David Cicilline

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. In 1974, Turkey invaded the island of Cyprus reportedly to protect Turkish Cypriots from tensions with Greek Cypriots. Turkey then launched a second phase of the invasion which resulted in 1,500 missing Greek Cypriots, an estimated 5,000 civilian deaths and 170,000 refugees. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot occupied area declared itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, though it has never been recognized by any country other than Turkey. Currently, around 40,000 Turkish troops patrol the occupied area, making the northern part of Cyprus one of the most highly militarized areas in the world. Thousands of Greek Cypriots are being denied their fundamental right to return to their homes. Greek Cypriot properties are constantly being confiscated or sold without their owners' consent. Freedom of worship continues to be restricted as access to religious sites are blocked and systematically destroyed. Furthermore, Turkey continues to obstruct the process of determining the fate of persons missing since the invasion by prohibiting the exhumation of remains from mass graves. Thankfully, the Cyprus Government remains fully committed to the United Nations (U.N.) sponsored process to reach a sustainable settlement that would reunify Cyprus based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation in accordance with relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions. Additionally, the President of Cyprus has outlined several promising measures that contributed an atmosphere that would facilitate the negotiating process. In February 2014, the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities resumed formal negotiations. The promotion of security and stability in the region is a vital foreign policy issue to the United States, and the anniversary of the Turkish invasion should serve as a reminder that it is well past time to end the forcible division of Cyprus.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Chair, yesterday I offered an Amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill that would support environmental infrastructure projects through the Army Corps of Engineers for financially distressed municipalities. We require, quite rightly, water and sewage treatment plants to maintain federally mandated standards to keep our water supply safe and sustainable. About 72% of the population is served by sewage treatment plants, but 3.8 million of those people are served by facilities providing less than secondary treatment, which is a basic requirement by federal law. Often, the financial burden to meet these requirements falls on state and local governments. This can leave communities experiencing particular financial distress with outdated infrastructure and facing down huge costs to bring them in line with requirements. And this affects all of us, as aging wastewater management systems discharge billions of gallons of untreated sewage into U.S. surface waters each year. The Army Corps of Engineers can provide invaluable assistance to financially strapped communities through its general construction fund, specifically for wastewater and water improvements. The amendment I introduced would direct $44 million through the general construction account to support environmental infrastructure programs for financially distressed municipalities, in the hopes that we can provide some support for some of the most pressing wastewater improvement projects in the country. This same amount has been included for environmental infrastructure programs in the past, but no funding is included in this year's bill. Federal assistance has not kept pace with the needs of wastewater treatment systems, despite the fact that authorities agree that funding needs remain very high: The EPA estimates that the country will need to invest $390 billion over the next 20 years to replace existing systems and build new ones to meet demand. Furthermore, they estimate that there will be a $6 billion gap between current spending projections and need, if no changes are made. These infrastructure projects are extremely important to many communities across the country, including in my own state of Rhode Island. Though I withdrew my amendment, I look forward to working with the chair and ranking member of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee to ensure that these vulnerable communities receive support to ensure that Americans across the country have access to clean, safe water and sewage systems.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Byrne amendment, which would prohibit implementation of the National Ocean Policy, which permits better coordination among Federal agencies responsible for coastal planning. This amendment, by preventing agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers from coordinating with Federal and State partners, would impede States like Rhode Island, my home State, from managing their own resources in the ways that best fit their needs and priorities, and advancing policies that protect our oceans in a responsible way. The administration has made it clear that the National Ocean Policy does not create new regulations, supersede current regulations, or modify any agency's established mission, jurisdiction, or authority. Rather, it helps coordinate the implementation of existing regulations by Federal agencies to establish a more efficient and effective decisionmaking process. In the Northeast, our Regional Ocean Council has allowed States to pool resources and businesses to have a voice in decisionmaking, and has coordinated with Federal partners to ensure all stakeholders have a voice in the process. Allowing Federal agencies to coordinate implementation of over 100 ocean laws and giving States and local governments a voice in the ocean planning process is smart public policy, and I urge my colleagues to rejects this very misguided amendment.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission. Rhode Island has more than 16,000 historic buildings--more per square mile than any other State in the country. The First District, which I am proud to represent, is home to some of Rhode Island's most cherished places, such as the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Slater Mill in Pawtucket, and the Beavertail Lighthouse in Jamestown. These sites also provide an economic boost to our local economy by attracting tourists from across New England, the country, and the entire world. Led by Executive Director Ted Sanderson, the talented and dedicated staff of Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission has worked hard to protect and preserve our national historic treasures. Just last week, I joined Executive Director Sanderson in celebrating more than $2.5 million in Federal funds that were awarded to restore historic properties across the State that were damaged by Hurricane Sandy. I am proud to support their efforts, which in turn support jobs in Rhode Island's construction and tourism industries, and thank their staff for working to preserve our State's rich history for future generations to enjoy.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. CICILLINE. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Chairman, I first want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for the hard work that they have done on this piece of legislation. My amendment is a simple one. As we all recognize, the Army Corps of Engineers provides invaluable assistance to financially strapped communities through its general construction fund, specifically for wastewater and water improvements and, in past years, has allocated specifically funds for this purpose. However, this year's report does not include any money for this account. So the amendment I offer would direct that $44 million, which is 3 percent of the total allocation for construction projects in the Army Corps of Engineers, be set aside to support environmental infrastructure programs specifically for financially distressed communities around the country. As we know, Mr. Chairman, there are approximately $298 billion of unmet needs for wastewater and stormwater treatment that are projected over the next 20 years. Of that, about 15 to 20 percent represents water treatment, and that percentage is expected to grow over time because of increases in Federal regulations. In older cities, a single system, in fact, combines both stormwater and sewage; and rain, obviously, and snow can overwhelm those systems and present tremendous challenges. Seventy-two percent of the United States population is served by sewage treatment plants, and 3.8 million Americans are served by facilities providing less than secondary treatment, which is the basic requirement of law. This is a huge unmet need, and for municipalities--particularly financially distressed municipalities--investing in water treatment facilities can be a tremendous burden that they can't meet alone. In fact, since 2007, the Federal Government has required cities to invest more than $15 billion in new pipes, plants, and equipment to address sewer and wastewater treatment. So we are imposing--and rightly so, I am not criticizing that--but we are imposing these standards, and the costs of those are being borne by municipalities. What this amendment attempts to do is to ensure that at least some portion of that account is set aside for wastewater treatment projects and particularly targets facilities that have financial challenges-- financially distressed communities. I have spoken with the ranking member, and I recognize the chairman has reserved a point of order. I would ask if my ranking member would continue to make the case that these wastewater treatment facilities require some additional investment, and if that is the case, I look forward to working with the chairman and my ranking member, so that we can be sure that this investment is preserved, as it has been in past years, so that communities that really need assistance with their wastewater treatment facilities will have some access to these resources, and if so, I am prepared to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for organizing this Special Order hour. We certainly have a lot to celebrate in terms of progress toward full equality for the LGBT community, and a lot to be proud of. We are now living in a country where, in 19 States and the District of Columbia, individuals are afforded full marriage equality. We have work to do here, as you were just mentioning, by passing the Respect For Marriage Act, to be sure that we repeal DOMA, and legislatively doing what the Windsor case requires. We have work to do in terms of passing the Employment Non- Discrimination Act to ensure that no qualified worker in America loses his or her job because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. I want to compliment the President on his executive order that will ensure that this kind of employment discrimination does not occur in the Federal workplace. This President has provided extraordinary leadership on our collective effort to bring full equality to our community. I also want to talk about LGBT rights internationally because this is an issue in many places around the world where members of our community are subjected to imprisonment, physical violence, sometimes imposition of death sentences for certain criminal provisions, solely because they are gay or lesbian. So I think one of the things that we need to continue to do is promote the principle of equality around the world and ensure that no one is persecuted or imprisoned or beaten because of who they are. We are seeing in places around the world like Russia and other places in the world really an uptick in anti-LGBT legislation, anti-LGBT activities. So while we celebrate pride here in our country and the accomplishments of members of our community, we have to recognize that it is not the case for many of our brothers and sisters around the world. We have made extraordinary progress, as you know. You are a member of the Equality Caucus. I just want to mention that we now have seven openly gay Members of Congress here in the United States, one Member in the United States Senate, so eight in total. We have for the first time in our history an executive director and a paid staff member who is responsible for helping to promote our agenda for equality for our community, to educate our colleagues about legislation important to our community, and who has really professionalized the Equality Caucus. That is historic progress. That would not have happened but for the work of a lot of individuals, a lot of great organizations, like the Human Rights Campaign, the Victory Fund, and others who have helped to ensure that members of our community are elected to public office and that the great Congress of the United States reflects the great diversity of our community. You are an important cochair of the Equality Caucus, and I would say to the gentleman that you take on more than your share of the responsibility of advocating for equality for our community and taking a leadership role in events such as this Special Order hour. So thank you for the work you do in representing your constituents, and also bringing equality for our community. I think we all come here with our first responsibility to our constituents, and do everything we can to represent the people who sent us to Washington. At the same time, we come here with our characteristics and traits and our life experiences, and we all work hard to ensure that in America everyone is treated fairly and that we have access to the same responsibilities and privileges as everyone, and that is what the Equality Caucus does. I think this is a year for great celebration. I want to end by again thanking our President, who has, more than any President in the history of our country, helped to advance the equality of LGBT individuals in the workplace, internationally, and in the conduct of marriage by implementing the Windsor case in an aggressive way, and by advancing and supporting efforts to reduce bullying and promote respect for our community, ensuring that the LGBT community is reflected throughout his administration in important positions of responsibility. I think there is no question that President Obama will go down in history as the President who has done more than any previous President to advance full equality to our community. We should always be mindful of that, and I thank him for his leadership. With that, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Rhode Island Housing, a public agency that works to ensure that all people who live or work in Rhode Island can afford a healthy, safe home that meets their needs. Rhode Island Housing has made a real impact on the lives of thousands of Rhode Islanders helping over 60,000 families buy homes; and its success is due in large part to its dedicated and talented staff, led by executive director, Richard Godfrey. Last week, Rhode Island Housing was awarded over $856,000 in Federal funds to continue its important work to end homelessness in Rhode Island. A good home provides a foundation upon which individuals and families thrive, children learn and grow, and communities prosper; but finding affordable, healthy housing has become a real concern for middle class working Americans. According to the Providence Journal, in 2012 a Rhode Island household earning the State's median income could afford a median-priced house in just 11 of our 39 cities and towns. For more than 40 years, Rhode Island Housing has been providing valuable assistance to middle class Rhode Islanders to help them become homeowners and overcome the many challenges they face. I am delighted that these funds will support their efforts to end homelessness in Rhode Island, and I am proud to support their outstanding work to strengthen our communities.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, this week I will introduce a resolution to designate June 21 as National ASK Day, to raise awareness among parents to ask a simple lifesaving question: ``Is there an unlocked gun where my child plays?'' Those nine words could ultimately save your child's life. I recently met Karen Reed from Cumberland, Rhode Island, whose youngest son was severely injured in 2011 when his older brother played with a loaded pellet gun at a friend's house on Christmas Eve. Karen had no idea there was an unlocked gun at the house where her son was playing. Her 9-year-old son mistakenly thought the pellet gun was a video game accessory and shot his younger brother in the eye. 1.7 million children live in a home with a loaded, unlocked gun, and every year thousands of kids are killed or injured as a result. Unfortunately, Karen's story is just one example of a tragic accident that can occur when a child gets hold of a loaded gun. This isn't a partisan issue or an attempt to take guns away from anybody. This is about keeping our kids safe by asking a simple, lifesaving question. We owe it to our kids to provide them with safe areas to play and to pass the National ASK resolution and encourage parents to ask this simple question: ``Is there a gun where my child plays?''

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, this week, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved their version of the fiscal year 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. Instead of investing in America's future, this legislation slashes investments in our Nation's transportation and housing infrastructure. Funding for Amtrak is cut by $200 million. Funding for the Public Housing Capital Fund is cut below sequester levels, and funding for HOME investment partnership is cut to its lowest level in history. Sadly, it gets worse. The bill practically eliminates the TIGER grant program that funds innovative highway, port, and rail projects. At a time when America's infrastructure is crumbling, why on Earth would Congress slash funding for critical infrastructure investments that support jobs? To compete in the 21st century economy, we must bet on America's future and dedicate resources to infrastructure projects that support jobs in the construction sector, grow our economy, and rebuild America. Our competitors are investing in infrastructure. It is time we do, too.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Chairman, I want to begin by acknowledging the extraordinary leadership of Chairman Wolf, who, as I was recounting earlier, I remember as a young law student arriving in Washington, and hearing about his work. So much of his work has been longstanding. I particularly want to acknowledge his work on gang violence and gang violence reduction. I know this will be his last appropriations bill, so I thank him for his many years of service to our country. I also want to thank and recognize our ranking member, Congressman Fattah, for his great work. I rise today to offer an amendment that will invest in making our communities safe from gangs and gun violence. This amendment restores $8.5 million in funding for the Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program, also known as Project Safe Neighborhoods. It provides the same level of funding that was provided for this critical program in fiscal year 2014. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven, effective program for intervening in communities in order to enhance public safety and combat gang violence. Today, this competitive grant program invests in partnerships led by U.S. attorneys and allows local and State law enforcement, community leaders, and prosecutors to collaborate together on efforts to fight gang crime and reduce gun violence--and to do it in a strategically thoughtful way and to bring resources to this important work. Project Safe Neighborhoods provides communities across the country with the resources they need to coordinate effectively and to prevent violence. Most importantly, this program employs a multifaceted approach to address the ongoing problem of gang and gun violence. Many communities use this funding for both prevention and enforcement efforts. Stakeholders have used fund from Project Safe Neighborhoods to scale up efforts related to prosecuting and investigating gang activity. They have also used these resources to engage at-risk populations with innovative outreach and intervention strategies. The positive results of this initiative have been very well documented. A 2009 National Institute of Justice evaluation demonstrated that communities receiving Project Safe Neighborhoods funding saw a four times greater decline in crime than those in cities that did not receive funding. When I was mayor of Providence, I saw firsthand the importance of this approach to prevent and stop gang crime and gun violence. Together, we targeted gangs by both prosecuting criminals and also dispatching street outreach workers through community leaders like the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence. These street workers could successfully convince our young people to end the cycle of violence. This is a program that has a proven record of saving lives by preventing gun violence and proactively working in the community to prevent violence. Importantly, this has always been a bipartisan experience. I know my colleagues, many of whom are former prosecutors, community activists, and local and State-elected officials, have seen the tremendous benefit of Project Safe Neighborhoods. In fiscal year 2013, 16 communities from Nebraska and Tennessee to Rhode Island and Maine received funding. Since its inception in 2001, dozens of other communities have also relied on funding from Project Safe Neighborhoods to make communities safer and to reduce gun violence. So I am asking my colleagues to support this proven program. This is literally about saving the lives of young people in this country. I urge my colleagues to support the critical investments in this very collaborative public safety approach led by our U.S. attorneys and to support funding for Project Safe Neighborhoods. The safety of our communities and our ability to help reduce gun violence and gang violence depends on it. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, it has been 52 days now since the United States Senate passed bipartisan legislation to renew unemployment insurance for the long-term unemployed. For 52 days, Speaker Boehner has been the only thing standing in the way of renewing this vital lifeline for millions of Americans. In less than 3 days, the Senate bill will expire, and if Speaker Boehner gets his way, the House will leave town yet again without acting--delivering another devastating blow to the more than 2\1/2\ million Americans who have been cut off from this critical safety net. We can't let Speaker Boehner run out the clock on the Senate bill. Every week that goes by, more and more members of our communities lose their unemployment benefits, and if the House does not act, then it is back to the drawing board for millions of Americans who are depending on us. It is time for this body to act. The situation is not going to go away. It is only getting worse every week. If Congress does not act, nearly 5 million Americans will be without this lifeline by the end of the year. I urge the Speaker to walk by my office and see the faces and read the stories of the people we have left behind. They are living on the edge, and without this critical lifeline, many of them lose everything. The faces of the unemployed should not be invisible. I urge the Speaker to bring the Senate bill to the floor before it is too late. We deserve a vote.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Chair, I thank and acknowledge the work of Chairman Wolf and our Ranking Member Fattah for their exhaustive work on this appropriations bill. Madam Chair, in an effort to drive innovation and regional collaboration, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 established a Regional Innovation Program within the Economic Development Administration. This program is intended to encourage and support the development of regional innovation strategies, including regional innovation clusters and science and research parks. For the past few years, the President has consistently requested $25 million to fund the Regional Innovation Strategies Program. The program was provided $10 million in funding in the fiscal year 2014 omnibus appropriations bill passed by this Chamber a few months ago. Funding for the Regional Innovation Program supports the Economic Development Agency's interagency effort to build regional innovation clusters, including the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge and the Make It In America challenge. This program helps to ensure we build a cohesive, competitive economy by aggregating existing investments and technical assistance from multiple Federal agencies to develop a network of interconnected firms and institutions. Together, this network and other regional stakeholders can use this funding to accelerate job growth, spur business formation and expansion, encourage innovation, invest in workforce training, and support small business development. For example, the i6 Challenge grants funded within the Regional Innovation Program have already helped universities and research centers across the country invest in efforts to scale up groundbreaking ideas. This means providing these innovators with the necessary resources to accelerate commercialization and to attract venture capital for the most promising technologies. To compete in the 21st century and win, America must invest in scaling up promising technology and innovative ideas. In the long-term, these ideas will help ensure our Nation remains at the cutting edge. Importantly, investing now will help jump-start our competitive advantage in terms of producing emerging technologies and supporting advanced manufacturing. Through the Regional Innovation Program, local leaders are empowered to maximize existing assets and are provided resources to ensure that historically underrepresented communities, including those hardest hit by unemployment and economic decline, are able to participate in and benefit from a growth in a regional cluster. The Regional Innovation Program has traditionally garnered support from both Republicans and Democrats. It is a truly bipartisan, evidence-based method for creating jobs. My amendment is simple and straightforward. It would not create a new program or new authorization. It does not increase or decrease funding for a single account in the appropriations bill. Instead, this amendment simply serves to include the Regional Innovation Program within the bill and to bring focus to this vitally important job- creating initiative as this appropriations process moves forward. In addition, the Regional Innovation Program has consistently been specifically supported and cited with a separate line item in previous Senate CJS Appropriations Committee reports. To close, I strongly believe we must recognize that innovation is critically important to America's ability to compete in the 21st century global economy. Supporting the development of regional innovation clusters strengthens our capacity to create and retain new jobs and sustain our economic recovery. The Regional Innovation Program will help Federal, State, and local entities leverage existing resources, spur regional collaboration, and support economic recovery and job creation in high-growth industries. I recognize, after conferring with Chairman Wolf, that there is a point of order that has been raised on this. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw this amendment and look forward to working with the chairman and the committee to see that this program is both reauthorized and funded.

Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, after more than a decade of war, the loss of 2,178 American heroes, thousands seriously injured, and the expenditure of nearly $2 trillion, we must end our military presence in Afghanistan now, safely bring our troops home, and begin to focus on the urgent challenges we face here in America. A sustainable, long-term peace can only be accomplished when the people of Afghanistan assume responsibility for their own security. Yesterday, our colleague Jim McGovern offered an amendment that directed the President to rapidly accelerate the transition of U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan to the Afghan government by December, and would have required congressional approval if the President sought to keep U.S. military forces in Afghanistan after that. Unfortunately, we were denied the right to have a debate and vote on this amendment. We owe the brave men and women in uniform a clear plan to bring them home safely and soon and to end this war now. After more than 12 years of war and the killing of Osama bin Laden, it is time to end the war in Afghanistan and instead focus our attention on creating jobs, rebuilding our infrastructure, providing care for our veterans, and focusing on the serious fiscal challenges facing our Nation.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, I will introduce the 21st Century Buy America Act with Senator Chris Murphy, to modernize decades-old Buy American standards and help create new manufacturing jobs in the United States. Congress should make sure that American taxpayer dollars are used to buy goods manufactured here at home, not overseas, whenever we can. Our bill will strengthen existing Buy America standards and make a number of important changes to support our domestic manufacturing base. For example, it will make manufacturers of items in short supply here at home eligible for resources to help them compete against foreign manufacturers for U.S. government contracts. In addition, this bill increases transparency requirements for agencies that provide waivers, and it increases the domestic content percentage requirement so that, to qualify as American-made, you have to prove that a majority of the materials are actually made right here in America. Most importantly, this legislation will help grow our manufacturing sector and create new jobs by providing an increased demand for American-made products by the Federal Government. It is time to bring manufacturing back to America and to support existing manufacturing, and the United States Government should lead by example.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, last week, I unveiled the ``Faces of the Unemployed,'' an effort to help put a human face on the unemployment crisis. Yesterday, out-of-work Americans from all over the country came to Congress to tell their story, and they were shut out of the Capitol Building. They were not allowed to share their experiences inside the building that belongs to them and in front of the people they sent to Congress. Mr. Speaker, you may have stopped them from sharing their stories inside the Capitol yesterday, but with the ``Faces of the Unemployed,'' their faces and stories will be in the Halls of Congress every single day until you bring this bill to the floor for a vote. There are 2.5 million Americans without this safety net today, and that number could reach nearly 5 million if Congress does not act to extend unemployment benefits before the end of this year. These are real Americans, many of whom have worked their whole lives until recently and now can't afford basic necessities. They spent all their savings. Some have become homeless, and others are on the verge of losing everything. Every one of these people deserves a vote, Mr. Speaker. I urge you to bring the Senate bill to the floor for an immediate vote so that we can extend unemployment benefits and help millions of Americans.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding, and I thank the gentlelady for her passionate support of the State of Israel. It has been an honor to serve with you on the Foreign Affairs Committee and to be an active member of the Jewish Caucus here in the House. I rise today to celebrate 66 years of independence by the State of Israel and 66 years of lasting friendship between our two nations. On May 14, 1948, under the leadership of future Israeli Prime Minister David-Ben Gurion, Jewish leaders established the State of Israel. At that time, President Harry Truman recognized the new state and sent a strong message to countries throughout the Middle East and the world that Israel would not face its future challenges alone. Since that time, Israel has thrived and become a strong democracy. Today, our two nations remain closely aligned as a result of our shared values and common interests. During these 66 years Israel has overcome many difficult challenges and the continued existence of a Jewish state is a testament to the will and strength of the people of Israel. As we reflect on the achievements of this great country, we must also remember its modern beginnings. Israel was established as a safe haven for the Jewish people who survived centuries of persecution and oppression. Today, the people of Israel continue to face many threats to their way of life and to their country. There are those who believe violence is the solution to resolving their differences with the State of Israel. But to promote security throughout this region, what the Middle East really needs is stability and peace. I want to take a moment to commend our President, President Obama, and Secretary of State John Kerry for their commitment to securing a lasting peace and their work toward achieving that goal. On the 66th anniversary of the establishment of Israel, we strongly affirm our commitment to Israel as both a friend and ally, and double down on our efforts to bring peace to this region of the world. As President Truman so eloquently noted: Israel has ``a glorious future before it, not just as another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization.'' I know we have all had the opportunity to visit Israel and to see firsthand the success of this democracy and the prosperity of this country surviving and thriving in a very difficult neighborhood. It has been a great honor to be here in Congress and to continue to support the relationship between our two great countries, but to really honor the success of 66 years of independence of a country that shares our values, that continues to be an example to the world of a great democracy.

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 50th anniversary of Sri Chinmoy's arrival to America. As a spiritual teacher, poet, artist and composer, Sri Chinmoy used his many talents to make the world a more peaceful place to live. Sri Chinmoy was born in the village of Shakpura, Chittagong, in Bangladesh, which was at the time called East Bengal. In 1964, Sri Chinmoy first traveled to the U.S. and later embarked on a fifty-state American lecture tour to promote his powerful message of peace, cooperation, and respect for all. His first stop was Rhode Island's Brown University. His message of peace resonated with Rhode Islanders because he sought what so many people seek--a peaceful world for himself and others. His quiet and selfless work has served as an important example to all those who work toward peace and harmony. A few years ago, I was proud to help dedicate a statue portraying Sri Chinmoy in Roger Williams Park to celebrate the World Harmony Run, founded by Sri Chinmoy, which seeks to strengthen international ties and promote friendship. Providence is among the many cities in America and across the world that recognize the peaceful principles taught by Sri Chinmoy. In fact, there are over 100 countries that participate in the World Harmony Run. On the 50th anniversary of Sri Chinmoy's arrival to America, it is important that we remember his message and renew our commitment to make the world a more peaceful place. His leadership is sorely missed, but his spirit and message live on. As he so aptly described: ``we are all seekers, and our goal is the same: to achieve inner peace, light, and joy, to become inseparably one with our Source, and to lead lives full of true satisfaction.''

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 184 I was at a funeral in my district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. CICILLINE

Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to show you and my colleagues the faces of the Americans that are hurting by refusing to renew unemployment benefits. Just 3 days after Christmas, this House leadership left these people out in the cold and made it more difficult for them to provide for their family, to buy food, to pay their mortgages or pay their rent. It has been 4 months since the House Republican leaders turned their backs on millions of unemployed Americans, and the situation grows more dire for these individuals and their families with each passing day. For far too long, this Congress has described the long-term unemployed in numbers, figures, and statistics only. Well, today I hope that will begin to change and that the Speaker and other Republicans leaders will understand what is happening to real people because of their refusal to extend unemployment benefits. I am launching something called the ``Faces of the Unemployed'' to show my colleagues on the other side of the aisle just who they are hurting. This poster board will be outside my office, and I will be adding people to it as they share their stories. It will force my Republican colleagues to look into their eyes as they pass them in the hallway and to understand that these individuals should not be invisible. Mr. Speaker, I want you and all of my colleagues to look at these faces and explain to your colleagues and to America why you won't allow a vote that will help them put food on their table, pay their rent, and provide for their families. These are real people, Mr. Speaker, who have been left behind and forgotten about by this body. It is disgraceful that, while the Republican budget spends billions of dollars abroad and protects special interest tax loopholes that encourage companies to ship American jobs overseas, this body can't provide immediate relief to the long-term unemployed who are still recovering from the Great Recession. In the end, this debate is about more than dollars and cents. It is about the families who continue to lose unemployment benefits with each passing day that the House fails to act. It is about the more than 200,000 veterans and more than a million children who have been affected by this loss of benefits. It is about my constituents, Michael from Riverside, Rhode Island, who is about to lose his electricity and gas because he can't pay his bills and, in his own words, has ``nowhere to turn.'' It is about Paula from Bristol, who has always worked since she was 15 years old and says she is ``being made to feel like a thief.'' It is about Lillian from North Providence, who said she would ``rather be working'' but can't find a job. These stories are not unique to Rhode Island. This is happening to people in every part of our country: Nevada, Illinois, California, Kentucky, and Mississippi, to name a few. These people aren't Republicans or Democrats. They are hardworking Americans who can't find work and need our help. It is time to put aside our differences and come together to provide immediate relief to these struggling families. In tough times, Congress has a longstanding history of extending these benefits, as we saw during the Bush administration. I urge Speaker Boehner to look at the faces of these unemployed Americans and hear their stories so we can work together to solve this problem as we have in the past. These photos and stories will be posted outside my office--and I hope many of my colleagues will do the same--to serve as a reminder that this is about the individuals and the families who are hurting every day because we have not extended this critical lifeline. I hope this will put a face on the real stories of the people who are hurting and it will cause the Speaker to bring a bill to the floor that will extend unemployment so we can answer the call and be sure that we are doing everything we can to help those most in need.