Steve Israel

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. ISRAEL. I am, in its current form, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, this is a final amendment. It will not kill the bill. It will not send the bill back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago, D.C. went dark. The lights went out, the power stopped near the White House, lights out, no power at the Department of State. Federal agencies were plunged into darkness, small businesses plunged into darkness. Business stopped. The business of government stopped because there was a blackout. Now, in this case, Mr. Speaker, this loss of energy was because of a blown transformer, and there was no indication that this was a result of a cyber attack on our energy sources or systems. There are indications, Mr. Speaker, every day, of attempted attacks on our critical energy infrastructure, and this amendment simply strengthens the response of the Department of Homeland Security to protect our constituents, our government, our infrastructure, and our country from this attack. Mr. Speaker, in the first 6 months of 2012, we know that there was a sustained and persistent cyber attack on critical gas pipeline control systems. Now, the good news is that we successfully defended against those attacks. The bad news is, as we all know, the very nature of cyber war means that every time you defend against an attack, you are transmitting to your attackers what your defenses are. The DHS reports that, of roughly 200 cases of major cyber attacks handled by DHS' cybersecurity team in 2013, 40 percent were in the energy sector. There have been attacks on supervisory control and data acquisitions, SCADA. Those attacks doubled between 2013 and 2014, so we know these attacks are being attempted. We know how serious it is. We learned, 2 weeks ago, what happens when we plunge into the darkness. We know the economic devastation, the social devastation, the military devastation that will occur when an attack is successful, when a cyber attack against our energy systems succeeds. We know it is coming, and we cannot wait until the day after, when we ask ourselves, in the dark: Why didn't we do more yesterday? This is like being told that Pearl Harbor is coming, that 9/11 is coming, knowing it is coming, and deciding: Are you going to do something about it? Or are you going to continue to bury your head in the sand? Now, this amendment is very simple, Mr. Speaker. It simply directs the Department of Homeland Security to organize a strong, concerted, focused partnership with energy companies throughout this country. Those partnerships would provide technical assistance from DHS to energy companies and information sharing. These partnerships would be focused on critical infrastructure, the electrical grid, oil and gas pipelines, and nuclear power plants. Mr. Speaker, what happened in Washington, D.C., on April 7 of this year can happen in any congressional district in this body. Instead of a blown transformer, it will be a cyber attack against energy systems in any one of the districts represented here today, Mr. Speaker. When that happens, our constituents will ask us, from that place in the dark: What did you do to prevent it? And what did you do to protect me from it? This vote on this motion to recommit will be your answer. Let's put the protection of our businesses, our government, our military, and our constituents ahead of partisanship and vote ``yes'' on this motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. We are at a critical juncture in America's rebalance to the Asia- Pacific region, and I really believe that further cooperation between the United States, Japan, and Korea will play a pivotal role towards peace and prosperity throughout the world. Next week, Japanese Prime Minister Abe will make a historic visit to Capitol Hill as the first ever Japanese Prime Minister to deliver an address to a joint session of Congress. That address must be honest. That address has to address Japan's wartime history. It has to honestly address Japan's atrocities and enslavement of thousands of women who have been forced to work as sex slaves, or comfort women. To ignore past atrocities, Mr. Speaker, is to ensure a very troubling future. These wounds need to be closed, and they need to be healed. Prime Minister Abe can attain that closure, can attain that healing by exposing those wounds to the light of the truth--and an apology. I am hopeful that he will do this on this floor when he addresses us next week.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, the Republican budget that has been released today should be called ``Work Harder for Less.'' It squeezes hardworking Americans, making it harder for them to buy a home, harder to send their kids to college, and harder to enjoy a secure retirement. How does it do these things, Mr. Speaker? If you want to buy a home, it makes it harder because it continues to stagnate paychecks. If you want to send your kids to college, it makes it harder by slashing tuition assistance and student loans. If you want to save some money for a secure and enjoyable retirement, it privatizes Medicare--again--after all these years of attempts. Mr. Speaker, this Republican budget takes the tools of opportunity away from hardworking Americans all in order to provide bigger and deeper tax cuts for the superwealthy. It is the same old-same old spiced up with another repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and the American people will understand what the Republican priorities are versus ours.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from New York, the ranking member, for the time. Mr. Speaker, I come this morning with some good news that should make us all very comfortable. We have received an intelligence dispatch from ISIS and ISIL, and the good news is that they have decided to finance their terrorist attacks against the United States and the people of the United States based on a continuing resolution, based on short-term funding. They are going to finance the hijacking of airplanes, attacks on Americans, attacks on our Embassies on a 3-week spending resolution. Sound preposterous? So is what the House Republicans are doing to our Department of Homeland Security. It is a disservice to the American people, and it undermines our homeland security. This is not a game, Mr. Speaker. Three terrorists in Brooklyn were arrested yesterday. They were planning to do three things: one, they were planning to hijack airplanes; two, they were planning to kill cops; and three, they were planning to assassinate the President. There is one department in the Federal agencies that protects us from hijacking airplanes, assassinating the President, and helps protect us from killing cops. It is the Department of Homeland Security. Those terrorists were not planning these terrorist attacks based on kicking the can in their budgets. They were planning those terrorist attacks based on doing whatever it took at whatever the cost to inflict harm on this country. What are House Republicans doing in the face of that threat? They are kicking the can with 3-week spending resolutions because they disagree with the President on an executive order on immigration. They have the right to their disagreements, Mr. Speaker. If you don't like immigration, debate it. If you don't like an executive order, oppose it. But do not undermine the safety of the American people by weakening the Department of Homeland Security with short-term funding resolutions while our terrorist opponents and enemies are financing those attacks every single day for as long as it takes.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize February as National Marfan Awareness Month with the hope that increased awareness of Marfan syndrome and related heritable connective tissue disorders will save lives. Raising awareness of Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic condition affecting 1 in 5,000 Americans, is imperative to finding and funding effective treatment. This debilitating condition affects individuals both externally and internally. Connective tissue, as a result of the overproduction of a protein called transforming growth factor beta (TGFB), is affected and therefore symptoms manifest throughout the entire body, causing disproportionately long limbs, a protruding or indented chest bone, curved spine, and loose joints. Understanding the signs and features of Marfan syndrome are important and can save lives. This condition can affect all aspects of a person's internal structures, most notably their cardiovascular system. Often times, the aorta, the larger artery that carries blood away from the heart, is weakened and prone to enlargement and potential rupture. Because of the excess TGFB, Marfan patients are also at risk of aortic aneurysm. However, early diagnosis and treatment can help to prevent cardiac events. For this reason, I believe States should consider developing programs to include Marfan syndrome testing in their sports screening criteria for at-risk young athletes. I am proud to represent the Marfan Foundation, the leading organization working to support the Marfan community, based in Port Washington, New York. Since the group's inception, the Foundation has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those affected by this condition through advancing research, raising awareness, and providing support over the past two decades. Through their efforts, patient care has improved and lives have been saved. I urge my colleagues to stand with me to recognize National Marfan Awareness Month and reflect on the progress that has been made as well as the work that remains in order to ensure that those suffering from rare conditions can expect to see improvements in their health and healthcare.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I want to start by reading a quote from today's Politico: A faction of House and Senate conservatives is pushing Republican leaders to take the battle over the Homeland Security Department to the brink, arguing the party would win the public relations war with Democrats if a standoff over immigration led to a shutdown of the agency. A public relations war. This is about the war on terror. In 16 days, the people who protect us from that war will lose their jobs or have to work without pay. We are 16 days away from a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and instead of planning how to protect us from our enemies, DHS is preparing contingency budgets in case this Republican Congress decides to shut them down. To protect themselves from their political base in a fight on immigration, Republicans are willing to disrupt the protection of the American people in our communities, at our airports, our ports, and our borders. Mr. Speaker, the bad guys have to be watching this and saying: Are you serious? We should be serious about our homeland security and our economic security.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, this month, in a very short period of time, the Department of Homeland Security is going to run out of money. Our enemies, they plot, they plan to do us harm, and this Republican majority in this Congress refuses to give the Department of Homeland Security the full funding they need to keep us safe. What we will do this week is the 56th repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Mr. Speaker, some in this Chamber may be willing to cater to their base for political reasons, but catering to our enemies in order to cater to the base is unacceptable. Making it easier for our enemies to attack and do us harm by refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security so you can score points with your base over a difference you may have with the President on an executive order is not what the American people want, expect, or deserve. The contrast could not be more clear, Mr. Speaker. There is one party in this House that is willing to undermine our homeland security and to undermine the middle class' economic security. There is another that wants to strengthen both.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, the three most important topics in the President's State of the Union last night were, in order of importance: middle class, middle class, and middle class. Now, some have called the President's desire to strengthen the middle class with a tax cut class warfare. Well, I have got to tell you, if you have been in the middle class, you feel like you have survived a war over the past many years. There was the Great Recession, which was created by bad economic policies between 2000 and 2008. You lost your home values. You lost your 401(k). You watched your paychecks shrink. Now you have gone through a recovery where the statistics tell you that things are going well: the economy has improved 12 percent; that is good news. Corporate profits are up 46 percent; that is good news. The stock market is up 92 percent; that is good news. But you look at your pay stub and say: Where is my good news? I am not keeping pace with everybody else. In 1992, Jim Carville famously said, ``It's the economy, stupid.'' In 2015, it is my paycheck, stupid. It is paramount that this Congress, Democrats and Republicans, find ways to provide tax cuts to provide the break that the great middle class deserves and the break that has eluded them for too long. This is not class warfare, Mr. Speaker. This is growing the great and strong middle class of this country.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Madam Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill. It will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. Madam Speaker, last week terrorists struck France, reminding us every day that we must be vigilant and every day we must be prepared. Madam Speaker, I represent Long Island, New York. Hundreds of my constituents were killed on 9/11. Almost every day, another recovery worker from Ground Zero is losing his or her life all these years later. On that day, on 9/11, those of us who were in this body, as the sun set over Washington, we took to the steps. We held hands and we sang ``God Bless America.'' We committed ourselves to working together to strengthen our homeland security, not as Republicans, not as Democrats, but as Members of Congress whose constituents expect us to keep them safe--whose constituents expect us to put aside whatever disagreements we have on whatever other issues there may be and at least agree on their fundamental right to be safe. That is the expectation. And now, Madam Speaker, we have a bill that should not be controversial, that should fund our homeland security, but it has been turned into a divisive political strategy on immigration. Madam Speaker, let's face it. This bill is not about homeland security; this bill is about Republican political security. It is an injustice to those who suffered on 9/11 and still remember that. Members are entitled to whatever view they may have on the President's executive order. They are entitled to whatever view they may have on immigration. They are entitled to votes on those issues. But to force those views on a bill that funds grants to first responders, that helps those first responders hire additional personnel and purchase protective equipment, that assists our State and local governments in preventing and responding to terrorist attacks and other disasters, that secures essential cyber networks, that simply puts ugly politics ahead of the safety of the American people. This bill goes too far. For the first time in history, they are holding our security hostage to the politics of immigration. My motion gives every Member here a fundamental choice. It allows you to pursue whatever agenda you may have on immigration without undermining our homeland security. It would ensure passage of a clean Homeland Security bill, with an additional $3 million for fusion centers. Madam Speaker, this is The 9/11 Commission Report, the report that every Member of Congress said that we would heed and pay attention to, that we would not allow politics to be injected into. This report calls for fusion centers, which are located in every State, to gather, receive, analyze, and share threat information among Federal, State, and tribal law enforcement and other public safety partners. Unity of effort and information sharing, this report says, is a key necessity in protecting our homeland; and our fusion center networks are critical in our response to that recommendation. This motion to recommit makes a further investment in these fusion centers, so that we don't have a repeat of what happened in France a week ago. This is the choice, Madam Speaker. It is clear, and it is stark. You can vote ``yes'' on this motion to recommit and strengthen fusion centers, or you can vote ``no'' and have weakened them. How will you explain your vote ``no'' if a disaster occurs? You can vote ``yes'' and stand for full and immediate funding of DHS without Washington politics, or you can vote ``no'' and tell your constituents that being against immigration is more important to you than being for their homeland security. How will you explain that ``no'' vote to them if disaster occurs again? Republicans are saying that anti-immigration riders on this bill are part of a political compromise. Madam Speaker, we all understand compromise, we all support compromise, but homeland security is the last thing in this body that should be subject to a political compromise--not after the attacks on France, not after 9/11 when we pledged to keep the American people safe, not after we stood on the steps of this building committing ourselves to bipartisan cooperation and to do the right thing for our homeland security. Do the right thing, my colleagues, and vote for this motion to recommit and take the politics, the ugly politics, out of keeping the American people safe. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISRAEL. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. ISRAEL. I am in its current form.

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

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a true New York legend, Mario Matthew Cuomo, and to thank him for his service to the people of New York and this country. Mario Cuomo was not only one of the greatest governors in the history of New York and an orator whose skill rivals legends throughout history; he was a man of great principal and humility. At a time when New York needed a bold leader, Mario Cuomo stepped up and led the state in a truly unique and inspiring fashion. Something that was so telling is when I visited the Cuomo family during Mario's wake. For our current Governor Andrew Cuomo and his sisters and brother, the day was about beginning the process of saying goodbye to their father. But for the long lines of people waiting outside to pay their respects, Mario Cuomo was a man who understood their struggles and worked every single day to make their lives better. Governor Cuomo was a man of deeply held convictions, who used his time in office to make a difference in peoples' lives. He constantly strived to make progress in economic, environmental, and social justice, putting a face to what true progressivism looks like in the modern era. Even when his choices were not popular in the short term, Governor Cuomo had the foresight to understand that history would marvel at his wisdom for decades to come. The list of accomplishments to Governor Cuomo's name is extensive and will serve as a high bar to future governors across our great country. A deeply caring family man, Governor Cuomo worked to better the life of children by implementing health care and education programs. A student of history, the Governor knew that we needed to increase our investment in infrastructure to rebuild roads and bridges across the state to boost our economy and put people to work. And the Governor was decades ahead of his time in aggressively advocating for environmental protection, understanding that leaving a more beautiful and healthy New York for the next generation was of the utmost importance. The passing of Governor Cuomo reminds us all that we should be doing our best every single day to advocate for our constituents and give a voice to the voiceless. We need to be both practical and bold in our thinking, something the Governor mastered. Living up to the example left by Governor Cuomo is an enormous challenge, but one that will leave this country in a much better place. May Governor Cuomo rest in peace.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, the tragedy in France has put us all on notice that the threat of terror is strong and we must be prepared. We need to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is ready, willing, and able to detect and stop what happened in France from happening here. Shockingly, this week, Republicans, rather than taking steps to strengthen the DHS, will take steps to actually weaken it. They will do so by holding the Department hostage to their politics on immigration. They will offer five amendments to politicize the DHS at a time when we need it to be its professional best. They have placed their ideological agenda ahead of paychecks. Now, they are placing their ideological agenda ahead of our protection. Mr. Speaker, if they want to pass an immigration bill, pass one. If they want to politicize issues, do it on another issue, but not the Department of Homeland Security. Do not jeopardize the safety of the American people with a political stunt and not this week, after terrorists murdered innocent civilians in France. Do not hold the DHS hostage to a political agenda. They are saying that this is a political compromise. I understand political compromise, but the homeland security of my constituents and the American people should never be the subject of a political compromise.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from New York, the distinguished ranking member. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate all of my colleagues on our swearing in. I just hope that it doesn't trigger 2 years of swearing at. It really does not have to be that way, Mr. Speaker. Democrats in this House will work with the majority to find commonsense solutions to ease the squeeze, to support paycheck growth for the middle class. What better middle ground than the middle class, Mr. Speaker. The problem with this rules package is it is stacked against the middle class, it is stacked against tax cuts for the middle class, it is stacked against paycheck growth for the middle class. In contrast, Mr. Speaker, here is what House Democrats are proposing. It is very simple. Number one, bigger paychecks for the middle class. Under the current rules that the majority supports, Mr. Speaker, a CEO can get a million- dollar bonus and deduct that million dollars from taxes. That shifts that tax burden to an underpaid worker for that CEO. Now, how is that fair? How is that fair? It is not. It is bad enough that middle class workers' paychecks are squeezed, but sticking the middle class worker with a bill for the CEO's taxes as a result of that million dollar bonus is unconscionable. We have a better way, a better contrast, something that will grow paychecks for the middle class. Second, under the rules, in the stacked deck that the majority supports, a big corporation can ship jobs overseas. With those jobs overseas go bigger bridges, better roads, better airports, and faster airplanes. Meanwhile, in my district on Long Island, Mr. Speaker, the average middle class worker has to drive through potholes, has longer delays, slower trains, antiquated transportation systems, and delayed airplanes because all of the infrastructure is being built abroad. It is bad enough that corporations are given incentives to ship jobs overseas. It is unconscionable that under these rules those corporations are able to build infrastructure in those foreign places while America decays. Under our contrast, Mr. Speaker, we will invest in America, we will rebuild America, we will create new jobs in America, improving our infrastructure. It is bad enough to be underpaid, Mr. Speaker, but to be underpaid and have to drive through potholes, that is even worse. Mr. Speaker, on this first day of this new Congress until the very last day of this new Congress, the American people are going to want to know whose side we are on. With these two votes we clearly demonstrate and clearly establish who is on whose side. I urge my colleagues in this majority on this first day to establish for the American people whose backs they have: the special interests, tax deductions for million-dollar bonuses, foreign corporations; or rebuilding America and rebuilding American jobs.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the career of Harry Chapin, and to urge the Songwriters Hall of Fame to nominate him for induction. Harry Chapin is known not only for his powerful songwriting but also for his philanthropy and activism, as he spent his life fighting hunger and poverty in his Long Island community and around the world. His eminence as a songwriter and as an activist proves that he is deserving of this honor. I am also submitting for the record my letter to the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as a letter from Sandy Chapin, Harry's wife. Though his musical career lasted only a decade, Harry Chapin's talent lives on through his timeless songs and powerful storytelling. He wrote over 400 songs in that time, including classic songs like ``Taxi'' and ``Cat's in the Cradle;'' released nine albums; and wrote a Broadway musical, ``The Night That Made America Famous.'' He also wrote songs for television and film. He was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Furthermore, Harry's humanitarian work serving the people of Long Island deserves to be remembered and honored. He donated half of his concert revenue to charity and founded various organizations that continue to fight hunger and poverty on Long Island and around the world. Harry co-founded WhyHunger, a grassroots organization that supports over 8,000 community groups nationwide in their efforts to develop innovative programs to eliminate hunger and provide sustainable, health food sources. He founded New York City's Hunger Hotline and Long Island's first food bank, Long Island Cares, which today distributes more than six million pounds of food every year. Long Island Cares also provides community members with nutrition education, job training, and veterans' services, because Harry understood that ending hunger requires addressing the root causes of poverty. In 1977, he lobbied Congress and President Carter to establish a Presidential Commission on World Hunger, on which he served as an active member. For all of his humanitarian work, Harry posthumously received a Congressional Gold Medal in 1987. His legacy lives on with the Harry Chapin Foundation, which continues to support charities that fight hunger and poverty, as well as organizations that support arts education. Harry Chapin's contributions to music and to the world should not be forgotten, and again I encourage his nomination to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Steve Israel, House of Representatives, December 16, 2014. Board Members, Songwriters Hall of Fame, New York, NY. To the Board Members of the Songwriters Hall of Fame: I write today to ask for full and fair consideration for Harry Chapin, a Long Island treasure, as a nominee for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In his life, Harry Chapin was known not only for writing songs that resonated but also for his philanthropic efforts and activism to combat hunger and poverty both in his Long Island community and around the world. His eminence as a songwriter and as a leader in the fight against poverty and hunger proves him truly deserving of this honor. Though his musical career lasted only a decade, Harry Chapin's enduring legacy ensures that his talent will live on through his timeless songs that reverberate across generations. During that brief period, Harry wrote over 400 songs, including classics like ``Taxi'' and ``Cat's in the Cradle;'' released nine albums; and wrote a Broadway musical, ``The Night That Made America Famous.'' He also wrote songs for television and film. He was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Harry's unparalleled humanitarian work serving the people of Long Island also deserves recognition. Along with donating half of his concert revenue to charity and founding various organizations to fight hunger and poverty on Long Island and around the world, Harry also served as a powerful voice lobbying Congress and President Carter to establish a Presidential Commission on World Hunger, on which he served as an active member. For all of his humanitarian work, Harry posthumously received a Congressional Gold Medal in 1987. His legacy lives on with the Harry Chapin Foundation, which continues to support charities that fight hunger and poverty, such as Long Island Cares, as well as organizations that support arts education. Today, I'm proud to give much deserved recognition to Harry Chapin's contributions to music and to the world in the House of Representatives. Harry's legacy is timeless and should not be forgotten. I once again ask for full and fair consideration for his nomination to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Sincerely, Steve Israel, Member of Congress.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw your attention to a speech given last week by Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor. Ambassador Prosor spoke passionately before the U.N. General Assembly about the U.N.'s persistent anti-Israel agenda, which continues to manifest itself in many forms such as special sessions, formal inquiries, and one-sided resolutions that single out Israel. I am proud of my steadfast support for the State of Israel and will continue my work to combat the U.N.'s bias against our greatest ally. I found Ambassador Prosor's words enlightening, and applaud him for speaking the truth. I would now like to submit Ambassador Prosor's speech. Ambassador Ron Prosor at the United Nations General Assembly on November 24, 2014 Ambassador Ron Prosor ``Mr. President, I stand before the world as a proud representative of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. I stand tall before you knowing that truth and morality are on my side. And yet, I stand here knowing that today in this Assembly, truth will be turned on its head and morality cast aside. The fact of the matter is that when members of the international community speak about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a fog descends to cloud all logic and moral clarity. The result isn't realpolitik, it's surrealpolitik. The world's unrelenting focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an injustice to tens of millions of victims of tyranny and terrorism in the Middle East. As we speak, Yazidis, Bahai, Kurds, Christians and Muslims are being executed and expelled by radical extremists at a rate of 1,000 people per month. How many resolutions did you pass last week to address this crisis? And how many special sessions did you call for? The answer is zero. What does this say about international concern for human life? Not much, but it speaks volumes about the hypocrisy of the international community. I stand before you to speak the truth. Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, less than half a percent are truly free--and they are all citizens of Israel. Israeli Arabs are some of the most educated Arabs in the world. They are our leading physicians and surgeons, they are elected to our parliament, and they serve as judges on our Supreme Court. Millions of men and women in the Middle East would welcome these opportunities and freedoms. Nonetheless, nation after nation, will stand at this podium today and criticize Israel--the small island of democracy in a region plagued by tyranny and oppression. Mr. President, Our conflict has never been about the establishment of a Palestinian state. It has always been about the existence of the Jewish state. Sixty seven years ago this week, on November 29, 1947, the United Nations voted to partition the land into a Jewish state and an Arab state. Simple. The Jews said yes. The Arabs said no. But they didn't just say no. Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon launched a war of annihilation against our newborn state. This is the historical truth that the Arabs are trying to distort. The Arabs' historic mistake continues to be felt--in lives lost in war, lives lost to terrorism, and lives scarred by the Arabs' narrow political interests. According to the United Nations, about 700,000 Palestinians were displaced in the war initiated by the Arabs themselves. At the same time, some 850,000 Jews were forced to flee from Arab countries. Why is it, that 67 years later, the displacement of the Jews has been completely forgotten by this institution while the displacement of the Palestinians is the subject of an annual debate? The difference is that Israel did its utmost to integrate the Jewish refugees into society. The Arabs did just the opposite. The worst oppression of the Palestinian people takes place in Arab nations. In most of the Arab world, Palestinians are denied citizenship and are aggressively discriminated against. They are barred from owning land and prevented from entering certain professions. And yet none--not one--of these crimes are mentioned in the resolutions before you. If you were truly concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people there would be one, just one, resolution to address the thousands of Palestinians killed in Syria. And if you were so truly concerned about the Palestinians there would be at least one resolution to denounce the treatment of Palestinians in Lebanese refugee camps. But there isn't. The reason is that today's debate is not about speaking for peace or speaking for the Palestinian people--it is about speaking against Israel. It is nothing but a hate and bashing festival against Israel. Mr. President, The European nations claim to stand for Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite--freedom, equality, and brotherhood--but nothing could be farther from the truth. I often hear European leaders proclaim that Israel has the right to exist in secure borders. That's very nice. But I have to say--it makes about as much sense as me standing here and proclaiming Sweden's right to exist in secure borders. When it comes to matters of security, Israel learned the hard way that we cannot rely on others--certainly not Europe. In 1973, on Yom Kippur--the holiest day on the Jewish calendar--the surrounding Arab nations launched an attack against Israel. In the hours before the war began, Golda Meir, our Prime Minister then, made the difficult decision not to launch a preemptive strike. The Israeli Government understood that if we launched a preemptive strike, we would lose the support of the international community. As the Arab armies advanced on every front, the situation in Israel grew dire. Our casualty count was growing and we were running dangerously low on weapons and ammunition. In this, our hour of need, President Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, agreed to send Galaxy planes loaded with tanks and ammunition to resupply our troops. The only problem was that the Galaxy planes needed to refuel on route to Israel. The Arab States were closing in and our very existence was threatened--and yet, Europe was not even willing to let the planes refuel. The U.S. stepped in once again and negotiated that the planes be allowed to refuel in the Azores. The government and people of Israel will never forget that when our very existence was at stake, only one country came to our aid--the United States of America. Israel is tired of hollow promises from European leaders. The Jewish people have a long memory. We will never ever forget that you failed us in the 1940s. You failed us in 1973. And you are failing us again today. Every European parliament that voted to prematurely and unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state is giving the Palestinians exactly what they want--statehood without peace. By handing them a state on a silver platter, you are rewarding unilateral actions and taking away any incentive for the Palestinians to negotiate or compromise or renounce violence. You are sending the message that the Palestinian Authority can sit in a government with terrorists and incite violence against Israel without paying any price. The first E.U. member to officially recognize a Palestinian state was Sweden. One has to wonder why the Swedish Government was so anxious to take this step. When it comes to other conflicts in our region, the Swedish Government calls for direct negotiations between the parties--but for the Palestinians, surprise, surprise, they roll out the red carpet. State Secretary Soder may think she is here to celebrate her government's so-called historic recognition, when in reality it's nothing more than a historic mistake. The Swedish Government may host the Nobel Prize ceremony, but there is nothing noble about their cynical political campaign to appease the Arabs in order to get a seat on the Security Council. Nations on the Security Council should have sense, sensitivity, and sensibility. Well, the Swedish Government has shown no sense, no sensitivity and no sensibility. Just nonsense. Israel learned the hard way that listening to the international community can bring about devastating consequences. In 2005, we unilaterally dismantled every settlement and removed every citizen from the Gaza Strip. Did this bring us any closer to peace? Not at all. It paved the way for Iran to send its terrorist proxies to establish a terror stronghold on our doorstep. I can assure you that we won't make the same mistake again. When it comes to our security, we cannot and will not rely on others--Israel must be able to defend itself by itself. Mr. President, The State of Israel is the land of our forefathers-- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is the land where Moses led the Jewish people, where David built his palace, where Solomon built the Jewish Temple, and where Isaiah saw a vision of eternal peace. For thousands of years, Jews have lived continuously in the land of Israel. We endured through the rise and fall of the Assyrian, Babylonian, Greek and Roman Empires. And we endured through thousands of years of persecution, expulsions and crusades. The bond between the Jewish people and the Jewish land is unbreakable. Nothing can change one simple truth--Israel is our home and Jerusalem is our eternal capital. At the same time, we recognize that Jerusalem has special meaning for other faiths. Under Israeli sovereignty, all people--and I will repeat that, all people--regardless of religion and nationality can visit the city's holy sites. And we intend to keep it this way. The only ones trying to change the status quo on the Temple Mount are Palestinian leaders. President Abbas is telling his people that Jews are contaminating the Temple Mount. He has called for days of rage and urged Palestinians to prevent Jews from visiting the Temple Mount using (quote) ``all means'' necessary. These words are as irresponsible as they are unacceptable. You don't have to be Catholic to visit the Vatican, you don't have to be Jewish to visit the Western Wall, but some Palestinians would like to see the day when only Muslims can visit the Temple Mount. You, the international community, are lending a hand to extremists and fanatics. You, who preach tolerance and religious freedom, should be ashamed. Israel will never let this happen. We will make sure that the holy places remain open to all people of all faiths for all time. Mr. President, No one wants peace more than Israel. No one needs to explain the importance of peace to parents who have sent their child to defend our homeland. No one knows the stakes of success or failure better than we Israelis do. The people of Israel have shed too many tears and buried too many sons and daughters. We are ready for peace, but we are not naive. Israel's security is paramount. Only a strong and secure Israel can achieve a comprehensive peace. The past month should make it clear to anyone that Israel has immediate and pressing security needs. In recent weeks, Palestinian terrorists have shot and stabbed our citizens and twice driven their cars into crowds of pedestrians. Just a few days ago, terrorists armed with axes and a gun savagely attacked Jewish worshipers during morning prayers. We have reached the point when Israelis can't even find sanctuary from terrorism in the sanctuary of a synagogue. These attacks didn't emerge out of a vacuum. They are the results of years of indoctrination and incitement. A Jewish proverb teaches: ``The instruments of both death and life are in the power of the tongue.'' As a Jew and as an Israeli, I know with utter certainty that when our enemies say they want to attack us, they mean it. Hamas's genocidal charter calls for the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews worldwide. For years, Hamas and other terrorist groups have sent suicide bombers into our cities, launched rockets into our towns, and sent terrorists to kidnap and murder our citizens. And what about the Palestinian Authority? It is leading a systemic campaign of incitement. In schools, children are being taught that `Palestine' will stretch from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. In mosques, religious leaders are spreading vicious libels accusing Jews of destroying Muslim holy sites. In sports stadiums, teams are named after terrorists. And in newspapers, cartoons urge Palestinians to commit terror attacks against Israelis. Children in most of the world grow up watching cartoons of Mickey Mouse singing and dancing. Palestinian children also grow up watching Mickey Mouse, but on Palestinians national television, a twisted figure dressed as Mickey Mouse dances in an explosive belt and chants ``Death to America and death to the Jews.'' I challenge you to stand up here today and do something constructive for a change. Publically denounce the violence, denounce the incitement, and denounce the culture of hate. Most people believe that at its core, the conflict is a battle between Jews and Arabs or Israelis and Palestinians. They are wrong. The battle that we are witnessing is a battle between those who sanctify life and those who celebrate death. Following the savage attack in a Jerusalem synagogue, celebrations erupted in Palestinian towns and villages. People were dancing in the street and distributing candy. Young men posed with axes, loudspeakers at mosques called out congratulations, and the terrorists were hailed as ``martyrs'' and ``heroes.'' This isn't the first time that we saw the Palestinians celebrate the murder of innocent civilians. We saw them rejoice after every terrorist attack on Israeli civilians and they even took to the streets to celebrate the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center right here in New York City. Imagine the type of state this society would produce. Does the Middle East really need another terror-ocracy? Some members of the international community are aiding and abetting its creation. Mr. President, As we came into the United Nations, we passed the flags of all 193 member States. If you take the time to count, you will discover that there are 15 flags with a crescent and 25 flags with a cross. And then there is one flag with a Jewish Star of David. Amidst all the nations of the world there is one state--just one small nation state for the Jewish people. And for some people, that is one too many. As I stand before you today I am reminded of all the years when Jewish people paid for the world's ignorance and indifference in blood. Those days are no more. We will never apologize for being a free and independent people in our sovereign state. And we will never apologize for defending ourselves. To the nations that continue to allow prejudice to prevail over truth, I say ``J'accuse.'' I accuse you of hypocrisy. I accuse you of duplicity. I accuse you of lending legitimacy to those who seek to destroy our State. I accuse you of speaking about Israel's right of self- defense in theory, but denying it in practice. And I accuse you of demanding concessions from Israel, but asking nothing of the Palestinians. In the face of these offenses, the verdict is clear. You are not for peace and you are not for the Palestinian people. You are simply against Israel. Members of the international community have a choice to make. You can recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, or permit the Palestinian leadership to deny our history without consequence. You can publically proclaim that the so-called ``claim of return'' is a non-starter, or you can allow this claim to remain the major obstacle to any peace agreement. You can work to end Palestinian incitement, or stand by as hatred and extremism take root for generations to come. You can prematurely recognize a Palestinian state, or you can encourage the Palestinian Authority to break its pact with Hamas and return to direct negotiations. The choice is yours. You can continue to steer the Palestinians off course or pave the way to real and lasting peace. Thank you, Mr. President.''

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share a speech given by one of my constituents, Robert Ghazool of Huntington, NY, when he introduced me during my visit to St. Peter's Syriac Orthodox Church. It was a pleasure working with Mr. Ghazool in setting up my visit to the church. ``The persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East is an affront to human rights and cannot be allowed to endure. We must stand with this community and stand up against this violence''. This quote was sent to me by Congressman Israel and read during our rally for our brethren in front of the United Nations. Congressman, as in the rally in front of the United Nations, our church has been at the center of a movement that has taken on life both here and abroad. Genocide is occurring and many Christians of the world can no longer be on the sidelines of history and see it happen. As we all know this genocide did not begin in June and July as the ISIS thugs poured in from neighboring Syria. This was the culmination, a last straw if you will, in what has been happening to the Christians in Iraq since 2003. For the sake of time, instead of giving you an exact timeline here is an overview of what our brethren have endured. They have endured over 60 church bombings, countless kidnappings and executions, our priests being killed, the massacre of the church of Sayidat Al Najat, the ethnic cleansing in Dora, which was once called the Vatican of Baghdad for the amount of churches and Christians that lived there, our Archbishops being killed in Iraq and taken hostage in Syria. Due to all this most of the Christians of Iraq have fled the persecution they endured, and what was once a population of 1.5 million is now estimated to be 500,000. In the last few years, the perils of the Christians of Iraq are now being faced by our brethren in Syria. The Christians of the Middle East are now in a precarious situation of failed nation states that cannot or will not come to the aide of the minorities being persecuted, democratic elections being held only to see Islamists coming into power as we saw with Hamas in Gaza and the Islamic Brotherhood in Egypt. The void left by lack of strong central governments has unfortunately been filled by groups like Al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra, ISIS, and Khorasan just to name a few. Now we come to the events that have brought us here today. ISIS came in with their black flag of hate and ignorance into Mosul and the Nineveh plains in late June. The ultimatum was clear--leave, convert or the only thing left for you is death by the sword. The conclusion for ISIS was simple; these people would simply lie over and convert to their brand of Satanic Islam. This would show the world how weak Christianity is and how powerful the Islamic State has become. I am so proud to tell you how wrong they were. Even after the thugs of ISIS branded the homes of the Christians with the Arabic N which means Nazarene, none converted and after vicious threats and attacks and with minutes numbered they fled north to first the Nineveh Plains and then farther north with nothing more than the clothes on their back. Everything was confiscated, deeds to their houses taken, IDs burnt, anything of value even down to a mere wedding band taken. Some walked countless miles when their cars were taken on the border of Mosul, others were beaten and unfortunately many were killed. All of them no matter what the circumstance said with one voice NO. NO, we will not convert, no we will not pay a Jizya, and if you kill us, we will be with a full heart knowing that we died for our Lord and Savior. You see my brethren these last souls were and are the bravest of our brave. They were the ones that no matter what the circumstance stayed to preserve our heritage, our language, our culture, and my God probably the last chance of civility in a land that frankly has little of it. Our Savior told us to leave everything and follow him. Our brethren in Nineveh have reminded us all what it is to be a true Christian. They are the modern day bearers of the cross, like our forefathers who themselves carried the cross as in 1890 Dierbekkar and the Christian Genocide of 1915. We cannot let their sacrifice go in vain. For if we do, we lose the voice of moderation that the Christians have always had in that region. We lose the teachers that taught literacy to the people that came after us. We lose a part of Judea-Christian History that once lost will be difficult to find once again. Today for the first time in over 1600 years no Christians are in Mosul. The sounds of the church bells are replaced by the sounds of war, our crosses, statues and signs of peace and love in the 45 Church facilities taken over by ISIS, now replaced by their black flag of hate, death and destruction. We are the indigenous people of that land and we deserve and want better. Congressman Israel you have been a leader in Congress when it comes to issues of human rights and religious equality. You were influential in the response and letters about Darfur. You sit on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, and were quick to stand with us and acknowledge what was transpiring to the minorities of Iraq and Syria as was evident in your statement that was read in front of the UN. You have visited Iraq and Afghanistan nine times which puts you in a unique position to be our voice in Congress. Our people are in harm's way, they have endured more than any people should and we need your help. I would be remiss if I did not mention the great sacrifice that our Armed Forces are enduring to bring the fight to ISIS. Their heroism makes us all proud to be Americans. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and for the families of the four American and British citizens that have been beheaded by theses cowardice vultures. Without further ado, on behalf of Reverend FR. Gabriel Adde, the board of trustees, and the congregation of St. Peter's Church please help me in welcoming the Honorable Congressman Steve Israel.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, to draw your attention to a speech given by one of my constituents, Helma Adde of Huntington, NY, when I visited St. Peter's Syriac Orthodox Church. Ms. Adde offered me a warm welcome and introduction to the community and I would like to share her words. Congressman Israel, let me start with our customary greeting. Shlomo, which in the Aramaic language literally means peace. We are very happy to have you here in our home today, so that we may get to know you better, as our Congressman and man chosen to be our voice in government. And we are also excited for the opportunity to introduce ourselves to you, so that you may know who we, your constituents are, and so that you may understand our concerns as members of this community and participants in this democracy. I hope this brief history I will share with you helps you connect with us. So who are the members of this congregation? The Syriac Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient Christian Churches tracing its roots to the Church of Antioch where Jesus' disciples were first called Christians, and Apostle Peter is believed to have established the first church. Ethnically and historically, we are indigenous to northern Iraq, southeast Turkey, northwest Iran, and northeast Syria, a region encompassing what was in ancient times known as the Assyrian empire and is often referred to as Mesopotamia, or the land between the two rivers, and we are proud to say that we speak a dialect of Aramaic, the language spoken by Abraham and his sons, and Jesus Christ. Due to the effects and obstacles brought on by population growth, political shifts and religious fanaticism, our community has evolved like many others and today we have come to be known as the Syriac, Assyrian, Chaldean people. As modern day Assyrians/Syriac Chaldean people, we do not have our own country, and those of our people that have managed to stay in the homeland, today find themselves referred to as minorities in the land of their forefathers. Our people are known to be a God fearing, peace loving people, and have contributed to Middle Eastern society in a positive way over the years. But, after years of being the target of religious fanaticism, many have fled the ancient homeland, and sought refuge in the diaspora in the hopes of providing safety and stability to their children and their families. Today, The United States constitutes the largest population of Assyrian Christians in the diaspora. Our people first started arriving in Western New York in the late 19th century, after the Christian massacre in Diyarbakir, Turkey. We witnessed another large influx of immigrants after the Christian genocide in 1915 under the sword of the Ottoman Turks, during which nearly 1 million Armenians and about 500,000 Assyrians were killed. As a result, many of our people left Mardin, Midyat and other cities in Turkey and eventually settled in parts of New York and New Jersey. But after visiting Long Island, it was hard to resist its beautiful green pastures, and its relaxing beaches. Eventually, a small group made their way out and settled there, mainly in parts of Queens, and then later to Nassau County. These immigrants worked hard, and became prominent entrepreneurs mainly in the jewelry and garment industry, trades brought with them from the old country, back in the early 70s. They built homes, grew families and raised children who became lawyers, doctors, teachers, business owners, and upstanding members in the community. Eventually, in 1985, this growing community, now comprised of immigrants from Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan, became large enough to establish a church where they could all congregate and meet regularly with other Assyrian Americans to preserve their ancient culture and practice their sacred religion. That church was named St. Peter's Syriac Orthodox Church. The community thrived and grew and after years of careful planning an opportunity arose that allowed them to finally purchase their own church. And in 2001, with the purchase of this church in Hicksville that we are gathered in today, we became permanent members of the Long Island community. Over the years, our American born generation has begun to assimilate into American society and is proud of its American nationality. But this generation is also proud of its ancestral roots and works hard to maintain a balance between its nationality and ethnic heritage. We have always been grateful to our brave people living in our homeland knowing that we rely on them to preserve our ancient culture and language; they are the true torch bearers so to speak. God has somehow given them the strength and courage to stay rooted in their homeland, a feat many of us here could not achieve. And we have always feared that without them, our dwindling culture would undoubtedly face extinction, and our name and language that have survived for centuries would merely be something people hear about in history books. For centuries, it is our ethnic heritage and religion that have made us seem like a threat to governments in the Middle East. Some have forced us to stop speaking Aramaic in our homes with our children, forced us to hide our crosses, and even forced us to change our names to assimilate into their societies and forget where we came from. They have even turned our century old churches to mosques, and some have even become ashes, along with our ancient archaeological sites. This cycle has been hammering away at our people to the point where they have realized the need for a safe haven, a place in their ancestral homeland that they can call their own again, where they can feel safe and protected, and be who they are. But their voices in the Middle East are being stifled, so we, their American brothers and sisters must be their voice. We have undertaken this duty to be their voice, not only as Christians and members of this church, but also as human beings and defenders of human, God given rights. Congressman, we attempted to voice our concerns for our persecuted people outside the UN where we rallied for our people back in August. We also voiced our concerns when we wrote to your office pleading for humanitarian aid and help in stopping the barbaric acts of terrorism. And we were so grateful when you replied both to our invitation to the UN rally and reached out to meet with us here at our church today. And now that you are here, and willing to build a relationship with us, we want you to know that our people need help, they are asking for their home back. We need a safe haven for them, in our ancient ancestral land, the Nineveh plains, under the protection of the United Nations so that we can break the cycle of constant persecution threatening our existence for too long. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to acquaint you with our community today. It is our sincere hope that our voices will be heard on behalf of our persecuted community, namely the hundreds of thousands of displaced men, women, and children suffering at the hands of ISIS today. Thank you.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support and congratulations for the people of Taiwan, who celebrated their National Day on October 10, 2014. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the enduring value of Taiwan's friendship with the United States, and to reaffirm our commitment in Congress to strengthening our nations' ties. Taiwan stands as an example in the Pacific of what economic and political freedom can bring to a country and its people. Since its founding 103 years ago, Taiwan has established itself as a country dedicated to citizen government and the free exchange of goods and ideas that forms the foundation of any modern and prosperous society. Taiwan has also made significant economic and cultural contributions to the global community, and to peace and stability in the region. Again I would like to offer my congratulations to the people of Taiwan on their 103rd National Day.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Colonel Cathleen Harms of Great Neck, New York, who on July 31, 2014 ended 38 years of military service, including 31 years of commissioned service and rejoins the Retired Reserves. Colonel Harms is also a retired Lieutenant in the New York City Police Department. Colonel Harms began her military career as a dental hygienist. Her enlisted career with the Army National Guard spanned from March 12, 1976 until May 18, 1983. She began her career in the New York Army National Guard in 1976 when she received her Associate of Applied Science degree from the State University of New York at Farmingdale. In addition to serving as a dental hygienist she also served as a Platoon Sergeant in the 824th Medical Detachment. She then earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Public Health from Saint Joseph's College, Brooklyn, NY and Saint John's University, Jamaica, NY, being cross-enrolled in both schools for ROTC purposes. She was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve on May 19, 1983, earning the honor of Distinguished Military Graduate. After commissioning, Colonel Harms completed the Army Medical Department Officer Basic Course. Her first assignment in the Medical Service Corps was as Administrative Officer, 824th Medical Detachment, New York Army National Guard, from May 1983 until May 1989. During this tour she attended the Army Medical Department Theater Medical Operation Course in 1985, was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant on May 18, 1986, and promoted again to the rank of Captain on May 19, 1987. Her next assignment was as the Medical Regulating Officer, for the 244th Medical Group, New York Army National Guard from 1990 until 1993. During this time she served in both a National Guard Status and a Title 10 Active Duty Status and attended the Army Medical Department Officer Advanced Course and the Command and General Staff College Mobilization and Deployment Planning Course. Colonel Harms' next assignment was as the Personnel Officer for the 244th Medical Group of the New York Army National Guard from September 1993 until June 1994, during which time she completed the Patient Administration Course as the Honor Graduate. She then served in the 244th as Patient Administration Officer from July 1994 until July 1997, and graduated from the Command and General Staff Course in 1995. In 1997 she completed the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute's (DEOMI) Equal Opportunity Advisor's Course in which she made the Commandant's list for academic achievement. Her next assignment was as Detachment Commander, 53rd Troop Command New York Army National Guard from August 1997 until December 2000. She was promoted to Major, Army National Guard in October 6, 1997. During this period of command she also completed the National Guard Bureau Military Discrimination Complaint Investigator Course in 1998. Colonel Harms' following assignment was as Equal Opportunity Advisor, 53rd Troop Command, New York Army National Guard, from January 2000 until August 2004. In 2001 she completed the DEOMI Mediation Course and in 2004 she completed the Army National Guard Facilitator Course. She was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard on April 8, 2003. Colonel Harms returned to Active Duty in Title 10 status in August 2004 to the Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants, Guantanamo Bay and Washington, D.C. She served in multiple billets including: Lead Recorder, Chief of Staff, Deputy Branch Chief, Tiger Team, Operations Officer, Special Liaison to Department of State, and Guantanamo Review Task Force Member. She was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the Army National Guard on May 12, 2008. During this assignment, in 2008, she also completed a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. She next served at the Periodic Review Secretariat in Arlington, Virginia beginning in April 2012, where she served as the Deputy Director for Operations. She entered the Retired Reserves on July 31, 2013, but continued to serve on Retiree Recall orders until May 2014. Colonel Harms' final uniformed assignment was at the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Belvoir, VA, from June 2014 until July 2014. Cathleen Harms also had a distinguished career in public service as a New York City Police Officer. She retired as a Lieutenant in the New York City Police Department. During her NYPD career, she held the ranks of Police Officer, Detective, Sergeant and Lieutenant. Her positions included Patrol Officer, Patrol Supervisor, Detective Investigator, Supervisor of Narcotics Investigations and Operations, Platoon Commander, and Integrity Control Lieutenant. She was trained and experienced in performing internal and external investigations, conducting interviews and interrogations, preparing and reviewing reports and investigative findings, conducting and supervising search warrants, developing and managing confidential informants, and reviewing and managing overtime budgets. The distinctive accomplishments of Colonel Harms culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of her community and country and reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense. Her Defense Superior Service Medal citation is attached to this submission. Defense Superior Service Medal to Colonel Cathleen A. Harms Colonel Cathleen A. Harms, United States Army, distinguished herself by exceptionally superior service while serving in various positions of increased responsibility, culminating as Deputy Director for Operations, Periodic Review Secretariat (PRS), Arlington, VA, from August 2004 through May 2013. Under her expert guidance, over 1,150 cases were prepared for processes that determined enemy combatant status, the transfer, continued detention or release of detainees held at U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She managed the sensitive interface with foreign governments on their nationals' status and handled numerous requests from Congress, non-governmental organizations and the media. Colonel Harms participated in the Presidential Task Force under Executive Order 13492, which comprehensively reviewed 240 detainee cases. She was vital in the planning and execution of the transition from the Office for Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants to the PRS per Executive Order 13567. Her outstanding leadership resulted in major contributions to national security and the success of the PRS and OARDEC missions in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. The distinctive accomplishments of Colonel Harms culminated a long and distinguished career in the service of her country and reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my grave concern for Turkey's actions, or should I say lack thereof, vis-a-vis regional security in the Middle East. As ISIS sweeps across Iraq and Syria, we know many foreign fighters have joined their ranks. But what I find incredibly disturbing is that Turkey, a NATO ally, is one of the most active recruitment sources for ISIS. According to reports, as many as 1,000 Turks have joined the ranks of ISIS. Turkey must do more to stop its citizens from joining ISIS, and a good starting point would be to shut down the recruitment operation that has thus far been ignored. Also problematic are the dozens of oil fields and refineries that ISIS now controls across Iraq and Syria. Control of this oil has given ISIS a steady flow of funds placed around $1-$2 million per day on the black market. Turkey again needs to step up and do more to curb the flow of this oil through its territory and put a stop to ISIS's smuggling network. I would also like to express my concern for the erosion of civil liberties and rule of law in Turkey. Intimidation of the press, private businesses, and other civil society actors has been reported. This, along with abuses of religious freedom and surface-level reforms, has made clear that Turkey's democracy is not moving in the right direction. It's time for the Turkish government to take a stand. It's time to lift restrictions on the media and religion, among other key sectors of society. And it's time to put a stop to ISIS's financial and personnel networks that flow through Turkey.