allocation of $15 million to promote confidence-building measures aimed at bringing the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities together. This small investment in peace will prove to yield enormous dividends. And finally, I urge the Administration and my colleagues in Congress to continue to support Cyprus' accession to the European Union. EU membership will provide access to new markets and permit the free movement of goods and people. The European Council has made it clear that reunification will not be a precondition for accession; indeed, membership may even prove to be a catalyst toward the resolution of the Cypriot dispute. It is clearly in the interest of the Turkish Cypriot community to move forward in peace talks so the entire island can benefit from EU membership. On this important anniversary, I urge all Cypriots to consider the merits of reunification, and I urge Congress and the Administration to remain committed to resolving this issue. The United States must continue to work with Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots as they strive for peace, after twenty-eight years of conflict.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4687, the National Construction Safety Team Act. And I especially want to recognize my friend from New York, Anthony Weiner for his work on the bill. As we all know, September 11th changed New York. It changed our world. Since September 11th, brave workers, volunteers, and scientific experts have traveled to Ground Zero in the name of recovery and understanding. These workers, volunteers, and experts have all pushed themselves and their skills to the ultimate limit to deal with an unusually grave situation. And I commend them all. In particular, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, had to deftly work with a myriad of concerned New Yorkers. There are thousands of affected family members who are both grieving and seeking answers. People like John and Kathy Ashton of Woodside, Sally Regenhard of Co-op City, and Arthur Taub of Co-op City. Some, like Mr. Taub, had concerns about the NIST investigation itself. NIST has worked with constituents who wanted answers--and with constituents who had information. Even seasoned NIST employees admitted they were covering new ground as no one could ever imagine such an event as 9/11 happening. In the immediate aftermath of September 11th, NIST had to try to do its job amidst emergency respondents, police officers, and incomprehensible loss. In this extraordinarily challenging situation, critical evidence-- like beams, steel work, and cables--was being carted off before the NIST team had a chance to even catalogue or identify it. Given the fact that the scope of this tragedy had never been seen before, it is understandable that the investigation would be less than ideal. But it is important that we learn from this tragedy. And there are several lessons to be learned from September 11th. One lesson is the importance of a swift and thorough investigation of a building failure. NIST's response teams must have access to building debris as soon as it's safe to enter a site. And they must be able to move and preserve this critical evidence. This bill gives NIST that authority. Looking toward the future, it is important to do all we can to prevent a building failure of any kind from ever happening. This bill will allow us to obtain information to help prevent building failures. And it is important for us to swiftly and thoroughly respond to the community when building failures, God forbid, happen. And this bill does that also. I urge your support of H.R. 4687.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 4687, the National Construction Safety Team Act, and I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner) as well as the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) for their work on this important legislation. September 11 changed New York and changed our world. Since September 11, volunteers and scientific experts have traveled to Ground Zero in the name of recovery and understanding. These workers, volunteers and experts have all pushed themselves and their skills to the ultimate limit to deal with an unusually grave situation. In particular, the National Institute of Standards and Technology had to deftly work with a myriad of concerns and concerned New Yorkers. People like Arthur Taub and Sally Regenhard of Co-op City, who had concerns about the NIST investigation. Mr. Taub and Ms. Regenhard were among thousands of family members, both grieving and seeking answers. NIST has worked with constituents who wanted answers and who had information. Even seasoned NIST employees admitted they were covering new ground as no one could ever have imagined such an event as September 11. In the immediate aftermath of 9-11, NIST had to try to do its job amidst emergency responders, police officers, and incomprehensible losses. In this extraordinarily challenging situation, critical evidence like beams, steel work and cables, were being carted off before the NIST team had a time to catalog or identify them. Given the fact that the scope of this tragedy had never been seen before, it is understandable that this investigation would be less than ideal. However, it is important that we learn from this tragedy. There are several lessons to be learned from September 11. One lesson is the importance of a swift and thorough investigation of a building failure. NIST must have access to building debris as soon as it is safe to enter a site, and they must be able to move and preserve critical evidence. This bill gives NIST that authority. Looking toward the future, it is important to do all we can to prevent a building failure of any kind from ever happening again. This bill will allow us to obtain information to help prevent building failures in the future. It is important for us to swiftly and thoroughly respond to the community when buildings fail. God forbid if they fail like this again. This bill does that, and more. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4687. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member as well as the chairman for this fine piece of work.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution, H. Res. 393, which calls on European governments to address the rise of anti-Semitism throughout the continent of Europe. I introduced this bill because I am concerned that Europe is on the verge of another Kristalnacht. Anti-Semitism, accompanied by, in many cases by violence, is at the highest levels since the horrors of World War II. According to the British Daily Telegraph, more than 2,000 anti-Semitic incidents were reported throughout the European Union in the last 10 months, more than 18 every single day. As I have listened very intently to my good friend from New Jersey who just came back from Europe and talking about the rise of anti- Semitism, not only in Europe, but in the United States and Canada, it is ugly wherever it raises its head. We must keep in mind, we do not share a similar history when it comes to dealing with the issue of anti-Semitism. We all know what the history of Europe has been. Among the most recent incidents on March 30, two yeshiva students from New Jersey were brutally beaten on the streets of Berlin in an anti-Semitic attack. On April 11, 15 hooded attackers assaulted a Jewish teenage soccer team in Bondy, France, with sticks and metal bars while yelling anti- Semitic remarks. On April 27, a synagogue in a London suburb was desecrated by vandals, who painted swastikas on the walls and destroyed religious articles. Two synagogues in Belgium were firebombed earlier this year. Also in Belgium, two Hasidic Jews in Antwerp were attacked ferociously as a chorus of teenage attackers spat on them, chanting ``dirty Jew'' and praising Hitler. One of the two men had just emerged from the hospital a few days later when his 10-year-old daughter was also attacked by assailants chanting a chorus of anti-Semitic remarks. The girl now walks to and from school with an escort. Anti-Semitism is clearly on the rise. The French government reported 320 anti-Semitic incidents in 2001, almost one per day. But this year French Jewish organizations reported over 300 incidents in the month of April alone. Jewish cemeteries have been vandalized, a kosher butcher shop near Toulouse was the target of a drive-by shooting, and the Or Aviv Synagogue in Marseille was burned to the ground by arsonists during the Passover holiday. Not every European government faces a rash of anti-Semitism. Norway, for example, has experienced few hate crimes directed at Jews, and Prime Minister Bondevik made it clear his government will forcefully prosecute any anti-Semitic attacks. Other governments have taken only minor steps to address anti- Semitism. France, for example, has increased the police presence at major Jewish sites in the aftermath of several attacks. They just this week established a 24-hour hotline for the Jewish community, and they have also appointed a liaison between the French government and the French Jewish community. But such steps are few and far between, and, in my opinion, do not go far enough. European governments have done little to punish the perpetrators of such attacks, or, more importantly, they have done little to foster an atmosphere in which Jews and other minority groups can live free from harassment as normal members of their societies. Indeed, several senior European officials have made their anti- Semitism clear and demonstrated that their bigotry affects government policies. Extremist xenophobes like Haider in Austria and Le Pen in France have made hatred and intolerance the basis of their party's political platforms. Le Pen made it into a runoff race for the presidency of France. While he did not win, his base of support in France remains strong. France no longer appears to be guided by the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man, the foundation for French democracy, which called for equal rights for all. Daniel Bernard, the French ambassador in London, recently referred to Israel with an obscenity when he attributed all the troubles in the Middle East to Israel. When his remarks were reported in the press, Ambassador Bernard refused to apologize and the foreign ministry refused to censure him. Bernard's remarks, made at a fashionable dinner party in London, demonstrate that the World Jewish Congress was correct when it asserted that anti-Semitism is no longer considered unacceptable in European polite society. European governments must demonstrate that such attitudes are simply not acceptable. In the years before World War II, the fabric of European society was torn apart by the official anti-Semitism of Nazi Germany and its puppet governments in France, Austria, Poland and elsewhere. Now, more than 60 years later, European governments are once again doing little to discourage intolerance and hatred directed at Jews and other minority groups. When their rights are trampled upon, European governments must step up and act in order to protect all citizens. The failure to properly condemn and control these attacks makes the governments of Europe complicit in them. Before I close, I would like to thank a number of groups for their work in support of this resolution, particularly the Orthodox Union, the National Council of Soviet Jewry, NORPAC, and Harriet Mandel and her colleagues in the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York. I would also like to thank the ranking member and the chairman of the committee, as well as the chair of the subcommittee, who waived the rules to allow this to come to the floor. I want to thank the Speaker of the House for bringing this important resolution to us today. But most especially, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my fellow colleague from New York (Mr. Gilman), chairman emeritus of the Committee on International Relations, for all of his hard work throughout the years, especially on issues pertaining to the Middle East and whose Jewish constituents as well as all of the constituents that he represents in New York, and all of New York. I would say to the gentleman that we are greatly going to miss the gentleman when he retires from the House of Representatives. I know that many people will speak the gentleman's praises in days to come, but I want to tell the gentleman what a great honor it has been to serve with the gentleman on this floor.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge to the parents, teachers and students of Community School District 30 in Queens, NY. Community School District 30, comprised of the neighborhoods of Sunnyside, Woodside, Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, and East Elmhurst is one of America's most diverse school districts and truly represents the face of America. School District 30 serves some of the most diverse students in New York City and over 50 languages are spoken in the homes of the kids who go there. A recent state-mandated report noted that the most recently reported test scores are among the best in the city. In fact, for 2 years in a row, the district beat its target scores on State tests. And this year the suspension rate is down by 58.9 percent. These results are not coincidence. These results are because of the district's commitment to improving its schools. They employ innovative approaches to addressing the problems faced by all schools such as peer mediation and crisis intervention before students become a problem. Their Operation Return program, sends students with disciplinary problems to one school where they can get one-to-one counseling and receive excellent instruction in small groups. The program gives the kids confidence they need to succeed when they return to their permanent schools. School District 30 is a wonderful story and credit is due to a lot of people, but one I would like to credit is superintendent, Dr. Angelo Gimondo. And also the wonderful United Federation of Teachers members who give their heart and soul to teaching the kids of School District 30. School District 30 can serve as an example, not only for other school districts, but also for us in Congress. School District 30 is an example of what happens when public officials--who provide adequate funding for educational programs--work with teachers, parents, and administrators to care for our young people.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, 9 months ago I stood on this floor and talked about the attack upon my great city, the City of New York. Never before in my 4 years in this Congress had I felt this House and this country more united than at that moment. The pundits began to speak, and they began to ask questions like, how long would it last; how long would this House stay united; and would it be the Democrats or the Republicans who would blink first? Unfortunately, it has been the Republicans. Today, they offer a prescription drug plan without giving the opportunity for this side of the aisle to present our plan, without having a fair vote up and down on both. They know the Democratic side would win. This bill, our bill, would win the day. It appears in the middle of the night that there was an election held, that there are now 436 Members of Congress. Robert Ingram, I do not know which State he is from, but he has already proven himself to be a great fund-raiser for the Republican side of the aisle. He has raised $250,000 from GlaxoSmithKline, apparently his former company; from Pfizer, $150,000; from Merck, $150,000. The money is where this bill follows, and the American people are going to know about it. This House has been brought asunder not by the Democrats but by the Republicans today, by their actions. It is intolerable, and the American people should know about it and know fully what happens today.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 17, I was absent for three rollcall votes. If I had been here, I would have voted yes on rollcall vote 230, yes on rollcall vote 231 and yes on rollcall vote 232.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for the Mychal Judge Police & Fire Chaplains Public Safety Officers' Benefit Act. This legislation would ensure that those brave public safety officers who leave behind no spouses, children or parents will still be eligible for the Public Safety Officers' Benefit. This legislation would effect several of the victims of the tragedy of September 11 including Father Mychal Judge. Appointed in 1992 as the Catholic Chaplain of the New York City Fire Department at the strong urging of the uniformed members of the Fire Department, Father Judge dedicated himself to helping others and counseling to the members and families of members of the New York City Fire Department--a Department that has seen a tragically high number of casualties this year, previous to the events of 9-11. Taking on this role was characteristic of Father Judges lifetime of service that began when he entered the seminary at age 14. During his 41 years as a priest, Father Judge tirelessly served the sick, homeless, poor, and disabled. He diligently cared for people living with AIDS, worked for peace in Northern Ireland, and tended to the families of the victims of TWA Flight 800, which exploded over Long Island in July of 1996 as well as provided for New York Firefighter families during both times of joy and sorrow. On September 11, Father Judge died as he lived--serving others. He was among the first units responding at the World Trade Center and, while advised to move to a safer location, he like so many of his comrades in the Fire Department, refused to leave his compatriots. When the firefighters entered the building, Father Judge was at their side, where he remained offering comfort and absolution until the end. We all remember the haunting picture of Father Judge being carried out of the wreckage of the World Trade Center. In addition to the New York Fire department, many of us here in Congress recognize and acknowledge his good works and have been working with the White House for the posthumous awarding of the presidential Medal of Freedom to Father Judge. That is why I am so pleased that such a compassionate and vital piece of legislation is named after such a compassionate and vital human being. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation that serves as a small token of appreciation to those who perish in the line of duty from a grateful nation.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the amendment offered by my colleague, Mr. Moran, to prevent the potential bankruptcy of the Nation's 6th largest and the eastern seaboard's second largest airline, US Airways. As the representative of New York's LaGuardia Airport, I know how important the preservation of this airline is, not only to the traveling public, but to the men, women and children in my district. Following the events of September 11, our Nation's airlines took a tremendous financial hit, resulting in the dismissal of approximately 100,000 airline employees. As members of Congress, we felt we needed to do something to stop the bleeding. To that end, we passed a $15 billion aid package to save America's airline industry. This package included $10 billion in loan guarantees. Not recommendations, but guarantees. Now in one fell swoop, the commitments made by Congress have been undermined by a select few members of this House without the consultation or consent of a majority of the members. US Airways has dedicated itself to preparing documentation, including a new business plan, with contributions from its employees, communities and vendors, which should be finalized later this month to meet the imposed deadline. US Airways has followed the law in good-faith, expending money and energy, to meet the requirements set out by the Loan Stabilization Board, the Department of Transportation and the Office of Management and Budget. For Congress to suspend this line of credit and arbitrarily suspend the loan guarantee program runs counter to Airline Stabilization Act that President Bush signed into law just six months ago. This is not just about saving an airline; this is about protecting the livelihood of 40,000 American families. We must do everything we can to live up to our commitments, and stand by the hard working airline employees and their families during this difficult time. Therefore, I urge all my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, May 23, 2002, and Friday May 24, 2002, I was absent for several rollcall votes. Had I been here, I would like the Record to reflect that I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote 199, ``yes'' on rollcall vote 200, ``yes'' on rollcall vote 201, ``yes'' on rollcall vote 202, ``no'' on rollcall vote 203, ``no'' on rollcall vote 204, ``yes'' on rollcall vote 205 and ``yes'' on rollcall vote 206.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to rise today in support of the Afghan Freedom Support Act. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their work on this very, very important act. The Afghanistan Freedom Support Act is a critical step towards the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Among its notable provisions, the bill calls for a significant amount of humanitarian assistance to help deliver food, medical care and basic supplies to the people of Afghanistan; provisions to promote counternarcotics efforts; the need to develop the agricultural sector, both as a step towards economic development and self-sufficiency, but also as a means of stemming poppy cultivation; the furtherance of a bond process which provides a framework for Afghanistan's political factions to decide their country's political future; and strong language on the provision of assistance to meet the educational, health and vocational needs of women. I am also strongly supporting the measures required by the amendment introduced by my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos). While giving the President broad latitude to craft the most effective approach, this amendment would require the administration to develop a strategy to meet the immediate and long- term security needs of Afghanistan in order to promote the delivery of humanitarian assistance, further the rule of law and support the formation of a representative government in Afghanistan. Improved security is a necessary precondition for achievement of the U.S. pledge to help build a stable and peaceful Afghanistan. Since the current government led by Hamed Karzai is not able to provide security throughout the country outside of Kabul, in fact, other parts of the country seem like the Wild Wild West, fighting between rival factions who are vying for regional control, human rights abuses and corruption, and the problems will continue to hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid, delay economic reconstruction and development, and undermine the delicate process by which factions are trying to create a stable, democratic, central government. Uncontrolled violence also puts U.S. and allied soldiers throughout Afghanistan at risk. It is, therefore, critical for the administration and Congress to work together to find ways to improve security in Afghanistan. I believe the Lantos amendment provides a reasonable and speedy method for addressing this important issue, but once again I rise in support of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act and I thank the chairman and ranking member again for their work on this important piece of legislation.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution offered by my friend and colleague from Staten Island, Vito Fossella, in honor of all of the people who served at Ground Zero, whether looking for survivors to aid, helping to locate remains that would allow a family some closure, or rebuilding our City. After September 11, the terrorists responsible thought they could scare America into submission, but the faces of the people working at Ground Zero--the public safety officers, the volunteers, the contractors, clean-up crews and union members--everyone there proved them wrong. In the face of the worst of humanity, New York displayed the best of humanity. America witnessed the bravery of its people that day as thousands of people rushed to the scene to help find survivors. Not just our brave firefighters, police and emergency medical technicians who were working that day, but office workers, students, construction workers, vendors, tourists and off-duty public safety officers. There were so many but I would like to highlight one, Michael Weinberg of Maspeth, Queens. He was a 34-year-old firefighter who was off duty on September 11 and engaging in his passion--golf. It was on the course that he first learned of the news at the World Trade Center. Concerned for the people in the building, including his older sister Patricia, he rushed to his station house where he joined Fire Department Chaplain Rev. Mychal Judge and Capt. Daniel Brethel to go to the Towers. As the towers collapsed, all three perished in the building trying to aid victims. His sister, who did escape safely from the Tower, remembered him with the simple but telling phrase ``He loved to help people.'' This was a phrase used to describe so many people that day. Our City was overwhelmed with offers of support from all over the Country, from people like Michael Weinberg who loved to help other people. Such as the welders who came to Manhattan from all over the area--not just the City or the State but all over; they jumped in their trucks to help at Ground Zero. Police and Fire fighters had to be convinced to take time off--even just a few minutes--from the rescue and recovery efforts; people who had been working for several days straight whether on duty or not. So many people rushed to the scene to join our firefighters, police, emergency medical technicians, court officers and Port Authority Police among so many already there to help. Many of us remember the horribly tragic sight of seeing families waving pictures of missing loved ones on posters, or photos of the missing on telephone polls and windows in the City. What we didn't see were the people who tried to help find these people--we salute them today. Blood banks had lines going for blocks from those citizens who couldn't go down to Ground Zero and help, but felt the need to contribute to the effort. People opened their wallets for the Twin Towers Fund and other relief charities for the families. But this sense of volunteerism did not end after a few days--workers toiled day and night at Ground Zero--and still do. The fires at the World Trade Center could not be completely extinguished until December, with firefighters battling them daily; with police combing the wreckage; and with construction workers starting the clean-up and rebuilding process. They worked in some of the most horrible conditions known to humans--conditions that are unfathomable to all those except the few who were down there. It was these workers that voiced the initial anger in the attacks and the pride in our nation shortly after that day when President Bush visited Ground Zero. People like that construction workers at Ground Zero, who shouted that he could not hear the President. At which the President responded with the memorable and inspirational line that while he may not be heard by all of those at Ground Zero, the people at Ground Zero were being heard by him, by the American people and soon by the terrorists that knocked those buildings down. We honor their work today--work that took them into the most gruesome place imaginable. They are the people who make our country work and have helped us restore our sense of being--and showed the world what it is to be an American. But while we salute our workers at Ground Zero, we must also work to remember their courage and their work everyday. The crowds that saluted and cheered our firefighters, are no longer there, but our respect and admiration for them must continue--both through encouraging words and also through support and assistance. All of the people who went to Ground Zero and worked there are a true inspiration for all of us. This is a timely resolution and I am pleased it will coincide with the events being held next week, by Mayor Bloomberg to honor those at Ground Zero who worked to clean up the rubble and helped repair a broken City. They have removed almost 2 million tons of debris in less time then expected. They worked for us and we owe them a debt of gratitude. While the terrorists may have broken buildings we will never be a broken people.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4737, the Republican welfare bill. This bill does nothing to improve the welfare system. Six years ago, Congress passed a sweeping welfare reform bill to fix the failed system of cash payouts that rewarded not working. That bi- partisan bill encouraged work through both job training and child care services and by mandating a cut off of benefits after a fixed period of time for those who refused to find work. The result, millions taken off the welfare rolls and put into jobs. This was good for America and great for working, tax-paying Americans. But that bill was not perfect. For one, it excluded millions of tax- paying residents from qualifying for these work assistance programs, namely America's legal immigrants. Today, we have the opportunity to make changes in those sections that failed and improve upon our successes. Unfortunately, that will not happen. Congressman Xavier Becerra and I planned on offering an amendment that would have rectified this biggest of injustices of the 1996 welfare bill. Our amendment would have allowed legal immigrants--legal, tax paying residents--to participate in the education, job training and pregnancy prevention programs of this personal responsibility bill. But the House Republican leadership overruled us and threw away the hopes of millions of our constituents. Essentially, this bill discriminates against legal, tax-paying, residents, leaving them hungry and out in the cold without assistance. I am particularly concerned about the effect this bill will have on my immigrant constituents. Queens is the fastest growing borough of New York City and my Congressional District is one of the most diverse in the world. Over 100 languages are spoken in my part of Western Queens, many by immigrants who came here for a better life for themselves and for their children. Most of these people are here legally. They pay taxes, and they contribute to the social and economic character of the United States. We are richer for their presence, and I am proud to represent them. However, many need a temporary helping hand to get on their feet, get a job and taste their slice of the American pie. This bill however would leave these families, and their children, without any resources when in need of a helping hand. I do not believe that this is right or fair and I am greatly concerned that it will have a significant impact on the one in five children in this country with immigrant parents. This bill undermines the civil rights of the over 35 million Latinos living in the U.S. legally and is not responsive to the needs of all immigrant families struggling through tough times. This bill limits access to job-training and higher education opportunities, ensuring that individuals on welfare stay on welfare. Under this bill, those who do, by some miracle, manage to get off of public assistance, would not be given any additional support, such as transitional healthcare coverage, to stay off of welfare. Perhaps most importantly, this bill devotes almost nothing to child care, while increasing work requirements, effectively forcing working mothers to leave their children unattended in order to earn enough money to feed them. In short this bill is a disgrace. However does such a law serve our society? Every 93 seconds a child is born into poverty in this country, and this bill does nothing to help them. The GOP bill would increase mandatory child care funding by only $1 billion over the next five years, that's barely enough to keep pace with inflation, and nowhere near enough to implement the bill's new work participation requirements, not to mention provide child care coverage to the 15 million children who are now eligible for day care assistance but who are not currently covered because States lack sufficient resources. Again, I worked to add an amendment to the bill to allow for $20 billion to be invested over the next 5 years for child care for all of those participating in this program, but was again denied by Congressional Republicans. The result, a greater difficulty getting families with children either into jobs and off welfare, or more latch- key kids left alone in the after school hours to do whatever they please without parental supervision. And so, not only does this bill not give welfare beneficiaries the tools necessary to become economically self-sufficient. But the process of bringing this bill to the floor has been geared towards silencing dissenting voices. My friends on the other side will try to say that I am trying to give taxpayer money to people who, they claim, refuse to work. If we are to believe their premise that the 1996 welfare bill was a proven success at providing a temporary helping hand to get people off the dole and into jobs, then why shouldn't Congress extend this same helping hand to all of our residents in need. Shouldn't we encourage, as opposed to discourage, work? This current bill leaves more of my working constituents paying a greater share of their hard earned taxes to provide for those who are not given the tools to enter the workforce and get off of government assistance. This Republican bill makes no sense. Let's vote it down and start again. Let's invest in our people and give them the tools to get jobs, get off welfare and contribute to our national economy. This is not a question of budgets, this is about priorities. I urge the House to reject this Republican bill.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, if you loved what happened to the people who invested their retirement savings in Enron stock, look out. House Republicans have something even better as a sequel, the privatization of Social Security. They can retitle it all they want as personal retirement accounts or personal choice or individual investing options, but it all means the same thing, privatization, taking your hard earned money from Social Security and giving it to the same people who brought us Enron and Global Crossing. No more guaranteed retirement income for seniors, but guaranteed instability. Should Ken Lay and Ivan Boesky and Michael Milliken be deciding your personal retirement future? Democrats say no. Republicans say yes. Oppose the Republican efforts to privatize social security. It is your money and do not let them forget it. When Social Security was started in 1935, 40 percent of Americans were dying in a state of poverty. We have not come very far. Today a full 33 percent of Americans rely on Social Security for their only source of income in retirement years.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. I would inquire as to how much time we have remaining.

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.