Eliot Engel

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, 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, as a former school teacher, I know just how dedicated our educators are to their students as well as the community as a whole. In the Bronx and Westchester, no one has displayed that dedication more than Bob Stauf, one of the honorees at this year's American Irish Association of Westchester Annual Dinner. Involved in the world of education for a half century, Bob Stauf has taught elementary and junior high students at St. Philip Neri School in the Bronx, in the Yonkers Public School system and Yonkers and Tarrytown Salvation Army citadels. His work with the Salvation Army has also extended to its Advisory Board, on which he currently serves as President for the Yonkers chapter. Bob is also the President of the 3rd Precinct Police Community Council, Vice President of the American Irish of Westchester, and facilitator of programming of Brahma Kumaris in Westchester. He has also taught adult education and home school instruction with the Yonkers School System and the Children's Village Yonkers Satellite program. Bob has also made a difference at the local level through his work in City government. He has chaired the Yonkers Human Rights Commission under two administrations, chaired the Mayors Community Relations Committee and Mayor's Committee on Irish Affairs, chaired the Yonkers Community Action Program and was Vice Chair of New York State Community Agencies. In addition, Bob is a good friend who was personally helpful to me just prior to my first trip as a Member of Congress to Ireland. He was a wonderful resource on Irish matters, and even traveled with me on that trip. This year the American Irish Association of Westchester is honoring Bob Stauf at their Annual Dinner Dance. I want to congratulate Bob on this well-deserved honor and thank him for his many contributions to both the Bronx and Yonkers communities.

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.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, as Messiah Baptist Church in Yonkers celebrates the installation of a new Pastor, I wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate and welcome the congregation's new leader, Westchester's own Reverend Frank E. Coleman Jr. A graduate of Tuckahoe High School, Rev. Coleman attended Virginia Union University where he graduated with a B.A. in Religion & Philosophy. Later he graduated from Almeda University where he received his Master's degree in Pastoral Studies. Rev. Coleman began his Pastoral career at Zion Baptist Church in Westmoreland, Virginia, before moving back to Westchester as Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Tuckahoe. In 2010, he once again returned to Virginia as Pastor of the First Baptist Church in South Boston and remained there until 2014, when he once again returned home to Westchester. Since September, 2015 Rev. Coleman has served as Pastor- Elect of the Mother Church, The Messiah Baptist Church in Yonkers, New York. In addition to his Pastoral duties, Rev. Coleman has left a lasting legacy of helping others everywhere he goes. He was the Vice President of the Halifax County Substance Abuse Awareness Coalition, Commissioner of The Southside Planning District Commission, Board Member of The Department of Social Services in Halifax, member of the S.C.L.C., Danville Branch and he served as the President of the Halifax/South Boston NAACP. He has also served as V.P. of the Tuckahoe School District's school board, Member of the Tuckahoe Village's Ethics Board and Co-Founder/President of the Committee Worker for All Children (CWAC). Of course, Rev. Coleman's true love has always been family. He is the husband of the Rev. Margaret Fountain Coleman of Mount Vernon New York and the father of one son and three daughters. I am honored to help welcome Rev. Coleman to Messiah Baptist and I wish him nothing but the best in his tenure.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an amazing public servant and an even better friend, former Westchester County Legislator Bernice Spreckman, who recently resigned after serving for 20 years as the Representative for the county's 14th District. A longtime resident of Yonkers, Bernice was first elected in 1995 to the 14th district's legislative seat where she proudly represented and passionately advocated for the hard-working taxpayers of Yonkers and parts of Mount Vernon. Prior to becoming a county legislator, she served in several posts in Yonkers City government, including three terms as 2nd ward Council Member, Council Member-at-large, Vice Mayor and Chair of the City Council's Committees on Rules and Real Estate; she was also elected the first female President of the New York State Councilman's Association. As County Legislator, Bernice was a tireless advocate for senior citizens, working to expand the epic program; organized an annual lobby day in Albany; worked in a bi-partisan manor to pass universal design legislation to benefit senior citizens and the disabled community; co- hosted an annual legislative speakout; and worked with State representatives to enact new ``independent living'' legislation to help protect seniors from being wrongfully displaced. But for all of her great accomplishments, Bernice's greatest joy in life was always family. She has enjoyed the love and support of her wonderful family; her late husband Harry, who was her constant companion and champion supporter; her devoted sons Alan, and his wife Jill, Rory, Howie, and his wife Dana; she is the loving grandmother to Andrew, Evan, Jake, Jaclyn, Brian, Craig, Mason, Jackson and Julianna. Though we never sat on the same side of the aisle, I always knew I could count on Bernice when it came to working together on behalf of our shared constituents. She was a tremendous force for good in the community, and I want to congratulate her on a remarkable career.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Caregivers Outreach Ministry Empowerment Inc. (C.O.M.E.) a remarkable organization in New York City that for 10 years has empowered family caregivers with accessible resources and knowledge to make comfortable choices and decisions that will have a positive impact upon the quality of life for themselves and their loved ones. A family caregiver, sometimes called an informal caregiver is an unpaid individual--a spouse, partner, family member, friend co-worker or neighbor--assisting others with activities of daily living and/or medical tasks. In New York City, 1.25 million family caregivers provide over one billion hours of unpaid care to elderly loved ones. Nationally, there are approximately 1.3 to 1.4 million-child caregivers who are between the ages of 8 and 18 providing care to a family member. Youth caregivers are often called a ``hidden population,'' because they suffer from a systemic lack of support from their schools and communities. Since its founding in 2006 by Diane Leona Cooper, C.O.M.E. has worked to educate, equip and empower community leaders with the tools to develop and implement the C.O.M.E. Outreach Support Model. The group has collaborated with a wide array of elected officials and organizations to advocate for family caregivers, and the work they have done in the community has been nothing short of remarkable. As C.O.M.E. celebrates its 10th anniversary, I want to take the opportunity to thank their leadership team and staff for all of the good works they have done. It is wonderful to know I have such an amazing partner fighting for families in the community.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, those who dedicate their lives to serving others professionally are a true asset to the community. For 28 years, Michael Minerva has been an asset to Westchester, through his amazing work with Empress Ambulance Service and our friends at St. Joseph's Medical Center. Mike got his start in Yonkers working for American Ambulette, the company his parents, Dan and Lenore started in 1976. It was during this time that Mike was first introduced to the leadership and mission at St. Joseph's Medical Center. In 1985, his family bought Empress Ambulance Service. For the next twenty years, Mike was fortunate to work side by side with the biggest driving force of his professional career, his mentor, business partner and ``Mom'' Lenore Minerva. In 2008 Mike was promoted to President of Empress and has worked tirelessly to continue to grow the business and provide the highest level of pre-hospital care in the State. Under his guidance, Empress has been recognized as the leader in the ambulance industry with over 400 EMS professionals on staff and a fleet of over 90 vehicles. Mike was asked to serve on the Saint Joseph's Medical Center's Board of Directors in 2005, and his extensive knowledge of the healthcare industry, especially in the field of emergency services has been a tremendous asset to Saint Joseph's Medical Center for the many years he has served as a member of its Board of Trustees. Mike also finds many ways to give back to the community that has afforded him so much. In addition to volunteering his time to Saint Joseph's Medical Center's Board of Trustees, where he is part of the Executive Committee, he is also on the Board of the Yonkers Police Athletic League and the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce. But Mike's great love is always family. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Bobbi, for over 27 years. Together they have raised five wonderful and accomplished children. Danielle, the head athletic trainer for Mercy College, Hayle, a full-time performer for Disney World FL, Michael, a recent college graduate who now works at Empress, and Jack and Lyndsey, a junior and sophomore respectively at Pleasantville High School. This year, St. Joseph's Medical Center is honoring Mike at their annual Autumn in New York Ball. He is incredible deserving of this great honor. Congratulations to Mike and his family.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a leader in our community, Luisa DeCicco, PhD, whose humanitarian work is being recognized by The Pelham Civic Association at their Annual Dinner Dance Gala. Luisa is one of three honorees for ``Persons of the Year'' on November 4, 2016 in my district. Luisa is the Director of Human Resources at DeCicco & Sons Food Markets and is the founder of the Pelham Business Club. She is also the founder and manager of the unique, free Pelham Business Club Facebook community. With over 850 current members, the community provides residents, businesses and not-for-profit organizations in Pelham free access to information and free opportunities to advertise their businesses' and organizations' events. As head of the Business Club, Luisa works in coordination with the Town of Pelham and Villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor engendering a strong working relationship with all entities. She created and spearheads the town-wide free Easter Bunny Boulevard, Pelham Block Party, Candy Cane Lane events, and three Town Meetings with Town Supervisor and Mayors to inspire a strong community spirit and commitment for businesses and residents, with the theme: ``Neighbors Helping Neighbors.'' DeCiccos is also an active corporate sponsor of the ``Hungry Kidzz'' programs and events throughout the year, providing food to children in need throughout tristate area. In addition, they are an active corporate partner with ``County Harvest,'' replenishing food pantries and soup kitchens throughout Westchester County. In Pelham, Luisa is also an active supporter of school PTAs and fundraising events. She married John DeCicco Jr. and together they have two wonderful children. It is an honor to present Luisa DeCicco with a Congressional Record. Congratulations to all honorees of the evening.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a leader in our community, Will Cavanagh, whose humanitarian work is being recognized by The Pelham Civic Association at their Annual Dinner Dance Gala. Will is one of three honorees for ``Persons of the Year'' on November 4, 2016 in my district. Will is a student advocate and visionary with over two decades of volunteer service to the Pelham School District, including four consecutive terms--12 years--on the Pelham Board of Education, where he served as Vice-President of the Board. Will actively participated in the implementation and improvement of educational programming in the district, which included giving students more access to Advanced Placement/Honors classes; expanding course offerings and building the Science Research program; and developing the Bridge Academy Program. Will also supported the Pelham School District's work on scope and sequence of subject matter for all grades, which has been instrumental to programmatic improvements, particularly in light of Common Core standards. Will chaired the District Committee that oversaw development of the School District's Five-Year Strategic Plan (2006-2011) and headed up the District's Turf Field Committee leading to the installation of the Pelham's turf field. Will also served as the Pelham Rec Soccer Commissioner for eight years during a period of great expansion. In addition, he is a member of the Pelham Civic Association and long-time volunteer in the community. It is an honor to present Will Cavanagh with a Congressional Record. Congratulations to all honorees of the evening

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the great companies in my district, Empress Ambulance, which has provided outstanding emergency medical service to the City of Yonkers for over three decades. In 1985, when Dan and Lenore Minerva acquired Empress Ambulance it was their mission, that since has been handed down to their sons Michael, Daniel and Matthew, that patient care and compassion would be the cornerstone on which the company would be built. As the landscape in the healthcare industry changed for hospitals over the years, so too has it changed dramatically in the pre-hospital seam: These days an EMS company needs to have trained professionals and state of the art equipment to manage a medical emergency on the street or in someone's home. Empress has accepted this challenge and today they are the preeminent provider of pre-hospital care and ambulance transportation services in our region. With over 90 vehicles and more than 400 highly trained and compassionate employees, Empress is answering the call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In recent years, Empress has seen unprecedented growth in the region. In addition to Yonkers, Empress Ambulance is currently the emergency medical services provider for the cities of New Rochelle, White Plains, Mount Vernon and Pelham. Additionally, the company provides advanced life support services in Yorktown and basic life support supplemental staff in Hawthorne, Mohegan Lake and Peekskill. They have also recently been named the provider of choice to operate four 911 advanced life support ambulances by Montefiore Medical Center for the Fire Department of New York 911 System. This year, St. Joseph's Medical Center is honoring Empress Ambulance Service for the remarkable contributions the company has made to both the Center and the community as a whole. I want to take the opportunity to congratulate the entire Empress team, and thank them for all their incredible work in our area

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the valuable civic engagement of one of our community members, Adam Cwerner, who is also being recognized by the Northeast Jewish Center at their Annual Gala Dinner Dance. Adam is one of two honorees on November 4, 2016. Adam was born in Brooklyn to Betty and Jacob Cwerner. Along with his sister Gil, he spent many of his formative years in Brooklyn. Adam was a member of East New York Jewish Center which was located across the street from where his family lived. After moving to Massapequa, Long Island, the family joined the Farmingdale Jewish Center. Adam went on to attend Stony Brook University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics. He continued his education at the State University of New York at Albany where he attained a Masters in Business Administration. A position at an architectural firm in Westchester led to a move northward, and Adam settled in at Richard Meier & Partners Architects, where he has worked for almost thirty years as the firm's Controller. After trying out five different synagogues when he moved to Yonkers, Adam decided to attend and eventually join the Northeast Jewish Center, and he hasn't looked back. Adam was soon recruited by Marge Wise, then President of NEJC, for a seat on the Board of Trustees. He continued to serve on the Board for almost a decade, when the then Chairman of the Board suggested he take over the position. To this day, Adam still serves his congregants in that capacity. Adam has meant so much to the Northeast Jewish Center community, and has been instrumental in the Center's growth and success. He is most deserving of this great recognition, and it is an honor to present him with a Congressional Record. Thank you again for all of your service to Yonkers.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Brenda Freeman, an individual who has been instrumental in shaping young hearts and minds as a member of the Yonkers public school system for nearly three decades. A graduate of Yonkers Public Schools, Brenda earned her degree from Westchester Community College and has held the position of School Aide and School Number 16 since 1988. In addition to helping students in the Copy Room, Brenda has been instrumental in organizing many school fundraisers, including the Pasta for Pennies event which benefited the Leukemia Foundation and the American heart association Relay for Life. She also spearheaded the P.T.A. membership drive for her local CSEA union, for which she also served as Building Rep. Brenda also created and organized a Multicultural Food Week event for the entire School Number 16 staff, and has served as School social Committee Coordinator. School Principal Cynthia Eisner has said of Brenda, ``She is the Miss Congeniality of School 16 welcoming new staff. She facilitates our SMART Program, picking up the students for the senior citizens that volunteer in our building each week. Ms. Freeman is a well-respected member of the CSEA union and counsels her members wisely. She approaches problems with confidentiality and has a wonderful way of arranging consensus between parties. Ms. Freeman is a dependable reliable, humble person. She finds gratitude in a job done well and does everything with a pleasant attitude.'' This year, the Exchange Club of Club of Yonkers is honoring Brenda as their 2016 Civil Service Employee of the Year. She is most deserving of this wonderful recognition. Congratulations to Brenda on receiving this great honor.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished member of the community whose work at St. Joseph's Medical Center has been of great service to countless Westchester residents, Dr. Richard H. Greif. Dr. Greif was born in New York City and grew up in Morristown, New Jersey. After high school, he attended Cornell University, majoring in biology. He then went on to medical school at New York Medical College where he was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha--the Medical Honor Society--and graduated in 1975. After medical school he completed an Internal Medical Residency at Metropolitan Hospital and a Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship at St. Vincent's Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Greif joined the Saint Joseph's Medical Staff in 1981. He is currently President of the Medical Board and has been serving as the Co-Director of Cardiology since 2013. He has been a member of the Saint Joseph's Medical Board and Chairman of the Quality and Performance Improvement Committee for over 30 years. He has been an Assistant Professor at New York Medical College since 1981; Adjunct Professor at Manhattan College since the late 1980's and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Greif has supervised the Medical Center's Family Medicine Resident ICU and Cardiology rotations since 1981 and precepted New York Medical College students from 1983 to 2015. In the field of research he was the co-investigator in the landmark multi-center TIMI 2B trial testing thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction. He has been listed many times among ``Best Doctors in Westchester'' by Westchester Magazine and recognized by Castle Connolly as a ``Top Doctor'' in the New York Metro Area from 2006 to 2016. Of course, Dr. Greif's true passion is his family. He resides in Westchester with his wife Victoria. They have three children; Arel, Dylan and Shana. Arel works in New York City in the media industry, Dylan is a graphic designer working and living in Brooklyn and Shana is a second year Internal Medicine Resident in Los Angeles. All three children did volunteer work at Saint Joseph's. This year, St. Joseph's Medical Center is honoring Dr. Richard Greif at their annual Autumn in New York Ball. I want to take the opportunity to congratulate him on this wonderful honor, and thank him for all of his amazing work in the community. He is most deserving of this incredible recognition.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a member of our community, Craig Rappoport, who is also being recognized by the Northeast Jewish Center at their Annual Gala Dinner Dance. Craig was born in the Bronx in 1966 to Herman and Shirley Rappoport. The family quickly moved to Yonkers and he has lived at his house on Minerva Drive since he was a year old. Craig attended Westchester Day School and attended high school at Mesivta Ohr Torah. He majored in both accounting and economics at Queens College and graduated Magna Cum laude with an award for highest grade point average in economics. He worked for the CPA firm Miller Ellin & Co. located in Manhattan until 1995. Craig and his family joined Midchester Jewish Center when Craig was a youngster, and they quickly became active members. Craig later joined and was very active in the newly formed Yonkers Orthodox Minyan in 1989. In 2005, Craig came to Northeast Jewish Center and continued his active involvement. He first served as finance committee chair and then Vice President, in addition to a 2 year stint as housing committee chair. Craig then became Treasurer of the Men's Club and then Treasurer of the Synagogue. He is still instrumental in the synagogue's finances today and helps run the office. He maintains the synagogue's mailing list of members and nonmembers and updates the yahrtzeit lists, and he helps chair the Book of Remembrance and New Years' Greetings fundraisers. Craig is also very active in other aspects of the synagogue's operations. He helps prepare for the high holidays by selling seats, helping to set up for the services, ushering at the services, and he even buys the wine and grape juice for the weekly kiddush and davens pesukei d'zimrah on Shabbat mornings. It is no surprise why Craig has been selected as one of two honorees this year by the Center, as he has made so many tremendous contributions to its community. It is an honor to present Craig Rappoport with a Congressional Record and I wish to congratulate him on receiving this wonderful recognition. He is certainly most deserving of this great honor.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. In closing, let me say, with the upcoming transition, we are wading into some uncertain waters when it comes to foreign policy. Congress must do its part to ensure stability and consistency on core, foreign policy issues. There is no better example of that stability than this legislation, which has been on the books for two decades. I thank Chairman Royce for bringing it up. I am proud to be the leading cosponsor with him on the bill. I think this again shows the bipartisan nature of our committee and on foreign policy and how foreign policy ought to be done. This bill will help ease the way forward with our own transition. It will remind Iran's leaders that we still have a lot of contentious issues to deal with; and it will signal to the world that even after a hard-fought election here at home and power changing hands, American leadership on the global stage won't falter. Again, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for moving this legislation so quickly. I urge a ``yes'' vote and quick action in the Senate. I hope President Obama will sign this bill and extend this important law. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Democratic whip.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this measure. Let me again thank our chairman, Ed Royce, for his leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee. I also want to thank the leadership on both sides of the aisle for working together to get this bipartisan bill to the floor. Our foreign affairs legislation and particularly sanctions-- we have said this before, but I want to say it again--always work best when there is bipartisan support. Since the Iran nuclear deal was struck more than a year ago, I have consistently said two things: one, I didn't agree with the deal, but that, once it was in effect, we should try to make it work rather than try to undermine it; two, we should keep looking for ways to hold Iran's feet to the fire on all of the other bad behavior issues-- support for terrorism, ballistic missiles, human rights abuses, and all of those kinds of things. This legislation--I am happy to say--fits the bill. We can provide the administration tools to crack down on Iran and still be fully compliant with our obligations under the nuclear deal. After all, the exact language in this bill is already law on the books. The Iran Sanctions Extension Act is a simple, clean extension of current law. The legislation, which has been reauthorized with large bipartisan support since 1996, demands that Iran abandon its nuclear weapons program, cease its ballistic program, and stop its support for terrorism. All of these remain threats to the United States and to our allies. The current law is set to expire on December 31 of this year. We don't want to let the Iran Sanctions Act lapse. We don't want Iran's leaders to think we have lost focus on their other dangerous activities around the world--that we don't mind when they launch ballistic missiles that are emblazoned with the words, in Hebrew, ``Israel must be wiped out.'' They must not think that we will look the other way when they smuggle weapons to the Houthis in Yemen, who, last month, fired two cruise missiles at a U.S. naval destroyer. This is a critical moment in the region. There is no end in sight for Hezbollah's support for the Assad regime. Iran is sowing instability throughout Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, and the Gulf; and, more and more, our friends and allies are unsure about the future of America's resolve. We need to send a clear message that American leadership is a sure thing. We all went to school when we were kids, and we learned about the separation of powers. The legislative branch--this Congress--has an important say and an important role to play, and we will continue to do that. This legislation will provide for an immediate snapback of sanctions should Iran cheat on the nuclear deal. These sanctions must be in place to demonstrate to Iran that there are consequences for noncompliance. In 10 years, when this legislation expires, we will have another discussion. I sincerely hope that, by then, Iran will have acceded to every demand of the international community's to stop its ballistic missile program and will have put an end to its destabilizing activities around the region. In the meantime, hopes won't safeguard our interests. That is why I support this legislation. That is why we wrote this legislation. I urge my colleagues to do the same in supporting it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch), the ranking member of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee of our Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), a very valued member of our Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. In closing, the situation simmering right now in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is such a good example of why the United States can never retreat from our role on the world stage. This is a situation that doesn't touch most Americans directly, so why should we be focused on it, some might wonder. Because anytime and anywhere democracy is under threat, it makes the world a little less safe, it makes regions a little less stable, and it makes populations a little more vulnerable. Standing up for democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo--or anyplace else, for that matter--isn't just good for the people of that country, it is good for all of us. It helps advance American values and American interests. We believe in democracy. And it helps when other countries practice what they preach. So when people on the ground are fighting for democracy, demanding transparency of their leaders, and trying to make their societies more open and inclusive, we are going to have their backs, and it is what we should be doing. That is what the U.S. does. That is what our values demand. That is what it means to be the global standard bearer for freedom and democracy. I am glad to support this measure. I again thank Chairman Royce for his leadership, Mr. Smith, and Ms. Bass. I urge all Members to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. Let me start by thanking our chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Royce, for his leadership. I had the good occasion to travel with him to Congo last year, and we pushed very, very hard on the fact that we believe democracy needs to be carried out there. In fact, the President of Congo, who is running for an unprecedented third term, which he is not supposed to do according to their Constitution, opted not to see us because he was angry at the fact that we came to Congo and spoke out so heavily, with one voice I might say, for democratic reforms. That has been the tradition of the Foreign Affairs Committee during the time that Chairman Royce has been chairman and I have been ranking member. We speak with one voice on most things, and we are more effective that way. I think that foreign policy, especially, should be bipartisan and partisanship should stop at the water's edge. So we, personally, the two of us and the colleagues that came with us on the trip, drove that message home to the President of Congo. We met with the Prime Minister, and we didn't mince our words. So I want to thank Chairman Royce for his leadership. I want to thank the chair and ranking member of the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, and Ms. Bass of California for her hard work in bringing this measure to the floor. As I mentioned before, Mr. Speaker, in recent months, protesters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have faced an increasingly violent crackdown at the hands of armed authorities. These people are protesting, again, the illegal third-term grab by the President of Congo. Citizens have been subject to arbitrary arrest, and civil society groups are finding it harder and harder to operate. In just over a month, when President Joseph Kabila's term expires, I fear that this instability will grow even worse. We want to see democracy thrive and the constitution prevail in the DRC, but we know forces are hard at work to tear that country's democracy down. This resolution sends a message that the United States is watching this situation closely. Those who try to undermine democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo won't get a free pass from us. This measure calls for U.S. sanctions on core government and opposition officials who hinder democratic processes or stand in the way of progress toward a peaceful democratic transition. It calls for sanctions to remain in place until President Kabila declares that he will abide by the constitution and step down on December 19--until there is verifiable progress toward holding a free and fair election and until the opposition and civil society groups are free to operate without interference. Lastly, this resolution requests that our government support civil society groups and the media so that the DRC citizens and the world have a clear picture of democracy and governance. I am glad to support this timely resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Bass), the ranking member of the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this measure. Again, let me first thank our chairman, Ed Royce, for helping to advance this bill. I thank the bill's authors: Representative Noem and Representative Schakowsky. Representative Schakowsky, especially, has been focusing for years on the vulnerabilities that face women and girls in conflicts and on the unique role in which women can play in working to build peace. Ms. Schakowsky has been spending a great deal of her time in representing issues such as the one in this bill. In fact, she was the first one who told me about the bill and what they were doing in terms of putting it together; so I really want to commend her. It has been nearly 5 years, Mr. Speaker, since the Obama administration unveiled the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. The idea at the center of the strategy is the importance of women in their helping to prevent and resolve conflicts. Thanks to the administration's efforts, the U.S. has worked to include women in conflict prevention, negotiation, and resolution. We have promoted efforts to enhance the physical and economic security of women around the world, and we have sought to break through the barriers that have stopped women from being full participants in peace processes. We haven't taken these steps on a hunch. Research has shown that peace negotiations are more likely to succeed when women have influential positions in the negotiation process. The bill we are considering would make these policies permanent. It would build on what the Obama administration has accomplished by making sure State Department, USAID, and Pentagon personnel are fully trained on the unique strengths that women bring to conflict prevention and resolution. It would also require annual reporting so that Congress can stay apprised of these efforts. I think making this strategy permanent is absolutely imperative. After all, even though the administration and bipartisan leadership in Congress have seen the value of this approach, we have no idea how future administrations and Presidents and Congresses will view women or if they will fully appreciate how women's participation can make our foreign policies stronger. I am pleased to support this measure, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), who has played such a leading role on these issues.