Steve Israel

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Chairman, I rise against this substitute. I am one of those Members who has been working on a bipartisan basis to strengthen Medicare and provide affordable prescription drugs to seniors. I know that this fall as sure as the leaves turn, I will turn on my television and there is going to be some phony ad, backed by soft money, by some innocent-sounding group masking a special interest, drowning out the real voices of real people and real seniors. It is enough. I have heard the debate on both sides of the aisle on who Shays- Meehan really helps and who it hurts. There are some Democrats who say that Shays-Meehan will really help the Republicans, and there are some Republicans who say that Shays-Meehan will really help the Democrats. Mr. Chairman, how about helping the American people? How about putting them ahead of politics for once in this House? That is what we should be doing. The only way to truly do that is to pass Shays-Meehan and not substitutes designed to defeat it.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Lucas) for yielding, and I want to thank him also for his leadership of the Blue Dog and his leadership on behalf of campaign finance reform. Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman just alluded to, I am a proud new member of the Blue Dog. I am the only Blue Dog with this New York accent, but certainly no less committed to the vital principles that the Blue Dogs have been fighting for in this House, and that is fiscal responsibility and a strong defense and campaign finance reform. Mr. Speaker, last summer I stood on the steps of the New York City birthplace of one of the greatest Presidents that our Nation has ever had. He happened to be a Republican. He happened to be from Long Island. He was Theodore Roosevelt, and his greatest distinction was being a crusader for our environment and a crusader for reform. I stood on those steps, Mr. Speaker, with our colleagues from the other body, Senator McCain and Senator Feingold, and with the sponsors of campaign reform in this House, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan), and we chose the birthplace of Theodore Roosevelt because he understood the corrupting influence of special interests on our system of government. Even in the dawn of the 20th century before Enron, before the S&L scandal, before Watergate, Theodore Roosevelt was somebody who understood the corrosive influence of groups who can spend any amount of money they want and say whatever they want, however they want, wherever they want in these unregulated soft money ads. Theodore Roosevelt said one of the fundamental necessities in a representative government such as ours is to make certain that the men to whom the people delegate their power shall serve the people by whom they are elected and not the special interests. We stood on the steps of his birthplace in defense of that principle, and the best way to deliver on that principle is to pass Shays-Meehan in this House this week. I cosponsored Shays-Meehan. I signed the discharge petition that is compelling a vote on Shays-Meehan, and we are at a crossroads, and, Mr. Speaker, if anyone needs any evidence of the need for campaign finance reform, let me share with them a conversation I had yesterday in my district in Deer Park with some of the senior citizens I represent. We were talking about the critical need for a prescription drug benefit for America's seniors, for Long Island seniors. One hundred thousand Long Island seniors have been kicked out of their Medicare HMOs. A million American seniors have lost their prescription drug benefit. And we were talking about that problem, and I was hearing stories from senior citizens who said, I either cut my food bill in half, or I cut my prescription tablets in half because I cannot afford both, and one of the points I made is I have introduced with my colleagues on a bipartisan basis several different resolutions that would provide for Medicare HMO stability, that would answer the crying need of our senior citizens. Some of the people said, well, why cannot we get these things passed; we appreciate your work, but why is not the House of Representatives passing these bills? One woman said to me, her name is Shirley Beja, lives in West Islip, she said, you know, why we do not have campaign finance reform; when we pass campaign finance reform, those other things will become possible. When we stop the special interests, when people have as much of a voice in this House as the special interests do by flooding our airwaves with unregulated soft money, negative attack ads, that is when people will be put first. When people, regular people, working people have as much influence in this House as the special interests who flood campaign treasuries with unregulated soft money special interests contributions, that is when we will put people first. Maybe that is when we will get a prescription drug benefit. Mr. Speaker, I want to close by observing some of the debate that I have heard on both sides of the aisle about who Shays-Meehan really helps and who it really hurts. There are some Democrats who believe that Shays-Meehan will help the Republicans, and there are some Republicans who argue adamantly that Shays-Meehan will help the Democrats. Well, Mr. Speaker, how about helping the American people? How about helping America's senior citizens? How about leveling the playing field here on Capitol Hill? I thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Lucas) again for his leadership.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, today I am joined in the gallery by Mr. Charlie Clyne of Lindenhurst, who lost his wife in the World Trade Center on September 11. Mr. Clyne and I have just met with special master Ken Feinberg to work towards a victim's compensation fund that is fair and just, and I just wanted to share with my colleagues Mr. Clyne's comments and recollections and remembrances about his wife Susan. She loved her job at Marsh and loved her view from her 96th floor office. She loved computers; and since computer law was not very popular at the time, she chose to stay in insurance where she carved her niche, first as a programmer and then rose through the ranks. But her greatest love was her children, and she shared that love with her kids. She juggled work, family and studying. Her children were her treasures. She adored them, and they worshipped her. Her office was filled with pictures. She developed a family Web site with pictures, slide shows, and, most recently, streaming video. As Mr. Clyne wrote in a note to me, ``They were truly her angels. Sue got up every morning at 4:45 and was on the 6 a.m. train to the city. We never saw her that morning. We never even had a chance to say good- bye. In an instant, some radical religious moron decided it was her time.'' Mr. Speaker, I know that this entire House expresses our condolences and best wishes to Mr. Charlie Clyne and all of the families of victims of that horrible day.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my constituent's great service to the United States of America. I ask for the text of this letter to be put in the Record. Thomas B. Arciero joined the Suffolk County Police Department on January 21, 1963. Upon his graduation from the Police Academy, he was assigned to the First Precinct as Patrolman #653. In January of 1967, Patrolman Arciero became Detective #322 and was assigned to the First Squad. In October of 1967, he returned to patrol, and shortly thereafter, was promoted to Sergeant #418 on January 5th, 1970 remaining in the First Precinct. He was a Sergeant in the First Precinct for seven years before being promoted to Lieutenant where he remained in the First Precinct. In 1987, Lieutenant Arciero was transferred to the Marine Bureau. He was promoted to Captain on January 23d , 1989 and was transferred to Special Patrol Bureau as Executive Officer. After seven years, Thomas Arciero was promoted to Deputy Inspector becoming the Commanding Office of the Special Patrol Bureau. He remained there until his promotion to Inspector on February 23, of 2001 at which time he was transferred to the Chief of Patrol's Office in Headquarters, the position he currently holds. As can be seen, Lieutenant Arciero is a man worth many praises and we will be sad to see him retire on February 19th 2002. Thank you for all of your hard work, Thomas. I ask all of my colleagues to join in the acknowledgement of Thomas and his generous service to the state of New York and the United States of America.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I received this compassionate letter earlier this month from a constituent of mine. The letter once again gives us a sense of how many amazing people we lost in the attack on the United States of America on September 11, 2001, such as Susan Clyne. Susan was a hard working and loving individual who always fought to achieve the goals she set for herself. I ask all of my colleagues to recognize Susan and her husband, Charlie Clyne, who wrote the letter. We will never forget the innocent victims of September 11. I ask that Mr. Clyne's letter be made part of the Record. Sue loved her job at Marsh and loved the view from her 96th floor office. She had just recently been promoted to SVP and she deserved it. She went to school nights after high school to get her degrees. After graduating in three years she set her sights on law school all the while working a full time job. She graduated law school and passed the N.Y.S. bar on the first try. She never stepped foot into a courtroom. She loved computers and since computer law wasn't very popular at the time, she choose to stay in insurance where she carved her niche first as a programmer (self-taught) then up the ladder to manager, AVP, VP, and SVP. She continued going to night school through the 90's for her MBA. She was upset that she could not graduate before the birth of our twins in 1990. However, as soon as she felt up to the task she completed her MBA just before the birth of our second son in 1991. Did I mention that she loved computers? She also shared her love with our kids. She would mesmerize them with cd roms of Mickey starting with shapes and colors then on to pre ``K'' cd's, math blaster reader rabbit etc. They could work a mouse by the time they were two and were programming by the time they were six. Her education didn't stop with three children. She continued on for various certifications all pertaining to computers until the birth of our last child in 1997. Another change took place in 1997. Her company continued to expand and decided to lease space at the World Trade Center. She was thrilled to move. She let education take a back seat for a while by taken home study courses for her CPCU. She juggled work, family and studying. Her children were her treasures. She adored them and they worshipped her. Her office was filled with their pictures. She developed a family web site with pictures, slide shows and most recently streaming video. (www.clyne.com) They were truly her angels. Sue got up every morning at 4:45 and was on the 6:00 train to the city. We never saw her that morning. We never even had a chance to say good-bye. In an instant, some radical religious moron decided it was her time.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students: Deborah Visco. In February, the young women of her troop will honor her by bestowing upon her the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girls Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who posses the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipient of this award, as her activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Deborah, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young woman on her day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students: Laura Manzi. In February, the young women of her troop will honor her by bestowing upon her the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girls Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who posses the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipient of this award, as her activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Laura, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young woman on her day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students: Stephanie Robedee. In February, the young women of her troop will honor her by bestowing upon her the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girl Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who posses the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipient of this award, as her activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Stephanie, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young woman on her day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students: Danielle Russo. In February, the young women of her troop will honor her by bestowing upon her the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girl Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who possess the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipient of this award, as her activities are indeed worthy of praise. Her leadership benefits our community and she serves as a role model for her peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Danielle, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young woman on her day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students: Rachel Sink. In February, the young women of her troop will honor her by bestowing upon her the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girls Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who posses the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipient of this award, as her activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Rachel, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young woman on her day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students: Alyssa Wescott. In February, the young women of her troop will honor her by bestowing upon her the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girls Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who posses the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipient of this award, as her activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Alyssa, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young woman on her day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students: Kristen Veeck. In February, the young women of her troop will honor her by bestowing upon her the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girl Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who posses the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipient of this award, as her activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Kristen, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young woman on her day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students: Christine Williams. In February, the young women of her troop will honor her by bestowing upon her the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girl Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who posses the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipient of this award, as her activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Christine, and bring the attention of Congress to these successful young women on their day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young men, Gary Gretarsson. The Boy Scouts of his troop honored him as they recognized his achievements by giving him the Eagle Scout honor on Friday, December 7, 2001. Since the beginning of this century, the Boy Scouts of America have provided thousands of boys and young men each year with the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. This award is presented only to those who possess the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. Becoming an Eagle Scout is an extraordinary award with which only the finest Boy Scouts are honored. To earn the award--the highest advancement rank in Scouting--a Boy Scout must demonstrate proficiency in the rigorous areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipients of these awards, as their activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Mr. Gretarsson, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young man on his day of recognition. Congratulations to Gary and his family.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students, Peter Reilly. This young man has received the Eagle Scout honor from his peers in recognition of his achievements. Since the beginning of this century, the Boy Scouts of America have provided thousands of boys and young men each year with the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. The Eagle Scout award is presented only to those who posses the qualities that make our Nation great commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. Becoming an Eagle Scout is an extraordinary award with which only the finest Boy Scouts are honored. To earn the award--the highest advancement rank in Scouting--a Boy Scout must demonstrate proficiency in the rigorous areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills; they must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges as well as contribute at least 100 man-hours toward a community oriented service project. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipients of these awards, as their activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Peter and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young man on his day of recognition, Friday, November 2, 2001. Congratulations to Peter and his family.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students, Harry R. Burger. This young man has received the Eagle Scout honor from his peers in recognition of his achievements. Since the beginning of this century, the Boy Scouts of America have provided thousands of boys and young men each year with the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while leaming self-reliance and teamwork. The Eagle Scout award is presented only to those who possess the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. Becoming an Eagle Scout is an extraordinary award with which only the finest Boy Scouts are honored. To earn the award--the highest advancement rank in Scouting--a Boy Scout must demonstrate proficiency in the rigorous areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills; he must earn a minimum of 23 merit badges as well as contribute at least 100 man-hours toward a community oriented service project. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipients of these awards, as their activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of Scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Steven and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young man on his day of recognition, Wednesday, January 9th, 2001. Congratulations to Harry and his family.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize one of New York's outstanding young students: Allison Zaffulto. In February, the young women of her troop will honor her by bestowing upon her the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girl Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who possess the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipient of this award, as her activities are indeed worthy of praise. Her leadership benefits our community and she serves as a role model for her peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Allison, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young woman on her day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Anti-Terrorism Charity Protection Act, a bill that will not only ensure that organizations supporting terrorism are denied the benefits of an American tax deduction, but will protect innocent citizens from donating well-intentioned contributions to organizations that misappropriate funds to support terrorism. Mr. Speaker, since September 11th, we have learned a great deal about Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorist network. Bin Laden apparently is rich, with a personal fortune of over $300 million. In addition, a complex global financial network exists to supplement his personal fortune. Alarmingly, evidence suggests that organizations in the United States and abroad have cloaked themselves as charitable groups to help funnel funds to al Qaeda. The President has already frozen the assets of the Wafa Humanitarian Organization, the Al Rashid Trust, the Makhtab al-Khidamat and the Society of Islamic Cooperation. These were groups that were supposedly charitable organizations, but were mere conduits for raising money for the treacherous acts of September 11 and other acts of terrorism around the world. On December 3rd, the Administration froze the assets of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, a foundation based in Richardstown, Texas. According to a December 5th article in The New York Times: Mr. Bush and Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill said today that they believe many Muslims who contributed to the Holy Land Foundation did not know where their money was going. ``Innocent donors who thought they were helping someone in need deserve protection from these scam artists,'' Mr. O'Neill said at the White House. The Treasury also announced action against the Al Aqsa Bank and the Belt al Mal Holdings Company, a bank that it described as ``direct arms of Hamas.'' I ask that the full text of the article follow my remarks. It seems clear that the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development is an organization that serves as the fundraising arm of Hamas, which is responsible for hundreds, if not thousands, of terrorist deaths in Israel over the years, with a recent surge of murder of innocent young people in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. I do not believe that the American people, especially American Muslims, are intentionally giving money to support terror. In fact, I am sure that the vast majority of contributors to this organization believed that their money was going to support the legitimate humanitarian concerns that Americans have about the situation in the Middle East. The facts, however, indicate that these contributions were being used to finance bombs targeted at innocent civilians. Mr. Speaker, Americans trust the IRS to determine what is and what is not a charity. If there is an organization that is designated by the IRS to allow contributions to be tax deductible, almost all of our citizens would automatically assume that the group was legitimate. The IRS does an excellent job applying its regulations very stringently. Unfortunately, according to the IRS, the Holy Land Foundation did receive these benefits. Currently, the IRS by internal regulation denies charities affiliated with terrorism a tax deduction. This is all well and good, but the fact is that this could be challenged in court. I believe that the IRS needs a stronger tool. I believe that this restriction must be in the law. Finally, Mr. Speaker, during consideration of the Financial Anti- Terrorism Act, I introduced an amendment on this issue that Chairman Oxley, Mr. LaFalce, and the Committee on Financial Services were gracious enough to accept, though it did not make it through conference. The amendment asked that Treasury study how terrorist organizations may use charities to fund their operations. I am gratified to see that the Department of the Treasury and Secretary O'Neill seem to be focusing on this issue and would encourage them to continue doing so. Mr. Speaker, if we are going to win the War on Terrorism, we must fight the war on every front. The financial front is one important battleground and we must do everything we can to ensure that our soldiers--not only in Afghanistan behind rifles but here in America in front of computer screens--have the weapons they need to defend America. [From the New York Times, Dec. 10, 2001] Bush Freezes Assets of Biggest U.S. Muslim Charity, Calling It a Deadly Terror Group (By David E. Sanger and Judith Miller) Washington, Dec. 4--President Bush significantly broadened his counterattack on terrorist groups today, freezing the assets of the largest Muslim charity in the United States. Mr. Bush accused the charity of supporting Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that took responsibility for three suicide bombings in Israel over the weekend. Mr. Bush's announcement was a strong demonstration of solidarity with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel, who has urged that Hamas be treated with the same severity as Al Qaeda's terrorist network. White House officials said they had planned to move against the charity and two banks that helped finance Hamas later this month, but sped up the action after the bombings, which killed 25 people and wounded almost 200, many of them teenagers. Treasury officials said the charity, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, based in Richardson, Tex., had been under investigation since 1993. In a statement the charity denied allegations that it provides financial support to terrorists. It said ``the decision by the U.S. government to seize the charitable donations of Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan is an affront to millions of Muslim Americans.'' A senior official said the administration had delayed acting for fear of harming the F.B.I. investigation of the charity. Search warrants were executed today when federal officials seized documents at the charity headquarters and other offices. International political considerations were also in play, other administration officials said. The White House debated whether moving against Arab extremist groups could weaken the coalition Mr. Bush has assembled in the war on Afghanistan. ``The bombings changed the politics of this considerably,'' a senior administration official said. Speaking in the Rose Garden this morning, Mr. Bush appeared to side with Mr. Sharon in his characterization of Hamas. ``Hamas is one of the deadliest terror organizations in the world today,'' he said, adding that it ``has obtained much of the money it pays for murder abroad right here in the United States.'' The statement was something of a turnaround for the administration. Its first list of terrorist groups subject to American action, released days after the Sept. 11 attacks, made no reference to Hamas. A second list released in October called Hamas and some 20 other militant groups terrorist organizations, but said few had assets in the United States. It is difficult to assess how effective the administration's new campaign will be in slowing Hamas. Officials said the group relied on American charities that solicit funds in many mosques around the country for tens of millions of dollars each year. Hamas has long said that the money goes to social causes, easing the suffering of Palestinians. The Treasury and F.B.I. say they have evidence the money is siphoned to the organization's terrorist arm. The State Department says that Hamas also receives some funding from Iran, but even more from wealthy patrons in Saudi Arabia and Palestinian expatriates in the gulf. The success of the Bush administration's crackdown will depend largely on its ability to persuade those countries to follow suit. Mr. Bush and Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill said today that they believe many Muslims who contributed to the Holy Land Foundation did not know where their money was going. ``Innocent donors who thought they were helping someone in need deserve protection from these scam artists,'' Mr. O'Neill said at the White House. The Treasury also announced action against the Al Aqsa Bank and the Beit al Mal Holdings Company, a bank that it described as ``direct arms of Hamas.'' So far, a half dozen banks in the United States have frozen $1.9 million of the Holy Land Foundation's assets, Treasury officials said today. In Richardson, F.B.I. agents and local police officers stood guard outside the Holy Land Foundation offices as movers removed items such as file cabinets, office furniture and computers in accordance with President Bush's order. Movers using a tractor-trailer arrived with the seizure notice at about 8 a.m. and worked into the night. Steven Emerson, an expert in Islamic terror networks, said that the United States knew as early as 1993 that Hamas leaders were ``meeting in America and using Holy Land Foundation as a conduit to raise money for terrorism, recruit support, and undermine the U.S.-sponsored peace process.''

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, at Raymond Downey's memorial service, his daughter Kathy recited a poem I would like to share. It is entitled Our Angel. ``On that dreadful day we huddled in prayer, hearts joined in sorrow, pain difficult to bear. Our angels climbed up, as they helped others down. The Towers may have fallen, but our bravest never touched the ground. They kept soaring up to that heavenly cloud, shining strength down on us, we are grateful and proud. So please say a prayer as a tribute to those whose love never faltered and eternally grows.'' Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today not simply to honor a constituent but, rather, to honor a national treasure, Raymond Downey. Heroes are known not only for their deeds but also for their rarity. New York lost many heroes on September 11, Ray Downey epitomized their courage. At 63, he had been a New York firefighter for nearly 40 years. He led the Special Operations Command, and was probably the world's leading expert on rescues of collapsed buildings. When the World Trade Center was first attacked in 1993, Ray Downey led rescue operations at the World Trade Center. When the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma was bombed, Chief Downey was the natural choice to oversee the search and rescue efforts. On September 11, when planes crashed into the Twin Towers, of course Chief Downey would be there, sacrificing his own life so that thousands of others might live; giving his life doing the job he performed so nobly. Ray Downey gave his life side-by-side hundreds of New York rescue workers, thousands of New Yorkers. Almost everyone in my district knows someone who did not make it out of the World Trade Center that day. We are all prone to a sense of why some and not others. It is a question different people with different faiths will answer in different ways, but in the case of Chief Downey, we know why: It was because while everyone was running away from danger, Ray Downey and his comrades were rushing towards danger. He had been going in that direction for 39 years as firefighter. While everyone was running down the stairs of the Towers, Ray Downey was going into those buildings, going up the stairs, an act of heroism that allowed thousands of innocent men and women to return home to their families that night. He was an inspiration to all who saw him that morning. He will be an inspiration to all who will know him throughout history. In the words of Reverend Billy Graham, ``courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.'' On September 11, Ray Downey took a noble stand. There were over 300 firefighters who lost their lives running up the stairs, running into the very face of danger on September 11. I have been to countless memorial services for the almost 100 people in my district who have been lost. This weekend, I went to Ray Downey's. The turnout was immense, huge, commensurate to his standing in his community and his country. He was a rock of strength and courage to his fellow firefighters, to the people of New York, and his community of Deer Park. We have come to know a lot of heroes in New York since September. Even among heroes, Ray Downey was something special, something truly extraordinary. His colleagues knew that. They called him God. He was not God. He was not immortal. And the risks he took running into a dangerous building were just as great as they were for anyone else. To give his life to save others, that is what made him a hero. When Ray Downey and his 300 men raced up the staircases of the World Trade Center, they surely knew what the likely outcome would be. Yet they chose others' lives over their own. They chose professionalism over self-interest. They looked directly into the face of death and made us all brave. They were frightened in those last moments, of course, but they kept moving up to death, guiding people down to life. In the words of the poet, ``courage is not the absence of fear, it is the conquest of it.'' Ray Downey. We will not see his likes again in our lifetime, and that is why the naming of the Deer Park Post Office as the Raymond Downey Post Office is so appropriate a tribute. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Gang interdiction Team in the Suffolk County Police Department's Third Precinct. This team has been incredibly successful and is making a real difference in the lives of the people of New York's Second District. The Gang Interdiction Team was founded following a homicide that also involved the wounding of an innocent young child. From October 29 to December 15, 2001, the team worked rotating shifts throughout the precinct from 8 in the morning until midnight. The Gang Interdiction Team made 154 arrests and had 290 significant contacts in that short time. The level of gang activity decreased significantly in the almost two months the team was in operation. Mr. Speaker, throughout the 1990's police departments across New York State once again learned how effective strong police deployments can be in reducing crime. In dealing with gangs, this is even more important, for if we can keep gang activity down, we may be able to keep young people out of the sort of major trouble that gang-life ultimately brings. I would like to note in particular that I will be working closely with Tom Spota, Suffolk County's new District Attorney and the Suffolk County Police Department in efforts to continue this program to keep the 2nd Congressional District safe for our families.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, today I will vote for The No Child Left Behind Act, H.R. 1. While I support this legislation it is not without some reservations, particularly the inadequate federal support that the bill provides for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Overall, this bi-partisan legislation strengthens our commitment to closing the achievement gap between rich/poor, minority/ non-minority students, improves targeting of funds to low-performing students, improves teacher quality, preserves the After-School program and key civil rights safeguards, and expands local flexibility in the use of certain federal education funds. And this bill contains the high levels of authorizations needed to assure that adequate resources will be provided to carry out the mandates of this new law. I do, however, find the level of funding for special education to be cause for grave concern. Twenty-one years ago the federal government said it would spend 40 percent of the cost of educating children with disabilities. Yet today the government provides only 15 percent of that cost. Children with special needs often require additional resources that put a great burden upon states and local school systems. That is why I asked the Conferees to provide the 40 percent funding that the federal government promised so long ago. I am very disappointed that they decided to wait until next year to address this issue. In the meantime, states, local school systems and families of these children will continue to suffer. Mr. Speaker, this is not a flawless bill, but it is a very good start. Despite my concerns about funding for special education programs I am going to vote in favor of the legislation. Our children's education is far too important to let the Perfect be the enemy of the Good.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize three of New York's outstanding young students: Amanda Jenkins, Sarah Goshman and Melissa Nunnenkamp. In January, the young women of their troop will honor them by bestowing upon them the Girl Scouts Gold Medal. Since the beginning of this century, the Girl Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills while learning self-reliance and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who possess the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love of community service. The Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipients of these awards, as their activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, scout leaders, and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of scouting. It is with great pride that I recognize the achievements of Amanda, Sarah and Melissa and bring the attention of Congress to these successful young women on their day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, New York's economy is in deep trouble. We lead dozens of States in economic decline. Jobs are being lost. Small businesses are going under. Municipal governments are going back into debt. Fire and police budgets are strained. How do we stimulate an economy that was sputtering before and staggered after the September 11 attacks? Some believe the answer to recession in handing $25 billion in retroactive Federal corporate tax benefits to 13 Fortune 500 companies. Of course, there is no guarantee that largesse will work its way from corporate headquarters to working families on Long Island. Others believe that the answer to recession is spending old fashioned Keynesian economics. But some spending proposals clearly overreach, and there is no guarantee that the spending will be targeted specifically to jumpstart the economy now, when we most need it. The best way to stimulate the economy is to give immediate, tangible tax relief to American consumers: suspend sales taxes, and use federal resources to reimburse state and local governments. To insure that this tax reduction strategy does not lead to huge new deficits, such revenue loss from the Federal budget should be capped so as not to exceed the $25 billion, the corporate alternative minimum tax rebate, passed by the House of Representatives earlier this fall. Rather than enriching only the richest, a sales tax suspension is the quickest and broadest way to boost local economies for everyone, across the board. It will encourage consumer spending in our downtown villages and towns as well as our regional malls. And because it will be temporary, it will create an incentive to buy now. A reduction in the sales tax may not mean much for the CEO of a multi national company. But it would be a huge boost to working families. It might help them with their holiday purchases, or school supplies for their kids or even make the difference in buying a new home appliance. This House has just approved a $25 billion retroactive repeal of the alternative minimum tax for the richest corporations of America. If we can find the money for Enron and we can find the money for IBM, we should be able to find the money for people who have lost their jobs and their health insurance and their unemployment insurance and the small businesses who are being forced out of business in New York today. The working families and small businesses on Long Island are hurting. They can not afford indefinite or problematic relief that might not kick in for years. Their need is immediate ``The Consumer and Retail Sales Stimulus Act of 2001'' addresses that need, it addresses it now.