Carolyn McCarthy

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of the 4th Congressional District to express my heartfelt congratulations on the 56th anniversary of Israel's Independence Day. Today we celebrate the rebirth of the Jewish State. On this land, thousands of years ago, the Jewish people developed their culture and continue to cultivate it today. The ideals, which Israelis live with, and for, were enshrined in their declaration of independence and represented by David Ben-Gurion, a leader in the struggle to establish the State of Israel, and the first Prime Minister. He presided over national projects, in order to rapidly develop the country, none more important than the airlift of Jews from other countries. There are over 6.7 million people, over 5.5 million of them Jewish, currently living in Israel. Faced with constant fear and terror I commend the Israelis for creating and maintaining a viable democracy, founded on liberty, justice, and peace. They have overcome and accomplished so much in a short amount of time. Lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors remains the ultimate goal and peace has been achieved in certain regions. Together, we can make realize the ultimate goal of peace with all of Israel's neighbors and share legitimate security and success. Mazel Tov!

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, when I was speaking here last week, Italian customs officials were stopping a boat that had over 7,000 AK-47s being shipped here to the United States. We still do not know yet what their intended purpose was; but with 30-round clips, it could not have been good with AK-47s. I have scheduled a meeting with the U.S. Customs officials to discuss this troubling shipment. After all, if it is legal to ship in AK-47s, when we are now looking on the assault weapons bill to expire on September 13, can you imagine the flood of guns that are going to be on our streets in a very short while? Mr. Speaker, the assault weapons ban expires in 139 days. Today and tomorrow police chiefs from all over the country are calling for President Bush and Congress to renew the assault weapons ban. In Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle and many other cities, police chiefs are calling upon us to help them to make sure the assault weapons ban stays in place. Tomorrow, I will join Members of Congress and the national law enforcement leaders in calling on President Bush to keep his promise during the 2000 year race that he would sign an assault weapons ban if it gets on his desk. Hopefully, the police officers will be able to convince the President to get involved in this issue. If we cannot bring it up here on the House for a floor vote, it cannot get to the President's desk. I would love to see many of my colleagues there tomorrow at the press conference. The power of law enforcement was what essentially passed the last original bill. There is a reason why our law enforcement supports the ban so strongly: 10 years ago cops were routinely outgunned by criminals in our communities with powered assault weapons, but the assault weapons ban made getting these guns far more difficult. As a result, our police officers are safer today than they were 10 years ago. So are our neighborhoods; so are our communities. Why would we want to turn back this progress? Can anyone tell me why we need AK-47s, Uzis back on the street? I understand the power of the NRA, but anybody with common sense knows that we do not use these particular kinds of guns to go hunting. Our police officers do not even like using them. Remember, a police officer is supposed to stop a criminal, not kill them unless their life is under risk. If assault weapons are coming back on the street again, obviously our police officers are going to be in trouble once again. Please remember, when you have assault weapons and if we go back to the old way with the amount of clips up to 30, 40, 50, 100, what chance do our police officers have? Are we going to have a war right here in the United States, citizen against citizen, criminals against our police officers? Is that where we want to go? I do not think so. I am asking my colleagues to stand up and be counted on this. Since I have been here I have worked on gun safety issues. I have never tried to take away the right of someone trying to own a gun. Our citizens know darn well if they have nothing to fear they can get the permit to go hunting. They can get the permit to go buy a gun, but why would you go open up the flood gates of assault weapons so our drug lords, our criminals and possibly even terrorists that are here in this country to be able to buy these guns? Common sense. Think about the officers that have died. Think about the families they have left behind. Think about our community. Think about the school shootings we have had in the past. Do we want to go back there? Can we stop every killing? No, we cannot. But why would we open again the flood gates of having these kinds of guns back on our streets? I remind my colleagues, I remind the people across this Nation, the guns we are talking about bringing back on these streets are the guns we see every single night being used in Iraq, assault weapons, AK-47s, Uzis, large capacity clips. I beg my colleagues to think about this carefully. The law has worked. We should make it permanent and we should make sure that they are not allowed on our street.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Martyr's and Heroes Remembrance Day. I join the people of Israel and those around the world to memorialize the 6 million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis during World War II. In 1933, there were over 9 million European Jews. By 1945, close to two out of every three had been killed as part of the Nazi's Final Solution. European cities have never recovered the diversity and way of life they had prior to the war. The Jewish people killed were teachers, lawyers, doctors, musicians, parents, and children. These innocents were killed because they were Jewish and targeted for no other reason, they were no different from you or I. There are few Holocaust survivors alive and it is important for them to share their stories and educate people about the Holocaust, here and abroad. Over 50 years have passed since the Holocaust but anti-Semitism still exists. There has been an upsurge of anti-Semitism overseas and it must stop before there are further extreme acts. We must also remember the others who were murdered for being different. Gypsies, the handicapped, and Poles were also targeted for destruction or decimation for racial, ethnic, or national reasons. Millions more, including homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Soviet prisoners of war, and political dissidents, also suffered grievous oppression and death under Nazi tyranny for no specific reason except they were different. The Holocaust was not an accident. It was a planned attempted extermination. Individuals, organizations and governments made choices that not only legalized discrimination but also allowed prejudice, hatred, and ultimately, mass murder to occur. As a global society we must work to ensure something like this does not occur again. We will never forget.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, in 146 days assault weapons will be back on our streets. In 146 days drug lords, criminals, cop killers will be able to buy the gun of their choice. If this House is not allowed to bring up the renewal of assault weapons ban, in 146 days we will be going back 10 years in time. We have proof that, since assault weapons have been off the streets, many lives have been saved. Unfortunately, today is the fifth anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting. One of the weapons used in the shooting that day was the Tec-9. This weapon of war allowed two high school students to fire 55 rounds into students and teachers in a matter of minutes. Thirteen people were killed that day, 21 wounded. The gun did what it was designed to do. It is an excellent product. It is a product that is out there to shoot rapidly, to kill as many people as possible in a short period of time. This gun did its job that day. In 146 days we are going to allow these guns back on the street. These are the guns that we see being used over in Iraq, the same as an AK-47, the Uzis, the guns that were on our streets 10 years ago. And now we are going to go back and allow those guns back on the streets? Where is the common sense? Gun owners across this country agree that these guns should not be allowed on the streets. Our police throughout this Nation have enough on their hands trying to find the terrorists that are supposedly in this country; and yet this administration, this House, will do nothing. President Bush in 2000 said that he would sign a bill to renew the assault weapons if it came onto his desk. The President has been extremely effective. Every bill that has come through this House has landed on his desk. But that is because he worked it. It is going to be up to the American people to start e-mailing their Congressmen, their Senators, the Speaker of the House, everyone, to allow this bill to come back on the floor for a vote. Mother's Day in 2000, we had over 750,000 moms, dads, uncles, victims gathered down here in Washington to try to do something about gun violence in this country. This Mother's Day, again, the million moms are coming down here to have their voices heard. We are going to be doing this all over the Nation. Again, the American people have the opportunity to make a difference, but you cannot just talk about it. You have to really get out there and say, enough is enough. We should be having an assault on the assault weapons. The millions of dollars that are spent every single year on gun violence in this country could be used towards our schools. The billions of dollars that it costs this country on health care because of gun violence could be used towards our health care system. One person can make a difference, but it is a lot easier when that one becomes two and three and then thousands. We can do this. Many of us here on the House floor will fight for you, but we have to outnumber the NRA. Believe me, the numbers are small. They talk about 4 million NRA members. There are only actually 435,000 of them that have a grip on this House. Our nurses across the country, our doctors, if we only took the health care providers, we could make a difference. I ask the American people for help. It is 146 days before the assault weapons go back on our streets. Is that what we want in our communities? Is that what we want for our children of this Nation? Is that the bloodshed we want to see in this country?

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I congratulate the 63 elementary and middle schools from the 4th Congressional District which were recently designated as part of New York State's Most Improved Schools, and it is my honor to name them as my April Schools of the Month. To qualify for Most Improved status, the schools have had to dramatically improve their English and Math scores. More than 50 percent of the students from the schools that made the list surpassed the English and Math standards and the number of students scoring at that level has increased by 20 points over the past 5 years, based on 4th and 8th grade test results. The schools that made the list come from a mixture of areas from my Congressional district, proving that improving education isn't just a socioeconomic issue, but an area of concern that knows no boundaries. I am hopeful these schools will provide motivation to the rest of the schools in my district. It is common knowledge that education is the key to our children's future. We must ensure that not only the schools who made the list this year, but every one of our public schools has the funding to maintain their momentum and help all their students to meet the tougher Regents' standards. The level of improvement by these schools is due to the hard work of the students, teachers, school staff and the parent body. Parents play a large role in the education of children by ensuring students complete their homework and improve their skills. However, I must specifically commend the teachers, who toil at a tough job that doesn't receive enough appreciation. That is why I am going to begin honoring teachers each month by naming a Teacher of the Month. This honor will allow us to recognize the dedication and tireless effort put forth by these true professionals. Once again, I congratulate all the honorees and look forward to honoring them, and other schools, in the future.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in memory of Eliezer Schwartz, and in anticipation of the Elie Schwartz Memorial Baldwin Classic Basketball game being held in his honor on Sunday, April 11. I never had the opportunity to meet Elie, but the number of relatives, friends, and community members who will attend the basketball game represent a testament to the special young man he was. The son of Rabbi Gershon Schwartz and Dr. Shuly Rubin Schwartz, Elie was raised with a strong, unequivocal connection to the Jewish community. From his involvement in United Synagogue Youth, to his dedication to Israel, to his education at Brandeis University, Elie was a favorite among both his peers and adults. Ten years ago, Elie was the driving force behind the Baldwin Classic, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament that became an annual event. It is quite appropriate that this year's game, the first since Elie's passing in November, be held in his honor, and the proceeds benefit the newly established Eliezer Schwartz Memorial Scholarship Fund of the METNY Region of USY. Mr. Speaker, the contributions Elie made to our community in his short lifetime will not be forgotten. I know this year's Baldwin Classic will be a very special day, and I applaud those working hard to keep Elie's ideals and goals instilled in their minds and hearts.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, next week the House goes into recess. Yet the House has failed to address the expiration of the assault weapons ban. We in Congress should be looking at this again. September 13 is when it expires. We have 168 days to take care of this. The good news for terrorists, cop killers, and drug dealers is that they will be back on the streets with the assault weapons of their choice. Since I took the floor last week, over 400 Americans have died from gun violence in this country. By the time the House comes back, we will have lost another 800 Americans in this country. But instead of doing the commonsense thing, instead of having a sense of urgency, the House has stood idly by. Some seem content to let the assault weapons ban expire on September 13. I am not. The ban has kept us safer for the past 10 years. There is no reason why we should let assault weapons back on the streets. It has also respected the rights of gun owners, protecting the hunters, law- abiding citizens buying the guns that they want. But again do we need assault weapons back on the streets? Only criminals have been kept from their gun of choice. This explains why 66 percent of American gun owners support renewing the ban. The American people support it by even more overwhelming margins. Once again, our Nation's law enforcement officers are leading the fight to keep the ban in place. The gun industry continues to evade the ban with copycat weapons like these. These are the ones that were banned. These are the ones that are out there on the streets now. They still do the same deadly thing. They take down as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. This also has to stop. I came to Congress to reduce gun violence in this country. I fought for commonsense, effective gun measures. That is why I have introduced H.R. 2038, which would renew the ban but also close the loopholes so that these guns cannot be back out on the streets either. We cannot let special interests control this Congress. We have 168 days left to renew it. Let me say one other thing. Gun violence in this country costs the health care system over $1 billion a year, $1 billion. That is not counting the pain and the suffering that goes to the communities and to the families, those that might never walk again, those that end up never being able to go back to work. And, by the way, the American people pay half of those costs because insurance runs out for those that did have insurance, but, because rehab is so long, they run out of insurance. Why do we tolerate this? Why are the American people not fighting? Here in Congress many a vote or many a rule, many a measure is won or lost by one vote. The American people have to understand they have a voice in this House. This is the people's House. I am asking the American people to get involved in this issue. Do they actually want assault weapons back on the street? I think there is enough fear in this country now with the war on terrorism. Do they honestly want possibly the terrorists that are in this country in cells to be able to go to a gun show and pick up an assault weapon? Remember, in D.C., we had two people with a Bushmaster that paralyzed this whole area, cost millions of dollars. By the way, the Bushmaster was supposed to be a banned gun. The deaths that came from that incident can be multiplied throughout our cities and throughout our country. Is that what the American people want? Common sense. Assault weapons, we see them on TV every single night in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, Israel. Is that what we want in this country? Open warfare between our police officers, drug dealers, gangs? Wake up, America. We need America's help in the House. They have the right to call their Senators and their congressmen. We can do this, but we only have 168 days left. Please get involved.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, in April of 2003, James Oo- ja-muh of Seattle pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to help al Qaeda. He planned to train terrorists in Oregon. According to one recruit, members of the cell brought AK-47s, pistols, and other assault rifles, enough for anybody and then some. Mr. Speaker, assault weapons will go back on our streets in 174 days, that is, September 14. If we do not bring the bill up for a vote here on the House floor, it will expire; and we will be back where we were 10 years ago. That is good news for terrorists and other criminals, but bad news for American families and communities and our police officers. Since I came to the floor to talk about gun violence last week, almost 400 people have died in the past week to gun violence in this country. Simply put, assault weapons were designed to kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible, and we want them back on our streets? Where in God's name do we understand that kind of an attitude? That sounds like the perfect weapon for a terrorist whose goal is to create as much death and fear as possible. Following the fall of Kabul in November of 2001, a document was found in a safe house advising those that were training where to buy the guns: go to America and buy all the guns you can. It is also known that during the 1980s al Qaeda purchased dozens of advanced sniper rifles for use in the Afghan war against the Russians. Since going into effect in 1994, the Assault Weapons Ban has increased public safety and prevented dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands. There are those who wish to see this critical and commonplace public safety measure die a quiet death. The American people support this ban. Our law enforcements across this Nation support this ban. During the 2000 year election, then-Governor Bush, now President Bush, promised he would sign the bill if it went on his desk. Well, that, unfortunately, is the trick. Unless we have a vote on it here, it is never going to get on his desk. It is up to the American people to use their right to have their voices heard. All they have to do is call the two bodies, call the White House and say, we want to have an assault weapons ban in place. Let me say this: Ten years ago I was not in Congress. Ten years ago I was back home in Mineola. I was a nurse, and something happened to my family. They were shot with many others on the Long Island Rail Road. That is when I woke up to the gun violence in this country. I promised that I would do whatever I could to reduce gun violence in this country, and the first thing I started working on was the assault weapons ban. If we do not approve this, it is going to die. Large capacity clips, our police officers are allowed to use them, our military men are allowed to use them. Our hunters are not allowed to use them. Hunters give animals a better chance of surviving than we allow people. Clips that have 15 bullets in it. Well, we can go back to the old days, 20, 30, 40. Why in God's name do we need these particular guns on our streets again? Please, I am asking the American people, have your voices heard. I hear continuously they feel they have no voice in government. You can have a voice in government. You can make a difference. One person can make a difference. How many votes have we had here on the House floor where it is won or lost by one vote? I am asking the American people to get involved in this. Please. We can make a difference.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend Deputy Jason Scott of Tennessee was killed by a 16-year-old barricaded in his home with semiautomatic weapons with 30-round magazines. This must stop. One in five law enforcement officers slain in the line of duty is killed with an assault weapon. Our Nation's police officers have worked hard to keep assault weapons off our streets. That is why Congress must revisit the assault weapons ban without attaching special interest handouts. Otherwise, assault weapons will be back on our streets September 14. That is in 181 days. That is good news for terrorists, cop killers, drug dealers and the terrorists that live among us here in our country. Unfortunately, it is bad news for America's families and police officers. Since I took the floor a week ago tonight, over 400 Americans have died in this country from gun violence. But instead of the sense of urgency that we should do something about it, the House has stood idly by. Some seem content to let the assault weapons ban expire on September 13. The ban has kept us safer for the last 10 years. It has also respected the rights of gun owners, protecting the hunting rifles, shotguns and pistols favored by law-abiding citizens. Only criminals have been kept from their gun of choice. This explains why 66 percent of gun owners support renewing the ban. The American people support it by even more numbers. Once again our Nation's law enforcement officers are leading the fight to keep assault weapons off our streets. Before the ban, assault weapons were only 1 percent of privately owned guns but nearly 9 percent of all guns used in crimes. Following the ban's enactment, there were 18 percent fewer assault weapons traced to crime. This is a bill that has worked. It has some flaws in it and that is why I had introduced a bill that would close those loopholes. We know that the gun manufacturers have taken the guns that have been banned, and we know that they have made copycats. Those of you that remember the killings that happened here in D.C. with the D.C. sniper, that is a copycat. Why do we need these particular guns on the street? I promise that I will never do anything to take away the right of someone to own a gun, but to have assault weapons back on the streets is totally insane and it is insane. The American people feel that they cannot do anything. Well, they can. They can write to their Congressmen, their Senators, certainly the House Speaker and the President. The President of the United States has said that if he has a bill on the desk, he will sign that bill. I am begging the American people to use their right to be able to talk to their Congressman or their Senator. Let us hear their voices. Otherwise, in 181 days we will have assault weapons back on the street. We do not even have the time to talk about the health care system and how much it costs from gun violence in this country. It is over $4 billion a year, and the American taxpayer pays for half of that, mainly because those that are injured lose their insurance halfway through their treatment; and, believe me, I know this from experience. People keep saying they have no voice in the government. They can have a voice. They can have their words be heard by those who represent them here in the House. All I am asking is that we are allowed to bring up the Assault Weapons Ban here on the House floor and have a vote. Have a vote. But right now we are told that the bill will not be brought up. It is going to be allowed to just die. Ten years ago before I ever came to Congress, I came down here to lobby the people that worked here, to tell them the story and why assault weapons should not be on the streets. Colin Ferguson of the Long Island railroad shooting had 15 bullets in his clips. He was able to get two rounds off, 30 bullets, and each one of those bullets found a mark in a victim. And now we are going to allow the large-capacity clips back on the streets again? This is basically what our men and women are using in war in Iraq. Please let your voices be heard.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, assault weapons will go back on American streets in 188 days. We pay a heavy toll at the hands of criminals, gangs, and terrorists. The average cost of a gunshot wound is more than $16,000 to treat. Treating severe gunshot injuries like wounds to the head or spinal cord can run well over $1 million. The direct medical costs for firearms or related injuries is $4 billion a year; $4 billion a year. Half of that is paid by us as taxpayers. I know that the police across this Nation want to make sure that we keep assault weapons off the streets. Mr. Speaker, when we see that we are cutting the money for the COPS program and yet allowing assault weapons back on the street, to me it does not make any sense. Since I have been talking about this every Tuesday, we are hearing from people around the Nation. What I am saying to the people of this country is you do have a voice, and you can call Members of Congress and the Senate to make sure that we are allowed to bring the bill up on the floor so we can vote for it. This is not the time to go backwards. In the last 10 years, we have seen certainly it come down as far as assault weapon killings. We have a report from the FBI. Before the ban went in place, one out of every five cops that were shot were shot with an assault weapon. Why should we go backwards? When we know that there might be a possibility of having terrorists here in this country, when we know that gangs and drug dealers, these are the guns of choice, why would we want assault weapons back on the street? Mr. Speaker, $4 billion a year in health costs. I can talk about my own son who was shot. He was shot in the head. His medical care has cost over $1 million already, and the total keeps going higher and higher. This is going on with so many people. There are things that we can prevent. We cannot prevent every shooting; we cannot. We cannot see to it that every police officer is being protected. But we can do a better job, and that is by renewing the assault weapons ban by September 13. Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago, before I came to Congress, I was here lobbying the Members of Congress to make sure we had an assault weapons bill passed. There are some that will say the assault weapons bill has not worked. Well, it has worked; but there are loopholes in it, and those loopholes are where the gun manufacturers are allowed to make copycats of the guns that were banned. One of the guns that everyone is watching on CNN and all of the other stations tonight is the Bushmaster, the guns that were used by the snipers in the D.C. area. That is a copycat. That is a gun that was originally banned. Yet the gun manufacturers allow these to have copycats and put back on our streets. Do we actually want on September 14 for anyone to be able to go into a gun store and buy an assault weapon? Is this what this Nation is coming to? Mr. Speaker, I am not for taking away the right of someone to own a gun. I happen to believe that if people want to own a gun, they have a right to own a gun. But assault weapons are made for killing machines. Assault weapons are made for our Army. When we see our police officers and they have to wear protective gear, assault weapons can go through that. One of the other things that a lot of people do not understand is, when we did the ban back 10 years ago, we cut back the amount of bullets in a clip, down to 10. On the Long Island Rail Road, the clips that were used by Collin Ferguson to do his killing and shooting of people had 15 bullets in the clip. And every one of those bullets made their mark. And he was able to get 30 rounds off and kill six people and injure 19. Hunters give animals a better chance of survival than we do with these large capacity clips. Our police officers are allowed to have these large capacity clips, our military are allowed to. And that is fine. I do not believe that our hunters need them, I do not believe that our ordinary citizens need those kind of clips. These are things that we should be doing. Those are good safety laws. Those are good gun safety laws. I hope that the American people will take up this challenge and demand that we are able to bring this vote up before September 13. It would be a shame to see assault weapons back on the street.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, today over in the Senate, our colleagues are having a debate on basically assault weapons to certainly make sure that we renew that by September 13 and also making sure that we close the loopholes in the gun shows. Mr. Speaker, the NRA today, once again, reached into their bag of tricks to kill a bill it actually supported. Earlier the Senate had voted to add two commonsense gun safety measures to the gun industry liability bill. One would extend the ban on assault weapons. The other would close the gun show loophole bill. Because of this, the NRA said, Jump, and its supporters in the Senate said, How high? It marked a triumph of special interests in this country. Our Nation's police officers have worked hard to keep assault weapons off our streets. That is why Congress must revisit the assault weapons ban without attaching special interest handouts. Otherwise, assault weapons will go back onto America's streets in 195 days. That is the good news for terrorists and cop-killing criminals. That is the good news for drug dealers. That is the good news for the gangs that are across our country. Unfortunately, it is bad news for America's families and communities and police officers. Since I took the floor in the House 1 week ago, 400 more Americans have died from gun violence; but instead of a sense of urgency, the House has stood idly by. Some seem content to let the assault weapons ban expire on September 13, the ban that has kept us safer for the last 10 years. It has also respected the rights of gun owners, protecting the hunting rifles, shotguns, and pistols favored by law-abiding citizens. We do not have problems with people owning guns, but gun owners need to take responsibility on making sure certain guns do not get onto the street. Only criminals have been kept from their gun of choice. This explains why 66 percent of gun owners support renewing the ban. The American people support it by even more overwhelming margins. Once again, our Nation's law enforcement officers are leading the fight to keep assault weapons, making sure that they are not back on our streets. But today, I want to highlight one notable flaw in the assault weapons ban. A loophole in the law has allowed gun makers to create hundreds of copycat weapons. The MAC-10, this gun right here, has become the MPA-10. The AK-47 has clones, so many of them, they are too numerous to count. Cosmetically altering the TEC-9, for example, has resulted in the fully legal AB-10. Cosmetically. This is what the gun manufacturers are allowed to do. The A-B, by the way, stands for ``after ban,'' but one can see they almost look identical. Another weapon advertised for its ability to circumvent the law is the Bushmaster XM-15. People might remember this gun. This was the gun used by the D.C. snipers. Residents of D.C. and across this country know what that weapon was able to do. During October 2002, the snipers used the gun to kill 10 people and wound three others. Bushmaster's slogan for the gun, ``The Best--by a long shot,'' provided deadly accuracy for those in its cross-hairs. I came to Congress to fight for gun safety. I have fought for commonsense, effective measures, which is why I have introduced H.R. 2038, which would renew the ban, while closing these particular gaping holes. Let us face it, you cannot tell me that the American people want to see these particular guns back on the streets. You cannot tell me that you want to have our police officers coming across the drug dealer, the terrorists that possibly might be in this country, to come across these. Another fact, by the way: our police officers have to wear special armor. These guns can go through that armor. I came here 10 years ago when I was not in Congress to make sure that this bill went through, and now it is time for the American people to realize the power that they have. People always say they have no voice in government. Well, you can have a voice; but you have to call your representative here in Congress. You have to start calling the Senate again. You have to call the Speaker of the House and allow the bill to come up for a vote. We are told that it is not going to be able to come up for a vote. That is wrong, when the American people want to make sure this does not happen again.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, on January 17, 1989, a gunman used a weapon like this one behind me to fire 102 bullets into a crowded elementary school in California. The weapon is the AK-47, and it is very good at what it does. It kills as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Before the shooting stopped, 34 children and teachers had been shot. In less than 2 minutes, the gunman was able to spray the school yard with more than 100 bullets. America was rightly outraged. On December 7, 1993, another gunman came on a train on the Long Island Railroad. This gunman had large-capacity clips and was able to shoot and kill six people, one of them my husband, and wound 21 people, one of them my son. It was at that time that I decided that I would do whatever I could to reduce gun violence in this country. We were also having a debate here in Washington on having an assault weapons ban, and I became part of that debate. We were very lucky that when it came up for a vote, it won by one vote. But there is good news for criminals, gangs and terrorists. Soon they will be able to buy an AK-47 once again. Soon criminals, gangs, terrorists can go into any gun store and buy any kind of assault weapon that they want. The assault weapons ban expires this September 14. Some in Congress wish this issue would just go away, but Americans overwhelmingly support the ban. Even 66 percent of gun owners support the ban. They support it because it worked and because it protected the rights of law-abiding citizens to own handguns, hunting rifles and shotguns. Once again, every major law enforcement agency in the country has endorsed the ban. The Supreme Court has even upheld a stronger version of the ban. But nothing will get done if President Bush refuses to add his voice to the effort. He has promised to sign a new assault weapons ban if it reaches his desk, but if his leadership is not here, and if he does not tell Tom DeLay to bring the bill up for a vote, it is never going to reach his desk. I have introduced H.R. 2038, which would renew the ban while closing its most gaping loopholes. I came to Congress to fight for gun safety. I have fought for common-sense, effective gun measures, but too many of my colleagues seem beholden to gun pressure groups. Yet we know the American people want to have assault weapons kept off their streets. We cannot let special interests trump the safety of American families and our police officers. We have 202 days to renew the ban. Failing to do so would be an outrage, and the American people will demand an explanation in November. But there is something that they can do today. I urge all Americans to contact their Members of Congress and their Senators and tell them we want to keep assault weapons off the street. We have got to band together for the safety of our families, our children and our communities. This is something we can do. People talk about they never have a voice in government. I happen to know that having a voice in government is very important. Here in this House, how many times have we seen bills pass by one vote? Or fail by one vote? It is up to the American people to get involved in this. This evening we have heard so many of my colleagues talk about all the things that are going on in this world, budget deficits, medications that cannot get to our patients. These are all serious problems. But allowing assault weapons back onto our streets again to kill our officers, to go into our schools, this is something we can do. This is something where the American people can have their voices heard. We outnumber the NRA. We outnumber those that are trying to stop this. Since I have been in Congress, I have always tried to uphold the second amendment, but this kind of a gun is only meant for one thing. It is to kill as many people as possible. It is guns like this that we are seeing in Iraq, Israel, Haiti. These are the kind of guns that are used to wipe out people as fast as they can. You are telling me a sportsperson wants these back on the streets again? Mr. Speaker, I will be back here every single week until the American voices are heard, and I will be here to voice those voices.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I announce the Early Childhood program in the Hempstead Union Free School District as School of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District for February 2004. The principal of the Early Childhood program is Florence Galloway, and the superintendent of schools is Dr. Nathaniel Clay. The Early Childhood program serves almost 1,000 students in the village of Hempstead's first Full Day Kindergarten program. The faculty work to ensure children begin life on the right path, with a strong commitment to education and family values. The administrators and teachers of the Full Day Kindergarten program are committed to teaching every child to read by the third grade through an enriched curriculum of math, science, and social studies. The students are taught socialization skills that revolve around respect, sharing and interaction, a superior combination. This invaluable program was spearheaded by the current principal, Mrs. Florence Galloway, in 2003. Mrs. Galloway has dedicated her life to improving the classroom and school environment, while remaining active within the community. During her 48 years in education, Mrs. Galloway dedicated 35 to the Hempstead School District. After more than 2 decades of service at the Marshall Street Primary School, Mrs. Galloway accepted the position of coordinator for the district's pre-K program. Shortly after, Mrs. Galloway took on the role of principal for the district's newly formed Early Childhood program, a task she has proudly served for 11 years. Mrs. Galloway will be retiring this year after nearly a half-century of impeccable service. She will be greatly missed not only in Hempstead but in the entire Fourth Congressional District. Mr. Speaker, the faculty and students of the Early Childhood program, along with the community, have created a wonderful learning environment. I am proud to name the Hempstead Early Childhood program as the school of the month for February 2004.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to name Westbury Language Center in Westbury, New York, as February Small Business of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District of New York. Many in our community know that small businesses are the backbone of Long Island's economic well-being. As the national economy continues to struggle, the energy, flexibility and innovation of our local small businesses have become essential. It is time to spotlight some of these businesses extraordinary achievements and contributions. Westbury Language Center is a successful small business and an exceptional jewel to the Latino community in Long Island. Described as a cultural center for the community to study and appreciate the Spanish language, the Westbury Language Center has a reputation for providing all kinds of services related to the Spanish language and the Latino culture for children and adults. Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States and I am excited to celebrate and embrace the contributions that they have brought to our community and Long Island. Maria Isabel Martinez, founder of Westbury Language Center, sold her home and used her retirement funds to realize her dreams of constructing a business that would serve the public and its needs. Three years later, Westbury Language Center not only offers courses in English as a Second Language (ESL) and teaches the Latino culture, including folkloric dances to children and adults, but it also provides instructional computer classes to Latino workers that are interested in learning a science that will ensure them a better job and a better quality of life. Furthermore, pleasing the demands of the community, Maria plans to hold the Westbury Language Center's first workshop, ``Now to Start, Develop and Administer Your Own Business'' sometime this year. Mr. Speaker, I thank Maria Isabel Martinez and everyone at the Westbury Language Center for their hard work at providing our Latino community with services detrimental to their success and for allowing our community as a whole, to learn and appreciate the Spanish language and the Latino culture.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, like many of my colleagues, I have concerns with numerous provisions in this omnibus bill. Among them are three that may actually contribute to violent crime in our communities and aid terrorists. These NRA-backed provisions were added in the dead of night to the benefit of gun manufacturers and criminals who obtain guns illegally. The first weakens the highly successful Brady Bill by requiring federal authorities to destroy all firearm purchase records within 24 hours instead of 90 days as under current law. This provision weakens law enforcement's ability to stop illegal gun purchases and rejects a July 2002 GAO study which concluded that a ``next-day destruction policy . . . would have public safety implications and could lessen the efficacy of current operations.'' Nearly one million illegal gun purchases have been stopped since the Brady law went into effect. Now is not the time to tie the hands of law enforcement officials who tirelessly work to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Another provision would protect ``bad apple'' gun dealers. For example, the snipers who terrorized Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. obtained the assault rifle used in their sniper attacks from a Tacoma, Washington gun store called Bull's Eye Shooter Supply. After the sniper suspects were apprehended and the gun was recovered and traced, Bull's Eye claimed to have no record of selling the gun, and did not even know it was missing until the shooting spree was over. The snipers' gun was just one of more than 238 firearms ``missing'' from Bull's Eye's inventory during the previous three years. This provision would essentially block ATF from requiring gun dealers like Bull's Eye to take regular inventories of their firearms. In August 2000, ATF issued a proposed rule requiring licensed dealers to do annual physical inventories. The rulemaking proceeding is still pending. If anything, Congress should require ATF to issue this rule. Instead, this legislation would block ATF from ever issuing this requirement as a final rule. This would severely hamstring ATF's ability to address what it has stated is a serious problem. And lastly, language was included to prevent public scrutiny of corrupt gun dealers. ATF has indicated analysis of crime gun traces and multiple sale reports has yielded a series of gun ``trafficking indicators'' that can be linked to particular firearms dealers. ATF has always made this information available to the public through Freedom of Information Act (``FOIA'') requests, which allow for vital public oversight of the effectiveness of the Agency. Under the provision in the omnibus appropriations bill, ATF will not be allowed to release trace or multiple sale data, thereby gutting the purposes of FOIA, and effectively shielding the most corrupt firearms dealers from public scrutiny. The NRA lobbied hard for these favors which do nothing to keep American families safe, but rather advance another well-connected special interest. Worse, they could actually contribute to more illegal gun purchases, meaning more criminals with guns. We should be working to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands. Instead, this Administration and Congressional leadership continues to roll back commonsense gun safety measures that save lives. We can, and must, do better.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise against the Medicare bill that is going to be giving billions of dollars of giveaway money that should be going for prescription drugs and not to the insurance companies and not to the pharmaceutical companies. Mr. Speaker, I rise, once again, in opposition to this flawed prescription drug bill. It is nothing more than a sheep in wolf's clothing. I'm frustrated because this Medicare bill contains some provisions I feel are necessary. Indeed, hospitals and doctors may see higher reimbursement rates. It would provide a meager prescription drug benefit, and includes some protections for low-income seniors. All of these provisions are a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, they are overshadowed by the bill's overall shortcomings. I had hoped that the effort to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare would be a discussion about freeing seniors from the skyrocketing costs of medicine. But instead, it's become a struggle for the future of Medicare. The bill starts us down the path to privatizing Medicare. It damages the safety net we've stitched for our vulnerable seniors. And worst of all, it does nothing to make drug companies keep the cost of their medicines down, which is what I thought this effort was all about in the first place. Most of Long Island's seniors would be forced to go to private insurers for their drug coverage. In fact, this bill takes us down the same road Long Island has already traveled with Medicare+Choice HMOs. At first, we throw money at them, the private plans provide coverage, and everyone's happy. But over time, costs mount, federal reimbursements don't keep up, and the private insurers cut and run. This Medicare plan would throw billions more at HMOs and other private insurers with no guarantee that they'd continue to cover seniors. What happens when the HMO gravy train stops? Once again, our seniors will be left holding the bag. That goes against the very reason we created Medicare in the first place: to provide seniors with a safety net that the private insurance market could not and did not provide them with. In addition, the bill would actually prohibit the government from negotiating lower drug prices. Veterans on Long Island benefit from lower drug prices because the Veterans Administration negotiates prices on their behalf. If it works for veterans, why deny it to our seniors? Finally, many seniors would find themselves in the ``doughnut hole,'' a gap in the very prescription drug coverage we are supposedly trying to provide them. Simply put, the bill is not good enough, and I refuse to compromise the needs of our seniors in hopes of advancing a political agenda. We must go back to the drawing board and create a real prescription drug benefit for seniors. We must do it without damaging their safety net or turning Medicare over to HMOs and insurance companies. Finally, we must do no harm, I learned years ago as a young nurse. Mr. Speaker, this bill will do harm. I must vote against it.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 2821.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, it's with great pride that I announce McVey Elementary School in the East Meadow Union Free School District as School of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District for October 2003. The principal of McVey Elementary School is Dr. Rita Meyerowitz, Ellen Waldron is the Assistant Principal, and the Superintendent of Schools is Dr. Robert Dillon and its three Assistant Superintendents are Leon Camp, Lou DeAngelo, and Lynn Manouvrier. McVey Elementary School has over 832 students in grades kindergarten through grade 5, with over 100 dedicated staff members. McVey Elementary School recently completed commemorative September 11 gardens, which is why, with their continued strong curriculum, I have chosen McVey as school of the month. Since 2001, the students have been taking part in the planting and caring for the gardens. The gardens were given names by the students and stones were engraved with patriotic names. The gardens allowed the opportunity for the students, and faculty, to remember the lost in their own way while constructing a memorial. Students gave much time and dedication towards this project and although some of the students have moved on to middle school, the garden will be there as a reminder of their work and more importantly as a tribute to those who lost their lives. The learning begins in Kindergarten. McVey Elementary School has an activity called ``Dino-dig.'' This allows the students to learn about the history of dinosaurs and fossils while having fun. Education is about learning but if children are enjoying themselves while in the classroom the participation and retention levels will be higher. McVey understands this and practices it for all grades. Following the school motto, ``McVey all the way'', the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) will be hosting a blood drive. The school is out in front of the cause to help solve Long Island's blood shortage and hopefully other Long Island schools will follow their lead. Mr. Speaker, the faculty and students, of McVey, along with the community, have created a wonderful learning environment. I am proud to name McVey Elementary School the school of the month for October 2003.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, the question is not whether people support the war; it is whether people will support our troops. That is why I rise in support of the Iraq supplemental bill. I may not agree with the Administration's current strategy in Iraq, but I will always support the dedicated men and women of our Armed Forces. Of the $87 billion, over $65 billion is for the men and women sacrificing their lives. It is extremely important for our troops to know they have the support from their government. The supplemental will provide the necessary safety our men and women need by purchasing more flak jackets and more Humvees. This will hopefully decrease the amount of soldiers being killed in Iraq. The bill allows for the hire of more civilian security guards to replace 10,000 reservists, allowing them to do the job that they were brought there for. The measure will assist the families of our troops, who are also sacrificing for our country. The cost family members must pay to see their injured family member will be subsidized and it increases the Family Separation Allowance. The rest of the money will be used to aide with the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan. We should help Iraq and Afghanistan rebuild. Our assistance will also play a key role in the War on Terrorism. Whether or not we should provide these funds in the form of grants or loans has been debated. Though we will not be able to have separate votes on these segments, I believe we should loan Iraq the funds to rebuild their tattered nation, rather than sending ``no-strings attached'' grants from American taxpayers. The idea of making the reconstruction activities a loan has had bipartisan support until he Administration strong-armed those Republicans who felt a loan was appropriate. Now, at this time, we should not be putting more of a burden on the taxpayers. We are facing a deficit of almost $500 billion; we do not need to add to it. I, along with seven of my female colleagues, am traveling to Iraq later this month. I look forward to seeing for myself the progress we've made and the challenges that still lie ahead in Iraq. This trip should cut through the spin and the filters, giving us a first-hand look at the rebuilding effort in Iraq. While there I want the opportunity to look our troops in their eyes and tell them that I and my colleagues, are doing all we can to fully equip them and safely bring them home. Mr. Chairman, I am hopeful our soldiers will return home soon and I will continue working to achieve that goal.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the numerous contributions made by Rita Kay for the children of Long Island. A selfless and dedicated woman, Rita has spent more than 30 years working on a variety of children's causes, and is well known for her intense involvement in Children's Medical Fund of New York (CMF). Rita was compelled to ease the plight of sick children because of a combination of personal tragedy and great joy. After suffering several miscarriages and the pain of a stillborn child, Rita and her husband Barry were blessed with the births of their two sons, Brian and Bradley. In a fervent desire to help sick children and their parents, Rita joined CMF, the fundraising component of Schneider Children's Hospital of the North Shore--Long Island Jewish Health System. Through her many efforts, Rita has helped build the children's hospital into the 13th largest pediatric care center. Rita's love for, and devotion to, children has been evidenced by the numerous events she has chaired and in which she has participated. Rita is best known for the longstanding relationship she has nurtured between Americana Manhasset shopping center and CMF, and the successful fashion luncheon sponsored by the Americana on behalf of CMF. The luncheon has helped CMF raise hundreds of thousands of dollars since its inception. Rita's fundraising efforts have included an emphasis on corporate sponsorship. Under her leadership, Roslyn Savings Bank and Astoria Federal have become involved in CMF. Most recently, Rita cochaired CMF's Wall Street Dinner Dance at Chelsea Piers, which raised an astronomical $4,000,000 for CMF and Schneider Children's Hospital. Rita's hard work is more incredible because of the number of other organizations in which she is involved. Rita supports and fundraises for Partner's in Women's Health, the Long Island Cancer Campaign, the Ronald McDonald House, the Mental Health Association of Nassau County, and the Nassau County Museum of Art. All of this, in addition to her full-time job as the Marketing Director for David Morse & Associates. Despite all of Rita's volunteer efforts, her priority remains her family. Today, Rita is surrounded not only by her husband Barry and their sons Brian and Bradley, but also her daughters-in-law Helaine and Caren, and her four grandchildren, Jesse, Logan, Dylan, and Zoe. They are incredibly proud of Rita for all of her hard work and accomplishments over the years. Mr. Speaker, I thank Rita Kay for her dedication and devotion to the children of Long Island.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2655, a bill which establishes a cultural training program for young people from disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland and other areas in Ireland. This bill will extend a very successful program for two years, and makes a few other changes which will improve the program. The changes include requiring that only 20 percent of the program participants may have a higher education degree, that they must be at least 21 years old, and that they must be an unemployed resident for at least 6 months. One of the main goals of the program is a better educated Irish citizenry. Not only do the participants personally benefit from the program, but because of the improved contributions participants can make, so do the people of Ireland. Participants are required to return home after the program, which fosters economic development and peace. This requirement is waived however, if returning home would impose certain hardships on a participant or his family, or if it is of national interest to keep the alien here. When I traveled to Ireland earlier this year, I saw first hand how such a program would help the Irish people. A well-educated society is a successful, productive, and peaceful society. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill, and am sure that the improvements made by it will benefit not only individuals participating in the program, but also the Irish people.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the numerous contributions made by Rita Kay for the children of Long Island. A selfless and dedicated woman, Rita has spent more than 30 years working on a variety of children's causes, and is well known for her intense involvement in Children's Medical Fund of New York (CMF). Rita was compelled to ease the plight of sick children because of a combination of personal tragedy and great joy. After suffering several miscarriages and the pain of a stillborn child, Rita and her husband Barry were blessed with the births of their two sons, Brian and Bradley. In a fervent desire to help sick children and their parents, Rita joined CMF, the fundraising component of Schneider Children's Hospital of the North Shore--Long Island Jewish Health System. Through her many efforts, Rita has helped build the children's hospital into the 13th largest pediatric care center. Rita's love for, and devotion to, children has been evidenced by the numerous events she has chaired and in which she has participated. Rita is best known for the longstanding relationship she has nurtured between Americana Manhasset shopping center and CMF, and the successful fashion luncheon sponsored by the Americana on behalf of CMF. The luncheon has helped CMF raise hundreds of thousands of dollars since its inception. Rita's fundraising efforts have included an emphasis on corporate sponsorship. Under her leadership, Roslyn Savings Bank and Astoria Federal have become involved in CMF. Most recently, Rita co-chaired CMF's Wall Street Dinner Dance at Chelsea Piers, which raised an astronomical $4,000,000 for CMF and Schneider Children's Hospital. Rita's hard work is more incredible because of the number of other organizations in which she is involved. Rita supports and fundraises for Partner's in Women's Health, the Long Island Cancer Campaign, the Ronald McDonald House, the Mental Health Association of Nassau County, and the Nassau County Museum of Art. All of this, in addition to her full-time job as the Marketing Director for David Morse & Associates. Despite all of Rita's volunteer efforts, her priority remains her family. Today, Rita is surrounded not only by her husband Barry and their sons Brian and Bradley, but also her daughters-in-law Helaine and Caren, and her four grandchildren, Jesse, Logan, Dylan and Zoe. They are incredibly proud of Rita for all of her hard work and accomplishments over the years. Mr. Speaker, I thank Rita Kay for her dedication and devotion to the children of Long Island.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for organizing this for tonight. I rise to ask why? Why are we not giving our veterans what they deserve? Time and time again we are reminded of the great sacrifices made by this Nation's veterans. These are people who sacrificed their lives for our lives, for our country, for our rights and freedoms. I am honored to represent a large amount of veterans, and now they need our help, but unfortunately, the House Republican leadership is turning its back on our veterans. Currently, there is an outmoded and unfair system dating back to the Civil War of compensation for disabled veterans who are retired from the military. Under current law, veterans who are entitled to both a retirement benefit for the military service and service-connected disability compensation are not able to receive both retirement and disability payments. This is an outrage. I do not understand. Here we are Representatives in this House, we are talking about spending $87 billion on a war and our young men and women are over in Iraq fighting for our freedoms, and yet we will not take care of the great veterans that have already preserved this for us. H.R. 303, the concurrent receipt bill and/or ending disability veterans' tax, has over 370 Members. I know down here in Washington I have learned an awful lot. Usually, one would think if we had 370 people on a bill, it is going to fly through. That means 370 people, Representatives from across the country, agree bipartisanly this is something that we should be doing. Yet, we cannot bring it up on the House floor. The Republican leadership refuses to bring it onto the floor. There is a discharge petition, which a lot of people that are listening to this might not understand. If we cannot get a bill through committee to be talked about and onto the floor, we have a right to try and get Members to sign a discharge petition so that we are forced to bring it onto the floor. We have 203 signatures; we need more. And our veterans out there, please write their Congressman, e-mail them, tell them this is what they need. The Republican leadership does not want to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. The Republican-led Senate passed this provision in the Defense authorization bill. Yet, the House Republican leadership refuses to bring it to the floor of the House. Veterans' policy should be nonpartisan, but unfortunately, at the cost of the veterans, it has become a partisan issue. Mr. Speaker, we should all be standing together for our veterans. I implore the House Republican leadership to bring it on to the floor. Let there be an up and down vote. Very easily, who is supporting our veterans and who is not, and let us give our veterans what they rightly deserve. After all, they have done so much for us. This is the least we can do for them. The last couple of weekends I have been meeting with so many veterans' groups, and this is the only thing they are talking about. Last Friday, I was at Northport Hospital and talking to so many prisoners of war that have survived from the Korean War, and they are saying why? Are you waiting for us all to die? Is that what you are doing, to save some money? I do not understand it. We have our young men and women that are going to be our future veterans. If we do not keep our promise, why should they care about defending this country? We have to make a difference.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of May Newburger, who is serving her fifth term as North Hempstead Town Supervisor. May is an asset to our community, and an excellent role model for our younger generations. Put simply, May is my role model. Many Long Islanders know May Newburger as the first female chief executive of a Nassau County town, but she is much, much more than that. A graduate of Hunter College and Columbia University, May is an intelligent woman who has worked on local, state and national issues. Before becoming supervisor, May spent 2 years as a town councilwoman and 8 years as a New York State assemblywoman. She has worked extensively on behalf of women and children by serving as a New York State delegate to the National White House Conference on Families, chairing the American Jewish. Congress' National Commission on Women's Equality, among other committees and commissions. May's efforts are endless. Under May's responsible and practical supervision, North Hempstead has transformed a $7 million budget deficit to a $7.7 million surplus. In fact, the town was the first on Long Island to adopt a debt reduction plan that emphasized the need for long-term strategies. May has built a reputation around her dedication to the environment, securing $200,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency to designate New Cassel as a Brownfields Pilot Community. She is continually working to protect and preserve our local lands and waterways. Today, as May Newburger nears her retirement, I honor her for her numerous contributions to our community. May is the reason that I, along with many other women, had the courage to enter politics and government service. Not a day goes by without me reflecting on or using something May has taught me, and I am proud to call her my friend and mentor. Mr. Speaker, I thank May Newburger on behalf of each and every person whose life she has improved over her years of service.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. I rise to name Randi's Cleaners the Small Business of the Month for September 2003 for the Fourth Congressional District of New York. September 15-20 is National Small Business Week. I am excited to celebrate the contributions of local businesses on Long Island through the inauguration of a new Small Business of the Month program. Many in our community know that small businesses are the backbone of Long Island's economic well being. As the national economy struggles to stay afloat, the energy, flexibility and innovation of our local small businesses have become essential. It is time to spotlight some of these businesses' extraordinary achievements and contributions. Randi's Cleaners, located in my hometown of Mineola, is a successful small business and an excellent addition to our community on Long Island. Known throughout Mineola as friendly and reliable, Randi's Cleaners also has a reputation for community improvement. Every year, Randi's Cleaners hosts a two-month-long ``Coats for Kids'' Drive, during which time members of the community donate their coats for people in need. Arthur Epstein, Chairman of Randi's Cleaners' ``Coats for Kids'' Drive, has been collecting coats for both children and adults for 20 years. Originally, Arthur collected donations from individual dry cleaners. In 2000, he launched the ``Coats for Kids'' Drive as a community-wide effort. This fall, he expects donations from hundreds of individuals, schools, municipalities and private organizations. Mr. Speaker, I thank Arthur Epstein and everyone at Randi's Cleaners for their hard work in making their annual ``Coats for Kids'' Drive an overwhelming success.