Steve Israel

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a profound sense of humility, first and foremost, to offer my condolences and prayers to our colleague and above all our friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) and to offer our love to the gentleman and his family. Mr. Speaker, in my district we have lost, too, many firefighters. I have spoken with the families, and the last thing in the world they have need to worry about right now is their finances. This legislation is vital to them at this dark hour of their lives. They should not be worried about red tape or bureaucracy or paperwork. I believe it brings great honor on this House that Republicans and Democrats, from New York to California, would rise together to do the right thing by these families who have suffered so deeply, and to express our commitment to them by passing this bill and by continuing to pray for all of them.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, yesterday many of the people of my district in New York were struck by tragedy. We lost family and friends, firefighters and police, loved ones and heroes. One of those heroes is Ray Downey of Deer Park, the New York City Fire Department's Chief of Special Operations Command. Ray responded to the attack on the World Trade Center and is still missing. His family still has hope, but they need our prayers. For all of our families, we offer prayers. For Mayor Giuliani and Governor Pataki we offer thanks. And for the cowards who committed this crime, we submit our resolve. Today is a day of mourning, a day of outrage. But it is also a day when we all come together. In this hallowed Congress, which we thought might be under attack just yesterday, we stand proudly today. Our nation has seen bloodshed, but we are not bowed. We have seen disaster, but not defeat. Our American democracy, built by Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Lincoln will not be weakened by cowardly terrorists. Today the world sees the true greatness of America in the people giving blood, in the emergency workers clearing the rubble and saving lives, in the clergy fostering faith. And at the right time, at the right place, these terrorists will see the true strength of America as well. Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues have quoted a great President, Frank Delano Roosevelt, who stood in this place summoning our nation into a great crusade. I would like to share other words that he used in that same speech on that same day of infamy. He said, ``With confidence in our Armed Forces, with unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God.''

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the tireless efforts of payroll employees of this nation. September 3-7 is National Payroll Week. In honor of this week, we should all thank the more than 130 million payroll professionals who work tirelessly to ensure that workers receive their wages and federal employment taxes and worker earnings are reported. Company payroll departments prepare over 4 billion paychecks each year. In addition to paying workers accurately and on time, payroll professionals play a key role in crucial government programs including the enforcement of fair labor standards, child support deductions and payments, unemployment insurance, Social Security taxes and benefits, and Medicare. Payroll professionals deserve our thanks for helping maintain this nation's system of preserving funds for the American community. Regular efforts are made to educate ordinary workers about the payroll tax withholding system. Nationwide, 20,000 members of the American Payroll Association organize outreach programs for their communities. Mr. Speaker, I hereby ask you and our colleagues to join with me in thanking the payroll employees who are indeed, ``Working for America'' and proclaim September 3-7, 2001, National Payroll Week.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Madam Speaker, as a new Member of this body, let me extend my condolences to the majority leader on the loss that he has suffered. Madam Speaker, during the August recess, I joined the United States Coast Guard Fire Island Station for a tour of erosion areas on the south shore of my district. As we returned to the station, the Coast Guard received a report of a swimmer in distress. Coast Guard personnel risked their lives that day, despite turbulent waters and an incoming storm to save another life. Imagine my surprise, Madam Speaker, to learn that many of those same courageous men and women are forced to take part-time jobs because their rate of pay is too low and the cost of housing and health care on Long Island is too high. Some of those people go from saving lives and property during the day to serving pizza and waiting on tables at night. Madam Speaker, it is not sufficient merely to pay tribute to the men and women of the Coast Guard. We have to pay them living wages for protecting our shores and saving our lives. As a new Member of the House Coast Guard Caucus, I am honored to join my colleagues in our efforts to keep our promises to those who protect our lives and our shores with fair pay, decent housing, and affordable health care.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I have only been here in Congress for months, but I have already learned some interesting lessons. Only in Congress can we weaken patient protections, and call it stronger; only in Congress can we protect the HMOs, and call it a Patients' Bill of Rights; and only here can we protect profits, and say we are protecting patients. Mr. Chairman, I believe in compromise. I came here to try and compromise. But the only thing compromised in the majority's bill is the fundamental right of doctors, nurses, and their patients. The only true Patients' Bill of Rights, Mr. Chairman, is Ganske-Dingell-Berry, and that is what we should pass today.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Camp Chen-A- Wanda on their annual visit to Washington. Every year, many youngster from Long Island, specifically from my district (NY-2) attend this summer camp located in Pennsylvania. Camp Chen-A-Wanda prepares our young adults to become leaders in tomorrow's society. It encourages campers to express themselves as individuals by offering a wide variety of athletic, artistic, and other recreational activities. This prestigious institution has provided hundreds of children in the New York area with the opportunity to explore their creative, academic, athletic and spiritual nature in a nurturing and motivating atmosphere. Although one may leave Camp Chen-A-Wanda just after a few weeks, the camp experience never leaves the camper. By the end of the summer, campers have forged new friendships, achieved new goals, and are confidently prepared to start the upcoming school year. I would like to congratulate Camp Directors Caryl and Morey Baldwin of Dix Hills, Long Island; and Marcy and Craig Neyer of Montville, NJ, on their good work. I wish them the best of luck in the future. And most important, I would like to see many of the campers of Camp Chen-A-Wanda, return to Washington, D.C. as interns, legislative staff, and future Legislators.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Chairman, tonight we make a historic decision about the preservation of one of the world's last great wilderness areas. And let me bring my colleagues back into history, and share with them the words of a great former Republican President, Theodore Roosevelt. He said this: Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is keep it for your children, your children's children, and for all who come after you. That is what President Theodore Roosevelt said when protecting the Grand Canyon. That is what he would have us do tonight.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, in November of 1975, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations stepped up to the General Assembly as they debated the ludicrous proposition that Zionism is racism and held that resolution aloft and said that that proposition was worth no more than the piece of paper it was written on and tore that paper apart and left the well of the General Assembly. He was right then and those of us today who combat the notion that Zionism is racism are right as well. It is ludicrous, it defies imagination to suggest that Zionism and racism are the same thing. I would suggest to friends of the United Nations as I am a friend of the United Nations that continuing to test that proposition, that revisiting that issue 25 years later is wrongheaded. It defies common sense and it strains the patience of people like me and Members of Congress like me who believe in the value of the United Nations. This is a bad idea. It is a senseless resolution. It is going back in time and it is not worthy of the United Nations or U.S. support in the United Nations.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize four of New York's outstanding young students: Anne Caruso, Megan Lockhart, Arielle Buck, and Rebecca Ambrose. In August, 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 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 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 Anne, Megan, Arielle, and Rebecca, and bring the attention of congress to these successful young women on their day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, we recently celebrated the 51st anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War, and among those that we honored were the 6,000 soldiers in that war who were designated as Missing In Action. The cooling of tensions on the Korean Peninsula have allowed an unprecedented opportunity for the repatriation of the remains of those lost servicemen. At the same time, recent advances in DNA technology have made it possible to identify those remains once a DNA sample is obtained from a living descendent. An organization called the Korean War Project has set up an Internet- based initiative called Finding the Families to locate the 6,000 families of servicemen missing in action from the Korean War. I have placed a link on my government Web site to their homepage so that the citizens of my district can search the directory of missing soldiers from their area in an attempt to find a living descendant who can provide a DNA sampling. I urge my colleagues to provide matching support in tracking down those missing families by providing similar links on their own Web sites, in addition to generating more public awareness of this important issue. Mr. Speaker, our missing heroes deserve more than just our passive pledge not to forget, they deserve our active support. Supporting the Finding Families program is a way to do just that.

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, Matthew Alexander Engel. The Boy Scouts of his troop will honor him as they recognize his achievements by giving him the Eagle Scout honor on this coming Thursday, July 26th. 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. Engel, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young man on his day of recognition. Congratulations to Matthew 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, Matthew Alexander Engel. The Boy Scouts of his troop will honor him as they recognize his achievements by giving him the Eagle Scout honor. 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. 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. Engel, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young man on his day of recognition. Congratulations to Matthew and his family.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a very proud cosponsor of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act. It was one of the first bills that I cosponsored in this House because it puts people first. Earlier this week, I had the privilege of standing with our colleagues, Senators McCain and Feingold and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan), at the birthplace of one of America's truly great reformers, President Teddy Roosevelt. We stood together in a bipartisan call for campaign finance reform, united in an urgency to restore faith in our democracy. In his day, President Roosevelt said this: ``One of the fundamental necessities in a representative government such as ours is to make certain that the men to whom they delegate their power shall serve the people by whom they are elected and not the special interests.'' Mr. Speaker, today is literally the moment of truth in this House on campaign finance reform. We can keep our promises for reform, or we can pretend to keep our promises. The only true reform is known by McCain- Feingold and Shays-Meehan. Let us pass that today.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, let me thank my distinguished colleague, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), as well as my friend and neighbor, the gentleman from Long Island, New York (Mr. Grucci), for bringing this resolution to the floor. Mr. Speaker, even as a new member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, I believe that no Member of Congress' words can adequately describe the loss that we have suffered. So I would like to include in the Record today excerpts of a recent Newsday editorial entitled, ``For Firefighters, Risk of Death Is All in a Day's Work.'' The editorial begins, ``The job has not changed that much over the years,'' George Burke of the International Association of Firefighters said yesterday. ``While most people run away from disasters, firefighters are paid to run straight into them. And for all of the recent equipment advances, the guarantees of safety are still precious few. A building filled with working firefighters can suddenly explode like a bomb. Or a flaming roof can collapse. Or a wooden floor can give away without warning. All of this may easily explain why fire fighting is the nation's most dangerous public sector job. ``On Father's Day afternoon three members of the New York Fire Department, Harry Ford, John Downing and Brian Fahey, died as they tried to protect residents of Astoria, Queens, from the dangers of a horrific hardware store fire. All told, the three men leave behind eight children. ``In addition, two other FDNY members were seriously injured in the disaster, Joseph Vosilla and Brendan Manning, and some 50 more were less seriously hurt. This goes with the territory as well. Burke says 40 percent of all firefighters nationally suffer an injury in the line of duty every year.'' ``We have lost 3 very brave firefighters,'' Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said on Sunday of Ford, Fahey and Downing. ``This is one the most tragic days that I can remember.'' The mayor is right about that, and I join the rest of the New York delegation and all Members of Congress in offering my condolences to the families and fellow workers of these selfless men.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I was absent from votes on June 21, 2001 due to my daughter's graduation. I would have voted as follows: Roll call vote: 178 ``Yea''; 179, ``No'', 180, ``Yea'', 181, ``Yea'', 182, ``Yea'', 183, ``Yea'', 184, ``No'', 185, ``Yea''.

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, Jordan Henner. This young man has received the Eagle Scout honor from his peers in recognition of their 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 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; they 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 Jordan and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young man on his day of recognition. Congratulations to you and your family.

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, Bruce Russo, Paul Lapreziosa, and Gregory Smith. These young men have received the Eagle Scout honor from their peers in recognition of their 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 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; they 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 Bruce, Paul, and Gregory and bring the attention of Congress to these successful young men on their respective days of recognition. Congratulations to you and your families.

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, Kristen Schaefer, Lauri Corbett, and Pamela Calandra. Today, on June 19th, the women of Girl Scout Troop 130, Service Unit 44 will recognize these students for receiving their gold awards. Since the beginning of last century, the Girl Scouts of America have provided thousands of young women each year with 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. 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 Kristen, Lauri, and Pamela, 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 students, Jordan Henner. On July 13, 2001, the Boy Scouts of Troop 125 in Commack will recognize Jordan's achievements by giving him the Eagle Scout honor. 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 with learning self-reliance and teamwork. This award is presented only to those who posseses 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 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 Jordan Henner, and bring the attention of Congress to this successful young man on his day of recognition. Congratulations to Jordan and his family.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize two of New York's outstanding young students, Sara Forde and Angela Reteguiz, on the occasion of their Gold Award Ceremony. On July 19, 2001, the women of Service Unit 35 will recognize Sara and Angela. 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 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 Sara and Angela, 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 three of New York's outstanding young students, Courtney Johnson, Elizabeth Jackson, and Erik Greb. Tomorrow, on June 14th, the women of Girl Scout Troop 1909, Service Unit 19 will recognize Courtney and Elizabeth for receiving their gold awards, and on June 15th, Troop 284 will recognize Erik on his Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Since the beginning of last century, the Girl and Boy Scouts of America have provided thousands of young men and women each year with 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. 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 Courtney, Elizabeth, and Erik, and bring the attention of Congress to these successful young men and women on their day of recognition.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. If the gentleman will yield, about 2 weeks ago, five Federal laboratories issued a report that said if we can encourage weatherization and encourage energy-efficient technologies and energy- efficient consumer products, we will not have to build the 1,300 power plants that the administration is proposing; that we would not have to drill the Arctic reserve that the administration is proposing; we would not have to degrade our environment. And those are the kinds of technologies and efficiencies that we ought to be pursuing. Now, these were not Democratic Federal laboratories or Republican Federal laboratories; they were Federal laboratories that have been looking at this, and we need to heed their advice.

Mr. ISRAEL. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his time and his important leadership on this very vital issue. Mr. Speaker, last week gas prices on Long Island rose 9 cents per gallon in the span of a single week, and this year alone OPEC has cut its production twice already. I think it is absolutely outrageous that the same countries that we defend time after time are gouging Americans at the pump. Now, last summer, then Governor Bush said that when he was President, if gas prices increased, he would simply get OPEC on the phone and tell them to turn on the spigot. Well, Mr. President, it is time to make that call. We cannot wait any longer. And when OPEC reconvenes again in June, they have to know that we will no longer tolerate this price- fixing cartel behavior that is punishing Americans at the pump. At the same time, however, while we are talking a tough line towards OPEC, we have to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I have been working with some of my colleagues to draft a Tax and Energy Cost Relief Act that will provide working families with tax credits and deductions that will help them purchase energy-efficient equipment and technologies. Now, that is going to reduce taxes, it is going to spur the economy by encouraging people to go and purchase new energy- efficient products, it is going to improve our environment, and it is going to reduce our long-term dependence on foreign oil. Taking a hard line with OPEC and expanding tax incentives is the smart way to reduce the price of gas while providing relief to working families and decreasing our dependence on foreign oil. It is time for a coherent, effective, comprehensive policy to get gas prices down; and I look forward to working with the gentleman from New Jersey to reach that goal.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Mark Broxmeyer; entrepreneur, community activist, and friend. On the occasion of today's dinner, benefiting the Greene Emergency Center of the North Shore University Hospital, it is appropriate to pay tribute to a man who has dedicated himself to improving our communities. Twenty-eight years ago, Mr. Broxmeyer founded Fairfield Properties, which, through years of hard work and determination, has grown into a complex network of properties including over 8,000 units in Long Island and beyond. His professional success has earned him the respect of many in the fields of building and real estate, resulting in a cover story on his success in Builder and Remodeler News and a profile in the real estate section of the New York Times. Mr. Broxmeyer has also been a devoted community activist. His enthusiasm for our communities on Long Island has resulted in his being named ``Man of the Year'' by the United Cerebral Palsy Association and an Advocacy Award from Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He was appointed by former President Bush to the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank for the New York Region. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the United Nations Economic Development Corporation. Mr. Broxmeyer has also served as the Vice President for the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs and he was the recipient of a Leadership Award from the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, given to him personally by our former colleague, Secretary Jack Kemp. He has also been active in his Alma Mater, Hofstra University, from which he has received an Alumni achievement award and made a member of the Board of Trustees. Most important of all, I have come to respect his commitment to his family. As an entrepreneur, demands on Mark's time must be tremendous, yet he still finds time for his children Michael, Evan, Marissa, Daniel, and Becky. I have been fortunate to know Mark Broxmeyer, and I respect his success and his enthusiasm for his community and his loved ones.