Joe Crowley

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, before closing, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette).

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis).

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), a leader on this issue.

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute and 15 seconds to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey).

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), ranking member of the House Committee on International Relations.

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes. Madam Chairman, the provisions the gentleman seeks to strike does not promote abortion, forced sterilization or any of the other horrible things opponents of UNFPA say it will do. Madam Chairman, the underlying Crowley-Lee provision funds the U.N. Population Fund, UNFPA, in its work in over 141 countries to provide for child and maternal health, child survival, HIV/AIDS prevention, and family planning. Nearly 600,000 women die each year from causes related to pregnancy. Ninety-nine percent of those women are in the developing world. Many of these deaths could be prevented through maternal care and through family planning to space those pregnancies. The President has finished up a 5-day, five-country tour in Africa where he talked about democracy and economic opportunity, but what he did not talk about were the empowerment and equality of women. When women have the ability and access to contraception to plan their families, their economic livelihoods improve. In Bangladesh, I saw UNFPA working with women in the garment industry, educating them without contraception and showing women how limiting their births can improve their economic situation. In Malawi, I saw UNFPA work with a rural birth assistant, providing clean razor blades to cut the umbilical cord, soap and kerosine for a lantern to help rural women deliver their babies safely. Let me say what I have not seen, what UNFPA is not doing. UNFPA does not provide for abortion. I want to remind my colleagues that no U.S. funding can go to any group that provides for abortions. The gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) passed his amendment in 1984, and he knows it is still the law today. UNFPA does not engage in coercion of any kind. Opponents will say that this provision will gut human rights and will say that UNFPA has been engaged in China. In fact, the Bush administration, which at first supported UNFPA by requesting $25 million for UNFPA and funding UNFPA's work in Afghanistan, abruptly changed course when it refused to release $34 million in funding, citing UNFPA's work in 31 counties in China. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood) be allowed to control half of the time in opposition to the Smith amendment and be able to yield that time to others as he sees fit.

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), the cosponsor of this amendment.

Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Chairman, I rise today to speak in strong support of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for fiscal year 2004 and 2005. I commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for putting together such a strong bipartisan bill. This bill increases funding for State Department activities and specifically increases funding for security for members of our Foreign Service and at the embassies where they work. This increase is so important because of the continued terrorist threat against our Nation's embassies abroad. This bill also addresses the Quartet's road map and sets certain conditions that must be met before the United States can agree to a Palestinian state. With what looks like a potential end of the intifada, the Palestinians must prove that they can protect the security of Israel and her people before they be rewarded with statehood. Another provision requires a report on democracy in the Western Hemisphere that my good friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt), included during the markup in the Committee on International Relations. I believe this report will show Congress and the administration the needs of our long neglected neighbors to the south. The United States needs to increase engagement with the Western Hemisphere to ensure that our neighbors continue on the path to durable democracy. I believe this is a strong bipartisan bill, if it remains intact, that deserves the support of all my colleagues.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great shock and even deeper sadness that I come before the United States House of Representatives to announce and mourn the untimely passing of my friend Teckla Hall, of Co-Op City, the Bronx, New York. Teckla Hall was a driven, passionate advocate for the causes she felt were important--her community, her family, her ancestral roots. She worked tirelessly on every project she undertook, whether serving on the board of the Riverbay Corporation, where she continually strived to improve the quality of life for all residents; to her service as President of the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club working to advance her political beliefs; to her leadership in the National Council of Negro Women. Teckla had a quiet yet powerful voice. She was heard. She was listened to. She was respected and admired. While I only knew Teckla a short time, the brief 6 months she worked as my Office Director in Co-Op City, I admired and respected her. When visiting Co-Op City looking for a community representative for my Co-Op City office, I continually heard one name--Teckla Hall. But she was more than a resume--more than a community leader. She was a beloved daughter, caring for her mother at her home in Co-Op City; a cherished sister, an adored aunt and a good and faithful friend. Just recently I was on the House floor discussing her niece and her stunning accomplishments. I never thought I would be here again, so soon, discussing something so sad. When I heard of her death on July 4, I was shocked. She was only 44, in the prime of her life and more accomplished than her years. All who knew her will feel her loss. She touched many lives--her family's, my staff's, constituents' and people throughout New York's Seventh District. I will do all that can be done to help ease the pain of Teckla's family during this tragic time. My thoughts and prayers are with them. Today, she was laid to rest but she will always be a part of the fabric of Co-Op City.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, right now the Bush administration is in the process of promulgating regulations that would strip overtime pay for many of America's first responders. Yes, after talking tough and continually stating that this White House and Republican Party supports America's first responders, the Bush administration and the Republicans are trying to pass into law regulations that will deprive millions of Americans, including police and firefighters who receive time and a half for that overtime work today, less money for their jobs protecting us. No one enters law enforcement or becomes a firefighter for the money, but this proposal by my colleagues would suggest so. As a Congressman from New York City whose district overlooks Manhattan, as someone who is the son of a police officer, the cousin of several firefighters, and whose spouse is a nurse, I know firsthand the needs of our first responders in protecting our country from terrorist attacks and keeping us safe. This bill continues this administration's and this Congress' past record of shortchanging cops and firefighters while pretending to stand with them. But do not listen to me or the Democrats or the Republicans or the White House. Ask your local first responders if they think they are overpaid and underworked. Did they ask for this bill? I do not think so. If you think they are, if you think your cops and your firefighters are lazy and overpaid, oppose the Obey-Miller amendment. I do not think they are. I will wholeheartedly support this amendment.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Miss Tiffany Brown, a constituent of mine from the Bronx, NY. Tiffany is graduating this year with honors from Preston High School in the Bronx. Mr. Speaker, we hear so much these days about students not being interested in community service and not being interested in politics and public service, but Tiffany is the exception, not the rule. While in school at Preston, she interned with New York State Assemblyman Steve Kaufman, interned with the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club, was a CCD teacher at St. Ursula's Church and co-founded a program called ``R.A.M'', Registering Adults and Minorities Program, which seeks to increase voting registration and participation. Mr. Speaker, Tiffany is truly one of the best and brightest students in New York City. In high school, she was a member of Amnesty International, was a columnist for her newspaper, wrote for Preston's literary magazine, was a member of the African American club, the orchestra, a captain of the Defense Team, and a participant in the Science and Technology entry program at Fordham University. Tiffany was a well-rounded student and successful student, gaining notice as one of the Who's Who Among American High School Students. Mr. Speaker, I applaud Tiffany's commitment to community service and her giving back so much to make the Bronx and the Co-Op City neighborhood where she lives in a better place. Mr. Speaker, academic and community success though is not achieved with the work of one person alone. It is a team effort. Tiffany comes from a strong and caring family, including her aunt who is also my Co-Op City office director Teckla Halls. Her family along with her teachers, mentors and adults in the community are all part of the success that makes Tiffany the wonderful young woman she is today. Mr. Speaker, Tiffany is an exceptional student, one who has a bright and prosperous future ahead. I wish her and her family all the best.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Democratic substitute because this bill meets the 4 basic tenets that any prescription drug plan under Medicare should absolutely provide for. First, it means lower drug prices. The House Democratic bill allows HHS to negotiate lower drug prices. The Republican bill, unfortunately, does not. Second, this bill guarantees coverage under Medicare. Because of this, a senior knows what his premium, cost-sharing level, and catastrophic coverage is. The Republican bill has no such guarantees. Third, this bill provides coverage for all drugs prescribed by a doctor. Under the Republican bill, a payer could deny coverage for a drug if the payer decides to not include it in its formulary. Fourth, this bill has no gaps in coverage. Under the Democratic plan, when a senior has spent $2,000 on drugs, the government picks up the remaining costs. When a senior has spent $2,000 under the Republican plan, they're dropped. They get zero coverage until they've spent $4,900. The Republican bill does not simply have one big problem. It has several huge problems. Only the Democratic substitute provides seniors in my district guaranteed, quality coverage. I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. I thank my good friend the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly support this resolution, and I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for sponsoring this crucial piece of legislation. I am very aware of the danger of being inactive about the threat of anti-Semitism. It was anti-Semitism that was responsible for the horrors of the Holocaust, the most horrible crime committed against the Jewish people ever. Sadly, I have to say here today that nearly 60 years after the end of World War II, anti-Semitism in Europe, in many of the OSCE member states, is on the rise again. Once again we witness evil propaganda, physical attacks against Jews, the burning of Jewish sites and the desecration of synagogues. We must not stand aside and ignore this grave escalation of anti-Semitic violence and hatred. This resolution addresses this threat. It particularly calls on administration officials and Members of Congress to focus on anti- Semitism in their bilateral and multilateral meetings. It calls upon OSCE member states to swiftly bring anti-Semitists to justice and to focus on educational endeavors to fight anti-Semitic stereotypes. I would also like to point out that this piece of legislation is similar to a resolution I introduced last year. House Resolution 393 also addresses the anti-Semitic threat in the OSCE region. It urges European governments to provide security and safety of the Jewish communities, to prosecute and punish perpetrators of anti-Semitic violence, and to cultivate a climate in which all forms of anti- Semitism are rejected. I was proud that my colleagues in Congress joined me in sending this message to the European Union, but we must go further. Anti-Semitism continues to fester throughout the OSCE region. This resolution is the right follow-up to my legislation that passed in the last Congress. Mr. Speaker, the threat of anti-Semitism is looming large and our fight against it is far from over, but I believe that recognizing this problem and taking action is critical. I therefore urge all of my colleagues to strongly support House Resolution 49 sponsored by the gentleman from New Jersey. I would ask them all to vote for this resolution unanimously. I want to thank the gentleman from California again for his work on this resolution and all my colleagues in bringing this to the House floor.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Lantos resolution. The terrorist attacks against innocent Israeli citizens have increased at a horrific rate since the Aqaba summit. Palestinian terrorists are enemies of the peace process and enemies of the Jewish people. The peace process cannot move forward until all terrorist activity ceases against the State of Israel. The murderous ways of Hamas must be stopped, and I fully support Israel's right to defend itself by any means necessary, as Israel supported our right to defend ourselves against terrorism after the attacks of 9/11. The press reports these killings as suicide bombings. Some in our government have taken it a step further and called them homicide bombings. I think we should go one step further and call them what they really are: genocide bombings, with the intent to annihilate the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to support this worthy resolution.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. My colleagues, when debate is completed here on the rule, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will order the previous question. And I would ask my colleagues on the Democratic side of the aisle to vote ``no'' on the previous question to allow the consideration of the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act, which is currently pending before the Speaker's desk, and allow for the Senate language for the child tax credit to come before this House. It will allow us to have a vote on that legislation. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the fact that under this rule we will have the opportunity to have a substitute, and I do express my appreciation for that. I intend to vote for the substitute and against the majority bill before us. But if I could, I will use this opportunity to speak about what will then be offered later on again today in the IRS substitute, the Rangel substitute, that will once again have a substitute that will include the Senate language on the child tax credit so it will give our colleagues on the other side of the aisle an opportunity to vote up or down on the Senate language. But I do not think that that substitute will pass at the end of the day. I am a realist. I do not think so because I believe my Republican friends on the other side of the aisle have, unfortunately, shamelessly, brought a sham child tax credit bill before the House this last week, a bill our President opposes, a bill that a Republican- controlled Senate opposes as well. They knew when the House voted on that bill that it would never, and I say never, be enacted. In fact, their own Republican Senate leaders have admitted that it will never be enacted, the House version. Instead, the Republicans would rather play politics with this issue, politics with the lives of 6.5 million Americans and working families. Yes, they work. They are not on welfare, as some would have you wrongly believe. And they do have children. Believe it or not working people have families, and they do make babies, and they do have expenses to pay for. Playing politics is what is happening with the lives of 260,000 children, their families on active military duty in Iraq who lose this credit under the Republican sham bill. This Republican scheme is so egregious that even Senator John McCain said he did not understand how the Republican leadership and President Bush left enlisted men and women out of this tax package. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. CROWLEY. Only in a positive way, Mr. Speaker. Only in a positive way did I make reference to the Senator. They play politics with the 3.1 million Americans who have lost their jobs since President Bush became President, with even more job losses projected. Again, it is shameful to be offering a tax cut to the rich while cutting benefits for working people, cutting benefits for our enlisted personnel and their families, cutting benefits for veterans, cutting benefits for seniors on Medicare, and allowing 3.1 million Americans who have lost their jobs, jobs that have dispersed since President Bush became President and the Republicans began their economic policies 3 short years ago. Mr. President, you have the power, it is in your hands, to demand the Senate bill be brought before this House for a vote. You can bring the needed pressure to bear on our colleagues on the other side of the aisle for an up or down vote on the Senate bill, and you can have that bill on your desk this evening. Do not let us leave here today, do not let us finish the work of this House this week before demanding that the Senate bill be brought up in this House and passed so that you can sign it, Mr. President, this evening or sometime this week before we leave. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the Bush administration revised the Roadless Area Conservation Rule and exempted millions of acres of forests throughout our country. Included in these revisions are areas I recently had the pleasure of visiting, including the Tongass and the Chugach National Forests in Alaska, which are now set to be turned into the horror of the ``10-Year Tongass Timber Project'' which I believe is truly a disaster. As a firsthand witness, I have experienced the beauty and the natural wonders of these two forests in Alaska. The Tongass and Chugach Forests boast the world's most intact rain forests with centuries-old trees providing critical habitat for wolves, grizzly bears, wild salmon, bald eagles, and other wildlife that have disappeared from many other parts of our country. In 2001, the roadless rule was drafted and implemented to balance the interests of environmental and local labor groups so that a small number of timber projects already in progress at that time could be completed. Furthermore, at the time the maintenance and reconstruction of existing roads was strictly limited to cases of public safety and habitat improvement for wildlife, which meant common sense environmental regulations were put in place to ensure the health and safety of the residences of these areas where they were tended to as well as the economic well-being of those individuals. Those common sense regulations did not shut down Alaska. They protected the lands and the people from mining and timber interests that looked to pillage and use the lands for their and not America's own needs. However, until now, large scale timber projects, the cutting sale and removal of timber from the Tongass Forest has been prohibited. This Roadless Area Conservation Rule was created with the tremendous outpouring of public support, demonstrated in over 600 public hearings that were held around the Nation and with more than 1.6 million comments on this rule alone, more than any other rule in the history of our Nation. Today, in 2003, without public support or comment, the President has revised the roadless rule with an unbalanced approach that favors the logging and timber interests over America's interests and swings the door wide open for commercial logging, roadbuilding, and development on 58.5 million acres of unroaded national forests nationwide, one quarter of which are located in the Tongass and Chugach National Forests. This is being done without any public comment, but, again, when has the will of the majority of the American people mattered to this administration? By lifting the roadless rule in these areas, the Bush administration will destroy the Tongass and Chugach, the Nation's two largest National forests totalling 22 million acres and deprive generations of young Americans from their national inheritance of the world's last remaining old-growth temperate rainforest. Essentially, these two forests are the Amazon of North America. They are the last vestiges of pristine wildness. They are treasures that require vigilant protection by all Americans. They are the best of what we have in Alaska. And yet, the Forest Service has already scheduled approximately 50 timber projects in the roadless areas of the Tongass National Forest and is set to sell Tongass timber as soon as these revisions are finalized. To make the situation worse, according to the GAO, these timber sales have been subsidized with hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. I believe that maintaining the roadless rule will protect not only these forests in Alaska, but also Federal lands and forests in every State in our union. As a New Yorker, I fear that the slippery slope will soon lead to logging and road construction in the forests of New York State, including the wooded areas surrounding the Finger Lakes region. By opening the road to timber and logging, the President is sending a message that every protected wildness and forest in America is vulnerable to attack by profit-hungry interest groups. From Alaska to New York, this effort must be blocked. Environmental policy has a lasting effect on succeeding generations. The risk of causing irreparable damage is high. These policies must be developed with the goal of balancing the interests of labor, industry, and the environment, not with the goal of increasing timber sales. It is amazing that the greatest conservation President in the history of our country was a Republican, President Theodore Roosevelt, while we are now seeing the greatest anti-environmental President in another Republican, George Bush. Mr. Speaker, the former poet laureate of Colorado and singer/ songwriter John Denver said, ``To the mountains I confess there; to the rivers I will be strong; to the forests, I find peace there; to the wild country I belong.''

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the continued terrorist attacks against Israel. As we all know the President has recently returned from his first official visit to the Middle East where he attempted to move the peace process forward. During the summit Israel and the Palestinians agreed to the road map--now comes the hard part. Progress will be difficult and we must focus now on action, not words. In short, performance matters. The United States must do more to put pressure on Israel's neighbors and make sure they cease all support of terrorist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad. With 16 Israelis dead from Wednesday's bus bombing, four soldiers killed last weekend, and hundreds of other Israelis dead from Hamas attacks, Israel has the right to protect herself and her people from terrorists. Hamas and other terrorist groups oppose the road map, they oppose any lasting peace with Israel. They oppose the existence of the Jewish State. These groups have been tolerated for years by the Palestinian Authority and the PA chairman, Yassir Arafat. The administration must also increase dialog with our European allies who continue to have relations with Yassir Arafat, as if he were the head of state. Support for Yassir Arafat and his terrorist ways must stop. More support must be given to Abu Mazen so he can disarm the terrorist groups so Israel can live in safety and security. There will be no peace and there should be no peace plan until all sides agree that Israel has the right to exist and her people the right to live in safety on the streets, in cafes and on their buses--anything else is a failure that the U.S. should take no part in.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I would like to respond to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rehberg), but I do not have the time to do it right now. I rise to engage in a colloquy with the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) and call attention to the serious issue of noise pollution and the effects of airport noise in the communities surrounding LaGuardia Airport in Queens and the Bronx, New York, as well as the other communities surrounding the four airports of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. To date, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has continually refused to provide for residential soundproofing for these homes or to undertake a part 150 noise compatibility study, which would allow the Port Authority to tap into tens of millions of Federal noise abatement dollars for residential soundproofing. If one looks at the 10 largest airports in America, all of them spend money on residential soundproofing except the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which governs LaGuardia Airport, Kennedy Airport, Teterboro Airport, and Newark Airport. While the Port Authority has contacted me to state they would be willing to work with my office and our congressional delegation, including the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman), the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner), to address these noise problems, it is my hope and the hope of the communities surrounding LaGuardia Airport that they will begin residential soundproofing of homes. That is why I would like to address this issue and request assistance to work with me on crafting report language to make the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey a better and more responsible neighbor, so they will address noise problems created at their airports, especially as they affect residents living near these airports.

Mr. CROWLEY. I yield to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. CROWLEY

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I risk today to express my deepest concerns about the ongoing political problems in Burma and the recent arrest of opposition leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi. I am deeply troubled by the military regime's stifling of political life. This equals a brutal, unacceptable situation lacking democratic essentials. Obviously, the military junta tries to block and prevent democratic change for which nobel peace prize laureate Suu Kyi's life and work stand for. With the detention of Suu Kyi and nineteen members of her National League for Democracy party last Friday, the political tensions are on the rise again. The NLD headquarters and universities were also closed. It is common practice for the junta to crash NLD meetings by sending bullies to intimidate pro-democracy advocates. Only last year Suu Kyi was released from custody while at the same time the junta arrested many NLD party members. The military regime allowed her to travel freely throughout the country and organize her party but during her last two trips she met harassment and obstruction. This clearly indicates that hope for democratic reform, which was stirred by Suu Kyi's release, has suffered a major setback. The illegitimate government further promised to engage in a dialogue with the NLD, supervised by the United Nations. Sadly, the talks failed to make significant progress. Deficits are not only visible in the political arena but also in the social and economic field. Long-term economic mismanagement under authoritarian rule created severe economic and social ills. Due to the government's human rights' abuses and the unfriendly business environment, international companies have left the country. Inflation is rampant, probably as high as fifty percent. The social sector is in dire straits with every third child suffering from malnutrition. Yet 40 percent of the budget is spent for defense. The problems in Burma are grave and wide-reaching. There's a democratic movement that deserves and needs our support, there's a military regime that needs to realize that its only way out of Burma's crisis is to fully respect democracy and human rights. This regime must accept the results of the 1990 election which were won by Aung Sang Suu Syi. To achieve these goals, I have cosponsored the ``Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003,'' which--amongst other provisions--prohibits imports from Burma in order to press the regime to adapt full-fledged democratic reforms and supports democracy activists within Burma.