Carolyn McCarthy

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have named Meadowbrook Elementary School in East Meadow as School of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District for April 2001. Thomas Mangano is Principal of Meadowbrook Elementary, and Dr. Robert R. Dillon is the Superintendent of Schools for the East Meadow Union Free School District. The school motto says it all--``Four Walls with the Future Inside.'' For over 45 years, Meadowbrook has been educating Long Island's future generations on the importance of accepting everyone as is. These children have learned that being ``different'' doesn't matter. Boasting a 100 percent teacher PTA membership, Meadowbrook fosters a culture of inclusion and emphasizes a strong school, family and community partnership. All teachers have been trained in the ``World of Difference'' program which fosters a respect for diversity at all levels. Meadowbrook is a multi-cultural school representing a variety of countries such as India, Pakistan, Columbia, South Korea, South Vietnam, China, El Salvador, Egypt, Israel and Russia. Meadowbrook, recognized as a New York State Blue Ribbon School, is one of five elementary schools in the East Meadow Public School District and has 510 students. Meadowbrook is one of two sites which provides educational services to children who face special educational challenges. This, combined with the school's emphasis on cultural awareness, teachers children that being different is good. I commend Meadowbrook for the focus on special education students. I have a learning disability that wasn't diagnosed until I was an adult, so I'm particularly gratified to know children are being helped at a young age. It's also comforting to me that these kids don't feel ``different.'' I know that feeling, and it's not a good one. Congratulations, and keep up the good work.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have named Powell's Lane Elementary School in Westbury as School of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District for March 2001. In February, Powell's Lane won Newsday's Stock Market Game for the third time. John Ogilvie is Principal of Powell's Lane Elementary, and Dr. Constance R. Clark is the Superintendent of Schools for the Westbury School District. I'm so excited to have such an innovative and remarkable school as School of the Month. Powell's Lane is singlehandedly training future Wall Street investors. There was a time when the stock market was too daunting and confusing even for adults, but new computer technology and the use of the web has cut through to many barriers--and Powell is making that happen every day. Recently, Powell's Lane received the New York State School of Excellence Award, and is one of seven schools nominated by the state for the U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools 2000-2001 Elementary School Program. Powell's academic record--and their national recognition as a ``Blue Ribbon School'' nominee--displays the qualities of excellence that consistently train Long Island's students to excel through the rest of their lives. The mission of Powell's Lane Elementary School focuses on child development, blending in academic achievement and social relationships. Powell's Lane Elementary teaches students in grades 3, 4 and 5, and has many achievements and programs of note. The students are involved in community outreach such as helping with Newsday's ``Help a Family'' campaign. I commend Powell's Lane Elementary School for its innovation, and I look forward to great achievement from Powell's students.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, but I have to say I would certainly prefer to be standing here debating on what we can do to save these young children. For close to 4\1/2\ years I have stood here, I do not know how many times, saying I am sorry to the families. For 4\1/2\ years, I have had to meet with some of these parents that have lost their children. How many times does this have to happen before this Congress will start to realize this is not going to go away? We cannot stop ignoring this issue. While America's teachers and students search for solutions to the violence that threatens our school, Congress has failed to enact even modest proposals to reduce our children's access to firearms. I know that it is a very complex issue, and we should be all working together on every single issue to make sure that our children are safe. I spent yesterday morning in one of my local schools, as I tend to do on every single Monday. The kids were 1 through 6, and every single question they asked me was, is somebody going to shoot me. Now, we know the majority of our schools are safe, but there is fear in the schools today. We must recognize the fear our children, our teachers, and our parents are facing. The American people are looking to us to come up with answers. We cannot have all the answers, but we certainly can do a better job than what we are doing right now. It is time to stop the rhetoric of this talk. It is time to stop going around in circles. It is time that this Congress started working to do something to protect our children and our families, and I ask the American people to work with us.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, one year ago another special life was taken by gun violence in this country. Kayla Rollins was killed in her first grade classroom by a six year old boy who brought a loaded gun to school. The time has come and gone to end these senseless acts of gun violence by passing meaningful gun safety legislation. The political pandering over this issue must end. How many children should we allow to become victims to gun violence? It's time for Congress to do the responsible thing and pass commonsense gun safety legislation. Kayla Rollins' family, as well as all families who lost a loved one to gun violence, deserve action. Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record a statement from Kayla Rollins's mother pleading for the Congress to pass immediate gun safety legislation. Statement By Mrs. Rollins--March 1, 2001 Hello. I am Veronica McQueen. I am Kayla's mother. These are hard times for me and Kayla's brothers, sisters and her father, and for the rest of my family. Kayla's death was devastating. There is not a day that goes by I do not cry as I go on with my life without my daughter. A part of my heart went with her. It is so hard for me to think that I will never see her smile, laugh or play again. I can never hold her and kiss her again, or see her grow up, get married and have a happy life. The gun that killed my daughter in her first grade class room was a gun that could be loaded by a six year old child, concealed by a six year old child, and held and fired by a six year old child. Please, don't ever forget that. This is proof that there is need for gun safety devices and gun control. I come here today, two days after what would have been her seventh birthday. I am a mom with a terrible tragedy, and I hope it never, ever happens again. Thank you.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, throughout our nation's history, our armed forces fought bravely to preserve and protect the liberties we cherish. As of late, we have done much to recognize the accomplishments of the generation that fought the Second World War, and rightly so. But we should not forget the equally impressive job our military forces are doing today. They faced down aggression in Iraq; restored democracy in Haiti; and ended ethnic cleansing in the former Yugoslavia. In short, they have much to be proud of However, we are faced with some serious concerns. This increase in deployments and operations occurred during a time of military downsizing. It is clear to many we cannot, in good faith, ask our forces to be engaged around the world when they are stretched so thinly. We have no choice but to embrace this opportunity and demonstrate our commitment to our military personnel. In this time of peace and budget surpluses, we must prepare for the threats that loom in the not-too- distant future by modernizing our military forces and investing in programs to recruit and retain quality military personnel. We have done a great deal to ensure that our military forces are the best in the world, but the world is changing before our eyes--we need to do more. As we move though the budget process, let us show our support for these brave men and women by passing a responsible defense budget.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I stand here very proudly as a cosponsor of the new Democratic Coalition on supporting the RRRs. I sit on the Committee on Education and the Workforce and for the last 4 years we certainly have been trying to bring together new initiatives on how we are going to bring the best education to all of our children, all of our children; and the RRRs program is a program that can work for all of our children across this country. Politicians are very good a lot of times at saying, well, we are going to do this, we are going to do this, we are going to do this. I really hope this time around that we are going to have an educational policy that is going to be there for our children. Each and every one of us comes from different districts. We all represent different parts of this country; but when it comes down to education, the American people want us to do something. The RRRs education program, as far as I am concerned, will answer all of the problems that we are having across this Nation. I want to just say a little thing on the side. Thank goodness the majority of our schools in this country are doing well. Please let us not forget them. We are talking about dealing with schools that need extra help. I have a school in my district, Roosevelt School District, and they were taken over by the State a couple of years ago and they are struggling. This is why I am such a strong opponent of having a voucher system. If we start losing monies that go into the Roosevelt School system, what are we going to do with all the other kids? We are going to leave so many children behind. Vouchers sound wonderful. They do sound wonderful. They are not the answer. Federal dollars have to go into our public schools. A question that I certainly hope that someone will be able to answer for me from the administration is, if it gets passed, and I am hoping that it does not, but if the $1,500 voucher gets passed, and a child takes that into whatever school they go to, where is the accountability for that $1,500? How do we know that that child is getting the education that they should be getting? These are some of the questions that we have to answer in the next several months. The bottom line is, the American people want to have a good education. When we talk about 7 percent of our Federal dollars going into our schools, if we really think about that, it is not very much that goes back to our school systems. But the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) and I agree totally on IDEA. Those are the schools, unfortunately, that are getting hurt the most, because it puts that much money out to these children that learn differently. That is all it is. They learn differently. If the schools could be freed up for the monies that they have to spend to educate these children, then school districts would have more local control on educating those students that are considered ``normal.'' Let me say something about that. We have such an opportunity in the next few months to do probably one of the best things that we can do for this country and for the future of this country, and that is passing an educational program that is going to go to our neediest children, which our program does; it will go to the neediest children, it will give those school districts the head start that they need. We are building on the future of America. We are not only doing ourselves a favor, we are doing this whole country a favor. So as we go forward in the months ahead, I think the RRRs educational proposal, which is something that has been out here for a couple of years; this is not new. We have been trying to push this for a couple of years. Hopefully, we will see our program go through, and then we will be doing the right thing for the American children, and we will be doing the right thing for our country.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have named Joseph DiGiorgio, Army veteran and co-founder of the Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps as Citizen of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District for January 2001. Joseph exemplifies the American spirit of patriotism and community activism. He served his country and came home to serve his community. A resident of Mineola for 50 years--since 1955--Joseph served in the Army during World War II with distinction, receiving many commendations for courage under fire in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Joe has a strong interest in veterans' issues and is an active member of Disabled American Vets (DAV) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Never one to slow down, Joe's service to his country carried over to his community. He and his wife Louise stated the Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps in 1977 at their kitchen table at 116 Jerome Avenue, known as the ``Mineola White House.'' Together they raised funding through citizen contributions and grants. In the beginning, calls to the ambulance service were answered from homes. Today, the Mineola Ambulance Corps responds to over 1,300 calls per year. The Mineola Ambulance Corps has grown from one basic life support ambulance to three Advanced Life Support Ambulances, equipped with modern life-saving equipment, administered by over 70 paramedics, EMT's and other emergency-trained people. I congratulate and thank Joseph, his wife Louise, his daughter Joanne for their community activism and loyal service to Long Island.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have named Mineola High School in Garden City Park as School of the Month in the Fourth Congressional District for January 2001. I am a proud graduate of Mineola High School in 1962. I especially want to commend John R. Lewis, Principal of Mineola High, and Dr. Harry Jaroslaw, the Superintendent of Schools for the Mineola School District. I loved my time at Mineola High and my solid education there prepared me for the rest of my life. I still use the lessons I learned at Mineola. Unique opportunities await Mineola High students. They can participate in the Work Experience Program for school credit, while simultaneously earning a paycheck. The Student Service Center harnesses the energy and devotion of students to their community. Within the center, they can volunteer at the Children's Museum, the Ronald McDonald House and nursing homes, just to name a few. Also, programs such as the leadership council and peer support and mediation foster student-to-student involvement. Each year, I present an award in the name of my late husband, Dennis McCarthy, to a Mineola High School student who has struggled through adversity and difficult times and made the best of it. This award is one of the things I do to keep Dennis' memory alive. At Mineola High, there are so many special students it's so hard to choose! Mineola High has received numerous awards in recognition of the school's excellence, including the Eleanor Roosevelt Community Service Award, Newsday's Long Island High School of the Year for Community Service and the New York State Governor's Commendation. All of the awards demonstrate the school's dedication to involving students in the community. In 2000, 84 percent of Mineola's senior class went to college, 57 percent to 4-year colleges. Of the last graduating class, 55 percent of all students received Regents seals on their diplomas, including 14 students who earned Regents diplomas with honors. The outstanding academic record and the dedication of Mineola's administrators and staff demonstrate it is indeed a school of the month and a school vital to Long Island's future.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I honor the hard work, dedication, and stewardship Bert Haggerty has given Long Islanders, New Yorkers, and Americans as the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Long Island Branch Office Manager. Bert Haggerty grew up in Woodside, NY, graduated from St. Ann's Academy and earned a bachelor of business administration degree from St. John's University. He first worked for Touche Niven and then Olivetti Corporation where he enjoyed a successful 30-year career. Afterward, he joined the U.S. Government in 1984 as district director of the Small Business Administration and became Assistant to the Regional Administrator for New York's regional office. In 1994, he was appointed manager of the SBA's Long Island office and under his stewardship has become a driving force in Long Island's economic scene. Throughout his tenure as manager, he tripled the number of loans to Long Island's small businesses and significantly increased the amount of capital available to nearly $1 billion. Bert Haggerty will be missed by the Long Island community. I wish him and his family a fruitful and enjoyable retirement.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I commend the outstanding service of Dr. Marcia Posner and Phyllis and Stanley Sanders as they are honored by the Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center of Nassau County. For the past eight years, the Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center for Nassau County has honored citizens who make selfless contributions of time and effort, not only to the Jewish community, but to the community at large. This year, they chose three wonderfully committed and inspiring individuals. Dr. Marcia Posner works as a librarian and administrator at the Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center. Through her tireless work ethic she developed a library containing over 3,000 volumes and tapes, amassing a wealth of resources about the Holocaust. As Vice President of Programming, Dr. Posner is responsible for the development and execution of a large number of the programs, making the Center a pillar in the Long Island community. Phyllis and Stanley Sanders exhibited exceptional leadership bringing success and benefits to countless organizations. Over the years, Phyllis and Stanley, often referred to as the ``Dynamic Duo,'' committed themselves to a variety of causes affecting the Jewish community. Together, they are responsible, among other accomplishments, for education fund-raising and air-lifting refugees from Russia to Israel. Their inexhaustible and creative efforts continue to inspire a multitude of organizations toward achieving higher goals. I applaud the service and commitment of Dr. Marcia Posner and Phyllis and Stanley Saunders. The Long Island community as a whole benefits from the dedication of these individuals.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), my colleague, for bringing this issue. I live on Long Island, and everybody thinks everyone on Long Island is rich. Let me tell my colleagues all of my schools are over 50 years old. A lot of my schools have boilers that are over 100 years old. What does that have to do with it? We are sending a message to our children that we do not care about them to modernize our schools. I bring it as a health care issue. I have high rates of asthma among my young children because of the conditions of our schools. We here in Congress have to make a full commitment all the way around. We have to make sure our schools are the best schools for our children to be in. I have been in schools where they are teaching our children with disabilities out in the hallway. I can tell my colleagues personally, if you have learning disabilities, you have to have a quiet setting, not somewhere where you are hearing everything out in the background. People with hearing problems are being taught in hallways and closets. The bathrooms, I am telling my colleagues, it is horrible. This is what we are supposed to be doing. This is the money that we should be giving to our children. Mr. Speaker, I wish everyone will vote for this motion. We have to take education seriously.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Riesterer's Bake Shoppe & Cafe on their 70th Anniversary for their commitment and contributions to the Long Island community. The Riesterer family embodies the spirit of small business with their dedication to service and values. Their 70th Anniversary is a landmark achievement for this family-owned and operated establishment that has become an integral part of life in West Hempstead. A celebration of the anniversary is planned for Friday, October 27, 2000. The Riesterer family will display a giant seven-foot, seven-tier picturesque Birthday cake commemorating each decade with a tier full of pictures of the Riesterer's legacy. I would especially like to recognize Karl Riesterer, Sr., the father of the family, who has recently been installed to the position of President of the Bakers Association of America. Comprised of over three thousand members, the Bakers Association of America is the largest baking organization in the country. I salute Karl's dedication that has allowed him to reach the top of his profession. The Riesterer family is a pillar of the Long Island small business community and the community as a whole. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Riesterer's Bake Shoppe & Cafe on their 70th Anniversary.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Senate Amendments to (H.R. 2884), the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. Energy consumers on Long Island and throughout this Northeast have been waiting for this important legislation. With home heating oil prices moving upward in New York state, it is imperative that the Congress acts now. This legislation authorizes the establishment of a two million-barrel regional Home Heating Oil Reserve in the Northeast. It specifies that oil can only be released from the Reserve if the President finds there is a severe energy supply interruption and permits the release of the oil on specific market conditions. These safeguards make sense. The legislation also expands the weatherization program to help homeowners make their residences more energy efficient. The Energy Information Administration is currently projecting home heating oil price increases of 19 cents per gallon over the average levels paid last year. Mr. Speaker, last winter's energy crisis demonstrated the Congress and the President must do more to stabilize energy price spikes. This legislation is a positive step in that direction. I urge my colleagues to support the Senate Amendments to H.R. 2884.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, the clock is ticking and soon the 106th Congress may adjourn without passing common sense gun safety legislation. Today, we join people throughout the Nation concerned about young people and gun violence. Earlier this week, I joined the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the minority leader, and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) in calling on the gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert) to use his influence to complete work on the stalled Juvenile Justice Conference. With the help of the gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert), we can jumpstart the conference to approve child safety locks, to close the gun show loophole and to ban high-capacity ammunition clips. I am pleased that Senator John McCain has endorsed closing the gun show loophole. Governor Pataki has already brought common sense gun laws to my home State of New York. We need to bring similar legislation to all 50 States. Is there grassroots support for this legislation? You bet. The Million Mom March demonstrated that people across the Nation want to make their communities safe from gun violence. Just this week, college students around the Nation participated in First Monday 2000. I am pleased that students from Long Island's Hofstra University participated in this grassroots educational issue. To date, the gun lobby has prevented the Congress from approving national gun safety legislation. We do not have to repeat the past. I ask the gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert) to consider this.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I name Bernard Tzall, a microbiologist at a research laboratory in Nassau County, as New York's Most Outstanding Older Worker for the year 2000. I admire Bernard's dedication and commitment. At the age of 85, he is still working tirelessly to improve the lives of those around him through his research. Bernard began working at the laboratory in the 1940s, after serving his country in the Army. Over his six decades of service, he has received awards from national, state, and local organizations for his outstanding research and contributions to the community. In 1953, he was promoted to managing director of the Lab. About ten years ago, Bernard was diagnosed with throat cancer and was forced to stop working. Miraculously, he was able to successfully fight off the cancer and he returned to work after his surgery. Even with the handicap of using a voice-assisting prosthesis, he played an instrumental role in discovering the cure for an unknown virus in New York waters. Mr. Tzall is currently enrolled as a PhD. Candidate, becoming one of the oldest engineering students in the country. He continues to work at his laboratory, training new employees and managing its library. The Prime Time 2000 award, sponsored by Green Thumb, was presented to an outstanding senior over the age of 65 from each state who works more than 20 hours per week. Mr. Tzall demonstrated excellence and commitment that put him in a class with a select few Prime Time recipients. I commend Bernard for all he has overcome and all he has accomplished. I am honored to give him this recognition he well deserves.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Congressman Kind and Congressman Houghton's bill that allows the public to hear our history directly from the men and women who fought to preserve it. America's war veterans will be offered the opportunity to share their experiences first-hand by providing an oral history to the Library of Congress. Most of our history is found in books usually written by those who witnessed or played an active role in the events that made this country what it is today. Well, this legislation goes a step further and puts a face to the name by video-taping the recollections of our veterans' time in service. But this bill actually does much more. It allows students, as well as the community, to get involved and learn more about their local veterans. To actually speak to a veteran who fought for this country, and hear about the events first-hand is the best history lesson anyone can receive. On Long Island, we have thousands of veterans who answered their country's call to duty and are proud to share their experiences with today's youth. As someone who lived through the Vietnam era, I remember what a difficult time it was for our country. I remember watching many of our soldiers leaving to fight with the chance of not returning. Unfortunately, many did not. For those that made it home, this is an opportunity to talk about the experiences and the sacrifices they endured during this time and share them with the country. I'd like to commend Representative Kind and Representative Houghton for taking the initiative in drafting this legislation and urge my colleagues to support the measure.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, before I make my remarks on this legislation, I also would like to compliment the gentleman from North Carolina (Chairman Ballenger) for the work and how swiftly we have gotten this through the committee, and I appreciate that. I thank my colleague from New York (Mr. Owens) again for his work to protect our health care workers, that is what it comes down to. Mr. Speaker, I have spent over 30 years of nursing before I came here; and I certainly can tell my colleagues how many times I have gotten stuck with a needle. And I was probably very lucky, because many years ago, we did not face the diseases that we are facing today. Today, we are facing TB, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, AIDS, and these are the things we have to be concerned about. What people have to realize, it is not that nurses or health care workers are not being careful; but when we are dealing with life-threatening situations of taking care of a patient, we are concerned about giving the patient certainly the medications they need fast, starting IVs and everything else goes out of their minds. This legislation is going to protect health care workers across this Nation. We heard that 600,000 to 800,000 healthcare workers are stuck every single year. We know that when a health care worker is stuck, they have to go down for a test. They have to be followed through. It can cost, for each person that is stuck, $3,000. We are not even talking about those that, unfortunately, do get fatal diseases from these injuries. Mr. Speaker, I commend certainly the committee and the hard work that has been done on this and how fast it has gone, because now we know we have legislation that is out there that is going to protect our health care workers, and more than that, this is legislation that can save lives. I am very proud to be here to encourage all of my colleagues, all of my colleagues to support this overwhelmingly. This is good legislation, and it should pass unanimously. I thank all my colleagues for their work.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation because this disease is too close for comfort for so many women and their families. On Long Island, one in nine women have had to face the living nightmare of breast cancer. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I look forward to the day when we no longer have to dedicate a month to bring attention to this disease, because that will mean we have found a cure. Mr. Speaker, as a nurse, I have seen firsthand the toll that this disease takes on everyone involved. In addition, my area has one of the highest incidences of breast cancer in the country. On Long Island, approximately 127 of every 100,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer compared with 100 of every 100,000 nationwide. Because of these frightening statistics, we must increase funding for research, we must find what the environmental causes are, we must raise awareness, and we must find a cure today, because time is running out for too many of our loved ones. I urge all of my colleagues to pass this legislation and help find a cure today.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am probably one of the youngest Members that got to know the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) 4 years ago when I first came on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. He and I would always be the first ones down there. If the meeting was at 9:30, he and I were there at 9:30. This went on for a couple of committee hearings, and I finally said to Mr. Goodling, ``Mr. Goodling, how come you and I are the only ones here, when you say that the committee hearings are going to be at 9:30?'' He said, ``Carolyn, around here we have congressional time and real time, and everyone comes late.'' And I said, ``Why should you and I be punished on that?'' Ever since then, at 9:30 that meeting starts and I appreciate that. Mr. Goodling has a tremendous sense of humor, and I do not know if people know that. Probably I like it so much because it reminds me of my sense of humor. Sometimes it is dry. Sometimes he is throwing out a sense of humor, and people do not even know what the laugh line is, but we do. Mr. Speaker, I want to say that my respect for him over the years has been tremendous. He has spent his whole entire life in public service. He was a school teacher. He was a principal. He was a superintendent. He was on the school board. He was in the PTA. To me, that is public service. All of our teachers are in public service. But even though we sat on the committee and sometimes we disagreed, he was always a gentleman. Always a gentleman, and I have always appreciated that. I do not want anyone to think that this guy is retiring. He is not. There is a lot of good years that he is going to be out there, and I am sure he is going to be knocking on our doors certainly advocating for what he wants to advocate. So this is not a retirement. It is not. It is another new journey for Mr. Goodling, and we are going to miss him. I am going to miss him. And I thank him for everything that he taught me. When I did not understand something, he continued to be a teacher because he explained things to me, and I will always appreciate that. Mr. Speaker, I wish the gentleman a good journey; and I know we are still going to see him around.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise and express my strong support for the Children'S Health Act. This important legislation includes the Children's Day Care Health and Safety Improvement Act, a bill that I introduced with the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Bryant). Mr. Speaker, I just want to take this opportunity to also thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Bliley) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Bryant) and certainly my colleague, the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette), for the leadership and hard work on this issue. Mr. Speaker, we are experiencing a national child care crisis. In 1997, 31,000 children ages 4 and younger were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries sustained in child care facilities. In 1999, in my home district of Nassau County, there were 55 cases of suspected child abuse incidents in child care facilities. Our bill gives $200 million in State grants to improve programs, to improve the health and safety of our children in child care. These grants can be used for a number of reasons, train and educate child care providers to prevent injuries and illnesses and to promote health-related practices; strengthen and enforce child care provider licensing, regulation and registration; rehabilitate, which is probably one of the most important parts of this bill, child care facilities to meet health and safety standards; provide health consultants to give health and safety advice to child care providers; enhance child care providers' ability to serve children with disabilities; conduct criminal background checks on child care providers, what I think is really important, especially to give our parents the peace of mind of where they are going to send their child is offering the best services possible, and I think to provide information to parents on choosing a safe and healthy setting for their children or to or improve the safety of transportation of children in child care. Mr. Speaker, being a new grandmother, I have to say watching my daughter-in-law looking for day care is an experience that is happening around this Nation, so the more that we can do to provide certainly our children, the future leaders of this country, with a safe environment and the best environment, we, in Congress, are doing a great job. I appreciate the work of this committee for letting this to go forward and hoping we can do more in the future.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues here for taking up this battle, and that is what it is. Many have been fighting this for many, many years. But since I have been here the last 4 years, we have seen progress. For the first time in Northern Ireland, people had hope. People thought peace was right there. Well, peace is there, but we have some things that we have to work out. One of the strongest things we have to work on is making sure that we send a strong message from this great body that we have to keep with the Patten agreement. Mr. Speaker, we have seen even in our own country when the people lose faith in the police departments, we see the anger that is in those communities. So there are things that we have to make sure that are done and the Patten agreement covers those things. The Patten agreement can work for Northern Ireland. One of the things that we have seen constantly, every time we bring up the Patten agreement, we see them trying to chip away a little bit. They do not like the agreement. So what are they trying to do? Are they trying to break the whole fragile agreement that we have for Good Friday? This is what we are all fighting for. Tomorrow many of us here, actually, will have 40 women from Northern Ireland. We are going to have Protestant and Catholic women. They are going to be following us around so that we can show them how legislative work goes, because they are willing to make this work. They will spend 2 weeks here in this country to see how our government works and they want to go home and make this work. Well, the only way it is going to work is really making sure that we put the pressure on to make sure the Patten agreement is lived up to. That is our job, and it is really a small part. We are here, we are here in Washington, D.C. We do not have to face the fear many Northern Irish people have to fear of the police officers. We can change that. Peace can come to that country. I am proud to be with all of my colleagues to stand here and make a difference.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the VA Health Care Personnel Act. This important piece of legislation improves veterans' access to health care and raises the salaries of VA nurses and dentists. It's incredibly unfair that VA nurses are paid less to do the same work as their counterparts in private hospitals. Under this legislation, VA nurses are guaranteed annual national pay raises based on pay inequities, instead of nursing recruitment or retention. This bill also increases the amount of pay to VA dentists who specialized or take on added responsibilities to help meet the dental needs of our veterans. On Long Island, the cost-of-living is well-above the rest of the country. However, VA nurses travel to understaffed VA hospitals and care for our veterans at a salary that is unacceptable. As a former nurse, I understand the commitment and professionalism demanded by this profession. Unfortunately, VA nurses continue to work at salary level that does not reflect their commitment to caring for our veterans. Lastly, this legislation extends a pilot program to four as yet unnamed geographic areas where Medicare-eligible veterans can go to non-VA hospitals, at VA expense, if there are no convenient VA hospitals nearby. Under the new program, the VA would cover some of the costs of care at non-VA hospitals for participating veterans whose private or Medicare plans would pay for most of the share. Too many veterans are forced to drive several hours to a VA hospital if there is a problem. This pilot program examines the benefits of allowing Medicare-eligible veterans to receive treatment at their local hospital. This bill puts veterans one step closer to the care and benefits they deserve. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Small Business Preservation Competition Act. This important legislation will keep track of bundled contracts and their impact on small businesses. A recent Contracting Study, also known as the ``Scorecard'', released by the House Small Business Committee shows a number of federal agencies, particularly the Department of Defense, are relying on contracting bundling which is devastating small businesses while showing no measurable savings to the American taxpayer. This study also concluded that the federal government awarded almost $200 billion in federal contracts in 1999, but small businesses suffered a significant drop in the number of available contracts. Of that, small businesses received only 4.9 million contracts which totaled $43 billion in total contract dollars. This represents almost a 23 percent drop in a three-year period (1997-1999). And with the decreasing number of federal prime contracts available small businesses stand to be shut out of a multi-billion dollar marketplace. Unfortunately, with a lack of available data, the ability to obtain critical information about bundled contracts is severely hampered. This bill is a response to the lack of empirical data available on the impact of contract bundling. SBPCA allows Congress to get a handle on the effects and bring agency justification for these bundling contracts into public view. In addition, the bill calls for agency accountability of the cost savings of each bundled contract. We all know that small business provides the very foundation for America's continued prosperity. And while SBPCA helps to correct the problems associated with contract bundling, there is more that must be done to help these firms succeed in the federal procurement arena. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the outstanding work by the Garden City Park Fire Department Rescue Squad on its golden anniversary. Over the past fifty years, the Garden City Park Fire Department Rescue Squad responded to more than 30,000 emergency calls. This all- volunteer staff, which spends countless hours training to improve their skills, have made a significant difference in the lives of countless Long Islanders. Come rain, sun, snow, or hail, these talented men and women brave the elements applying their skills and saving lives. It is often a job that does not get the recognition it deserves because many people take their service for granted. But make no mistake, these men and women are often the difference between life and death. Always the first on the scene of an accident, they apply their skills in a professional manner and do an outstanding job treating accident victims. I, along with those treated by these dedicated men and women, applaud your dedication and service. Residents across Long Island owe you our gratitude and thanks.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I certainly stand here to give a tribute to our Senator from New York. I remember when I was running for my first election in 1996, the great Senator was assigned to me as his ``buddy,'' and I remember going and meeting with you in your office and sitting there saying, Oh, my God, I am with Senator Moynihan. Senator, you have been of great service to New York. You have fought for New York, but you also have fought for the country. But one of the things I certainly respect about you the most is the way you always presented an argument. It was not the partisanship that sometimes we see today. You were always a gentleman. You were always someone with kind words for everyone, and I think that is something that we should all remember. We all know about your intellect, we all know about your great words; but, really, I think New Yorkers and the country will remember you as being the gentleman from New York, and you served your time well. Senator, we are going to miss you, but somehow I have a feeling that you will always have your hand in New York politics, one way or the other. The tributes that you are hearing today can never match the words and the deeds that you have done for all of us over the last 25 years. Sir, I hope I can follow in your footsteps just with your wisdom, those are big shoes to follow; but someday we are going to have so many of us to remember you by. Thank you, Senator.