Paul Kanjorski

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the participants and volunteers in the Mount Carmel Mini Olympics for People with Special Needs, which has grown in each of its seven years. This year's Mini Olympics will be held on June 2. Last year, I had the opportunity to witness first-hand the dedication of the athletes and the generosity of the many volunteers who make this event possible. A group of friends initiated the Mini Olympics to allow local special needs athletes the opportunity to participate that might not otherwise be possible due to the travel distance, lodging expenses and commitment of time that are sometimes necessary for the state or national Special Olympics. Building on that success, the Mini Olympics have become an annual event. The number of participants has grown from 44 at the beginning to 184 last year. Led by Chairman Ron Tanney, the Mount Carmel Mini Olympics for People with Special Needs Committee organizes this inspiring event with the help of many volunteers and community donors too numerous to list them all here. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives this extraordinary event and the people who make the Mini Olympics possible, and I wish them all the best as they continue with their many endeavors. I would now like to insert for the record an editorial from the Shamokin News-Item commending the volunteers and participants in last year's Mini-Olympics, words which I am sure will apply equally well this year. Two `class' Events that Make Us Proud [Shamokin News-Item Editorial, June 6, 2000] Two annual events, both held this past weekend, show the class of area volunteers and the generosity of our area's residents. The two events, of course, are the Mount Carmel Mini- Olympics for People with Special Needs and the Relay for Life sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Seldom do we witness the level of unselfishness and the concern for fellow human beings that is so apparent at these two programs. This was the sixth annual Mini-Olympics and the program keeps getting better every year. Thanks to a cadre of dedicated volunteers who plan the day out of love, those who help out at the events and the generous businesses, individuals, organizations and government officials who support it, the Mini-Olympics is a high point in the lives of the participants and their families. Indeed, the lives of all who are in the stadium are enriched because of the Mini- Olympics. It is truly a celebration of life. So too is the annual Relay for Life, in which people throughout the region join forces to fight a terrible killer and give moral support to those who fought their own personal fights and to the families of those whose personal battles are over. The camaraderie and unity of purpose exhibited by Relay teams should serve as an inspiration for those of us who make the mistake of trying to ``go it alone'' in tough times. When cynics claim that this area is ``dying,'' we need only point to the Mini-Olympics and the Relay for Life, events which affirm our love for life and our commitment to each other. These are events that should make us proud to be residents of the Shamokin-Mount Carmel area. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Mozart Club of Wilkes-Barre, which is celebrating its 95th year this month. The club, a group for those 50 and older led by President Elenora Butcofski Grant, is a member of both the Pennsylvania and National Federations of Music Clubs. The Mozart Club was founded on October 10, 1906, by a young Miss Euda Hance, who later became Mrs. A. Livingston Davenport, and 14 of her friends in her living room. The mission of the Mozart Club is stated in its constitution: ``The object of this club shall be to encourage and promote musical interest among its members; to encourage the development of musical talent in the youth of the community and to cooperate with the Pennsylvania Federation of Music Clubs and the National Federation of Music Clubs in their specific plans for the advancement of music.'' Over the years, the members of the Mozart Club have certainly fulfilled that mission. They have played major roles in establishing musical institutions such as the Community Concert Association, the Opera Guild and the Wyoming Valley Philharmonic Orchestra. They have fostered young talents through scholarships, and in 1926 they founded the Junior Mozart Club for children with musical interests. Both the Pennsylvania and National Federations have awarded the Mozart Club honors through the years and in 1974, the National Federation granted it the Award of Highest Merit in the Parade of American Music from a panel of judges headed by composer Samuel Barber. Active members of the Mozart Club must audition to be accepted as performing members. Many of these musicians are degreed performers who teach in schools or colleges or have their own private studios. At each monthly meeting, the club presents a musical program, which is open to the public. While the performers are sometimes guests, more often the club draws on the considerable talent within its own ranks. Among the club's other activities are: providing a yearly scholarship to a local graduate musician, taking part in the Fine Arts Fiesta, celebrating National Music Week, providing help for the State Federation Festival, providing programs for nursing home residents and sponsoring a series of opera trips to New York City each spring and fall. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the many good works of the Mozart Club and its 95th anniversary, and I wish them its members all the best as they continue with their many endeavors.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a man who helped me realize a dream. Dr. Christopher Breiseth is being honored tonight for his role as the founding chairman of a non-profit organization we established together in Northeastern Pennsylvania almost ten years ago, and I wanted to take the time to share with my colleagues the extraordinary effort he put forward by leading the Earth Conservancy from its earliest turbulent days to the outstanding success it has now become. Just over ten years ago, Chris, his wife Jane, and their youngest daughter Lydia came to Washington and stopped by my office. Dr. Breiseth had been serving as the president of Wilkes University for about seven years at that point, and we had always enjoyed a good working relationship. In addition to our shared interest in national politics and social issues, we also spent a great deal of time discussing the challenges and opportunities facing Northeastern Pennsylvania. As a relative newcomer to the region, Chris provided me with a fresh perspective that managed to be both realistic and optimistic. During that visit in Washington, we talked about the need to clean up the environmental degradation from the coal mining industry, and I shared with Chris my dream of purchasing a parcel of land owned by a defunct coal company which had been tied up in bankruptcy for more than fifteen years. With his characteristic enthusiasm, Chris agreed to join me in establishing a non-profit organization to purchase this land, reclaim the mine-scarred portions, and redevelop it with the principles of what we now call ``smart growth.'' In early 1992, Chris and I recruited a group of community leaders to serve on the board of this new organization. Now that the Earth Conservancy is a well-respected local institution with a history of good work, it is hard to remember how difficult those early days were and how risky for all of our reputations. After an initial flurry of positive press reports, the fledgling Earth Conservancy soon became the target for intense scrutiny by the local media. As we struggled to obtain the federal funds necessary for the purchase the land and worked through the legal labyrinth to free the land from bankruptcy, local reporters became convinced that we must be doing something nefarious. One newspaper made more than one hundred freedom of information act requests from various federal agencies, which effectively raised suspicion among the government officials within those agencies. I will be forever grateful to all of the original members of the Earth Conservancy board, but most especially to Chris Breiseth as the Chairman, for withstanding the intense pressure and continuing to believe in our dream. That dream is now reality. The Earth Conservancy has reclaimed more than 800 acres of land, and has committed to preserve in open green space more than two-thirds of its total 16,000 acre holdings. Under the leadership of its CEO, Mike Dziak, the Earth Conservancy has reached out to every level of the community to use the asset of the land for the benefit of everyone. Local schoolchildren plant trees on Earth Conservancy land every year. Some small parcels of land have been donated to local municipalities and non-profit organizations for a wide variety of public projects, and the Earth Conservancy has welcomed local residents to use its land for recreational purposes. At every step of the way, Chris provided strong and steady guidance to keep the organization devoted to its original goals. My trust in him was and is absolute, and the entire region of Northeastern Pennsylvania owes him an enormous debt of gratitude for the leadership he has provided to the Earth Conservancy. After seventeen years as the president of Wilkes University, Chris Breiseth is moving on to new challenges. He will be president and chief executive officer of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute at Hyde Park, New York, where I have no doubt his depth of understanding as an historian will benefit all who find inspiration from the lives of these two great Americans. Mr. Speaker, when Chris and Jane Breiseth came to Northeastern Pennsylvania with their three lovely daughters, Abigail, Erika, and Lydia, they truly made it their home. They volunteered their time and energy to countless community activities, and the region has been enriched by their presence. Every community in America should have the benefit of people like the Breiseths, who took a chance on a dream and made it happen.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Cornell Iron Works, an outstanding company that has been in existence since 1828. Cornell, which moved to Northeastern Pennsylvania in 1965, began operations at its new, larger plant last month. In 1997, I was proud to present Cornell's management with the Family Business of the Year award from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for companies with 50 to 250 employees, and I am pleased to congratulate Cornell on its recent expansion. I am also pleased to note that a major reason the company chose to expand in Northeastern Pennsylvania rather than move is its dedicated, quality workforce. The new plant is dedicated to Milton Keen Cornell, president of the company from 1969 to 1997 and father of current president Andrew Cornell. Cornell Iron Works is a quintessential American success story. George Cornell and Samuel B. Althause founded the company in 1828 in New York City. Over the years, the company grew and prospered, thanks in part to patents secured by John Black Cornell for innovations such as a metallic surface for fireproof partitions that would support plaster, which enabled the construction of high-rise fireproof buildings. The company has contributed to landmark American projects by providing such items as circular stairs and ironwork for the Brooklyn Bridge, the iron base and stairways for the Statue of Liberty, and 8,000 tons of structural steel work for the Park Row Building in New York in 1898, at the time the tallest building in the world. In 1911, Cornell began producing rolling door products, which now forms a large part of its business. In 1965, the success of the company required it to move to Mountaintop, Pennsylvania, where it expanded further by buying an adjacent building. This year, Cornell has expanded yet again, from a total of 140,000 square feet at its two former buildings to 190,000 square feet at its new plant. And I have no doubt that the company is capable of meeting its goals to expand even further. I would like to close by calling attention to the fact that Cornell Iron Works was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to congratulate Cornell Iron Works and its employees on their decades of success, and I wish them all the best in the future.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent, pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII, that my name be deleted as a cosponsor of H.R. 1051. My name was inadvertently added to this bill in a clerical error by committee staff.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Class of 1951 of the Dental School of Temple University, which will hold a reunion and celebration on may 5 and 6 in Philadelphia at Sugarloaf, the university's conference center. When this class, which I am proud to say includes my cousin, Dr. Ray Chase, enrolled in 1947, a unique group of young men entered into the annals of history. Ninety-seven percent of these students served their country in various branches of the armed services during World War II, and all members of the class in their combined years in the practice of dentistry served in caring for the health of their respective communities throughout the United States. During their time at Temple, a distinct feeling of camaraderie was felt among the whole class. The students came to one another's assistance not only in the seriousness of their studies, but also in the lighter pursuits. For two years, the class assembled its talent for an annual vaudeville performance complete with dancers, singers, instrumentalists and stand-up comedians. That was entirely new to the dental school and was a resounding success. That class spirit has continued over the fifty years since, and get- togethers, newsletters and numerous phone calls have kept these men close and have developed among them some of their dearest friends. I would now like to read into the record the names of these distinguished men: Robert H. Alber, John R. Albert, John C. Andrews, Irving Archinow, Robert J. Arner, Alberto E. Ayes, John A. Babett, Matthew F. Barnett, Claude M. Basler, Jr., Bernard M. Blaum, Joseph M. Blessing, Jr., Howard L. Britton, Jr., Elmer H. Brown, Jr., Ralph Buterbaugh, Jr., Charles E. Carey, Edward J. Carolan, Robert J. Clauser, Cecil F. Clement, Jr., Simon G. Coben, Joseph Cohen, Walter M. Culbert; Raymond F. Chase, Eugene S. Czarnecki, Anthony T. D'Agostino, John A. D'Alessandro, Thomas L. Davis, Hugh V. Day, Melvin Denholtz, Stanley B. Dietz, Joseph E. Donnelly, Louis L. Dublin, John H. Eck, Arthur R. Erlacher, Stephen R. Falken, Theodore Feldman, Edward F. Flood, David E. Fox, Irvin R. Friedman, Richard B. Funk, Leonard F. Giordano, William L. Glickman, Fred Goldman, Spurgeon T. Gotwalt, John D.G. Grant; Barton H. Greenberg, Shelly M. Greene, Lewis G. Gunn, William C. Haberstroh, Joseph F. Hacker, Jr., Robert W. Hemperly, Dallas C. Hess, Garth N. Huckins, Theodore F. Jarvis, Irving Kanefsky, Chester L. Karwanski, William Kasler, Eugene E. Katz, Frank J. Keating, Martin H. Kiefer, David Klebanoff, Milton Klempart, William J. Klink, Bertnard Kreshtool, Aaron Kuby, Theodore Kurta, Frank H. Laedlein, Albert V. LaRocca, Leroy P. Leahy, Charles J. Lentz, Joel G. Lippe, Marshall K. Ludwig, John H. McCutcheon, Walter E. Magann; Herman D. Marggraff, C. Robert Martin, Paul D. Mattern, Perry M. Matz, Jack B. Metzger, Harry Mildvan, Frederick J. Monaghan, Sylvan Morein, Robert D. Moyer, Charles A. Nagle, Jr., John H. Nelson, Samuel S. Novich, Edward J. O'Donnell, Sidney B. Parmet, Samuel J. Paul, Daniel E. Pfeil, Richard Pitel, Erwin P. Plotnick, Irwin J. Plotnick, Arthur J. Ravage, Edward F. Reichert, Richard E. Reut, George Richterman, Charles W. Riley, Carmen Riviello, Vincent J. Roach, Homer G. Robinson, Richard A. Ross, John A. Rusch, Baxter B. Sapp, Jr.; Bernard Sarnow, Harry L. Schiff, Burton Schwartz, Samuel J. Schwartz, Lambert Seltzer, George M. Shopp, Daniel H. Shuck, Joseph P. Skellchock, H. Norris Smith, Thomas J. Smith, Joseph A. Solecki, Jr., Stephen S. Soltis, Gilbert A. Stegelske, Frank D. Summers, Gerald O. Sveen, Earl R. Thomas, Jr., David N. Thompson, James A. Turner, Edward A. Walinchus, John W. Weaver, William C.V. Wells, Jr., Fritz D. Yealy, Donald W. Zahnke, John E. Zerbe, and Louis Zislis. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1951 of the Dental School of Temple University, and I wish them all the best.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my very good friend Joseph W. Battisto, who represented Monroe County with distinction in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1983 to 2000. Since Joe and I had a shared constituency, I had the privilege of working with him on numerous occasions, and I am pleased to join with his many friends, who will hold a dinner in his honor April 19, to thank him for his exceptional service to the people of Monroe County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Joe, who was born in 1931 in Mount Pocono, is a lifelong resident of the Poconos. He graduated from Stroudsburg High School in 1949, earned a bachelor's degree from East Stroudsburg University in 1956 and graduated with a master's degree from the University of Scranton in 1966. He served his country in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. Joe's dedication to education stems from his 23 years as an English teacher. At the end of his teaching career, he was the head of his department at Pocono Mountain High School. Before serving the people of Monroe County in Harrisburg, he served as a councilman in Mount Pocono Borough from 1970 to 1973 and as mayor from 1974 to 1981. Mr. Speaker, Joe's accomplishments in the Legislature are too numerous to list them all here, but a few examples will serve to illustrate his dedication to serving the people. Joe worked with Senator Frank O'Connell to preserve a rail line through the county that a company wanted to dismantle. He also worked to obtain funds to promote tourism in Monroe County, so that the Pocono Mountain Vacation Bureau consistently receives among the highest amounts of state dollars of the more than 50 agencies in Pennsylvania each year. He was a leader in establishing the Pocono Mountain Industrial Park, started the Monroe County Litter Control Program and a signage control committee to preserve the natural beauty of the Poconos. Joe's legislative accomplishments included authoring the Human Relations Act of 1991 that prevents discrimination in areas such as housing, employment and education, authoring a law to allow people 30 days to return defective hearing aids for a full refund, and a law to allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work at ski facilities, which was of great importance to the Poconos. In addition, he started the influential House Bipartisan Anti- Gambling Coalition. As chairman and leading Democrat on the House Transportation Committee, he worked to ensure the safety of all Pennsylvanians, writing a law that regulates the transportation of solid waste, with a ban on ``back hauling'' of garbage in trucks that transport food, and the teen driver licensing law that provides for increased instruction for young drivers. Working for Monroe County, Joe initiated the Route 209 project that is now beginning final design and right-of-way acquisition, obtained funding for all traffic control devices on Route 611 from Stroud Township to Mount Pocono for 15 years, and personally pushed PennDOT to have a church at the intersection of Shafer Schoolhouse Road and Business Route 209 moved and preserved to correct the dangerous intersection. And from his post on the Education Committee, he initiated School Performance Grants to reward schools that improve in areas such as the graduation rate and percentage of students who go on to higher education. He also helped to develop charter schools and the Early Intervention Education Program. Mr. Speaker, Joe Battisto was a devoted and enthusiastic legislator. He cared deeply about the impact that the actions of state government have on the lives of ordinary people, and he carefully studied every issue. I could always count on Joe to give me a thoughtful analysis of any issue affecting the people of Monroe County, and I knew that their interests were always uppermost in his mind. Unlike some politicians who try to justify their positions with one- sided spin, Joe Battisto took the time to explain the pros and cons of every issue to demonstrate his reasoning. Students and senior citizens alike left a discussion with Joe Battisto with a deeper appreciation for the complexity of state issues. Joe and his wife, Virginia, have four children and five grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the long history of Joe Battisto's service to the people of Monroe County and all of Pennsylvania, and I join his friends and neighbors in wishing him and his wife all the best.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to John P. Lavelle, who is retiring after 23 years as a judge of Carbon County, Pennsylvania, including 15 years when he served as the county's only judge. Judge Lavelle, the son of Irish immigrants, was born in 1931, grew up in Philadelphia and earned his bachelor of arts degree from Niagara University in 1953. He went on to get his law degree from Villanova University in 1958, holding the distinction of being a member of the first class held at the Villanova School of Law in 1953. He interrupted his law studies for two years to serve his country in the Army in Italy and Austria. The same year he graduated from law school, he married Marianne Shutack of Nesquehoning, who can claim a ``first'' in her own right as the first woman admitted to the Carbon County bar. He began his career in the Philadelphia law offices of renowned criminal lawyer Morton Witkin and also worked briefly for the firm of Bennett & Bricklin. He also indulged his love of classical language by teaching Latin as a part-time professor at Villanova. In 1959, he moved to Carbon County and began an active general law practice with his wife and his father-in-law, George Shutack. His roots and upbringing gave him a natural empathy for the underdog, and many of his legal battles were fought for average people overwhelmed by big business or big government. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy, whom he deeply admired, he was active in Democratic politics throughout the 1960s and 1970s. In 1965, he and his wife built a home in Lehighton, where they have lived ever since. He has often assumed a leadership role in improving his adopted community. For example, he helped to obtain the funding for the Carbon County Airport and spearheaded that project in 1961. He was also the first solicitor for the county airport authority and served in that role for 10 years. In 1966, he organized and obtained the charter for the First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Carbon County, helping to bring the county its first federally insured savings and loan association. He also arranged for the financing and construction of the first professional building in Lehighton, as well as Park View House, the first modern commercial apartment building in the town. The future judge served as county solicitor from 1971 to 1978. He was elected judge in the shortest election campaign in Pennsylvania history, when the state Supreme Court ruled just weeks before the November 1977 election that the governor could not fill the vacant judgeship by appointment because the state election board should have known the judge who was retiring was approaching the mandatory retirement age. Judge Lavelle assumed his duties with his typical energy and enthusiasm. After a year of study and evaluation, he began to bring the court system into the computer age, automating the antiquated manual record-keeping system, streamlining office procedures and writing new rules of court and manuals to train court personnel in the new system. In 1979, he initiated a one-day, one-trial system and developed and produced a unique audiovisual orientation program for jurors that is still used today. He also reorganized and restructured all court offices and appointed women to key positions in the court system. In 1980, he worked to obtain federal funding to cover half the cost of converting the old arbitration room on the courthouse's third floor into a modern wood-paneled courtroom. His courtroom was the focal point for several highly publicized cases during his first term. In November 1979, he made the unprecedented decision to call off and nullify the general election in Carbon County because the voting machines used throughout the county would not permit cross-voting. He also presided at the 1982 murder trial of Robert ``Mudman'' Simon, a motorcycle gang member who was convicted of killing an 18-year-old girl whose body was not found until seven years after her death. He also presided over a 1985 murder trial, which was the first time the battered-wife syndrome defense was used, resulting in an acquittal by the jury. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recognized his abilities by appointing him to preside over the two long and complex 1991 civil libel trials of a state Supreme Court justice against the Philadelphia Inquirer. He did not hesitate to file suit against the county commissioners in 1989 when they had refused raises for court employees and removed funds from the court budget. He successfully lobbied the state Legislature the following year to add a second judgeship for the county to handle the court system's heavy workload. In 1991, he completely revised and adopted new rules of civil procedure, and in 1992 and 1993, he launched new case management systems to expedite the handling of both civil and criminal cases. On occasion, Judge Lavelle has issued unusual and creative orders to see that justice is done, including sentencing a woman with a long record of calling in false fire alarms to the Lehighton Fire Company to clean the fire trucks for six months. In 1984, he became one of the first trial judges in the state to order a school board and striking teachers to negotiate daily to end a contract impasse. Judge Lavelle and his wife have four children, who have every reason to be proud of their father's distinguished career. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the long history of Judge John Lavelle's service to the people of Carbon County and all of Pennsylvania, and I wish him all the best in retirement.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Joe Shaver, who is retiring after 32 years as chief deputy coroner of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Joe was born in 1934 in Wyoming, Pennsylvania, graduated from Wyoming Memorial High School in 1952, and graduated from the McAllister School of Mortuary Science in 1953. He began his long career by helping out parking cars and handling other chores at Metcalfe's Funeral Home in Wyoming while he was still in high school, and he served an apprenticeship at the Luther M. Kniffen Funeral Home in Wilkes-Barre from 1954 to 1957. From 1957 to 1963, he served in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps, including active duty in West Germany from 1957 to 1959. In 1959, Joe became a partner in the business that was renamed the Metcalfe & Shaver Funeral Home, and he became the owner in 1986. He was recalled to active duty with the Army from 1960 to 1961 due to the Berlin crisis and served an additional year at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. In 1969, Dr. George Hudock Jr. was appointed coroner following the death of the previous coroner, and his first act was to appoint Joe as his chief deputy. At that point, Joe had already served as a deputy coroner for six years and had been assisting Dr. Hudock with autopsies for three years. In Joe's 32 years as chief deputy coroner, he has assisted in more than 2,800 autopsies. While Joe's memberships and affiliations are too numerous to list them in full, a few examples will serve to show his long history of community involvement. He is a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Kingston and has served on its council for several years, in addition to having served in the choir. He is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Wyoming and a Paul Harris Fellow, a member and past president of the Wyoming Business Club, a life member of Wyoming Hose Company No. 1, and a member of VFW Post 396 in Wyoming, Irem Temple in Wilkes-Barre and Mountain Grange 567 in Carverton. Joe and his wife, the former Janice Ludwig, were married in 1962. They have two children and three grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the long history of Joe Shaver's service to the community, and I wish him and his wife the best in his retirement.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to pay tribute to the Greater Hazleton Business and Professional Women's Club, which will hold a celebration of its 80th anniversary on April 22. The Hazleton BPW was chartered on February 21, 1921. To put that in historical context, that was just six months and three days after ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which guaranteed women's right to vote nationwide. The membership of 40 professional women, led by President Alma Gorby, met at the Pricilla Tea Room on South Wyoming Street in Hazleton and paid two dollars each in dues to the national federation. They began right away to make a difference, and that tradition has continued for 80 years. They gave of their time to sponsor young women in the professions. They donated more than $50,000 in war bonds, while also sponsoring Chinese nursing programs, donating blood, rolling bandages and helping countless infants and women during the war years. They also attended state and national BPW conventions. They did all these things hoping to make a difference, and they certainly have. With the help of the BPW members in Hazleton and across the state, the Pennsylvania Federation of Business and Professional Women has established a scholarship program as well as other free educational assistance programs for women. The Pennsylvania BPW also helps women affected by disasters, annually honors women who have achieved prominent elected and appointed positions, sponsors a public speaking program to aid professionalism in the workforce and encourages younger women through career programs. The Greater Hazleton BPW, led by President Maria Damiano, is the oldest local in the 10 counties of District Eight, which is led by another Greater Hazleton BPW member, Rita S. Kurland. I am pleased to say that the members of the Greater Hazleton BPW have for 80 years upheld the BPW Federation's objectives: to elevate the standards for women in business and the professions, to promote the interests of business and professional women, to bring about a spirit of cooperation among business and professional women of the country, and to extend opportunities to business and professional women through education along the lines of industrial, scientific and vocational activities. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the 80th anniversary of the Greater Hazleton Business and Professional Women's Club, and I wish its members all the best as they continue to serve the women of the region and the entire community.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Borough of Duryea, Pennsylvania, which will celebrate its centennial on April 7 with a community parade and picnic held by the Duryea Centennial Committee. Duryea was originally called Babylon because it was a veritable Babel of languages and nationalities due to the immigrants who came to work in the coal mines. The community was also known as Marcy Township before assuming its present name. The township was formed from territory taken from Pittston, Ransom and Old Forge townships on January 19, 1880. It was named for a pioneer, the first British settler in the region, Zebulon Marcy, who emigrated from Connecticut in the spring of 1770. A census taken at the formation of Marcy Township found 1,159 inhabitants, which had increased to 2,904 by 1890. According to the 2000 census, the population of Duryea is 4,634. The present name of the community commemorates Abram Duryea of New York, who bought coal lands in the area in 1845 and opened mines around which the town grew up. He served in the Civil War as a colonel of the Fifth New York Infantry in May, 1861, and was brevetted major-general four years later for his gallant and meritorious services. Prior to becoming a borough, Duryea was a post-office village within Marcy Township, situated two miles north of Pittston. Duryea was incorporated as a borough on April 6, 1901. The first set of ordinances was adopted by council and approved by the burgess, whose equivalent today is the mayor, on August 23, 1901. In 1901, John A. Burlington was the burgess, Gary M. Gray was president of the council and Charles D. Evans was borough secretary. At that time, a Methodist church and a Catholic church were already established in the borough. The community was rich in mining and agriculture. Within the borough, there were new coal breakers, along with a rapid rise in the real estate market. The community already had postal, telegraph and telephone communication, as well as the service of three leading railroads, the Lehigh Valley, the Erie and Wyoming Valley, and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western. Duryea was a thriving community, boasting one baker, two blacksmiths, three carpenters, three milliners, one drugstore, two dry goods stores, two general stores, one gentleman's furnishings store, three grocery stores, a hat and cap store, four hotels, an iron fence manufactory, a meat market, a drill moving factory, two livery stables, three physicians and one undertaker. Today, the majority of the borough is occupied by single-family residences. Some of these are company houses that were once owned by the coal companies. While there were only 400 homeowners in Duryea in 1901, today there are 2,089. The borough is also still home to commercial enterprises, with two small businesses and three manufacturing plants, including Schott Glass Technologies, which makes products used in some of the greatest scientific ventures of our time. For example, laser glasses from the Duryea plant are helping scientists seek cleaner, cheaper sources of energy. Present-day Duryea, led by Mayor Mark Rostkowski, is also home to six churches and six cemeteries, one parochial school, a little-league baseball field, a field for junior football and a playground. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the centennial of the Borough of Duryea, and I wish its residents well as they begin a new century for their community.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my very good friend, Anthony Kane of Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania, who is being honored with a testimonial dinner on March 17 by the Luzerne County Coordinating Council and the Northeastern Region of the Pennsylvania State Education Association for his 47 years of hard work in the field of education. Tony was born in Sugar Notch, graduated from Sugar Notch High School and went on to continue his education at Wilkes College, Bucknell University and New York University. He obtained his master's degree in music education from Ithaca College. Tony started teaching in 1954, choosing to work at the Old Edwardsville School district because the pay was, as he put it, ''a little better'' than elsewhere: $2,400 a year, the equivalent of just $15,622 today. From that humble beginning, Tony has become a singularly important force in elevating the wages and working conditions of teachers in the region and all of Pennsylvania to a level that recognizes their education, dedication and the importance of the duty with which we entrust them, that of preparing our children for the future. The right to collective bargaining has been crucial to raising the standard of living for teachers in Pennsylvania. In addition to advocating for the improved wages and benefits, Pennsylvania teachers have also used their voice to secure more education funding. Mr. Speaker, Tony has been a leader in all those efforts. In 1969, his fellow teachers recognized his abilities as a labor leader and elected him president of the Wyoming Valley West Education Association. He has served in that post ever since, and in 1981, he was elected to the Pennsylvania State Education Association's political action committee. He has chaired numerous state and local task forces and committees. Tony's dedication to the labor movement and improving the standard of living for his colleague also carried over into his career as an accomplished accordion player. He became secretary of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 140, in 1962, another post he still holds. One of his accomplishments for his fellow musicians was securing a pension plan for the Northeast Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the hard work and distinguished career of Anthony Kane, and I join his many friends in wishing him and his wife, Sarah, well.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Charles Luce, the executive director of the Luzerne County Human Resources Development Department. Charlie is retiring after 30 years in the employment and training field and will be honored with a testimonial dinner on March 14. Charlie is the lead staff member for the Workforce Investment Board for Luzerne and Schuylkill counties, which receives federal and state funding to provide employment and training opportunities in Luzerne and Schuylkill counties. The board also oversees the one-stop CareerLink centers in both counties. Under his leadership, the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Area is considered one of the best in the state. He graduated from King's College with a bachelor of arts in psychology and sociology and the University of Scranton with a master's of science in human resources administration. Mr. Speaker, in addition to serving the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania for the past 30 years by helping them train for the workplace, Charlie has long served his country. He is a Vietnam combat veteran as well as a veteran of the Persian Gulf War, and he is a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. He currently commands the 367th Military Police Group located in Ashley, Pennsylvania, where he is responsible for 10 subordinate M.P. units stationed throughout Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Charlie is also a community volunteer and active in many organizations. He is a member of the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania, King's College Act 101, Catholic Social Services, Wilkes-Barre Area School District Strategic Planning Committee, the Reserve Officers Association, of which he is a past state president, and is currently Chairman of the Wilkes-Barre Industrial Development Authority and the Economic Development Corporation. He is married to the former Antoinette Pucylowski, with whom he has two children. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the good works and distinguished career of Charles Luce, and I join the community he serves in wishing him all the best in retirement.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Richard Bernard Cosgrove of Pittston Township, Pennsylvania, who will be honored as the Man of the Year by the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick on March 17. Mr. Cosgrove has a long history of involvement in the community. He is a member and past president of the Wyoming Valley Serra Club of Wilkes-Barre and a past district governor of District 80 of Serra International. He is also a member and past grand knight of President John F. Kennedy Council 372 of the Knights of Columbus in Pittston and a member of the council's Fourth Degree Assembly. In addition, he is a member of the parish community of St. Casimir, St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph churches in Pittston, where he serves as a Eucharistic minister, an altar server and a member of the parish liturgy committee. He is also a past president of the parish Holy Name Society. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Cosgrove is an institution in Northeastern Pennsylvania newspapers. After graduating from St. John the Evangelist High School in Pittston in 1941, his introduction to the business came in January, 1943, with the Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre. He joined the staff of the Sunday Dispatch in Pittston for the publication of its very first edition on February 9, 1947. He continued in various capacities with the Dispatch until the summer of 2000, when he affiliated with the Citizens' Voice in Wilkes-Barre as a writer, a position he continues to hold today. He also served for several years as a local correspondent for the Scranton Tribune. Mr. Cosgrove is a son of the late George and Elizabeth Healy Cosgrove. His wife, the former Mary Neary, passed way in April 1981. Their union was blessed with two sons, George B., principal of Pittston Area Middle School, and Joseph M., a practicing attorney in Luzerne County. His family also includes his son George's wife, the former Virginia Berto, and two granddaughters, Jill, a senior at College Misericordia in Dallas; and Mary Ann, a freshman at the University of Scranton. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the good works and distinguished career of Richard Cosgrove, and I join the Friendly Sons in congratulating him on this well-deserved honor.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Shawn M.J. Casey, who will be honored with this year's W. Francis Swingle Award by the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick on March 17. Frank Swingle was a well-known and respected figure in academia, in many charitable and fraternal organizations and in the arena of public oratory. Dr. Casey will be the twelfth recipient of this award, which is given each year to the individual who best honors the memory of the late Professor Swingle by his career, communal and personal achievements. Dr. Casey was born and raised in Pittston Township, graduated from Wyoming Area High School in 1987, and received his bachelor's of science degree in biology and chemistry from Wilkes College in 1990. He served as vice president of the student government at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine from 1990 to 1994 and earned his doctorate there in 1994. For the past six years, Dr. Casey has served the families of the area at his office in Pittston Township. During that time, he has also worked to promote good health in the area by presenting lectures on various dental products and helping to establish the Colgate Smile of the Game at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins home games. His community involvement also extends to his service as past president of the Pittston Township Lions Club, a member of the executive board of the Pittston Area Family Center, a member of the Avoca Ancient Order of Hibernians and a third-degree member of the John F. Kennedy Knights of Columbus in Pittston. He is also a member of St. John the Evangelist Church in Pittston. As a member of the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Dr. Casey was named Grand Marshal in 1997 and in 1992 was a golden donor for the Jack Brennan Scholarship Fund in memory of his father. Dr. Casey is the son of the late George T. Casey and Suzanne Walker Malloy. His maternal grandparents are Anna Walker and the late Frank Walker, and his paternal grandparents are the late Marion Newcomb Casey and the late Thomas Casey. He currently resides in Hughestown with his wife, the former Michele Wysokinski, and their 3-year-old son, George. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of Representatives the good works of Dr. Shawn Casey and the honor he will soon receive, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Joe Casarella, who has retired after 37 years in education, culminating in four years as superintendent of the Wyoming Area School District in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Raised in Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Joe worked and lived in New York, then in Berwick, Pennsylvania, finally returning home to lead the Wyoming Area schools. He has a long and distinguished career that includes service as a teacher, elementary school principal, junior high school principal, curriculum director, director of special education and federal funds, and as an assistant superintendent. Mr. Speaker, it is a tribute to just how well liked Joe is at Wyoming Area and the job he has done that when he submitted a letter of resignation last year, students and teachers alike urged him to stay. The one word heard again and again from those who know him is ``gentleman.'' His accomplishments include successful staff contract negotiations and increasing access to technology for students and teachers, but his most prized accomplishment is the district's community program. In this initiative, representatives from Luzerne County Human Resources and Catholic Social Services work with administrators, teachers and students to identify at-risk students and families and connect them with the social services they need to help them succeed. About 30 families have been helped. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call Joe Casarella's long service to the attention of the House of Representatives, and I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Bill and Mary Koch of Bear Creek Township, Pennsylvania, who recently closed their beloved Koch's Deli in Wilkes-Barre after 20 years of excellent service. For more than 10 years, my district office was located next door to Koch's Deli, and almost every day that I was working from Wilkes-Barre, I stopped into the deli for a cup of coffee or a cheeseburger. Like everyone else who frequented the deli, I could always count on welcoming smiles and excellent service. To the Koches, people in their deli were not just customers--they were friends and family. Their business is housed in the Ten East South building, which is home to dozens of senior citizens, and near Washington Square, another residence for the elderly. Bill and Mary delivered meals to many of them and even ran errands for them, such as banking, picking up their mail and getting their prescriptions filled. And even regular customers who did not need these favors often found their orders waiting for them on the table when they came in. Basically, Koch's Deli became for many residents of Wilkes-Barre a home away from home. Before starting the deli, Bill already had a long career in the restaurant business, having risen to district manager for a chain, but found that it took too many hours away from his family. So Bill and Mary went into business for themselves, and eventually involved their three daughters. Becky, Christine and Lisa, who are all grown now, learned valuable skills at the deli, like handling money and interacting with people. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call Bill and Mary personal friends, as well as constituents. I am pleased to call the Koch family's long service and many kindnesses to the attention of the House of Representatives, and I wish them all the best in their retirement.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, today I honor Leadership Wilkes-Barre on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. The mission of this distinguished organization is to develop informed and committed leaders from all segments of the community who will serve, strengthen and improve Northeastern Pennsylvania, and it is doing exactly that. Leadership Wilkes-Barre began in 1981, when then-Chamber of Commerce Director John Sheehan proposed the idea to community leaders Tom Bigler, John Conyngham, Ed Schechter and the late Tom Kiley, who together formed the steering committee. The inaugural class of 20 graduated in June 1982. Since then, the program has grown and now has 648 graduates, with a depth of experience and a diversity of backgrounds from India and Iran to Clarks Summit and Shickshinny. The graduates of Leadership Wilkes-Barre are putting their skills to work on hundreds of community projects and volunteer boards throughout the region and the state. Since its founding, the organization has expanded by adding the Junior Leadership Wilkes-Barre program for high school students in 1986 and the Intercollegiate Leadership Wilkes-Barre program in 1987. The Intercollegiate program serves students from College Misericordia, Keystone College, King's College, Luzerne County Community College, Penn State Wilkes-Barre and Wilkes University. In 1999, the organization developed Masters Leadership Wilkes-Barre, designed to give retired and semi-retired members of the community a chance to become more involved in community service. Over the 20 years of Leadership Wilkes-Barre's existence, there have been 2,013 participants in its programs. Mr. Speaker, the driving force behind this record of accomplishment and service is Executive Director Sue Kluger, a founding board member who has led the organization since 1983. I am pleased to call her hard work and the many achievements of Leadership Wilkes-Barre to the attention of the House of Representatives, and I wish her and the fine organization she leads many more years of success.

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor).

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra).

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute not only to a fine Member of this House, but also to a friend, Henry B. Gonzalez. When I think of Henry, I think of the tall redwood trees of California. Henry stood just that tall. He was part of the tall timber of America. As we analogize that to the House of Representatives, a lot of those tall timbers have left this House and this institution, with Henry just having been the last. When I think of Henry, I think of the personal experiences I had, but most of all, what I conceive his philosophy of life to be. He was a man who held to the statement in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and among those are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Henry was not only a man of this House, a man of Texas, and a great American, but Henry in fact was a man of humanity. I am sure that if Henry's life had extended beyond where it ended and he had the opportunity to survive and offer his leadership, he would have liked to have extended that principle that all men are created equal to all of humanity. From a personal aspect, I knew Henry in serving in this House for the last 16 years, 14 years with Henry. About 2 or 3 hours of a trip in my district one day with Henry B. Gonzalez was probably the most satisfactory time I have ever spent while I have been in Congress. Henry had that gift of knowing history and not being a revisionist of history, and to tell it as it was as he went through the Johnson- Kennedy years in his early beginnings in this Congress. I will always cherish that moment. But most of all, Henry was a man of conscience, and sometimes we have less of those men in this House and in this Nation than we would like. He served as an example to young Members such as me in the beginning of my term in this House, and he has done it for so many others, as we have heard today. As we pay respect to the Gonzalez family for their great loss, we also indicate to the world that it has lost a man of humanity, Henry B. Gonzalez. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce), our ranking member of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez).

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca).

Mr. KANJORSKI

Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, with the consent of the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske), I ask unanimous consent that we extend this special order for 15 minutes.