Carolyn Maloney

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of New York (Mr. Engel).

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as coauthor of this legislation, I am pleased to join the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) in support of H.R. 1538, the True American Heroes Act of 2003. The brave men and women who came to our defense on 9/11 may not have been soldiers, but they certainly were heroes. Thousands of New York City's fire, police and EMT workers came racing down to the World Trade Center to give their all, to rescue the victims of the most terrible terrorist attack on America in history. The passengers of Flight 93 crashed their plane rather than allow it to slam into another building, perhaps the Capitol itself. Rescue workers at the Pentagon labored to free their colleagues. These people are true American heroes and heroines. They deserve full honors. This bill consolidates three proposals for recognizing our heroes, a bill authored by myself and the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) to present gold medals to emergency rescuers who perished in the World Trade Center which first passed the House last December and actually in December 2001. This will be the third time this bill has passed this House; legislation proposed by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) to create a Spirit of America coin; and suggestions that we honor rescuers at the Pentagon and the brave people who wrestled Flight 93 to the ground in Pennsylvania. They saved an untold number of lives and quite possibly the very building in which we are standing. More than 2 years after September 11, the shock, pain and trauma of that day lingers with my constituents in New York. While we resiliently cleaned up the site ahead of schedule, no New Yorker can walk past a firehouse or police precinct without an empty feeling in the pit of their stomach over the 343 firefighters, 37 Port Authority police officers, and 23 New York City police officers who gave their lives to save others that day. In my own district, 25 different fire stations lost people in the terror attacks. One of these firehouses, the Roosevelt Island-based special operations unit, lost 10 men because a shift change was in progress when the attacks occurred. Off-duty firefighters grabbed their gear and headed to the scene. Only God knows how many people owe them their lives. Off-duty personnel dying on the job is the ultimate paradox. But such was the valor of September 11. When I was at Ground Zero on September 12, I heard estimates from State officials that as many as 20,000 people had been killed in the World Trade Center. We now know that, thanks to the heroics of the rescue workers, the death toll was well below 3,000. From the moment the planes struck the towers, from all over the city and surrounding areas, rescuers poured out of firehouses and precinct houses to put the lives of strangers ahead of their own. They were cops, firemen, EMTs, and other public servants. This legislation lets us honor these men and women who died so others could live. It is true that thousands of families are missing family members 2 years later, but perhaps the best reason to pass this bill is that tens of thousands of families are not. In the past, the Congressional Gold Medal has been awarded to honor contributions to America by outstanding individuals and groups. Not since Pearl Harbor had America suffered a large-scale act of war on its own soil. I consider those who battled the flames to save lives to be the first soldiers killed in the war on terrorism. I doubt that many in the military would disagree, and I think this body needs to honor them appropriately. The True American Heroes Act will award Congressional Gold Medals to the brave rescuers who perished in the attacks, to the individual precinct houses, firehouses and emergency response stations that suffered losses, to the offices of the mayor and Governor of New York, and the head of the Port Authority which ran the World Trade Center for its 28-year life span. For the Port Authority, this is an especially fitting honor. My friend Neil Levin was head of the Port Authority. On September 11, Neil was among those lost in the attack trying to save others. New York City is thankful to all Members of this House for this honor and for helping the City of New York recover since the attack. Why are these medals important? Let us put ourselves in the place of the men, women, and children who lost family members on September 11. They learned that something horrible had happened. They turned on the television like the rest of us. They watched in horror as the towers burned, the people jumped and the buildings collapsed. Then they waited and wondered and prayed and wept. As the day turned to night and night to morning, they waited for a reassuring call from a familiar voice that never came. When the realization finally sank in, they were confronted with the articles of continuity that had become in an instant artifacts of a life ended in midstream by an act of sheer insanity: an empty pair of shoes, a chair at the dinner table, a side of the bed. To grasp what that must have felt like even for a moment is to get a glimpse of grief in its purest form. We need to give these family members, their loved ones and colleagues another artifact of that day, one worthy of the rescue workers' courage, sacrifice and love, something affirming, something tangible, something precious, something gold, the most distinguished honor that can be bestowed by this Congress. The U.S. Mint will make bronze reproductions of the medals available to all Americans who wish to honor the rescue workers. Finally, the bill is much improved, with language provided by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel). This Spirit of America coin is a highly appropriate commemorative for this solemn occasion. I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) for his contribution to the legislation as well as the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), my counterpart on the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology. And we thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) for his strong support of this legislation and ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank). New York City is thankful to all Members of this House. We thank you for responding to the City of New York in its time of greatest need. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from the great State of North Carolina for his very moving comments. Mr. Speaker, I want to say that the authors of this legislation have worked on it for 2 years to create a fitting honor for the heroes of 9/ 11. This is actually the third time this legislation has come to the floor. We have passed it twice out of the House, and this is the first time this extremely worthy issue has been raised. In response to the request from Members in the Senate, we have tried to be all-inclusive and have broadened the categories of medal recipients to include all the police, fire and rescue workers who responded to the attacks. Mr. Speaker, I feel it is very important that we pass this very important legislation today on 9/11, on the anniversary, and move forward. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the gentleman for his leadership and consistency. The gentleman has stayed on this like a pit bull to get it to the floor for the third time. I thank also the chairman of our committee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank). I hope we will be able to pass it for the third time today with his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I congratulate my colleagues from Texas for putting forward this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, Rafael Palmeiro continues to climb the all-time home run list. On Tuesday, Aug 26, Palmeiro hit his 521st career home run, tying him for 13th place on the list with Willie McCovey and Ted Williams. Palmeiro has 31 home runs this season and is the sixth player in major league history with 30 or more home runs in nine consecutive seasons. Born on Thursday, September 24, 1964, Palmeiro began his major league baseball career on September 8, 1986, with the Chicago Cubs. However, Palmeiro did not start out as a power hitter. He hit just 25 homers in 258 games for the Cubs before being traded to the Texas Rangers after the 1988 season. In his first season in Texas, Palmeiro hit 8 homers in 156 games and then led the American league with 191 hits with just 14 homers in 1990. Palmeiro had 203 hits, a league-high 49 doubles and 26 homers in 1991. As he got stronger, Palmeiro learned to pull the ball and the numbers started to build. He had 37 homers and 105 RBI's in 1993. He then left Texas as a free agent for Baltimore. Palmeiro had 182 homers and 553 RBI's in 742 games over 5 seasons in Baltimore before returning to the Texas Rangers. Along with his homers, Palmeiro also has 3 Gold Gloves at first base. He has never been on the disabled list, averaging 157 games a year since 1988. Rafael Palmeiro is also very active in the community and has hosted the Raffy Readers reading program and is helping to build a youth baseball field in Colleyville, Texas. I congratulate Mr. Palmeiro for his contributions to the game of baseball and the community. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), who, along with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions), is the lead author and sponsor of this important resolution. (Mr. FROST asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), an important leader, not only on this resolution, but in this body. (Mr. SERRANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), one of the co- sponsors and authors of this resolution and an important leader in this body.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take the time of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this legislation, introduced by the gentlewoman from Virginia (Chairwoman Jo Ann Davis), will go a long way to help Federal employees injured on the job and receiving workers compensation. More specifically, this legislation will help Mrs. Louise Kurtz, a Federal employee from Virginia, who was severely injured in the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. She suffered burns over 70 percent of her body and lost all of her fingers. Mrs. Kurtz is going through rehabilitation and would like to return to work some day. Current law, however, does not allow Mrs. Kurtz to contribute to her retirement program while she is recuperating and receiving workers compensation disability payments. As a result, after returning to work and eventually retiring, she will find herself inadequately prepared and unable to afford to retire because of the lack of contributions during her recuperation. Federal employees like Mrs. Kurtz under the Federal Employees Retirement System who have sustained an on-the-job injury and are receiving disability compensation from the Department of Labor's office of Workers Compensation Programs are unable to make contributions or payments into Social Security or the Thrift Savings Plan. Therefore, their future retirement benefits from both sources are reduced. This legislation offsets the reductions in Social Security and Thrift Savings Plan retirement benefits by increasing the Federal Employees Retirement System direct benefit calculation by 1 percentage point for extended periods of disability. The passage of this bill ensures that the pensions of hard-working Federal employees will be kept whole through their injury and recuperation period. I strongly support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to be an original cosponsor of the Fair Credit and Reporting Act. Over the course of several months the committee conducted comprehensive hearings and produced a balanced bill that preserves the national credit market and enhances consumer protections. I do not think any reasonable person would question the fact that the engine driving these improvements is the sunset provision put in the original Fair Credit and Reporting Act in 1996 that expires at the end of this year. Without the present sunset, consumers would not be getting free credit reports or access to their scores as they will be in this underlying bill. Without the sunset, the Congress would not be forced to conduct months of hearings on the fundamental questions of credit report accuracy, identity theft, the privacy of medical records, and access to credit reports. These are major, all-important new rights that the underlying legislation grants to consumers that result directly from the current sunset. In offering this amendment today, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kanjorski) and I seek to strike a balance. Nine years ensures that the legislation will be revisited, but it grants the financial services industry a prolonged period of time during which it will not have to be concerned about major changes of law that will affect company operations. I applaud my colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kanjorski), for being consistent in his desire to sunset the programs Congress creates. I think this approach is particularly important on this issue and on the legislation before us tonight. Nine years ago, the world was a very different place. Technology has completely changed the manner our constituents access financial services in that time, and things are likely to be just as different 9 years from now; and it is appropriate that Congress revisit this law at that point. For that reason and the others illustrated by my colleague, I deeply and truly do believe that this amendment is a very important one, and I strongly support it.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) for their extraordinary leadership on this important bill. And I thank them for supporting my disclosure amendment which will require conspicuous disclosure on credit reports and all credit papers of pricing items and techniques and strategies. But at the same time, I continue to be very, very troubled by some pricing strategies used by certain companies, and I believe that the Sanders amendment provides a needed reform. The amendment affects how credit card companies use information from credit reports to increase interest rates on their customers. This devious practice is known as ``bait and switch,'' where a consumer's low interest rate may be increased to 20 percent or higher simply because they may have taken out a new mortgage or some other liability. A recent New York Times article documented just such a case where an Illinois doctor had his rate go from 6.2 percent to over 16 percent when he took out a mortgage. The amendment merely allows the consumer a window of 60 days before their rates are increased, in the event they were on a vacation or got sick or missed a payment or were experiencing some type of short-term financial difficulty. I have met with a large number of industry representatives on this issue. Some company practices are already close to the standard of this bill and some are not. Congress has established some minimum consumer protections in other instances where necessary for the credit card industry such as the $50 maximum liability for lost cards. I believe this amendment sets a modest floor for the industry's practices above which there is an abundance of room for different companies to take different approaches and compete in the free market. Mr. Chairman, I support this amendment.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, along with many of my colleagues in the New York delegation, tonight we remember September 11. Nearly 2 years after September 11 the shock, pain and trauma on that day lingers with my constituents in New York. While we resiliently cleaned up the site ahead of schedule and have begun to rebuild, no New Yorker can walk past a fire house or police precinct or gaze at downtown New York without an empty feeling in the pit of their stomach. In my own District, 25 different fire stations lost people in the terror attacks, and more than 500 of my innocent neighbors who did what most Americans do every day, simply woke up and went to work, lost their lives in this terrible attack. The hijackers chose two of the most prominent symbols of American prosperity, enterprise and strength. By taking down the symbols of America, the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, they hoped to show the weakness of American resolve. Instead, the opposite happened. America showed that in times of adversity ordinary people become heroes. New York is the most diverse city in the world, but on that day, and I would say every day in our rebuilding effort, we were united as one. Tomorrow, along with the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), we will be presenting on this floor and hopefully passing the True American Heroes Act, which will award the Congressional Gold Medal to the brave rescuers who perished helping others after the attack, the police, the firefighters, the emergency medical. Our bill lets us honor the men and women who died so that others could live. We must also remember that the World Trade Center disaster was one of the greatest rescue efforts of all time. Because of the heroic efforts of the rescue workers, the final death toll was less than 3,000. This is truly remarkable when we consider that more than 20,000 people may have been in the buildings when the planes hit, not to mention the 10s of thousands in adjacent buildings, subways and streets. 9/11 not only united New Yorkers, it united the Nation. Americans recognized that the attack on the World Trade Center was not an isolated event, experienced in Washington or Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania, or in New York. This was an attack on all of America, and Americans were unified in their response. All over the country people joined together to send food, clothing, blood and prayers. To this day, everywhere one goes in the city of New York, in hospitals, fire stations, police stations, even stores there are messages of support and hope sent from around the country to help New Yorkers through this terrible period. New Yorkers are standing with me tonight as I thank my colleagues in this Congress on their behalf. Within days of the tragedy, Congress appropriated $40 billion for disaster relief and increased security. We truly and deeply appreciate the swift show of support. It is ironic that an event that generated much love and support was based on an act of unexplainable hatred, expressed in violence. Our country united in spirit to combat terrorism and those who support terrorist activities, but it was New Yorkers who bore the brunt of the attack. I urge my colleagues to join me tonight in honoring the resourcefulness of the residents of the greatest city in the world. New Yorkers should be proud of the way they handled the most devastating attack on American soil. They showed strength of character and generosity of spirit. 9/11 has left its devastating imprint on my city, and we will always remember the horror of that day, but the recovery process is underway. We will rebuild Manhattan in a way that honors the fallen and celebrates the living and all Americans will celebrate the spirit of renewal that New York embodies.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. I thank him and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) for their leadership on this important bill of which I am proud to be an original co-sponsor. This is a strong bipartisan product that will benefit consumers as well as the entire U.S. economy. It will help the market to function more efficiently, and as an example of this bipartisanship, I am very pleased that it was the wisdom of the Committee on Financial Services to include my amendment in Section 509. This amendment requires clear and conspicuous disclosure of credit card companies' ability to raise a customer's interest rate even though the customer makes all of their payment on time. This bill makes groundbreaking advances in fighting ID theft and in providing new rights to make sure the information on credit reports is accurate, allows free credit reports, access to credit scores, and protections for medical record. These advances are so significant that the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kanjorski) and I have extended the sunset amendment we will offer later in this debate from 7 years, which we first proposed, to 9 years. I believe this amendment is critically important. All the consumer protections in this bill are the result of the current sunset which forced Congress to reexamine the FCRA before the end of the year. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation because it is incredibly important to the economy. For my district in New York, passage of this legislation means tourists who come to shop in our famous retail sector will be able to receive instant credit, no matter how many State lines they cross on their way to New York City. Nationally this legislation is critical to home mortgage financing and refinancing that have kept the housing market booming during the recent economic downturn. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bipartisan legislation. It is important for consumers and for the U.S. economy. I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 2622 the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act). This is a strong bipartisan product that will benefit consumers as well as the entire U.S. economy. From the beginning of the consideration of the FCRA reauthorization this year Chairmen Oxley and Bachus and Ranking Members Frank and Sanders have conducted a thorough, open process that has created a consensus bill that I hope will be overwhelmingly approved. As an example of this bipartisanship, I am especially pleased that it was the wisdom of the Financial Services Committee to include my amendment in Section 509. This amendment requires clear and conspicuous disclosure of credit card companies' ability to raise a customer's interest rate even though the customer makes all their payments on time. This devious practice is known as ``bait and switch'' where a consumer's low interest rate is increased to 20 percent or higher simply because they may have taken out a new mortgage or some other liability. A recent New York Times article documented just such a case where an Illinois doctor had his rate go from 6.2 percent to 16.99 percent when he took out a mortgage. This legislation makes ground breaking advances in fighting I.D. theft, which is now more often practiced by organized crime, and in providing new rights to make sure the information on credit reports is accurate, allows free credit reports and access to credit scores. These advances are so significant that Congressman Kanjorski and I have extended the sunset amendment we will offer later in the debate from the seven years we first proposed to nine years. I believe this sunset amendment is critically important. All the consumer protections in this bill are the result of the current sunset which forced Congress to re-examine the FCRA before the end of this year. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation because it is incredibly important to the economy. For my district in New York, passage of this legislation means tourists who come to shop in our famous retail sector will be able to receive instant credit no matter how many state lines they cross on their way to New York City. Nationally, this legislation is critical to home mortgage financing and re-financings that have kept the housing market booming during the recent economic downturn. I urge a yes vote for this important legislation.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I do. I very much respect my colleague's point of order, but could the gentleman please tell me how and when is this Congress going to act to return the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid promised to them after 9/11? We have legislation before this House; we have been before the Committee on Rules with amendments trying to attach this to other legislation. We know that many on the other side of the aisle are calling for permanent tax relief in certain areas. We are asking for tax relief for the victims of 9/11. It was truly not the intent of this Congress to tax their aid benefit packages. In fact, the IRS did not even tell them they were going to do this until the last minute. Most of them spent the money and now are in trouble taking out loans to repay. And, really, when they got the grants, they were well below what they lost. Now to come back and tax roughly a third of the grant is terribly unfair. So I respectfully ask my colleagues, When will we be able to act on this legislation and return hundreds of millions of dollars in aid promised to the victims of 9/11?

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, first I would like to thank my colleagues for their leadership on behalf of New York following the tragedy of 9/11. I have never seen Congress so united and determined. We responded with a national commitment to help New York City rebuild. Part of this rebuilding effort was Federal grants to businesses and individuals in Lower Manhattan near Ground Zero. Just yesterday the New York Times wrote of problems getting all of the aid to those who needed it most. But what is more disturbing is that after deserving victims of 9/11 got the aid, the IRS in a surprise announcement decided to take part of it away in taxes. Many grant recipients accepted the aid and spent every penny, not knowing that they would have to pay taxes on it. It is just unfair for these cash-strapped businesses and individuals to take another financial hit, a financial hit that the Joint Committee on Taxation estimates to be $268 million. The IRS is taking back $268 million in Federal aid that the President pledged to New York City. This IRS decision has also had a ripple effect on other Federal benefits that survivors of 9/11 may receive. Since many agencies rely on the IRS decision and definition of gross income, some recipients' eligibility for programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security may be in jeopardy. The amendment that I am offering today with my colleague from New York (Mr. Nadler) would bar the use of any of the funds for 1 year for the IRS to enforce the decision to collect taxes on these grants to Lower Manhattan. After all, the Federal Government is supposed to be sending aid to disaster victims, not taking it away. Taxing the grants violates the spirit of Federal disaster aid. This is not the first action that I and others have taken to right this wrong. Actually, it is the latest in a series of actions. Along with others in the New York delegation, we have written IRS, the Secretary of Treasury, we have written the President, Speaker Hastert, and the leadership of the other body. I have introduced bipartisan legislation. The Committee on Ways and Means is aware of the problem. The Congressional Research Service has done a memo. I have gone before the Committee on Rules seeking to add it as an amendment to H.R. 1308. And I am on the floor today with this amendment. I ask my colleagues, who have the ultimate authority to decide who gets taxed, for their help. I am confident that it was never this Congress's intent to tax this disaster aid. Making this amendment subject to a point of order means that this Congress has made a decision to continue to tax this 9/11 aid 2 days before the second anniversary of these attacks. Mr. Chairman, I call upon my colleagues to support me with this amendment. It is fair. It was the intent of Congress. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, this week we celebrated Labor Day. But for 9 million jobless Americans, there was no celebration at all, and sadly, their ranks are growing. Today's Wall Street Journal notes that employers cut jobs for the seventh consecutive month in August, raising the total of job losses since the start of the year to over 431,000. Since George Bush took office, the number of unemployed Americans has grown by 3.2 million. This is the most dismal record since Herbert Hoover. Worse yet, the number of Americans experiencing long-term unemployment, which is defined as over 27 months, has nearly doubled since George Bush took office. These are staggering numbers. A famous Republican once asked ``Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?'' It seems very fitting to ask now, are we better off than we were 3 years ago? The answer is a resounding no.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mother Teresa, a woman who has touched the lives of millions directly and indirectly. On October 19th 2003, Mother Teresa will be beatified in Rome by Pope John Paul II. Born August 26, 1910 in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, she would not wait long to change the world. She soon found her calling at the age of 18 when she had her first calling in the Catholic church and joined the Sisters of Loretto. This Irish order of Catholic Nuns was responsible for Mother Teresa's traveling to India, where she taught and also served as principal at St. Mary's High School. Mother Teresa's second calling came from the sick and the dying people in the streets of India. In 1948, she was granted permission by the Vatican to leave the Sisters of Loretto and start her own ministry in order to reach out to the poor, the suffering, and the dying. In 1952, Mother Teresa opened the Nirmal Hriday, Pure Heart, Home for Dying Destitutes in Calcutta. The Missionaries of Charity which continues to fulfill Mother Teresa's mission now has more than 400 of these homes worldwide. Her order of missionaries has grown to include approximately 5,000 sisters. With such resources, Mother Teresa, late in her life, continued to help those that were fighting for their lives by giving her time and energy to those who were sick from the horrible illness known as HIV/ AIDS. Mother Teresa's work has known no borders, from houses in New York City, San Francisco and Tirana, Albania, to helping the radiation sick in Chernobyl, the hungry in Ethiopia and earthquake victims in Armenia. In 1979, Mother Teresa deservedly received the Nobel Peace prize for her continuing work to help the sick and the poor. In 1985 she received both the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Foundation for Hospice and Homecare. It has been said though, that no matter how prestigious these awards, Mother Teresa's most beloved reward was the feeling she received from taking care of those who needed her help. Mr. Speaker I can stand here and recount for hours all of the wonderful things that Mother Teresa has done for this world. Mother Teresa's greatest accomplishment however is the lasting love that she has left behind with her mission and its continued work to serve those who cannot help themselves any longer. In recognition of Mother Teresa's birthday, beatification and all of her accomplishments, I ask my colleagues to join with me to honor the memory of this wonderful woman.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this important legislation. When Chairman Horn retired last year, Congress lost one of the greatest advocates for meaningful government oversight, indeed one of the greatest advocates for the American People who ever walked our hallowed halls. His work on the Government Reform Committee includes his eight years of service as the Chair of the Government Efficiency, Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee. I had the pleasure of serving with Chairman Horn on this subcommittee since 1993, my first year in Congress. As a Congressman, Steve Horn championed the public's Right to Know. As the Chairman, he cosponsored a bill (H.R. 3802) that expanded the Freedom of Information Act to include electronic information. He was outspoken against the abuse of secrecy by executive agencies and the willingness of many Congressional Committees to ignore their duties and allow such secrecy. He forces the CIA and the Department of Defense to release documents so that Congress could effectively perform oversight. I was particularly proud to work with him on the Debt Collection Bill that I sponsored. Congressman Steve Horn believed in good government. He understood that there is a public right to know and as the people's representatives we must never forget this fundamental right. To capture some of his good karma, my staff and I moved into Mr. Horn's Rayburn office in December! I miss working with Steve Horn, and I hope he is enjoying life after Congress.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, it is a disheartening reality in our country that the current administration refuses, so adamantly, to give seniors a real opportunity to obtain prescription drugs at a reasonable cost. In times like these, when the economy is uncertain and prescription drug prices are soaring, it is essential to be creative in finding an affordable and effective way for Americans to obtain the drugs they so desperately deserve. H.R. 2427 gives our seniors, and other consumers, a tool they need to purchase lifesaving drugs. How many seniors are currently disabled by an illness that they cannot afford to treat with the drugs that their European counterparts can purchase for between 30 and 300 percent less? There are too many, and Congress cannot stand by and watch them suffer. I know that my constituents in the Fourteenth District are suffering as a result of this government's inability to take meaningful action. A year ago, I co-released a report, detailing the outrageous prices seniors face when purchasing prescription drugs. For Prilosec, an ulcer and heartburn medication, a senior citizen in New York will pay on average $144.60 per month. The same drug in Canada costs $53.17. That is a 172% difference. Zocor, which is one of the most common cholesterol-reducing drugs in the country, costs almost three times as much in New York City as it does in Canada. These are just two examples of the outrages our citizens face every day. The Gutknecht bill will greatly reduce the cost of prescription drugs, and it will also ensure that imported medications will be safe for all seniors. H.R. 2427 mandates the use of greater technology to prevent the importation of counterfeit drugs, and it requires each shipment of drugs to be tested appropriately. Twenty-two percent of Americans who are prescribed medication are unable to fill their prescriptions. This is an unacceptable statistic, one that my colleague's bill would take great strides to ameliorate. America's seniors and consumers are afflicted by a disease: the absurd overpricing of prescription drugs. The fight against this epidemic must begin today. Vote ``yes'' on the Gutknecht bill, and let's give Americans a fighting chance.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Community Protection and Response Act of 2003 to eliminate confusion in terrorist prevention and response. One of the major lessons learned in the aftermath of the September 11th, attacks is that timely response is critical. Any delay complicates short-, medium-, and long-term recovery efforts. Sadly, many of the lessons that we have learned have gone without an appropriate response. For example, the Washington Post reported on June 4, 2003, that the United States remains highly vulnerable to a chemical terrorist attack, in large part because the Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency still have not decided which agency would spearhead chemical testing. Clearly now is the time to learn from our past and prepare for the future. The Community Protection and Response Act does just that. In response to the attacks of September 11th, Congress took a series of actions to bring relief to affected areas. These legislative actions along with existing statutes, including the Robert T. Stafford Relief and Emergency Act and the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, formed the framework for the federal government's response. The magnitude of the attacks and the need for Congress to take action before certain relief could be delivered added to the challenge of the recovery efforts and exposed critical weaknesses in federal authority to respond. The Community Protection and Response Act would amend the Stafford Act along with other statutes and would give the President a series of policy options to chose from following a homeland security event. A homeland security event is defined as an event that poses a significant risk to the security of people and property and is in such a magnitude that effective response is beyond the scope and capability of the affected state and local government. Many of these options are based on congressional action following September 11th or other policy suggestions in reports by the Congressional Research Service, the General Accounting Office and the New York branch of the Federal Reserve. Specifically, in the event of homeland security event, the President can provide grants for lost tax revenue, aid to school systems, and assistance to medical facilities and utility companies. The bill also establishes guidelines to ensure the public health of area residents and disaster workers. This legislation was introduced in the 107th Congress (H.R. 5164) and was offered as an amendment to the Bill that created the Department of Homeland Security. While the Committee on Government Reform passed the amendment by an unanimous vote, it was stripped out before floor consideration.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor and privilege to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the 1974 illegal Turkish invasion of Cyprus. I have commemorated this day each year since I became a Member of Congress, and although the occupation has continued for almost three decades, there are signs that progress is being made. PSEKA (The International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus), The Cyprus Federation of America (an umbrella organization representing the Cypriot American community in the United States), SAE (World Council of Hellenes Abroad), and The Federation of Hellenic Societies, are all primarily located in the 14th Congressional district, which I am fortunate to represent. These individuals have refused to believe that peace will not come to Cyprus, and they have been strong advocates against the division of Cyprus and the human rights violations perpetrated by the Turkish army in Cyprus. The fundamental fact is that the continued presence of Turkish troops represents a gross violation of human rights and international law. Since they invaded Cyprus in July of 1974, Turkish troops have continued to occupy 37 percent of Cyprus. This is in direct defiance of numerous United Nations resolutions and has been a major source of instability in the eastern Mediterranean. I support President Bush, like his predecessor President Clinton, in saying that true human rights are the goal of the U.S. Government. A unified Cyprus would promote stability, both politically and economically, to the entire Mediterranean region. Now is the time for a solution. More than 20 years ago, (in 1977 and 1979) the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities reached two high-level agreements which provided for the establishment of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation. For the last 29 years, there has been a Turkish Cypriot leader presiding over a regime recognized only by Turkey and condemned as ``legally invalid'' by the U.N. Security Council in resolution 541 (1989) and 550 (1984). Cyprus has been divided by the green line--a 113-mile barbed wire fence that runs across the island. In April 2003, the Turkish occupation regime partially lifted restrictions on freedom across the artificial line of division created by Turkey's military occupation. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have crossed the line, to visit homes and areas of their own country that were inaccessible to them for nearly 30 years. With 35,000 Turkish troops illegally stationed on the island, it is one of the most militarized areas in the world. This situation has also meant the financial decline of the once rich northern part of Cyprus to just one quarter of its former earnings. The occupation of Cyprus is perhaps the single most destructive element of Turkey's fiscal and foreign policy. We now have an atmosphere where there is no valid excuse for not resolving this long-standing problem. Cyprus signed the Accession Treaty to the European Union on April 16, 2003 at which time President Papadopoulos pledged that the Greek Cypriot community and his government will ``continue the efforts to reach a solution to the Cyprus question both before and after Cyprus joins the EU'' in May 2004. Of course, it would be desirable if a negotiated settlement to end the Turkish occupation and reunite the island were to be achieved prior to that date, Cyprus' EU accession will go forward regardless of a settlement. EU membership for Cyprus will clearly provide important economic, political, and social benefits for all Cypriots, both Greek and Turkish alike. This is why both sides must continue to negotiate. There are also signs of a new climate of cooperation between Turkey and Greece. More has been achieved in the past several years than in many before. The U.S., the EU, Greece and Cyprus have all acted to accommodate Turkish concerns, and it is time for Turkey to complete the peace process in good faith. And make no mistake about it, if Turkey wants the Cyprus problem resolved, it will happen. It will take diligent work by both sides, but with U.S. support and leadership, I am very hopeful that we will reach a peaceful and fair solution soon. Twenty-nine years is too long to have a country divided. It is too long to be kept from your home. It is too long to be separated from family. We have seen many tremendous changes around the world. It is time for the Cypriots to live in peace and security, with full enjoyment of their human rights. I hope that when I speak in Congress on the same subject next year, that freedom and unification will have been achieved. In recognition of the spirit of the people of Cyprus, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Cyprus Federation of America, and in solemnly commemorating the 29th anniversary of the invasion of Cyprus. I hope that this anniversary will mark the advent of true freedom and peace for Cyprus. Finally, I would like to say goodbye to a good friend and colleague Cyprus' Ambassador to the United States, Mrs. Erato Marcoullis. After nearly five years of service in our nation's capital, Ambassador Marcoullis will be leaving in August to assume a high-level post in the Foreign Ministry in the Cypriot capital of Nicosia. We will miss her, but next year I hope to join together and celebrate a unified Cyprus. Long Live Freedom. Long Live Cyprus. Long Live Greece.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, while I voted in favor of H.R. 2861, the FY04 VA-HUD-Independent Agencies bill, I am hopeful that more funding for veterans programs will be included in the conference report. America's brave servicemen and servicewomen deserve to have adequate health care and other benefits. I support increasing the funding for critical programs including Montgomery GI bill education benefits and compensation for service-connected disabilities. Throughout history, America's military men and women have traveled around the world to fight for the causes of freedom and democracy. In this selfless pursuit, they knew that the battle would not always be easy. We owe them all an enormous debt of gratitude. It's up to us to fight for our veterans. As this legislation moves forward it is my hope that significant improvement can be made in the housing sections. I am pleased that the bill contains none of the Administration's ill-conceived plans to privatize public housing, impose mandatory minimum rents or block grant Section 8. At the same time, I am hopeful that the funding levels for Hope VI, Section 8 and public housing can be increased. The insufficient funding for the public housing capital funds and operating funds will do severe damage to the nation's public housing residents. These citizens deserve better. The funding levels are so low that they thoroughly and finally refute HUD's claim that the public housing authorities can make up for the elimination of the drug elimination program with other funds. I also want to signal my strong support for increasing HOPWA funding as dictated by the Nadler-Shays-Crowley and am pleased it has been included in the bill.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the most distinguished members of the diplomatic corps here in Washington, Her Excellency Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, the Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States. Sometime next month, Ambassador Marcoullis will be leaving Washington, after nearly five years of service to her country in our nation's capital. The Ambassador will be assuming a major, high- level post in the Foreign Ministry in the Cypriot capital of Nicosia. It is with mixed feelings that I come to the floor today to make this statement. In my capacity as co-chair of the Hellenic Issues Caucus, I have had the great honor and privilege of working with Ambassador Marcoullis. I have come to regard her not only as a determined, effective and articulate advocate for her country, but also as a friend. As the former co-chair of the Congressional Women's Caucus, I have always felt a particular bond with Ambassador Marcoullis, who is one of what is still unfortunately only a handful of women ambassadors here in Washington. So, for these reasons, I am sad to see the Ambassador go. Still, I am extremely encouraged to report that the Ambassador has received an important diplomatic promotion. When she heads back to Nicosia, Ambassador Marcoullis will be in charge of the Division at the Foreign Ministry that has responsibility for what is generally known as the Cyprus Problem--the tragic division of Cyprus that began 29 years ago with the Turkish invasion of that Mediterranean island nation. Indeed, in commemoration of the anniversary of the Turkish invasion, which took place July 20, 1974, a number of my colleagues in this House have joined me in making statements of remembrance, as we do every year around this time. During her five years here in Washington, there have been many important achievements for Cyprus, and in U.S.-Cypriot relations. Last year, after years of hard work, the Ambassador signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the State Department regarding the protection of antiquities from Cyprus. Last year also witnessed the signing of the U.S.-Cyprus Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, bringing into force the reciprocal law enforcement treaty between the two nations. After the 9/ 11 terrorist attacks, Cyprus was among the first nations to express its solidarity with the U.S. Since then, Cyprus has taken many substantive steps to target the perpetrators and collaborators of terrorism, in close cooperation with the U.S. In April of this year, Cyprus signed the Treaty of Accession to the European Union, one of the most important achievements in the modern history of Cyprus. Cyprus will become a full member of the EU next May. It was during the tenure of Ambassador Marcoullis that U.S. foreign policy on Cyprus began to move in the direction of helping drive Cyprus' admission into the EU, particularly during the Clinton Administration through the work of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, with whom Ambassador Marcoullis worked very closely. I am pleased that the Bush Administration has continued to support this policy. Indeed, Ambassador Marcoullis has worked very closely with top officials of the current Administration to keep relations on track in a wide variety of areas. Of course, the one area where we have not witnessed significant progress is in ending the ongoing Turkish military occupation of Cyprus. This is certainly not for lack of effort by the Ambassador or her fine staff at the Embassy in Washington. Nor is it the fault of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, which has continued to negotiate in good faith to end the division of Cyprus. The fault lies with Turkey and with the occupation regime. I again urge my colleagues in Congress to continue working with me and many of our colleagues, on a bipartisan basis, to help convince Turkey to end its illegal occupation of one- third of Cypriot territory. One of Ambassador Marcoullis' greatest achievements has been simply to sustain and enhance up the visibility of the Cyprus issue. Cyprus is a relatively small country, but it is at the center of a region of great importance to the U.S. and the Western Alliance. Ambassador Marcoullis has been tireless in her efforts to elevate the awareness of these issues. Owing in large measure to her efforts, it is now an issue that is regularly addressed by the White House, the State Department and Congress. Ambassador Marcoullis presented her credentials to President Bill Clinton on September 10, 1998. In addition to her many responsibilities here in Washington, she is also accredited as High Commissioner to Canada, Guyana and Jamaica and Ambassador to Brazil. Throughout her distinguished diplomatic career, she has served as Ambassador to a number of European countries, as a Member of the Permanent Mission of Cyprus to the United Nations, as Consul of Cyprus in New York, and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the First Political Division, dealing with the Cyprus Problem and as Director of the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Marcoullis has devoted particular attention to political, human rights and women's issues. A native of Limassol, Cyprus, she is a graduate of Law and of Political Science/Public Law (University of Athens, Greece) and holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and Political Science (University of Helsinki, Finland). She is married to Dr. George Marcoullis, an Associate Professor of Medicine at New York Medical College, specializing in Oncology/Hematology. Their son Panos is a graduate of the University of Michigan. Earlier this week, The Washington Times newspaper, in its ``Embassy Row'' column, reported on a dinner in honor of Ambassador Marcoullis hosted by Ambassador Arlette Conzemius of Luxembourg, who presented her credentials to President Clinton in 1998 on the same day as Mrs. Kozakou Marcoullis. They began an immediate friendship and helped organize the female ambassadors' caucus. Ambassador Conzemius congratulated Ambassador Marcoullis for maintaining Cyprus' high profile in Washington, saying ``What you did for your country, the progress, the success. It's great to see what has been accomplished.'' Those words would be echoed by many here on Capitol Hill, where Ambassador Marcoullis was well known and well respected. In closing, Mr. Speaker, we will miss Ambassador Marcoullis. But it is encouraging to know that she is going back to Cyprus to take a leading role in facing the Cyprus problem. This is a woman who's going to make a difference. I'll miss her, but I have complete confidence in her ability to manage this problem; I congratulate her on this diplomatic promotion; and I look forward to working with her for the peaceful reunification of Cyprus.