Michael McNulty

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. A 25th anniversary is supposed to be a happy occasion. Not so for the Greek-Cypriots. For them it marks the forcible division of Cyprus and the invasion of their beloved island by Turkey in 1974. In the last quarter century, Turkish invaders forced nearly 200,000 Greek Cypriots from their homes to become refugees in their own land. For example, the 1975 Vienna III Agreement would have permitted 20,000 Greek Cypriots and Maronites to remain to live normal lives in the Turkish occupied Karpas Peninsula and the Maronite villages. Today, only 500 enclaved Greek Cypriots and 160 Maronites are in the occupied area. There are reports of all kinds of harassments and violations of civil rights and liberties, including the destruction of Byzantine churches and other places of worship. Turkish restrictions abound--on travel, education and religious practices. This situation is unacceptable. And yet, despite all the Turkish abuses, the Government of Cyprus continues to reach out for a peaceful solution. The Greek Cypriots want peace. Recently, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolutions 1217 and 1218, calling for a peaceful, just, and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem. The United States Government wholeheartedly supports these resolutions and is committed to taking all necessary steps to help in its achievement. In the final analysis, only the parties to a dispute can settle it. Ultimately, it will be Cyprus and Turkey who will have to agree on a settlement. The Government of Cyprus is willing to come to the negotiating table. I urge our Government to continue to press ahead to persuade Turkey to comply with the Security Council resolution and to come to the negotiating table to work out a solution to this nettling problem. There is no quick fix to the Cyprus problem. But we must persevere. A solution can only benefit the entire Mediterranean region.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my leader for yielding me this time. My father and my grandfather, two great public servants, taught me that Harry Truman was one of the finest presidents in the history of our country, and I think that that was because he was possessed of such wonderful common sense. As a matter of fact, he became known for saying ``Let's look at the record.'' And, Mr. Speaker, I think that is what we ought to do today. In 1981, Ronald Reagan came to office and promised the Nation a balanced budget in 3 years. He never delivered on that promise. Not in 3 years, not in 4 years, not in 8 years, not in 12 years of the Reagan and Bush administrations. As a matter of fact, the opposite occurred. Because of the huge tax cut which was implemented at the beginning of his term, we had larger and larger deficits throughout those years, $200, $300, $400 billion. And, yes, we quadrupled the national debt. All of the debt, Mr. Speaker, of the United States of America from George Washington to Jimmy Carter amounted to less than $1 trillion. And in the 12 years of the Reagan and Bush administrations that went to over $4 trillion. That is the record. In 1993, Bill Clinton came to office and he promised to reduce the budget deficits. He did a lot more than that, Mr. Speaker. He eliminated them. And now we are having this wonderful debate about what to do with the extra money. That is the record. We have a decision to make, Mr. Speaker. We can go with the policy of the 1980s, which gave us ever-increasing deficits which quadrupled the national debt, or we can do what I am going to do. I am going to stick with the winners, with Clinton and Gore and Gephardt and that man sitting right there, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), and I am going to support his program of saving Social Security, saving Medicare, and reducing the national debt. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this bill and to support the Rangel substitute.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, on Friday we opened the new Saratoga National Cemetery, and I was in the company of 2,000 distinguished veterans and a very special former colleague in this House. Two of my former colleagues, as a matter of fact, spent a lot of time on that project. One of them, Sam Stratton, was a Member of this body for 30 years. He has since passed away. But another, thank God, was there for the event. That was Congressman Jerry Solomon, who served in this House for 20 years and rose to be Chair of the Committee on Rules. It was a great honor to be in the presence of all those veterans and to be able to look Congressman Solomon in the eye and say: ``Thank you for your dedication through the years, and for the opportunity to be your partner in these efforts for the past 10 years.'' And now, to be able to realize that heroes like Pete Dalessandro, who was a Congressional Medal of Honor winner from my district, will be one of the first veterans who finds the Saratoga National Cemetery as his final resting place. It was just another opportunity to be with great Americans, and to thank God for my life and veterans for my way of life.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, on Friday we opened the new Saratoga National Cemetery, and I was in the company of 2,000 distinguished veterans and a very special former colleague in this House. Two of my former colleagues, as a matter of fact, spent a lot of time on that project, one of them, Sam Stratton, who was a Member of this body for 30 years. He has since passed away. But another, thank God, was there for the event itself, and that was Congressman Jerry Solomon, who served in this House for 20 years and rose to be Chair of the Committee on Rules, and it was a great honor to be in the presence of all of those veterans and to be able to look Congressman Solomon in the eye and say: ``Thank you for your dedication through the years and for allowing me to be a part of those efforts for the past 10 years.'' And now, to be able to realize that heroes like Pete D'Alesandro, who was a Congressional Medal of Honor winner from my district, will be one of the first veterans who finds that place as his final resting place, it was just another great opportunity to be with great Americans and to thank God for my life and veterans for my way of life.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, we are about to again celebrate our independence day. I mentioned on the floor yesterday how grateful we should be to all the men and women who wore the uniform of the United States military through the years. Because had it not been for their sacrifice, we would not have the privilege of going around bragging about how we live in the freest and most open democracy on the face of the Earth. Freedom is not free. We paid a tremendous price for it. But it goes beyond freedom in the United States of America. Just in the past decade, we have seen the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, the democratization of all of Eastern Europe, the breakup of the Soviet Union. And we should recognize that the sacrifice of our soldiers have meant freedom and democracy for hundreds of millions of other people all around the world. So it is a weekend where we should practice great gratitude. And, in my opinion, Mr. Speaker, I hope more and more Americans do what I do every morning when I get up. First I thank God for my life, and then I thank veterans for my way of life.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I want to commend both the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) and all of those who are supporting this legislation. It is appropriate that we take this up at this particular time as we approach another celebration of our Independence Day and remember to keep our priorities straight. Had it not been for the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States military through the years, we would not have the privilege of going around bragging about how we live in the freest and most open democracy on the face of the earth. Freedom is not free. We paid a tremendous price for it. Not a day goes by that I do not remember all of those who, like my brother Bill, made the supreme sacrifice and all of the many veterans who served our country and then came back home and rendered such outstanding service in our communities and raised wonderful families to carry on their great traditions. I enthusiastically support this legislation. I thank the sponsors. I urge my colleagues to approve it unanimously.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. And I thank the chairman and ranking member and all of the sponsors for bringing this resolution to the floor, which I strongly support. I traveled to Sudan in 1989, and I did not know much about the Horn of Africa at the time, but I knew this: 280,000 people starved to death the year before, not because there was not enough food, because there was a tremendous outpouring of support from people all over the world, and, I am proud to say, primarily from the United States of America. But that food did not get through to the innocent civilian populations because of this civil war. I went to Sudan with the late Mickey Leland and the late Bill Emerson and my colleague Gary Ackerman, and I watched in awe as Mickey Leland negotiated with the tyrant Sadiq al- Mahdi and with the leader of the SPLA John Garang, and even that unsavory character next door President Mengistu in Ethiopia to create these corridors for peace. He was successful that year. And in that following year, the destitution and starvation dropped dramatically. But in the time since then, we have focused our attention elsewhere. We have looked away from this tragic situation and the situation today under Colonel Bashir is as bad as it has ever been. As my friend and colleague the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) pointed out, 1.9 million people already dead in this one nation because of this civil war; 4 million people internally displaced, more than any other nation on the face of the Earth. And we look the other way. Mr. Speaker, we need to get our priorities straight, stop this war, secure the peace, end this human suffering. And we can start by passing and then implementing this resolution.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I only have a minute, so let me get right to the point. I oppose this closed rule, I oppose the declaration of war and the use of U.S. ground forces, and I oppose the motion to withdraw from our efforts to liberate Kosovo. Mr. Speaker, when one says what one is against, one ought to stand up and say what one is for. I support the current air campaign, which is already weakening Milosevic's military capability, and I support arming the KLA so that we have a ground operation composed of individuals who actually know the terrain. So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this closed rule, oppose both Campbell resolutions, and support the continuation of the air campaign, coupled with the creation of a more effective KLA ground force.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I join with my many colleagues today in remembering the victims of the Armenian Genocide. But rather than repeat what has already been said, let me say a few words about the very positive spirit of the Armenian people. They endured a great deal before, during and after the genocide. They were also under the totalitarian dictatorship of the Soviet Union for many decades. That all ended in 1991, and I was there 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 all of the people over the age of 18 went out and voted. And, of course, I thought how great it would be if we could get that kind of participation in our own democratic elections here in the United States of America. Sometimes we take things for granted. But the Armenian people had been denied freedom for so many years, and they were very excited about this new opportunity. As best I could determine it, Mr. Speaker, almost no one stayed home. They were all out in the streets going to the polling places. I watched people stand 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 all freedom-loving people everywhere.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I join with my many colleagues today in remembering the victims of the Armenian Genocide. But rather than repeat what has already been said, let me say a few words about the very positive spirit of the Armenian people, because they endured a great deal before, during and after the genocide, and they were under the totalitarian dictatorship of the Soviet Union for many decades. That all ended in 1991, and I was there to see it. I was one of the four international observers from the United States Congress to monitor that independence referendum. I went to the communities in the northern part of Armenia, and I watched in awe as 95 percent of all of the people over the age of 18 went out and voted in that referendum. And of course, the thought did not escape me how great it would be if we could get that kind of participation in our own democratic government here in the United States of America. But, as always, sometimes we take things for granted. But the Armenian people had been denied for so many years, they were so excited about this new opportunity, almost everyone was out in the streets, and that number, I am sure, Mr. Speaker, was not inflated because as best I could determine it, no one was in their homes. They were all out into the streets going to the polling places. I watched people stand in line literally 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, because they had brought little covered dishes with them, and all of these little polling places across the country, they would have little banquets afterwards to celebrate what had just happened. What a great thrill it was to be with them the next day in the streets of Yerevan when they were celebrating the great victory, because 98 percent of the people who voted, of course, voted in favor of independence. It was a great thrill to be there with them when they danced and sang and shouted, Getze Haiastan, long live free and independent Armenia. That should be the cry of all freedom-loving people throughout the world today.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, the American people join with the people of Greece in celebrating the 178th anniversary of the revolution that freed the Greek people from the Ottoman Empire. The bedrock of our close relationship with Greece is our mutual devotion to freedom and democracy and our unshakable determination to fight, if need be, to protect these rights. Greek philosophers and political leaders--Cleisthenes and Pericles and their successors--had great influence upon America's Founding Fathers in their creation of these United States. We, as a nation, owe a great debt to Greece. ``To the ancient Greeks,'' Thomas Jefferson said, ``we are all indebted for the light which led ourselves (American colonists) out of Gothic darkness.'' Greece is the birthplace of American democracy. We will always remember the words of Pericles: Our administration favors the many instead of the few: this is why it is called a democracy. The laws afford equal justice to all alike in their private disputes, but we do not ignore the claims of excellence. When a citizen distinguishes himself, then he will be called to serve the state, in preference to others, not as a matter of privilege, but as a reward of merit; and poverty is no bar. Democracy has been called the fastest growing form of government in the world. As we prepare to enter the 21st century, an increasing number of countries are throwing off the yoke of dictatorship and evolving into fledgling democracies. In a broad sense the English poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley declared: ``We are all Greeks! Our laws, our literature, our religion, our art, have their roots in Greece.'' I congratulate the people of Greece and wish them a Happy National Birthday.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, John F. Kennedy once said: ``A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, but by the men it honors, the men it remembers.'' Today I honor the life and work of a great woman. Down the hall, in the Rotunda of this magnificent building--an incredible tribute to democracy--there is a statue of three great women, all American pioneers. Most historians will agree that Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott--because of their lifelong struggle for equality--deserve that place of honor, in our Rotunda, with the statues of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; where John Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln and the Unknown Soldiers were laid in State. I urge my colleagues, and all my fellow Americans, to help me honor another pioneering woman who lived at the same time as these three women suffragists. Mr. Speaker, this woman also was a leader in the struggle for equality. She was an Irish immigrant who toiled as a laundress for the collar and cuff industry in the late 19th century. Mr. Speaker, this woman was 19 years old when she formed the first female labor union in the country, the Collar Laundry Union and successfully led a strike of over 200 laundresses. As a result, the union won wage increases of 25%. Mr. Speaker, this woman helped organize workers around the country and helped unions outside of the laundry industry. She became the first female ever appointed to a national labor office when she was appointed Assistant Secretary of the then-National Labor Union. Mr. Speaker, this woman's name was Kate Mullany and she lived in Troy, New York. Kate Mullany's home, located at 350 Eighth Street in Troy, is the last surviving structure associated with her life and work. While her years of work and efforts on behalf of American workers might merit her inclusion in the Rotunda of this Capitol, the least we should do is preserve her house and use it as an educational tool to tell the story of her life and the development of the American labor movement--which has strong roots in the Capital Region of New York State. That is why I have introduced H.R. 641, the ``Kate Mullany National Historic Site Act'', which would make the house a unit of the National Park Service. Last year, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt designated the Mullany House as a National Historic Landmark and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton included the house as a stop on her ``Save America's Treasures'' tour. I appreciate their involvement and their support. Mr. Speaker, for too long, important stories and legacies left by people who were the fabric of American life--those who worked for a living--have been overlooked. America was built on the backs of laborers and they deserve recognition. The National Labor Theme Study Act, which I wrote, the Congress passed, and the President signed in 1991, sought to correct this wrong and has identified the Kate Mullany House as a prominent site worth preserving to tell the story of American laborers and the American labor movement. I ask that my colleagues in the House support H.R. 641. This is important legislation which would properly honor and remember Kate Mullany's work and pay tribute to the significant contributions made by her and her fellow laborers to the history of this great nation. Mr. Speaker, we are all active participants in telling the history of America. The responsibility of telling the stories of heroes like Kate Mullany is on our shoulders.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the bill, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my dear friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra), a fellow member of the Subcommittee on Trade.

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Crane) has very thoroughly explained the provisions of the bill and we have thoroughly reviewed it on our side of the aisle to ensure that it does not adversely affect U.S. consumers or U.S. industry. We support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I call upon this Congress to address a major concern of single mothers, working women and working families. The wage gap in America between men and women has been overlooked for far too long. While women in America have made great strides in the workplace, on average, they earn only 75 cents to a man's dollar. This issue goes beyond simply ensuring what is equal and right, and has long-lasting economic impacts on our society. While more and more women have become the primary source of family income, the total amount of wages women lost last year due to pay inequity was over $130 billion. Single mothers and working families realize the entire family would be better off if women were being paid what they are worth and have rightly earned. This Congress can continue the commitment to equality by removing the economic barriers which hinder too many women and their families. That is why I have decided to co-sponsor the ``Paycheck Fairness Act'', sponsored by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. I urge all members of the Congress, and all my fellow Americans to recognize and address this very serious issue.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Madam Speaker, I thank the dean of the New York delegation for yielding to me. I am delighted to join with the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) and the other members of the New York delegation today in saluting my dear friend, Tom Manton. I want to take the few moments available to me to talk about the subject of gratitude. I am a grateful man today because 10 years ago, when I first sought election to the United States Congress, the man from Queens, Tom Manton, reached to upstate New York and he helped me. He helped me to win that election. And after that election was over and before I even came to Washington for freshman orientation, he called me and invited me to come to his district office in New York City where we spent the day together. And he gave me tremendous advice and counsel on what I was about to face as a Member of the United States House of Representatives. And I shall never forget that. When I did arrive in Washington and wanted to serve on a couple of special committees, he helped me do that as well. That kind of support and assistance has gone on for the past 10 years. I have not been the only recipient, but on my own behalf today, I want to thank my good friend, Tom Manton, for all that he has done for me over the period of the past 10 years. Charlie and my friends, it got better than that. During one of my reelection campaigns, the folks in the capital district and the Irish American community decided to get together and have an event in support of my reelection. And simultaneous with the planning of that, Tom Manton came up to me on the floor of the House one day and said, is there anything I can do to help you in your reelection campaign? I said, well, the Irish American community is having this event and maybe it might be possible for you to come up to Albany and appear at that event with me. He immediately said yes. And he did that. And he came up and we had a great big party up in Albany, and he spoke on my behalf. And then, Dean Rangel, what he did was, he sang on my behalf. And I am here today to report back to the New York delegation and the entire country that despite the fact that Tom Manton sang in my behalf, I still won that election. I am so grateful to have Tom Manton as a friend. I speak for many, many people who do not have access to a microphone like this today to speak to all New Yorkers and to the rest of the country. Tom, what I simply want to say to you today is, you have rendered outstanding service over a very long period of time to your community and your country, and I am deeply grateful that you have allowed me to be among your many friends.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, when I get up in the morning, the first two things I do are to thank God for my life and thank veterans for my way of life. Because if it had not been for the sacrifices of the men and women who wore the uniform of the United States military through the years, I would not have the privilege--as a citizen of the United States--of going around bragging about how we live in the freest and most open democracy on the face of the earth. Freedom is not free. We have paid a tremendous price for it. I shall always be grateful to those who, like my brother Bill, made the supreme sacrifice. And to people like that man right there, Jerry Solomon, who served with distinction in the United States military and then came back to our home region in upstate New York, because a successful businessman, and--more importantly in my eyes--entered a career in public service. From his local government roles to his national leadership role today, he has rendered such outstanding service to us all. I have been in the United States Congress for half of Jerry Solomon's tenure. And what a privilege it has been, Jerry, over these past 10 years, to serve with you, as a team. Together we have accomplished a great deal for the Capital Region of the State of New York, but I will not go into those items right now. One day on the House steps, I think I was in my first or second term, we were having pictures taken with our respective constituents. Jerry grabbed me and asked the photographer to take a picture of the two of us. He later inscribed that photo and sent it over to my office and it is on my office wall today--and it will stay there. It says, ``Mike-- thanks for being part of the one-two-punch for the Capital District.'' Let me acknowledge, there was never any doubt about who was number 1 and who was number 2. But I want to say to my friend, Jerry, what a great honor it has been to be number 2 on that team with you. And today I want to look you in the eye and say thank you for your service to our country, for the tremendous service you gave to your constituents throughout your long and distinguished career, and most importantly, to thank you for what you gave to me. You have been a true and loyal friend. And while you are leaving here--and I regret that deeply--the one thing I take comfort in knowing is that our wonderful friendship will continue.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, when I get up in the morning, the first 2 things I do are to thank God for my life and thank veterans for my way of life, because if it had not been for the men and women who wore the uniform of the United States military through the years, I would not have the privilege as a citizen of the United States of America of going around bragging about how we live in the freest and most open democracy on the face of the earth. Freedom is not free. We have paid a tremendous price for it. I shall always be grateful to those who, like my brother, Bill, made the supreme sacrifice, and to people like that man right there, Jerry Solomon, who served with distinction in the United States military and then came back to our home region in upstate New York, was a successful businessman, but more importantly in my eyes, who entered a career in public service. From the local government roles to his national role today, he has rendered such outstanding service. I have been in the United States Congress for half of Jerry Solomon's tenure, and what a privilege it has been, Jerry, over these past 10 years to serve with you, as a team, because together we have accomplished a great deal for the capital region of the State of New York, and I will not go into those items right now. But one day on the steps, I think I was in my first or second term, we were having pictures taken with our respective constituents and Jerry grabbed me and asked the photographer to take a picture of the 2 of us. He later inscribed that photo and sent it over to my office and it is on my office wall today and it will stay there, and it says, ``Mike, thank you for being part of the 1-2 punch for the capital region of New York.'' Let me acknowledge, there was never any doubt about who was number 1 and who was number 2. But I want to say to my friend, Jerry, what a great honor it was, and it has been, to be number 2 on that team with you. And today I want to look you in the eye and say thank you for your service to our country, number 1, for the tremendous service you gave to your constituents throughout your long and distinguished career; and most importantly, thank you for what you gave to me. You have been a true and loyal friend, and while you are leaving here, and I regret that deeply, the one thing I take comfort in knowing is that that wonderful friendship will continue.

Mr. McNULTY

Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I join with all of my colleagues in congratulating Bob, and look forward to working with him here in the House of Representatives. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to introduce to the Members of the House my good friend Rabbi Moshe Bomzer, the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Abraham-Jacob of Albany, New York. Rabbi Bomzer delivered the opening prayer today, and, incidentally, for those who have been around here for a while, he also delivered the opening prayer 20 years ago this month. Following in the footsteps of his father, who has led Brooklyn congregations for the past 45 years, Rabbi Bomzer is now celebrating the 13th year, his ``Bar Mitzvah year,'' Mazeltov, as the spiritual leader of the largest Orthodox Jewish Congregation in our State's Capital District. In addition to his congregational duties, Mr. Speaker, Rabbi Bomzer is also the Chairman of the Chaplaincy Committee of the Capital District Board of Rabbis, serving as Chaplain at the Albany Correctional Facility, St. Peter's Hospital, and Teresian House. In 1996, Governor George Pataki appointed him to the Kosher Law Enforcement Advisory Board. Last year he was appointed a National Vice President of the Rabbinical Council of America. Mr. Speaker, he has won the respect and admiration of his congregation and of our community as a whole, for his tireless dedication to the preservation of Judaism and the Jewish heritage. We are honored to have him here today, along with his wife, Rachael, and a large delegation from the Hebrew Academy of the Capital District. Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me just say a word of special thanks to my friend Moshe for the part of his prayer that dealt with saluting the men and women who wore the uniform of the United States military through the years. Had it not been for their service, we would not have the privilege of bragging about how we live in the freest and most open democracy on the face of the earth. Freedom is not free. On behalf of my brother Bill, who made the supreme sacrifice, and all of those who made the supreme sacrifice, and all of those who served in our Armed Forces through the years, like the late Pete D'Alessandro from Watervliet, New York, Congressional Medal of Honor winner, Moshe, I thank you.