Michael McNulty

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, you have seen ample demonstration of why I am such a grateful person, with all of these wonderful friends. No one could have a better friend in the world than Gary Ackerman. And I want to thank him, and Representatives Lowey, Hinchey, Crowley, Arcuri, Israel and Hall for the many kind things that they have said about me and the members of my family. I want to thank, of course, all of the members of the New York delegation, and also my dear friend the Speaker pro tem, my buddy, Jason Altmire, for his very kind words. I shall always be grateful for having been a member of our State delegation, chaired by Charlie Rangel. I am grateful to all of my Democratic colleagues. I am grateful to all of my Republican colleagues, especially Jimmy Walsh, who is a classmate of mine in the class of 1988, along with Nita Lowey. Jim is also retiring this year. I am grateful to all of those with whom I have served through the years, all of the Speakers, from Jim Wright to Nancy Pelosi, and all of the Republican leaders, from Bob Michel to John Boehner. And I am grateful to all of the staff of this great institution for the wonderful work that they do for us each and every day. I have been truly blessed in my life. Paralyzed by polio in 1949, God eventually granted me a near complete recovery. And just look at my life since then. I have been blessed with a large and loving family, many wonderful friends, and a career that I have thoroughly enjoyed for 39 years--as town supervisor, as mayor. And as one of my colleagues back home said, and it is true, there is nothing more special than being elected mayor of your hometown. Then to go to the New York State Assembly for 6 years, and then 20 years here in the United States Congress. And Steve Israel is right, when I am walking outside and I see the dome lit up at night, I still pinch myself that I am here, Mike McNulty, an average guy, from Green Island, New York, population 2,500. When I was a young public official, I had a dream. This was it, and my dream came true. I am especially grateful to my family, as others have pointed out, my wife of 37 years, Nancy; and our daughters, Michele, Angela, Nancy and Maria. I am especially grateful to them for the many sacrifices that they made so that I could pursue this career in public life, and all those of you who have families know what I am talking about. Thank you to our grandchildren, Teigin and Elijah, Lola, Morgyn and Daniel, for the joy they bring to us each and every day. I send out a special message of love to Teigin tonight. She is in the hospital, and, hopefully, she will be right back in action very soon. She was so proud to be here, standing right there in that spot at the beginning of this Congress, holding my hand when I stood up and voted to elect the first woman to serve as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. That was a very special moment for me, for the country and for Teigin. So I have special thoughts for Teigin tonight. I am grateful to the others that you have mentioned, my mom and dad, Madelon and Jack McNulty, and all of those who went before us, all the members of my family and to Frank and Lola Lazzaro, and all the members of Nancy's great family, for their steadfast support all through the years. As I look back on my life and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead, I just have to acknowledge how much has been given to me. I have to acknowledge all of the lucky breaks that I have had in my life and in my career. In thankfulness and gratitude for that, I have tried, to the best of my ability, to give back. I shall always endeavor for the rest of my life to live according to the fundamental principle that life is to give, not to take.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. I thank my friend. And for anyone who is listening tonight, you have seen ample demonstration of why I am such a grateful person, all of these wonderful friends. No one could have a better friend in the world than Gary Ackerman. And I want to thank him, and Representatives Lowey, Hinchey, Crowley, Arcuri, Israel and Hall for the many kind things that they have said tonight about me and the members of my family. I want to thank, of course, all of the members of the New York delegation, and also my dear friend the Speaker pro tem, my buddy, Jason, for his very kind words. I shall always be grateful for having been a member of our State delegation, chaired by Charlie Rangel. I am grateful to all of my Democratic colleagues. I am grateful to all of my Republican colleagues, especially Jimmy Walsh, who is a classmate of mine in the class of 1988, along with Nita Lowey, and Jim is also retiring this year. I am grateful to all of those with whom I have served through the years, all of the Speakers, from Jim Wright to Nancy Pelosi, and all of the Republican leaders, from Bob Michel to John Boehner. And I am grateful to all of the staff of this great institution for the wonderful work that they do for us each and every day. I have been truly blessed in my life. Paralyzed by polio in 1949, God eventually granted me a near complete recovery. And just look at my life since then. I have been blessed with a large and loving family, many wonderful friends, and a career that I have thoroughly enjoyed for 39 years, as town supervisor, as mayor. And as one of my colleagues back home said, and it is true, there is nothing more special than being elected mayor of your hometown. Then to go to the New York State Assembly for 6 years, and then 20 years here in the United States Congress, and Steve is right, when I am walking outside and I see the dome lit up at night, I still pinch myself that I am here, Mike McNulty, an average guy, from Green Island, New York, population 2,500. When I was a young public official, I had a dream. This was it, my dream came true. I am especially grateful to my family, as others have pointed out, my wife of 37 years, Nancy; and our daughters, Michele, Angela, Nancy and Maria. I am especially grateful to them for the many sacrifices that they made so that I could pursue this career in public life, and all those of you who have families know what I am talking about. Thank you to our grandchildren, Teigin and Elijah, Lola, Morgyn and Daniel, for the joy they bring to us each and every day. I send out a special message of love to Teigin tonight. She is in the hospital, and, hopefully, she will be right back in action very soon. She was so proud to be here, standing right there in that spot at the beginning of this Congress, holding my hand when I stood up and voted to elect the first woman to serve as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. That was a very special moment for me, for the country and for Teigin. So I have special thoughts for Teigin tonight. I am grateful to the others that you have mentioned, my mom and dad, and all of those who went before us, all the members of my family and to Frank and Lola Lazzaro, all the members of Nancy's great family, for their steadfast support all through the years. As I look back on my life, I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead, but up to this point, I just have to acknowledge how much has been given to me. I have to acknowledge all of the lucky breaks that I have had in my life and in my career. In thankfulness and gratitude for that, I have tried, to the best of my ability, to give back. I shall always endeavor for the rest of my life to live according to the fundamental principle that life is to give, not to take.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. I thank the gentlewoman from California for her kind comments, and also the gentleman from Texas, both of them, for their very hard work on reaching this bipartisan consensus. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill to extend the basic pilot program, also known as E-Verify. I wish to especially thank my friend, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Social Security, Sam Johnson, for his longstanding service to the Nation and for his steadfast support of the effort to protect seniors, people with disabilities, and survivors. Together, we have worked since the start of this Congress to provide needed funding for the Social Security Administration to address unacceptable backlogs in disability hearings and the decline in the service to our constituents. Moreover, we must ensure that SSA is ready for the retirement of the Baby Boom generation. SSA has struggled to meet an increasing workload despite a decade of underfunding. Congress only recently increased funding to help address the backlog of disability claims, and we are working to continue that trend. It will take sustained adequate funding for SSA to meet the challenges of reducing its backlog while keeping pace with growing workloads. SSA plays a significant role in the E-Verify pilot program, which is rapidly growing under DHS's direction. There is broad consensus that SSA must be paid for this work. The legislation before us provides essential protections for seniors, people with disabilities, and survivors who need Social Security benefits to meet their daily expenses. It does so by ensuring that DHS and SSA enter into annual agreements that require DHS to pay SSA in full and on a timely basis for its E-Verify related expenses. I would like to thank our colleagues on the Judiciary Committee who worked with us to include language in this bill to provide for full and timely payment to SSA for its role under the E-Verify program. This is a bipartisan bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill to extend the ``basic pilot'' program, also known as ``E-Verify.'' I wish to thank my friend, the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Social Security Mr. Johnson, for his long-standing service to the Nation and for his steadfast support of the effort to protect seniors, people with disabilities, and survivors. Together, we have worked since the start of this Congress to provide needed funding for the Social Security Administration to address unacceptable backlogs in disability hearings and the decline in service to our constituents. Moreover, we must ensure SSA is ready for the retirement of the Baby Boom generation. SSA has struggled to meet an increasing workload despite a decade of underfunding. Congress only recently increased funding to help address the backlog of disability claims, and we are working to continue that trend. It will take sustained adequate funding for SSA to meet the challenge of reducing its backlog while keeping pace with growing workloads. In light of these difficulties, we have been concerned about whether SSA has been provided the necessary resources by DHS to meet its rapidly growing workload under the E-Verify program. I thank our colleagues on the Judiciary Committee, who worked tirelessly with us to include language in this bill to provide for full and timely payment to SSA for its role under the E-Verify program. The Social Security Act prohibits the use of Social Security program funds for non-program related purposes. Therefore, SSA executes reimbursement agreements with other agencies whenever SSA performs work on their behalf. SSA plays a significant role in the E-Verify pilot program. Every query made by the system is run through SSA data and systems first. Every time there is a mismatch between the information sent via E- Verify and the SSA database, employees are told to contact SSA. Many must visit SSA field offices to show necessary proof of identity or work-authorization. For this work, DHS is required to reimburse SSA. Yet the reimbursements have not always been made in a timely way. For example, the reimbursement for FY2006 was finally agreed upon within the last few weeks. Consequently, SSA has been forced to pay for the work using scarce Social Security administrative dollars, which are meant to be used to serve Social Security program participants. At the same time, E-Verify is growing as some States and the Administration require more employers to enroll in the system. The legislation before us provides essential protections for seniors, people with disabilities and survivors who need Social Security benefits to meet their daily expenses. It does so by ensuring that DHS and SSA enter into annual agreements that require DHS to pay SSA, in full and on a timely basis, for its E-Verify related expenses. It also includes an important GAO study on erroneous tentative non- confirmations by the E-Verify system that are the primary cause of SSA's expenses. I am confident that the results of this study will help Congress improve the program in the next few years before it is expanded any further. I support this bipartisan bill and urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, now I would like to yield to my friend the gentleman from Texas, Sam Johnson, a great American patriot and hero, for a colloquy.

Mr. McNULTY. I want to close by thanking Representative Johnson for his long military service, for enduring torture for all the people of this country, and for his excellent work as an elected public official.

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, the ranking member raises an excellent point. Section 201(g) of the Social Security Act does prohibit SSA from spending its own funds on anything other than the programs it is responsible for administering.

Mr. McNULTY. The gentleman is correct. Nothing in this bill changes current law regarding how the LAE or trust funds may be used.

Mr. McNULTY. Yes, that is right. Section 201 of the Social Security Act allows SSA to spend its trust fund and LAE moneys only to pay and administer Social Security benefits, special veterans benefits, SSI and Medicare. Verifying employment eligibility does not fall into any of those categories.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, millions are being swept away in a ``silent tsunami.'' Drought and ever-climbing prices coupled with the mounting demand of nations unable to sustain themselves have wrought devastating food shortages from the Philippines, to Egypt, to our neighbor Haiti. Starving families turn to cakes baked of sugar, oil, and mud. Parents avoid eye contact with the children they cannot feed. Rioters, unable to afford even a loaf of bread, fill the streets. And this Congress is not deaf to their cries. Not the product of a disaster or war, this crisis of unprecedented price increases will linger and spread without action. So far, an additional 100 million people are estimated to have been pushed into poverty. Hardest hit by its inability to provide enough food for its growing population, Haiti, in our own backyard, Madam Speaker, where over half the population lives on less than $1 a day, is left to the mercy of the global community; and right now, USAID is delivering over 6,820 tons of food aid. But more needs to be done. The dread, uncertainty, cruelty, and suffering of hunger have become a reality for too many for too long and I am proud of the work being done in this Congress to stem that tide. In just the past 2 weeks, we have added to and enhanced the tools in America's toolbox for fighting starvation. The Farm Bill we just sent to the President's desk reauthorizes many of our most important programs for fighting hunger, addressing both the immediate demands of the crisis and recognizing the work needed for the long-term goal of prevention. In the face of this epidemic, it is all the more vital that President Bush sign these essential programs into law. This bill extends until 2012 the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, allowing us to continue to respond to the unanticipated and unexpected crises that may emerge. I was happy to hear last month that President Bush ordered the release of $200 million in emergency food aid from the Trust, but without replenishment, the benefit of this stockpile of cash and commodities will be unavailable to us in the future. Hoping to create a bulwark against this spread of hunger and rising prices at home, many governments have been pushed by the fear of impending food shortages to the false hope of halting or restricting food exports. This beggar thy neighbor strategy will only make the situation worse and shows our need to promote long-term food production and security. To this end, the just-passed Farm Bill has reauthorized $2.5 billion for our vital Title 11 spending, with an additional $850 million for this year in last week's supplemental. Our most powerful instrument, these dollars are administered by USAID every year to address global food needs. Yet in 2007, only 20 percent of this went to non-emergency development projects. The emergencies in countries like Haiti deserve an immediate response, but without longer-term diversified food production, conservation, and infrastructure projects, this crisis will only deepen, which is why this Congress mandated that no less than $375 million a year be spent on these production, development, and security goals. The Farm Bill has implemented newer approaches, as well, including an authorization for a $60 million pilot program for local and regional food purchases, avoiding deadly time lags in delivery and eliminating high transportation costs. This crisis will not go away on its own, Madam Speaker, as every day more people are born into this world unable to eat. Let these programs in last week's Farm Bill be the launching-off point for our continued and deepened commitment to battling this crisis.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this measure on the floor today because it's all about priorities. And what that means for me is I need to remember on a daily basis that if it weren't for all of the men and women who served in the United States military through the years, I wouldn't be able to go around bragging, as I often do, about how we live in the freest and most open democracy on earth. Freedom isn't free. We have paid a tremendous price for it. And I try not to let even a single day pass by without remembering with deepest gratitude all of those who, like my own brother, Bill, made the supreme sacrifice in Vietnam. And I need to remember people like my friend and colleague, Sam Johnson, who went to a far-off place, put his life on the line for us, endured torture on behalf of all citizens of the United States of America, but thankfully came back home and rendered outstanding service to his community and to his country. These are the things that I'm most grateful for today. I am proud and honored to look across the Chamber into the eyes of my friend, Sam Johnson, and to assure him that he is one of the reasons why, when I get up in the morning, the first two things I do are to thank God for my life, and veterans for my way of life.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, I join today with many of my colleagues in remembering the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Today, April 24th, is the 93rd anniversary of this human tragedy. From 1915 to 1923, the world witnessed the first genocide of the 20th Century. This was clearly one of the world's greatest tragedies--the deliberate and systematic Ottoman annihilation of 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children. Furthermore, another 500,000 refugees fled and escaped to various points around the world--effectively eliminating the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. From these ashes arose hope and promise in 1991--and I was blessed to see it. I was one of the four international observers from the United States Congress to monitor Armenia's independence referendum. I went to the communities in the northern part of Armenia, and I watched in awe as 95 percent of the people over the age of 18 went out and voted. The Armenian people had been denied freedom for so many years and, clearly, they were very excited about this new opportunity. Almost no one stayed home. They were all out in the streets going to the polling places. I watched in amazement as people stood in line for hours to get into these small polling places and vote. Then, after they voted, the other interesting thing was that they did not go home. They had brought covered dishes with them, and all of these polling places had little banquets afterward to celebrate what had just happened. What a great thrill it was to join them the next day in the streets of Yerevan when they were celebrating their great victory. Ninety-eight percent of the people who voted cast their ballots in favor of independence. It was a wonderful experience to be there with them when they danced and sang and shouted, `Ketse azat ankakh Hayastan'--long live free and independent Armenia! That should be the cry of freedom- loving people everywhere.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I join today with many of my colleagues in supporting this Resolution celebrating the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel. On May 14, 1948, the Jewish people proudly stood up and, for the first time in 2000 years, renewed for themselves a Jewish homeland. Today, Israel is the only real and stable democracy in the Middle East, and a true friend to the United States. In the past 60 years, Israel has built a vibrant and pluralistic society, become a leader in the high tech and renewable energy sectors, produced 8 Nobel Prize laureates, freed and welcomed oppressed Jews from across the globe, and has continued to be a champion of humanitarian causes throughout the world. Despite war and terrorism, Israel remains dedicated to a lasting peace with its neighbors. I pray for hatikva, the hope of the Jewish people, to continue to flourish in Israel, and I am honored to congratulate our friend, the State of Israel, on reaching this occasion. I join you in wishing for many more years of continued prosperity, friendship, and success.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 5719, to include corrections in spelling, punctuation, section numbering and cross-referencing, and the insertion of appropriate headings.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, I wish to express my congratulations to RID (Remove Intoxicated Drivers) on its 30th anniversary. RID was the first organization to be effective in lowering DWI deaths in New York State. RID is the oldest anti-DWI national organization in the U.S. It was formed in 1978 in Schenectady, New York, by Doris Aiken, the current president. RID began its battle against drunk driving after the deaths of Karen and Timothy Morris, 17 and 19, the only Morris children, caused by an intoxicated 22 year old on December 4, 1977. RID's mission, then and now, is to deter impaired driving and teen binge drinking. RID educates the public about the impact of abusive alcohol use on life and health with materials, public awareness campaigns, and intense media interactions. RID has chapters and/or coordinators in 41 States. RID relies heavily on volunteers. RID has never accepted funding from the alcohol industry or other special interests that do not support its goals. They have no paid workers in the field and do not hire professional fundraisers; 90 percent of all funds are spent on programs and 10 percent on administration and fundraising. Madam Speaker, I ask all Members of the House to recognize and applaud the work of Doris Aiken and volunteers of RID. Their dedication and determination to end drunken driving and alcohol abuse is an excellent example of the power in each and every one of us to effect change in our communities and the Nation. May they continue to provide service and compassion for many years to come.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, I join today with many of my colleagues in extending my congratulations to the people of Nagorno Karabakh on the anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh Freedom Movement. On February 20, 1988, the people of Nagorno Karabakh officially petitioned the Soviet government to reunite with Armenia and reverse the injustice perpetrated by the Soviet dictator, Joseph Stalin. This peaceful and legal request was met with violent reaction by the Soviet and Azerbaijani leadership and escalated into full military aggression against Nagorno Karabakh. The people of Nagorno Karabakh bravely defended their right to live in freedom on their ancestral land. Today, Nagorno Karabakh continues to strengthen its statehood with a democratically elected government, a capable defense force, and an independent foreign policy. I stand with the people of Nagorno Karabakh in celebrating their continuing freedom and democracy.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Conrad and Frances Gaskin on their 50th wedding anniversary Both first generation African Caribbean Americans, Conrad and Frances met in elementary school and were married on September 14, 1957 at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in the Bronx. Conrad served in the United States Air Force before eventually working for the New York State Teacher's Retirement System. After receiving her doctorate from Fordham, Frances went on to found and serve as a professor for a program in nursing at the Hostos Community College at the City University of New York. Moving to Albany in August of 1980, the Gaskins helped found an additional Church home in the Faith Community of the Black Apostolate. This later expanded to include St. Joan of Are and Sacred Heart Churches of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, where both serve as Ministers of the Eucharist. Committed to serving the community, Conrad and Frances continued to stay active and involved after retirement. Conrad coached basketball and swimming while Frances worked for the American Red of America Cross and is a Staff Officer with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. They are blessed with three children and five grandchildren. It is my honor to recognize Conrad and Frances Gaskin and provide my heartfelt congratulations to them on this wonderful event in their lives. I would like to extend my best wishes to the Gaskins and their family on their 50th wedding anniversary.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, I am most pleased to recognize the outstanding contributions of Dr. Sacvan Bercovitch, the Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature Emeritus of Harvard University, who has been awarded the Bode-Pearson Prize for his outstanding contributions to American studies. Professor Bercovitch is the brother of a beloved constituent, Ninel Segal. He has been called ``one of the great literary historians of the 20th century'' and ``one of the first American scholars to analyze the ideological and rhetorical functions of literature and to link art to political and cultural themes.'' Many of his works have been translated in French, German, Chinese, Italian, and others. I am pleased to insert into the Record the citation presented to Professor Bercovitch by the American Studies Association: ``Rare, extravagant spirits,'' says Emerson in his essay on History, ``come to us at intervals, who disclose to us new facts in nature.'' Tonight it gives me great pleasure, on behalf of my fellow committee members, Elaine May and James Miller, to award the Bode-Pearson prize to one such spirit, indeed, the presiding spirit of American Studies, Sacvan Bercovitch. Through his writings, intellectual projects, and service to the Association, Professor Bercovitch has made an unparalleled set of distinguished contributions over the last 30 years. Perhaps no single literary historian has exerted the profound influence over his field that Bercovitch has, for he has been the key figure in the ideological turn of American literary study and the galvanizing source of its interdisciplinary practice. If the American Studies community is infinitely more robust than it was the last time the Association met in Philadelphia in 1983 when tonight's honoree was its president, it may well be the fruit of Sacvan Bercovitch's labors. If this sounds extravagant, know that it merely does justice to the extravagant bounty of his learning, the extravagant scope of his inquiry, the extravagantly searching range of his intellect, the extravagant intensity of his example for three generations of students, and the extravagant vitality of his commitment. Bercovitch began his career as an Americanist with his publication, in 1966, of an essay on Cotton Mather, but he had begun his informal study of America some years before. As a Canadian from Montreal's rough-and-tumble Yiddish-speaking quarter, his fascination with U.S. culture preceded his engagement with its literary traditions. While Bercovitch never lost that connection to his past, and indeed, translated several of the great Yiddish writers of the 20th century, his own American studies took him to the New School of Social Research, Reed College, Hightstown, New Jersey, where he trained to join a kibbutz in Israel, then on to Claremont college, where he took his graduate degrees, then to Brandeis, and UC-San Diego until he arrived at Columbia, where he was to stay for 13 years before taking his last academic post, at Harvard. Like Hawthorne's Holgrave, he worked at various trades, scholarly and otherwise, all of which contributed to the swell of consciousness that resulted in two paradigm-changing scholarly works of his early career: The Puritan Origins of the American Self (1975) and The American Jeremiad (1979). In the early 1980s, Bercovitch developed the intellectual underpinnings of the next great phase of his career, when he edited and co edited two seminal books of the era, Reconstructing American Literary History and Ideology and Classic American Literature. Let me remind you how influential those collections were when they appeared two decades ago. For the first, Bercovitch assembled an impressive line-up of scholars and literary historians whose work would resonate for years to come--like Sandra Gilbert, Walter Michaels, Werner Sollors, Wendy Steiner, Robert Stepto, and Eric Sundquist, scholars who made the case for profession only slowly--all too slowly--awakening to the realization that the literary history of the U.S. needed to be reconstructed; with Myra Jehlen, he showed that the urgency of that reconstruction was ideological and that classic American literature, the redoubt of liberal humanism, was nothing if not political, in a series of essays by Jonathan Arac, Houston Baker, Gerald Graff, Don Pease, Carolyn Porter, Jane Tompkins, and Alan Trachtenberg, among other distinguished contributors. These collections, in no small part, helped to reinvent the study of American literature and, in so doing, changed the future of this Association. Some of you will remember vividly what the Association's meetings were like as a direct consequence of Bercovitch's term, in San Diego, New York, and Miami, and can assure people who have only recently found a home here that the intellectual ferment of these years was dizzying, especially to the extent that it matched Sacvan Bercovitch's critical example: the cultural study of literature and literary study of culture broke wide open the intellectual boundaries of the Americanists' sense of the object of scholarly inquiry. That generation of scholars who changed the way we do business, if only because they followed the ways his work so vigorously aroused the possibilities of interdisciplinary study, through what Bercovitch called the ``reciprocities between symbolic and social systems.'' Moreover his leadership also gave the Association a new critical urgency, by moving it away from the hidebound, dry academicism that had dominated it for the previous two decades and toward public engagement. At the time there were many who resisted and not a few who resented this new direction, yet the growth of the Association might suggest just how sorely needed and how keenly received was the charge that Sacvan Bercovitch had laid before us. The ASA's sense of itself has evolved in the last ten years, and perhaps the role of cultural study of literature and the literary study of culture is not as crucial as it once was, but these changes have only been possible because of the difference that Bercovitch--his colleagues, students, and followers--first wrought. That charge was freshly shaped in his next great contribution to American literary studies, his supervision of the new Cambridge History of American Literature, brought to completion only in the year before last. This project made bold to rewrite, not as one book or two or even the four volumes that its predecessor had essayed 70 years prior, but as eight volumes written by some thirty scholars. The task proved arduous, and perhaps its completion depended as much upon the contributors' loyalty to Bercovitch as it did their commitment to their assignment. The lesson rehearsed in page after page of the History is ``dissensus,'' the vision of literary history that rejects easy coherence and instead accommodates the evidence of vivifying resistance out of which a fuller, truer history may be understood--the turning of the inside of literary texts out and the turning of contexts in. Bercovitch's founding idea prompted a complex way of imagining literary historiography, one that especially enlivened the understanding of students and younger scholars, so much so that the ``History'' that they created was largely understood to be something of a generational enterprise. Indeed, the influence of the Cambridge History can be calculated in the way its separate parts have arrived with all the authority of established wisdom; its arguments crystallize the very terms of our practice over 20 years. In this sense, its eight volumes are but the shell of a project that will outlast us all. Bercovitch's own reading and research led him to Hawthorne and inevitably The Scarlet Letter, but I will pass over the great achievements of his scholarship, just as I also pass over the dutiful recitations of his many, many honors and awards, the editorial and advisory boards and executive committees on which he has served, the consultantships, the positions of leadership he undertook in a surprising variety of places all too numerous to mention, in order to take a final few minutes to recall his presidency of this association. In so many ways, the current ASA is a wonderful prism of his multifaceted accomplishments. Members of longer standing than I will testify that Bercovitch ``saved'' the ASA, by which they mean that during his tenure he undertook a major effort to resuscitate and transform the organization. At the time, ASA was wholly dependent on the University of Pennsylvania and in debt a considerable amount of money to them. Penn even held the copyright to AQ. Bercovitch mobilized a number of influential ASA members, including past president Daniel Aaron and Leo Marx, to change the modus operandi. He also realized that, most of all, the culture of ASA had to change, and beginning with a panel of luminaries devoted to the organization's future at Philadelphia in 1983, he undertook to reshape it into the entity we know today. As part of a major re-evaluation, the association took ownership of its journal, established new publishing arrangements, raised new funds, relocated to Washington, DC, shifted to annual meetings (although the planning for this began with Bercovitch, Michael Cowan eventually pushed it through). Plus, the ASA under Bercovitch began to internationalize, reinvigorating ties with the Canadian and European associations, even as it moved forcefully to diversify, naming Martha Banta as program chair of the San Diego conference, which, in turn, featured the work of several future presidents--Mary Helen Washington, Stephen Sumida, Vicki Ruiz--all of whom became involved in the organization for the first time. In short, we might dedicate ourselves tonight to making ASA worthy of this immeasurably rich legacy. So please join with me and applaud, extravagantly, the career of Saki Bercovitch.--Gordon Hutner, Professor of American Literature, University of Illinois, Editor, American Literary History.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, I wish to recognize and celebrate the tenure of Deborah Onslow, President and General Manager of WMHT Educational Telecommunications in Troy, NY. On November 1, 2007, the Tech Valley community in my district will come together to celebrate Ms. Onslow's many years of dedication, hard work, and accomplishment on behalf of public broadcasting at the community and national levels. Her leadership and commitment to local community values is integral not only to the success of WMHT, but to the entire public television and radio community. Ms. Onslow assumed the position of President and General Manager of WMHT Educational Telecommunications in March 2001, becoming the first woman ever to head a New York State public broadcasting station. During her distinguished career, Ms. Onslow has received national recognition for outstanding achievements in local fundraising, as well as for local program production. Before joining WMHT, Ms. Onslow served as Vice President and General Manager of WGBY in Springfield, MA, and as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of WXXI in Rochester, NY. Ms. Onslow is a member of the WGBH Educational Foundation, and has also served on the PBS Board of Directors. Locally, she is serving on the Business-Higher Education Roundtable, as well as on the Board of Directors of the Center for Economic Growth. She was co-chair of the 2003 American Heart Association's Capital Region American Heart Walk. I ask my colleagues to join me today in commending Deborah Onslow for her distinguished career in furthering the mission and values of public broadcasting.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, I am most pleased to recognize the outstanding contributions of a beloved constituent of mine, Ninel Segal, and to insert in the Record the testimonial presented to Ninel by Rabbi Paul B. Silton of Temple Israel in Albany, New York: On this Shabbat Korach, Rosh Kodesh Tammuz, the 30th of Sivan 5767, corresponding to the 16th of June 2007, we, the friends of Ninel Segal, are privileged to join together at Temple Israel of Albany, New York to honor her as she prepares to celebrate her 28th wedding anniversary with her beloved Charles. To you, Leah bat Alter v'Braina, we say: Thank you for the inspiring example you have created for all of us; the example of love and devotion to the Jewish people and to the leaders and citizens of our great country. As a teacher you devoted yourself to the education of your students at the Sholem Aleichem Folkschule in Mount Vernon, New York. You served as director of the Speakers Bureau and as a program associate for the National Committee for Labor Israel. You served as a volunteer for Congressman Michael R. McNulty for 16 years and received Congressional Recognition for your indefatigable efforts to help so many people in the community. While working for Congressman McNulty, you had the opportunity to meet presidents of many countries. A Zionist for years, you have supported Israel with devotion and loyalty. Your concern for the perpetuation of your Jewish heritage has been constant and consistent. In the years to come, may God continue to bless you and your beloved Charles with vigor of body and mind so that you can work in His vineyard, performing deeds of loving kindness for all who are privileged to meet you. May God crown your life with honor and achievement. May He fill your heart with love of neighbor and concern for the welfare of all people. May He grant you a satisfying religious life in this sanctuary of the House of Israel. On behalf of the entire Temple Israel family, Mazel Tov.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 1, the Implementation of the 9/11 Commissions Act of 2007, which would enact the recommendations of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. This legislation provides funding that is critical to protect our Nation and improve our preparedness capabilities. It will give us the necessary tools to secure our country by increasing rail and transit safety, improving communication for first responders, and implementing programs to prevent terrorist organizations from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. This bill is especially critical to New York, which is still recovering from the terrorist attacks on 9/11, because it will award homeland security grants based on risk assessment. Enactment of this proposal will further protect our country by requiring scanning of all cargo containers originating from foreign ports, increasing funding for baggage and checkpoint screening, and requiring scanning of all cargo on passenger flights. H.R. 1 will help to address the many challenges that the United States faces in the wake of 9/11, and I am proud to support it.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I believe the majority leader's recounting of what happened last night is correct; and I wish to express my apology to all of the Members of the House for calling the vote prematurely. I called the vote at 214-214. Subsequently, Members of both parties changed their votes. The majority leader is correct. Very soon after that the board showed a different vote, which was, I believe, in favor of the motion to recommit. And then when all of the Members had been counted, it was 212 in favor and 216 opposed. All of those numbers in those various iterations add up to 428. So all Members had voted, but Members of both parties had changed their votes. I just want to express regret to all the Members of the House, and especially the minority, for any role that I had in causing that confusion by calling the vote prematurely. The Members who have been around for a long time, and staff, know that I have presided over the House many, many times since 1989, when Jim Wright first put me in the Chair. And all during that time, I have always strived to be scrupulously fair, to the extent where a number of Members of my party in the old days used to criticize me for calling voice votes in favor of the minority when the minority had more Members in the room than the majority did. And Members of the minority party mentioned that to me many times through the years, as did Members of the minority staff. And so I just want to reiterate that I regret any role that I played in causing the confusion. I just want to pledge to all of the Members of the House that I will continue to go out of my way to be fair when I am given the privilege of serving as Speaker pro tempore to all Members of the House and to both parties.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of both the rule and the conference report.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Thank you, Chairman Obey. Mr. Chairman, I rise to enter into a colloquy with the distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Committee and the Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee, Mr. Obey. Mr. Chairman, today my goal is to draw attention to the backlog of applications for disability benefits at the Social Security Administration. Today, more than 1.3 million Americans are awaiting a decision on their disability cases. SSA is staffed with dedicated, hard-working employees, but due to staffing shortages at the agency, some applicants for disability benefits must wait as long as 3 or 4 years before receiving a decision on their case. Many of these individuals are severely ill or injured, cannot work or have little or no income or access to health care. American workers pay into the Social Security system with the promise that if they become severely disabled, Social Security will be there for them. Today we are falling far short on that promise. This situation is a direct result of the understaffing of the Social Security Administration in recent years. Other important programs under the Labor, Health and Human Services bill have also been underfunded. Given these competing needs, I greatly appreciate the chairman's efforts and the committee's effort to include additional funding for SSA in this year's bill. Nonetheless, I believe we should strive to do better in conference.

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say to Chairman Obey that, Dave, I approached you on this earlier in the year. Your response was immediate and positive. You have provided the additional funding. We hope to get more in conference. But what you have done is going to accrue to the benefit of thousands and thousands of Americans who have been waiting a long, long time for these decisions. On their behalf, I thank you.