Steve Israel

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, prior to coming to Congress I founded the Institute on the Holocaust and the Law, which studied how the laws and courts were used to oppress people rather than to protect them. So I fully understand the concerns of the supporters of this amendment that the International Criminal Court not be used to illegitimately prosecute U.S. forces abroad. The law should never be used to perpetuate injustice. All of us demand that U.S. forces abroad not be subject to illegitimate prosecution. But the strongest safeguards already exist in the International Criminal Court against such possibilities. That is why this amendment should be defeated today. One of our Nation's proudest moments as the world emerged from the darkness of the Holocaust was to help create the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg to use the law to achieve justice. Last week, Mr. Chairman, Elie Wiesel said of a similar amendment, which the gentleman from California has already quoted, that it ``would erase the legacy of U.S. leadership by ensuring that the U.S. will never again join the community of nations to hold accountable those who commit war crimes and genocide.'' Protecting our military personnel is our utmost responsibility. Bringing war criminals to justice is our legacy. Participating fully in the International Criminal Court, Mr. Chairman, allows us to do both.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, America's health care crisis affects millions of people, and I rise today on behalf of the 50,000 senior citizens on Long Island who have been kicked out of their Medicare HMOs. Just 3 years ago, seniors had choices in their medical care. In September of 1999, 12 HMOs offered seniors health plans in my district on Long Island. Now only two remain. In 1998 and 1999, 700,000 seniors across America were left without coverage when their HMOs decided not to renew their contracts. This year, HCFA reports that 65 Medicare HMOs did not renew their contracts, leaving an additional 160,000 senior citizens in America with no Medicare HMO option. This is intolerable. HMOs are choosing not to renew their 1-year contracts because of inadequate and unfair reimbursement rates. They are putting profits ahead of people. Health care should be a right, not a privilege. Ensuring Long Island seniors receive quality care is not a partisan issue; it is common sense. That is why I have been working with my Republican colleague from Long Island on a solution. Our plan, the Seniors' Health Care Bill of Rights, holds HMOs accountable and provides seniors the care they deserve. We will do this by providing carrots and sticks. Our Seniors' Health Care Bill of Rights includes three provisions: first, increase the reimbursement levels to keep HMOs operating in the senior market; second, our bill requires 3-year rather than 1-year contracts. Finally, our bill provides penalties for terminating senior coverage. If HMOs drop senior citizens in the middle of their contract year, they are going to be banned from the very lucrative Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan. Mr. Speaker, I promised my constituents my very first piece of legislation would be this Seniors' Health Care Bill of Rights. This is only the beginning of the fight for senior health care. Now I ask my colleagues to join me in this fight. Our senior citizens are the people who built our neighborhoods and schools, paid their taxes, raised their families, and fought our wars. Now it is time to restore the health care choice, access, and quality that they deserve. Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleagues will cosponsor the bipartisan Seniors' Health Care Bill of Rights.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, Getting married shouldn't mean saying `I do;' to higher taxes. In my state of New York over one and a half million couples are burdened by the marriage penalty, nearly 60,000 in my district alone. This occurs when married couples pay more than an unmarried couple with the same income. For example two individuals, living together, but not married, each with incomes of $30,000--their combined standard deduction would be $9,100 and their tax rate would be 15%. If that same couple got married, their standard deduction would drop to $7,189 and they would move into the 28% tax rate. The only difference is that they got married. We should eliminate this inequity by widening the 15% tax bracket to allow joint filers to have two times the income of individuals and still remain taxed at 15%. We should also double the standard deduction for joint filers to twice that of singles. We're talking about people who work hard and play by the rules. At a time when parents are working harder for less money, we need to encourage families, not punish them. Ending the marriage penalty is particularly urgent for the middle- class. This is a wrong that should have been righted a long time ago-- making the tax code more fair while providing families with meaningful tax relief for the things that matter--buying a home, ensuring quality family medical care, and sending kids to college.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker. So that New York States' recently established Organ and Tissue Donor Registry might be better publicized and promoted, And so that the public might be better educated on the dire need for organ donation, I will enter this inspiring article about New York State Assemblyman Jim Conte in the Congressional Record. Jim Conte Leading To Make a Difference (By Cheryl Johnston) While he routinely makes a difference in the lives of many people in the state of New York, Jim has the greatest impact on four particular people who live in the town of Huntington Station--his wife Debbie and his children Sarah, Jeffrey, and Samantha. In the ups and downs of political life, it is Jim's family which keeps him anchored. He knows they're most important in life. Jim got sick before he met Debbie, when he was in his first year of college. Because he'd always been healthy, he was surprised when his doctor said glomerular nephritis was responsible for his swollen feet and sent him home from school. Jim missed more than half of that freshman year, but his health stabilized again. He resumed his studies, acquired an internship with the New York State legislature in Albany and completed his degree in economics. Life was on a roll again. After graduation, Jim returned to Albany to work in various positions in government, including working for Assemblywoman Toni Rettaliata. When she sought another office and won, Jim decided to run in the special election for her Assembly seat. He had just one month to campaign and give it his all. He attended campaign events and walked door to door to meet the Long Island constituents. He worked from sun up to sun down, ignoring the fact that he was retaining fluid and that he had a chest cold he couldn't seem to shake. Before the election even took place, he ended up in the hospital with kidney failure and pneumonia. Debbie, who was dating Jim then, remembers: ``I was shocked to see how quickly he had become run down. His breathing was so labored that I could actually hear it from down the hallway. He was very weak and his color was bad. He hadn't urinated for a couple of days. We got him to the hospital, where he was intubated immediately. He came close to dying. With the special election underway, he'd just kept going and going. His health had taken a back seat--and he almost paid with his life. Ever since, his priorities have changed. Now he pays attention to his health.'' While Jim was in the hospital, people in his party, community, and family rallied around him, carrying on the campaign without him. ``I still remember walking into the headquarters, knowing they had pulled me through. It was a wonderful feeling.'' The feeling was wonderful and the win exciting, but Jim's health was another story. He was on hemodialysis and very weak, but if he wanted to hold onto his new position of Assemblyman, he couldn't take a break. The next regular election for his seat was only eight months after the special election. He put in long hours both as an assembly and as a candidate, fitting in dialysis sessions either early in the morning or in the evening. When his healthcare team initially mentioned a transplant Jim was cautious but, after consideration, he agreed to the procedure. Only six weeks after his name was placed on the list at Albany Medical Center, a matching kidney was available. In March of 1989 he received a donor kidney and recuperated well. He had a 13-day hospital stay, which included a small bout of rejection. To the amazement of his colleagues in the Assembly, Jim returned to the legislative chambers by budget time in April. Jim later found out that his donor was a young woman named Ashley. ``In the midst of that family's suffering, with the loss of their wife and daughter, they made the decision to donate. For that, I'm eternally grateful.'' He later showed his gratitude by giving his first daughter the middle name ``Ashley.'' It didn't take long for him to gain back his strength and continue his productive life. And six months post-transplant, Debbie and Jim got married. Debbie had a special perspective of the medical challenges Jim faced because she was a pharmacist and also because brother-in-law, Donald, had received a successful heart transplant six years earlier. This knowledge enhanced Debbie's ability to support Jim as a wife and helpmate. In 1991 they had Sarah Ashley. Two years later they were blessed with the birth of their second child, Jeffrey. But the tide turned less than two months later, when Jim's nephritis returned. With weeks, by mid-August of 1993, Jim's transplanted kidney was failing and he was back on dialysis. Jim was put on the transplant list, but this time his wait was 18 months. During the difficult wait, Jim kept up his regular work schedule. While the legislature was in session, he went to early morning dialysis sessions with a fellow Assemblyman, Angelo DelToro from Spanish Harlem, and then returned to the Assembly. ``The two of us put human faces on the organ shortage problem. We made others in New York's state government and beyond see that the problem was real-- and that, in itself, had an impact.'' On December 20th Jim got the call that an organ was available and underwent his second transplant surgery, this time at the hands of Dr. David Conti. It proved to be a success. Sadly, Angelo DelToro died of complications of dialysis while Jim was still in the hospital. Since the second transplant, Jim and Debbie had a third child, Samantha, now two. Jim's priority at home is appreciating his three children and his wife. Another priority in Jim's life is supporting the cause of organ donation and transplantation so that others might receive the gift of a second chance at life. ``I do anything I can for that cause,'' he says. ``I'm in a unique position to bring the message to those who make decisions. I tell others about my success and the overwhelming need for more organs. I try to educate the public through interviews on TV, radio and in the newspaper. I include the message in newsletters to my constituents.'' Jim has sponsored a number of bills designed to educate the public and reward those who choose to be donors. Frank Taft, director for the Center of Donation and Transplant comments, ``Assemblyman Conte has never forgotten that his transplant began with a gift. In the Assembly, he has worked diligently to try to pass legislation to remember those who gave this most precious gift and to promote bills that will lead to increased organ donation.'' At times, bills have gotten mired down in party politics, but Jim never gives up. ``I just get smarter,'' he explains. For example, he couldn't get enough support in the majority party (he's with the minority party) to pass legislation creating a statewide organ donor registry. So he worked administratively instead of legislatively. He joined Governor Pataki's transplant council, which actually was successful in establishing a statewide-computerized donor registry. When another piece of organ donation legislation was killed in the healthcare committee, Jim gave the bill to a member of the majority party, who could gain more support from within his party. This selfless move resulted in the successful passage of the legislation under someone else's name. While he's concerned about effectiveness within the hallowed halls of state government, Jim is also concerned about the effectiveness of his own transplant. ``I try to take care of myself,'' he says. ``I follow a low-fat diet, with lots of fruits and veggies. I exercise--either at the gym, on the treadmill or walking outside.'' He's also careful about adhering to his medication regimen. ``I've never really had a problem with my transplant medications. I made a perfect switch from Sandimmune to Neoral. And I get my medications faithfully each moth from Stadtlanders. It's a fantastic service.'' Through his actions and through his life, Jim Conte demonstrates that one man can make a difference. But his wife Debbie doesn't look at him and see what he's done; she looks at him and sees who he is. She explains, ``He's everything good. He's easy going, a great dad, a loving husband. He's very caring of his community and family. He's very dedicated.'' No wonder this man is a leader.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following proclamation for the Record. Whereas, on March 31, 2001, Family Service League is celebrating 75 years of providing comprehensive human services to the Long Island Community with a Gala Celebration entitled: ``Restoring Hope . . . Rebuilding Lives,'' and Whereas, on that evening, Family Service League will be honoring Catherine and Raymond Jansen for their many years in service to the Long Island Community, and Whereas, Catherine and Raymond Jansen, both as individuals and as a team, have epitomized and set the standard for dedicated service to the Long Island community with their strong commitment to philanthropy and dedication to family, and Whereas, Catherine Jansen, in addition to serving as a member of Family Service League's Board of Directors, is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hecksher Museum and serves on the Boards of Caumsett Park Foundation, Project R.E.A.L., United Way's Success by Six and the Three Harbors Garden Club, and Whereas, Raymond Jansen, in addition to his recent appointment as Senior Vice President of the Tribune Publishing Company, and as president, publisher and CEO of Newsday, is known for his community service on many boards and philanthropies and for his leadership in bringing recognition to Long Island's everyday volunteers through Newsday's Winners Column, Every Day Heroes, and the Long Islander of the Century and FutureCorps. Therefore, be it Resolved, That Catherine and Raymond Jansen, are here recognized in the United States Capitol for their many years of unselfish service to the Long Island community and will be presented with this Proclamation in the Congressional Record.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 333, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act. At its core, this bill responsibly ensures that those who can afford to repay their debts do so, while protecting important priorities such as child support, alimony, and education savings. Last year, over $40 billion was lost through bankruptcy filings. This not only affects businesses, but families as well. Bankruptcy costs are passed on to consumers in the forms of higher interest rates and restricted access for lower and middle-income taxpayers to affordable mortgages. Indeed, bankruptices cost each American household about $400 last year. It is fundamentally unfair that equal access to credit is threatened by those who abuse the system--irresponsible filings by people who can repay their debts. H.R. 333 provides a mechanism to distinguish between those who can repay their debt from those who cannot. If a filer earns more than the median income and can afford to repay either $6,000 or 25 percent of non-priority debt over five years (after taking into account living expenses and priority expenses such as child support), then the debt should be repaid over time. This bill insists on personal responsibility for repaying obligations while providing bankruptcy protection for special situations such as declining income and unexpected family and medical expenses. Mr. Chairman, according to a recent study 15 percent of people claiming Chapter 7 bankruptcy relief have the ability to repay 64 percent of their debt. Bankruptcy reform recognizes that when you have the means to repay your debt, you should do so. It restores personal responsibility. It compassionately recognizes that some unique and special circumstances should be considered when ordering a repayment of debt. It will increase access to credit and home mortgages for middle and low-income families. That is why I support H.R. 333 today.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, February marks Black History Month and its arrival has afforded us the opportunity to spotlight some of the most courageous men in our nation's history. I am referring to the Tuskegee Airmen, African-Americans who were asked to simultaneously fight the institutionalized segregation of their homeland and the battle hardened pilots fielded by the Luftwaffe of dreaded Nazi Germany. On the very site where some nine thousand Republic Thunderbolt fighters were built during World War II, a permanent tribute has been created by the American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, Long Island that salutes the valor and sacrifice of the Tuskegee Airmen. A full size replica of their P-51 fighter welcomes the museum visitor and helps explain the story of these amazing airmen. I was honored and pleased to be able to join members of the Tuskegee Airmen, and the many friends of Republic Airport and my constituents in dedicating this exhibit during Black History Month. Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,500 sorties and completed nearly 1,600 missions and they are credited with never losing an American bomber to enemy fighters while flying escort. This tribute at the American Airpower Museum at Republic will forever remind us that racism did not deter these brave men from serving their country, defending our freedoms and protecting our future. In addition, credit must be offered to two companies that came forward to underwrite this effort--Equal and Avirex--whose support made this tribute possible. These firms reflect the type of public-private partnership that is ensuring our nation's heritage is preserved, protected, and celebrated. I congratulate them for their efforts and publicly salute their commitment to this task. The remarks of Lee Archer, a Tuskegee Airman ace who is credited with five kills, will ring forever at this historic defense plant. He repeated the words of fellow African-American Air Force pilot Chappie James, ``you agitate, you demand, you argue but when the country is in trouble you hold her hand.''

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, let me thank my colleagues for their support in sponsorship of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, before my election to the House, I served as the President of the Institute on the Holocaust and the Law, and we studied and analyzed how laws were used not to protect people, but as instruments of oppression; how over 400 anti-Jewish laws were promulgated and formulated to discriminate, to segregate, to impoverish and to annihilate; how judges used the most murderous interpretation of law to impose death sentences for petty crimes; how law professors formulated lethal theories to advance a political agenda that discriminated against so many people. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is very fitting that we, as law-makers, be reminded of the unique role of law and the profound difference between law and justice.

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the sponsors and supporters of this resolution, permitting the use of the Rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust. Prior to being elected to this House, I served as president of the Institute on the Holocaust and the Law. The Institute studies and analyzed how laws were used in the Holocaust as instruments of oppression, rather than protection. How over 400 anti-Jewish decrees were promulgated and formulated to discriminate, segregate, impoverish and annihilate. How judges used murderous interpretation of legal theory to impose death sentences for petty crimes. How law professors formulated lethal theories to advance a political agenda that affected millions, Jews and gentiles alike. I believe it is fitting that we, as lawmakers, be reminded of the unique role of the law in the Holocaust; and the profound and vast difference between law and justice.