Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I rise in opposition to the amendment. And I must say to my friends on the other side of the aisle, I think they've lost the moral right to lecture us about fiscal responsibility, given their record over the past 8 years. I will support the overall budget, although I want to state that I have a couple of reservations, which I'm assured will be worked out. The cuts in Function 150 in foreign assistance need to be restored. And I believe very strongly that the $250,000 threshold that the budget assumes in terms of taxing people above that, that needs to be raised because in high-cost-of-living States like mine in New York, it is not fair to have it at that level. The level needs to be higher. I like this budget. It talks about the President's vision and America's vision, not only in terms of fixing our economy, but in terms of education, health care, and energy. We should support the overall budget and reject this amendment.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me, and I rise in support of the rule, and I rise in strong support of the bill. I'm an original cosponsor of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, and I am absolutely delighted to support its passage today. There are at least 438,000 reasons to vote for this bill, and each one represents a life lost to tobacco use each year. It's staggering to realize that smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murder, and suicides combined. My own State of New York mourns the loss of over 25,000 adults each year due to smoking, not to mention 2,000 New Yorkers who die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke. As if this isn't tragic enough, there are thousands of children at risk for the same fate, with over 3,600 youth taking up smoking every single day. And our States, desperately trying to control soaring budget deficits and stretch scarce dollars during this economic downturn, simply cannot afford the billions of dollars in health care costs, $8 billion lost annually to New York alone, caused by tobacco use. Today is a new day, Mr. Speaker. It's time that we close the gaps in our laws which have allowed tobacco use to be unregulated with devastating consequences. Granting the FDA the authority to effectively regulate the manufacturing, marketing, labeling, distribution, and sale of tobacco products will ultimately have a profound effect on reversing the public health crisis we face today. So, in conclusion, today we vote for our Nation's children and families. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in strong support of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, today, I am pleased to introduce the U.S.- Paraguay Partnership Act of 2009 which will add Paraguay as an Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) beneficiary country. As Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, I have spent countless hours over the past two years urging greater U.S. engagement in the Americas. Congress's passage of the U.S.-Paraguay Partnership Act of 2009 will be one small step in that direction. Paraguay is the second poorest country in South America--after only Bolivia. 30% of Paraguayans live in poverty and 13% live in extreme poverty. Paraguay's inclusion as an ATPA beneficiary country would allow the country to create well-needed jobs and reduce poverty. But, the U.S.-Paraguay Partnership Act of 2009 is about much more than poverty reduction. This bill will serve the dual purpose of reducing poverty in Paraguay and enhancing the already strong relationship between our two countries. I visited President Lugo in Asuncion in November, and he expressed to me his interest in a strong relationship with the United States. President Lugo is the first Paraguayan president to be elected not from the Colorado party in 60 years, and he is already a good friend of the United States. Paraguay is a small, landlocked country that is often left out of discussions of U.S. policy toward Latin America. But, it is a crucial ally in so many areas. According to the State Department's February 2009 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, in 2008, Paraguay's National Anti-drug Secretariat (SENAD) seized a record 172 metric tons of marijuana. Paraguay also works closely with the U.S. and its neighbors Argentina and Brazil in the ``3+1 process'' to curb illicit activities in the so-called tri-border area where the borders of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil meet. Over the past two years, I have been highly critical of Congress's short-term extensions of ATPA. It is my hope both that Paraguay will be quickly added to ATPA and that ATPA will then be extended for a much longer time period than in the past. During his campaign, President Obama said that ``my policy toward the Americas will be guided by the simple principle that what's good for the people of the Americas is good for the United States.'' The U.S.- Paraguay Partnership Act of 2009 embodies the spirit of President Obama's statement, and will be a win-win for both countries.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I applaud the President of the United States for making his priorities health care, education, and energy, and putting them right in his budget. I listened to my friends on the other side of the aisle, and I think that they are in no position to lecture us about fiscal responsibility given the fact that this President inherited trillions of dollars of debt. In the last 8 years we were going way beyond our means in our budget. We were spending and spending. So give me a break about fiscal responsibility. I think the fiscal responsibility rests with the majority here and the President, who is trying to do something, trying to make his needs the American people's needs and making his budget shape the American people's budget. So I want to applaud the President and our majority because we want to help with education, we want to help with health care, and we want to make America energy independent. That is what we are doing. I'm glad we are not the Party of No. I'm glad we are the Party of Yes and the future.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of my colleagues and the entire nation, the work of my constituent William ``Billy'' Thomas. Mr. Thomas is a great man who will be honored by the citizens of Mount Vernon, New York for his lifelong work. It is a body of work that has always personified actions that go way beyond the call of duty. The City of Mount Vernon, New York, will rename South Sixth Avenue William ``Billy'' Thomas Boulevard, after its beloved local and national pioneer in youth development. William ``Billy'' Thomas began working at the Mount Vernon (NY) Boys' Club (MVBC) in 1955. Over the next 22 years he rose from athletic to program to camp and finally to Executive Director. During each and every year, young men were placed in his skillful hands and taught the values of life, service to community, sportsmanship, courage, integrity and respect for self and others. He became an icon, a living legend for his work in inspiring young people to pursue and live positive and progressive family and professional lives. In 1968, duty to his nation called. Mr. Thomas took leave from his work and joined the United States Army to serve in Vietnam. He returned to the Boys' Club in 1971 to continue his work and improve the life skills and lives of young men in the community. He has served the Mount Vernon community in various capacities for over 45 years. Mr. Thomas's accomplishments are too many to site, but a few must be noted. In 1993, Mr. Thomas was joined by Denzel Washington, as they received The Boys and Girls Club of America Connection Magazines Mentor Magic Award. In 1997 Mr. Thomas received the ``Man of the Year Award'' from the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women's Club of New Rochelle, New York. Mr. Thomas worked with countless young people in an effort to either turn their lives around, or continue their lives on a positive path. Over the years, Mr. Thomas mentored thousands of young people. Some are now doctors, lawyers, bus drivers, ministers, fathers and mothers as well as the current executive director of the Mount Vernon Club--Lowes Moore. Mr. Thomas also influenced several former NBA players: brothers Gus and Ray Williams, as well as Calvin ``Scooter'' and Rodney McCray. Mr. Thomas always went about his work without praise or formal recognition. He has taught all the young people that entered the club that each has a responsibility to lend a hand to those less fortunate. His actions speak volumes as he worked with special needs children in New Rochelle and White Plains, New York. He also volunteered his services in many areas that included teaching chess, reading, a Youth Commissioner for the City of New Rochelle and of course, a basketball coach. Mr. Thomas sacrificed a great deal to give back to his community. It is only fitting that the community honor his deeds by renaming the street in front of the Boys Club William ``Billy'' Thomas Boulevard. This is testament that hard work and dedication are appreciated by the community and that the seeds sowed will blossom for many years to come. The renaming of South Sixth Avenue to ``William Billy Thomas Boulevard'' is an important testament to the hundreds of lives nurtured on this block at this Boys' and Girls' Club under his leadership and care. We in Congress share the City of Mount Vernon's recognition of William ``Billy'' Thomas's outstanding life with the nation.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, Claudette J. Stothart is a retired teacher with vast experience in teaching, from grade school to college and who is also an active member of her community. For 24 years she taught in New York City as a special education teacher as well as coordinating English as a Second Language courses and Social Studies. She was an adjunct Professor at Rockland Community College for 12 years and at Mercy College for 4 years. She also worked in Greenburgh as a middle school teacher during the summer months. She worked closely with students, especially to make sure those who were merely acting out did not become candidates for special education, while advising parents of their rights, in the process inspiring both parents and students. She was nominated by her students for, and accepted by, Who's Who Among American Teachers. She is a long time member of the Westchester Black Women's Political Caucus, a member of Westchester Women's Leaders, the International Women's Round Table, and the African American Advisory Board. She is a firm believer in education as a means to ease socioeconomic ills. She is deservedly receiving the Yonkers YWCA Inspiration Award and I congratulate her for her life's work in inspiring students, teachers and parents.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, Constance Walker-Fowler is a native of Detroit who moved to Yonkers in 1997 and has been deeply involved in the community and civic organizations since her arrival. She is Chair of the Yonkers Commission on Human Rights, where she helped to develop the language for the resolution Against Domestic Violence. She is a Life Member of the National Council of Negro Women and for the past four years president of its Hudson Valley Section. She is also a member of the Hudson River Community Association; Sister-to-Sister Inc.; the Westchester Black Women's Political Caucus; a Trustee of the Schomburg Corporation; and serves on the Advisory Board of Groundworks Hudson Valley. She is also Democratic District Leader and Secretary of the Third Ward election district. Further, she is Secretary of the International Governing Board of Voices of African Mothers, an organization dedicated to alleviating hunger in Africa. Even further, she is dedicated to her family, often visiting her son Andre in England and helping her Aunt Mamie and her sister Norice and her family. In short, Constance Walker-Fowler is dedicated to helping her communities from every aspect while still maintaining close and devoted ties to her family. I congratulate her on her receiving the Humanitarian Award of the Yonkers YWCA and wish her every success.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, Gloria Mendoza has dedicated her life to education, starting as a kindergarten teacher and advancing to administrator, all the time an advocate for students and staff. She has had a consistent commitment to quality education for all students, in the process becoming a role model for students. She worked in New York City public schools for ten years as a teacher and administrator and in 1987 started her career with the Yonkers Public Schools as an Assistant Principal at Enrico Fermi School for the Performing Arts. In 1991, she was appointed Principal of School 17, and served as Principal of Museum Middle School prior to her current assignment as Principal of Enrico Fermi School for the Performing Arts. She has built partnerships with community organizations to create initiatives for her schools, including the Groundworks Gardening Project, the Parents-as-Partners Family Resource Center, the Healthy Eating Program, sponsored by St. John's Hospital and the Gorton High School Medical Magnet, the Westchester County Grandparent Volunteer Program, Yonkers Police Department's DARE Program, and St. Joseph's Hospital Yonkers Spectrum Clinic. She has demonstrated that civic involvement and community service are important to her students' success and has encouraged staff, parents and students to reach out to the sick and the elderly, as well as to members of the United States Military in Iraq. One of her passions, the Yonkers Pathways to Success, is a program to help adults learn to speak English and earn their high school diploma. For her dedication to education she is being honored by the Yonkers YWCA with its Pacesetter Award, and I congratulate her and thank her for her great work in educating our children.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, tonight, when President Obama speaks to a joint session of Congress, I will be on the aisle to greet him, as I have for the past 20 years. It's always my honor and privilege to shake the hand of the President of the United States. And it's really electrifying. But I think tonight, Mr. Speaker, the anticipation is even more electrifying than usual. Our new President, who has done such a wonderful job in bringing us hope, is going to come tonight to speak with the Congress and tell us his plans. I hope and I know that under his administration, we will fix health care and have it universal for everyone. We know, and under his administration, we will look at our energy policy and wean ourselves off of foreign oil so that America can truly be energy independent. We need to get our fiscal House in order, and the President's going to address that as well. So as we anticipate his speech, Mr. Speaker, I want to say to the President of the United States, that I am willing and want to work with him hand-in-hand, hope we can do it on a bipartisan basis, and I look forward to his words tonight.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I stand in strong support of the economic recovery legislation before us today. We cannot stand idly by like our Republican friends are doing and let our economy sink any further. The cost of inaction is far too great. The American people are hurting, and we're trying to do something about it. Our Republican friends, unfortunately, are becoming the party of ``no.'' Well, while they are saying ``no,'' we are saying ``yes,'' yes to creating 3\1/2\ million jobs, yes to providing tax breaks to the middle class, yes to providing AMT relief, yes to improving our infrastructure to be more energy efficient, yes in providing health care coverage for millions of Americans during this recession, providing an estimated $87 billion in additional Federal matching funds. This will help States like mine, like New York, maintain their Medicaid programs in the face of massive State budget shortfalls over the next 2 years. We say ``yes'' to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. FMAP funds are important. I have long fought hard for more FMAP funds. The stimulus will provide much-needed relief to our States. We say ``yes'' for energy-efficient programs. Say ``yes'' for this bill. This is a good bill.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the people of Kosova who next week, on February 17, will be celebrating their first anniversary of statehood. The people of Kosova, born out of the former Yugoslavia, are among the most pro-American people on the face of the earth. I have had the pleasure of visiting Kosova many, many times, and I can tell there is no country that welcomes Americans as happily as the people of Kosova. Last year, I had the great honor to address their parliament, being the first foreigner to address the Kosova parliament since their independence. I was there with our colleague, the gentlewoman from Ohio, Jean Schmidt, and we had a wonderful time. There are many problems in Kosova. Unemployment is rampant. There is a de facto division of the country which must not stand. But the people are going about their business, working as hard as they can to build a new nation. More than 50 countries have recognized them, and I have urged and will continue to urge every country on the face of the earth to recognize the new independent nation of Kosova. When Congresswoman Schmidt and I were there, their Constitution was formally adopted and turned over, and I can tell you that they pattern themselves after what we have done here in the United States. In 1999, when the then-dictator of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, was trying to do his ethnic cleansing of Albanians in Kosova, the United States intervened and bombed and prevented ethnic cleansing from happening. And so today, Kosova is a multiethnic society, and will continue to be so. And minority rights of Serbs and others must be and will be protected, and institutions, religious institutions, monasteries, orthodox monasteries must be protected, and will be. I know the president and prime minister of Kosova very well and know the political leadership, and know that they are all committed to building a multiethnic society. But problems remain. The Serb officials have occupied the northern part of Kosova. The city of Mitrovica is a divided city. The mine in the north, Trepca, is occupied by Serb forces, and that must not be allowed to stand in the long run. Kosova must not be partitioned, whether it is de facto partition or de jure partition. Kosova's borders must be respected. The United States has a very, very important role to play, and we will continue to play that role. First under President Clinton, then under President Bush, and now under President Obama, we must continue to let the people of Kosova know that the United States stands with them every step of the way. And when I mentioned that they are a multiethnic society, the majority of the population is Muslim. They are secular Muslims, and they debunk the theory that somehow the United States is opposed to Muslim religion, which of course is not true. And these people understand that the United States is the best ally and the strongest ally, and will continue to support them. As co chair of the Albanian Issues Caucus, along with the gentleman from Illinois, Congressman Kirk, I want to say to the people of Kosova that we will continue to support them, to be with them, to watch them as they build their nation, and the democracy and freedoms that the United States stands for and that the people of Kosova stand for will always be strengthened. And let me say in conclusion, on last February 17, when Kosova declared its independence and there were flags all over the capital of the Kosova, Prishtina, there were Albanian flags around, there was the Kosova flag. But the American flag was being waved more so than any other flag in the country. That is still true today. The people of Kosova want to continue their great partnership with the United States, and I say to the people of Kosova: We will be with you, we will stand with you, we will help you build you a new democracy, and we will work together and continue to welcome you into the league of free nations of the world. I again congratulate the people of the Kosova for their 1-year anniversary as a free and independent nation.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, today is another great day for American families. Later this afternoon, President Obama will sign the State Children's Health Insurance program Reauthorization into law. Just one week ago, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law--a bill which restores basic protection against pay discrimination. When women do better, families do better, and the Lilly Ledbetter Act will make it easier for families to pay for day-to-day expenses like groceries, child care and doctor's visits. We build on the enactment of family security legislation today by providing health care coverage for 11 million children. In this commonsense legislation, we will preserve coverage for the roughly 7 million children currently covered by SCHIP and extend coverage to 4.1 million uninsured children who are currently eligible for, but not enrolled in, SCHIP and Medicaid. As the third largest S-CHIP program in the nation, New York reduced the number of uninsured children in the State by 40%. We are only one of seven states to achieve a decline of that magnitude and I am so pleased that we will further strengthen children's access to health care today. During this time of economic distress, we must remember that the S- CHIP program is a critical part of our health care safety net and more broadly our family security safety net. S-CHIP has served New York and our country well, and I commend the Speaker for working so diligently on behalf of our nation's kids.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me, and I rise in support of this bill. I am just amazed at what I am hearing from my friends on the other side of the aisle. I have been on the Energy and Commerce Committee for the past 13 years, and I have been on the Telecommunications Subcommittee for most of that time. We have had hearing after hearing after hearing involving the DTV transition. It may be technically true that we haven't had a specific hearing on this bill, but we have had hearings ad nauseam on the whole issue. And what are we talking about? We are talking about a 115-day delay. We are not talking about a 10-year delay. We are saying 115 days--3 months, 4 months--to give us time to put our house in order so that people's televisions don't go blank. I don't think that is so unreasonable. I am amazed at the opposition to 115 days. Now, I support this bill. I do it reluctantly because the transition to DTV will offer great benefits to our Nation. In recent weeks, it has become crystal clear that what I have been saying for years on the Energy and Commerce Committee is true--that we have not provided nearly enough resources or education for this transition to be successful. So, if we wait 115 days so it will be more successful, what is the problem? For the past two Congresses I have introduced the Digital Television Consumer Education Act. The legislation would have avoided the problems we are seeing right now. It would have educated the public about the transition, and it would provide additional funding for the converter box coupon program which, as we all know, is out of money. Currently, there are almost 2 million people on a waiting list for converter box coupons. This means 4,000 people in my district are waiting for coupons. It would be unacceptable for us to force the transition upon so many of my constituents and your constituents and those of everybody else in this Chamber, when it's clear they are not ready. If we continue with the transition, millions upon millions of television screens in this country will simply go dark. Again, I don't support an indefinite delay. This is a finite delay. This is a one-time delay. I won't support a further delay. But 115 days is not so terrible. When the transition occurs, which we know it needs to occur, TV pictures nationwide will become crystal clear; technology companies will be able to roll out new-generation wireless services that far outpace what we have today and, most importantly, as was mentioned, first responders will be able to carry interoperable communication devices that they badly need right now. So, the benefits to the transition to digital are clear. The harm, however, that we would cause by forcing the transition on an unprepared Nation is equally clear. So let's wait the 115 days, let's do it right, and let's support S. 352.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I would like to discuss an article in today's New York Times confirming that renewable energy industries-- especially wind and solar--have been slowed significantly by the credit crisis and the broader economic downturn. I believe that we should not allow frozen credit markets to derail renewable-energy projects, and we cannot allow reduced oil prices to lull us into complacency. We have an opportunity to address both of these concerns by working with the Senate, and with the Obama Administration, to pass the economic recovery package into law. I believe that the recovery package must extend tax credits for biofuels, wind, and solar. It must make infrastructure investments. It must increase federal dollars for energy research, development, and deployment. And it must encourage the production of alternative fuel motor vehicles, including plug-in electric drive vehicles. The time to act is now. A clean, green recovery package is our nation's best path to restoring our economy, and our best chance of creating jobs that cannot be outsourced.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, just a few days ago, there was a despicable attack on the largest synagogue in Caracas, Venezuela, which was orchestrated and very, very disgraceful. Twenty members of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee wrote a strong letter to President Hugo Chavez asking him not only to condemn this but to take strong steps to prevent it. The fact of the matter is it is Hugo Chavez's actions which led to this. He created the atmosphere which led to this, a climate of fear and intimidation against the Jewish community in Venezuela. This has to stop. When you single out the Jewish community and ask them to condemn Israel and tell them that they must do it, this creates this kind of at atmosphere. This is government sponsored, as far as I'm concerned. We will continue to monitor it. We will not leave the Jewish community to stand by itself there. We will be with them every step of the way. And we will not allow Hugo Chavez to continue to intimidate those people. There are 25,000 people, ten of them have left. We're going to monitor the situation very carefully.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support S. 328, delaying the digital television transition. It has become clear in recent days and weeks that the country simply is not ready for the transition. For years, I have been saying that we are not providing enough resources or enough education for the public. That is why for the past two Congresses, I have introduced my Digital Television Consumer Education Act. This legislation would provide far more education about the transition, and would add $200 million to the converter box coupon program to get coupons to the 2 million people on the waiting list. I do want to ensure that this delay is only a one-time event. If we keep delaying and delaying, we will never see the benefit of the transition. Television viewers will not get to see crystal clear images of their favorite programs, we will not enjoy the technological advances that will be rolled out by wireless companies, and most importantly, our first responders will not get the interoperable communication devices they so desperately need. But with the condition that this will be a one-time delay, I will support S. 328.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank my friend from Massachusetts for yielding to me. Madam Speaker, I stand in strong support of the economic recovery legislation before us today. My own State, New York, has been hard hit by the recession. The collapse of the markets on Wall Street have left gaping revenue holes that have contributed to our $15.4 billion State budget deficit. In this economic crisis, high unemployment and rising costs have put a huge strain on many American families. This legislation contains a series of programs to provide relief, including helping workers train and find jobs, extending unemployment benefits, and increasing food stamp benefits. I'm so proud that we will protect health care coverage for millions of Americans during this recession by providing an estimated $87 billion in additional Federal matching funds. This will help States like New York maintain our Medicaid programs in the face of massive State budget shortfalls over the next 2 years. I have long fought hard for increased F-MAP funds and am grateful that the stimulus will provide some much-needed relief to our States as they struggle to maintain access to needed services. And as we marked up the bill last week in the Energy and Commerce Committee, I was very, very proud that we had the monies in this bill. We will also reduce our dependence on foreign oil by making investments aimed at dramatically increasing renewable energy production and renovating public buildings to make them more energy efficient. In this bill we will invest wisely in U.S. development of advanced vehicle batteries and battery systems through loans and grants so that America can lead the world in transforming the way automobiles are powered. We will also have tax credits for private homeowners for new furnaces, energy-efficient windows and doors, and insulation. So this is a great bill, and, Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bill. I am so proud that under our new administration we'll finally enact a comprehensive, robust reauthorization of the SCHIP program which will provide health care to over 11 million low-income children. No more playing politics with our children, no more Presidential vetoes of this bill. We are finally going to do what is right for our Nation. It simply makes economic sense to cover the uninsured. When we fail to provide our citizens with primary and preventive care, routine health problems compound into emergency conditions. New York, my home State, operates a separate stand-alone program under SCHIP called Child Health Plus. As of December 2006, nearly 400,000 children were enrolled and receiving comprehensive health care coverage in the program. As the third largest SCHIP program in the Nation, New York reduced the number of uninsured children in the State by 40 percent. We are only one of seven States to do that. And New York's program has increased enrollment by over a quarter of a million children since the start of SCHIP. SCHIP also contributed to a nearly 30 percent increase in children enrolled in Medicaid. This is necessary. It is good. We should all support this bill.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the only New Yorker on the Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and I believe so strongly that our dependence on foreign oil is one of the greatest challenges that our Nation has ever faced. It threatens our national security, it threatens our economy, and it threatens our environment. Oil prices have recently drifted downward, but we cannot afford to let that lull us into a false sense of complacency. I am the founder and co-Chair of the Oil and National Security Caucus, which is designed to raise awareness of the economic and security implications of America's growing dependence on foreign oil. The Caucus consists of Members of both parties united by the common goal of developing and promoting practical bipartisan ways to progress toward energy independence. America's mission is clear: We must work to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we must grow our economy by protecting existing jobs and creating new ones, and we must build a clean energy future that benefits all citizens. I will also seek the development and implementation of an oil savings plan. The United States consumes 25 percent of the world's oil, yet possesses only 3 percent of the world's oil reserves. We imported 30 percent of our oil just a few decades ago. Today, we import more than 60 percent. I introduced a plan in 2005 with Congressman Kingston as part of our Fuel Choices for American Security Act, and again in 2007 as part of our Dependence Reduction Through Innovation in Vehicles and Energy, which is called the DRIVE Act, to require oil savings of 2.5 million barrels per day by 2015, and increasing annually to 5 million barrels per day by 2025. In 2009, this year, I will introduce and work again to enact similar legislation to help break our addiction to foreign oil. I will also encourage the production of flex fuel vehicles by seeking passage of the Open Fuel Standards Act, which I am the leading sponsor of. The United States transportation sector is 97 percent reliant on oil, and it accounts for two-thirds of our Nation's overall oil consumption. Every year, 17 million new cars are sold in the U.S., and for the most part these cars only run on gasoline. To remedy that, I introduced the Open Fuel Standards Act last year with three of my colleagues, Reps Jack Kingston, Steve Israel and Bob Inglis--and you can tell it's bipartisan again. The Open Fuel Standards Act would require 50 percent of new cars sold in the United States by 2012 and 80 percent by 2015 to be flex fuel vehicles, meaning they can run on ethanol, methanol and gasoline, similar to what all cars have in Brazil nowadays, and it would only cost about $90 or $100 per car to do this. We should be doing it now. To help supply America with alcohol-based fuels for flex fuel vehicles, I plan to facilitate the importation of ethanol by introducing the Imported Ethanol Facilitation Act, which was introduced by Representative--now Senator--Udall. We also need to make a serious push to electrify the transportation sector for American consumers and to create new green jobs while doing it. Very little of our electricity is generated from oil, so using electricity as a transportation fuel enables the full spectrum of electricity sources to compete with petroleum; that includes wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, nuclear, and coal, among others. I fully support our Governor, Governor Paterson's ``45 by 15'' program, whereby New York will meet 45 percent of its electricity needs by 2015 through improved energy efficiency and clean renewable energy. This program will help drive economic revitalization and help protect our environment. As Congress deliberates an economic recovery bill, I believe that now is the time to jump-start investment in electric transportation. The production of electric vehicles in the United States will involve huge numbers of green manufacturing jobs. Plug-in hybrid cars is something we should consider. There are many, many things that we can do, and when we do the economic stimulus package, we should keep this in mind. As we move towards greater use of various types of electric vehicles, there will be increased demand for the advanced batteries that will power those vehicles. We must ensure that we can meet the demand for production of these batteries here in the United States. We must also fund the Green Jobs Workforce Investment Fund authorized under Title 10 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. I will make a continued effort to secure funding, as well as additional funding for related policies, to help American manufacturers produce advanced lithium ion batteries, hybrid electrical systems, and other components and software designs. So let me say, in conclusion, that I am committed to breaking our dependence on foreign oil and doing so in a way that grows our economy and builds a clean energy future for all Americans. I will continue to press these matters in the next weeks ahead, and I believe in our economic stimulus package we should keep this in mind.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution. I support the right of democratic Israel to defend itself against terrorism by Hamas. We know that missiles have been raining down on Israel, more than 7,000 in the past few years, and that the Palestinians, Hamas, are using its people as human shields. We say to Hamas you will not be allowed to use terrorism as a negotiating tool. The hypocrisy of the negotiating community and the U.N. and demonstrators around the world, we say to those people, you will not hold Israel to a different standard than any other country when it comes to protecting the safety of its citizens. To those who say that Israel is using disproportionate force, is it disproportionate to want to protect your citizens from terrorist attacks? We want to see two states, a Palestinian state and an Israeli state, living side by side, a Jewish-Israeli state, an Arab-Palestinian state. We want to see that. Hamas does not, Israel does. There are three things that Hamas needs to do before it is a player in the international community. It needs to recognize the right of Israel to exist. It needs to abide by previous agreements signed by the Palestinians, and it needs to reject terrorism as a negotiating tool. There is strong and bipartisan support in this Congress for the democratic State of Israel, and we stand by Israel when it has tried to defend its citizens from being attacked by terrorism. That is why we have bipartisan support, and that is why the United States will always stand with the democratic nation of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon in support of the beleaguered people of the State of Israel. I rise in support of the only democracy in the Middle East. I rise in support of the country in the Middle East that has the same values that our great country, the United States of America, has, principles of democracy and principles that are so important to every man, woman and child. The people of Israel have for 60 years been vilified by undemocratic powers and by powers that would wish to destroy it. For the past several years, day in and day out the people of Israel have had to endure rocket attacks coming from the terrorist organization that runs Gaza called Hamas. Israel is supposed to just accept these attacks on its citizens and do little or nothing about it if you would listen to the United Nations, if you would listen to the international community, if you would listen to these hypocritical demonstrations going on in London and all the Arab capitals and everyplace else, and even some in the United States. Every country, every government's primary responsibility is to protect its citizens, and the people of Israel and the Government of Israel should not be held to any other standard than that. The terrorist organization that runs Gaza called Hamas, bought and paid for by Iran, thinking that it can use terrorism as a way of somehow getting its state, must understand that in order to gain acceptance of nations in the free world, that it needs to renounce terror, that it needs to recognize Israel's right to exist, and that it needs to abide by all previous resolutions that were signed by the Palestinian Authority. It doesn't do it because it's a terrorist state. It doesn't do it because its vow is to destroy the Jewish State of Israel. It doesn't do it because, like Hezbollah and like Osama bin Laden and like al Qaeda, it thinks it can use terrorism to establish its aims and goals, but it cannot. We stand in a bipartisan fashion with the people of Israel because if we in the United States had missiles being fired onto our innocent civilians from states across the border, we would move across the border and try to stop those terrorists from killing our people. That's what Israel is doing. Many of us on the Foreign Affairs Committee this morning met with the Israeli ambassador and we saw a tape where Israel takes great precaution to try to prevent civilian casualties. But what Hamas does is it builds its bomb factories and it builds its terror weapons in the heart of the densely populated areas of Gaza and uses its own people as human shields. And so when the Israelis destroy these missile-making and bomb-making terror factories, innocent civilians very unfortunately get killed. But it is the Palestinians that support Hamas. It's the Hamas organization that is responsible for these killings. Israel has an absolute right to defend itself. Now, we all want a cease-fire. We all want peace in the region. And we all know that ultimately peace will come when there is a two-state solution, an Israeli Jewish state and a Palestinian Arab state. The problem is most Israelis do accept the fact that there ought to be a Palestinian state, but the Palestinians, Hamas, does not accept the viability of Israel as a Jewish state. And so let's put things in perspective here. If you have people that want to destroy you and want to kill you and don't recognize your right to exist, how can we have peace in the region? We ought to note that Israel pulled out of Gaza several years ago and left Gaza to the Palestinians. And what did it get in return? It got missiles fired on its citizens in Syrot and other places in return for Israel leaving Gaza. The Palestinians used to say, well, it's the occupation, that's what drives everything. What occupation is there in Gaza? There is none. Israel has left Gaza. And the people of Gaza could have built a democratic government living in peace with its neighbors; instead, they chose to embrace terrorism and try to kill as many Israelis as they can. So, in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, let me say that support for Israel in this Congress is strong and it is bipartisan and will remain so because we understand that the democratic nation of Israel has a right to exist, and the government of Israel has a right to protect its citizens.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the bill. I will vote for this bill because it is important financially to my home State and City of New York, and frankly to the country. To those who say let the greedy Wall Street pigs go down without money from the taxpayers, I say, if they go down, we all go down. This won't only affect them, it will affect all of us. Jobs will be lost, people will not be able to get loans, IRA's, 401K's, pension plans, and retirement savings would be jeopardized, banks will fall, our economy would slip into deep recession or even depression. Madam Speaker, the American people have told us to stop the partisan bickering in Washington. The American people want us to come together to solve problems. And that is what we, Democrats and Republicans have done in this bill. Is this a perfect bill? Of course not. I would have liked to have seen a bill structured differently. I would have liked to see more emphasis in helping the average person who may be facing bankruptcy or foreclosure. I would have liked to see an economic stimulus package designed to help middle class people in the bill. But this bill has to pass both Houses and get signed by the President, so compromises had to be made. Our democratic negotiators have done a good job in modifying the original bill put forth by the Secretary of the Treasury. This bill now enables the taxpayers to recoup the money from Wall Street in 5 years, if the taxpayers are not fully paid back. There is now much more oversight at our insistence. Excessive compensation is curtailed for CEO's, and the money is not being dispersed all at once. We are also able to help some people being foreclosed upon. Madam Speaker, I am not thrilled with this bill, but passing it is the right thing to do for my city, my State, and my country. Wall Street drives so much of the New York economy and the economy of the United States as well. Today Madam Speaker, we have only 2 choices: vote for this bailout bill or do nothing. We cannot wait another few months, weeks, or even days to try to craft something else at this late date. If we wait, I fear that the very underpinning of our Nation's finances would very well be in great jeopardy. In that light, Madam Speaker, I will hold my nose and vote for this bill.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 371 which strongly supports and immediate and just restitution of, or compensation for, property illegally confiscated during the last century by Nazi and Communist regimes. As a cosponsor of this important resolution, I believe that while we must recognize steps forward, countries in central and eastern Europe that have not already done so must return confiscated properties to their rightful owners or, where restitution is not possible, pay equitable compensation. In that vein, I would like to draw the attention of the House to one particular situation in Hungary. Since the end of the Cold War, Hungary has developed into a vibrant democracy, a member of the European Union, an important NATO ally, and a key friend of the United States. Yet, even with this great progress, Hungary's record on restitution for Holocaust victims is mixed, at best. Take the case of Martha Nierenberg, an 84-year-old U.S. citizen who lives in New York State. Her grandfather amassed one of the preeminent art collections in Hungary, consisting of some 2,500 paintings. After the Nazis occupied Hungary, some of those paintings were personally seized by Adolf Eichmann, the infamous implementer of the Final Solution, for shipment to Nazi Germany. Others were taken by the Hungarian government in collaboration with the Nazis and wound up after World War II in state owned museums in Budapest. Mrs. Nierenberg's mother began asking Hungary for the return of some of the paintings in 1996 and upon her mother's death, Mrs. Nierenberg began to request their return, as well. Hungary refused to return the paintings, even though there has been no question that the paintings belonged to Mrs. Nierenberg's grandfather and to her mother after his death. As a result, Mrs. Nierenberg was forced to sue in Hungary for the return of 12 paintings. She won initially in the lower court (which returned one painting to her), but the Hungarian government challenged the ruling, requiring her to endure 7 years of appeals. She finally lost the final court case earlier this year, on technical grounds. The Washington Principles adopted in 1998, and supported by the Hungarian government, require governments holding Holocaust property, such as Hungary, to arrive at a fair and equitable resolution of claims to the property. But, Hungary has not followed those principles and has not tried to reach a fair and equitable resolution of Mrs. Nierenberg's claims. The appearance, sadly, is that the Hungarian government wants to ``run the clock'' on Mrs. Nierenberg, hoping that she will give up or die. But she will not give up, and Mrs. Nierenberg's children are as determined as she is to recover what is rightfully theirs. What is most shocking to me about this case is how quickly countries are able to disassociate their war-time complicity in the Nazi Holocaust from their holding of the war-time booty. During World War II, Hungary expelled 440,000 Jews, most of whom perished in Auschwitz. Ironically, Adolph Eichmann, who stole some of the Nierenberg paintings, was chief of the team of ``deportation experts'' that helped the Hungarian authorities send their country's Jewish population to its demise. Madam Speaker, Hungary has no moral claim to Mrs. Nierenberg's paintings and, should, at long last, do what is right. Therefore, as a cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 371, I urge the Hungarian government to return the paintings, at once, or work out a just resolution of this case with Mrs. Nierenberg in accordance with the Washington Principles.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank my colleague and good friend from New York. I rise to support this very important bill. Iran continues to defy Security Council resolutions by continuing to develop its nuclear program. The U.S. and our allies in the U.N. Security Council have recognized the danger that would be posed by a nuclear Iran and have repeatedly demanded that Iran suspend uranium enrichment. To change Iran's course, the U.S. must increase pressure with every appropriate diplomatic and political tool. U.S. sanctions have already helped to discourage investment in Iran, and further pressure may yet convince the regime in Iran to comply with international obligations and drop its nuclear program. This bill will counter Iran's illicit nuclear weapons program by sending a clear message that if Iran does not end its quest to obtain nuclear weapons, and its support for terrorism, it will face strong economic sanctions. The legislation imposes sanctions that will undercut Iran's nuclear program and support for terrorism. Moreover, the legislation reaffirms our commitment to multilateral diplomacy to increase pressure on Iran to beef up its program. Finally, it explicitly states that nothing in the act authorizes the use of force against Iran. I urge my colleagues to support this very important measure.