Eliot Engel

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an Israeli organization that has dedicated itself to assisting the victims of terrorist attacks and other life-threatening situations, and making sure that those who pay the ultimate price receive a proper Jewish burial. ZAKA Search and Rescue is an organization of 1,500 volunteers who live and work throughout the State of Israel. At a moment's notice, they are prepared to drop everything and rush to the scene of a traffic accident or terrorist incident. Wearing their trademark yellow vests and weaving through traffic jams on motor scooters, ZAKA volunteers are often the first to arrive on the scene. They provide first aid to victims until emergency medical personnel arrive on the scene. When an incident results in fatalities, ZAKA volunteers perform the grim but necessary work of collecting and preserving victims' remains so they can be buried according to Jewish law, and helping family members cope with the tragedy. ZAKA volunteers are widely recognized and respected throughout Israel for their devotion to the difficult duties they perform. During 2007, they participated in more than 18,000 life-saving or search-and-rescue incidents. More than 2,000 times they were involved in activities to honor the dead after fatal accidents or attacks. Because of their professionalism, they have forged close working relationships with police and other emergency responders. ZAKA has also expanded its work to respond to accidents and catastrophes around the world. They helped identify Jewish victims of the deadly Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004 in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia. They helped return the remains of victims of plane crashes in Russia and Namibia. They helped save 2,000-year-old Jewish catacombs in Italy. And they helped rescue and preserve sacred Jewish Torahs in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I had the privilege of speaking at a lunch last week here in Washington honoring ZAKA and its founder, Yehuda Meshi Zahav. ZAKA's motto is ``Saving those who can be saved, and honoring those who cannot.'' They live up to this motto every day. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to this great organization, and to the many volunteers who give selflessly of their time to help those in need in Israel and around the world.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise to extend my warmest wishes to the Taiwanese people in anticipation of the celebration of their National Day on October 10, 2008. For nearly 30 years, the U.S. and Taiwan have shared an official commitment of friendship and cooperation. Not only is the bond between our peoples very strong, but the framework established by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act continues to provide a solid foundation for the close relations between our two countries. Our ties have been particularly strengthened by the Taiwanese-American community, which has made pivotal contributions to American social, economic, and political life. When I recently visited Taiwan, I met with newly elected President Ma Ying-jeou and learned about the great development in his country. I witnessed first-hand the success of Taiwan's robust democracy and vibrant economy. This year, Taiwan has risen to become the U.S.'s ninth largest trading partner. Through the maintenance of strong dialogue and collaboration, our nations will surely continue to benefit from the mutual advantages we offer one another. Taiwan also plays a critical role in the shared goal of maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Today, Taiwan's relations with the People's Republic of China have expanded--particularly through direct flights and expanded tourism and investment. Moreover, the Taiwanese economy continues to see steady rises in its Gross Domestic Product, GDP, trade surplus, and foreign reserves that show the benefits of embracing democracy and a market-based economic system. As we approach Taiwan's National Day, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Taiwan for its friendship and wishing the Taiwanese people continued prosperity and success.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the chairman for yielding to me, and I rise in strong support of this legislation. For the United States, passage of this legislation will clear the way to deepen the strategic relationship with India, open significant opportunities for American firms, help meet India's surging energy requirements in an environmentally friendly manner, and bring India into the global nuclear nonproliferation mainstream. This agreement marks the culmination of a decade-long process of India's emergence on the national stage and the Indian Government's effort to steer a more pragmatic and realistic course in foreign affairs. We have common strategic interests with India, and this will enhance these interests. India's energy demand is expected to grow nearly 5 percent per year for the next two decades. We should be a partner in that. When the Congress passed the Hyde Act, we recognized India's refusal to transfer nuclear technology to others. These unique circumstances make this change in U.S. nonproliferation policy possible. We're now poised to reap the benefits of ending India's nuclear isolation. Eligibility to civilian nuclear cooperation is an essential step toward bringing India fully into the global effort to prevent onward transmission of nuclear weapons know-how. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for bringing up that very important point. He should know, as I am sure he does, that there is no intent to penalize mom-and-pop store owners or anybody who may sell a card of this degree without any knowledge that there is something wrong with the card. The purpose of this legislation is to go after the companies who fraudulently manufacture and sell these cards, not to go after individual grocery stores or mom and pop stores that sell these cards. I definitely agree with the gentleman that if someone does not have a knowledge that they are selling the card that may be flawed, we should not in any way, shape or form penalize them. That is certainly not the intent of the bill.

Mr. ENGEL. I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush) for his hard work on this important issue. We are so delighted, Bobby, to see you back. We look forward to continuing our work with you. Thank you so much for everything you have done, and, also, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry). I would to also thank our chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Dingell, the gentleman from Michigan for his strong support of this legislation. This passed unanimously out of the Energy and Commerce Committee in a bipartisan way and in no small part due to the people I have mentioned before. I also want to thank the dedicated majority and minority staffs of the Consumer Protection and Telecommunications subcommittees for their diligent work in crafting an excellent bipartisan, compromise bill. Madam Speaker, the prepaid calling card market is a $4 billion industry. In a recent independent study it was found that, on average, companies failed to provide 40 percent of the minutes guaranteed by the card, costing consumers hundreds of millions of dollars a year. This fraud harms segments of the population who are least able to afford it, the poor, recent immigrants, minorities and seniors, and the companies don't stop there. They have even preyed upon our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is unconscionable and obviously un-American. This legislation would end the deception and the fraud that these people have suffered at the hands of unscrupulous companies. Now, the bottom line for this bill is this is a consumer protection bill. If we are in favor of protecting the consumer, then we should vote for this bill, because it's very, very simple. People have a right to know that when they buy a prepaid calling card, what they see is what they get. If a card says you get 60 minutes of calling time, then that consumer who buys the card is entitled to 60 minutes of calling time. What we find in little small print that nobody can see or understand, there are so many hidden fees. Some calling cards say that you only can get the 60 minutes if you call at certain times. But if you don't call at other times, you don't get the minutes. Then the time you get the minutes is only from 2 to 4 a.m., which is ridiculous. Some cards charge you 3 units, 3 minutes of call time if you get a busy signal. Or 3 minutes of call time if you are just connected, as for a connection charge, even if it was across the street or in the same State. So consumers don't want to think they are being defrauded. Consumers are entitled to get what they pay for. Sometimes there are companies that are very legitimate. Most of the companies are legitimate. If a company says that you get 60 minutes of calling card, and it's a legitimate card, and that card may be a little bit more expensive than the fraudulent card, the unsuspecting consumer will buy the cheaper card thinking that he or she will get a better deal, when, in reality, the 60 minutes may only be 30 or 32 or 35 minutes. The bottom line is this, if you are for the consumer, if you are for truth in marketing, then you should support this bill. If you are not, and you want things to go along the way they have been, then don't vote for the bill. I am so delighted that we have bipartisan consideration on this and that, in a bipartisan fashion, we all agree that this is something that really should pass. Nobody, nobody should be against this, not the telecom companies, not consumer groups, not any Members of Congress. If we want to stand for legitimacy and say that we want to protect the consumer, and that we want people to understand that when they purchase something, they know what they are getting, then we ought to all vote for this bill. I thank my colleagues. This is a tremendous victory for the consumers in America.

Mr. ENGEL. Would the gentleman yield?

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), with whom I have worked so closely during these past 20 years on so many things, and he is doing a wonderful job as chairman of our Health Subcommittee on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Madam Speaker, I am so proud that through hard work and compromise with the Senate, that today we will take up a final version of the ALS Registry Act. The House has passed this bill before. It was stuck in the Senate. We finally have it shaken loose and it is back with the Senate version which we are proud to all support. Thanks to this legislation, we will provide for the creation and maintenance of a single, nationwide ALS registry at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a fatal, progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year, and it is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans have the disease at any given time. The average life expectancy for a person with ALS is 2 to 5 years from the time of diagnosis. The causes of ALS are not well understood, and there is no known cure. I first became aware of this disease through my grandmother. My father's mother was diagnosed with this disease. I was only 2\1/2\ when she passed away. As Mr. Pallone mentioned, the most famous person with this disease is Lou Gehrig. I come from the Bronx where the Yankees play, and Yankee Stadium just had its last game on Sunday evening. The clips that we saw were from that famous speech that Lou Gehrig made at Yankee Stadium. You could hear the echoes reverberating, saying that he felt he was the luckiest man on the face of the Earth. And it is fitting that today we pass this bill, just a few days after Yankee Stadium where Lou Gehrig toiled for so many years is closing. This is a fitting tribute to Lou Gehrig. A single national patient registry which collects and stores information on the prevalence and incidence of ALS does not exist in the United States today, believe it or not, and that is what this bill is going to change. The establishment of a national registry will help identify the incidence and prevalence of ALS and other motor neuron disorders in the United States and collect data which is urgently needed for ALS research, disease management and the development of standards of care in order to significantly enhance the Nation's efforts to find a treatment and cure for ALS. I would like to thank Steve Gibson and Pat Wildman of the ALS Association for their partnership on this bill. We have worked with them for so many years, as well as William Garner of Chairman Dingell's staff for his work on this bill. I would also like to thank John Ford, formerly of Chairman Dingell's staff and Katherine Martin, formerly of Ranking Member Barton's staff who worked so diligently on this bill prior to its original House passage in 2007. I thank all my colleagues for it and urge them to pass this bill. It has been a long time coming, but it is finally here.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the motions to suspend the rules relating to the following measures be considered as adopted in the form considered by the House on Tuesday, September 23, 2008: House Resolution 1461, House Concurrent Resolution 393, House Resolution 988, and H.R. 3018.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank my friend from Massachusetts for yielding, and it's hard to believe that it has been 20 years. We are classmates, and I am very proud of the work that Mr. Neal is doing on the Ways and Means Committee. Madam Speaker, I rise to strongly support the bill, but I want to express the frustration that so many people here have expressed that we are not permanently repealing the AMT. Every year, it seems, we come and we talk about a fix, which we are doing now, which needs to be done, but we point fingers at each other, we play the blame game and somehow or other a total repeal and a redoing of the AMT doesn't happen. If you come from a high-tax State like mine, like New York, which also happens to be a very high cost-of-living State, people are making more money because it costs more money to live in a high cost-of-living State. Yet many of these middle class families find that they are being hit with the AMT. Even if we pass this today, as I am sure we will, those families will continue to be hit with the AMT, even though they are middle class, and, as all my colleagues have mentioned, the AMT was never supposed to affect them. We need to put our heads together and come up with a plan to have alternative means of raising revenue and not have the AMT that affects so many middle class families. We are talking about a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street, and yet we never seem to have the money to bail out the middle class. We need to do that. We need to do it, and we need to do it now. We need a permanent fix, not patchwork every year. PAYGO, I am certainly for it, but the main thing is, middle class families should not be harmed by the AMT. And in a State like New York where there is a high taxation and high cost of living, we have a double whammy. I thank my friend, I support the bill, and I hope that next year we will come back for a permanent fix and finally repeal the onerous AMT.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud that today we will move to pass H.R. 5265, the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education Amendments of 2008. Today we have over 120 bipartisan cosponsors, as well as the support of the medical community. Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease which results in progressive degeneration of skeletal muscles and other organs, notably the heart. There are nine muscular dystrophies affecting over 300,000 individuals in the United States. The most lethal is Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which affects 1 in every 3,500 boys. There is no cure. Prior to 2001, there were few resources directed toward research and development of therapies and care models for those afflicted with muscular dystrophy. To address this issue, the Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research and Education Amendments of 2001 was introduced. Congress overwhelmingly supported the legislation. Unfortunately, the authorization for this work expired in 2006. The 2001 law specified a number of provisions for expanding and intensifying research on muscular dystrophy. These efforts included the establishment of six scientific centers of excellence, the creation of a Muscular Dystrophy Coordinating Committee (MDCC) to develop plans for supporting research and education on muscular dystrophy, and an expansion by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) into epidemiological activities regarding muscular dystrophy. The reauthorization of the Paul D. Wellstone MD-CARE Amendments officially names the Centers of Excellence the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Centers. In addition, it ensures that data collection at CDC is updated regularly with a requirement for regular reports to Congress. The bill also requires the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to work with appropriate medical or patient organizations to finalize an initial set of care considerations and for CDC to disseminate that information to targeted audiences. Once again, thank you Mr. Speaker for your commitment to muscular dystrophy. I know this bill will have a profound effect on so many families in America upon enactment.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, the Holocaust Museum and Study Center over the past 30 years has become an important museum, cultural and educational center for one of the greatest tragedies of history that must never be forgotten. The museum originated in 1979 with the appointment of the Rockland County Holocaust Commission by the County Legislature. It opened its doors in 1988 dedicated to educate, examine and explore the history of the Holocaust. The museum uses educational programs, lectures, exhibitions, teaching training seminars, and commemoration ceremonies to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten. The Holocaust Museum and Study Center uses the witness of Holocaust survivors living in Rockland, stories of triumph and survival in the face of a highly efficient and determined Nazi death machine. The museum also includes the stories of Allied soldiers who, in defeating the Nazis, liberated the death camps. Remembering and teaching the history of the Holocaust is essential if we are never to repeat its terrible events. The tragic events of Rwanda tell us that the lessons of the Holocaust are still to be learned. The murder of six million Jews as well as millions more of Gypsies, the handicapped, Slavic peoples and others such as Communists, homosexuals, Jehovah Witnesses, and Socialists, just for being who they were must not be repeated. The Holocaust Museum and Study Center teaches this dramatic lesson so that we never have to learn it again. It is a powerful force for good in a world that still needs it.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, Tim Morehouse combines the discipline of an Olympic medalist with the generosity of spirit that makes him a teacher in one of our poorer neighborhoods. As a member of the United States sabre team, Tim won a Silver Medal at the Beijing Olympics. He began fencing in seventh grade at Riverdale Country Day School, and switched to the sabre from the foil in the eighth grade. His skill got him recruited by Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. There he became one of the top college fencers in the country, qualifying for the NCAA championships three times. At Brandeis, Tim was a history major and served as a resident adviser for 2 years. After graduating, he became a part of Teach for America, an education consortium that aims to bridge the achievement gap between different socio-economic groups. Morehouse went to Intermediate School 90 in Washington Heights as a 7th-grade English and social studies teacher. As a former teacher I am proud of Tim Morehouse for his abilities as an Olympian, but even more so for his dedication to helping others. He is an example of the scholar-athlete who, having achieved his goals, then helps others to achieve theirs. We are proud of Tim Morehouse. To be an Olympian takes dedication and training, and a lot of both. It takes a different kind of dedication to devote your life to helping others. I congratulate Tim for being superb on both counts.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, On August 14, 2008, seventeen of the Republic of China's diplomatic allies once again submitted a proposal to the United Nations General Assembly supporting Taiwan's request `` to examine the fundamental rights of the 23 million people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to participate meaningfully in the activities of the United Nations specialized agencies.'' The 63rd session of the U.N. General Assembly opened yesterday, September 16, and, therefore, my comments today are especially relevant. I strongly support Taiwan's request because I believe there is a compelling need for the country to add its expertise, wealth, and dynamism to the U.N. specialized agencies. For example, Taiwan has been campaigning for participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) for years, but has been unable to access or communicate with WHO regarding global disease prevention. Membership in the WHO should not be a political matter. Disease and illness know no boundaries, and we must not let political disputes stand in the way of utilizing all tools available to improve basic health care and fight pestilence. This effort to fight disease takes global solidarity, not isolation campaigns. Fortunately, Taiwan is ready, willing, and able to contribute to the international community. Moreover, Taiwan's international participation might encourage the cross-strait dialogue and contribute to the easing of tensions between Taiwan and the PRC. I hope that the PRC will show good will and allow Taiwan to participate meaningfully in the U.N. specialized agencies. I believe this will be a step toward peace and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and greater vitality in promoting the missions of the UN specialized agencies.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, for more then five decades Sidney Paul has been involved in social work, including 25 years as the Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Rockland County. He has devoted his professional life to serving virtually all segments of his community including five years as a clinician at Rockland Jewish Family Service before his retirement in 2007. He has been recognized for his outstanding leadership by a number of groups including: the National Association of Social Workers, who named him Social Worker of the Year; the New York State Office of Mental Health, who gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award; the Mental Health Association of Rockland, which awarded him the Joseph R. Bernstein Award; and NAMI-FAMILYA, which gave him the Florence Gould Gross Award. In 2002 the Mental Health Association of Rockland dedicated the Sidney Paul Center. Sid, as all know him, has been married to Cyrille for 53 years. They have three children Andrew, Amy and David and six grandchildren. I join with the Rockland Jewish Family Service in honoring Sidney Paul with their Lifetime Achievement Award for the more than half a century of good works he has done for his community and the people in it.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, Marsha and Gary Forman have deeply involved themselves, both personally and through organizations, in helping their community and the people in it. For 15 years Marsha has served on the Rockland Jewish Family Service Board. Further, she is Vice President of Community Development for RJFS, Chair of the Outreach Committee, and Co-Chair of the RJFS/ ARC Collaborative Project. Gary has committed himself to the RJFS, sharing his talents and abilities for fundraising and in the creation and design of the Life Member Wall. Together they have sponsored the RJFS Sunday Social Respite Program for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and the Caregiver Support Group for families with children on the Autism spectrum. Away from RJFS Marsha has been a school nurse at the Reuben Gittleman School for fourteen years, while Gary is a partner and Executive Vice President of HenschelSteinau. They are parents of Brian and Corrie. They both have served on the Board of the Gittleman School with the middle school being renamed The Marsha and Gary Forman Middle School. Both serve with numerous community organizations. I join with Rockland Jewish Family Service in honoring these two wonderful people in recognition of all the good works they have performed for their community.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, Rose Leibow Eisenberg was born on September 14, 1908 at home at 38 Jefferson Street in Lower Manhattan, the youngest of four children of Bella and Harry Leibow. Speaking Yiddish at home, Rose learned English in the kindergarten at the Educational Alliance. As the family prospered, they moved uptown, finally settling in the Bronx where Rose attended PS 42 and then Morris High School. She was the only one of her siblings to seek higher education, graduating from the New York Training School for Teachers in June, 1928. Later she would take graduate work at Teachers College, Columbia, Brooklyn College and Queens College. In August of that year she married Azriel Eisenberg, an educator, to whom she was married for 57 years until his death in 1985. They had two children, a daughter Sora, and a son Judah. Sora is an educator and retired Salomon Schechter Day School principal, married to Aaron Landes, a distinguished Rabbi and retired Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy. Judah was a world renowned physicist, professor and vice rector of Tel Aviv University. The Eisenbergs moved frequently as Azriel rose in his field. They lived in Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Philadelphia and finally New York, where Azriel became the Executive Vice President of the Jewish Education Committee, now the Board of Jewish Education. Rose returned to teaching and taught kindergarten at PS 69 in Jackson Heights for sixteen years. The much beloved and respected matriarch of her family of nine grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren, Rose carried on after the death of her husband and the untimely death of her son. She remains an intellectually sharp and humorous person who is an inspiration to everyone who knows her. I join her family in wishing her the very best on her 100th birthday.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I thank my friend from New York (Mr. Ackerman) for yielding to me. I speak obviously as an American, but I also speak as a New Yorker. And, Madam Speaker, there isn't a New Yorker alive, as there isn't an American alive, whose life was not changed as a result of what happened 7 years ago today on September 11, 2001. I lost many constituents in the attack on the World Trade Center, lost many friends, and even today, every week when I fly back into New York and I look at the landscape of New York City, I always imagine where the Twin Towers would be and know that the landscape has changed forever. But even more importantly than the landscape, it's what was done to all of us as Americans on that day. I think we lost our innocence that day. I think the feeling that somehow or other we could never be attacked because we had the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans protecting us went out the window, and we realized that we were as vulnerable as anyone else. The evil people who forced the planes to fly into the World Trade Center have many friends who are still around and would still do us harm, and we as a Nation have to be resolved, to be prepared to fight against terrorism, yes, conduct the war on terror. I know some don't like that phrase, but there is a war on terror, and we have to make sure that we do everything possible to win that war on terror. As was mentioned before, we all remember where we were that day when we first heard the news. We all remember how we felt, and I remember a day or two after the carnage going down there, looking around, and standing in disbelief and saying I can't believe that this is New York, I can't believe that what I'm seeing isn't just a dream, I can't believe that I'm not going to pinch myself and wake up. Let me say that we still have a fight on our hands. It's also a fight to honor our first responders, to say thank you continuously to those who protect us, and to remind ourselves that there are literally thousands upon thousands of New Yorkers and people in other States who came down in the aftermath of the World Trade Center catastrophe and helped people. And those people, as a result, have difficulty and health problems today, and we as a Nation must continue to make sure that these people are protected and taken care of and not turn the other way and look the other way. Right now, the New York delegation is fighting to make sure that the first responders and others who helped people and who became sick as a result are not turned way and that we are taking care of them, and let us resolve to continue to do that and more in the aftermath of September 11. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I think that the Congress unanimously should speak with one voice and say, Never Again.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1254, a resolution I authored which commends the United States and Brazil for signing the Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality. And, I thank the distinguished Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Howard Berman for his leadership on this issue. The Joint Action Plan is an important step forward in global efforts to combat the evils of racism and to stand together, as the two largest democracies in the Western Hemisphere, to promote equality for all people. The United States and Brazil share a history of slavery in the Americas. The legacy and residual effects of that common history remain with both the United States and Brazil long after emancipation. Although the experience of race and the phenomenon of racism have been treated and understood differently in Brazil and the United States, today our paths converge. The ways in which our racial histories have diverged, and more recently the ways in which they have converged, offer a great learning opportunity for both countries. Brazil and the United States are the two largest countries in the Western Hemisphere and have the largest Afro-descendant populations-- populations which often face the most difficult economic and social barriers. Therefore, it is highly significant that our countries are now working together. The United States and Brazil have much in common, and our large vibrant minority communities are simply another trait we share. As Chairman of the Brazil Caucus, I believe that working together to stamp out discrimination only helps to bring our countries and peoples closer together, while each nation learns from the other's success stories in fighting ethnic discrimination. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support of this important resolution. Our Congress can and should play a vital role in ensuring the success of the Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality. Our partnership on the Joint Action Plan is a positive step in strengthening our friendship and promoting racial and ethnic equality.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the dark day 34 years ago this week in which Turkey illegally invaded the island of Cyprus. I rise in honor of the thousands of Cypriots who lost their lives or whose fate remains unknown, and in honor of the hundreds of thousands who were exiled from their homes. I would like to share my sympathy for their losses as well as my hope for a brighter, peaceful future for the island. The 34 unjust years of occupation must come to an end. July 20, 1974 marks the beginning of a tragic era in Cypriot history. The Turkish invasion and occupation of the northern region of Cyprus has proved an affront to human rights and the rule of law. Hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriots have suffered serious abuses of fundamental rights and freedoms. Their property has been illegally seized, their land has been settled, and many of their religious and cultural treasures have been damaged, destroyed, or illegally transferred abroad. Turkey's military hold over northern Cyprus has persisted over three decades despite condemnation by the international community and nearly 100 U.N. resolutions requesting the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the island, the return of Greek Cypriot refugees to their homes and properties and above all, respect for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of the Republic of Cyprus. Indeed, I authored a resolution which passed the House in 1995 calling for the demilitarization of Cyprus. While Turkey is a friend and ally of the United States, the time has come for Ankara to relinquish its grasp on Cyprus. Enough is enough. Recent events have raised hopes for both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Cyprus' accession to the European Union in 2004 was pivotal in the processes of integration and mutual development. The Turkish Cypriot population of over 90,000 benefit daily from rapidly increasing per capita income and the Government of Cyprus' provision of free education and medical and social services. In sum, the Government of Cyprus has provided nearly one billion dollars in tangible benefits to the Turkish Cypriot community. Along with hundreds of thousands of crossings between the Turkish occupied zone and the rest of the Republic of Cyprus, this progress has contributed to an environment of increasing trust and cooperation in which a peacefully negotiated solution may be pursued. Since his election in February 2008, President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias has made resolution of the Cyprus problem his top priority and principal concern. He has reached out to Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Mehmet Talat and called on him to cooperate face to face in order to implement a solution that honors relevant U.N. Security Council Resolutions, the High Level Agreements of 1977, 1979 and July 8, 2006 and the values and fundamental principles on which the European Union is founded. In March, President Christofias and Mr. Talat agreed to establish a number of Working Groups and Technical Committees as stipulated in the July 8 Agreement. The House of Representatives expressed its full support in H. Res. 405, which I cosponsored, for these actions as the ground on which to prepare for new comprehensive negotiations leading to Cyprus' reunification within a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. After several meetings earlier this year between the two parties and in the spirit of the opening in April of a symbolic crossing through the U.N.-controlled buffer zone in Nicosia, the world's last divided capital, I am proud to report that tomorrow, President Christofias and Mr. Talat will meet again to undertake the final review of the Working Groups and Technical Committees. I ask each of my colleagues in the House to join me in support of this positive effort to realize full-fledged negotiations. We must urge Turkey to respect the fundamental human rights and freedoms of all citizens of Cyprus while exhibiting the political will that would enable a solution which will bring peace, prosperity and a better future for all the citizens of a united Cyprus.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for H.R. 5501. While most widely recognized for renewing our commitment to global AIDS relief, the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde Global Leadership against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 reauthorizes provisions on all three of these deadly diseases of poverty. The World Health Organization reports that 1.7 million people died of tuberculosis in 2006, with 200,000 dying from HIV-associated TB. The emergence of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB, known as MDR and XDR, pose a grave risk to global health. These strains are far deadlier than normal TB and are much more difficult and expensive to treat. A contagious, airborne disease, TB knows no barriers or borders and can only be successfully controlled in the United States by also controlling it overseas. The Lantos-Hyde Act declares TB control a major objective of U.S. foreign assistance programs. The legislation requires a 5-year plan to support the treatment of 4.5 million tuberculosis patients and 90,000 new MDR-TB cases. This bill incorporates substantial portions of my bill, H.R. 1567, the Stop Tuberculosis Now Act. The Lantos-Hyde Act prioritizes the Stop TB Partnership's strategy, including expansion of the successful treatment regimen for both standard TB and drug-resistant TB. It further promotes research and development of new tools. Recognizing the deadly synergy between tuberculosis, an opportunistic infection, and HIV/AIDS, the Lantos-Hyde Act authorizes assistance to strengthen the coordination of HIV/AIDS and TB programs. TB is the leading killer of people with HIV/AIDS, and the explosion of drug- resistant TB in sub-Saharan Africa threatens to halt and roll back our progress in combating both diseases.

Mr. ENGEL. I'll talk fast. Finally, Mr. Speaker, the legislation authorizes assistance for the development of new vaccines for TB. The current TB vaccine is more than 85 years old and is unreliable against pulmonary TB, which accounts for most of the worldwide disease burden. New TB vaccines have the potential to save millions of lives and would lead to substantial cost savings. I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on H.R. 5501 today. We can control and win the fight against AIDS and TB.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the work of Heritage Foundation for Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries, HFPJC-Avoyseinu in preserving Jewish cemeteries in Europe and to offer recognition to RWA Slovakia for their humanitarian contribution to the protection of a Jewish cemetery in Marcelova, Slovakia. I have the highest respect for HFPJC and its efforts to preserve Jewish cemeteries throughout Europe. The Nazis not only destroyed the Jewish population of Europe during the Holocaust, but they left Jewish cemeteries in ruin. The fall of the iron curtain and the brutal rule of the communists in Eastern Europe only further desecrated the final resting places of millions of Jews. HFPJC is trying to right the wrongs of the preceding decades by working with communities throughout Europe to preserve the graves of their ancestors. In my work with HFPJC on preservation of cemeteries in Slovakia, I have learned about the Marcelova Jewish Cemetery Project and the role the RWA Slovakia company played in enabling the cemetery's preservation. I would like to share this important story of generosity and interfaith understanding with the House. The Marcelova Jewish cemetery site, after the Holocaust, became a deserted wasteland and passed from community to municipal to private ownership. RWA corporation owned the Marcelova Jewish cemetery lot for at least the past decade. As a burial ground, the Marcelova cemetery is sacred to people of the Jewish faith. HFPJC, acting on behalf of some highly concerned Marcelova descendants, attempted to secure the return and appropriate preservation of the cemetery before it is accidentally desecrated through construction or development. After individual meetings between both the Marcelova mayor and several managing officers of RWA, in which all displayed exceptional courtesy, consideration, and understanding of the humanitarian significance of the issue, RWA agreed to allow the fencing and preservation of the cemetery site, adjoining their office complex. I have seen photographs of the restoration of the cemetery and would like to offer my highest commendation to RWA Slovakia for their work with HFPJC to preserve the Marcelova Jewish cemetery. Madam Speaker, this is a generous and humane gesture on the part of RWA Slovakia, and is worthy of public recognition. Therefore, with this statement in the Congressional Record of the House of Representatives of the United States, I officially commend the RWA Corporation of Slovakia for its preservation of the Marcelova Jewish cemetery.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 385, which condemns the attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 1994. I led an official congressional delegation to Buenos Aires in February and visited the leaders of the Argentine Jewish community. I saw the site of the devastating July 18, 1994, bombing of the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association. I will never forget the sadness I felt laying a wreath of flowers on the memorial to the 85 victims of the terrorist attack and will always keep in the forefront of my mind the need to bring to justice the perpetrators of that horrible crime. Mr. Speaker, overwhelming evidence links the attacks to the government of Iran, and the execution of the bombings to Hezbollah, a terrorist organization based in Lebanon. The state prosecutor of Argentina announced this conclusion on October 25, 2006, stating that the AMIA bombing was ``decided and organized by the highest leaders of the former government of Iran, whom, at the same time, entrusted its execution to the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.'' He specifically alleged that the attack was approved by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamene'i and Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former leader of Iran and the current chairman of Iran's Assembly of Experts and Iran's Expediency Council. On November 9, 2006, an Argentine judge issued an arrest warrant for Rafsanjani and others for their involvement in the AMIA bombing. One year later, the General Assembly of INTERPOL issued six Red Notices, circulating the Argentine warrants in an effort to extradite the indicted Iranians. One of the perpetrators of the AMIA bombing was Hezbollah operative Imad Moughnieh. Moughnieh was not only responsible for the act of terror in Buenos Aires, he also carried out the dastardly attack on the U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon in 1983. This brutal terrorist was reportedly killed in Syria on February 12, 2008. While I do not know who carried out the attack on Moughnieh, it seems that justice has been done. It is unconscionable that the entire leadership of the government of Iran was involved with the terror campaign in Argentina. We must not let the world's lead sponsor of international terror continue to get away with its criminal deeds. I stand with the President of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, and the government of Argentina, which has stepped up the pace of the AMIA investigation. The United States must continue to work with Argentina and provide any help it needs as it seeks to bring the terrorists to justice. I stand with the peace-loving Jewish community of Argentina which, despite the horror which befell them 14 years ago, remains vital and strong. Their survival is a testament to the human spirit which will not succumb to the reprehensible designs of an evil few. And I stand with the freedom-loving peoples around the world who know the horrors of terrorism and will not rest until the perpetrators have been apprehended and convicted in a court of law. Again, I strongly support H. Con. Res. 385, a resolution of which I am a cosponsor, and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. ENGEL

Mr. ENGEL. People need to know how to set up their television for digital broadcasts. They need instructions on how to get the coupons that the government is providing to enable them to get these converter boxes, they need to know where to purchase the converter boxes, how to set them up, and many people need these instructions in languages other than English. These are very, very huge challenges, and we are not spending nearly enough money to rise to the occasion. This bill is a good bill, but we need other legislation as well to help facilitate the digital transition. In February, every American must be able to turn on their television and watch a crisp digital broadcast. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and other bills we will be providing to ease the digital transition.

Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman, and I rise in support of S. 2607, the DTV Transition Assistance Act. I agree with everything that all my colleagues have said, and I certainly agree with Mr. Boucher that we really need to help facilitate the digital transition, which is what this bill does. This has been a long time coming, and we're now coming down to the wire. We have only 223 days until analog TV signals will go dark. In the Energy and Commerce Committee several years ago, I joked and said when people turn on their TV sets on February 17, 2009 and their TV goes dark, many of our political futures will go dark if we don't have a good transition along the way. Since we began this process several years ago, I have been saying repeatedly that we need to make this transition work. That's why I introduced legislation, the National Digital Television Consumer Education Act. My legislation would help to educate consumers about the effects of the digital transition and what they need to do to prepare for it. So I do agree with Mr. Boucher that we're ill-prepared. Even if people know that it's coming, we also have to make sure that they know how to set up their TV for digital broadcasts.