Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and my colleagues. I want to call everyone's attention to something that is happening in my district. It is actually very disgraceful. There is a plant called Stella D'oro. Everyone knows about Stella D'oro, the cookies and the cakes that they make. In fact, for many years I spoke about Stella D'oro with a sense of pride. When I appeared on the Colbert show, I took out a package of cookies, of bread sticks of Stella D'oro's and talked with pride about some of the things that were being made in my district. The Stella D'oro company was founded in 1932 and was family run until they sold to RJR Nabisco in 1992. RJR Nabisco became a part of Kraft Foods. It was taken over by Kraft. And what happened was, Kraft Foods then sold Stella D'oro to a company called Brynwood Partners. Brynwood Partners really doesn't care about running this place or being fair to its workers. It really only cares about the bottom line. So what they did was they pushed the workers, and they told them that in order to keep their jobs, in order to finance their purchase of Stella D'oro, the workers would have to take a 25 percent pay cut for its 135 workers, many of whom had worked there for decades, were proud of the product they created. And besides that, they didn't stop there. They told the workers that they would have to make health insurance unaffordable by imposing crushing premiums on these people, eliminating their holidays, eliminating their vacation and sick pay and other crippling costs. So the workers, who are not making a lot of money to begin with, there is no way that they could suddenly accept this. So they went on strike. And Stella D'oro--again, Brynwood Partners--responded by hiring a bunch of scabs to replace the strikers and, in essence, dismiss the strikers. Well, the strikers appealed to the National Labor Relations Board, the NLRB; and the NLRB ruled in favor of the strikers. It told Brynwood, who now runs Stella D'oro, that they must take the striking workers back with some back pay. And now what is Brynwood Partners threatening to do? They are saying that they're going to close down, shut down the company entirely; and in essence, these workers would totally lose their jobs. How vindictive that is. They win a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board only to have Brynwood Partners say they're going to shut down this company, which has been run since 1932. It's really disgraceful when a company like Brynwood Partners--which obviously doesn't care about making cookies, doesn't care about the neighborhood community-type of business that it was--only uses this company as the bottom line. Just the other day we had a rally in front of the Stella D'oro company in the Bronx, in my district, to show the workers that we stand by them and support them. I want to let Brynwood Partners know that I am not going to be quiet about this or take this lying down. There are other things that Brynwood Partners own, and we really ought to scrutinize and watch everything they do because if they are allowed to get away with this, they can get away with anything, if nothing more than the bottom line, as far as I am concerned, corporate greed. Something ought to be done for these workers. Again, the National Labor Relations Board ruled in favor of the workers, and so the reaction of the company is to just close it down. That is a disgrace. It should not be happening in 2009. This Congress needs to take note of it and needs to stand behind these workers.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank my friend, the gentlewoman from New York, for yielding to me. As the chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee for the past 2 years, I can tell you wherever I go in South America, Central America, the Caribbean, people say that the United States has been neglectful over the past 8 years, that we haven't looked towards our own brothers and sisters in the Western Hemisphere, and I think that what we ought to be doing now is supporting organizations like the OAS. Even if we don't agree with everything they do, now is not the time to turn away or to cut funding for the OAS. We need to be engaged. We need to work with our brother and sister countries in the hemisphere so that we can show that we are with them. And all cutting aid does is make it more difficult for our country to carry out our own foreign policy objectives. I think there should be more money for the National Endowment for Democracy. This is not the way to do it. Cutting aid to the OAS would be a grave mistake, and I oppose the motion.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the chairman for yielding to me, and I rise in support of this bill as I supported it in committee. I think this bill goes a great step in the right direction. It will revitalize our economy by creating millions of clean-energy jobs, increase our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and help preserve our planet by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But I want to mention, as I did in committee, my disappointment that the bill does not contain strong enough language in terms of flex-fuel cars in this country. I believe very strongly that the United States needs to move towards cars manufactured in America that can run on methanol, ethanol, and gasoline. If you give gasoline competition with ethanol and methanol, I believe that it will reduce the price of gasoline. So I am disappointed that while the bill goes a step in that direction, it doesn't go totally in the direction that I would like to see. Yesterday, Energy Secretary Chu said all new cars should have flex- fuel capacity in this country. And I would like to enter this into the Record from The Des Moines Register. Madam Speaker, flex-fuel vehicles would only cost $90 or $100 per car, and it would be very important to moving us in that direction.

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the chairman. Just 6 months ago, the CEOs of GM, Chrysler and Ford appeared before the House Financial Services Committee, and each committed to making 50 percent of their cars flex-fuel vehicles by 2012. They are reneging now, and I believe that we should have strong language to move them back to their original position. I really believe that flex-fuel cars are the way to go. But we have a bill before us, and the bill is much, much more positive than anything else. It is a big step in the right direction. And I think that our colleagues who are on the fence--as I pointed out, the bill doesn't give everything to everybody and it doesn't do nearly what I would like it to do, but I think it does enough so that we ought to move this country in the right direction to make ourselves energy independent, to reduce the warming of our planet, and to reduce the greenhouse gases. So I would urge my colleagues for a ``yes'' vote. We can work afterwards to make the bill better, we can work afterwards to have the policies that we want to see, but rejection of this bill would be a terrible step in the wrong direction. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' [From the Des Moines Register, June 22, 2009] Chu: All New Cars Should Have Flex-Fuel Capacity (By Thomas Beaumont) U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in Des Moines today the nation's car manufacturers ought to make all new automobiles able to run on E85 ethanol-blended fuel. But Chu said the government could face resistance should it insist on the new standard, despite two of the nation's three main automakers' having recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Chu, in Iowa awarding the state a share of its federal stimulus money, later said all pumps ought to offer at least a blend of 15 percent ethanol. ``We should think about doing the following. I've been told it costs about $100 in gaskets and fuel lines to turn a car so that it can go all the way to E85,'' Chu said, addressing public officials and news media at the Des Moines Botanical Center. E85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Iowa is the nation's leading producer of ethanol. ``But a new car, it would only cost $100 out of $15,000. Wouldn't it be nice to put in those fuel lines and gaskets so that we can use any ratio we wanted,'' Chu added. ``It's just a thought, I don't think you're going to get any objections in this audience.'' Chu stopped short of saying the Obama administration would require the companies to build all vehicles as flex-fuel- ready. ``It's beginning to be discussed,'' Chu said. ``But, again, it's one of those things where I think with virtually anything, once the government steps in the natural tendency is to resist government intervention.'' General Motors and Chrysler have recently sought bankruptcy. The federal government would become a majority shareholder in GM. There is legislation pending in Congress that would require all domestic automobiles to eventually make all vehicles capable of running on E85. Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuel Association said the government's new financial stake in the auto industry means it can require the higher renewable fuel standard. ``Clearly, if the White House decided they wanted GM and Chrysler to do this, they would do it,'' Shaw said. ``I think it would be good. Once one company goes that way, I think it puts pressure on the other automakers not to be left out.''

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to commend the brave people of Iran who have been demonstrating in the streets of Tehran for freedom and democracy and demanding that they have a free and fair election. The election that was held was obviously neither free nor fair. It was fraudulent. And the declared winner, President Ahmadinejad, obviously lost the election. The people of Iran deserve better, and I want to commend those brave people. They remind me of the people in Tiananmen Square. They remind me of the people in Prague during the Prague spring of 1968. They remind me of people everywhere who stand up against oppression and stand for freedom. I want the brave people of Iran to know that we in the United States are with them. We support them. We are against fraudulent elections. We are against dictatorships. We are against mullahs ruling the country without any real democracy. And I would say to these people the United States is with you and we are watching.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I would ask for a moment of silence in honor of Congressman Paul A. Fino.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I announce the death of my predecessor once removed, Congressman Paul A. Fino of New York. When I was growing up, you think of certain elected officials as larger than life. Paul Fino was certainly larger than life. He served eight terms here in the House, a State senator, served on the State Supreme Court, was chairman of the Bronx County Republican Party for many years, and one of the people who really represented New York. He lived the American Dream. His father was a subway car mechanic. He leaves his wife, Esther, of 70 years, and his children, Lucille and Paul. I remember growing up, he had these big signs that said Social Security at 60 and a national lottery. These were the things that he really believed in. He lived to be 95, someone that we all respect and really remember and revere. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker: Judge Paul A. Fino, on June 16th, 2009, at the age of 95. Devoted husband of 70 years to Esther C. Fino. Beloved and dedicated father of Lucille A. DiMuro (Peter DiMuro) of Menlo Park, California and Paul A. Fino, Jr. (Kathleen Fino) of Bronxville, New York. Judge Fino was the proud grandfather of 3 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Judge Fino dedicated the majority of his life to public service. From 1943-1944 Assistant Attorney General of the State of New York (Bureau Chief of the Criminal Division of the Education Bureau); 1945-1950 New York State Senator (Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Affairs of the City of New York); 1950-1952 Commissioner for the Municipal Civil Service Commission; 1953-1968 United States Congressman (Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Member of the House Banking & Currency Committee, Member of the Joint Committee on Defense Production; 1961-1968 Chairman of the Bronx Republican County Committee (County Leader), 1969- 1972 Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York (First Department), 1973-1975 member of the law firm of Fino & Fino, PC. During his lifetime Judge Fino was a member of The Knights of Columbus (Wakefield Council 2922), BPO Elks, USA (New Rochelle Lodge 756), U.S. Assoc. of Former Members of Congress (Life Member), Locust Point Yacht Club, Bronx County Bar Association, Royal Arcanum (Claremont Council), The American Justinian Society of Jurists, Association of Justices of the State Supreme Court, National Association of Retired Federal Employees, PEF Retirees, American Association of Retired Persons. Supreme Court Justices of the City of New York, Civil Service Employees Association, Order of Ahepa (Bronx Chapter No. 175), Retired Public Employees Association. Judge Fino was also the author of ``My Life in Politics and Public Service,'' published in 1986.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend South Orangetown Schools Superintendent Ken Mitchell in Rockland County in my district for his quick reaction and his bravery as he singlehandedly prevented what could have been a terrible tragedy in South Orangetown Middle School. According to reports, a man came into the school, stormed past security and demanded at gunpoint that Mr. Mitchell make changes to a letter on swine flu. He certainly picked the wrong person to threaten when he took on Mr. Mitchell, a former hockey player and coach. The 55- year-old superintendent was able to tackle him and disarm him before police were able to break into the locked office to apprehend the suspect. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Why someone would enter a school with a gun is something I will never understand. It's disturbing to even fathom what could lead someone to choose to do that. However, it is heartening to realize that someone like Ken Mitchell is standing in their way. The dedication shown by Mr. Mitchell to the children should be an example to all. Our Nation has witnessed too many deaths of our children in their schools. The people of the South Orangetown school system and the community as a whole owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Hero is an overused word in today's world, but I can think of fewer situations which more warrant that word than protecting children in their classrooms. Ken Mitchell is truly a hero.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman, my friend from West Virginia, for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise, of course, in support of this resolution. We are all shocked and saddened about what happened yesterday. The Holocaust Memorial Museum is a museum dedicated to victims of genocide, and to have any kind of hatred perpetrated in that museum is an absolute disgrace. My heart goes out to Officer Johns and to Officer Johns' family in that he was doing what so many wonderful people do--protect the public and protect us. His life should not have been taken. Mr. Speaker, hatred is a terrible thing. The person who did the shooting reportedly has a long history of hating Jews, of hating African Americans, of hating Catholics--of just about hating everybody. We need to do something about that. We need to teach our children that hatred isn't a part of mainstream anything and that people need to respect our fellow human beings. I also want to say something about guns, because we really need to deal with the problem of guns in this country. I would like to know why the assassin who served in prison for 6 years as a felon and who was a known hatemonger was able to get ahold of a gun. This is a problem, and we need to deal with it. So I thank my friend, and I rise in support of this resolution.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, the horrible events today at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, where Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns was fatally shot and killed, is something that should give us all pause for reflection. First of all, our hearts go out to the officer's family. He's truly a first defender and is someone who was protecting all of us. Mr. Speaker, it reminded me of an incident just a few years ago where Officer Chestnut and Detective Gibson were shot right here at the Capitol by someone who was deranged. But the person who killed Officer Johns today was a hatemonger, hating Jews, hating blacks, hating everybody. And it's time for us to pause and say that all people of goodwill will not tolerate that kind of hatred. There's another thing that we really need to take into account as well. And that is, when deranged people can get hold of guns, we really have a serious problem in this country. We need to do something about guns that are out there in the hands of deranged people, people who should never own guns. This person who fired that fatal shot was a known hatemonger, a white supremacist who served time in jail. How in God's name was he ever able to get a gun? We really need to think about this. It has nothing to do with Second Amendment rights. It has to do with sensible Second Amendment rights and sensible feelings and thinking about who should be allowed to have a gun. Certainly not a deranged person. I would ask for a moment of silence for Officer Johns and let his family understand that the United States Congress appreciates his great service to our country. There are many, many more out there like him. We thank God that we have our first defenders and the people who are there to protect all of us. I would ask for a moment of silence.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentlewoman. Let me say this: It is time for the Arabs to step up and normalize relations now with Israel. I will have more to say in a little while.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the unshakable bond between the United States and Israel. I believe that support for Israel in this Congress is very strong and it is very bipartisan. I want to commend President Obama for making that speech in Cairo, where he spoke before an Arab audience in what is the most important Arab capital and said that the bond between the United States and Israel is unbreakable. I think those are very, very important words and courageous words coming from the President of the United States in an arena where nothing has ever been said like that before from the President of the United States in such an arena. But I want to also focus on some of the other things that have happened, namely the push in some quarters to force Israel to make unilateral concessions, mostly about settlements, but unilateral concessions, in return for nothing. I believe that the Palestinian-Israeli problem must be settled by negotiations and a two-state solution. But I believe that forcing Israel to make unilateral concessions up front is wrong policy. The agreement will be made ultimately by Israelis and Palestinians, not by Americans, and if Israel is going to negotiate settlements and other things, as Israel will, then simultaneously the Arab States, the Palestinians, I should say, should also be negotiating and giving up things simultaneously. People say, well, the roadmap which Israel and the Palestinians signed says as a first step Israel must cease settlement activity. That is true. But it also said simultaneously that the Arabs must stop incitement and have a cessation of violence. So if those two things are done simultaneously and talked about, that is fine. But this public confrontation against Israel, public demands put upon Israel to halt settlements while the Arabs or the Palestinians have to give nothing in return, is absolutely wrong. Palestinian President Abbas said the other day, well, he is going to just sit back and let the Israelis make all the concessions. He doesn't have to do anything. Well, that is wrong, and if we pressure the Israelis to make unilateral concessions, we are never going to have peace. Concessions have to be made simultaneously. I know my good colleague the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) feels as I do, and I would like to yield to her for some of her comments on this matter.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Well, I thank the chairman, and I especially want to thank him for his great leadership as chairman of our Foreign Affairs Committee. Mr. Chairman, I certainly support this legislation. This legislation reinvigorates the Foreign Affairs Committee, and it provides a needed shot in the arm to American diplomacy. For too long, we have not given our diplomats the resources they require, and this bill provides a much-needed boost to those serving on the front lines around the world for our country. Specifically, H.R. 2410 authorizes 1,500 additional Foreign Service officers, and it doubles the size of the Peace Corps. As chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, I would also like to thank Chairman Berman for including several sections I developed to promote good relations with our partners in the Americas. First, the bill incorporates the countries of the Caribbean into the Merida Initiative, a U.S.-Mexico-Central America security partnership. The Caribbean leaders told us they wanted this at the Summit of the Americas, and I'm glad we've included this provision. Second, the bill directs the State Department to develop a public diplomacy plan to prepare Haiti if Temporary Protected Status is granted to Haitians in the U.S. We need to grant TPS to Haitian nationals in the U.S., and we must be ready to inform Haitians in Haiti that they should not leave if TPS is provided. Third, the bill establishes a coordinator to track all U.S. Government Merida-related funding. With multiple government agencies involved, Merida is too important to be lost in the bureaucratic shuffle. Finally, the bill creates an interagency task force on the prevention of small-arms trafficking in the Western Hemisphere. While recent media attention has focused on the high number of guns-- 90 percent--recovered from crime scenes in Mexico that are originally from the United States, this is not just a Mexico issue. Jamaican Prime Minister Golding told me that 90 percent of the guns recovered in Jamaica also originate in the U.S., so I'm glad we're doing something about that in this bill. So again, Mr. Chairman, thank you again for your excellent work on this bill and for including these important sections that I urged, and I look forward to voting for this bill.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of the amendment offered by the gentleman from California--Mr. Hunter--to a provision that I authored in this bill creating a Task Force on the Prevention of Illicit Small Arms Trafficking in the Western Hemisphere. While recent media attention has focused on the high number of guns-- some 90%--recovered from crime scenes in Mexico that are originally from the United States, this is not just a Mexico issue. In February, I led a congressional delegation to Mexico and Jamaica. In Jamaica, Prime Minister Golding told me that 90% of the guns recovered in Jamaica also originate in the U.S. This provision requires the President to create an inter-agency task force--chaired by the Secretary of State--charged with developing a strategy for the federal government to coordinate efforts to reduce and prevent illegal firearms trafficking from the U.S. throughout the Western Hemisphere. Currently, the U.S. government has no cohesive strategy to combat small arms trafficking in the Western Hemisphere. Since our inability to control firearms leaving the U.S. creates this problem in the first place, we must do more. This provision helps us to view the illegal firearms trafficking issue holistically, rather than just focusing on one or two countries. The October 2007 United States-Mexico Joint Statement announcing the Merida Initiative said that the U.S. would ``intensify its efforts to address all aspects of drug trafficking . . . and continue to combat trafficking of weapons and bulk currency to Mexico.'' With this provision, we are not simply living up to our commitment to Mexico, but are also taking responsibility for our unfortunate contributions to drugs and violence throughout the Western Hemisphere. Mr. Hunter's amendment adds the Secretary of Defense to the task force which already includes the Secretary of State, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security. I believe this is a positive addition to my provision. The presence of the Secretary of Defense on the task force will help address reports made that some firearms recovered in crime scenes in Mexico and elsewhere come from U.S. military arsenals. While I have seen no evidence to support such allegations, if this is in fact true, we must find out what happened to ensure that the practice ends immediately. Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Hunter for offering this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. And she makes an excellent point. You know, Israel withdrew from Gaza. People say, well, Israel needs to withdraw from the territories, from the settlements and there will be peace, land for peace. Well, Israel withdrew from Gaza and got land for war. I mean that's exactly what's happened, with rockets being fired on Israel from the very part in Gaza that Israel left. The Arab countries, as a whole, need to start normalizing relations with Israel. We can start with Saudi Arabia on down, to show that they are really serious about peace. They need to stop the terrorist infrastructure and end the incitement. And you know what? Gaza, as Ms. Berkley pointed out, is a terrorist organization in control--I'm sorry. Hamas is a terrorist organization in control of Gaza. And what Hamas needs to do is recognize Israel's right to exist, abide by all previous agreements that the Palestinians have signed, and renounce terrorism permanently. Otherwise, why should Israel negotiate with a government that denies its very right to exist? The United States is right in saying that Hamas is a terrorist organization. And by the way, Representative Berkley and I do not believe that we should provide aid to Gaza until Hamas meets these conditions. So there are people who also say that the Palestinian-Israeli problem needs to be settled before there can be peace in the region. That is nonsense. The problem with Iran has to be settled before there can be peace in the region. We all know that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. We all know that Ahmadinejad has threatened to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth. We all hope he loses in his election this week. But whoever replaces him is not going to be much more of a moderate than he is. And so Israel has the absolute right to defend its security, and the United States, as Israel's greatest ally, should not be putting pressure on Israel to make unilateral concessions up front. That is very, very important. When President Obama said the bond between Israel and the United States is unbreakable, then we ought to show that in our actions as well as our words. So I thank the gentlewoman for sharing this time with me. I know we are going to continue to fight for strong U.S.-Israel ties. Again, I'm glad there is bipartisan support in this Congress for Israel. And I'm glad that we pointed out that Israel has made many, many concessions for peace and has only gotten war. We hear a lot about what the Israelis must do. Let us hear about what the Palestinians must do. The Palestinians must stop the incitement, stop the violence, stop the terrorist infrastructure and say that it recognizes Israel's right to exist. It's not all right for President Abbas to say he recognizes Israel's right to exist. Let Hamas say it. Let the Palestinians say it, and let them mean it.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 505, which condemns the tragic murder of Dr. George Tiller. The murder of Dr. Tiller is a form of domestic terrorism that we cannot tolerate in our country. I firmly agree with President Obama that we can maintain our beliefs while agreeing to disagree. Dr. Tiller's medical practice in Kansas was operating legally, and we must abide by the rule of law. Mr. Speaker, I have personal knowledge of the work of Dr. Tiller. In 2000, my Subcommittee Staff Director, Jason Steinbaum, and his wife, Miriam, were expecting a child. This was their first baby, and they were very excited about becoming new parents. Through visit after visit to their doctor, they learned the pregnancy was proceeding well and all seemed normal. The sonograms were all as they should have been, until calamity struck. At 28 weeks the doctors discovered a horrible brain deformity. They said the baby would die in utero or shortly after birth. I recall that Jason and Miriam went from doctor to doctor and hospital to hospital to try to find a way to save their baby boy, but all told them that there was no chance that he would live. At that point, after consulting with their clergy, their doctors, and their families, they decided to terminate the pregnancy to put an end to this tragedy in their lives. At 28 weeks, however, extremely few physicians in the country would provide the medical care they needed. Dr. Tiller was recommended to them as the best physician to help them. I recall that I could not believe they had to fly to Wichita, Kansas to get the medical care they required. As a member of Congress from New York, I have become accustomed to receiving the best health care in New York City and could not imagine that they would have to travel half way across the country because no such clinic existed nearby. Nevertheless, when they determined that there was no other place to which they could turn, Jason, Miriam, and their mothers flew to Kansas to Women's Health Care Services of Wichita and Dr. Tiller. Jason has told me that the care they received at Dr. Tiller's clinic was extraordinary and that the people at the clinic treated them as well as they could imagine. The procedure was safe and humane, and at the end, they held their baby boy for a moment and said goodbye. Today, the baby is buried not far from their home in north Virginia. So, as the House votes on this solemn resolution, I ask that my colleagues reflect for a moment on the fact that Dr. Tiller helped someone right here in our congressional community and that his murderer took someone who was there for one of us in a time of need. This is a terribly sad day, and I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 505.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chair, for over 25 years the overnight flight restrictions at Westchester County Airport have been voluntary. Unfortunately some airlines have disregarded the voluntary restrictions and have scheduled flights between midnight and 6:30 a.m. It is because of these few airlines disrespecting the residents of Westchester County and disrespecting the airlines who do comply with the voluntary curfew that this amendment is needed. It would direct the FAA to follow the proper processes to determine if the Westchester County Airport should receive the authority to make the overnight flight curfew mandatory. While I recognize that the Westchester County Airport is vital to the economy of the region, I don't believe that the residents should have to endure the noise of planes taking off and landing at 3 a.m. Additionally, allowing more planes to take off and land at all hors of the night will increase not just noise pollution, but air and water too. On another matter: the FAA concocted the New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia airspace redesign with zero input from the residents it harms the most, especially because it would put an additional 200-400 flights a day over my constituents in Rockland County. This New York. New Jersey, Philadelphia airspace redesign should be scrapped. The hundreds of additional planes flying over Rockland will contribute to the already increasing pollution levels in the area. The noise level will also be substantially increased, yet the FAA has been unable to give me or the affected residents the information on how loud each plan will be, just 24-hour averages. It is likely that first responders would have to be trained for the event of an airplane crash, causing added costs to local police, fire, and EMT departments that are already stretched thin. In addition, we have not gotten a clear signal whether the flight plans will route commercial aircraft over Indian Point, an extremely dangerous scenario. This airspace redesign proposal for New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia should not be implemented.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about the events in the Middle East, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We all know what the end game should be: two states, two states living side by side in peace and security, a Palestinian Arab state and an Israeli Jewish state. But there is a problem. There is a problem because the Palestinians have a divided government. And in the West Bank, Mahmoud Abbas and his party runs the government. But in Gaza, the government is run by the terrorist group Hamas. Hamas believes that terrorism will get them where they want to be. Hamas refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist. Now we are apparently going to appropriate $900 million in funding for the West Bank in Gaza. I am glad that Secretary of State Clinton has confirmed that the United States will not provide funds to any Palestinian government that includes Hamas members who do not accept the three internationally backed principles of recognizing Israel's right to exist, number one; renouncing terrorism, number two; and committing to all of the agreements, previous agreements, signed by Palestinian leadership, number three. Our chairwoman of the Foreign Ops Subcommittee, Congresswoman Lowey, has said that in the future potential coalition government between Gaza and the West Bank, that any Hamas ministers would have to pledge that they support those three internationally recognized principles. But until that happens, Mr. Speaker, I have serious problems with the $300 million we are apparently appropriating for Gaza. The war in Gaza, and it is very interesting that Palestinians in Gaza talk about occupation, but there is no Israeli occupation in Gaza. Israel left Gaza several years ago without any preconditions. And instead of the Palestinians taking the land that Israel left and building on it and helping their people, they have decided instead to turn it into a terrorist camp raining rockets upon rockets in Israel, particularly upon the town of Sderot in the south of Israel. I have been there. Israel finally retaliated, and that is how the Gaza war began again. There has been some criticism of Israel for retaliating. But imagine if we in the United States had terrorists launching missiles at us on U.S. territory from either Mexico or Canada, and then went across the border. Would we just sit there and take it? Israel took it for years and years and years and then finally retaliated. No, we would go over the border and we would try to destroy the terrorist cells. So I am very concerned that $300 million of aid is to go to Gaza while Hamas, a terrorist organization, runs that place. We don't want the people of Gaza to think that it is Hamas that got them the aid, that it is Hamas that goes on its terrorist ways and that terrorism brings some rewards. So Ms. Berkley and I have written a letter to President Obama laying out these concerns. Hamas needs to recognize Israel's right to exist; and hopefully then one day we can have peace in the Middle East with two states side by side living in peace, a Palestinian Arab state and Israel, a Jewish state.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee, my good friend from Michigan, for yielding me this time. And as a proud cosponsor of this bill, I am proud that it's on the floor today. This bill is a carefully crafted measure that would provide desperately needed resources to State and local governments for the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes based on sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. It is a bill long, long due to add sexual orientation and the others, including gender, to the list of hate crimes. To my friends on the other side of the aisle who say that we are creating a special class, well, by that logic, right now we have race, color, religion and national origin protection. So by that logic, we should eliminate those as well. It's ridiculous. To those who say, ``Why should we protect people who have chosen a different personal lifestyle?'' our gay and lesbian friends don't choose this lifestyle. They are what they are and they should be protected just like anybody else who has a religion, who has a gender obviously, color, religion or national origin. This bill does not violate free speech or First Amendment protections. Nothing in this bill would prohibit the lawful expression of one's religious beliefs. This bill only punishes violent crimes motivated by bias. Congress is saying clearly, unequivocally, that the people of this country reject and condemn all forms of hate violence. That's why this bill is here. Today, we uphold the principles that are considered the foundation of American democracy that all people are created equal and that all people are entitled to equal protection under the law. It includes gays and lesbians and includes everybody. Pass this bill.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding to me. I rise, Madam Speaker, today in support of this rule and fully support the fiscal year 2010 budget as well. President Obama has laid out an extremely ambitious budget this year that will resonate for decades to come. From health care to climate change to education, this budget will improve our Nation in significant ways, and I am proud to support it. For health, this lays the groundwork for health care reform. Forty- seven million people living without any health insurance is a national disgrace. For energy, this goes towards the way of reducing our dependence on foreign oil. This budget would increase funding for renewables by nearly 20 percent over the '09 budget. And for education, Mr. Bishop spoke about all the things. I agree with him. It builds upon the funding we provided for education in the recent stimulus package. Now, as any large bill, it's not perfect, and it can be improved. And I just want to highlight a few areas that I hope we can improve on in the future. One is foreign aid. I am disappointed at the level of the funding for international relations and foreign aid. As the chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, I've seen firsthand the benefits of foreign aid. This budget is a lot better. The conference report is a lot better than the initial budget. The Senate budget included the entire $53.4 billion of the President's request. This compromise is $51 billion, better than the original House $48.5 billion, but I hope we can up it in the future. I want to talk about the $250,000 income threshold. The budget resolution uses this $250,000 threshold as a way to raise revenue. I think it's too low and needs to be raised. If you come from a high- cost-of-living State as I do, this $250,000 threshold is inappropriate. Raising taxes on these people, I believe, is not good at this time. But I think overall the budget is good. Finally, I want to talk about the AMT, because in New York, you cannot deduct anything if you're caught in the AMT. I am happy this budget includes a 1-year AMT patch. Without this patch, 2.8 million middle-class families in New York alone would be swept into it. But every year, we're going to run into difficulty. We need a permanent AMT fix, and I hope we can do that. But I do support the budget. It's a good budget. It calls for the change that President Obama spoke about, and I hope we vote for it.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, today, I am pleased to introduce the Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission Act of 2009, a bill that will create an independent commission to evaluate U.S. policies and programs aimed at reducing illicit drug supply and demand. Billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have been spent over the years to fight the drug war in Latin America and the Caribbean. In spite of our efforts, since the early 1980s, the number of U.S. lifetime drug users has steadily risen for marijuana, cocaine and heroin. Clearly, the time has come to reexamine our counternarcotics efforts here at home and throughout the Americas. My bill will assess all aspects of the drug war--including prevention and treatment programs in the United States. Let me be absolutely clear that this bill has not been introduced to support the legalization of illegal drugs. That is not something that I would like to see, nor is it my intent to have the Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission come to that conclusion. While the United States accounts for approximately 5 percent of world population, in 2007, an estimated 17.2 percent of the world's users of illegal drugs were from the United States. 100 percent of the United States cocaine supply and 90 percent of the United States heroin supply originates in South America. In addition, the countries of Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico are key transit countries for drugs entering the U.S. The Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission will be charged with conducting a comprehensive review of U.S. illicit drug supply and demand reduction policies and will be required to submit recommendations on future U.S. drug policy to Congress, the Secretary of State, and the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). To tackle our nation's horrific drug problem once and for all, we must have a better sense of what works and what does not work. Our partners in the Americas, who have worked closely with us in fighting the drug war for years, and the citizens of our great country, who deal every day with illegal drugs on their streets, deserve no less.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just the other day, the United Nations, shamefully, had a so-called ``conference'' on racism, dubbed Durban II, held in Geneva. The United States boycotted this charade, rightfully so, and I want to commend President Obama for making the decision to boycott because Durban I turned into a tirade of racism against Israel, of racism against the Jewish people, anti-Semitism, and we knew that so-called ``Durban II'' would be the same. Sure enough, it was. When that lunatic, the President of Iran, Ahmadinejad, got up and made hateful speeches against Jews, against Israel, anti-Semitic speeches, it really made a mockery of this whole so-called ``Durban II.'' This conference was supposed to attack racism, not deal and aid and abet racism. Ahmadinejad, shamefully, was the only President of any country to address this charade. The United Nations, unfortunately, only discredits itself when it has conferences like this, and I'm glad. It was the right thing to do that the United States boycotted. As for the European nations, many walked out in disgust, and that was also good because that showed that racism, anti-Semitism and beating up on Israel was not going to be tolerated. I commend the President, and I am glad the United States stood tall.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Jacob Tanenbaum, an outstanding constituent and educator from the 17th Congressional District of New York, for his exemplary efforts in bringing real scientific research to the classroom. Jacob Tanenbaum, an elementary school teacher at the South Orangetown schools in Rockland County, New York, was chosen by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Teacher at Sea Program to participate in a two-week research cruise in the North Atlantic this past fall to study Atlantic fisheries while aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow. Embarking from Newport, Rhode Island, Mr. Tanenbaum's research cruise followed a track off the United States' northeastern coast. Mr. Tanenbaum not only researched fisheries, but also wrote a daily blog, took photographs, interviewed scientists, and engaged in dialogue with his students, fellow teachers, and the general public. Mr. Tanenbaum became an integral part of the research team and ship's crew and established relationships that will give him and his colleagues access to scientific resources for many years to come. With his at-sea experience, Mr. Tanenbaum has been able to enrich his curriculum and excite his students about science. In one of his logs, Mr. Tanenbaum wrote, ``Through NOAA's Teacher at Sea Program, students are not just learning about exciting research projects at sea, they are witnesses to them, and on some level, participants in them. The Teacher at Sea program is about something far more important than test scores and text books. It is about inspiration and excitement. Inspiring learning and creating excitement about learning are not just simple hoped-for extras in an educational setting--they are the most essential parts of a culture of learning.'' I congratulate, Mr. Tanenbaum on his spirit of adventure in the name of education, his willingness to try new things, and his ability to bring this experience back into the classroom. NOAA's Teacher at Sea program has afforded Mr. Tanenbaum an unparalleled opportunity to provide his students with hands-on scientific education, grounded in his unique experience. The lessons he learned on the Bigelow will stay with Mr. Tanenbaum for the rest of his teaching career, acting as a source from which he will always be able to draw inspiration and creativity.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Jacob Tanenbaum, an outstanding constituent and educator from the 17th Congressional District of New York, for his exemplary efforts in bringing real scientific research to the classroom. Jacob Tanenbaum, an elementary school teacher at the South Orangetown schools in Rockland County, New York, was chosen by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Teacher at Sea Program to participate in a two-week research cruise in the North Atlantic this past fall to study Atlantic fisheries while aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow. Embarking from Newport, Rhode Island, Mr. Tanenbaum's research cruise followed a track off the United States' northeastern coast. Mr. Tanenbaum not only researched fisheries, but also wrote a daily blog, took photographs, interviewed scientists, and engaged in dialogue with his students, fellow teachers, and the general public. Mr. Tanenbaum became an integral part of the research team and ship's crew and established relationships that will give him and his colleagues access to scientific resources for many years to come. With his at-sea experience, Mr. Tanenbaum has been able to enrich his curriculum and excite his students about science. In one of his blogs, Mr. Tanenbaum wrote, ``Through NOAA's Teacher at Sea Program, students are not just learning about exciting research projects at sea, they are witnesses to them, and on some level, participants in them. The Teacher at Sea program is about something far more important than test scores and text books. It is about inspiration and excitement. Inspiring learning and creating excitement about learning are not just simple hoped-for extras in an educational setting--they are the most essential parts of a culture of learning.'' I congratulate Mr. Tanenbaum on his spirit of adventure in the name of education, his willingness to try new things, and his ability to bring this experience back into the classroom. NOAA's Teacher at Sea program has afforded Mr. Tanenbaum an unparalleled opportunity to provide his students with hands-on scientific education, grounded in his unique experience. The lessons he learned on the Bigelow will stay with Mr. Tanenbaum for the rest of his teaching career, acting as a source from which he will always be able to draw inspiration and creativity.