John Larson

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I missed rollcall vote No. 401 today. Had I been present and voting, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce bipartisan legislation that would exclude tax abatements and other qualified incentives provided by local governments to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders from being considered part of an individual's gross income, and allow states and communities around the country to provide these important recruiting and retention incentives to their volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders. Studies conducted by the United States Fire Administration show that 73 percent of all fire departments in the United States are volunteer departments. These volunteer departments account for protecting 38 percent of America's population, in both rural and urban areas. However, statistics have shown that the ranks of volunteer fire companies are shrinking at an alarming rate. The number of volunteer firefighters around the country has declined 5 to 10 percent since the 1980s, while emergency service calls have steadily increased over the same period. To help localities recruit and retain volunteer firefighters, the State of Connecticut enacted a law allowing among other things, the legislative body of any municipality to establish, by ordinance, a program to abate property taxes due for any fiscal year for a resident of the municipality who volunteers his or her services as a firefighter, emergency medical technician, or ambulance driver in the municipality. Many other states have passed similar initiatives. However, when cities and towns seeking to pass local ordinances providing the abatements or other incentives under the state law, the IRS ruled in a similar property tax abatement inquiry, that under current federal law the amount of property tax abated for volunteers was considered income. Also, since the workers do not actually receive ``cash'' for these ``wages,'' the ``employer'' (i.e. localities) would be required to pay both portions of the FICA tax on the amount of property tax abated. Further, if the localities do not seek reimbursement from the volunteers for their portion of the FICA tax, then that portion would be considered wages for FICA tax purposes subject to an additional FICA tax. Clearly, this confusing ruling undermines the intention of providing incentives to recruit and retain enough volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders to keep our communities safe and puts an enormous economic burden on localities. In today's fast paced economy where men and women must work longer hours or multiple jobs just to break even, time to volunteer is becoming a thing of the past. These types of creative incentives help encourage new volunteers to strengthen the ranks of the men and women who already safeguard our community. If our cities and towns are willing to forgo their local tax revenues in order to ensure they have enough volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders to protect their communities, then Washington DC and the IRS should not be allowed to swoop in and take the money for themselves. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and insure that state and local governments have the flexibility to design and implement the type of recruiting and retention incentive programs that most adequately reflect the needs of their communities and volunteers.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I missed rollcall vote No. 403 today. Had I been present and voting, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, one year after the terrorist attacks on our nation, as we collectively pause to reflect, remember, and memorialize those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. We proudly remember those heroic acts of bravery and courage selflessly performed by citizens that day. It was a day when ordinary people performed extraordinary deeds. The nation was struck by terror, but responded with the courage and the conviction that makes us free. As we pause to recognize our precious freedoms, we will never forget September 11 and what happened in New York City, the Pentagon or in the fields of Pennsylvania. The terrorists failed in their attempts to bring down this nation because the United States responded with love of country and the resolve to bring them to justice, ensuring that those who gave their lives will not have perished in vain. With great compassion and understanding, our hearts go out to the families of those who lost their loved ones, knowing life will never be normal for them. As we pause today in remembrance, we are resolved to go forward protecting and cherishing the freedoms that sustain us all. Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 464 appropriately recognizes the one year anniversary of September 11 and I urge my colleagues to unanimously support this resolution. God bless America.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Takira Gaston of Hartford, Connecticut. On July 4, 2001, Takira was playing at her family's Fourth of July cookout like any 7 years old would be on hot summer afternoon. However, this typical American scene was shattered in an instant by the sound of gunshots. Two drug dealers were exchanging gunfire when one of the bullets struck Takira in the face. Takira survived and has faced numerous surgeries, with more to come. She has handled the pain and fear with courage that is rare in such a young person. Her brave fight was chronicled by Tina Brown of the Hartford Courant on the one-year anniversary of the shooting. This moving story describe Takira's perseverance and I wish to submit it for the Record. No child should have to go through the ordeal that Takira has gone through. I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring Takira's courage and continuing to work to rid our cities of the violence that plagues them. [From the Hartford Courant, July 4, 2002] The Courage to Heal (By Tina A. Brown) New Haven.--After riding the toy cars and playing ``Donkey Kong'' on the computer, Takira Gaston flashes a bright smile that makes others in the pediatric surgery center forget the protruding scars on her face. She's having a good day on this sunny Thursday despite being at Yale-New Haven Hospital for her second round of reconstructive surgery. She's thinking about splashing in her family's above-ground pool and jumping on the trampoline in her backyard, a safe place in a new neighborhood where gunfire is seldom heard. After playing, Takira takes time to think of someone else. Someone like her, who was shot in the face. Takira tells her adoptive mother, Delphine Gaston-Walters, that she wants to visit New Haven police Officer Robert Fumiatti, who's recovering at Yale-New Haven after being shot last month by a suspected drug dealer. They talk briefly with Fumiatti, whose head is stabilized by a metal halo. He calls Takira ``courageous'' and reaches out to shake her hand. But her good mood vanishes. She's scared. She refuses to shake his hand and backs out of his hospital room. ``They are not going to touch my face,'' she says, with anger in her eyes, as she returns to the surgery center. Deep down, she knowns she has no choice, but that doesn't stop her from launching into an hour-long temper tantrum. Such are the shifting emotions of an 8-year-old girl trying to recover from a stray bullet that tore through her face-- and awoke people to the violence in the city--on July 4, 2001. The men responsible for her shooting, Anthony Carter and Maurice Miller, were convicted this spring. But for Takira, the physical and emotional scars continue to heal, in fits and starts. taking a gamble Unlike a light-skinned person with a bullet wound, Takira faces another obstacle to her healing simply because she happens to be dark-skinned. She is prone to keloids, an excessive growth of scar tissue common among African Americans. The skin disorder has left thick, shiny scar tissue in the areas where the bullet cut through her cheek and where surgeons cut under her chin to piece her face back together. She has returned to surgery to have the keloids removed, a gamble that her doctors and Gaston-Walters believe is worth taking. If the surgery is successful, Dr. James C. Alex, director of the division of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Yale School of Medicine, is hopeful that the remaining scars left on Takira's face will gradually blend in with her otherwise perfect skin tone. But there's a 50 to 80 percent chance the keloids will return, just as bad or worse. Takira has drifted into drug-induced sleep just before 3 p.m., as she is rolled through the double doors, draped in a cornflower blue paper sheet. The sheet covers her up to the lower half of her chin, which is facing up toward the satellite dish-shaped lights. As the clock on the wall marks 3:11 p.m., Alex sits on Takira's left side and Dr. Bruce Schneider sits at her right. Alex begins the delicate process of cutting out the scars and sewing Takira's face back together, much like a master quilter. Nurse John Breslin hands him a scalpel to cut around the U-shaped scar under Takira's chin. Schneider swabs the blood where Alex has cut, and applies medicine to limit the bleeding. The scar, thick and wide, is in the same spot that Alex and Schneider cut open last July, when they pulled up the skin over her lip line, to expose her shattered jawbone, broken teeth and bullet fragments. The area was cleaned and rebuilt and a metal plate has been serving as her temporary jawbone while the bone grows back. With methodical movements, Schneider, an oral surgeon and formerly chief resident at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven, uses a small metal tool with two prongs to grasp the outer skin tissue. Alex examines the inner tissue and tests the area for nerve activity. Together, for another 25 minutes, they work on both sides of Takira's face, slowly cutting around the inner tissue of the worst scar. Alex begins sewing together the inner skin using blue sutures, which look like dental floss, though fine as hair. The goal is to sew the tissue together without gripping it too hard, Alex instructs. ``We are trying not to create tension on the skin. This will give you a more favorable scar. You will always have a scar.'' Another 30 minutes pass. Alex and Schneider pull up the outer skin, and prepare for another ``close.'' Again, they start sewing from opposite sides. A local pain reliever is applied to the scar tissue now sewn together and shaped like a thin cornrow-like braid. Rather than sew in a straight line, they create a ridge-like skin overlay, so that if Takira's new scar expands, it will push down flat rather than bubble up into a keloid, Alex says. At 5:11 p.m., two hours after they opened it, the first scar under Takira's chin is nearly done. Their work is covered with antibiotics and an oily liquid that makes the bandages stick like glue. Once the chin is finished, they move on to smaller scars on her neck, where incisions were cut to make way for a breathing tube in her throat. Next, they cut out the scars on her cheek, and repeat the process of sewing up the inner tissue and the outer skin, covering them with antibiotics and lotion. Surgery is over at 6:58 p.m., three hours and 47 minutes after it began. nightmares return Takira, her mother and the surgeons won't know for several months whether the keloids will return. But it was a risk they took because Takira didn't want the scars to continue giving ammunition to the meanspirited children who call her scarface. Gaston-Walters, a dutiful parent, wants to protect Takira from those kinds of mental scars. But for Takira, the pain and fear associated with the surgery make it hard to envision the outcome. ``Come on Missy, be nice,'' Gaston-Walters tells Takira four days after the surgery, ``It's time for the stitches to come out.'' Takira is trying to hit Dr. Alex, who wants to remove the stitches from her chin, cheek and neck at a record pace to prevent new scars from forming. But first he has to endure the fight of the tough-spirited little girl. Gaston-Walters grasps Takira's hands to restrain her, and Takira is promised a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's if she behaves. But she continues to cry, scream and fight. She is given a sedative, and she goes to sleep. She appears at peace, but at home since the surgery, she wakes up at night frightened by her dreams. The nighmares had stopped about eight months after the shooting and the family's move to a quieter neighborhood, but the surgery has brought it all back again. Takira is lying on her side when she wakes up in the examining room. Alex has finished taking out the stitches on her cheek and chin and is working on her neck when she flinches. She returns to a fighting posture, but avoids a full-blown tantrum when Alex reassures her that the procedure is nearly over. He applies the oily liquid that smells like evergreen to each scar before placing white strips of tape, which act like sutures, on her face. Removing keloids through surgery is risky, according to experts who have used a number of techniques to remove the scar tissue, including surgery, radiation and herbal creams. ``The keloids are like cancer that gets bigger and bigger,'' said Dr. Tom Geraghty, a plastic surgeon from Kansas City who has spent the past 24 years removing keloids from patients in Bolivia and the Dominican Republic. Some patients develop the scarring from a bug bite, others from burns and other injuries that are untreated. Geraghty has seen a boy with a burn on his chest develop a keloid ``thick as armor'' and plenty of girls with keloids ``the size of a grapefruit'' as a result of ear-piercing. No one can say yet why people with darker complexions are more likely than lighter-skinned people to get keloids. When children like Takira are afflicted with keloids, Geraghty supports the decision to remove the scars through surgery. ``Poor baby. Surgery is always a gamble, but a good gamble if you have no choice,'' he said. ``If it were my daughter, I'd do it.'' Splashing Around Almost two weeks after the surgery, Takira got her wish to play in the water. The portable pool hasn't been blown up yet, but she, her brother John and twin sister, Takara, take turns playing with the garden hose in a make-believe game of carwash. There is no talk of the white bandages that still cover the lower half of Takira's face. The scar on her cheek is no longer covered and seems to be healing normally, no sign of a new keloid. ``Dr. Schneider said it was OK for her to get wet,'' Gaston-Walters said. After the bandages are off, Gaston-Walters will apply an expensive over-the-counter herbal ointment to each of Takira's wounds, hoping to prevent excessive scarring. None of that is on Takira's mind as she waits for her turn to rinse off the gold-colored pickup parked in the driveway. The game on this hot summer day, just three days before the anniversary of the shooting, is more about getting wet than washing cars. ``You wet me,'' Takira yells to Takara, who hands her the hose. You wet me too,'' Takara says. They yell this loud enough for Gaston-Walters to hear. She laughs aloud as Takira and the others stand, dripping wet, outside the front door of the small Cape-style house. ``They do this all of the time. They've changed clothes three times today already.'' More surgery looms next year to remove the metal plate from Takira's jaw. For now, things are back to normal for Takira and her family.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Olesya Koretska, a seventh grader at South Middle School in Hartford, Connecticut, for being named a finalist in the national Do the Write Thing Challenge, and to share her impressive essay with my colleagues. I commend Olesya for standing up to the constant pressures that she faces in her school, and for her courage in trying to combat the ever- growing problem of youth violence. The Do the Write Thing Challenge is an initiative of the National Campaign to Stop Violence designed to give middle school students the opportunity to examine the impact of youth violence on their lives and to communicate in writing what they think should be done to change our culture and violence. The program encourages students to make personal commitments to do something about the problem with the ultimate goal of helping them break the cycles of violence in their homes, school, and neighborhoods. I had the opportunity to meet with Olesya, and was amazed that she so ably articulated here concerns only after being in the Untied States for a few years. Not only has she overcome language and social barriers, Olesya has taken the initiative to remedy the problems that she and her classmates face everyday. In the short amount of time she has been in the Untied States, Olesya has immersed herself in her new environment and recognized what must be done to improve that environment for herself and her classmates. Violence is one of the most important issues of our society because of its tremendous impact on the health and well being of our youth. Violence results in physical and mental injury of a person and sometimes even in death. It affects children, youth, and adults. It has affected (the) life of almost every person in the U.S.A. including me. There are the ways to get involved into violence, but there are the ways to avoid it too. Having a good friend is one way to stay out of violence, but are you sure that you have a good friend? I was sure I did. However that ``good'' friend almost involved me in stealing. We were best friends and once she told me that she was a member of a gang I really wanted to join. I asked if I could be in the gang. She said yes, but I had to steal something for it. I was thinking about that all night long but I couldn't think of anything, so I asked my parents for advice. My parents explained to me that no friend would ask me to steal and if she did she was not worth to be my friend. So I left the gang and my friend. Now I'm glad that I took my parents' advice. It stopped me from doing something very bad. The ideas about violence don't usually come to the youth by themselves. there are a lot of sources where teens can see or hear about it. For example, violent media. Sometimes the young fans of the famous actors can become thieves or even murderers after they've seen the movie with actor doing the same. The other cause of the youth violence is the peer pressure. Often the youth is violent because of the bad friends. Once a girl I knew began to steal different things because she wanted her new friends to see how ``cool'' she was. And she did until she got caught. Then her friends who made her steal left her out. She was also punished at home and suspended from school. I think that choosing friends carefully is a better idea then this. Another reason of the youth violence is domestic violence. On one hand, if a child grows up without parents, and nobody takes care of him he is not going to care about anybody else. He can take somebody's property or hurt somebody. On the other hand, if the parents love their child so much and give their child too much, give him and do for him whatever he wants then a child will get used to it. After that, he'll demand something from other people too. And that's what will later push him to violence. So it's very important that parents raise their children properly. There are a lot of ways that we all can do to avoid violence. First, we can talk to our parents or teachers. Talking to somebody close to you helps a lot. For example, teachers can give you advice. Your parents can talk to you about their experience when they were young. They can also explain why violence is bad and unnecessary. All those may change our minds about violence. Second, we should choose our friends carefully. For instance, if my new friend has violence problems then how do I know that she do something violent again? That's why we should avoid friends like that. Some teens can push you to violence, too. Third, avoiding media makes your mind clear from violent thoughts. For example, my neighbor who watched too many violent movies hurt his sister while playing ``Spy'' games. After that his parents made him do something more interesting like reading, watching adventure movies and funny shows. After that the boy had changed. He stopped playing ``Spy'' games and he became a better student. Now he is very thankful to his parents. We have to stop the violence! Then our future will be safe and peaceful. I admire Olesya for her bravery in speaking out about youth violence and her commitment to stop it. Few students would be able to verbalize their frustrations, let alone identify causes and solutions for youth violence in their schools. Olesya Koretska is an extraordinary student and inspiration for other young Americans, and I would urge other students to follow in her remarkable footsteps.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Republic of Singapore on its Thirty-seventh National Day, which will occur on August 9, 2002. As many Americans know, Singapore's National Day commemorates the date when Singapore became a separate, independent nation in 1965. In its short history as an independent nation, Singapore has achieved phenomena] economic growth. Bilateral trade between Singapore and the U.S. amounted to more than $42 billion in 2000, making Singapore the United States' tenth largest trading partner. Singapore is home to more than 1,400 U.S. corporations and 50% of all Singapore exports to the United States originate from U.S. companies. At end 2000, the cumulative stock of U.S. Direct Investment in Singapore stood at more than $23.2 billion. Since its founding as a free port in 1819 by a British East India Company official named Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Singapore's free trade status has been a major factor in its success. It has been a firm backer of U.S. international trade policy and, since December 2000, Singapore and the United States have been negotiating a U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA). Nine rounds of negotiations have been concluded. The USSFTA will be the first free trade agreement (FTA) that the United States will sign with an Asian country. Not only will it cement the excellent state of economic relations between our two countries, the USSFTA will also send a strong signal of the strong strategic and defense relations that already exist. When concluded, the FTA will act as an anchor for continued U.S. economic presence in the Asia Pacific region. In addition to the vitally important trade relationship between the U.S. and Singapore, both nations have increasingly close security ties. Since 1992, U.S. military aircraft and naval vessels have, under the auspices of a 1990 Memorandum of Understanding, been given access to Singapore military facilities. Each year, Singapore plays hosts to numerous routine port calls by U.S. naval vessels and landings by U.S. military aircraft. Since 2001, Singapore's Changi Naval Base has been host to U.S. aircraft carriers, for maintenance and re-supply. The Singapore Navy made provisions to allow the berthing of U.S. aircraft carriers at their own expense, and to U.S. specifications. Over 100 naval vessels use the facilities each year. Singapore has been unfailing in its support for the U.S. presence in the region--even at times when it has been unpopular to do so. With its strategic location in the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea, it is hard to understand the significance of this security relationship with a nation in the center of these critically important shipping lanes. Even in the war on terrorism, Singapore has been steadfast. In December 2001, Singapore arrested 13 terrorists who were targeting various U.S. military, diplomatic and commercial assets. The government of Singapore has also been unwavering in its moral, logistical and financial support for the global war on terrorism. On a more personal note, I have had the chance to meet with the current Ambassador from Singapore, Ms. Chan Heng Chee. She has ably represented Singapore in Washington since 1996, years in which our trade and security ties with Singapore have grown extensively. The highlight of her service will be the signing of the FTA, which will hopefully be completed soon. I look forward to working with her on this and other issues between our two countries. Mr. Speaker, given the importance of our relationship with Singapore, I rise today to congratulate the Republic of Singapore on its Thirty- seventh National Day and to urge my colleagues in joining me in my salute to one of our important allies and trading partners.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Egli Hila, seventh grader at South Middle School in Hartford, Connecticut, for being named a finalist in the national Do the Write Thing Challenge, and to submit the praiseworthy essay into the Congressional Record. I applaud Egli's efforts to tackle the growing problem of youth violence. The Do the Write Thing Challenge is an initiative of the National Campaign to Stop Violence designed to give middle school students the opportunity to examine the impact of youth violence on their lives and to communicate in writing what they think should be done to change our culture and violence. The program encourages students to make personal commitments to do something about the problem with the ultimate goal of helping them break the cycles of violence in their homes, school, and neighborhoods. In the world, people are faced with different issues as well as different emotions. There are people out there who are suffering from poverty, from lack of security in their lives but most of all people are constantly suffering from violence whether it's at home or in the streets. This eventually leads to physical and mental stress, anguish, pain, fear (and) hurt. No one wants it or even asks for it, but it still comes knocking at your door. What can one do when there is so much pain? Many questions come to mind but so little answers. How has violence affected my life? What do I think the major causes of youth violence are? What can do about youth violence? How can I stop it? I wish it didn't exist but it does and we have to deal with it the best way possible. These questions that have been raised are very hard to answer but I'll try to answer them to the best of my abilities and knowledge. I keep repeating the questions in my head over and over again. How has violence affected my life? I can tell you that violence has affected my life but the most common one would be that it makes me angry at times and at other times I'm scared. One word ``violence'' makes me have so many mixed emotions running through me. Imagine what the actions of violence can do to a person. In schools I see fights and I try to understand why it is happening, but I can't. The people fighting are my fellow classmates. I feel bad for them not only because they will get physically hurt in the process but also they will get suspended. What good came out of it? I don't seem to grasp this concept. When the question of how violence has affected my life is addressed to me, I guess I have to say that in a weird way it has worked to benefit because I know what it is and what it leads to, so I try my best to stay away from it. As mentioned earlier, I also get scared because I see all this hate that people have for one another and it's just not right. I get scared because I don't want to to see a world full of hate and full of violence. I am striving for a better world than the one we live in now. In the future, I want to see happiness in people's faces and not sadness. There are many causes of youth violence. Unfortunately, too many. The major causes would be domestic violence, meaning violence at home. When the parents for whatever (the) reason may be start hitting one another and they constantly scream and can't keep themselves under control, then it's obvious that a child at home who sees these unpleasant actions will eventually do the same thing in a different environment. Peer pressure is also a very big factor of youth violence. Kids by nature want to fit in especially by being in the ``cool group.'' What better way to fit in than do what the group says? If the group says you have to hurt that person whether it's physically or mentally, you want to do it because then you'll be considered ``cool'' and finally be accepted. That's how most kids fall into the trap and afterwards have a tough time getting out of it. Another cause of violence would be when kids put one another down and they get emotionally hurt. Also, gossip leads to violence because when kids hear these hurtful things being said about them, they want to fight back with the same weapon or go a step further and actually hurt someone physically. Call it revenge but whatever you call it, it will not make a difference because it's violence in the worst way. Youth violence is simply very sad to think about. In my opinion, kids should think about doing good in schoolwork, making friends (not enemies) having fun, think about college, careers and have the power to dream for a better life for themselves and the people around them. I have been seriously thinking about this issue and what I can do about youth violence. The only answer I come up with is that I could try and stop it when I see it or if I can't stop the fight then I'll let an adult know what's going on so these kids could get help. These kids then might be able to talk about what's troubling them. I guess this could be a step toward recovery. Don't you agree? Youth violence is everywhere but if we can limit is even just a little bit, then I think we have succeeded. The courage and dedication that Egli has demonstrated in trying to stop youth violence is admirable. Few students would be able to verbalize their frustrations, let alone identify causes and solutions for youth violence in their schools. Egli Hila is a remarkable student and inspiration for other young Americans, and I would urge other students to follow Egli's example.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to voice my strong support for this amendment to the FY03 Interior Appropriations bill (H.R. 5093), which would reaffirm our commitment to enriching the education of our children. The Slaughter-Dicks-Horn-Johnson amendment would increase funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities by $5 million and the National Endowment for the Arts by $10 million. These small increases in funding will have a tremendous impact on the quality of education for all children. As a member of the Congressional Arts Caucus and a former teacher, I understand the importance of the arts and humanities in our education system. More than two-thirds of our Nation's K-12 curriculum is dedicated to the humanities. As the largest supporter of the humanities in the country, the Federal Government, through the NEH, provides access to high-quality educational programs and resources through grants to non-profit cultural institutions such as museums, universities, and State humanities councils. These grants strengthen teaching, facilitate research, and provide opportunities for lifelong learning. It is incumbent upon the Federal Government to maintain its commitment to the humanities if we are to maintain a high level of excellence in our public schools. The arts create an environment of creativity, expression, and success for children. The NEA nurtures the growth and artistic excellence of thousands of arts organizations all over the country by making the performing, visual, literary, media and folk arts available to millions of Americans. Programs, such as the Arts Learning grants, support projects for children and youth, in school and outside the regular school day and year, in pre-K through grade 12 and in youth arts areas. This project, which partners public education and nonprofit arts organizations, helps to contribute to the incredible economic success of the arts industry. The nonprofit arts industry generates $36.8 billion annually in economic activity and supports 1.3 million jobs. In my district, the Connecticut's Commission on the Arts uses NEA funding to support its Higher Order Thinking (HOT) Schools Program. The HOT Schools Program is designed to transform entire school communities. The arts, especially writing, play a central role in this change process. School culture focuses on student needs and celebrates each child's accomplishments by sharing them with the larger school community. The program began in 1994 with only six schools and has grown to include over twenty-four schools from across Connecticut involving over 5,000 students and 500 educators. In recent years, funding for the NEA and the NEH has been slashed-- leaving many arts and cultural programs scrambling for funding. For example, in my state of Connecticut, Federal grants dropped from $10 million in 1994 to an average of only $3 million. Such reductions serve as an impediment to accessing and unearthing the country's rich cultural and educational infrastructure. The modest increases proposed in this amendment would help to close the gap created by revenue shortfalls in many states. The Slaughter-Dicks-Horn-Johnson amendment will serve to only improve the NEA and the NEH. With additional funding, we will be able to preserve programs already in place like the HOT Schools Program, and build upon their successes to create new programs, which will enhance the education of more children. The NEA and the NEH are integral to our children's educational development. The NEA and the NEH have already suffered from cuts and reductions over the years. It is time to reinvest in these extremely successful agencies and provide America's children with a complete cultural and artistic education. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this amendment.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ray McKenna of East Hartford, Connecticut. There is truly only one name that can be associated with sports in my hometown of East Hartford: Ray McKenna. For kids like myself, growing up in Mayberry Village, Ray was a person to look up to. He is a legendary figure and it only proper that he be recognized for his achievements and his positive influence on our community. I am also submitting for the Record a radio commentary by Scott Gray of WTIC 1080 AM in Hartford, who captured the essence of Ray McKenna and his importance to East Hartford. [From WTIC AM News Talk 1080, May 16, 2002] Commentary for Today (By Scott Gray) University of New Mexico women's basketball coach Don Flanagan wrapped up his acceptance speech on being inducted into the East Hartford Explorers Tap-Off Club Hall of Fame at the Marco Polo restaurant last night with a simple thank you. Flanagan, who knows something about winning, felt it was important to thank another big winner from East Hartford, the man responsible for the annual fete, Ray McKenna. But he wasn't thanking Ray for putting on the dinner or for his induction into the hall of fame, he was thanking him for giving a kid from the Mayberry Village section of East Hartford, which has produced a list of national and international sports luminaries, inspiration, inspiration, and a chance to see such heroes as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn play basketball in an intimate setting in his hometown. I did mention Flanagan knows about winning. In sixteen seasons as a high school coach at Eldorado High in Albuquerque he had a record of four hundred one wins and thirteen losses. In seven seasons at New Mexico he's turned the program into a big winner, with a 144-72 record and games played in front of average crowds approaching nine thousand, fifth highest average in the nation. But on the second Wednesday of every May the biggest winner in East Hartford is named Ray McKenna. He talks about the committee that puts the annual dinner together. I've never seen one. The committee is named Ray McKenna, the guy who coached the East Hartford Explorers to more than eleven hundred wins and less than two hundred fifty losses, and thirteen New England Basketball Association titles. And every year they celebrate the team, they celebrate the town, they celebrate East Hartford sports. Every year they fill the banquet room at the Marco Polo, they come for Ray McKenna. Mayor Tim Larson beams about the new UConn football stadium going up in his town, and the innovations that will be part of it. Congressman John Larson, if he can't be there in person, reads the names of the inductees, the Explorers and, as he says, the legendary Ray McKenna into the Congressional Record. Dave Cowens and Larry Costello and John Calipari and Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma have all come to be part of the celebration of Ray McKenna. Dom Pemo, Tom Penders, George Blaney and Nick Macarchuk have all come. Bill Detrick and Howie Dickenman, the legends of Central Connecticut, rarely miss it. They come to celebrate a glorious past and to honor it's heroes. They come to honor the new stars and bright young citizens of East Hartford High School basketball and those kids from neighborhoods like Mayberry Village who go on to greater glory. They come, like Don Flanagan, who broke away from a busy schedule, to say thanks to Ray McKenna. There's a baseball park in the town named for the humble former East Hartford mailman, who utters his classic expletive, ``pretzels'', anytime someone suggests he's more special than he believes himself to be. However Ray McKenna may downplay his own accomplishments, accomplishments that have enriched so many lives, this I know to be true. When you say Ray McKenna in East Hartford, magic happens. With a comment from the sports world, I'm Scott Gray.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 482 to honor and recognize the life of baseball legend Ted Williams. I would like to extend my condolences on his recent passing away on July 5, 2002. It is both fitting and proper to recognize Mr. Williams for both his on the field and off the field heroics. From his patriotism to his love for America's greatest past time, Ted Williams has touched the lives of millions. Theodore Samuel Williams was born in San Diego, California on August 30, 1918. Immediately after high school graduation, he signed a contract with the San Diego minor league baseball team. There he played one and half seasons with the team until the Red Sox obtained him in 1937, where he finished his career in 1960. After one year with the Red Sox, it was clear that Williams was destined to be a star. Throughout his career, the ``Splendid Splinter'' was one of the few people to post a batting average over .400 for a season and is the last player to date to do so. Ted Williams achieved the ``Triple Crown'' twice for leading the league in batting average, home runs, and runs-batted-in. He won the American League's Most Valuable Player Award twice and led the Red Sox to the pennant in 1946. He was elected into the Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1966. In his career, he slugged 521 home runs with a batting average of .344. In almost 8,000 at-bats, he struck out only 709 times. Ted Williams once said, ``When I walk down the street and meet people I just want them to think `There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived.' '' Few people would disagree with this statement. Not only did Ted Williams play baseball with excitement, but he loved his country with a passion as well. Mr. Williams was dedicated to his country and served in the Marine reserves for nearly five years. He selflessly put his baseball career aside two times at the peak of his performance in order to serve his country in its time of need. While in the service, he flew bomber planes in both World War II and in the Korean War. Many called him a hero. Williams was a patron for America. Ted Williams had no tolerance for anything but the best from his colleagues. His stubbornness and need for perfection helped Williams be the best at his trade, whether it be playing baseball, flying fighter planes, or fishing. Ted Williams will be missed. I ask my colleagues to join me in our condolences and remembrances of Ted Williams for his brilliant accomplishments, patriotism, and fantastic memories throughout the 20th century by voting in favor of H. Res. 482.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of a measure that will end up saving many lives by allowing America's foremost experts in the area of structural collapses to conduct inquiries with adequate investigative authorities, and thereby allowing the American people to learn lessons that can be applied to future building construction and emergency procedures. I speak of the bill before us today, the National Construction Safety Team Act, H.R. 4687, of which I am a proud original sponsor and on which I have been working with my colleagues on the Science Committee for the past few months. This issue was first brought to my attention by Ms. Monica Gabrielle from my home State of Connecticut, who lost her husband, Richard, as a result of the collapse of 2 World Trade Center. As part of the Skycraper Safety Campaign, Ms. Gabrielle's efforts to bring this issue to the attention of me and to other Members of Congress were invaluable in getting the Science Committee and now the House to act on this important legislation. Her efforts, and those of the Skycraper Safety Campaign, to ensure that we know all we need to know about the structural collapse of the World Trade Center, the subsequent investigation, and to make sure that any recommendations are followed through and implemented so that we can avoid preventable deaths in the future are the principle reason we are voting today on this bill. And for that they should be mentioned here and praised. Thank you Ms. Gabrielle. I also want to specifically commend the efforts of two of my colleagues on the Science Committee, Chairman Boehlert and Mr. Weiner of New York. Their tireless efforts on behalf of the families of the victims who died on that terrible day last September is awe-inspiring. One of the unexpected and tragic lessons we learned from the attacks on the World Trade Center is that the Federal government is ill- equipped to respond quickly to disasters and discover the lessons that building failures can teach--lessons that could save many lives in the future. In the case of the World Trade Center, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was the Federal agency primarily responsible for responding to the disaster. A key component of that response was the deployment of a team of experts in engineering, design, construction, and building codes to investigate the causes of the collapse of the buildings and determine what lessons could be learned from the disaster. Unfortunately, FEMA's investigative team encountered roadblocks from the beginning. It was not deployed as rapidly as it should have been. It was unable to stop the recycling of many of the steel beams that had fallen from the towers and that could have provided valuable clues as the sequence of events that led to the collapse of the Trade Center towers. It was unable to obtain the blueprints for the buildings until almost 4 months after the collapse, and it was never given access to other important documents that could have been useful for the investigation. As a result, FEMA requested that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conduct a second, more extensive investigation. NIST has the only Federal laboratory dedicated to research on building design and fire and has existing statutory authority for conducting investigations into the structural failures. However, NIST does not currently have those authorities, and this bill provides that authority. It would require new authorities to conduct an effective investigation, so that lives can be saved in the future. Such authorities would be akin to those of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which is authorized by statute to enter the site of airplane crashes, preserve evidence, and issue subpoenas to witnesses or for documents to facilitate its investigation. I am very proud to have worked on this bill with my colleagues for the Science Committee and as we prepare to vote on it, I urge my colleagues to consider the impact this legislation will have in saving lives in the future, and therefore I urge them to support it. We owe this to the victims of the events of September 11, their families, and the American people.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Grace Vigneau of East Hartford, Connecticut, who is celebrating her 90th birthday. Grace is a fellow Mayberryite whose enthusiasm and good will shine through in all she does. Her continued involvement and energy make the Energizer Bunny pale by comparison. The impact Grace has had on our community in East Hartford is sizable and her accomplishments numerable. She was an original organizer of the Mayberry Village Social and Athletic Club and provided many years of outstanding service to the Democratic Women's Club. She is also a prime mover behind the ``Golden Girls,'' a group of women that includes my mother who have been friends for years and remain nearly as active as they were when they first met. One of their main goals is community involvement, which Grace exemplifies. I must admit, I would not be standing here on the floor of the House today without the support of Grace and the Golden Girls. Grace is known not only for her community service, but also for her competitive spirit in my annual charity bocce tournament. For the past eleven years, Grace has displayed a superior level of skill and sportsmanship on the bocce court. No tournament would be complete without Grace's ever-present smile and humor. Even at 90 years of age, Grace maintains her high energy level and the organizing skills that made her such a leader. I would not be surprised if the phrase ``growing old gracefully'' was created to describe Grace Vigneau. She is loved by family and friends for her infectious enthusiasm, good will, and caring ways. Therefore, I ask my colleagues to rise with me today and celebrate the 90th birthday of Grace Vigneau and wish her continued health and happiness for years to come.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our distinguished leader for the opportunity to speak here on the floor this afternoon. Let me begin by applauding the efforts of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), who has done an outstanding job. It has been my high honor and pleasure to work with him over the past 3 years, and in the last year specifically, as this legislation has been developed. It has been a longstanding concern of mine and clearly my constituents and people all around this country who understand intuitively, as the chairman does, the need that exists out there to address this glaring inequity that has existed in terms of making sure that we have a pipeline that is full of students who have expertise in math, science, and engineering. Because of the obvious shortcomings in this area, we risk this Nation's becoming a second-rate economic power if we do not address these concerns forthrightly. This bill does exactly that. And typical of his manner, the chairman once again has reached out and done this in a bipartisan manner, garnering the best ideas from both sides of the aisle, which in my humble estimation always leads to the best legislation. I am proud, as well, to join my colleagues on this side of the aisle, especially the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda), as well, who have fought hard to make sure that issues like granting minorities greater access and greater funding in these specific areas that are much needed in order for us to compete, were attended to. Again, I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) for his efforts as well. The defense of this Nation and its continued economic prosperity are inextricably tied and linked to our education system. And by providing an opportunity and incentives that will provide us with the kind of dedicated members of our society entering into the field of math and science and engineering, this bill takes a bold step in terms of accomplishing that specific goal. I am proud to stand here on the floor of the House today and endorse this concept and ask all of my colleagues for their unanimous support of a great bill put forward by a great leader.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. And yet they have a great opportunity. I want to commend those valiant Republicans who have stood up to their leadership. I will not use the Member's name who said, I have to choose between my leadership and the senior citizens that I represent. We have seen this happen before. We saw it with campaign finance reform. I saw a member of my delegation, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays), stand up along with many Republicans on that side and do the right thing in terms of campaign finance reform. We saw the same thing in the Patients' Bill of Rights. We saw the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) stand up and do the right thing, and the Patients' Bill of Rights was achieved. We have an opportunity here if we come together and are able to examine these various proposals side by side and then vote on them. I believe in my heart of hearts, and I have no illusions that many people around the country are listening to the dialogue between the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and myself, but for those that are and can still contact and call people in their respective States to tell them just how important this is, to have a vote, to deny people to be able to have an amendment on pricing in the United States Congress just is so contrary to everything that we stand for.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson) is absolutely right. I think what is also compelling about the Democratic initiative is the ability, and I think people understand this readily, to be able to leverage the great buying power that the Federal Government would have in terms of initiating a program under Medicare. Currently, whether you are a large corporation, whether you are the Federal Government itself, or whether you are a large labor union, you have the opportunity to go directly to pharmaceutical companies and leverage deep discounts in order to make prescription drugs more affordable. Medicare is a Federal program. Medicare would provide us with an opportunity to have large numbers that will allow us to leverage and bring down the cost, just like every other western industrialized country in the world is able to do. This makes common sense. I commend our colleagues on the other side of the aisle who understand at the heart of this issue is price and getting the cost down here and being able to have a program that is affordable, that is accessible, and will be ready available and, most importantly, workable for our seniors. Again, that is why I commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for his efforts.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the gentleman for pointing out the many Republicans on the other side who understand this. This is an age-old battle between Democrats and Republicans and why I feel it is so important that we vote side by side on the differences between the proposals and commend those Republicans who have come forward with their own concepts and are focused on pricing, because they are among the few and the brave and the valiant who are willing to go against their own conventional wisdom and ideology. Roosevelt said it best during the struggles to bring Social Security to the forefront. He was amazed at the time that Republicans seemed to be, as he said, frozen in the ice of their own indifference to what the policies they would perpetrate would do to the American public. Frozen in the ice of their indifference to what their proposals would do to a Nation that is crying out for relief. That is why their Members who are standing up and maybe not in total unison with us but standing up for what they know is right for senior citizens deserve a great deal of credit. It is my sincere hope that the Rules Committee will provide an opportunity for all of us to have an opportunity to vote on the measures that we believe will best provide relief for those we are sworn to serve in this country.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Exactly.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. It is not practical. And I do not want to say this, because I hail from a part of the country that has a deep understanding of insurance and a deep understanding of risk management and spreading risk over a large population; but actuarially and from an underwriting perspective, when they take a look at trying to underwrite very narrowly those who would opt in to a voluntary program, by its very nature it sets up an adverse selection. So, therefore, to price this would be very difficult. If they are further forced to price it artificially, we have all seen what has happened to HMOs across the country when this happens. They pull out of the program and the elderly are left without insurance or, in this case, they would be left without prescription drug coverage. It is intuitively obvious; and I think that people, the elderly out there, understand it. My dad, God rest his soul, and the gentleman reminded me of something that he would say all the time when he was addressing the fairness of this issue, especially when we look not only here in this country but into our immediate borders, but also when we look all across the industrialized world and see the benefits that they provide for their seniors. My dad used to give his lectures to the family. He would, on Sunday afternoon dinners, and usually by evoking the holy family's name, but always talking about how great the country was and how we had risen to be the preeminent military, social culture, and economic leader in the world. Then he would turn to my mother and say, But look at the benefits that are offered to the very people we defeated in the Second World War. We defeated the Germans and the Japanese; and then we, as only this country would do, turned around and rebuilt and restored those nations so they are our very economic competitors today. He would turn to my mother and say, And look at the benefits that they have; look what they offer their people. And he would say, ``Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Pauline, who won the war? '' His point was that their countries valued the service of their citizens more than our country. And while we all know how much we value the great service, because clearly we have chronicled it, as I have said earlier, in books and in movies and on talk shows, but the proof ultimately is in the legislation and the policy that we write here. If we care about those veterans that serve so valiantly, if we care about our aging population, then what we should do is provide them with the benefit that they have richly earned. This is not an entitlement in the sense that it is something that we are handing out. This is something that has been more than paid for by the sacrifice of a generation who made us what we are today. For us at this point in time, at this historic moment to turn our backs on our elderly in their time of need is just outright wrong. That is why I have come to the floor so many nights along with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) to express our concern. All I am asking is that we get an opportunity to vote on the plan that we believe is in the best interests of senior citizens and the American public. Let them stand side by side, and let them go through the test of being under the bright lights, and then let people across this country decide what truly is the best plan.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, we are in the minority. We do not have the numbers to stop whatever the majority will is. Within the Republican caucus reside Members like the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) who are in my mind true heroes in this body who are willing to go against the tide, who are willing to stand up to their own leadership, who are willing to stand up to the pharmaceutical industry and say, wait a minute, these seniors have waited long enough. They have endured far more than they should. I applaud the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) and those valiant Republicans.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 253 and 254 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3034, the designation of the Frank Sinatra Post Office building. Frank Sinatra, the singer, the actor, the man, was one of the preeminent American icons of this century. Hailed by critics and peers alike as the ``greatest singer in the history of popular music,'' Frank Sinatra's career and life should be commemorated in every way possible. Mr. Sinatra's music career spanned almost a half-century. From his first record cut in 1939, to his eighth Grammy nod in 1996, Frank Sinatra's presence and his overwhelming charisma could be felt by all those who knew and loved music. Sinatra put his stamp on dozens of tunes familiar to the music lover's ear, including the timeless theme of the Big Apple, ``New York, New York'' and the anthem of every iconoclast, ``My Way.'' Frank Sinatra, as we all know, would not allow himself to be limited to just music. He appeared in more than 60 films that ranged from dark dramas to lighthearted comedies. The pinnacle of his acting career amounted to an Oscar nod for his short film entitled, ``The House I Live In'' and one for himself for his supporting role as Maggio in the film, ``From Here to Eternity.'' Just like everything else he did, Sinatra threw himself into every role, giving everything he had to give. There are very few people in this century that effected so many Americans of various generations. He continuously gave back to the community that gave him so much, through his music and films as well as through his generous donations to various charities. He donated amounts of money estimated to be in the millions during his life, sometimes anonymously sending money to those whose misfortunes he read about in the paper. Frank Sinatra was one in a million. There are few men likely to fill the shoes left by Sinatra in May of 1998 at the age of 82. That year, during my annual charity bocce tournament, many of my friends in Connecticut gathered to celebrate his remarkable life. The Frank Sinatra Post Office is just one of the small ways we can pay proper tribute to a man that shaped and molded the face of popular culture for over 50 years and I ask my colleagues today to join me in supporting this bill.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Captain Fred ``Pot Lick'' Clay Cutrer, Jr., United States Air Force, of Mississippi, who was laid to rest on Thursday, June 6, 2002. Captain Cutrer had been missing in action in South Vietnam since August 5, 1964. Captain Cutrer was the first pilot to be killed after President Johnson's escalation of American involvement in Vietnam due to the Gulf of Tonkin. At the time Captain Cutrer's plane went down he was only 29 years old. Captain Cutrer and his navigator, Lieutenant Leonard Lee Kaster of Massachusetts, were flying a B-57B Canberra on August 5, attempting to land at a nearby base, when they were shot down by Viet Cong soldiers. Unfortunately, a rescue or recovery mission could not be attempted, as the area where the plane went down was deemed too dangerous. Both men were listed as Missing in Action and their names were on the Vietnam Wall when it was dedicated in Washington, D.C., in 1982. Captain Cutrer's name can be found on Panel 1E, Line 60. In August 1992, the Defense Department's POW/Missing Personnel Office found the crash site with the help of a Vietnamese native who saw the plane as it crashed in Long Khan Province. Follow-up visits led to an excavation in March and April 1997 and recovery of Captain Cutrer's remains. In January 1998, Captain Cutrer's family was notified that his dog tags and remains had been found. He was given a full military burial at Arlington Cemetery on Thursday, June 6, 2002. Since Lieutenant Kaster's remains were never found, he was buried with Captain Cutrer. He and Lieutenant Kaster were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. Captain Cutrer grew up in Mississippi in a loving family and alongside great friends. He was married to Shirley Cutrer, who was a First Lieutenant who was honorably discharged as an Air Force nurse in 1962 after becoming pregnant with the couple's first of two sons, Fred III. She died September 10, 1998, when her car collided with an 18- wheeler in Pennsylvania. Later this summer, she will be exhumed and buried beside her husband's plot. On Thursday, June 6, many of Captain Cutrer's friends and family met at Arlington to finally lay to rest their beloved friend and family member. Among those attending the funeral were Captain Cutrer's two sons, Fred III and Dan, his brother Hugh Molse Cutrer and his two sisters, Lillie Cutrer Gould and Connie Cutrer Blair of Simsbury, CT. Captain Fred ``Pot Lick'' Clay Cutrer, Jr. is a true American hero and I urge my colleagues to stand today to honor his memory.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Janet Cohn of Connecticut, who died on April 25th at 92 years young. Mrs. Cohn was the wife of the late Yale Cohn, who passed away in 1995, and mother of the Secretary of the Connecticut State Democratic party. She was an active member of the League of Women Voters as well as various other West Hartford organizations. Born in New York City, Mrs. Cohn moved to Connecticut where she skipped two grades and graduated from Rockville High School as class valedictorian at the age of 16. From there she went on to work at the Aetna Insurance Company due to the fact that college was financially out of the question. At Aetna, her exceptional skill as a typist was widely known as well as her tendency to distract most of her gentleman co-workers with her flapper skirts, as she would gleefully report to all those who inquired. Mrs. Cohn met Yale at a dance for Jewish singles and married in 1933. Soon after, her skills in the workplace caused the company to break its then longstanding policy of firing female employees after they married. After she left Aetna, she took up the books at her husband's fish store, the Bostonian Fishery. A self-proclaimed ``old fashioned girl,'' Mrs. Cohn refused to bow to the increase in technology over the years, which meant that she never used a videotape recorder or flew in a plane. Her lack of travel only increased her focus on the welfare of her community. After moving to West Hartford in 1964, she became chairwoman of her voting district, pitching in wherever she felt that she was needed most. In addition to her love of politics, Mrs. Cohn found time for her love of painting, making hand painted cards for the birthdays of all of the many members of her family. She even found the time to serve as a Justice of the Peace, a role she gladly played at the age of 91 for her own granddaughter's wedding ceremony. She leaves behind two daughters, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Janet Cohn was an exceptional human being whose love of life was contagious to all those she came into contact with. She will truly be missed by the community she served for so many years, but most of all by her loving family.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is absolutely right. This is tantamount to the same vote we had on campaign finance reform. This is truly a profile-in-courage vote. And the vote here is merely just to allow two programs to appear side by each, the best effort of one party, the best effort of another party, and then to vote that issue up or down. We are told that perhaps even votes to recommit will not be allowed. A vote to recommit in my mind is inane anywhere, and it is an abrogation of our responsibility and duty, especially since every single Member has campaigned on this issue in their district. It is a shame that Members who are not chairs of committees and who do not normally get a chance to speak unless they come after business is done will not have an opportunity to speak on this issue. Every voice in this Chamber should be heard on this specific issue. This is the issue, after all, as the gentleman points out, that everyone campaigned on. There can be no more hiding. There can be no more putting this off. Seniors cannot wait. Each day that we delay is another evening that a couple spends, or a single person spends at night trying to decide how they can afford what they have to pay for the cost of their prescription drugs or what they have to pay to heat and/or cool their home or the very food that they need to place on their table to sustain them. We are a better Nation than that. We are a better Chamber than that. On both sides of the aisle I believe both parties want to see a vote on this issue. Let us make sure that we get a chance in an open rule to have an opportunity to vote our conscience, our hearts, and vote with the senior citizens of this great Nation of ours.