Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. David Scott).

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 15 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (David Price), and I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control that time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Rosen), one of our new Members, who has made support for Israel part of her entire life and is giving her first speech on the House floor in support of this resolution and support of Israel.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is now my great pleasure to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Democratic whip.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schneider). We are pleased that he is back.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch), my friend on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the ranking member of the Middle East Subcommittee.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from the great State of New York (Mr. Suozzi), another new Member of Congress who is also making his maiden speech about the security of Israel and the U.S.-Israel partnership.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to include in the Record an excellent opinion piece by Bernard Aronson, the United States Special Envoy to the Colombian Peace Process, which was published in the New York Times on December 14, 2016. Mr. Aronson has played a crucial role in supporting Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in bringing an end to his country's 52 year war with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). I very much appreciate Mr. Aronson's service to our country. Moving forward, I believe we must support Colombia in peace just as we have supported the country through years of war. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the next Congress in doing just that. Colombia Needs Help to Make Peace Last (By Bernard Aronson, Dec. 13, 2016) Oslo.--On Nov. 29, a 6-year-old Colombian girl, Yisely Isarama, was killed by a land mine in Choco Province. The same day, the Colombian Senate voted 75 to 0 to ratify peace accords to end the 52-year war between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC. In microcosm, the two events encapsulate Colombia's past and its potential future. In his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech here on Saturday, the president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, the architect of the peace settlement, called the war ``a half- century nightmare.'' It claimed 220,000 Colombian lives, most of them civilians', and drove six million from their homes. In United States population terms, that would translate into 1.3 million dead and 36 million displaced Americans. Colombians year after year are killed or injured by land mines at rates higher than in any country except Afghanistan. Under the agreement, FARC combatants will disarm and demobilize over 180 days under United Nations supervision. For most Colombians, it will be their first day living in a nation at peace. But the peace settlement, hammered out in Havana after four and a half years of negotiations, and revised following the loss of a plebiscite, aims to do far more than silence the guns, as welcome as the end of the conflict is. The peace accord sets out to bridge the great historic divide between what President Santos calls ``the two Colombias'': the Colombia of developed, modern urban centers and the Colombia of the vast, impoverished interior, where historically there has been little or no government presence and, as a result, little security, justice, rule of law or access to roads, health care and education. That is where the war was fought. To close this gap, the government has committed itself to a far-reaching program of rural development for the largely peasant population that includes provision of land, titles, credit, roads, and crop substitution programs. To allow arable land to be cultivated safely, land mines must be removed. The Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, which is monitoring the enforcement of the agreement, reports that half of all negotiated peace settlements fail and the conflict resumes. Those that succeed address not just security, but also the social and economic roots of the war. The institute says Colombia's agreement addresses root causes more comprehensively than any other negotiated settlement has. Every weekday, get thought-provoking commentary from Op-Ed columnists, the Times editorial board and contributing writers from around the world. That is no accident. More than in any previous conflict negotiation, Colombia put victims at the center of the process. Victims' issues were not only on the table; victims themselves were at the table, regularly and often, asserting their rights and concerns. As a result, the agreement stipulates that the worst perpetrators of wartime atrocities--whether guerrillas, paramilitaries, or state actors--must confess their crimes, make reparations and accept sentences that include up to eight years of ``restorative justice,'' such as removing land mines, that are deemed acceptable to their victims and ``effective restrictions on liberty.'' Displaced persons must be compensated or returned to their homes and the remains of the disappeared, where possible, identified and returned to loved ones. To fulfill these and other commitments, the government must create far-reaching programs and policies that will cost billions of dollars and take years to carry out. It must establish a system of transitional justice, a truth commission and investigative and protective units to safeguard the lives of demobilized former combatants and human rights activists. Colombia will bear the largest burden, but the international community, led by the United States, must continue to help. The United States has no closer strategic partner in Latin America than Colombia, and our interests in the region are intertwined. Colombian trainers and troops are working today with their American counterparts to help Mexico and Central America's Northern Triangle countries--El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras--combat the drug cartel violence that is fueling refugee flows, largely of unaccompanied minors. If, in turn, Colombia with American assistance can reverse its recent upturn in coca leaf production, it will take pressure off the Northern Triangle's embattled governments and institutions. Two decades ago, Colombia was nearly overrun by guerrilla armies, paramilitaries and drug cartels. Colombians, at great sacrifice, fought back, strengthened their democratic institutions, and created today's opportunity for peace. Colombian leaders and citizens deserve the greatest share of the credit. But steady, sustained bipartisan American support and assistance for 16 years under Plan Colombia made a crucial difference. If the peace agreement succeeds, Colombia will emerge as the strongest democracy in Latin America, a political and economic model for the region. As in the past, the United States should help Colombia reach that goal with continuing bipartisan support. Passage of President Obama's request for $450 million in fiscal 2017 for an economic assistance program called Paz (Peace) Colombia would send the hemisphere, where support for Colombia's peace process is universal, an encouraging signal about American staying power. In September, at the United Nations General Assembly, Secretary of State John Kerry and his Norwegian counterpart, Borge Brende, secured commitments of $106 million from a coalition of 25 countries to help Colombia clear its land mines by 2021. President Santos showed the group a pamphlet that teaches Colombian children how to avoid land mines on the way to school. Mr. Santos said he dreamed of the day when such pamphlets would teach Colombian students only science, art, mathematics or poetry, because Colombia would be land-mine free. Helping turn that dream into a reality would be a fitting memorial to Yisely Isarama.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), my good friend and colleague on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this bill. Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking my friend and the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce of California. He and I and our staffs have been working on this bill for most of the 114th Congress. This may be the last Foreign Affairs bill the House will deal with this year, and it is an appropriate capstone for the committee's work. Authorizing and overseeing the State Department is one of our committee's most important responsibilities. As the Obama administration comes to an end and we deal with the uncertainties of a transition in power, it is important that Congress help to set the tone for the future of our foreign policy. We need to do all we can to ensure the future of America's leadership role in the world. This bill is also long, long overdue as the chairman pointed out. The last time the President signed a State Department authorization was in the year 2002. So much has changed since then--from the invasion of Iraq and the subsequent rise of ISIS to the ascendance of the Asia- Pacific in our foreign policy to the growing threat of climate change. Think about the way terrorist groups use social media to recruit fighters and spread propaganda. This has become a major foreign policy concern; yet the last time we passed the State Department authorization, Twitter and Facebook were still a few years from coming online. Imagine that. That is just one example. In nearly 15 years, countless issues have cropped up as new foreign policy concerns, and traditional areas of diplomacy and development have evolved. This bill will help the State Department keep pace with the changes. I would like to underscore a few provisions in this bill that I think are especially important. The main thing I want to talk about is the heart and soul of American diplomacy: our diplomats. Our diplomats are at the core of this bill. We want them to have the tools and resources for success. These men and women pursue a path of public service unlike any other, going to work--sometimes in dangerous places--as America's face to the world. Diplomats are our front line of international engagement, advancing our interests and building bridges of friendship and understanding. This is incredibly important work. It requires the right people for the job--people with the skill, training, and confidence to carry out their work. We need to do all we can to enable our diplomats to carry out diplomacy. They need to be able to get out from behind a desk and engage directly with cultures and communities, from government officials to civil society groups to everyday people on the street; so we have included provisions in this bill that are focused on the security of our Embassies and on the proper training of our personnel. We need the best possible security for our Embassies and diplomats abroad, and good security doesn't always come cheap. This bill says that, when the State Department hires local personnel to protect our diplomatic facilities and staff, they shouldn't be constrained only to take the lowest cost bid. After all, the rule is generally true that you get what you pay for, and when it comes to the safety of our diplomats, we should be focused on quality in addition to cost; so we have included a provision that calls for the best value security rather than the lowest cost. There is a lot of value in keeping our diplomats safe, and I want to thank representative Lois Frankel for her work on this provision. With this bill, we have also focused on improving the security of what we call ``soft targets,'' not typical diplomatic facilities, but things like schools and schoolbuses for the children of diplomats abroad. It is also important that the State Department reflect who we are as a country. America is made up of people from all different backgrounds and perspectives. Our diversity is one of our strengths. Our Foreign Service should benefit from that strength and reflect it back to the world. We also need to incorporate that strength into our foreign policy. A diverse workforce means a diversity of views and experiences to aid our leaders when they face tough decisions. Old ways of thinking and worn- out approaches aren't well suited to the modern range of challenges our diplomats face. This bill will push the Department to recruit, train, and retain a diverse workforce. Reports tell us that the State Department has been slow to change in these areas, so we want to give those efforts a shot in the arm. Additionally, I thank Chairman Royce for including my Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission legislation in this bill. The heroin epidemic in this country is getting worse and worse. We need to make sure that our drug policy is focused on saving lives. Here at home, that means doing more on prevention and treatment. Looking abroad, we need to take stock of what has worked and what hasn't when it comes to our drug policy in Latin America and the Caribbean. That is what this commission will do, and I am grateful this measure is moving forward. That idea, taking stock of our successes and failures, brings me to a few final thoughts on this bill. Even though Congress has a role in foreign policy, we are outside the day-to-day decisionmaking structures. That outside perspective gives us a chance to step back and ask: What can we be doing better? Where can we cut away dead wood? What changes going on in the world require us to change our approach? Our State Department personnel may have great new ideas about the way to advance our interests, but they are constrained by existing law or are bogged down in the constant hard work demanded of them. Let's be honest. By their nature, bureaucracies tend not to change on their own. That is when Congress needs to step in and say: ``We can help to solve this problem. We can make it easier for our diplomats to do their jobs.'' The thing is that we have to actually do that. We should try to pass a bill like this every year. It should become the way we do business, just like the defense authorization, because when we don't, we are letting our diplomats down; we are also ceding their work to other jurisdictions, and we are missing opportunities to bolster American diplomacy and national security. Last week, we voted on the Defense Authorization Act. It included 80 provisions that fell, at least in part, under the jurisdiction of the Foreign Affairs Committee when it landed on the President's desk. I respect our friends on the Armed Services Committee a great deal, but I hear their message loud and clear, that if we don't act in our own jurisdiction, someone else will. I am encouraged that we have made it this far on this bill. I hope it becomes a regular part of our committee's work and that, a year from now, we are back here debating more good ideas about improving American diplomacy. For now, I again thank the chairman. I am glad to support this bill, and I urge all my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am waiting for one other speaker; so, while we are waiting, let me at least partially close. I, first of all, thank Chairman Royce's staff for their hard work on this very important bill. I thank Tom Sheehy, Ed Burrier, Tom Hill, and Doug Anderson, and on my staff, Jason Steinbaum, Doug Campbell, Eric Jacobstein, Janice Kaguyutan, Sajit Gandhi, Jennifer Hendrixson White, and Mark Iozzi. We can only do as well as the wonderful staff that we have, and it is really appreciated, I know, by Chairman Royce and by me. As was said before, Mr. Speaker, every single year, Congress passes a defense authorization. It happens without fail, and it should. It is a vitally important piece of legislation, and we have an obligation to give our women and men in uniform the support and the resources they need. The work of our diplomats is very different, but it is also critical to our national security. These dedicated public servants help to project stability, enhance security, and diffuse crises before they start. From a dollars-and-cents perspective, it makes a lot more sense to prevent crises than to try to stop them after they are burning out of control. We need diplomacy to succeed so that using our military remains the last resort in our foreign policy. This legislation will help ensure that our diplomacy does succeed. I hope this bill gets across the finish line soon; I hope the Senate does its job; and I hope we make a State Department authorization a yearly priority for the Foreign Affairs Committee, for the Congress, and for the American people. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who has been an integral part of the Bronx and Westchester communities for more than four decades, Monsignor Edward Barry. Born in Washington Heights, Msgr. Barry traces his roots from County Waterford. He graduated from St. Anthony's elementary school in Nanuet, NY in 1961 and then graduated Albertus Magnus High School in Bardonia, NY in 1965. In 1969, he graduated from Cathedral College in New York and then went on to St. Joseph's Seminary. After being ordained in 1973, he was appointed Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick's in Yorktown Heights, NY where he spent 7 years. As a young priest at St. Patrick's parish in Yorktown Heights, he was a member of the Yorktown Interfaith Alliance and a member of the Yorktown Substance Abuse Advisory Board. In 1980, Msgr. Barry was appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Frances de Chantal in the Bronx, NY. Following 6 years at St. Frances, he was appointed in 1986 as Executive Director of Youth Services and CYO for the Archdiocese of New York. From 1986-1991, he served as Chairman of the Board for the Kennedy Center in NYC and Chairman of the Board of Head Start at the Spellman Center in NYC. In 1991 Msgr. Barry became pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in Dover Plains where he spent the next 13 years during which he was appointed Honorary Prelate. In 2004 he moved to become Dean of the Northeast Bronx Deanery and assigned as Pastor of St. Barnabas in the Bronx, before returning to Yorktown Heights. Msgr. Barry's faith and devotion have served as a guiding light to countless men and women over the years. This year, the American Irish Association of Westchester is honoring Msgr. Barry at their annual dinner dance. They could not have picked a more deserving honoree. Congratulations to Msgr. Barry on receiving this wonderful recognition, and my thanks to him for all he has done to better his and our community.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a symbol of volunteerism for all of Yonkers: Helen Ann Henkel. For over forty years, Helen Henkel has affected hundreds of thousands of lives in Yonkers and beyond; through her selfless commitment to improving her community. It is an honor to recognize her service at her retirement honoring. Born and raised in Yonkers, Helen is the daughter of Ann and Otto Rogewitz, and the proud granddaughter of Ukrainian and Polish immigrants who came to this country at the turn of the century and settled in Yonkers and Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. After earning her diploma from Yonkers High School of Commerce, Helen earned a degree in Business Administration from Westchester Community College. Helen has been a motivating force for a great many Yonkers institutions, including the Exchange Club of Yonkers, the Enrico Fermi Educational Fund, and the Yonkers Board of Ethics, all of which she served in a leadership capacity. She has also been intimately involved in other organizations in the neighborhood, including the Yonkers Historical Society, Untermyer Performing Arts Council, Westchester Pulaski Association, Friends of Phillips Manor Hall, Sherwood House, Yonkers YWCA, Yonkers Beautification Conservancy, and Piper Theater Productions, just to name a few. For her selfless service, Helen has received multiple awards and recognitions, including the 2013 Yonkers Woman of Distinction Award, the 2013 Yonkers Police Commissioner's Award, the 2009 Woman of Excellence Award, the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce Women in Business-- Above and Beyond Award, and has also been bestowed the Key to the City of Yonkers. Helen has done so much good for Yonkers community, and indeed the world, that it is hard to fathom the true scope of her impact. I want to wish Helen congratulations on her well-earned honor and thank her for all she has done on behalf of the people of Yonkers.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, those special individuals who dedicate their lives to improving the community have the power to transform lives for the better. In Yonkers, no one has had a more transformative effect than my friend, Ann Muro, an amazing public servant who has dedicated her life to helping others. Ann grew up in the Colonial Heights section of Yonkers and attended Annunciation School and Maria Regina High School. She then went on to Mercy College, where she received her degree in Behavioral Psychology. Always wanting to help people, Ann became a Social Worker for the County of Westchester and served on the steering committee for the implementation of the Medicaid Program into Westchester County. She also served as a Community Affairs Specialist for the Westchester County Human Rights Commission and as an Employment Specialist for the Yonkers Employment Center. In addition to her professional work helping others, Ann has also been extremely active in the community during her personal time. She serves as President of the Exchange Club of Yonkers; Board Member of PAL; President of the Crestwood Tenants Association; former Board Member of the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce; former Board Member of the American Cancer Society, and this is just a small fraction of her involvement. A published writer, Ann is also in the process of writing two books and is also an accomplished poet. This year, the Yonkers Exchange Club is honoring Ann for all of her incredible work and contributions in the community. I want to congratulate her on this wonderful honor and thank her on behalf of the 16th Congressional District

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, the brave men and women who protect us every day as members of law enforcement are truly New York's Finest. For the last 20 years in Westchester County, The Westchester Hispanic Law Enforcement Association has dedicated itself to making a difference in the community, by paving the way for the future leaders in law enforcement who will someday serve and protect their communities with great honor. The Mission of the Westchester Hispanic Law Enforcement Association (WHLEA) has been to ``build an organization that will withstand the test of time.'' The pledge of their founding members to make a difference has been lived up to for two decades by members who work tirelessly to improve conditions for those less fortunate. The Association prides itself on representing those who for too long have remained disenfranchised, and left to do for themselves. Their commitment to keeping vigil over those in our communities whose voices and concerns have all too often fallen upon deaf ears has left a lasting impact on the lives of countless people. Above all though, the Association's mission is to pave the way for future generations, sons and daughters who someday may choose the Honorable profession of law enforcement as a way of serving their communities. By working to inspire, instruct and create the future leaders of law enforcement throughout Westchester County, the WHLEA has provided a great service to the community. Congratulations to their members on 20 years.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine and a pillar of the community, Ms. Laura Kornfeld, who on October 11, 2016 is celebrating her amazing 90th birthday. A first generation American, Ms. Kornfeld graduated from Tilden High School in Brooklyn and was the first person in her family to attend college. She received her Bachelor's degree from Hunter College and later served as an officer on the Alumni Board of Columbia University Teachers College, the same institution where she received a Master's Degree in Adult Education. Ms. Kornfeld founded Academic Advisory Service, a company that assisted women new to the job market. She served on the New York State Advisory for Women and the League of Women Voters, Professional Womens' Caucus and the National Organization of Women. In Rye, Ms. Kornfeld has been active in a wide array of organizations and a strong supporter of education and racial equality. She has been on the Board of Carver Center in Port Chester, supporting ``grassroots organizers and advocates for the minority community in Port Chester''. She served as President of the PTA for the City of Rye Schools, as well as on the board of Kids Space, a childcare and enrichment program for school children. She spearheaded Rye's campaign to pass the Equal Rights Amendment and attended the International Women's Year Conference in 1985 in Nairobi, Kenya. Of course, Ms. Kornfeld's main love has always been family. Married to career Naval officer Leo Kornfeld since 1947, they have been residents of Rye, NY since 1957. They have three grown children, Melanie, Hank and Nancy Danielle. Ms. Kornfeld has led an amazingly full and active life. She has been a great member of the community, who has always given her time and effort to the issues that have made her neighborhood stronger. Congratulations to her on her 90th birthday.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of Yonkers' most active and dedicated community members, William Stallings, who is being honored at this year's Yonkers Democratic Committee Annual Road to Victory Dinner. Originally a product of Charleston, South Carolina, Bill attended public school and became very active in the civil rights movement in his junior and senior years of high school. Upon completion of Burke High School he began working at the Citadel, the military college of South Carolina. After a year, he applied to Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and was accepted. At Tuskegee, he enrolled in the Air Force ROTC and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation. His bars were pinned on him by his grandmother and General Daniel ``Chappy'' James, and while in the Air Force, he reached the rank of Captain. It was a recruitment by Pepsi Cola that ultimately brought Bill to Westchester County, where he has remained ever since. He became active in the local Democratic Party in 1974 by engaging in local voter registration drives, and later became a District Leader. He is a member of the NAACP and is very active in his church, Greater Centennial AME Zion Church. He has been an officer of the church for over 25 years, was President of the Greater Centennial Federal Credit Union for over 20 years, and is a founding member of the Greater Centennial Community Development Corporation. Bill has also served on the Board of Directors of the Human Development Services of Westchester (HDSW) for the past 20 years and on the Yonkers Democratic City Executive Committee for over 20 years. Few have done more to help their local community thrive than Bill Stallings. He is most deserving of this wonderful recognition.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a leader in our community, John DeCicco Jr. whose humanitarian work is being recognized by The Pelham Civic Association at their Annual Dinner Dance Gala. John is one of three honorees for ``Persons of the Year'' on November 4, 2016 in my district. John is the President and CEO of DeCicco & Sons Food Markets. He is a longtime volunteer member of the Pelham Civics, a major contributor to Pelham Civics ``Needy Cases Program,'' which provides food baskets for hundreds of needy families. He also spearheaded the Pelham Civics' 75th Anniversary Dinner Dance Journal in 2014, raising over $12,000. John is known for his countless acts of altruism, philanthropy, and charity. He has worked with The Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Wounded Warriors, The Boy and Girl Scouts in an effort to support the community and those in need. He was the recipient of the 2015 Rotary Club of the Pelhams Award for his work supporting children and families. John also works closely with career placement for special needs students, was a Past Advisory Board Member for the Fordham University Graduate School of Business Entrepreneurship, a former Junior Board Member for the Westchester Italian Cultural Center, Past President of the Pelham Chamber of Commerce, and has worked closely with Governor Cuomo, County Executive Rob Astorino, ConEdison, and NYSERDA in leading an effort to promote ``GREEN Markets for the Future'' the first of which was opened in Larchmont in December of 2015. The store, which is founded on the principle of being environmentally friendly, has received the EPA's Green Chill Platinum Certification. John's business, DeCicco & Sons, is also a long-time contributor to Pelham School PTAs, and was the recipient of the 2015 New York State PTA Congress ``Golden Oak Award'' for exemplary support of the school districts, PTAs and students. DeCiccos also received the 2015 Westchester's Best Family-Owned Business Award, for continued commitment and active support to the communities in which they live and work, the 2016 Independent Green Business of the Year Award. John married Luisa DeCicco, Ph.D., another honoree, and have two children. It is an honor to present John with a Congressional Record at The Pelham Civic Association Annual Dinner Gala. I want to thank him for all he has done in the community and all he continues to do on behalf of Pelham. Congratulations to all honorees of the evening.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a community servant who has for years worked to improve the lives of her friends and neighbors in Yonkers, Ms. Andrea M. Brown. Andrea was born and bred in Westchester, the eldest of eight children in Tarrytown, NY. She attended the Tarrytown public schools, Westchester Business School, and Westchester Community College. She began her community service when she was in her teens, in high school clubs and through her church. In 1970 she married and moved to Yonkers and began her community service in 1974 by volunteering at her oldest daughter's pre-kindergarten class at School 25 and joining the Parent's Group at the Nepperhan Community Center, which led to her becoming a Board Member and eventually Board President. Andrea's volunteer work only grew from there. She has served her community as President of the Yonkers Branch of the NAACP; Trustee for the Yonkers Board of Education; 1st Vice President of the Empire State Federation of Women's Club, Westchester Region; Member of the Yonkers Mayor's African American Advisory Board; and Vice President of Aquehung Women's Democratic Club, just to name some of her work. She has also received numerous awards for her efforts, including the Martin Luther King Commission Profile Award; the Bethany Lutheran Church Woman of the Year Award; the Women's Civic Club of Nepperhan Woman of the Year Award; The Nepperhan Community Center Community Service Award; and the Dominican Cultural Association Community Service Award. But for all of her accomplishments, Andrea's greatest treasure was always family. She was married to the late Bernard G. Brown, Sr. and is the mother of two adult children, three grandchildren and two great- grandchildren. The Yonkers Democratic Committee is honoring Andrea this year at their Annual Road to Victory Dinner. Congratulations to her on this great honor.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, as we in the Bronx and Westchester celebrate the installation of the seventh Pastor of the St. Barnabas Parish, I want to take a moment to celebrate both the Parish's rich history and the wonderful people who make up its congregation. Established in 1910, the parish was placed under the patronage of St. Barnabas with the Reverend Michael Reilly as the first Pastor. The Parish included what is known as the Woodlawn section of the Bronx and McLean Heights/Yonkers entity, the Church and Rectory were erected on the actual line separating the two cities. Monsignor George McWeeney was appointed the second Pastor and served until 1965. Under his leadership, a new High School building and Chapel were erected. The third Pastor was Monsignor John J. Considine who served until his retirement in 1986. His twenty-one years as Pastor saw a phenomenal growth in the Parish. The fourth Pastor was Monsignor Timothy S. Collins who served until 1994 when he was appointed Pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary (The Mother Seton Shrine). During his eight years tenure, Monsignor supervised the remodeling of the Rectory, Parish Center and High School Chapel. The fifth Pastor Monsignor Francis X. Toner was appointed in 1994 until his death in 2003. Msgr. Toner re-organized the parish's services to accommodate the changing demographics of the parish. Monsignor Edward M. Barry, the sixth Pastor, was appointed in 2004. On the occasion of the parish's 100th anniversary Msgr. Barry conducted a fund raiser for the complete renovation of the church, as well as installing an elevator. And just this year, the St. Barnabas community has warmly welcomed Father Brendan A. Fitzgerald, who served as Pastor of Regina Coeli Parish, Hyde Park, 2012-2016. A native of Ireland, Fr. Fitzgerald has already had a very distinguished career and will no doubt bring great wisdom to the parish. I want to congratulate him on his installation, and congratulate the entire St. Barnabas community.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a beautiful spirit, Ms. Mary P. O'Sullivan, known commonly around the neighborhood as ``Scotty.'' Mary went to her eternal home April 18th, 2016 surrounded by her loving family and friends. Though she is no longer with us, Scotty's contributions to the community will forever live on, as she has left a lasting impact on all of those she was able to touch in life. Scotty, along with her husband, the late Jimmy ``Sonny'' O'Sullivan, were the proprietors of ``Tara Irish Gift Shop'' in Inwood for over 35 years. The store was a local mainstay for decades, selling everything from checkered Irish walking caps and Celtic crosses to green neckties bedecked with little Irish flags. She operated the shop at 609 West 207th Street with Thomas and Kathleen Traynor until 2001, a remarkable run for any business establishment in New York City. Scotty was also incredibly active in an array of community groups, and was especially active in many Irish-American organizations. She was a long time, beloved active member of the American Irish Association of Westchester and always organized and ran the raffles at the annual Heritage Day. Of course, Scotty's great love was always family. She is survived by her loving in-laws and many nieces & nephews. Scotty's life was an inspiration, and she will forever be a part of the amazing Irish-American community in New York. I want to thank the American Irish Association of Westchester for honoring her at this year's Annual Dinner Dance.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a leader in our community, Mary Keehan, who is an honoree at the American Irish Association of Westchester Annual Dinner Dance. Mary was born in White Plains, New York to Peter and Catherine Kevil, who emigrated from Ireland and married in Scarsdale. Mary attended White Plains High School and simultaneously worked part-time at Macy's department store. Eventually graduating with honors and becoming an office manager for a Chiropractor, Mary felt her passion in a different field and decided to return to school in the field of Electrolysis. Mary combined passion for service and business, and she established her own practice in Electrolysis. Her business has served thousands of people for the past 34 years, while her service to her community through volunteerism made an equally lasting impact. Mary became a member of the American Irish Association, where she held the office of President in 2008, and currently serves as the financial secretary. Mary is also a member of the Tarrytown LAOH, and is often seen leading the Rockland County Ancient Order of the Hibernian's Pipe Band in marches and parades as ``Banner Mom''. With such an impressive record of civic engagement, it's no surprise Mary's list of accomplishments is extensive: President of the Ardsley American Legion Auxiliary for six years, President in 1981 of the Westchester County American Legion Auxiliary, National Board Member at the NYS Electrolysis Association, President of the Ardsley Garden Club, Board Member of the Ninth District of Federated Garden Club of NYS, Board Member of the Girls Scout of Westchester-Putnam, and committee member of Dobbs Ferry Woman's Club. She also serves on the Board of Elections for the Town of Greenburgh. Married to George Keehan, Mary and her loving husband raised six wonderful children together. She is also the proud grandmother of six amazing grandchildren, her pride and joy. Mary has shown incredible spirit through her service and love of family. It is an honor to recognize her as one of the American Irish Association of Westchester Annual Dinner Dance Honorees. Congratulations to Mary on this most deserved recognition.