Steve Israel

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I commend the following words to you and all of our colleagues, Racine Evans of Milton Olive Middle School in Wyandanch, New York delivered this speech on May 13, 2002. Hello Congressman Steve Israel, Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, my name is Racine Evans and I'm a six grade student at the Milton L. Olive Middle School. My desire is to be a teacher. I have been inspired by two powerful human beings, my mother, Theresa Johnson and my teacher Mrs. Deborah Charles. Mrs. Charles is always instructing me about the fact that knowledge is power, My mother Theresa is an assistant pastor and is also the Evangelist of my church. She also preaches to me how knowledge is power and knowledge is the key to life. I'm inspired by both my teacher and my mother with their words of wisdom and inspiration. Between church and school, teaching seems to be my calling, When I have the opportunity to become a teacher, I'll make sure that I'll share the wisdom that was passed on to me down to my students. I just want to be able to pass down my knowledge to someone else, because knowledge is a powerful thing. I am determined to be successful. I plan to come back to my community, and set an example for others. When they see that I have reached my goal, then they will know it's possible for them to be successful as well.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I commend the following letter to you and all of our colleagues. Nicole Jean-Marie Bansen read this letter at the Lindenhurst Memorial Day Ceremony on May 27, 2002. An elementary school student from Long Island, Nicole directed the letter to future 4th graders so that they might better understand September 11 based on her own experience. Like Nicole, I believe that we must help preserve the memory of that tragic day by sharing our stories with future generations. Dear Future Fourth Grader, September 11, 2001 was a tragic day. I'm writing this letter to tell you what really happened. I was in school when it happened. That was the day that jet planes hit the Twin Towers, and soon both collapsed. Tower One was hit first. Within the next hour, Tower Two was also hit. Time seemed to freeze. Everyone just stopped what they were doing to see what happened in disbelief It was like a nightmare coming true! When I found out what had happened, my heart felt like it was shattered, just like the Twin Towers. After school, my brother and Mom told me to watch the news. I turned on the television and saw both planes crashing into the Twin Towers. A friend of our family's worked on the 72nd floor of Tower One, I was afraid that he might be killed, like so many others. He made it out of the building in minutes before it collapsed! I was affected by this tragedy in a sad way because I will not see the Twin Towers anymore, and so many innocent people died. In the future, people should never forget this day, and always remember all the people who died. I believe parents should tell their children the truth about what happened when they are old enough to understand, so they aren't frightened. Your friends and you will learn about this day in your Social Studies class in school, if your parents didn't already tell you about it. I hope this terrorist act never happens again. Hopefully you will never know the ``evil'' word, terrorism. But, if something like this does happen again, I am sure that everyone will be very sad. I am so glad to be an American, because of our freedom and people staying united through difficult times. Sincerely. Nicole Jean-Marie Bansen.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise, as all Americans should rise in support of service to the greatest Nation in the history of the world. As we speak, American men and women are in harms way across the world fighting terrorist enemies who only nine short months ago launched an unprecedented assault against our Nation, our people and our institutions. Above all, they launched an assault against the values and principles of freedom and liberty that are the very foundation of our Republic, and the reason that we are the model for democracy all across our planet. America is the terrorist's worst nightmare, for we are truly a guiding lamp of liberty, a model of justice that men and women all over the world flock to each year, an extraordinary place where the children of immigrants became as much Americans as the descendants of the Mayflower. There are many ways to serve America's freedom. We are proud of our sons and daughters who risk their lives to protect our liberty. Their military courage inspires us. But there are other ways to serve America. There are other ways to strengthen the United States, to strengthen our pluralism, to extend the American dream across our continent. Mr. Speaker, in this time of national crisis, it is time for Americans to pay back to this country in ways both large and small, some of the great gifts that this Nation, and this land, and this system have given to all of our people. I remember as a child hearing the stirring words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy calling Americans to service around the world in the Peace Corps. I remember the words and programs of Lyndon Baines Johnson building the Great Society--from Head Start to Community Action Programs to Legal Services for the Poor. He fulfilled President Kennedy's dream with the formation of the domestic Peace Corps--VISTA--Volunteers in Service to America. I recall the words of President George Herbert Walker Bush in his Points of Light initiative to expand volunteerism in America. And I recall the words of President Bill Clinton when, as one of the first initiatives of his presidency, he sought the creation of the AmeriCorps program to encourage more young Americans to serve their country. And today, I am proud of the determination, and the commitment, and the idealism of the thousands of Americans who serve in AmeriCorps. I am stirred by the passion of thousands of young Americans, straight out of college with endless possibilities to make huge salaries, who have chosen instead to give two years back to their Nation in the extraordinary Teach For America program. One of those American patriots is Sarah Siegel, the daughter of my own Chief of Staff. Mr. Speaker, there are all kinds of courage in this world. Civil courage is every bit as significant as military courage. The thousands of volunteers demonstrate courage every day by sacrificing their time to help their fellow citizens. I am proud to witness this strength of character in America. Mr. Speaker, there are many ways to demonstrate character in the new millennium. But I suggest to you today, as we celebrate National Service Day, that a fundamental demonstration of American character, values and commitment to the future, is service to our Nation. President Kennedy challenged Americans with his call to ``Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,''--and America has responded. On this day, I praise all who are paying to their Nation and their communities, and accepting the personal responsibilities inherent in citizenship. I pray that their good work, and their good deeds, and their good hearts, will become a model for generations of Americans yet unborn, on how to be a responsible citizen of the United States of America.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I was absent from votes yesterday, June 17, 2002 so that I could attend an event with families of victims of the September 11th attacks and Special Master Kenneth Feinberg. I would have voted as follows: roll call vote 230, ``Yea''; roll call vote 231, ``Yea''; and roll call vote 232, ``Yea.''

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Susan Lustig for her 15 years of distinguished service as the Executive Director of the Suffolk Jewish Communal Planning Council. Susan Lustig embodies the heart and soul of Jewish life in Suffolk County. Under Susan's leadership the Suffolk Jewish Communal Planning Council has expanded in both stature and influence. She has overseen the publication of many editions of the Suffolk Jewish Directory, the Suffolk Jewish Communal Planning Council's signature publication. Additionally, new projects have been developed under her tenure to meet the needs of a growing Jewish community. These include the Suffolk Anti-Bias Task Force, the M'Yad L'Yad-Helping Hands assistance program, the Conversion to Judaism Resource Center and the Suffolk Jewish Community Kallah Education Program. Susan is an avid supporter of strong U.S.-Israel relations. During the Israeli Teen Delegation's annual visit to our community, Susan escorted the delegation throughout Long Island. She continues to pledge her friendship and support for Israel through her charismatic nature and judicious course of actions. It is with great pride that I recognize the years of service Susan has given to her community and bring her achievements to the attention of Congress.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great New Yorker and a great inventor, Antonio Meucci. As the first member of the House to join with our colleague from New York, Mr. Fosella, on this resolution, I am gratified that it is coming before us today. House Resolution 269 honors the life and achievements of Antonio Meucci, who came to New York in 1950. Born in San Frediano, near Florence, Italy in April 1808, he was an inventor through and through. He constantly read scientific tracts and conducted experiment after experiment. He went to Havana in 1835 to work as a stage technician. It is there that he had the first inkling of his greatest invention. Meucci developed a type of electro-shock treatment for the ill. While preparing to administer one of his treatments, Meucci heard his patient say something from the next room over the piece of copper wire running between them. This was the event that sparked his breakthrough. Meucci spent the next ten years bringing the idea of voices being transmitted over wire to a practical stage. With this goal, he left Cuba for New York in 1850. There he found many other Italians who had left their native land, including the great revolutionary Garibaldi, who stayed in Meucci's Staten Island home. During his time in New York he had success with his invention. After his wife became ill in 1855, he installed a kind of intercom system in his house, the first installed anywhere in the world. Five years later, he was arranging demonstrations to attract financial backing. Unfortunately, nothing came of this, and he spent a considerable time in poverty. His poverty forced him to sell rights to his inventions to others, and he never filed for a patent on a telephone. After an accident left the inventor hospitalized, his wife sold all of his inventions, including the telephone prototype, to help pay for his treatment. The ``secondhand dealer'' resold the items to an ``unknown young man.'' To this day, we do not know the identity of this unknown young man. Meucci tried to reconstruct his invention, but unable to raise the $250 needed for a patent, a considerable sum in 1871, he filed a ``notice of intent'' on December 28, 1871, which he renewed for two years, but not after. He tried to sell his ``Talking Telegraph'' to the newly established Western Union Telegraph Company, asking permission to demonstrate it over their wires. That test never got set up, and in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell filed a patent. Meucci instructed his lawyer to protest to the U.S. Patent Office, but his lawyer failed to do so. A friend did contact the office, only to learn that all the documents filed by Meucci had been lost. Later investigation produced evidence of illegal relationships linking certain employees of the Patent Office and officials of Bell's company. Antonio Meucci was a brilliant inventor but a poor businessman. Despite his lack of success in business, he most certainly invented the telephone. He is honored in my district with a road named for him in Copiague. I am proud that we, the entire House of Representatives, today will honor this man who has been overlooked by history for too long.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize the outstanding service of Rubin and Sharon Pikus. They are exemplary members of the community, devoting much of their time to numerous volunteer organizations. I would also like to recognize the accomplishments and service of their daughters, Andrea Hirsch and Marcy Katz, and their sons-in-law, Charles Hirsch and Jeff Katz. The Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence is honoring these exceptional individuals for their service to the community. Sharon Pikus first became involved with the Coalition Against Domestic Violence while she co-chaired the Commission for Women's Equality of American Jewish Congress. The Commission helped countless women and children on Long Island by educating the community about the plight of abuse victims. Rubin Pikus has been an activist in housing related issues on Long Island. He is also a Board Member of the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence. His involvement has brought a wealth of business and housing knowledge to the organization. Charles and Andrea Hirsch, in addition to their duties as the parents of two children, commit time, energy, and resources to the Coalition. Jeff and Marcy Katz, the proud parents of Miles Katz, have successfully balanced their personal and professional lives with involvement in the community. Mr. Speaker, I commend Rubin and Sharon Pikus for their life-long service to their community. I also commend Charles and Andrea Hirsch and Jeff and Marcy Katz for ensuring the continuity of this unselfish commitment to the betterment of others.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I commend the following letter to you and all of our colleagues. Nicole Bansen read this letter at the Lindenhurst Memorial Day Ceremony on May 27, 2002. An elementary school student from Long Island, Nicole directed the letter to future 4th graders so that they might better understand September 11 based on her own experience. Like Nicole, I believe that we must help preserve the memory of that tragic day by sharing our stories with future generations. Dear Future Fourth Grader: September 11, 2001 was a tragic day. I'm writing this letter to tell you what really happened. I was in school when it happened. That was the day that jet planes hit the Twin Towers, and soon both collapsed. Tower One was hit first. Within the next hour, Tower Two was also hit. Time seemed to freeze. Everyone just stopped what they were doing to see what happened in disbelief. It was like a nightmare coming true! When I found out what had happened, my heart felt like it was shattered, just like the Twin Towers. After school, my brother and Mom told me to watch the news. I turned on the television and saw both planes crashing into the Twin Towers. A friend of our family's worked on the 72nd floor of Tower One. I was afraid that he might be killed, like so many others. He made it out of the building in minutes before it collapsed! I was affected by this tragedy in a sad way because I will not see the Twin Towers anymore, and so many innocent people died. In the future, people should never forget this day, and always remember all the people who died. I believe parents should tell their children the truth about what happened when they are old enough to understand, so they aren't frightened. Your friends and you will learn about this day in your Social Studies class in school, if your parents didn't already tell you about it. I hope this terrorist act never happens again. Hopefully you will never know the ``evil'' word, terrorism. But, if something like this does happen again, I am sure that everyone will be very sad. I am so glad to be an American, because of our freedom and people staying united through difficult times. Sincerely, Nicole Bansen.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Belmont Elementary School in North Babylon, New York for their care and concern following the September 11th tragedy. After the tragic events of September 11th, the entire student body at Belmont Elementary School decorated a thousand grocery bags with patriotic symbols and slogans. These bags were used to pack groceries for local shoppers and sent a patriotic message into homes that students support their community in a time of need. These students displayed support for their community as members of Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots Club. This organization is a global network of students whose objective is to protect the environment and enhance cultural awareness. Mr. Speaker, I also stand to recognize the efforts of the chapter advisor and administrators involved. Specifically, Seri Doyle, teacher coordinator of Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots Club, and Alexa Endes, Principal of Belmont Elementary School. It is with great pride, Mr. Speaker, that I recognize the efforts of these individuals and bring Belmont Elementary School's patriotic deed to the attention of Congress.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the outstanding performance of Half Hollow Hills High School East from Dix Hills, New York in the ``We the People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution'' competition. A select group of 24 students from Half Hollow Hills High School East represented the State of New York at the national finals competition in Washington, D.C., May 4-6, 2002. These young people competed with 50 classes from across the nation and demonstrated a remarkable understanding of the ideas and values of American constitutional government. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the efforts of the student participants. They are: Beth Bernstein, Jacqueline Borgia, Sherri Cohen, Katelyn Del Priore, Lindsey Forur, Brian Ginsberg, Sarah Givner, Seth Glodowski, Jamie Golden, Emily Gustafson, Dustin Kreltzberg, Megan Meagher, Michal Meiler, Jacquelyn O'Neil, Gabriella Pinto, Lindsay Posner, Sarah Rasheed, Inger Reres, Steven Savella, Dennis Schmelzer, Persis Singh, Megan Spector, Stanley Voigt, and Matthew Witko. These young scholars are taking the Advanced Placement American Government class. Part of their learning experience includes participation in the ``We the People'' program. These students, through teamwork and dedication, captured the New York State championship after advancing from district and regional levels. Mr. Speaker, I commend them for balancing this demanding extracurricular activity with the rigors of their daily course work. Furthermore, I commend them for working together as team to accomplish the goals they set forth. Mr. Speaker, I also stand to recognize the efforts of the coaches, faculty, parents, and facilitators involved. Specifically, Scott Edwards, the group's coach and AP American Government teacher, prepared these students through intensive classroom instruction and numerous study sessions after regular school hours. James McCaffrey, the school's principal, contributed to the students' success by providing adequate resources and administrative support. Jane Weber, the district coordinator, made logistical arrangements and directed the group's fundraising efforts. Laura Parker also helped by serving as an assistant coach and chaperone. Mr. Speaker, I commend these individuals for their unselfish commitment to these students' education. It is with great pride, Mr. Speaker, that I recognize the efforts and achievements of these outstanding students and individuals and bring their achievements to the attention of this Congress.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the John Quincy Adams Primary School for their admirable job in raising money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Since 1991 the John Quincy Adams School has generated $73,197.57 for the hospital through their Math-A-Thon program. This program has continued to grow; in just the last year they raised over $10,000 to aid children who suffer from heartrending illnesses. Through the considerable funds raised by the faculty, students, and parents of John Quincy Adams, over 160 children are provided with the best medical care possible. These funds have gone towards research, patient care, and educational programs at St. Jude's. Parents of the children are also provided for; money is given to these families to provide for their children's medical expenses. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the students, faculty, and parents of John Quincy Adams Primary School for making a significant difference in the lives of numerous children at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital who suffer from the most tragic childhood diseases. They have made a commendable and estimable contribution to others in their community.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the ``Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act,'' a bill that seeks to ensure the continued viability of a volunteer public safety resource which has been instrumental in providing our nation emergency communications services during times of disaster and crisis. I am pleased that the gentleman from Oregon, Representative Walden, and the gentleman from Texas, Representative Sessions are co-sponsors of this bipartisan legislation. Radio amateurs, more commonly known as ``ham'' operators, provide emergency communications when regular channels are disrupted or disabled. These federally licensed volunteers operate at their own expense in aiding government and private relief agencies. State and local governments, as well as disaster relief agencies, could not possibly afford to replace the services that radio amateurs dependably provide for free. For the hundreds of thousands of amateur radio licensees, there is a growing challenge to their ability to provide these public services. Developed communities, such as retirement communities and planned unit subdivisions, are an increasingly popular housing option throughout the country that provide a wide range of convenient housing choices. Unfortunately, the governance of these communities has led to inconsistent and at times burdensome regulations on amateur radio operators, making it extremely difficult for these operators to continue providing their valuable services. The legislation I am introducing today will simply ensure consistent application of these regulations. The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act is based upon a 1985 ruling by the Federal Communications Commission, which stated that homeowners, seeking to install some form of antenna on their own property, must work with state and local land use officials to determine the most appropriate size antenna. Good faith negotiations ensure that amateur radio operator's technical needs are met, while preserving the aesthetics and interests of a neighborhood. Under current law, the FCC does not apply this policy consistently. Its policy applies to States and localities, but fails to address situations affecting private land use groups. My bill addresses this issue, and provides amateur radio licensees with the ability to negotiate reasonable accommodation provisions with homeowners' associations, just as they do now with public land-use regulators. Amateur radio operators provide an invaluable service to our nation, ensuring communication services during emergencies. We must support the efforts of the 650,000 federally licensed amateurs around the country in earnest. The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act will help to protect the vital function of Amateur Radio as an emergency communications and public safety resource, and I urge my colleagues to join with me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be a member of the fiscally responsible Blue Dog Coalition and to be fighting with the gentleman, along with my other Blue Dog colleagues, for simple common sense in budgeting. A lot of people think there is a lot of complications and complexities with respect to how we budget in Washington, but the way we do it should be no different than any household in America budgets, how any small business budgets. We have to make sure that we have the revenues. We have to make sure that the books are balanced. We have to make sure that the checkbook is reconciled at the end of the month. If we do not have revenues, somehow we increase them. I voted for every single tax cut we could because the American people need that kind of tax relief. Some say we have to cut expenses. What is there to cut? Are we going to cut prescription drugs? Are we going to cut Social Security? Are we going to cut defense budgets? Nobody supports that. Others say we should borrow the money. But there is another thing that we can do. We do not want to borrow the money. We do not want to ask our children to shoulder the burden for the fiscally irresponsible decisions that we make in Washington. There is another alternative. Once again it was brought to our attention in today's New York Times in a story by Paul Krugman called The Great Evasion. We are losing about $70 billion a year in revenues by irresponsible and unpatriotic American corporations who rush off to Bermuda, open up mail drops in Bermuda, say that they are now doing business as foreign corporations and do not have to pay their fair share of taxes. They wrap themselves in the American flag to sell their products and then renounce their American citizenship to do business abroad and do not pay their fair share of taxes. Now, there are colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have had enough of this kind of irresponsible behavior. Rather than increasing taxes, which so few of us want to do, and rather than gutting important programs, which so few of us want to do, it is time for the administration to step up to the plate and say, enough is enough. We are not going to allow American corporations to run to these Bermudan tax havens, flee their fair share of taxes. No American family is permitted to do that. No American family was able to register themselves in Bermuda to escape their fair share of taxes. We should not allow American corporations to do that as well. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome to Washington and into the people's House the brave men and women of the Suffolk County Police Department who join with us today as part of a national commemoration at the National Police Memorial. And I want to thank them for the heroic and dedicated work they do. On September 11, my district on Long Island lost over 102 people in the World Trade Center attack. On September 11 we realized that we had heros and heroines in our midst. It should not have taken September 11 for us to understand just how vitally important they are. We should celebrate that every day. And I am glad that the men and women of the Suffolk County Police Department could join us on this day.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule and resolution. As Yasir Arafat plays the role of victim before the cameras of CNN, he continues to create a successor generation of Palestinian homicide bombers. These homicide bombers are indoctrinated by the curriculum of killing, the dialogue of death, the textbooks of terror poisoning the minds of the children of the West Bank and Gaza. In the official textbook, ``Our Country Palestine,'' it says, ``There is no alternative to the destruction of the State of Israel.'' In the Palestinian textbook entitled, ``Our Arabic Language,'' a subject for a composition is ``How are we going to liberate our stolen homeland?'' Mr. Speaker, if one wishes to find a breeding ground of teenage suicide bombers, one need not look beyond the state-control of the Palestinian National Authority. Chairman Arafat's record should not be graded by his pathetic public relations hypocrisy, but rather by the progress he makes in second grade classrooms throughout the West Bank and Gaza.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to announce I am introducing in Congress with Representative DeLauro of Connecticut a resolution that will result in the National Institutes of Health conducting a complete, multi-institutional trial of a potentially huge breakthrough in early ovarian cancer detection. About 75 percent of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed in the advanced stage of the disease, when survival rates are only 20 percent for five years. Early detection brings survival up to 95 percent. Scientists from the FDA and the National Cancer Institute reported in early February that patterns of protein found in blood serum may reflect the presence of the disease. Our resolution will make sure that the National Institutes of Health completes a full field test of the new ovarian cancer early detection process. If the full trial of this simple blood test for ovarian cancer proves effective, I will fight to require that the blood test be given to all women as part of their annual gynecological exam and that Medicare/Medicaid and private insurance fully cover the procedure. Tough legislation? You bet! But the time to act is now. Ovarian cancer, the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers, is the fourth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women. Ovarian cancer occurs in one out of 57 women; an estimated 13,900 American women died from ovarian cancer in 2001 alone. The question before us today is whether we have the determination to commit our national resources to the health of our people. Some people say we don't have the resources to provide for the health needs of our women. But if we would stop throwing away $40 billion to farmers not to grow crops, maybe then we could insure that women who undergo the trauma of mastectomy are not thrown out of hospitals after 1 day. Instead of spending $35 billion in subsidies to the biggest Gas, Oil, Drilling and Mining Companies in America, how about subsidizing a prescription drug benefit for seniors? If we would stop retroactive corporate tax giveaways to provide the biggest corporations in America with a retroactive repeal, a rebate check, of corporate taxes dating back to 1986 so that ENRON would have received a payment from you for $125 million in rebated corporate taxes when it did not pay a penny in corporate taxes for the past 4 years. How about making sure those companies pay their fair share and maybe we could save the lives of our women from ovarian cancer. If we would close tax loopholes that permit rich corporations to run off to Bermuda to avoid paying US taxes, then maybe we could provide a prescription health benefit, reform the HMO system, broaden the scope of research and coverage on women gynecological cancers. Governing is about making choices, and Representative Rosa DeLaura and I are here today to make a choice. We are choosing the life of the women of America, and that's why we are introducing this important resolution. Our nation has found the resolve and the resources to tackle the most difficult problems on earth, to produce the most advanced technology, to produce the weapons we need to protect our national security. We must now find the resolve and the resources to protect our people, and especially our women, from the ravages of disease. Mr. Speaker, that is our obligation. It is my obligation. I am confident we can achieve our goals by working together.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time to me. Let me share our plan with the gentleman. I appreciate and respect his passion, but let me tell the Members what our plan is: It is the same plan that every American family and every small business has to abide by every day. That plan says we make sure that the budgets are balanced. That plan says we make sure that the numbers add up. That plan says we take care of retirement. That plans says we make sure if we get sick or if our parents or grandparents get sick, we can pay for their medications and prescription drugs. That is not a novel plan, that is the plan that every single working American family has to abide by, and it is the same plan we should abide by. I am one of those Democrats who have supported tax cuts. I was one of 28 Democrats to support the President's tax cut. I was one of nine Democrats to support the President's economic stimulus package because it provided tax cuts, because we could afford those plans. Now all we are asking is for some bipartisanship. I will support this bill. All we are asking is that we do the responsible thing and have the Congressional Budget Office certify to the American people that this is not going to break into their Social Security and their retirement savings. That is the responsible thing to do. That is the plan that every American family wants from us, and that is what we should do.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this critical issue in helping Congress recognize and helping the American people recognize one fundamental and indisputable fact: Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, and a strong Israel means a secure America. About a year ago I had an opportunity to meet with the King and Queen of Jordan, King Abdullah and Queen Rania, and with other Members of this body we sat at a table and asked the King when would there be peace in the Middle East. He talked about his hopes for peace in the Middle East. He said when my father used to meet with the President of Syria, they would talk about violence and rivalry and conflict. But when I meet with the new young president of Syria, we talk about how we are going to modernize our financial services industries and how we are going to get the Internet into every household in our country. He said as a new young generation of leaders take shape in the Middle East, there will be peace; and since then, thousands of Palestinians and Israelis have lost their lives. I have come to the sobering conclusion that King Abdullah is right, that peace is a generational issue, and that is a fundamental part of the problem. The gentleman has talked about this and taken the leadership on this issue. The fact of the matter is that all of the diplomatic accords, the peace treaties, the Camp Davids, the Wye Rivers, the Madrids, the Oslos, the grip and grins, all of the diplomatic treaties in the world are not going to be successful as long as a young generation of Palestinians in second grade classrooms are taught that there is no alternative to the destruction of Israel and the destruction of the United States. Think about it. What possesses 15 young Saudis to board American planes and destroy and murder thousands of New Yorkers, and take their own lives in the process? What possesses young children in the Middle East to strap explosives to their chests and blow up pizza parlors and bar mitzvahs and Passover seders, and elderly people and children and women? Mr. Speaker, what possesses them, they are being indoctrinated in their classrooms and not educated. Let me share some specific examples. They are taught hatred in the text ``Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problem Part 2,'' which on page 49 teaches Palestinian children that Zionism is ``a political, aggressive and colonialist movement, which calls for judaization of Palestine by the expulsion of its Arab inhabitants.'' They are taught in the book ``Our Country Palestine'' by a banner which appears on a title page of volume 1 reading, ``There is no alternative to destroying Israel.'' Mr. Speaker, they are taught in the text ``Our Arabic Language for 7th Grade Part A,'' in which one exercise for students reads as follows: ``Subject for your composition: How will we liberate our stolen land? Make use of the following ideas: Arab unity, genuine faith in Allah, most modern weapons.'' That is on page 15. In Syria, fourth grade textbooks label Zionism a colonial analogue of Nazism. A tenth grade textbook labels Jews ``a menace that should be exterminated.'' The fact of the matter is this: for as long as children are not taught science but are taught hatred, are not taught math but are taught destruction, are not taught technology but are taught how to strap bombs to their chests and blow up innocent civilians, for as long as they are not taught literacy and job creation and job expansion, and not given the tools to expand the middle class and bring prosperity into their own communities, for as long as those lessons of hatred are taught, there will not be peace in the Middle East. I am a strong supporter as a Democrat of this administration's policies in Afghanistan, and I am hopeful that the administration will also realize that our allies, our so-called allies in the Middle East have to be judged not by meetings with Arafat, not by treaties, not by cease fires, but what they achieve in second grade classrooms. That will be the measure of success, and that should be the obligation of our Arab allies in the Middle East.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, on February 27th, 2002, I was honored to be joined by a number of American patriots for a forum on my legislation, the Paul Revere Freedom To Warn Act. The courage of the whistleblowers who joined me that day was wonderful testimony to the power of the individual and to the responsibility we all have to monitor our national security. Brave men and women have taken great personal risks to protect all of us. Now we must do a better job protecting them. For years, whistleblowers have been forced to make personal sacrifices in order to do what is right. I would submit that, at the least, whistleblowers deserve to be free from retaliation for simply doing what is right. The is why I sponsored the Paul Revere Freedom to Warn Act. This legislation would merely give people a remedy. This legislation would merely say that any whistleblower who is retaliated against (in contravention of the Lloyd-LaFollette Act, which is current law), should have the right to seek redress for their harm. I would like to thank all those who attended the forum on February 27th as well as the event's sponsors, the Government Accountability Project, the Project on Government Oversight, and the National Whistleblower Center. In particular, I would like to thank former New York Police Detective Frank Serpico for detailing his personal account. Mr. Serpico, who courageously exposed police corruption in the 1970's, is a shining example of how one person's courage can change the system and make life better for millions of people. I was moved by the heroism of these individuals and unsettled by our failure to protect them in the past. This was no less true with Mr. Bogdan Dzakovic, whose efforts to warn the FAA about serious flaws in airport security, were virtually ignored. Matthew Zipoli, Randy Robarge, Ronald E. Timm, and Darlene Catalan, other patriots and whistleblowers, told their stories, and I thank them as well for reminding us that whistleblowers need our protection now more than ever. Mr. Speaker, I ask that articles dealing with the forum and whistleblower issues from the Christian Science Monitor, the Washington Post and the Bureau of National Affairs' Government Employee Relations Report appear in the Record at this time. [From the Christian Science Monitor, Feb. 28, 2002] Defending Whistleblowers The public is well served by the courageous few who put their careers at risk by going public about a dangerous or unethical situation in their area of work. The latest example of such noble whistleblowing is Enron's Sherron Watkins, who brought to light the accounting fiction of Enron's books. But she, like many whistleblowers, had difficulties getting the truth out. About 90 percent of whistleblowers experience some reprisal or threat of one. A public forum is being held on Capitol Hill this week to drum up more protection for public truthtellers whether they be in aviation, nuclear power plants, border security, or the military. Many parts of government rely on secrecy for their work but, as Tom Devine of the watchdog Government Accountability Project points out in these post-9/11 days: ``Secrecy can be a threat to national security. It can sustain government breakdowns that create vulnerability to terrorism.'' The 1989 Whistleblower Protection Act needs to have some loopholes closed, and a bipartisan effort within Congress to do just that is gaining momentum. Congress should seize the opportunity to make sure citizens who sound the alarm have the rights--and protections--they need in order to help safeguard the greater society.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks, columnists and pundits have taken to the airwaves to proclaim the Middle East crisis as complex and complicated. Analysts have discussed the difficulties our government has in balancing conflicting interests and equities that have polarized a historic conflict between two peoples. Mr. Speaker, I couldn't disagree more. Indeed, I view this controversy in basic terms. On September 11, a line was drawn in the sand. In the sands of the Middle East and in the rubble of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The line does not divide religious groups. It does not divide cultures. It does divide values. It divides extremists and fanatics from the civilized world. On one side are those who deliberately and carefully target innocent civilians for death--whether they were reading memos at their desks in the World Trade Center in Manhattan; or reading from the Hagaddah at a Passover table in Netanya, Israel. When terrorists crossed that line on September 11 and attacked our people, the full military might of the United States government was dispatched to retaliate against those attacks and prevent future attacks. We routed out terrorists in caves and tunnels. Similarly, when terrorists crossed that line on seven different days in seven different places in Israel, the same standard applied. There simply is no moral difference. Targeting innocent men, women, children and elderly for a savage attack is terrorism pure and simple. It doesn't matter where it occurs, when it occurs, or under what circumstances it occurs. It has no ethical defense. It has no other definition. In the interests of our own place in the world, in the interests of our own security, in the interest of our own defense, we must combat and work with others to combat terrorism without equivocation. On one side of the line are those who teach their children to hate. Who feed their children a steady diet of intolerance. Who use classrooms to poison minds, to reject compromise, to fuel extremism. Only on that side of the line do mothers celebrate the suicides of their children. Only on that side of the line did men and women cheer in jubilation when the World Trade Center towers collapsed. On that side of the line, Mr. Speaker, are governments who embrace tyranny. On our side, are governments that cherish democracy. On one side are those who invest power in bombings, on our side are governments who invest power in voting. On one side are those who leave their people behind in squalor and despair; on our side of the lines are governments, comprised of all religions, who promote literacy, job expansion, economic development, education, technology, and an ability for their citizens to compete in a global economy. On one side of the line are those who violently reject religious freedom, diversity, pluralism, a respect for different opinions, or room for different faiths. On the other side are those who believe that a diversity of ideas and beliefs makes us a better civilization. Indeed, America's great gift to the world was the revolutionary notion that freedom and liberty prohibits religious tests. Earlier today, I gathered in the Capitol Rotunda with members of the President's Cabinet and our colleagues in the House and Senate, to commemorate and remember those who perished in the Holocaust. During the ceremony, Elie Wiesel said: ``Those who kill in the name of their god make God a killer.'' He is right. Mr. Speaker, it is time to return to basics. Through thick and through thin, we only have one truly democratic ally in the Middle East. Only one nation there shares our fundamental values of elections, education, economic opportunity, women's rights, and religious freedom. At a critical time, our role should be to stand firmly with our ally while encouraging Arab and Palestinian leaders to resume negotiations rather than bombings to reach the ultimate goal of stability, autonomy, peace, and a place on the civilized side of the line that was drawn in the sand on September 11.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to speak against this rule. I and my moderate Blue Dog colleagues sought to present a reasonable, bipartisan alternative that would have adopted the majority's budget, but would have required us in Congress to do what every American with a bank book is required to do, and that is to keep it balanced. This rule does not allow for discussion of a bipartisan alternative. It does not allow for discussion about prescription drugs for seniors. It does not allow for discussion about squandering our surplus, or allow for a full debate on avoiding a raid on the Social Security and Medicare trust funds every year for the next 10 years. Mr. Speaker, I have repeatedly voted with my Republican friends and with the President when I felt that they were reaching across party lines to develop bipartisan consensus on real problems. I had hoped that we would be able to do that with this budget and this rule, but this rule does not provide for that. It is unfair. It is undemocratic. It is the majority's way or no way; and on that basis we should defeat this rule and come back and develop true bipartisan consensus on a balanced budget, a strong defense and meets the needs of working families.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my sincere congratulations to the Suffolk County Girl Scouts in celebration of their 90th Anniversary. Over 35,000 girls participate in Girl Scouts in Suffolk County and it is the largest Girls Scout Council in New York State. In addition, the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County are the ``largest youth serving agency'' on Long Island. The Girl Scouts are dedicated to helping girls reach their fullest potential. And one of the keys they do that is by having girls help other girls. Through peer leadership, mentoring and support, the Girl Scouts help our girls make the transition from child to adult. The Girl Scouts of Suffolk County have designed a special patch that was unveiled yesterday, the six-month anniversary of September 11th, in memory of the horrific tragedy and Attack on America. The patch will be distributed across the nation; to earn it, each girl must participate in four activities that commemorate September 11th. The Suffolk County Girl Scouts have pledged to perform 90,000 hours of community service benefiting Long Island this year. Their dedication to the community is to be commended. I wish great success to the Girls Scouts as they embark on this great endeavor to make Suffolk County a better place.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for giving me the honor of being the only member of the New York congressional delegation to have joined the congressional Blue Dogs. I am proud of the work we do and the agenda we advance for fiscal responsibility and budget responsibility. Mr. Speaker, like any household and business in America, when the government's revenues do not match its expenses, it faces some choices. It can cut spending, it can increase revenues, it can borrow. The administration is telling the American people we do not have enough money to meet our expenses. We need to spend $1 billion a month in Afghanistan. That is $1 billion a month we must spend. The administration is making the argument, an argument I agree with, that we need to spend more on our national security. The administration is making an argument that I agree with that we need to spend more on our homeland security; and the administration says in order to pay for these critical necessities, we cannot raid Social Security, we cannot increase taxes, so we have to lift the debt ceiling in order to meet those needs. But there is another way, and it is a much fairer way. Rather than finding revenues by borrowing money from our children, let me suggest exactly where the administration can find those revenues to meet those expenses right now at this very moment: in Bermuda, in the Island of Bermuda, where the New York Times reports that many American corporations, big businesses, are paying nominal fees to register their corporations all to avoid paying their fair share of corporate taxes here in the United States, to avoid paying their fair share of the war against terrorism, to avoid paying their fair share for senior citizens who are being kicked out of their Medicare HMOs. They are putting profit ahead of patriotism. Let me share a quote from the New York Times articles about these big businesses that are fleeing for Bermuda in order to escape their fair share of corporate taxes. The New York Times said: ``Becoming a company in Bermuda is a paper transaction, as easy as securing a mail drop there and paying some fees while keeping the working headquarters back in the United States. Bermuda is charging Ingersoll-Rand just $27,653 a year for a move that allows the company to avoid at least $40 million annually in American corporate taxes.'' No wonder we are being asked to increase the debt ceiling. There are plenty of other companies as well. The New York Times went on to say: ``There is no official estimate of how much the Bermuda moves are costing the government in tax revenues. The Bush administration is not trying to come up with one.'' Now, according to the Wall Street Journal of March 1, finally the Treasury Department has agreed to do a study. But we should not have had to bring them in kicking and screaming all the way. This is common sense. They want us to raise the debt ceiling, to borrow from our children; but they were hesitant to find out how much this corporate greed was costing the American taxpayer today. Mr. Speaker, I voted to deliver tax relief to the families I represent. I voted to repeal the marriage penalty. I voted to repeal the death tax. I voted to reduce marginal rates across the board for working families. I was one of only a handful of Democrats in this Chamber to support the administration's economic stimulus measures, because working families and small businesses deserve that relief. But this spring, over the next few weeks, those same working families and those same small businesses will sit around their dining room tables or meet with their local accountants and struggle over their income taxes, and struggle over paying their fair share to support our military and to save Social Security and to help senior citizens who have been kicked out of the Medicare HMOs. And the people that I represent, in Babylon and Huntington and Islip and Smithtown, they do not have the option of registering themselves in Bermuda in order to avoid their fair share of income taxes. That is not a choice for them. They are simply told, pay up, do your duty, support our troops. Meanwhile, the biggest businesses in America are shifting the tax burden to them; and even worse, Mr. Speaker, the biggest businesses in America, the irresponsible ones who flee for that tax shelter in Bermuda, are shifting the burden to our children. Well, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the Treasury Department has changed its mind; and despite its earlier reticence, it is going to study the loss of revenues as a result of this Bermuda tax shelter. But a study on a shelf cannot replace real action by this body. We need to stop companies who wrap themselves in the American flag to sell their products and then strangle our budgets by registering themselves abroad, who escape their fair share. As the ranking member of the Committee on Ways and Means said, ``Supporting America is more than about waiving the flag and saluting. It is about sharing the sacrifice.'' That is true of soldiers, citizens; and it should be true of big companies too. Raise the debt ceiling? How about making sure that every big company in America does what every working family in America does, pay their fair share. Maybe then we will not have to mortgage the future of our children. All we ask is fair play, all we ask is a fair share, and all we ask is a shared sacrifice at a time of war.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, currently, around three-quarters of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed in advanced stages of the disease, when they have only about a 20 percent chance to surviving five years. However, if the disease is caught early, the five-year survival is around 95 percent. So providing a way to routinely identify the disease in its ``Stage 1'' phase could have a dramatic impact in what is now a very deadly cancer. Scientist from the Food and Drug Administration and the National Cancer Institute reported in [Petricoin EF, Ardekani AM, Hitt BA, Levine PJ, Fusaro VA, Steinberg SM, Mills GB, Simone C, Fishman DA, Kohn EC, Liotta LA. use of proteomic patterns in serum to identify ovarian cancer. The Lancet 2002:261. Feb. 8, 2002.] that patterns of protein found in patients' blood serum may reflect the presence of the disease. In the study, scientists used serum proteins to detect ovarian cancer, seven at early stages. using test that can be completed in 30 minutes using blood that can be obtained from a finger stick, researchers were able to differentiate between serum samples taken from patients with ovarian cancer and those from unaffected individuals. However, despite the success of this preliminary research, it is only the first step in the testing process. It is incumbent that we find out as soon as possible whether protein screening is an effective preventive health-screening tool for this devastating disease. Therefore I am introducing legislation which will instruct the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human to immediately conduct or support research on the effectiveness of the medical screening technique of using proteomic patterns in blood serum to identify ovarian cancer, including the effectiveness of so using proteomic patterns in combination with other screening methods for ovarian cancer. If the testing finds the test effective, this legislation would require that Medicare cover the cost of this preventive health- screening tool. Medicare will treat proteomic screening at the same reimbursement rate and under the same rules and restrictions as a Pap smear test. Therefore, Medicare will cover this test fro all women starting at the age of 50 once every two years and will reimburse health are providers at exactly the same rate as pap smears. Mr. Speaker, those of us who have been elected to Congress have been entrusted with enormous responsibility and enormous power. We must use our power wisely, for the common good. There is no issue of more importance to the people of the United States than health care, and no more poignant issue than the health off our women. Ovarian cancer is a heartbreaking disease that strikes surreptitiously and long before any symptoms are manifest. Waiting for symptoms means our mothers and sisters and daughters are extremely vulnerable to unacceptably high fatality rates. By detecting the disease in Stage 1, we will save thousands of lives. In the development of national priorities, can there be anything more important than saving lives? I think not. Let us proceed with the research, and if successful, let us implement effective early screening for ovarian cancer. Mr. Speaker, this is medical breakthrough. Now let us breakthrough government and bureaucracy and start saving lives.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, on the evening of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere bravely went out into the Massachusetts night to warn his fellow patriots of a threat they faced. The tyranny of the time dictated that if caught, Paul Revere would be hanged; he rode that night knowing that if caught, he would die. Today we have other Americans who take risks that are just as real to preserve our liberty. These brave men and women risk their jobs, their livelihoods, to ensure our safety. They are fighting for us. And so the least we can do is fight for them. I didn't come here to Washington to fight for the special interests. I came here to make sure the little guy was protected. In today's climate, we face new threats, threats of life and death. And despite these threats, there are still powerful interests that try to hide their mistakes and negligence rather than protect the public. When there are powerful interests trying to hide what they are doing, we have found that there is always a brave soul willing to step up and take the heat. We have seen that with the FAA and airline security. We have seen some of that with Enron. And yes, we saw that with the brave whistleblowers I met with this morning. They each stood up and fought for what was right and just. And all of them faced real heat and the intimidation that too often comes along with doing the right thing. All too often that heat isn't fair, and in fact, isn't even legal. The law is clear: according to the Lloyd-LaFollette Act, employers can't interfere with whistleblowers. Unfortunately, while the law is clear, it doesn't have any penalties if the act is violated. It has no teeth; it is like Paul Revere without a voice. The Paul Revere Freedom to Warn Act, which I will be introducing later today, protects employees who blow the whistle by allowing them to bring a civil action in federal courts with jury trials. These people have three years to bring these actions for lost wages and benefits, reinstatement, costs and attorney fees, compensatory or punitive damages, and any other relief that the courts believe are appropriate. This is just common sense; if something is against the law, then there has to be a price to pay if you violate the law. Mr. Speaker, it is time for us all to stand up for the whistleblowers. They are the true patriots, and I want to thank them, salute them, and help them by introducing and passing the Paul Revere Freedom to Warn Act. I would like to thank the Government Accountability Project (GAP). In particular I want to thank Tom Devine and Doug Hartnett, for constantly keeping the issue of whistleblower protection before Congress. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance, and even though they only represent whistleblowers, they too serve as modern Paul Reveres through their work. The Government Accountability Project has been a very effective partner in laying the groundwork for this necessary legislation.