Nita Lowey

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, one of the ugliest periods in world history, which took the lives of 1.5 million Armenians and exiled the Armenian nation from its homeland. My colleagues and I join with the Armenian-American community, and with Armenians throughout the world, in remembering one of humanity's darkest times, when senseless hatred and prejudice attempted to erase an historic people from the face of our earth. We cannot turn our backs on history. We cannot ignore the atrocities perpetrated in the past, lest we repeat them. Now, more than ever, we must remain vigilant and steadfast in our defense of right and good. We have seen great horror in just the last year, and we know from history--from the Armenian Genocide and from other massacres--that letting fundamentalist aggression go unchecked and forgotten will come back to haunt us all. We know this because the world has experienced it. The lessons of what results when hatred is left unchecked have been too slowly learned. Adolf Hitler looked to the Armenian Genocide before perpetrating the Holocaust, calculating that his plans to annihilate the Jewish people would encounter little opposition, just as the Armenian Genocide spurred no global outcry. In a year in which the seemingly unthinkable has happened time and again, we acknowledge that good people will be forever engaged in a battle against the evil in our world. In memory of those who perished in the Armenian Genocide, and in similar acts around the world and throughout the ages, we will never give up this fight. As we remember the past, we must also pledge our support for ensuring the future of the Armenian nation. Our country must be vigilant in bringing about an end to the blockade of Armenia, helping the people of that nation to live secure and prosperous lives. Our yearly package of assistance to Armenia--economic and now military as well--is a signal of the United States' commitment to this goal. It must be maintained. Mr. Speaker, the Armenian people have shown true resilience in confronting the obstacles they have faced in the last century. From the ashes of the Genocide, the Armenian nation has become strong, making invaluable contributions to our country, to Armenia, and to the world. I join my colleagues in remembering the atrocities of the past, but also in celebrating the hope of a better future.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose this legislation, and in support of the Democratic alternative. Millions of working Americans are watching what we do here today. They are watching to see just whose side we're on. They want to see whether we will do something to prevent another Enron. They want to know whether their retirement savings are truly safe. With this bill, we know who the Republican leadership would protect. This bill is a get out of jail free card. It doesn't protect pensions, it protects those who would prosper on the backs of their employees. This bill keeps employees off pension boards. It limits the ability of employees to collect damages when the misconduct of company officials costs them their life savings. It forces employees to keep stock matches in 401(k) plans for three years after each match, while executives are held to no such limit. This bill even allows companies to offer investment advice from the same firm that administers the company's 401(k) plan. Mr. Speaker, in light of the thousands of Enron employees who have worthless stock certificates to show for their years of hard work, this bill is an outrage. The Democratic alternative provides real protection. Employees should have the same control over their retirement accounts as executives, and should have the same access to unbiased, independent investment advice. Our bill levels the playing field between executives and employees, giving employees full control of their retirement accounts. And, executives would be held fully accountable when they violate pension rights. Mr. Speaker, you say you're on the side of the American people. But, as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words, and your bill hurts the working families of this Nation. Vote no on the underlying bill and yes on the Democratic alternative.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the bill. The legislation we are considering today would prohibit anyone-- including a step-parent, grandparent, or religious counselor--from accompanying a young woman across State lines for an abortion. This is a dangerous, misguided bill that isolates our daughters and puts them at grave risk. Under this legislation, young women who feel they cannot turn to their parents when facing an unintended pregnancy will be forced to fend for themselves without help from any responsible adult. Some will seek dangerous back-alley abortions close to home. Others will travel to unfamiliar places seeking abortions by themselves. Thankfully, most young women--more than 75 percent of minors under age 16--involve their parents in the decision to seek an abortion. That's the good news. And as a mother and a grandmother, I hope--as we all hope--that every child can go to her parents for advice and support. But not every child is so lucky. Not every child has loving parents. Some have parents who are abusive or simply absent. Now, I believe that those young women who cannot go to their parents should be encouraged to involve another responsible adult--a grandmother, an aunt, a rabbi or minister--in what can be a very difficult decision. Already, more than half of all young women who do not involve a parent in the decision to terminate a pregnancy choose to involve another adult, including 15 percent who involve another adult relative. That's a good thing. We should encourage the involvement of responsible adults in this decision--be it a stepparent, aunt or uncle, religious minister or counselor--not criminalize that involvement. Unfortunately, this bill will impose criminal penalties on adults--like grandmothers who come to the aid of their granddaughters. I am a grandmother of six--and I believe grandparents should be able to help their grandchildren without getting thrown in jail. As much as we might wish otherwise, family communication and open and honest parent-child relationships cannot be legislated. When a young woman cannot turn to her parents, she should certainly be able to turn to her grandmother or a favorite aunt for help. Unfortunately, this legislation tells young women who cannot tell their parents: don't tell anyone else. Parental consent law do not force young women to involve their parents in an hour of need. We know that it can do just the opposite. Indiana's parental consent law drove Becky Bell away from the arms of her parents and straight into the back alley. Parental consent laws don't protect our daughters--but they can kill them. They don't bring families together--but they can tear them apart. And so I ask, why can't we do more to bring families together, and to keep our people safe? I firmly believe that we should make abortion less necessary for teenagers, not more dangerous and difficult. We need to teach teenagers to be abstinent and responsible. And we need a comprehensive approach to keeping teenagers safe and healthy. We do not need a bill that isolates teenagers and puts them at risk. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this legislation.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I am honored to rise today to commemorate the 181st anniversary of Greece's independence from the Ottoman Empire, and to celebrate the shared democratic traditions of Greece and the United States. On March 25, 1821, Greece declared its independence, ending nearly 400 years of domination by the Ottoman Empire and restoring a democratic heritage to the very cradle of democracy. Throughout our history, the people of the United States and Greece have forged a strong friendship built upon the foundation of shared values of democracy and freedom. Our Founding Fathers established this nation based on the teachings of ancient Greek philosophers and their struggle to build a democratic society. And, in turn, the American experience inspired the Greek people in their struggle for independence 181 years ago. Our shared democratic ideals have formed the basis of a strong and sustained friendship between Greece and the United States, and today, Greece remains one of our most important allies and trusted partners in the global community. Nowhere is this more evident today than in the war against terrorism. Greece is an important member of the international coalition fighting this war. U.S. aircraft have made use of Greek airspace and airbases, Greek aircrews serve in NATO surveillance planes, and Greece has been a key partner in multilateral relief efforts for Afghanistan and Afghan refugees. The United States has also benefited greatly from the contributions of Greek-Americans to shaping our society and building our cultural heritage. I am proud to represent a district in New York with a strong and active Greek-American community. I am delighted to join my colleagues in commemoration of Greek Independence Day, and in celebration of the many contributions of Greece and Greek-Americans to the United States and the world.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Alice Shalvi who will be honored on Thursday, March 14, by Kolot: The Center for Jewish Women's and Gender Studies. Mrs. Shalvi, an internationally known scholar and women's rights advocate, has dedicated her life to creating a more just society in Israel. Alice Shalvi has called Israel home for more than 50 years. Born in Germany and educated in England, she moved to Israel in 1949. The following year Mrs. Shalvi became Professor of English Literature at the Hebrew University, a post she held for 40 years. During her remarkable tenure, she established the English Department at Ben Gurion University of the Negev (1969-1973) and also served as head of the Institute of Languages and Literature at Hebrew University (1973-1976). Her devotion to the betterment of Israeli women's lives led her to a voluntary role as Principal of Pelech Experimental High School for Religious Girls in Jerusalem, a school dedicated to ensuring equal opportunities for women in Torah study and in every aspect of civil society. She was also the founding Chair of the Israel Women's Network, the country's major advocacy organization on women's rights, and today serves as its honorary President. In 1996, Mrs. Shalvi was appointed rector of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies where she later served as President and as Chair of the Executive Committee. Mrs. Shalvi lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Moshe Shalvi. They have six children, and are blessed with grandchildren. I am proud to congratulate Alice Shalvi on her tremendous accomplishments. She has devoted her life to enriching the lives of women in Israel, and we are the better for her efforts.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Jodi J. Schwartz, who will be honored on Thursday, March 14, by Kolot: The Center for Jewish Women's and Gender Studies. Jodi's kindness and generosity have made her a dear friend. Her extraordinary ability, inexhaustible devotion, and charismatic personality have made her a leader in the Jewish community. A partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz, Jodi still finds time to serve in a leadership capacity for a host of diverse community organizations, including the Jewish Agency for Israel; American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee; the Commission on the Jewish People, a New York UJA-Federation group dealing with the unity and diversity of the Jewish people; Israel Policy Forum; United Jewish Communities; Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services; Jewish Community Relations Council; and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Jodi's appreciation for Jewish causes surfaced while first visiting Israel in the late 1980's with the Young Leadership Cabinet of the United Jewish Appeal. During her fellowship at the Wexner Heritage Foundation in 1990-91, she gained a more robust appreciation for Jewish philosophy and principles. Jodi was later asked to take over as the United Jewish Appeal representative for annual giving at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz, and has since returned to Israel more than 50 times. Jodi received her Bachelor's degree, MBA, and law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her Master's of Law in Taxation from New York University. She resides in New York with her husband, Steven F. Richman. Jodi's contributions to New York and the Jewish community are immeasurable. It is my pleasure and privilege to congratulate my dear friend, Jodi J. Schwartz. Kolot could not have chosen a more worthy honoree.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution calling for the establishment of National Mentoring Month. I am honored to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the oldest and largest mentoring organization in the United States. Big Brothers Big Sisters will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2004. During the past century, Big Brothers Big Sisters has provided the foundation for the mentoring movement. Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters reaches over 210,000 children in over 500 locations in the United States, with the goal of reaching one million children by 2010. Mentoring is dependent on highly committed volunteers. Volunteers in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and in other high-quality mentoring programs across the United States devote many hours each week and become role models for children. As the resolution points out, research has proven the tremendous contribution that these volunteers make in the overall positive development of the children with whom they are matched. Mentoring changes lives, but it is not an easy service to provide. I think it is so important that Congress acknowledge the tremendous contribution being made by today's volunteer mentors, and challenge everyone to make a difference in the lives of America's children.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the conference report. I want to commend Chairman Boehner and Ranking Member Miller for putting together a strong compromise on such an important issue. This legislation has the potential to dramatically change the public education system in this country. It authorizes significant levels of funding. It says to parents that Congress believes education is a top priority, and that we will make good on our goal--that every child in America should get a quality education. I am pleased with the changes this bill makes. Changes to the Title I formula will provide a 29-percent increase for New York City schools. For years, the New York City school system has provided an education to tens of thousands of low-income and disadvantaged children, while receiving less than their fair share of Title I funding. This money is especially important as New York City schools recover from the continuing effects of September 11. This legislation also promises parents that their children will have qualified teachers in the classroom, and that student progress will be closely monitored to ensure that they are on the right track. I've had the pleasure to work with Chairman Ralph Regula and Ranking Member David Obey in crafting the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. They have both worked tirelessly to provide significant increases in education funding this year, and we will vote on the fruits of their labor next week. But while we will provide these increases this year, the prospects for continuing to provide the resources necessary to continue our efforts on education are dim. The faltering economy, coupled with the increasing impact of the President's tax cut, will make the appropriations process exceedingly difficult in the coming years. We will be forced to make some difficult choices. This same dilemma will be felt in all fifty states. School districts across the country are being forced to slash their budgets as state revenues have plummeted. If we enforce these new requirements without ensuring that schools have the funding to implement them, our school districts will have to make choices they shouldn't be asked to consider. I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well. I also hope that our support for education does not stop at authorizing funds, but that this vote today is the first step in the process of providing the necessary resources. Our children deserve no less.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the conference report and I urge its adoption. I want to thank the Ranking Member, Mr. Obey, for yielding me this time and for his strong and forceful leadership not only on this bill, but also for the American people. I want to recognize the Chairman of our Subcommittee, Mr. Regula. He has been an absolute pleasure to work with and has gone out of his way to ensure that the bill was crafted in a bipartisan manner and that the concerns of Members on both sides of the aisle were considered. Mr. Speaker, this conference report provides tremendous increases for health, education and worker safety and training. We've been able to follow up on the promises we made on this floor last week when we passed the ESEA conference report in this bill. Increases in Title I funding will ensure that our most disadvantaged children have access to a quality education. Pell Grants will reach a maximum of $4,000 per student, giving low-income students a helping hand in paying for college. Overall, the bill boosts education funding by over $1 billion, to its highest level ever. In health programs, the bill continues to provide an unprecedented level of funding for medical research. We are in an age of tremendous discovery in medical research, and the resources provided to NIH will help find treatments and cures for many diseases. There are increases for mental health research and treatment, HIV/AIDS programs, and programs for the elderly. And, we address the growing threat of bioterrorism by giving the CDC, our leader in this fight, greater resources to help keep our nation secure. Even with these vast increases for so many programs, we know that next year will be very different. The surpluses we've enjoyed have disappeared. And, the President's tax cuts will take up more and more of the federal budget as we go forward. We're just beginning to fund education and healthcare at the levels they deserve. I am concerned, as are many of my colleagues, that we will not be able to provide this same level of funding next year. I want to mention one area of critical importance--the need to combat obesity in this country. The Surgeon General reported last week that two out of three American adults are overweight. In fact, he estimates that obesity will cause more deaths than smoking in the coming years. Reducing the rate of obesity can prevent unnecessary illness and death. We've been so successful in convincing people to quit smoking, and this should be the next big fight for public health. I know that Chairman Regula and Mr. Obey will be very interested in that effort, and I want to again thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for their tireless efforts in putting this bill together. I urge adoption of the conference report.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Announcement of Measures to be Considered under Suspension of the Rules on Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick), an outstanding, hard-working member of the committee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), a distinguished member of the committee, a ranking member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, a former ranking member of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman), a distinguished member of the committee. (Mr. ROTHMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this conference report. I am very proud to join the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) today in presenting the final fiscal year 2002 foreign operations bill to our colleagues. We have worked closely with the Senate to come up with what I believe is a fine product. The bill provides $15.324 billion, about $178 million above the President's request, for foreign assistance programs. I am pleased that we were able to provide funding levels for many programs, such as Child Survival and Development Assistance, which are well above the President's request. I believe this bill responds decisively to the HIV-AIDS crisis in Africa and around the world, providing a total of $475 million to fight this disease. This total is $150 million above last year's level and $285 million above the fiscal year 2000 level. The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) and I worked hard to maximize the Congressional commitment to fighting HIV-AIDS within a budget that was simply too small to do all we know we must do, and I believe we have succeeded. The bill also represents a first step toward a Congressional commitment to providing basic education for all of the world's poor children. Education is a cornerstone of development, and it is high time that the foreign operations bill reflected this priority. In fact, every study shows that educating children, and especially girls, yields extraordinary advances in health care, economic growth and the stability of developing societies. The bill before us today provides a total of $165 million for basic education, up from just $115 million 1 year ago. This is a tremendous beginning to what I hope will be a multiyear scale-up of this program. Again, I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) for working with me on this issue. The bill also fully funds our commitments to the Middle East. It adequately funds export programs and meets other international commitments. It also includes a key provision urging the President to assess Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's compliance with basic agreements to disavow violence and terrorism and hold those who continue to pursue terror accountable. It also urges the President to take punitive action against Arafat and the PA if he has not complied. The House-passed bill made this assessment mandatory, and I want to make it perfectly clear that I strongly preferred that this language stand. The events of recent weeks have made it obvious why Arafat must know if he reneges on his commitments, his relationship with the United States will suffer. I do believe the language in this conference agreement expresses the clear will of Congress on this matter, and I have already urged the President to comply. We all know that conferencing a bill is a process of compromise, and I would like to discuss two provisions with which I continue to disagree. Specifically, I am concerned about the inclusion in this bill of an open-ended waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. I had hoped that we would be able to amend the Senate-passed language to sunset the waiver and ensure the stability of Nagorno-Karabagh. We make clear in the Statement of Managers that we will revisit this issue next year, if necessary. I also strenuously disagree with the decision to drop the Senate's Global Democracy Promotion language which would have repealed the President's executive order imposing the global gag rule on our bilateral family planning assistance. Although I am delighted we were able to increase bilateral international family planning assistance to $446.5 million, recipients of these funds will continue to be unfairly and onerously restricted by the gag rule. As I have said before, I believe this policy is a blight on our foreign assistance program. I also regret that this bill has been held up for weeks by those in this body who oppose funding for the United Nations Population Fund, the UNFPA. The increase we have provided for this organization reflects the importance and quality of its work, not only in the family planning arena, but in combatting HIV-AIDS and helping the people of Afghanistan. In fact, unfortunately, the bill could have been completed a month ago, and I can tell you it does make a huge difference to the implementers and recipients of these assistance programs as a result of the delay. Moving forward with all of the wonderful new initiatives we have discussed here today has been needlessly delayed. Mr. Speaker, I think we can all agree that the last few months have sparked a new awareness on the part of all Americans of the importance of understanding and engaging with people around the world. We cannot go it alone, we know that, and we cannot deny the fact that what happened seemingly a world away can directly impact the lives of each and every American. It is with this enhanced awareness of the complexities of the world that my colleagues and I approached this conference, and with it is with a heightened sense of purpose that I continue to support and urge my colleagues to support increased investments in our foreign policy priorities. We simply do not have enough in this year's bill to do what we must for Afghanistan, for HIV-AIDS, for basic education, health care, democracy and economic development, and we will be in the same position next year, unless we get a substantially increased request from the President come February. We must constantly build on our successes, because the stakes are far too high for us to rest on our laurels. I want to include by thanking the wonderful Members of my committee. It has been a pleasure to work with them, both on the Democrat and Republican side, and the staff, who have been so instrumental in putting this bill together. I particularly appreciate the hard work of Mark Murray, Charlie Flickner, John Shank, Alice Grant, Lori Maes, Sean Mulvaney, Beth Tritter, and all of the associate staffers for the majority and minority members. I also must thank, of course, our big chairman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), who I know is so committed. Finally, I cannot say enough about what a wonderful experience it has been to work with the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the chairman of the subcommittee. Mr. Speaker, his dedication and hard work is evident in the bill before us today. I look forward to the good work we will do together in the future. It is really a pleasure for me to work with the gentleman from Arizona. I know that there are few issues that we have any disagreement on, and I look forward to working with him again in the future. I also want to thank Chairman Leahy and Senator McConnell and their staff for their cooperation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the conference report and I urge its adoption. I want to thank the ranking member, Mr. Obey, for yielding me this time and for his strong and forceful leadership not only on this bill, but also for the American people. I want to recognize the chairman of our Subcommittee, Mr. Regula. He has been an absolute pleasure to work with and has gone out of his way to ensure that the bill was crafted in a bipartisan manner and that the concerns of Members on both sides of the aisle were considered. Mr. Speaker, this conference report provides tremendous increases for health, education and worker safety and training. We've been able to follow up on the promises we made on this floor last week when we passed the ESEA conference report in this bill. Increases in Title I funding will ensure that our most disadvantaged children have access to a quality education. Pell Grants will reach a maximum of $4,000 per student, giving low-income students a helping hand in paying for college. Overall, the bill boosts education funding by over $1 billion, to its highest level ever. In health programs, the bill continues to provide an unprecedented level of funding for medical research. We are in an age of tremendous discovery in medical research, and the resources provided to NIH will help find treatments and cures for many diseases. There are increases for mental health research and treatment, HIV/AIDS programs, and programs for the elderly. And, we address the growing threat of bioterrorism by giving the CDC, our leader in this fight, greater resources to help keep our nation secure. Even with these vast increases for so many programs, we know that next year will be very different. The surpluses we've enjoyed have disappeared. And, the President's tax cuts will take up more and more of the federal budget as we go forward. We're just beginning to fund education and healthcare at the levels they deserve. I am concerned, as are many of my colleagues, that we will not be able to provide this same level of funding next year. I want to mention one area of critical importance--the need to combat obesity in this country. The Surgeon General reported last week that two out of three American adults are overweight. In fact, he estimates that obesity will cause more deaths than smoking in the coming years. Reducing the rate of obesity can prevent unnecessary illness and death. We've been so successful in convincing people to quit smoking, and this should be the next big fight for public health. I know that Chairman Regula and Mr. Obey will be very interested in that effort, and I want to again thank the chairman and ranking member for their tireless efforts in putting this bill together. I urge adoption of the conference report. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Carey Ramirez, one of the many true heroes who emerged from the devastation of September 11th. Mr. Ramirez, a 25-year-old hospice nurse employed by the Hospice of New York and working out of the Margaret Tietz Center for Nursing Care Inpatient Hospice Unit, was on a bus, traveling to his NYU Nursing Education program at the time of the attack on the World Trade Center. Seeing the smoke and flame, Mr. Ramirez urgently requested the bus driver to stop to allow him to investigate the situation. He was dressed in his nursing whites and carrying a stethoscope, and was anxious--like so many health care and rescue personnel--to help people in Lower Manhattan. Mr, Ramirez, without hesitation or thought of his own well-being, found himself at the South Tower, identified himself to authorities and proceeded to look for individuals to assist. He was at 4 World Trade Center when the South Tower collapsed. With his own life in danger, he found and rescued two women, one of whom was blind. Carey's heroic effort was captured by CNN and People magazine, and was also featured in U2's music video ``Walk On''. He was seen assisting both women--his arm locked with the arm of the blind woman, the other woman clinging to his backpack. All were covered with ash. There were many such heroes on that terrible day. But what has impressed me about this young man is his continued unassuming demeanor and belief that he is not a hero--just a New Yorker who put other New Yorkers' well-being ahead of his own. In my judgement, Carey Ramirez is a hero and I am pleased and honored to recognize him today.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this motin to instruct. In the three months since terrorists attacked America, Congress and the American people have been called upon to make extraordinary commitments. Our men and women in uniform are risking their lives, helping to liberate Afghanistan from the grip of al-Qaida and and root out terrorists. Ordinary citizens are making sacrifices, volunteering their time and money to help victims of terrorism. And, in the days immediately following the September 11th attacks, Congress took unprecedented action to do its part--providing $40 bilion in emergency funding to help the rescue and recovery effort, enhance our military might, and ensure the safety and security of all Americans. Despite our best intentions, what we provided was not enough. And we know we can do better. We must do right by our military, we must do right by the American people, and we must do right by the people of New York. In the wake of September 11th, the President made a promise to provide whatever it took to rebuild New York. And Congress made that promise law, setting aside $20 of the $40 billion in emergency funding for relief and reconstruction. But neither the Senate nor the House bill fulfills this promise. The devastation in New York is not just at Ground Zero, where teams are working around the clock to recover bodies and clear away the rubble. Widows need health insurance. Laid off workers--who were just getting by--need extended unemployment benefits. Residents need checks to cover security deposits in temporary homes, and to repair their apartments. Small businesses need grants to stay solvent. And it is not just New York that is hurting. The American people have become victims of the fear and uncertainty that terrorism breeds. And, while investments in homeland security will not allay all the fears-- they will go a long way to keep our communities safe. Safe from threats to our postal system and our food and water supply. Safe from threats to our ports, borders, and our schools. It is our responsibility to invest in safety both at home and abroad--providing adequate funds to ensure the superiority of our military and the security of our citizens. It is simply wrong to force the American people to choose between homeland security and a strong national defense. And it is wrong to force us to choose between either of these and cleaning up New York. $40 billion will not be enough to meet all of our commitments, but we have been blocked from increasing this amount before the end of the year. I urge our conferees to maximize our investment in all of these priorities, and I hope Congress will return in January ready to do our job--to commit whatever it takes to rebuild New York, win the war against terrorism, and keep America safe.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, no, since I have no options available to me.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very appreciative, and I would like to thank our chairman, our gracious chairman, who is always eloquent and articulate, and thank him again for his support for New York; and if I was not afraid I would use up more time, I would tell the group how very helpful he has been to us, and I thank him very much.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I introduced this amendment in behalf of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) and myself and other members of our delegation. Mr. Chairman, it has been 11 weeks since terrorists attacked America. We have asked our allies to join us to defend the Free World and embarked on a dangerous and long-term effort against terrorism overseas. Here at home, we are growing used to a sense of uncertainty and tighter security. When we go home, we say hello to our neighbors who are very concerned, who ask us all kinds of questions. We thank the police, we thank the firefighters. And I know when we went home to see our families, we just hugged them a little tighter, a little closer, and expressed our forgiveness, our thankfulness, thankfulness that we were able to be together. Again and again we hear, it will never be the same. The world has forever changed. Mr. Chairman, nowhere is that more true than in New York. Almost 4,000 dead, many of them under 40, with young children. The loss among firefighters in one day is more than in the last 50 years combined. Mr. Chairman, 100,000 have lost their jobs. There is a frozen zone that has swallowed up small businesses by the hundreds. Mr. Chairman, 5,000 people still cannot go home. Do we remember how we rushed home for Thanksgiving? Just think of what it has been like for the last few months in New York for too many New Yorkers. There has been some progress. Yes, FEMA is a full partner in the recovery. It is going well. About 40 percent of the site has been cleared. Crews are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even on Thanksgiving, to recover bodies and clear away the rubble. Some have said New York is getting all the help it needs, but I say to my colleagues, Ground Zero is not the only place where we see such devastation. Widows need health insurance. Laid-off workers who are just getting by need extended unemployment benefits. Residents need checks to cover security deposits in temporary homes and to repair their apartments. Small businesses need grants, not loans, and they need a simple application process. The FEMA bills will accumulate over time and the Federal Government will pay as the FEMA bills come due. Mr. Chairman, I say to my colleagues, people need help, not just local governments. Families have bills now. Small businesses have loans due and orders to place now. Residents have to decide whether to relocate or wait it out now, and the holidays are coming. Imagine how it feels to be in New York, to be a New Yorker. Mr. Chairman, there is no tougher, more feisty place than the city of New York, but our city took a staggering blow for all of America. We asked for help, and we were promised whatever it took. We worked together, Republicans and Democrats, to put together an amendment that would set aside $20 billion that we were promised by the President of the United States of America. I was in that room, and we were so appreciative when the President of the United States of America said, ``You got it. You got the $20 billion.'' We thought we got it. And we designated as a contingency emergency spending which would allow the President to determine when the money would become available. This makes sense. It allows Congress and the President to keep their promise to New York and it gives the President flexibility. I must tell my colleagues, I have seen some tough fights in my years in the Congress, but this fight for New York has been one of the more demoralizing and difficult of my career. For the life of me, I simply cannot understand why the White House and the Congress cannot come together to do what is right for New York now. But I want to make one thing very clear. I will not give up. My colleagues from New York will not give up. I am convinced that we can come to an agreement. I will work with the majority, the Senate, the White House until we do. I truly want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) for cosponsoring this amendment with me. He has been a real leader in this effort. I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) for his leadership, and I particularly want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), who really gets it. He understood from the start. He visited Ground Zero, he saw the tremendous needs. He understood that the $20 billion would be a floor, not a ceiling. I also want to thank our ranking member of the committee, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), who also has been supportive of this effort and understood, as the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) said, we are all New Yorkers at this time. Mr. Chairman, this is the right thing to do. Please support us in our fight.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York, (Mr. Weiner).