Carolyn McCarthy

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. I thank the gentleman for the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Childers substitute amendment to H.R. 6842, the National Capitol Security and Safety Act, that would get in the way of the democratic process currently underway to reform the District of Columbia's gun laws and dictate to the district what all gun laws must be. When the Supreme Court came up, in one way I was very happy because I think almost all of us have agreed in one way or the other, that people have the right to own a gun. But now I'm disappointed to see that we're actually overturning what the Supreme Court had said. They basically said the Court ruled that the second amendment right is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose. That's a quote, unquote from their wording. We have an obligation to keep our communities safe from gun violence. I believe that the Heller decision actually allows us to move ahead to create commonsense gun laws that do not hinder the right to gun ownership but rather keep guns out of the wrong hands and keep communities and individuals safe from gun violence. My colleague from the other side basically said, D.C. doesn't even have gun stores so the residents can't buy guns. That's not true. There is a gun store in the D.C. area, and I'm sure within a year we'll see many other gun stores there. Heller paved the way for Congress to move forward on passing the kind of laws that will protect our communities and where we work and certainly in the D.C. area. The District of Columbia is fully committed to appropriate response to Heller and reform its gun laws in a manner that is consistent with the rulings in the decision. Make no mistake. This is not a battle, again, about is there a right to own a gun. The courts have put that out. D.C. is applying to that. The District enacted temporary legislation in response to Heller, the Firearms Emergency Amendment Act of 2008 on July 16, 2008, which will only remain in effect for 90 days as the District is currently drafting permanent laws that would fully comply with Heller. Why are we doing this? What is the rush? You know, we, unfortunately, have seen D.C. go under some terrible times. But, again, I will say to you that again changing our laws or having this Congress dictate to D.C. is not the right way to go. The Mayor and the City Council are tasked to make sure that this occurs. Unfortunately, some Members of Congress want to circumvent the democratic process underway in the District of Columbia. The Heller decision clearly states that local governments can enact their own appropriate restrictions on gun ownership. Let me say that again. The States and local governments can enact their own appropriate restrictions on gun ownership. However, the substitute amendment, based largely on H.R. 6691, would dictate to the District of Columbia what gun laws it must be. H.R. 6691 will repeal the District's ban on most semi-automatic weapons, preempting many of the District's regulations on gun possession, including gun registrations. Let me say this. We have a battle with the NRA. The battle has always been the right to own a gun. I'm not arguing that. The Court has stated that. The District has the right to write their own laws.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of James Ketelsen, the founder of Project GRAD, an education reform model that is transforming the hopes of tens of thousands of students and families across the country. Mr. Ketelsen has announced his intention of resigning as chair of the Project GRAD USA board of directors, and will become chair emeritus later this fall. Mr. Ketelsen is the former CEO and chairman of Tenneco. Under Mr. Ketelsen's leadership, in 1988 Tenneco began to fund a 4-year scholarship program for eligible graduates of Davis High School, at the time Houston's lowest-performing high school. By 1992, the number of Davis graduates entering college had more than quadrupled. Still, Mr. Ketelsen was not satisfied because high school graduation rates and college matriculation rates continued to fall short of his expectations. He knew, given the right investments and the right commitment, that Davis students--and all students from economically disadvantaged communities--were capable of much more. As Mr. Ketelsen is inclined to insist, ``It's not the kids!'' Armed with that belief, Mr. Ketelsen has dedicated the last two decades to making an enormous difference for America's highest needs students. I have been a longtime supporter of Project GRAD in Congress and was pleased to be able to get a provision into the recently-enacted Higher Education Opportunity Act to expand Project GRAD so that more low- income and minority students can attend college and earn degrees. Today, Project GRAD has expanded to 13 communities and reaches more than 120,000 students and families from California to New York, Alaska to Georgia. In the longest-served group of schools, GRAD scholars are completing college at a rate 92 percent above the national average for students from similar demographic backgrounds. A statistically significant sample of GRAD scholarship recipients who have completed college shows that the proportion who graduated with majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics--concentrations of dire need for the national economy and national security--exceeded the national average for minority students by 71 percent. In the coming academic year, more than 7,500 students will be in college, funded by a Project GRAD scholarship. GRAD has already sent high school graduates to more than 100 institutions of higher education, including many of the most highly selective colleges and universities in the Nation. At the beginning of high school, many Project GRAD students would never have dreamed of attending Harvard, Yale, MIT, Cornell, Emory, Georgetown, Rice, Texas, Virginia, or Amherst, yet because of Mr. Ketelsen's vision, determination, and remarkable leadership, Project GRAD has altogether altered those expectations. I am honored to know James Ketelsen personally and I am grateful for the tenacity and passion with which he has served America's children and families. I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing the gratitude of the U.S. Congress for the extensive contributions to education and our society that he made during his lifetime.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, H.R. 4137. First, let me start out by thanking Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon. I also want to thank the staff for their professionalism and their courtesy and their work for getting this bill to where it is, and my own staff, Kim Becknell and Phil Putter. The passage of this bill will help millions of Americans make the dream of a college education a reality. In particular, I'm proud to see that many of my provisions are in the bill, including student loan forgiveness for nursing students; incentives for nurses to become instructors, helping to end our nursing shortage; tuition forgiveness for teachers working in New York's BOCES schools; making career and professional schools more affordable; expanding the availability of guaranteed student loans or Stafford loans to more nursing and professional schools; expanding the Graduate Assistance Areas of National Need Program, and expanding Project GRAD U.S.A.; also monitoring our Nation's most expensive schools' tuition rates and offering students and families a tool for an education. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, H.R. 4137. Let me first start out by thanking the Chairman, Ranking Member, and hardworking staff on the Committee on Education and Labor for their efforts and professionalism in passing one of the most comprehensive education bills in years. The passage of this bill will help millions of Americans make the dream of a college education a reality. In particular, I am proud to see that many of my provisions are in the bill including: Student loan forgiveness for nursing students; Incentives for nurses to become instructors, helping to end our Nation's nursing shortage; Tuition forgiveness for teachers working in New York's BOCES schools; Making career and professional schools more affordable; Expanding the availability of Guaranteed Student Loans or Stafford Loans to more nursing and professional schools; Ensuring that degrees earned from rabbinical schools will continue to be recognized as the equivalent of bachelor's degrees; Expanding the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need program; Expanding Project GRAD USA; Monitoring our Nation's most expensive schools' tuition rates and offering students and families a tool to estimate increased costs over the course of a college education; Studying the ability of teachers to meet the needs of students with dyslexia. I am especially pleased that the bill addresses the need for colleges and universities to have policies in place to immediately warn their campus communities when a serious crime or other emergency threatens the safety of students or employees on campus. These provisions are similar to those in my ``Virginia Tech Victims Campus Emergency Response Policy and Notification Act'' or VTV Act, H.R. 5735. The tragic events of April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Tech, reminded us that horrific incidents can happen anywhere and that we must be prepared. The addition of an emergency notification provision to the Jeanne Clery Act will help ensure that students and employees are empowered with information about potential significant threats to their safety such as an unknown shooting suspect at large or an impending natural disaster. Because emergencies can escalate or spread quickly it is vital that emergency notifications occur without any delay and these provisions appropriately provide that warnings must occur ``immediately . . . upon confirmation'' of a threat. Minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Using both high and low tech means, many institutions across the country, including Florida Atlantic University, Ferrum College and Northern Illinois University, have already adopted this approach and are issuing campuswide emergency notifications in less than 30 minutes after an incident has occurred. These provisions will be a very fitting living memorial to the innocent victims of April 16, 2007 and I applaud their family members who have sought to have something positive come out of that dark day. The Virginia Tech Victims Family group members have been tireless advocates for safer campuses and their devotion has helped make these provisions a reality. I would ask that the victims' names be included at an appropriate place in the Record. I would also like to thank Catherine Bath, Jonathan Kassa and S. Daniel Carter of the nonprofit organization Security On Campus, Inc., SOC, for their leadership on and help with these issues. Founded in 1987 by Connie Clery and her late husband Howard after their daughter Jeanne's murder in a campus residence hall, SOC continues to be the Nation's leading voice for safer campuses and victims' rights on campus. To honor the memory of the lives that were lost as a result of the incident at Virginia Tech, I humbly submit the following names in the Congressional Record: Ross Abdallah Alameddine, Christopher James Bishop, Brian Roy Bluhm, Ryan Christopher Clark, Austin Michelle Cloyd, Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, Kevin P. Granata, and Matthew Gregory Gwaltney. Caitlin Millar Hammaren, Jeremy Michael Herbstritt, Rachael Elizabeth Hill, Emily Jane Hilscher, Jarrett Lee Lane, Matthew Joseph La Porte, Henry J. Lee, and Liviu Librescu. G.V. Loganathan, Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan, Lauren Ashley McCain, Daniel Patrick O'Neil, Juan Ramon Ortiz-Ortiz, Minal Hiralal Panchal, Daniel Alejandro Perez, and Erin Nicole Peterson. Michael Steven Pohle, Jr., Julia Kathleen Pryde, Mary Karen Read, Reema Joseph Samaha, Waleed Mohamed Shaalan, Leslie Geraldine Sherman, Maxine Shelly Turner, and Nicole Regina White.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Frank for his hard work on this housing package. What began with a housing bubble, predatory and subprime lending, and loose regulatory enforcement has resulted in a record number of foreclosures across the country, the failure of financial institutions, a reduction in tax revenue for states and local government, a credit crunch, and a lack of confidence in our market that is affecting millions of individuals and families both directly and indirectly. Families reliant on the continuously increasing housing market entered into loans they could never afford or adjustable-rate mortgages with the assumption they could refinance at a later date. Loose regulatory enforcement allowed mortgage lenders and originators to engage in predatory lending practices and the housing bubble provided an incentive for lenders to reduce underwriting standards to encourage the creation of new loans. Furthermore, the failure on the part of the regulators allowed financial institutions to package and sell these risky new loans on the secondary market with the highest ratings from the rating agencies. All these events contributed to what we are now facing: increased foreclosure rates, large write-downs by financial institutions that hold a large number of mortgage-backed securities, vacant, foreclosed homes across the country, reduced tax revenue for states and local governments, and a lack of confidence in our financial and housing markets. This bill, H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act, will address the causes of our current crisis through reform and attempt to assist communities dealing with the current crisis. Although there are many provisions in this package that are worth noting, I would like to highlight several provisions that are absolutely necessary to ensure the success of this package. This bill increases the high-cost loan limits for the Federal Housing Administration, FHA, and conforming loan limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These increases will allow those in high-cost areas such as my district, the Fourth Congressional District of New York, to take advantage of the FHA home loans program. Although many of us would prefer a larger increase in these limits, I believe the limits in this bill reflect a compromise that will make eligible middle-income families in high-cost areas who are currently precluded from taking advantage of the FHA home loan program. I thank Chairman Frank and would like to recognize him for working with those of us who represent high-cost areas to ensure that our constituents are not left out. This bill also allows Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac the flexibility to hold or sell jumbo loans on the secondary market. This flexibility will ensure Fannie and Freddie are not unnecessarily restricted in how they choose to deal with jumbo loans, and will ensure that loans will continue to be available to moderate-income families in high-cost areas. Although reform is necessary to prevent another subprime crisis, we must also act to limit the effect that this crisis is having on our communities. Over half of the people who lose their homes stop communicating with their lenders within 30-60 days of missing a payment. This may happen for a number of reasons, including the fact that many homeowners are embarrassed or do not know their rights when they are unable to make their mortgage payments. For these reasons, it is so important that organizations willing to reach out to borrowers at risk of foreclosure utilize in-person counseling and outreach. This is the only way to guarantee that families who need assistance are aware that assistance is available. Consequently, it only makes sense to provide organizations engaging in practices, such as in-person counseling, that are proven to be effective the resources they need to continue to provide these services. I thank Mr. Baca and Mr. Mahoney for working with me to ensure that language to this effect is included in this bill. I also strongly support the almost $4 billion in this bill for state and local governments for the purchase and re-development of vacant, foreclosed homes. It has been estimated that a home decreases in value by almost one percent if a home within one city block has been foreclosed. This figure is even higher when more than one home in the area has been foreclosed. In my home district, a home price would result in more than a $4,000 decrease in value if one home is foreclosed. Additionally, tax revenue is severely affected when homes are left vacant or there is a decrease in their assessed value. The vacancy or home value decrease results in a decrease in tax revenue which burdens the budgets of state and local governments. In many cases, this shortfall then results in cuts in services to those most in need, including our children and seniors. Again, I would like to thank the Chairman of the Financial Services Committee and the many individuals who have worked to ensure that this bill reforms FHA and the GSEs, and tackles the increase in the rate of foreclosures and the devastating effects that vacant, foreclosed homes have on our communities.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1288, supporting the goals and ideals of National Campus Safety Awareness Month. Each year since 2005 the national non-profit organization Security On Campus, Inc. has designated September as National Campus Safety Awareness Month. Security On Campus partners with colleges and universities across the country each year to offer important campus safety programming during National Campus Safety Awareness Month in September. I am pleased to have worked with Security on Campus on a provision in the Higher Education bill dealing with timely safety notifications on college campuses. This year 350 campuses will formally partner with Security on Campus to offer campus safety activities as a part of National Campus Safety Awareness Month. This programming covers critical issues including sexual assault, high risk drinking, and hazing, which are among the most serious safety issues facing our Nation's campuses. September, at the beginning of the new school-year, is an ideal time to reach out to new and returning students, many of whom are on their own for the first time. I applaud Security on Campus as a leading voice on behalf of students and parents for safer college and university campuses, and their partners for offering this life-saving program. As a proud cosponsor of H. Res. 1288, I would also like to thank Congressman Sestak for introducing the resolution. I encourage my colleagues to support this measure.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, last winter our Nation experienced record high heating bills, and this summer's cooling bills are expected to follow suit. LIHEAP is authorized at $5.1 billion, and the program has never been fully funded. Concerns are high across the Nation that LIHEAP will not be able to help those people that need the most help because it is set to run out of money before the most intense periods of the heating and cooling seasons start. Congress and the President can act by fully funding LIHEAP through authorizing the spending of $3.12 billion in the second economic stimulus package. With this action, Congress and the President would send a clear message to the Nation: We do care about those that are most vulnerable. LIHEAP works not only to protect our Nation's vulnerable, low-income populations but also to stimulate the economy so that those families can spend money more fully for other things. Fully funding LIHEAP should be a top priority for this Congress, and we should fully fund the program in the second stimulus package. We have an opportunity to help those that are having a hard time to get by during these times.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, yesterday I missed one vote, and on Rollcall No. 447 on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 6327, the Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2008, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Chairman, I want to start by saying congratulations to Chairman Miller on this important day and thank him for his strong leadership over the many years that this has been an issue for him. I also want to thank Chairman Miller and the committee staff for working with me on this important legislation. When we started working on this issue in the committee, I became outraged over the testimony we heard. You see, children are dying. I cannot forget the testimony of Bob Bacon, father of Aaron Bacon. Bob and his wife Sally were seeking the best alternative for their son, Aaron, who was struggling. They talked with therapists, counselors, pastors, and doctors, and were referred by friends to a particular program. They read, and I quote, in their very compelling brochure, spoke with the office on the phone, and met with the owners for a personal interview and chose this particular program for their son. They felt that the owners were caring people who had experience in counseling kids who were struggling with drugs and peer pressure. He continued on in his testimony to our committee: ``Of course, being normal, trusting, and honest people ourselves, we assumed we were being told the truth.'' They were not. I will never forget the pain in the father's eyes when he told us that he regretted being talked into using the program's escort service, and here is why: At 5 a.m., Bob's son, Aaron, was taken from his bed under the threat of physical force if he resisted. Aaron was not permitted to speak to Bob or Sally, his mother, or father. His parents managed to hug him and tell him that it was for the best. The van backed out of the driveway, and Bob told us the pleading eyes of his son which begged them not to send him away haunt them today. They never spoke again. Aaron died in the wilderness with the program's staff claiming he was faking the entire time. Aaron begged to be seen by a doctor. The criminal investigation illuminated 21 days, 21 days of physical and psychological abuse and neglect that Aaron experienced. There is no excuse for this. This and many other stories are the cause of my outrage, and we should all be outraged. There were many stories and testimony from parents that came to our committee and talked to us, but here is the bottom line. There are some good residential programs out there that are for the treatment of our young people that have problems. But the majority, I have to say, they go from State to State to State. When they close down in one State, they open up in another State, and they use their same abusive practices. This is America. These are our most vulnerable children. And yes, as far as I'm concerned, it is a Federal duty to protect these children because these camps do go from State to State. And we should at least be able to give the parents the tools that they need to make sure that their children are getting the treatment and the care that they were promised. I hope that this bill passes. I hope that those in Congress understand because only because we never know if that's going to happen to one of our children in our families or our grandchildren, and we want to make sure that we have the information that is out there to make sure that our children get the treatment that they need. Chairman Miller, I thank you for bringing this forward. I hope this goes forward. I hope we can protect the children of this country. I hope that we can set standards for the many camps around this country that unfortunately do not do what they say to help the children.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the Rules Committee and I stand in support of the rule. I want to say thank you to Chairman Miller and the committee staff for working with me on this important legislation, and for Mr. Miller's personal leadership on this issue over the years. When we started working on this issue in committee, I became outraged over the testimony that I was hearing. You see, children in this country are dying. In fact, the Government Accountability Office report found thousands of cases of abuse and neglect at residential programs for teens. The abuses include staff members forcing children to remain in so-called ``stress'' positions for hours at a time and to undergo extreme physical exertion without food, water or rest. Sadly, in a number of cases this abuse has led to the deaths of children at the hands of the very people entrusted with their care. These are basic human rights being denied to our children, children who are already struggling to find their way in this world, children who might suffer from mental disorders or other conditions that make daily living in society much more challenging than for other kids their own age, children whose parents love them and want the best for them and need help in addressing the needs of these vulnerable youth. Parents, often desperate for help, feeling vulnerable as well, are sending their children to facilities that are sold as safe and responsible facilities. The GAO's investigative work is showing that a number of programs use deceptive marketing practices to appeal to parents. In fact, it uncovered deception, fraud, and conflicts of interest. In one scheme, a husband owns a referral service and the wife owned a residential treatment facility. It was revealed that her location received more referrals from her husband's service than any other providers. Parents are sold a bill of goods about the facilities and are enticed by advertising schemes portraying these programs as safe, with a professional staff, and high-quality environments for their children. Yet it is too often not true, and tragically, at times, the end result is the death of a child. That's why it is absolutely crucial that we make sure that children are kept safe when they are in these facilities by setting minimum safety standards. Minimum; why are we even setting them at minimum? You know, it seems like every week I am up here on the floor talking about how we need to protect our children. That's why it is absolutely crucial that we establish standards and stop ``boot camps'' from using the kind of deceptive marketing that has drawn in so many parents. I am pleased that the bill contains some aspects to address all deceptive marketing tactics employed by some owners or operators of residential treatment facilities. One section requires that all printed material from the facility include a link to a Web site that has a database about past incidents and violations. We do that with our college students so parents can actually look to see how safe that particular college is. And yet we are having a hard time trying to do this for children who need our help immensely, and the parents. The parents are facing difficult choices to do whatever they can to help their child. And yet they are given false information. Another section specifies that a new Web site include not just the name and location of each facility, but also the owner and operator of the facility so the parents can watch out for the bad operators. Furthermore, even though we did not include language requiring all promotional and informational materials distributed by the facilities be subject to appropriate guidelines, such as those specified by the Federal Trade Commission Act due to jurisdictional issues, we will continue to monitor the deceptive marketing practices on these programs. Madam Speaker, we need minimum safety standards for these public and private residential treatment facilities. It is past time to bring these programs to a level of basic safety which protects children and prevents further abuse from happening. I promise--and I am positive that Chairman Miller will, too--we will continue to work on this. But as with a lot of things that come through our committee, we have to work with both sides so we can get a bill through and passed and on its way to the President. But I have to say in cases like this, I wish we could have gone further to protect the children, to protect the parents. I urge passage of this rule.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, earlier today I missed one vote. On rollcall No. 407 on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 1265, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. I have an amendment at the desk made in order under the rule.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, Chairwoman Brown and Ranking Member Shuster for their work on this bill. My district is located in a densely populated area on Long Island, New York. We are fortunate to have the comfort and convenience of rail transportation to New York City and around Long Island by the Long Island Railroad. The Long Island Railroad moves safely through the Fourth Congressional District with the use of horns at train crossings. Although train horns are necessary to ensure the safety at railroad crossings, the noise can significantly affect families and communities surrounding these railroad crossings. While we can still all agree that train horns are necessary to ensure the safety of residents at railroad stations and crossings, the sounding of train horns day and night seriously impacts the quality of life of many in my communities in Long Island. I support the Federal Railroad Administration and its primary goal of ensuring the safety of railroads and trains across the country and in the Fourth Congressional District in New York. I do not, and will not support any measure that will reduce the safety of railroads and trains moving through our communities. With that in mind, I also understand the effect that locomotive horn noise has on the quality of life of my constituents. Over the years, I have been contacted by constituents who have complained that the volume of the train noise is so severe that many of them lose their sleep, even with earplugs. Trains on Long Island can run literally around the clock. Residents complain of several minutes of constant horn noise as the train travels through many of my communities such as Valley Stream, East Rockaway and Cedarhurst, Long Island. When trains are nearby, the volume is so high that people are forced to stop their conversations, and teachers at nearby schools are forced to stop teaching their students. Rail traffic through many communities in this country is an unavoidable reality as to the use of train horns. However, we have an obligation to ensure that we do everything possible to maintain the quality of life for communities near railroad tracks. That is why I've introduced an amendment to ask that the Secretary research the development and use of train horn technology with an emphasis on reducing train horn noise and its effect on a community. This will ensure that, as we move forward and continue to expand our railroad infrastructure in this country, we will also continue to address the concerns of the communities surrounding the infrastructure. Thank you, Chairman Oberstar, for continuing to work with me on this issue that is so important to my constituents. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. I just want to thank Chairman Oberstar and Ranking Member Shuster for their support on this amendment. I too can hear the train whistle in the late of the night, and to me it is a nice sound. But for my constituents who are right along those tracks and near, it is a problem. I hope that my colleagues will support me on this amendment.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H.R. 5524, The Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act. This bill reauthorizes the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, which is under the jurisdiction of the subcommittee which I chair, the Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the Committee on Education and Labor. Mr. Yarmuth, the bill's sponsor, is on my subcommittee and it was a pleasure to work with him on this reauthorization. Each member of my subcommittee is both passionate and committed to improving the lives of our Nation's children. In this case, Mr. Yarmuth is seeking to assist some of our Nation's most vulnerable youth, those who run away from home or who have no home. It is a travesty that this situation exists in our Nation--that children find themselves in situations where they need to leave their home for any number of reasons--they are thrown out, have been abused, and face other challenges at home. Worse yet, too many of our Nation's foster care youth find themselves released from the system at or around age 18 and are left to fend for themselves without guidance or little to no assistance, and they become part of the over one million runaway or homeless youth in our Nation. These resilient youth seek caring adults, stability, and the ability to see their future as different from their present situation. This reauthorization improves the basic central programs, street outreach programs, and the transitional living program. As we heard in a hearing in my subcommittee, it is just too easy to look away and dismiss the problem or accept that it is inevitable that there will be homeless youth. We see it, acknowledge it, and do nothing about it. However, if we dismiss or tolerate the problem of runaway and homeless youth, I think that we can easily expect that we will see these youth in other social systems where they may stay for the rest of their lives. Helping these youth in the here and now is both intervention and prevention. We must maintain a long-term vision for our Nation's youth. Investing in all children at an early age is clearly necessary, but we also must attend to our older youth who face challenges that neither you nor I have experienced as teenagers and young people. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Yarmuth has worked very hard with the community that works with runaway and homeless youth to create a strong reauthorization of these programs. He has included the development and implementation of performance standards to be used in the grant making process, to better allow the Family and Youth Services Bureau of the Department of Health and Human Services to evaluate each program and fund the best of the best. You see, these programs are good, and the competition is strong for any funding that is available. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 5524, the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act today. It is an investment in our Nation's most vulnerable youth and in all of America's young people. They seek caring adults and opportunities to improve their lives at home and their futures. If we help these youth now, we prevent them from entering into child welfare and juvenile justice systems, each path fraught with challenges. I think that we can all come together to change the lives of children for the better.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Chairman, I think there are obviously many of us that support H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. In listening to the debate, I can only talk about a number of the schools that are in my district. I'm certainly someone who supports school funding for IDEA, but if I have my children in the classrooms--or most of them are actually being taught in the hallways because they don't have the facilities to be able to do the teaching that they need to do. I know a number of my schools--if that was a business, you wouldn't be able to get anybody to work into that particular business. What we're trying to do--and you have to look at things holistically. If we don't have good school facilities, how do we expect our teachers and certainly our students to learn, and what kind of message are we sending that we don't care enough about our children that we give them safe environments? I can go into my schools in my district during the winter, and every window is wide open because the way the energy for the heating system is, it makes the classrooms too hot. The children can't concentrate. You go into one of my schools during the summertime when they're taking their final exams, and the classrooms are 110 degrees. How are our students supposed to be able to pass those tests and concentrate? None of us would work under those conditions. And yet we are asking our children to survive under those conditions. We must look at how we're going to work to be able to educate our children for the global economy that we're looking forward to. But I believe very, very strongly we have to have a clean, safe environment. Go into our city schools. Come into my schools. Look at the amount of children that have asthma because the quality of the air is subnormal. A number of my schools in the last year had to be closed. So now we're putting our children in little trailers. I don't understand this debate. This is something that many of our schools need, and as far as having Davis-Bacon, why should not we have prevailing wage for those that work in the community, pay the wages, and also have good construction done? With that, I hope that we pass overwhelmingly this bill.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call on colleagues to fully fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP, during this year's appropriations process, at the full $5.1 billion. LIHEAP is a vital program that helps low-income Americans pay their heating and cooling bills. Our nation is facing an escalating energy crisis. More and more, American families are being forced to make difficult decisions between putting food on their tables and paying their utility bills. If the current trend continues, LIHEAP will not have enough funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2008. Soaring energy prices combined with another heat wave this summer could be deadly if we don't act now to fully fund this important program. This presents a particular risk to our Nation's most vulnerable, the elderly, infirm and children. Extreme temperatures can be incredibly dangerous to those with compromised physical conditions. They need to be protected and we have the ability to protect them by fully funding LIHEAP. This month, utility shut-off moratoriums that have been offered by states are set to expire just as temperatures are rising. With past-due notices on the rise, there is no question that millions of Americans could be facing summers with no cooling options available. There is simply no time to waste. I urge all of my colleagues to act now to fully fund LIHEAP. American families cannot sweat out Congress's delays on this matter.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 2894, the Star Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act. Let me start off by thanking the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Rupersberger for introducing this bill. As school children we all learn about the War of 1812 as a turning point in our Nation's history that confirmed that the United States would remain a free and sovereign nation. We also learn in school that, while being held by the British during the attack on Fort McHenry, just a few short miles from this building, Francis Scott Key was inspired after getting a glimpse at that tattered, but triumphant flag of our young Nation to compose a poem, which later became known as ``The Star Spangled Banner,'' our national anthem. The symbol of the flag served as an inspiration to Francis Scott Key that night and has continued to inspire all Americans ever since. Our flag was still there and is there still. It is important that this Congress take this opportunity to recognize the historic significance of our national anthem and the battle from which it was born. The Star Spangled Banner has inspired millions of patriotic Americans to take up the causes of our Nation in times of war and peace. I know that many of my colleagues share the same sentiment with me when I say that every time I hear the opening notes of the Star Spangled Banner, I am personally nearly moved to tears. That is why it is so important for us to commemorate the War of 1812 and the Star Spangled Banner by issuing a coin that will stand the test of time, much the same as the national anthem has. I am in full support of this bill and ask that every Member of this Congress support it as well. We can never be too patriotic. We can never love our country too much. And we can never do enough to commemorate the sacrifice that so many have given to protect our freedom. This coin is one small gesture that we can offer to show our commitment to the values that are spoken about in our Nation's anthem: strength, honor, justice, patriotism, and courage. Again, I encourage all my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. McCARTHY of New York

Mr. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, earlier today I was questioning witnesses on the arts and humanities as Chairwoman of the Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the Education and Labor Committee. I missed two votes. I would like the Record to reflect how I would have voted had I been able to get to the floor in time. Rollcall No. 296 on sustaining the ruling of the chair, I would have voted ``aye.'' Rollcall No. 297 on the Altmire amendment to H.R. 5818, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Lois Capps and Eddie Bernice Johnson for bringing this forward on H. Res. 1086, recognizing National Nurses Week. I have spent over 30 years as a nurse, and it was mentioned earlier, someone said, Once a nurse. Well, let me say, Once a nurse, always a nurse. We carry our duties even here to the House of Representatives. I sit on the Education Committee, and what I have been working on since I came here was making sure that our nurses get every opportunity to increase our numbers. As has been mentioned before by both of my colleagues, the nursing shortage in this country is of a crisis proportion. We see that our nurses today are a lot older; they're at the retirement age, and we must do everything that we can to make sure that we have our young people coming into a very, very rewarding career. Nursing can be demanding, it can be tiring, it can be physically draining; but it couldn't be a better career. When I first joined nursing over 30 years ago, I worked in the intensive care unit, and I spent most of my life there and just to be able to help a patient in their greatest need but also to work with their families to comfort them as they saw their loved one going through a traumatic injury. We need to make sure that this country has a supply of nurses continuously. We have many young people that want to go to nursing school, but what we have found over the years is we don't have enough professors to be able to teach them to be nurses. So in the Higher Education Act, there is going to be funding in there to make sure that those that want to go into a higher education to be able to teach nursing, it can work out for us. When we look at the future, we're seeing today in our hospitals such a shortage of nurses that a lot of the nurses are doing a lot of overtime. When they take a day off, they're always called to come back in. That is not acceptable, mainly because you have to be totally alert at all times. And I certainly tip my hat to my fellow nurses that go through this every single day. They stay in the profession because they love the profession. They stay in the profession because it is a calling. Not everyone can be a nurse. It is a calling. I salute those men and women that go into nursing, and I also salute the women and men that are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and taking their nursing care to the soldiers and giving them comfort when they need it. There is no greater, in my opinion, profession than to be a nurse. With that being said, I hope my colleagues will support H. Res. 1086 and recognize National Nurses Week.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to say congratulations to Sallie Marx on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah. In Judaism, Bat Mitzvah celebrates the coming of age of a Jewish girl. According to Jewish law, when Jewish children reach the age of majority (twelve for girls) they become responsible for their actions, Jewish ritual law, tradition, and ethics and are privileged to participate in all areas of Jewish community life. The celebrant is asked to perform a mitzvah project, providing a service to the greater community. Sallie Aijalen Marx, 12 years old, from Bainbridge Island, Washington will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah on May 17th, 2008 along with Grandmother Ruth Marx, Grandparents Gary and Phyllis Marx, Grandparents Mary Ellen and Andy Mendelsohn, Parents Josh and Stacey Marx, and lots of friends and relatives. As a mitzvah project she has raised $5,500 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and traveled across the state to run in the 5 K ``Race for a Cure'' in Spokane in April. Sallie raised more money than any other individual and all but two groups for the April event. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure was founded in 1982 and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, they have invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill their promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. For the past 25 years, Komen for the Cure has played a critical role in every major advance in the fight against breast cancer--transforming how the world talks about and treats this disease and helping to turn millions of breast cancer patients into breast cancer survivors. Their contributions include more early detection, more hope, more research and more survivors. On her web page Sallie said ``One of the things that inspires me is that my grandma has had breast cancer since 1982. Unfortunately, I know many others who have been affected by breast cancer as well.'' Raising money for the Komen for the Cure Foundation and running in the Race for a Cure was the perfect mitzvah project given her sensitivity to breast cancer issues, her fund raising talent, and her athleticism. Sallie is a bright young woman who excels in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. Her middle name, Aijalen, means happiness in a Chilean indigenous language; a product of her parents' service in the Peace Corps in Chile. She enjoys cooking, loves to read Sports Illustrated, rooting for the Red Sox, and is an outstanding student. Sallie's mother Stacey joined her in the Race for a Cure while her father Josh and younger brother Nate cheered them on. Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in recognizing Sallie and her family on her important day.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Herb Ruben, who is being honored by Peninsula Counseling Center at its 95th anniversary celebration on May 13, 2008. Herb Ruben has served with extraordinary devotion and dedication for the past 50 years as executive director of Peninsula Counseling Center, the largest non- profit community mental health center in Nassau County, New York. Mr. Ruben has received many awards and has served in many capacities, always striving to strengthen and enhance the lives of individuals of all ages, to strengthen family life and to contribute to the social- psychological well-being of the community. He has served as past president of the Council of Family Service Agencies in New York State. He is the recipient of the Joseph M. Sokol Memorial Award from the Five Towns Community Chest; the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the New York Public Health Association, Long Island Region; and the Henry Brill Professional Award from the Nassau County Department of Mental Health for ``outstanding achievements and leadership with the Mental Health community of Nassau County.'' In addition, he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the New York State Office of Mental Health. Mr. Ruben has been a columnist with the South Shore Record where his articles ``Within the Family'' have appeared in the paper for more than 30 years. Again, I wish to congratulate Herb Ruben and thank him for the leadership and direction he has brought to Peninsula Counseling Center, as its executive director. For 50 years, he has helped to make it the outstanding organization that it is.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 322, a resolution celebrating Israel's 60th anniversary. I am proud to have been a cosponsor of this resolution. Israel proclaimed its statehood on May 14, 1948. On its first day of existence, the armies of five neighboring Arab countries declared war on Israel. The war for independence lasted about a year and resulted in armistice separate agreements, but not before 6,000 Israeli lives were lost. Within 8 months of independence and before the war ended, Israel held its first national elections. Eighty-five percent of all eligible voters cast their ballots to create the first 120-seat Knesset or Parliament. A state founded by refugees of and survivors of religious persecution, Israel has been and continues to be one of America's closest and most consistent allies. This desert nation exists in a region that is, unfortunately, as steeped in violence as it is rich in history and tradition. We must do all that we can to ensure the security of the State of Israel and its people. Just as the United States is vital to the survival of Israel, I believe Israel is also vital to the survival of the United States. Our countries are linked together on so many levels. Unfortunately, today, Israel has new and increasing threats to its security. Palestinian rockets have been fired from Gaza and hit Israeli communities on an almost daily basis. More than 200,000 Israeli citizens are within range of these Palestinian rockets. One of the saddest aspects of the terrorism situation in Israel is that it grabs the newspaper headlines and distracts the world from seeing the many advances made by Israel in democracy and human rights, science, agriculture, transportation, and so many other areas. Despite nearly impossible odds, Israel's will to survive and her people's dogged determination have resulted in the development of a thriving democracy in one of the globe's least democratic regions. In fact, in only 60 years Israel has grown into a mature democracy that has produced some of the finest thinkers, scientists and entrepreneurs of the modem era. We must never forget the conditions that, in many respects, laid the foundation for the creation of the State of Israel. After one of the most horrific atrocities in human history, the Holocaust, Israel was established as a home to a nearly decimated people. It is often said that we must ``never forget'' the horrors and the lessons of the Holocaust. And since April is Holocaust Remembrance month, this is an appropriate time to reaffirm our unyieldingly strong obligation to our friend and ally and vow to ``never forget'' our commitment to Israel. The United States and the all of the nations of the world have a moral responsibility to ensure and support the existence of the State of Israel. H. Con. Res. 322 recognizes the historical significance of Israel's 60th anniversary, supports Israel as it continues to pursue peace with its neighbors, commends the people of Israel for helping to create a thriving democracy, and acknowledges the strong bonds that exist between the two countries. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating Israel on its 60th anniversary and wish her a safe and prosperous future. Support H. Con. Res. 322.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 1-year anniversary of the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech University. Madam Speaker, today, April 16, 2008, marks one of the darkest days in our Nation's history. A year ago today, 32 innocent lives were mercilessly cut short in their prime. A year ago today, families and friends lost their loved ones in a crime of unspeakable horror. A year ago today, we, the American people once again lost a piece of ourselves and our sense of security. These poor people. Their poor families. These were real people that were killed. They were our sons and daughters. This was our American family that was impacted on April 16, 2007. The shooting at Virginia Tech was the deadliest school shooting ever seen on our soil. Far too many times we have stood here in this Chamber commemorating days like today. Days when we reflect on what evil can come to bear on good people and we make grand proclamations about how we will do everything we can to make sure that it will never happen again. Never again. And here we are--again. The cynics among us will no doubt throw their hands up in the air and claim that this is just the way things are. What can we do? Can we ever stop these nightmares from happening in the first place, so we don't have to hear about another life needlessly lost? The answer is most likely an unsettling no. The fact is that someday, somewhere, despite all of our best efforts, we will probably come together again sometime down the line and we will deliver similar speeches and we will once again feel the helpless confusion that we have become so uneasily and reluctantly accustomed to. No, we can't say that there will never be another shooting of major proportions like the one at Virginia Tech, but we can say that we will do everything in our power to close any loophole we can find that would make it easier for another individual to commit such a heinous crime. We have made strides in the right direction. In January, this Congress passed and the President signed into law the National Instant Criminal Background Check System Improvement Amendments Act. This bill was a step in the right direction toward keeping guns out of the hands of the people who stand to do the most harm with them. In fact, based on his diagnosed mental illness, it is possible that the killer, Mr. Cho, might not have been able to acquire the weapons he used on his murderous rampage. We can and will save lives as a result of the mechanisms put in place through the passage of this legislation. But in order for the Improvements to NICS to be truly effective, we must make sure that this Congress steps up to the plate and appropriately funds the legislation that we all supported. This measure is too important to play politics with, and I call on my colleagues to stand with me and do the right thing by fully funding the NICS Improvement Amendments Act. But beyond keeping guns out of the wrong hands, we need to make sure that systems are in place that will keep our Nation's college campuses safe. Last week I stood with the families of Virginia Tech victims and announced the introduction of the ``Virginia Tech Victims Campus Emergency Response Policy and Notification Act,'' H.R. 5735, also know as the VTV Act. The bill amends the Jean Clery Act and requires schools to provide warnings within 30 minutes after campus or local law enforcement officials have determined there is an emergency or dangerous situation on campus. Had Virginia Tech quickly warned students that there was a gunman on campus when first two murders were confirmed, many of the victims may have sought shelter or stayed put. Instead, people went about their normal day with no knowledge of the danger they were about to encounter. No notifications were sent until 9:26 a.m., when the school emailed students that there was a shooting, and to watch for suspicious behavior. At 9:45 a.m., the second round of shootings occurred. But by that time, students had already gone to their classes. Many believe if the students had been notified earlier, they might not have gone to class and some might not have been exposed to the shooter. If the warnings required by the VTV Act were in place on April 16, 2007, lives might have been saved. Joe Samaha, father of Virginia Tech victim Reema Samaha said last week that, ``If we do not learn the lesson, we will have lost our students for nothing.'' Let's honor the memories of those students and work to be proactive and do anything necessary to make sure that we can deliver fewer and fewer statements commemorating tragedies like Virginia Tech. This body has the duty to pass laws that protect Americans, and we can do just that, by supporting sensible legislation like the VTV Act to make sure that we do everything we can to avoid more gun violence. So let's mark today's unfortunate anniversary by upholding the memory of those lost at Virginia Tech last year and promise to do better, work harder, learn the lessons and not let them be lost for nothing.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Chairman, I would first like to congratulate the chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mr. Oberstar; the subcommittee chairwoman, Eddie Bernice Johnson; and the sponsor of the bill, Mr. Pallone, for bringing forth such important legislation. The bill will help ensure that our beaches are safe for swimming as we enter the summer months. Today, I will be offering an amendment to H.R. 2537, the Beach Protection Act of 2007, in order to raise awareness of Congress about the presence of pharmaceuticals in our Nation's drinking water. We must begin to better understand this important issue. At the end of the debate, I intend to withdraw this amendment. A recent Associated Press study brought to life the fact that pharmaceutical products have been found in the drinking water supply of at least 41 million Americans. In my State of New York, health officials found heart medicine, infection fighters, estrogen, mood stabilizers and tranquilizers in Upstate water supply. Six pharmaceuticals were found in the drinking water right here in Washington, D.C. We don't know how the pharmaceutical enters into the water supply. But it's likely that some medications that are not fully absorbed by the body may have passed into the water through human waste. In some other cases, unused pills may have simply been flushed down the toilet. Additionally, some agricultural products and medications may have run off into the groundwater supply. In addition to antibiotics and steroids, EPA has identified over 100 individual pharmaceuticals and personal care products in environmental samples and drinking water. Wastewater treatment plants appear to be unable to completely remove pharmaceuticals from the water. The presence of the pharmaceuticals in the water raises serious questions about the effects on human health and wildlife. My amendment would require EPA to conduct a study on the presence and source of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in coastal recreation waters. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products include prescription and over-the-counter therapeutical drugs, veterinary drugs, fragrances, lotions, and cosmetics, as well as products used to enhance growth or health of livestock. The report will be used as part of the government efforts to better understand the effects pharmaceuticals in our waters have on human health and aquatic wildlife. Unfortunately, I recognize that this bill is not in the proper venue to adequately address safe drinking water. Therefore, I will withdraw the amendment shortly. Instead, I am drafting a stand-alone legislation on this issue and will call for congressional hearings so that we can better understand the problems associated with pharmaceuticals in our Nation's drinking water supply. We need to know how the pharmaceuticals are entering the water supply, how much is in the water, what are the effects of human health and adequate plant life, what is the best way to dispose of pharmaceuticals, and how should we treat water that has been contaminated with pharmaceuticals and personal care products. It is vital that Congress take up and champion the cause of keeping our coastal recreation and drinking water safe. This is a public health issue. And we must act before the presence of pharmaceuticals reaches crisis levels. Congresswoman Richardson, will the committee work with me on legislation to address the presence of pharmaceuticals and other care products in our Nation's water supply and help further our understanding of the effects on the human health and wildlife?