Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I thank Chairman Royce and Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, who introduced this very important piece of legislation. We just finished debate on a bill that would help us get a better handle on just how severe a problem organ trafficking is and to help us figure out what is needed to confront this challenge. This resolution underscores troubling reports about the practice of organ trafficking, specifically in the People's Republic of China. I have heard directly from some of my constituents about this, and what is particularly unsettling is that this practice allegedly targets prisoners of conscience, including practitioners of Falun Gong and other religious and ethnic minorities. Nonconsensual organ harvesting under any circumstance represents a gross violation of human rights, but these allegations are particularly egregious: authorities at Chinese prisons targeting prisoners because of their religious beliefs and then making a profit by trafficking these victims' organs. I cannot think of hardly anything that is more disgusting than that. The accounts of these activities are gruesome and shocking, and, again, we need to get to the bottom of this issue to see exactly what is going on. This measure calls on the Chinese Government to cease the practice of forced organ harvesting and to end the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience. It also calls on the Chinese Government to allow an investigation into this issue, and it urges the State Department to include an assessment of state- sanctioned, nonconsensual organ harvesting in its annual human rights reports. So I again thank Ms. Ros-Lehtinen for her focus on this issue. I am pleased to support this measure. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in April of 2009, I had the honor of joining President Obama in Trinidad and Tobago for the Summit of the Americas. That was one of his first trips abroad as President. I was chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee at the time. At that time, the President said: ``The energy, the dynamism, the diversity of the Caribbean people inspires us all, and are such an important part of what we share in common as a hemisphere.'' Seven years later, those words continue to ring true. In that time, we have made a lot of progress. The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative and the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative have brought us closer to our Caribbean partners on a range of shared concerns. Let me say that Vice President Biden deserves a great deal of credit for this progress, but more needs to be done. For example, this week, Secretary Kerry is in the Dominican Republic for the general assembly meeting of the OAS, the Organization of American States, which has its headquarters right here in Washington, D.C. We are confronting some serious issues at this meeting, including the crisis in Venezuela. The Caribbean countries represented there will play a major role, and the more we work in partnership with these governments, the better. These may be small countries, but they pack a big punch in what is going on in our neighborhood. This legislation will keep us moving in the right direction when it comes to these partnerships. I was very honored to introduce the bill, and I am honored that we have strong support on both sides of the aisle. I, again, want to thank Chairman Royce and Chairwoman Emeritus Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, both excellent members and real, stalwart support for this committee. This is another example of bipartisanship on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. I am very, very proud of that. So this will keep us moving in the right direction. I urge a ``yes'' vote. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Before I begin, this is the first time I have spoken on the House floor since the horrific attack in Orlando, and I just want to take a brief moment to talk about it. This was a shocking hate crime against the LGBT community, a jarring and disgusting attack on our LGBT brothers and sisters, and on the progress LGBT rights have made in this country. And, of course, this was also a terrorist attack, and we need to look at it in the broader context of how we're working to meet the challenge of violent extremism here and around the world. Mr. Speaker, since yesterday morning, there has been an outpouring of thoughts and prayers for the victims in Orlando and their loved ones; and, to be sure, moral and spiritual support are a part of how we grieve and heal. We are all angry about this heinous attack. We are all heartbroken. We are all committed to finding answers. We are all standing together, and we will move forward from this tragedy together. But, as lawmakers, we are empowered to do more than think and pray. In fact, we are certainly empowered to do more. I certainly have my views on what is necessary on the domestic side to stop this slaughter by gun violence, but I will leave that contentious debate aside for the moment. What I will say is that, on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Republicans and Democrats have found a great deal of common ground on what sort of measures will help to keep us safe and to confront the threat of violent extremism. What has guided us in the past: the spirit of nonpartisanship and the belief that politics should stop at the water's edge, should continue to inform our work. Turning to this bill, let me thank the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce; and I want to thank Mr. Trott and Mr. Deutch for all of their hard work on this measure. The World Health Organization estimates that 10 percent of all transplanted organs worldwide are illegally obtained. That is an alarming number; but, like so many illegal enterprises, this is a crime that is poorly understood, that seeks out zones of impunity where the light of the law doesn't shine and where information is hard to come by. So with a handful of estimates and reports, we are left asking: Who are the victims of this crime? How do they become trapped by this illegal trade? What pressures and vulnerabilities made them susceptible? What are governments doing to halt the practice to track down those responsible and to provide services to survivors? Should this challenge be included in our efforts to confront modern slavery, or is this a different sort of problem altogether? This bill will help us get answers to these questions. It calls for a report on this crime that will allow us to connect the dots. Once we know what we are dealing with, then we can figure out the best way to act and chart a path forward. So I am glad to support it. I thank the chairman and the bill's sponsors again. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

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

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, on May 24, 2011, President Obama issued a memorandum on Federal fleet performance that required all new light- duty vehicles in the Federal fleet to be alternative fuel vehicles, such as hybrid, electric, natural gas, or biofuel. My amendment echoes the President's memorandum by prohibiting funds in this act from being used to lease or purchase new light-duty vehicles unless that purchase is made in accord with the President's memorandum. I have submitted identical language to 20 different appropriations bills over the past few years, and every time it has been accepted by both the majority and the minority. I hope my amendment will receive similar support today. Global oil prices are down. We no longer pay $147 per barrel. But spikes in oil prices would still have profound repercussions for our economy. The primary reason is that our cars and trucks run only on petroleum. We can change that with alternative technologies that exist today. The Federal Government operates the largest fleet of light-duty vehicles in America, over 640,000 vehicles. More than 55,000 of those vehicles are within the jurisdiction of this bill, being used by the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, and the Army Corps of Engineers. When I was in Brazil a few years ago, I saw how they diversified their fuel use. People there can drive to a gasoline station and choose whether to fill their vehicle with gasoline or ethanol. They make their choice based on cost or whatever criteria they deem important. I want the same choice for American consumers. That is why I am proposing a bill in Congress, as I have done many times in the past, which will provide for cars built in America to be able to run on a fuel instead of or in addition to gasoline. It is less than $100 per vehicle. That is a separate issue, but I raise it because it is in conjunction with what I am proposing here. If they can do it in Brazil, we can do it here. So, in conclusion, expanding the role these alternative technologies play in our transportation economy will help break the leverage that foreign government-controlled oil companies hold over Americans. It will increase our Nation's domestic security and protect consumers. Again, I have submitted this in different appropriations bills through the years, and it has always passed unanimously by both Democrats and Republicans. I hope it will be the same. I ask that my colleagues support the Engel amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close. Mr. Speaker, it is important that the democracies of the world stand together to help strengthen freedom, justice, and opportunity. That is why the United States and Taiwan have been such natural partners over the decades. Even as we deal with the People's Republic of China, we must continue to stand with our friends in Taiwan. Again, I am delighted that Dr. Tsai Ing-wen is the first female President of Taiwan. Perhaps we will follow suit in November with the first woman President. This resolution reaffirms just how important that relationship is; and as Taiwan moves forward with this week's political transition, that country's people should know that they have an enduring friend in the United States. Again, I commend Mr. Chabot for his insight in putting forward this resolution. I thank our chairman. I support this measure. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this resolution. Let me once again thank Chairman Ed Royce and our colleague from Ohio (Mr. Chabot), who introduced this measure. At the end of this week, Taiwan will swear in a new President, marking another peaceful democratic transition in that country. I have had the pleasure of meeting the President-elect, Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, several times as well as the country's outgoing leader, President Ma. And though they represent different political parties, it is clear that they are both fully committed to Taiwan's vibrant democracy and open society. Those values are also at the root of the close ties between the United States and Taiwan. This resolution affirms our commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. These are the measures that have underpinned our relationship with the Taiwanese people since we normalized relations with the People's Republic of China. As Taiwan prepares for this week's political transition, it is vital that the United States send a clear signal that we continue to stand with the people of Taiwan on a range of issues, from Taiwan's defense to its growing role on the global stage, to its commitment to freedom and democracy. So I am happy to support this measure. We should continue to stand with our partners in Taiwan, and I wish the people of Taiwan well as they swear in a new President this week. I might add, it is the first woman President of Taiwan. I urge support for this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Again, Mr. Speaker, in closing, we focus on human rights as part of our foreign policy because it is the right thing to do. The United States is founded on the idea that an individual should be able to live according to his or her own beliefs. That is a value we want to see thriving around the world. Advancing human rights is also the smart thing to do. Countries with a strong respect for human rights are countries that prosper and play a constructive role on the global stage. I want to again say to my friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), when he comes for advancing human rights, he takes a second seat to nobody. He is indefatigable when it comes to these things. In all the years I have known him, he has always been fair and honest. I really sincerely commend him, and know how heartfelt it is and how much we appreciate his hard work. When we see governments stifling religious freedom, or any freedom, we have a responsibility to speak out and make it clear that the United States remains a champion for these basic liberties. This bill helps us to live up to that responsibility, and I am proud to support it. I thank Chairman Royce and Mr. Smith. Mr. Speaker, 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 again thank Chairman Ed Royce for bringing this bill forward. I also want to thank my friend, Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, for his leadership and for authorizing this bill. Mr. Speaker, freedom of religion has been a bedrock principle of open and democratic societies for centuries. Some of the first immigrants to settle on American shores sailed here because they were fleeing religious persecution at home. This liberty is enshrined in our own founding documents, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in the charters of democracies all over the world. The freedom to worship as a person chooses or not to worship at all should be settled business and nobody's business but the person themselves. Yet, around the world religious communities endure discrimination, persecution, and violence. It is amazing to me that, when we look at the history of strife and war that has swirled around religious persecution, governments continue to deny this freedom to their own people. This assault on religious liberty holds societies back and undercuts progress. It obviously has no place in the 21st century. So for the United States and other countries that cherish freedom, it is not enough just to guarantee religious liberty to our own people. We need to speak out and act when we see this right under attack around the world. For that matter, we have a responsibility to speak out when we see any liberty under attack, whether freedom of the press, the right to organize, or the equality of LGBT persons. Mr. Smith's legislation would help ensure that promoting and supporting religious liberty are a component of American foreign policy. It would help ensure that our diplomats around the world understand the importance of this issue and are working to advance this freedom on the front lines. It is worth noting that we should also continue to fully fund the State Department's Human Rights and Democracy Fund, which helps address a range of human rights abuses around the world, including threats to our religious freedom. Together with this legislation, it sends a clear message to the world that protecting human rights is a priority for the United States. So I support this measure. I urge my colleagues to do the same. I again want to congratulate my friend Mr. Smith, who is so strong on issues like this and so forceful in pushing forward all the way until we finally got this on the floor of the House. I urge my colleagues to support this measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, in closing, again I want to emphasize that Mexico is a vital partner to the United States in terms of trade, security, and a wide range of regional concerns. We need to keep all the channels between our countries flowing, and that includes the physical connections between the U.S. and Mexico. This bill would help strengthen an important bridge between our countries and, at the same time, signal just how important we consider this friendship. I support this measure. I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar). Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this measure, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me once again thank our chairman, Ed Royce, for bringing forward this bipartisan measure and for his continued good leadership on the committee. I also want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar), my good friend, who introduced the House version of this legislation which has already passed the Senate. When it comes to our southern neighbor, Mexico, lately we have been hearing far too much about building walls. Mexico is a critically important partner to the United States. Our people share long, close ties, so we should be talking about building bridges, Mr. Speaker, not building walls. A few weeks ago, the Senate helped build a bridge by confirming a new Ambassador to Mexico, Roberta Jacobson. This was long overdue. She is excellent, and we are glad to have her on her way to Mexico City now. Today, with this bill, we are talking about, quite literally, strengthening a bridge between the United States and Mexico in the years ahead. The Starr-Camargo Bridge connects Rio Grande, Texas, with Monterrey and Ciudad Camargo in Mexico. The legal authority to operate this bridge will expire in 16 years. That may seem like a long way off, but as a result of that end date, we have already started to see a constraint in long-term investments. This bill would eliminate that expiration date. We have done the same thing before. The Weslaco-Progreso International Bridge once had a sunsetting authorization, and Congress acted to lift that deadline. This bill doesn't cost the U.S. taxpayers a penny, but it does clear the way for this bridge to remain an important conduit between our countries for years to come. It also sends an important message from those of us actually responsible for making laws and advancing American foreign policy. Mexico is an extremely important partner to the United States, and bridges--not barriers--will help that friendship to thrive. I support this measure. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to the thousands of American families affected by the opioid epidemic. I am pleased the House is working in a bipartisan manner to address this crisis. However, we could be doing more. The prescription opioid death rate has more than quadrupled since the late 1990s. In 2014, prescription opioids played a role in more than 28,000 overdose deaths. We must equip our communities with the resources needed to reverse these trends. Yes, authorizing new grant programs, reports, and studies is an important step, but without new funding, communities won't be able to fully implement these initiatives. On Wednesday, the majority blocked a Democratic substitute opioids package which would have provided $600 million--paid for, I might add-- to fund the initiatives we have considered this week. I understand the need to get our fiscal house in order, but I don't understand the impulse to do so on the backs of millions of Americans grappling with opioid abuse. These bills are great, and I wholeheartedly support them, but we need to put our money where our mouth is. This epidemic does not discriminate. It has touched every corner of our Nation, from my hometown of New York City to the shores of the Pacific. So many Americans have already felt its impact. We need to do everything we can to keep it from impacting more of our families, our friends, and our constituents. We are on the right path, but, again, without money, this becomes irrelevant. We need to make sure that we have adequate funding so what we all want to do on both sides of the aisle can become a reality.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, on April 29, 2016, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On rollcall No. 178, Democratic Motion to Recommit H.R. 4901, I would have voted ``yes.'' On rollcall No. 179, Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act, H.R. 4901, I would have voted ``no.'' personal explanation

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of this legislation. First of all, I thank our chairman, Ed Royce, for his leadership on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and for pushing this bill ahead. I don't want to underestimate how important he has been in making sure that this bill reaches the floor. I thank Congressman Chris Smith for joining me as a lead Republican cosponsor on this measure, and I thank our Senate colleagues for their work to help get us to this point. This legislation is another great example of the Committee on Foreign Affairs' working across the aisle to get results because we believe, again, that foreign policy should be bipartisan and that partisanship should stop at the water's edge. When the House finishes its work on this bill today, it will be on its way to the President's desk, and that is something of which we should all be proud. Mr. Speaker, since the time ISIS emerged as a factor in Iraq and in Syria, we have read reports, have seen images, and have watched videos of ISIS terrorists in their destroying of ancient structures and artifacts in the areas they control. It is actually heartbreaking. These fanatics literally want to wipe away history. They want to destroy any trace of culture or belief system that doesn't conform to their twisted ideology and twisted way of thinking, but that is not the whole story. ISIS has also seized on cultural artifacts as a funding source. If you look at satellite pictures of heritage sites that ISIS controls, you can pick out thousands of small holes in the desert. ISIS has looted these areas, has dug up coins and statues and anything else it can carry, and has trafficked those items on the black market. As a result, millions of dollars have flowed into ISIS' coffers. So a few years ago I knew we needed to do more to combat this serious problem. With the help of several colleagues--and, again, I emphasize how helpful the chairman has been--I set out to help preserve this history and, at the same time, to cut off a vital revenue stream for these terrorists. I was confident we could do it because we have done it before. During the Iraq war, we also saw the looting of antiquities. So we passed legislation then to impose import restrictions on those items coming in from Iraq. I decided that we needed to take similar steps with respect to items coming out of Syria. So we got to work, talking to experts and officials to find the best ways of stopping looted goods arriving on our shores and to make sure those goods aren't sold to help ISIS' campaign of violence. It is really disgraceful that anyone in the United States would buy these things. Those proven practices and innovative approaches are at the core of this bill. These restrictions would bring the United States in line with the U.N. Security Council resolution passed unanimously last year. That resolution called on all States to deny funding to ISIS by preventing trade in Iraqi and Syrian cultural property. Our European partners have already stepped up and enacted similar measures. That is good news because it is going to take a wide-ranging effort to effectively crack down on this illegal marketplace. My bill would also encourage administration agencies already working on this problem to collaborate more closely so that our efforts are more streamlined and efficient. Finally, it is important to note that the legislation would not prevent the importation of Syrian artifacts for preservation or restoration. So this is a good bill. I have been working on it for several years. I am proud of everything that has gone into it by my colleagues and our staff members. I am glad, once again, that we are working in a bipartisan way to pass legislation that advances our interests, and I am very grateful that we are so close to the finish line on this bill. So I want to thank everybody. I want to especially thank Chairman Royce once again. I ask that all Members support this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is always a great feeling to cross the finish line on a piece of legislation. At our best, that is what the Foreign Affairs Committee does, and we are at our best here this day. So I again want to thank Chairman Royce for his leadership and partnership. I want to thank our Senate colleagues for doing their part. I want to thank the staff that worked so hard on this bill. We should be seizing every available opportunity to cut off resources to ISIS and other terrorist groups. This legislation goes after a practice that has put millions of dollars in ISIS' hands and has resulted in the irreversible destruction of some of history's greatest artifacts. So it destroys these artifacts, which is bad enough, but then it puts money in ISIS' hands. They actually make money by doing it. It is aiding and abetting terrorism. So it is a double whammy. We knew from past experience that the approach laid out in this bill works. It is long past due that we ramp up our efforts to stop the looting, stop the trafficking, and stop the destruction. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and send it to the President. I know that the President will sign it. It is very important. I hope we will soon see this legislation enacted and on the books. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. First, Mr. Speaker, let me thank our chairman, Ed Royce, and his staff for their hard work on the bill and for bringing it forward. I am a big supporter of this bill, and I think this again shows our committee bipartisanship at its best. I also want to thank Congressman Chris Smith and Congresswoman Betty McCollum for authorizing this legislation, the Global Food Security Act, H.R. 1567. Mr. Speaker, nearly 800 million people around the world go to bed hungry on a day-to-day basis. Malnutrition is responsible for nearly half of all deaths of children under 5 years old. This is just unconscionable. We cannot allow it to continue. Plain and simple, we need to do more to help people feed themselves. Beyond that, we need to get to the root causes that perpetuate cycles of poverty, hunger, and instability. This bill lays out clear priorities for American foreign assistance programs that reduce global poverty and hunger. We want to prioritize efforts that accelerate agriculture-led economic growth, enhance food and nutrition security, build resilience, create an environment for robust investment and trade, and advance the range of economic, diplomatic, global health, and national security interests that are tied to food security. This bill also authorizes funding for State Department and USAID initiatives, including the administration's signature effort of Feed the Future. This program has already delivered real results in fighting world hunger, poverty, and malnutrition. Since 2010, Feed the Future has worked with smallholder farmers in 19 countries to increase incomes and reduce hunger, poverty, and undernutrition. Feed the Future has helped rural Cambodians start profitable fish farming businesses, taught Guatemalan sharecroppers to grow more profitable crops, and provided educational and national support to Tanzanian mothers. There has been real progress in places like Ghana, which has reduced childhood stunting by 33 percent in just 6 years between 2008 and 2014. Incomes in Honduras increased 55 percent between 2012 and 2014. This isn't a pie-in-the-sky notion, Mr. Speaker. This is an initiative that we are a part of that is getting real results for real people. So let's continue to support it. This bill is a real step toward our vision of a world without global hunger and malnutrition, and it supports critical U.S. foreign policy and national security interests. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as you have heard from all our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, this is a good bill that deserves to be supported by everyone in the House. Ending global hunger and malnutrition is an enormous challenge. There are nearly 800 million people facing chronic hunger and 3.1 million child malnutrition deaths each year. Let me just say that again because it is shocking. There are 3.1 million child malnutrition deaths each year. These are deaths of innocent children that we can save. They are dying if we do nothing. So we must do more to achieve food and nutrition security. This bill is a step in the right direction, and I urge all my colleagues to support it. I once again thank Chairman Royce, Mr. Smith, and Ms. McCollum for their hard work on this issue, and I urge, again, my colleagues to support this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), one of the authors of this bill and someone who has worked so long on issues like these for so many, many years. A lot of this is really a result of her hard work through the years.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a Bronx leader who has been a friend and partner to me in the Co-op City community for many years, the incomparable Shirley Saunders. I have been friends with Shirley ever since we attended Evander Childs High School together, and I have always known her to be a tremendous force for good in the neighborhood. Shirley was born and raised in the Lincoln Projects in Harlem. She is a product of the New York City public school system, including my alma maters, Hunter and Lehman Colleges. For 30 years, Shirley has lived in Co-op City and been actively involved in the management of the largest co-operative housing development in the world. She was elected and held a seat as a member and secretary of the Riverbay Board of Directors, which governs Co-op City, and served in those roles for more than 12 years. Shirley has also been actively involved in other community and civic organizations, including the Parents Association for P.S. 153, for which she served as president; the Sister to Sister program; the local Boy and Girl Scouts chapters; the local little league programs; and is a founding mother of the Jack & Jill of America Bronx chapter. In fact, Shirley was such an integral part of the community, I had to make her a part of my Congressional Staff. She served as Senior Staff Assistant with me for over 20 years, and was extraordinary in that role. But for all of her incredible service to the public, it was always family that was Shirley's true passion. She has been married to her husband, Rod, for more than 40 years, and together they have three wonderful children and two beautiful grandchildren. This year, Shirley is celebrating her 69th birthday. On the occasion I want to thank her for years of friendship, and wish her nothing but the best.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true civil servant, Mr. Tim B. Witt, who after forty years with the United States Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency is retiring this year. Initially hailing from Nebraska, Tim started with the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) in 1976, adjusting losses, conducting training and performing quality control work. From 1980 to 1985, he worked in the Kansas City Office with the United States Department of Agriculture, holding various insurance administrative positions including several assignments pertinent to the design, development and implementation of the Federal crop reinsurance delivery system. In 1985, Tim transferred to FCIC headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he assumed the responsibility for the design and implementation of FCIC regulatory and oversight program activities. From 1990 through 1992, Tim managed the Office of Insurance Services responsible for administering the delivery of crop insurance programs to America's producers through the Standard Reinsurance Agreement. In 1992, he returned to Kansas City and serves as the Deputy Administrator for Product Management responsible for the administration and management of corporate policies, underwriting standards and actuarial structures related to the various risk management programs reinsured by FCIC. Tim has had a long and distinguished career, and his contributions to the Department of Agriculture for four decades cannot be overstated. I want to thank him for his service, and wish him nothing but the best in retirement.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, as a father and a former school teacher I can safely say there is nothing more beautiful, or more fulfilling, than watching a child learn and grow. Schools that cultivate that growth, and allow their students to reach above and beyond their potential are an incredible asset to any community, and for 15 years the LearningSpring School in New York City has done exactly that. The story of LearningSpring, or LSS as it is commonly known, is as special and unique as the population it serves. In the fall of 2000, a group of parents were faced with finding appropriate placements for their children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Disappointed with the options presented to them, these parents decided to create their own school, one that would address all of their children's academic, social, emotional, and therapeutic needs. Their school would also be designed to incorporate the families of the children as an important partner in the education of their child. The parents determined they needed to start a foundation, not just a school, to achieve all they had set out to achieve, and in the fall of 2001, the LearningSpring Foundation opened its first program, the LearningSpring Elementary School. Fifteen years later, LearningSpring has flourished into one of the top schools in the city. The LSS model celebrates the fact that the children in the program are bright, but in need of an educational environment that isn't exclusively focused on academic performance. This holistic approach to education is one of the reasons LSS has been a tremendous success, helping hundreds of graduates with ASD prepare to live wonderful, happy, and independent lives. I have personally seen all of the wonderful work LSS does, and I have always been incredibly impressed with their approach to education. This year, LSS is celebrating their 15th Anniversary at their LearningSpring Blossoms celebration, honoring their 2002 Seedling Trustees. I want to congratulate those honorees and the entire LearningSpring community on the occasion.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a woman who is tenderly known as ``Mama Sarah'' within her community: Mrs. Sarah Pauline Turner. Sarah turned 100 years old on April 2nd, 2016, and I am so grateful to be able to help celebrate her reaching that remarkable milestone by honoring her in the hallowed halls of Congress. Sarah is a treasured member of her community whose love for people became self-evident early on in her life when, after completing her education, she worked for the Veteran Admission in Washington, D.C. She later moved to New York City and became a friend to everyone she has met in the Bronx. Sarah's list of community service accomplishments is long and distinguished. She has received an impressive amount of awards and recognition from her community, including for some of her most important work with RAIN Eastchester Senior Center and Eastchester Housing. As involved as she is with her community, Sarah is just as involved with her church. She has offered spiritual guidance to the members of Burke Avenue Baptist Church for over 50 years, and has also served as part of the Pastor's Aide Ministry, Gospel Chorus, Senior Usher Board, and is currently President of Willing Workers Ministry. Sarah's unwavering dedication to her church community has not gone unnoticed. She gained a lifetime membership of the Eastern Stars Organization, where she serves as Worthy Matron. There is no doubt that Sarah is an outstanding citizen of the Bronx Borough. She has been a pillar of her community, who has gracefully bestowed joy and happiness upon everyone she has met. I want to congratulate Sarah on reaching this remarkable milestone, and as Congressman for the northeast Bronx, thank her for all she has done in the community.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, on March 21 through 22, 2016, I was with the President in Cuba. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On roll call number 130, H.R. 4314, I would have voted YES. On roll call number 131, Previous Question to H. Res. 653, I would have voted NO. On roll call number 132, H. Res. 653, I would have voted NO. On roll call number 133, H. Res. 4742, I would have voted YES. On roll call number 134, H.R. 4755, I would have voted YES. On roll call number 135, H.R. 4336, I would have voted YES.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts and the gentleman from Texas. I am pleased to join with them on this matter. I am pleased to support this measure. Mr. Speaker, with this resolution, we are sending a clear message that we stand with the people of Belgium. Like my colleagues and like so many around the world, I am angry, I am outraged, and I am deeply, deeply saddened by the terrorist attacks that ripped through Brussels yesterday. My heart goes out to those whose loved ones were killed or injured, and I am mindful there are families here in the United States that have been directly touched by this violence and that we are still uncertain how many Americans are themselves victims. For me, as a New Yorker, let me speak personally because September 11, 2001, is a scar and a stain that will never go away as long as I live and as long as other New Yorkers live. We know how it feels when hatred and violence take aim at our home. We know what it feels like when innocent people are killed by pure evil. So today we grieve with our brothers and sisters in Belgium. But in the midst of grief, we cannot lose focus on our work to stop this kind of violence. We need to stand with our Belgian friends not just in spirit, but in action, to figure out who was responsible for these attacks, how they were able to carry them out, and what it will take to hold them accountable. We need to look for new areas for collaboration in terms of prevention, surveillance, and information sharing. Along with our coalition partners, we need to press ahead in our effort to destroy ISIS, which has claimed responsibility for yesterday's attacks. How horrific, the thought that human life is so worthless to these terrorists. It is just absolutely amazing that they claim to be religious people but, instead, they are pure evil. ISIS terrorists and other violent extremists target democratic societies because they want to shatter our spirit and force us to live in fear. We will not allow them to succeed. Going forward, we will work with our Belgian partners and our other allies to move past this tragedy to fight terrorism, to enhance security, and to promote justice and democracy around the world. Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Again, I commend my good colleagues from Massachusetts and Texas.