Steve Israel

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Madam Chair, I will be very brief. This is a bipartisan amendment offered by my colleague from New York, the gentleman from the Second Congressional District, Congressman Peter King, and myself, to transfer $10 million to mental health programs within the Department of Defense. It is fully offset. Madam Chair, 22 veterans every day are committing suicide; 273,000 veterans have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury since 2000; and the pace of post-traumatic stress disorder is going to require new thinking, new innovations, new technologies, new partnerships, and collaborations. That's exactly what this bipartisan amendment crafted by Congressman King and myself does. This amendment creates new public-private partnerships between the Department of Defense and teaching hospitals and research institutions for the research, the treatment, and outreach on military mental health matters. This is not a matter of partisanship, this is a matter of doing the right thing for our veterans. It was my honor to work together on a bipartisan basis with the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISRAEL. Madam Chair, I would just close by thanking the gentleman from Florida, the chair, and the ranking member for their cooperation. This amendment is so vitally important to those who are fighting for our freedom. In this amendment, we defend the defenders and we protect the protectors, and I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support for this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, with so many challenges in the world today-- student loan rates, turmoil in Egypt and in Syria, and jobs at home--I think it's important for us to remind ourselves of the resilience of our faiths. Recently, in New York, I joined Monsignor Brendan Riordan and the congregation of the St. Aloysius Church in Great Neck to celebrate their centennial jubilee. St. Aloysius was established in 1876. In 1913, ground was broken for the beautiful church that stands today. It stands today with 1,200 families, worshiping in English, in Spanish, and in Korean, with food banks and immigration counseling and human services and interfaith partnerships. I am privileged to represent St. Aloysius Church in Great Neck, Mr. Speaker, and I am especially privileged to talk about it on the floor of this Congress today.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, in 5 days, the student loan interest rate will double. It will go from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. That is a $4,500 increase for many college students. At a time when they're struggling to make ends meet, struggling to pay their tuition and their housing expenses to prepare to join the workforce and build careers and at a time when they're struggling to pay their debts, we're going to increase their debt. I want to commend to my colleagues a report that just came out from the Joint Economic Committee staff that talks about how student loan debt has skyrocketed over the past several years. Here's how the study concludes: The increasing debt burden presents challenges for recent graduates just beginning their careers and poses a potential risk to the economy, since individuals who shoulder heavier debt balances may delay purchasing a home, buying a car, starting a family, and saving for retirement. On average, recent graduates left college with student loan debt of 60 percent of their annual income. Mr. Speaker, 60 percent of their annual income will be spent paying back their debts from college. And if we don't compromise, it's going to be even more than that. I've always believed, and I know many of my colleagues have always believed, that you build an economy by building the middle class. And you expand the middle class by making sure that middle class families can afford college and that college is accessible. I do not understand an economic strategy that says that you make it harder and more expensive for the middle class to go to college; nor do I understand an argument that we cannot afford to keep the interest rate low, but we can spend $40 billion subsidizing the five richest oil companies in America who do not need those subsidies. The middle class deserves those subsidies. Middle class students trying to get into college deserve subsidies. But to say that they cannot have those subsidies and that we're going to double the interest rate on them while preserving a $40 billion subsidy to the richest oil companies on Earth is not only bad policy; it's ruinous economic strategy. Mr. Speaker, I do not know why anybody in this body would want to make it harder and more difficult for students to go to college at a time when we are competing with China and South Korea and other countries around the world to continue our strength and power over the next several decades. It is essential that we find a compromise, Mr. Speaker. There is an unquenchable thirst by Americans for compromise in this body. I, for one, as well as members of the House Democratic Caucus, am ready, willing, and able to compromise over the next 5 days. We just need somebody to compromise with. We need a compromise that is fair to the middle class, puts middle class families first, puts college students first, puts college affordability first, and puts partisan politics aside.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, since March of 2011 in Syria, 90,000 people have been killed, millions have been displaced internally, hundreds of thousands have fled, and between 100 and 150 people have been murdered by Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons. We can debate what we should do and how far we should go, but there is one thing that we can all agree on, and that is legislation that my colleague from Oklahoma, Congressman Tom Cole, and I have introduced on a bipartisan basis that would bring Bashar al-Assad to the International Criminal Court where he will be prosecuted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. This is an example of bipartisan cooperation and accord on a challenging foreign policy crisis. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Cole-Israel resolution and pass it immediately.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. ISRAEL. Madam Speaker, under House practice and procedure, is it not customary for someone on the committee of jurisdiction to manage time on the floor, or is it because the Republicans have no women on the House Judiciary Committee that the gentlewoman from Tennessee manages the time on the floor?

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, we who serve too often overlook the hard work and dedication of those who serve with us, the members of our staff. Today, I rise to recognize the dedication of Jack Pratt. Jack is my chief of staff. Today, he departs for new responsibilities. I hired him on my very first day in Congress 12 years ago, and he rose through the ranks. More than almost anyone I know, I have depended on Jack in good times and in bad, through thick and thin. Now, with a new baby in his life, he opens up a new chapter of his life. I wish him well and his wife, Kristin, and two kids, Callie and William. Thank you, Jack Pratt, my chief of staff and my friend.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Roslyn High School student, Alain E. Sherman, from Roslyn, NY, in my Congressional District, who has been named a Presidential Scholar. Dedicated and talented young people like Alain reflect the exemplary work by the next generation that will lead our nation into the future. I am so proud to recognize him today and it is an honor to represent him in Congress. I want to applaud Alain for his hard work and dedication, but also want to recognize his family and teachers, who have surely played a critical role in making this achievement possible. Only 141 students from across the country are given this esteemed honor of the thousands upon thousands of high school students nationwide. Alain serves as Vice President of the Roslyn High School Honor Society and also sits on the school's Model Government Executive Board. During his senior year at Roslyn High School, Alain was a member of the competitive ``Partners for the Future'' program hosted by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Alain spent ten hours each week conducting biomedical research with a mentor scientist at the lab. Alain's hard work is truly emblematic of what it means to be a Presidential Scholar. I look forward to seeing what breakthroughs result from Alain's research in the future. The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by President Obama, selects scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as demonstrated community service, leadership, and commitment to high ideals. Of the three million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 3,300 candidates qualified for the 2013 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams, and through nominations made by Chief State School Officers or the National YoungArts Foundation's nationwide YoungArts competition. The 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts. Since its creation in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored more than 6,000 of the nation's top-performing students with the prestigious award given to honorees during an annual ceremony in Washington, DC. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts. Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to join me in commending Alain for all of his accomplishments and I look forward to seeing his continued academic success.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a number of talented and dedicated high school students from my Congressional District who have won National Medals from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2013. The Scholastic Awards are the largest, longest-running scholarship and recognition program for creative teens and are presented annually by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. These talented students are creative thinkers that will lead our nation into the future and I am so proud to recognize them today. I am honored to represent Long Island and Queens which are home to many top notch schools with dedicated teachers guiding talented young students to success. Specifically, I want to recognize the following students that I have the honor to represent here in Congress: Megan Basaldua of Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School; Michela Bentel of the Choate Rosemary Hall; Lindsay Bu of Stuyvesant High School; Max Carol of Syosset Senior High School; Michelle Chen of Hunter College High School; Soohyun Cho, Seungeun Ha and Min Soo Kim of Oogie Art; Yirang Choe of Ashcan Studio Art; Alexandra Deplas, Megan Fox, Lauren Goldstein and Danielle Pestyner of Jericho Senior High School; Patrick Fahey of Manhasset Secondary School; Meagan Fontanes, Brianna Martin and Julia Tannenbaum of Northport Senior High School; Samantha Rose Klainberg and Kaiqi Zhu of Great Neck South High School; and Nicole Lee of High School Art & Design. Only 1,900 works of art and writing, from the initial pool of 230,000 submissions, earned a National Medal. These students and their teachers should be commended for excelling and achieving such great success. They will be honored at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Friday, May 31. Artwork from the award-winning students will be featured in an exhibition at Parsons The New School for Design and the Pratt Manhattan Gallery. A selection of students receiving awards for writing will have their work published in the annual anthology The Best Teen Writing of 2013. Mr. Speaker, I again want to applaud the families, teachers and students that have made these achievements possible. I urge my colleagues to join me in commending you for all of your successes and I look forward to seeing your continued contribution to the arts.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jack and Violet Harounian, Dinner Chairpersons of the Aleh Foundation Awards Dinner. Aleh Foundation's distinguished Dinner Chairperson Jack Harounian was born in Teheran, Iran in 1928. Jack had hoped to attend Teheran University Medical School to help the local Jewish community but was accepted in Dental College. Because of the outbreak of World War II and the very difficult day to day economic situation, he was not able to attend. At age 18, after passing exams, Mr. Harounian became the youngest staff member of the Imperial Bank of Iran office in Teheran. At age 20, he volunteered to attend the War Faculty and became a Battalion Officer of King Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. In that position Jack served for 18 months in ``Padeghan Jay'' near Mehrabad Airport in Teheran. He then returned to the bank at a higher position until Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mosadegh nationalized the banking and oil industry in Iran. Jack got married in 1957 to his lovely bride Violet Ohebshalom at the age of 29 in Tehran and they enjoyed a honeymoon in Israel in 1957. Today they are blessed with two daughters, one son and 11 grandchildren. Mr. Harounian moved the family to the U.S. in 1970. After he started a business importing woolen piece goods, then shifted to become an exporter of handmade oriental rugs. After three decades he became one of the largest rug exporters in the U.S. At age 20, when the State of Israel was established, and later, at the time of their honeymoon, Jack began to think how he could help the people of Israel and Jews around the world. Some 25 years ago he decided to help hospitals and upgrade the quality of health-care services in Israel. In, 1980 he organized and led fund raising efforts on behalf of Magen David Hospital in Calcutta, India. In 1990, Violet miraculously survived a very serious illness. In the words of Jack, ``G-d gave me back my wife.'' In appreciation, he agreed to become the International Chairman of Iranian Friends of Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. In that position, Mr. Harounian began to raise funds for Shaare Zedek, not just in New York but across the country and around the world. In all of these trips he had the warm support and encouragement of Violet who is deeply proud of her husband's efforts to care for the sick and disabled in Israel. He has worked tirelessly on behalf of Shaare Zedek, year after year, putting in countless hours of time each week. At his own expense, Mr. Harounian has placed ads in all major Persian language news media in New York and Los Angeles as well as in the Jewish Week and Jerusalem Post. Jack takes his responsibility as International Chairman very seriously. On behalf of Shaare Zedek he has travelled to Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, Miami, and overseas to Germany, Switzerland, France, Australia, New Zealand, England and Spain to meet with members of the local Persian Jewish community. Jack has personally paid for all hotels and air expenses for himself and his wife. In recognition of his exceptional activities which have greatly benefited the health and well-being of the people of Jerusalem, Jack was honored at the Iranian Community Solidarity Gala Dinner Dance in celebration of Jerusalem's 2000 birthday in 1996, sponsored by Shaare Zedek. This was followed two years later by Mr. Harounian being designated by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert a ``Trustee of the City of Jerusalem'' at festivities in Jerusalem celebrating Israel's 50th birthday. This is a special, rare honor of distinction that is presented to those individuals outside Israel who have made an exceptional contribution toward the betterment of the people of Jerusalem. Because of his widespread reputation as a philanthropist supporting Israel, Jack was approached by the Aleh Foundation in 2001. He was deeply moved to hear about the dream of building a Rehabilitation Village. The estimated cost of the project was a daunting $45 million. After visiting the Aleh Center in Jerusalem and meeting with our special children and talking with the exceptional staff, Mr. Harounian threw himself wholeheartedly into this endeavor. Jack was kind enough to open his beautiful home in Kings Point for a fund-raising event that featured Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as the guest speaker. Mr. Harounian is an esteemed honorary board member. He makes it a priority to participate in all of the Aleh Foundation's fund raising events in NY and in Israel and spends an enormous amount of time introducing friends, neighbors and business associates to the vital work of the Foundation. Over the years Mr. Harounian has devoted countless hours of his time, energy and money to helping Aleh expand its extraordinary facilities while continuing his wonderful work for Shaare Zedek and many other worthy causes in Israel. When asked why he worked so hard on behalf of the Aleh Foundation, Mr. Harounian replied, ``It is wonderful that 12,000 parents can go to work each day with peace of mind, knowing that the Aleh Foundation, with its excellent and caring staff is taking care of their disabled children.'' Mrs. Violet Harounian, besides warm support and encouragement, donated a very special ambulance to Magen David Adom in 1900 to Israel. She is active, in many other non-profit organizations in Israel such as Hadassah and Ort and so on. It is a distinct honor and a privilege to have Jack and Violet serve as Dinner Chairpersons of Aleh Foundation Awards Dinner celebrating 29 years of service to disabled children in Israel.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a number of talented and dedicated high school students from my Congressional District who were chosen to be Semifinalists in the Intel Science Talent Search (STS) as well as one who was named as a Finalist. These students are the future of our nation's research and I am so proud to recognize them today. Mayuri Sridhar attends Kings Park High School in Kings Park, NY in my district and Intel has recognized her as a finalist in this year's competition. Mayuri is being recognized for her research project entitled ``Computational Analysis of the DNA-Binding Mechanism of the p53 Tumor Suppressor and its Inactivation through the R249S Mutation.'' In March, Mayuri traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the final round of the competition and compete for the top award of $100,000. While in the nation's capital, she was one of only forty finalists to display her work to the public as well as meet with notable American scientists. This extraordinary honor reflects Mayuri's commitment and dedication to her academic work and I know Mayuri will be successful in her future endeavors. Additionally, I want to recognize the Intel Semifinalists that I have the honor to represent here in Congress. Long Island and Queens are fortunate to have so many top notch schools with dedicated teachers guiding these talented young students to success. The Semifinalists were selected from among more than 1,700 entrants to receive a $1,000 award for their outstanding research. In addition, their schools receive $1,000 to support further excellence in science and technology education. I am impressed not just by their scientific knowledge but also by their profound commitment to the scientific process and making discoveries that will help our country. The following names of the Intel Semifinalists represent the young students with bright futures ahead of them and the next generation of American innovation, science, and research: Amanda Elyssa Ruiz of Bronx High School of Science; Puja Bansal, Rohan Goyal, Tammy Jin, Jonathon Kim, Abhinav Patil, Robert Tannenbaum of Half Hollow Hills High School East; Deriam Chirinos, Menglu Dong, Julia Zhuang of John L. Miller Great Neck North High School; Yonatan David of North Shore Hebrew Academy; David Kim, Cyrus Zhou of William A. Shine Great Neck South High School; Jacob Gary Wax of Harborfields High School; Sonia Joshi, Samuel Lam, Brendan Liu, Michael Shen, Raymond Wu of Jericho Senior High School; Wesley Cox, Kenan Mutlu of Kings Park High School; Nick Fiacco of Manhasset High School; Meenakshi Krishna, Benjamin Isaac Pleat of Herricks High School; Jongyoon Lee, Carolyn Yao of Stuyvesant High School; James Shamul, Sunny Zheng Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School; Drew Feldman, Minah Kim of Paul D. Schreiber High School; Arshia Aalami, Arvind Kumar, Ethan Levine, Alian Emil Sherman of Roslyn High School; Michelle Jiang Long, Jared Brandon Weiss of Syosset High School, In closing, I again want to applaud the families, teachers and students that make all of these achievements possible. I commend you for all of your successes and I look forward to hearing more from all of you in the future. You will keep Americans globally competitive and at the forefront of innovation.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, this week Israel celebrated its 65th Independence Day. Since its founding on May 14, 1948, Israel and the United States have been steadfast allies and today we take a moment to celebrate Israel and recommit ourselves to the partnership between our two great nations. Despite years of terrorist threats and attacks, intermittent war, and overwhelming odds, Israel has not only survived but flourished, developing into a beacon of democracy in the Middle East. Much like the United States, Israel values and protects freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press, and most importantly the idea that government comes from the consent of the governed. These freedoms may seem commonplace to Americans, but they are rare in the Middle East and ensure that Israel remains a vigorous democracy. Israel has also become a global economic leader, especially in the technology and science sectors where Israel's innovation and dedication allow it to achieve success despite its relatively small population. Israel leads the world in developing solar power technologies and its medical inventions have saved countless lives, including many Americans. Israel's tremendous achievements since its founding are truly inspiring and I am honored to recognize our greatest ally's 65th Independence Day.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. I thank my very good friend from Maryland, the ranking member of our Budget Committee. I thank him for his leadership, and for his common sense, and for advancing approaches that make the right investments in the right priorities in this country, investments that expand the middle class, investments that provide for a balanced approach and reduce our debt. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose the RSC budget. As House Democrats, we believe that we need solutions-based budgets, not ideology-based budgets. We need solutions-based budgets that rest on three pillars: Number 1, they take a balanced approach and reduce debt, because we need to reduce debt, but do it in a balanced way. Number 2, they protect the middle class, because the middle class is still struggling. Make sure the middle class is protected. And Number 3, they make the right and smart investments in the right and smart priorities, that don't ask us to forsake research and cures and treatments for disease, that don't allow China to move ahead of us in research and development, engineering, science and technology, that keep us competitive in the world.

Mr. ISRAEL. So we want these solutions-based budgets that achieve these three critical priorities, and the way we get to those three critical priorities is through one thing, and that is compromise. It is the ability of both sides of the aisle to pursue these three priorities in a balanced way. The budget before us right now is not about compromise, it is about ideology. It is not about common sense and solutions, it is about extremism. The American people have sent us here to get things done, to find solutions to move them forward. Let's not go backwards, Mr. Chairman. Let's not continue gridlock, Mr. Chairman. Let's find a balanced approach that rests on compromise and supports the middle class. And that is why I rise today in opposition to the budget before us. I thank my distinguished friend from Maryland.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Edward H. Lockwood, an American veteran from Long Island. Edward recently passed away and our community is mourning this profound loss. Corporal Lockwood enlisted in the Army in 1942, and remained for the duration of World War II. He served in the 824th and 691st Tank Destroyer Units at Normandy, the Rhineland, Central Europe, and finally Ardennes, the Battle of the Bulge. Upon returning home to Glenwood Landing, Corporal Lockwood joined the American Legion Post 336 in Glen Head, New York, and worked for the Long Island Lighting Company until his retirement. Mr. Lockwood joined the Glenwood Fire Company when he turned 18 and his only interval in service was substituted by his time in the Army. He served as Chief twice before being named Chief Emeritus, joining a privileged few who have been Glenwood Fire Company Chief three times. Corporal Lockwood leaves behind three daughters and will be sorely missed by the Glenwood Landing community of which he was a part of for almost 92 years. Edward was a true American patriot. In the wake of his passing, we should all remember the sacrifice our veterans make to keep us safe here at home. I am forever grateful for Edward's contributions as a serviceman and leader in his community on Long Island. I offer my sincerest thoughts and prayers to his family.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Americans affected by Marfan syndrome and related heritable connective tissue disorders across the country. As February marks National Marfan Awareness Month, it is important to raise awareness to this rare genetic condition. About 1 in 10,000 Americans carries a genetic mutation that impacts connective tissue throughout the entire body. Patients often have disproportionately long limbs, a protruding or indented chest bone, curved spine, and loose joints. However, these are not what most concern Marfan syndrome patients. Internal organs have connective tissue and in Marfan patients the aorta, the large artery that carries blood away from the heart, is weakened and prone to enlargement and potentially fatal rupture. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Orphan Drug Act. While we have made great strides in addressing rare conditions since the Orphan Drug Act first became law, we must not lose sight of the work that still needs to be done. Patients with Marfan syndrome and related disorders rely on us to provide investment in critical research activities so that treatment options can be improved and, most importantly, so that cures can be found. I am proud to represent the nation's foremost organization working to support the Marfan community, the National Marfan Foundation, based in Port Washington, New York. The Foundation was founded in 1981 by Priscilla Ciccariello, and since then the Foundation has worked to improve the lives of those affected by Marfan syndrome and related disorders by promoting research, raising awareness, and providing support to those afflicted with Marfan. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing National Marfan Awareness Month. I look forward to working with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to make critical investments in medical research and treatment to save the lives of people across the United States.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a team of talented and dedicated students from Huntington High School in my Congressional District that recently won the Long Island Regional Science Bowl held at Brookhaven National Laboratory. These students are the future of our nation's excellence in the sciences and I am so proud to recognize them today. Captain Brian Gilbert and teammates Aron Coraor, Marc Feldman, and Jacob Roday attend Huntington High School in Huntington, NY and on Saturday January 26, 2013 were named the Long Island Regional Science Bowl winners. The young men competed against twenty other teams from high schools around the region in a Jeopardy style contest. These students will compete in the National Finals for the Science Bowl in Washington, DC in April 2013. This success reflects the hard work of these students, but also of their mentors, Huntington High School teachers, Ms. Dame Forbes and Ms. Lori Kenny. Ms. Forbes and Ms. Kenny coached the team and helped make this success possible. It is dedicated teachers like them that make a difference in lives of students and the well being of this country. I am sure there were many long days and hours of practice that made this all possible so both of these women deserve credit for their contribution to the team as well. The National Science Bowl is one of the largest science competitions in the country and being recognized as a finalist is an extraordinary honor. I know that Brian, Aron, Marc, and Jacob have a bright future ahead of them and I wish them nothing but success in the National Finals this spring. They should be proud of all they have achieved so far and I know they will continue to excel.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan legislation on the floor today that will provide much needed relief for my constituents. H.R. 41 will replenish the National Flood Insurance Fund, which would otherwise run out of funds and be unable to pay out claims next week. That would be simply unacceptable for the homeowners and businesses that I represent who have already gone through so much. New Yorkers were devastated by Hurricane Sandy and we are just beginning to recover. I am glad that the House Republican leadership has responded to the bipartisan outcry for action to help families, businesses and communities in my district. We must act swiftly on the remaining federal resource needs for the Sandy victims. We all can agree that this recovery needs to be bold and it needs to be implemented quickly--and that's what we are working on. Together, both sides of the aisle from the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Congressional delegations have come together to address this immediate and urge need to meet the needs of flood insurance claims by all of our constituents. FEMA has said there are a total of 120,000 flood insurance claims payments that will be delayed until Congress increases the borrowing authority for the program--of which 115,000 are related to Superstorm Sandy. Any delay is unacceptable and that is why I urge swift passage of this bill and prompt action in the Senate. I implore my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. We simply need to help my constituents and allow all of those who have been devastated by this storm to move forward with their lives and rebuild stronger than ever.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. I thank my very good friend and colleague from New York for the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule. It has been 80 days. For 80 days New Yorkers and other Americans have been waiting for help. Their businesses have been damaged, their homes have been damaged, their land has been damaged, their co-ops and condos have been damaged. They need the help. It is one thing to be devastated by a weather storm; it is another thing to be devastated by a political storm. We need to put both storms behind us and move on and provide this help. We have shown bipartisanship in my area, Mr. Speaker. The gentleman from New York (Mr. King), a Republican, and I and other members of our delegation have worked with Governor Cuomo and Governor Christie and with Mayor Bloomberg to move forward, despite the politics and despite the political winds. We have our two county executives from Long Island--County Executive Bellone and County Executive Mangano--in Washington today, with residents who are Democrats, Republicans, conservatives, liberals, and independents. This isn't about party; this is about solutions. This is not the time for recriminations about what went wrong. It is the time for recovery, about how to get this right. This is not the time for partisan posturing. It is a time for solutions. We are cautiously optimistic that in a few hours both the political storm and the weather storm will finally be behind us, that the help will come, the assistance will be provided, that all Americans will provide the help that we provide them when times get tough for them, and that people back home who are counting on us will get the help they need. I thank the gentlewoman again.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the bipartisan conference agreement for the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2013. The conference report authorizes critical resources for our men and women in uniform and the defense of the American people. While I do not agree with every provision in this bill, I'd like to commend the conference committee for including in its report the Israel King amendment which was passed in the House in May 2012. This bipartisan amendment would improve the coordination of research, treatment, education, and outreach of mental health, substance use disorders, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) among members of the National Guard, Reserve and their families. All Americans have a moral obligation to provide the best care possible to our veterans when they return home after so bravely serving their country. Mental health and substance use disorders and TBI affect nearly 20% of all the service members who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Even more disturbing is that an American veteran commits suicide every 80 minutes. This is unacceptable. We must act now to ensure our veterans have the support services and access to care that they deserve. While many active duty service members return from deployments to military bases and have access to quality mental health services, members of the National Guard and Reserve often return from a tour of duty and transition into civilian life far from military bases and without easy access to the care they need. Members of the National Guard and Reserve who have mental health, substance use disorders, or TBI are more likely to have a difficult time transitioning back into family life and their careers. And those who do seek care in their community may not always receive the most appropriate and effective treatment options. This amendment would allow the Department of Defense to carry out a pilot program with public-private partnerships based on a competitive, merit-based grant process. We have learned that the government cannot meet the needs of our veterans alone. That is why these innovative partnerships are so critical. Again, I thank the conference committee for including this important amendment in the final bill. American veterans and their families have already sacrificed so much for our country. I encourage all Members to support this critical care for our veterans which they not only need but deserve. We owe them nothing less.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in honoring Chairman Emanuel Cleaver. I have never had to wait so long to say something nice about a colleague of ours, and that gives you a sense of how wonderful Chairman Cleaver has been as the chairman of the CBC, as a Member of Congress, and as a human being. This is a place of hard elbows and harsh tongues, and Chairman Cleaver has always worked to make us better, a better Congress and better as individuals. He and I found common ground very early on in our tenure together. I created the House Center Aisle Caucus, and he reached out to me and we tried to figure out ways of injecting respect and tolerance and sensitivity into our discourse on the floor of the House. We share the value that listening is better than shouting and that bringing people together is a more valued tradition than driving them apart. His leadership of the CBC has inspired so many of us, his ability to drive the CBC forward and, at the same time, to reach even higher. And I know that the incoming chairperson, Chairwoman Fudge, will pursue those goals with equal tenacity and equal vision. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would say this. Although Emanuel Cleaver ascended to the highest position in the Congressional Black Caucus, although he has become a senior Member of this Congress, he has never forgotten that our fundamental ability is to work for those we serve, and he has reminded us every single day that no matter how high you are at any given time, there is always a higher calling. And for that we are forever grateful to Chairman Cleaver, for his service to the CBC and his continuing service as a Member of this body. He has made us a better Congress and a better country, and we look forward to continuing to work with him.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and congratulate Martin and Rhoda Ellner, the parents of one of my constituents, on reaching a true marital milestone today: their 60th wedding anniversary. An anniversary such as this shows us all the power of love, but also serves as a reminder that a marriage takes patience, respect, and understanding. Each day that Martin and Rhoda go forward they remind us of the commitment they have made to one another, and also serve as an inspiration to those who know them with their remarkable dedication to each other. According to their son, Andrew, Martin is a ``concentration camp survivor who's proud to be an American'' and Rhoda is a ``Brooklyn born superhero who's proud to have survived raising Martin and her 4 sons.'' These are two truly remarkable people who have demonstrated to the world what a loving partnership looks like. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Martin and Rhoda Ellner on 60 years of wedded bliss, and wish them many more happy years together.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize three remarkable nuns who have dedicated their lives to helping the poor and sick, and educating the youth of Long Island. These nuns, and the organization they are part of, represent the absolute best of all of us. Sister Francis Gerard Kress, Sister Edward Joseph Murphy and Sister Alice Francis Young, all nuns with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, have served the communities in my district for the past 80 years. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood's history in America began in Carondelet, Missouri in 1936, where the Bishop called on the Sisters to establish a school for the deaf. The Congregation soon spread from Missouri, and in 1856 the Sisters were called by the Bishop of Brooklyn to come tend to the needs of the city. Mother Austin Kean, along with Sister Baptista Hanson and Sister Theodosia Hegeman, came and established what is now the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, New York. Since the establishment of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood order, over 2,500 Sisters have served, with 588 of those Sisters currently serving or in retirement around the United States. All three Sisters are 80th year Jubilarians this year, and in that time have done tremendous things for our communities. Sister Edward Joseph Murphy has devoted her life to educating children, instilling in them a lifelong love of learning, as well as community service. As a part of the Order's English as a Second Language program, Sister Murphy helped some of the newest arrivals to our nation. Sister Francis Gerard Kress has been an active proponent of the environment and health care for her 80 years in the Order, even coming here to Washington D.C. to testify before the United States House of Representatives about the environmental dangers surrounding Newton Creek in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. Her work to protect our world's natural resources has helped to shed light on the importance of the Clean Water Act and other environmental protection legislation to all Americans. Sister Alice Francis Young has dedicated her life to early childhood education, something we know is so important to the development of our young children. She helped start the first Head Start program in New York, worked as a professor of Child Study at St. Joseph's College of Brooklyn for over 40 years, and a Master Teacher there for 20 years. Sister Alice's work has impacted and bettered, both directly and indirectly, the lives of thousands of students in New York and around the country. Mr. Speaker, I could go on and on about the accomplishments of these three amazing nuns. They have worked to protect our environment both locally and nationally, provide key support to the newest members of our communities, and educate our children. Their work has been tireless, and I sincerely appreciate it. Mr. Speaker, these nuns have devoted their lives to bettering not just the communities in my district, but those around the nation. I would like the United States House of Representatives to recognize and honor Sisters Francis Gerard Kress, Edward Joseph Murphy and Alice Francis Young for their work, and to help me in congratulating them on their 80 year jubilees.

Mr. ISRAEL

Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend Congressman Jerry Costello, and to thank him for his 24 years of service in the House of Representatives working on behalf of the people of the 12th congressional district of Illinois. Jerry has worked tirelessly during his time in Congress to create jobs and improve the lives of the people of Southwestern and Southern Illinois, as well as in his role on the Aviation Subcommittee. His leadership in aviation is best illustrated by the passage of The Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009 in the House, the strongest aviation safety bill passed in 50 years. I wish Jerry the best of luck in his future endeavors, and know that I speak for many other Members when I say he will be dearly missed.