Bob Menendez

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Jewish Community Center of Bayonne, New Jersey, on their annual Holocaust Remembrance Day Observance. The Jewish Community Center, headed by co-chairmen Aaron and Michael Kessel, has organized a remarkable program designed to provide understanding about the horrors of the Holocaust through education; our most important and fundamental tool in promoting the truth about the Holocaust. Using the theme ``In Darkness there is Light,'' the message is that even at one's lowest moment--when one is stricken with despair and sees no way out--even then, there is still hope; there is still possibility; there is still life. From the eighth grade students who will be taking part in a special assembly program to the seventh grade students who will be meeting with teacher volunteers to the proclamation which will be given by the mayor of Bayonne and honorary chair of the event, Mr. Joseph Doria, this day of remembrance and recognition is an all-encompassing event. Supported by the city of Bayonne, the Bayonne Interfaith Clergy and the Jewish Community Center, the goal is to bring all members of the community together to learn and discuss the atrocities of not only the Holocaust but the repercussions of prejudice, discrimination, degradation--the driving force behind the Holocaust. The highlight of the event, however, is sure to be from the guest speaker and Holocaust survivor, Mr. Fred Margolies. Mr. Margolies fled from Germany to Holland following the ``Kristalnacht.'' At only 11 years old, Mr. Margolies had to endure unimaginable pains in order to survive. Once arriving in the United States, Mr. Margolies made it a priority to not let his experiences go silenced. Rather, he was pro- active in many organizations, serving as former Vice President to the Long Island Committee for Soviet Jewry and to the Temple of Shalom in Westbury. Presently, Mr. Margolies serves on the New York State Holocaust Education and Jewish Advisory Committee of Nassau County and speaks extensively on college campuses, public and private schools, and community organizations. For these tremendous contributions to New Jersey and their unwavering commitment to fighting discrimination, I am very happy to honor all of the individuals who have worked so diligently on this event. I salute and congratulate all of them on their extraordinary accomplishments to the Jewish Community.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the late Joseph F. Unanue for his extraordinary contributions to the Hispanic Community and for the strides he made for Hispanic businesses. Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Mr. Unanue moved with his family to my home state of New Jersey in his early childhood. Realizing how important and significant cuisine is to culture, Mr. Unanue's grandparents founded a family business in 1936, designed to bring the spices and tastes of their native foods to the New Jersey metropolitan area. In the process, Mr. Unanue's business addressed the needs of a marginalized consumer market and helped build his company into a household name. This business, today known as Goya Foods, is one of the largest Hispanic-owned firms in the nation. Mr. Unanue continued Goya's commitment to the family and to the Hispanic community as he rose through the ranks to eventually become Executive Vice President. Armed with a master's degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina, Mr. Unanue was critical in introducing the art and flavor of traditional Hispanic dishes into American homes. He spearheaded Goya's marketing project that aimed for the non-Hispanic consumer by implementing an extensive English-language campaign. This campaign played an important role in Goya's multicultural business success and opened Middle America to Hispanic culinary traditions. Mr. Unanue's contributions went beyond the kitchen and the boardroom and into the realm of art. In 1997, Mr. Unanue sponsored two major exhibits which highlighted the contributions of minority artists. The first was a Picasso exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a compilation of 150 engravings, etchings and woodcuts by the renowned Spanish artist dating from 1900 through 1942. The second was an exhibit at Museo del Barrio of Taino artifacts--the indigenous people of the Caribbean. This project proved to be the first comprehensive art exhibit of the ancient Caribbean culture ever presented in North America. Mr. Unanue's leadership and dedication to promote and support both the Hispanic community and Hispanic business is his legacy. Though he has passed on, his tremendous efforts and contributions remain to remind us of the importance, the necessity, and the benefits of multiculturalism. I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to publicly praise this man for his many achievements.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, many American children go to school each morning in crumbling schools with poor heating in winter, leaky pipes and paint peeling off the ceiling. Our children deserve better than this. Many American children are in classrooms with one teacher for 30, 35 or 40 students. Our children deserve better than this. Our future is only as bright as the education we provide for our children today. I know people are used to Members of Congress talking about the importance of educating our children, but actions speak louder than words. The Democratic budget provides for 100,000 new teachers so that our children get more individualized attention in the classroom. The Democratic budget has an initiative to modernize our aging public schools. The Democratic budget invests in higher education so that everyone who earns a place in college can go to college. We Democrats believe that education needs to be a top priority. Republicans have a different set of priorities. They cut $16.7 billion over 5 years for higher ed and social services. They cut education by 16 percent by the year 2009. They would rather give a big tax break to someone earning $200,000 a year or more than provide a good school for a child to realize their God-given capabilities. They would rather spend $775 billion on a tax cut than use that money to make sure our schools provide for a world-class education. Of course it is tough to know exactly how they will fund their tax cuts for the wealthy because they do not tell us. Will it come from Head Start? From college student loans and aid? Or maybe they will do what they first tried to do when they became the majority and eliminate the entire Department of Education. Their budget is like playing Russian roulette with our children's future. That clearly is the difference between Republicans and Democrats, having a different vision of the future. The one that we need is the Spratt Democratic substitute. It provides for the type of vision that educates our children in the next century.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to one of the leading human rights advocates in this Congress, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).

Mr. MENENDEZ. I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me just say that, as we close this debate, I want to take note of the controversy that has been brewing throughout the last couple of weeks, and that is the issue of the Baltimore Orioles seeking to play baseball inside of Cuba. It is ironic that, as we are debating human rights and democracy in Cuba here in this Chamber, that America's national pastime, which is one of the symbols of this country, would be used in such a way at a time in Cuba in which these four leading human rights activists have been imprisoned simply for peacefully speaking their mind in a document; at a time in which Castro passes a new law that is more repressive both in the civil rights of the Cuban people as well as to foreign journalists; at a time in which he expands the spy station in Lourdes which is used by Russians, who pay the Cuban regime to use their satellite monitoring facilities to monitor commercial and military activities in the United States; at a time that all these things take place, we are going to send a message to the world that it is okay to play ball with the dictatorship. In terms of those ball players, I will echo once again what I have personally, along with some of my colleagues, have said to them; that the very rights that major league baseball players have in this country, the rights to collective bargaining, the rights to negotiate their contract and the conditions under which they work, the rights for which they even have the right to strike on and for which they have exercised those rights in this country in order to ensure the benefits that they believe that they are justly due, none of those rights exist for the Cuban people or for Cuban baseball players. The Cuban national team is not there by choice. They are there ultimately because they must be there. They have no ability to negotiate any contract. They have no ability to be able to determine the nature under which they play. They have no ability to determine whether or not they will have the right to strike. None of that exists for them or for any Cuban worker. Foreign companies that actually invest inside of Cuba, such as those that were mentioned by a previous speaker, that are doing business inside of Cuba are doing it with slave labor because they cannot hire a Cuban worker directly. Those of us who stand here and are proud of our AFL-CIO voting records, are proud of standing on behalf of organized labor, are proud of the rights that working women have in this country to organize and collectively bargain and to seek a fair and decent wage on behalf of their work, those opportunities do not exist for the Cuban people, who ultimately are hired not by the companies that invest inside of Cuba, but the state sends the workers to the employer. The worker is paid with useless Cuban pesos while the state, the regime, gets paid by the foreign companies in hard dollars, and they are given a fraction of their wages which, in essence, is slave labor. So I hope that major league baseball understands that they are not promoting democracy inside Cuba when they go play ball. On the contrary, they are playing ball with a dictatorship.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask the Chair what the remaining time is between the parties.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support House Resolution 99, and to ask my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to do the same. This resolution concerns the forthcoming meeting of the U.N. Commission of Human Rights in Geneva, and support for a resolution at the Commission condemning Cuba's record on human rights. In 1996, I successfully presented the U.S. resolution on Cuba and Geneva at President Clinton's request, and I am pleased to come to the floor today to advocate support amongst my colleagues for this very important resolution. Human rights is one issue for which there should be no division among Members of Congress. Regardless of my colleagues' views on U.S. policy towards Cuba, I believe that every Member of this institution believes that the Cuban people deserve the opportunity to exercise their basic human and civil rights: the right to peaceful dissent, the right to organize labor unions, the right to speak freely without fear of reprisal, and, most importantly, the right to choose their leaders. For 40 years Cubans have been denied those very basic human and civil rights by one man, Fidel Castro. In recent weeks Castro has once again cracked down on human rights and democracy activists in Cuba. He announced a new law, the law called the ``Law for the Protection of Cuba's National Independence and Economy,'' which authorizes extensive prison terms, up to 20 years, for dissidents and journalists found to be working ``against the Cuban state.'' Just simply the writing of articles that may be at difference with the regime's view could cause them to be jailed and sentenced for two decades. Last Monday, despite international appeals for their release, including an appeal from the Vatican, Castro's kangaroo court system sentenced the four well-known members of the Internal Dissident Working Group to prison terms ranging from 3\1/2\ to 5 years for their simple publication of a document entitled, ``La Patria Es de Todos,'' The Homeland Belongs to All. The entirety of their crime was to write this document and to share it with the diplomatic community and the foreign media. The document did not call for Cubans to take up arms or to violently oppose the regime. In fact, quite the contrary, the document suggested that Cuba needs to make space for civil society and embrace democratic institutions to avoid the spontaneous social violence that is likely to occur without such changes. For this simple act, Vladimiro Roca, the son of the prominent communist leader and former combat pilot Blas Roca, was sentenced to 5 years in prison; lawyer and human rights activist Rene Gomez Manzano received 4 years in prison, as did Felix Bonne, an Afro-Cuban; and Marta Beatriz Roque, who suffers from breast cancer and has been denied medical treatment, sentenced to 3\1/2\ years. That was their crime, a simple document suggesting that peaceful change can take place in their country. This resolution recognizes the ongoing abuses of human rights in Cuba, including restrictions on religious freedom. Some confuse that the Pope's visit has now suddenly permitted all religious freedom to take place inside of Cuba, and the answer is, that is clearly not the case. Even the Vatican has expressed their disappointment at the subsequent restrictions that continue to exist on the Catholic church and other denominations who do not even enjoy the opportunities of the Catholic church, limited as they are, that have been presented. Arbitrary arrests and routine harassment of human rights activists and the torture and confinement, without adequate nutrition and medical care, of prisoners. The resolution condemns Cuba's flagrant abuses of human rights and urges the administration to work toward a strong resolution condemning the Cuban regime for these abuses at the meeting of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva this spring. Lastly, the resolution calls on the administration to appoint a Special Rapporteur, one that has existed in the past, to advocate for the establishment of the rule of law for the Cuban people. The point of this resolution is to send a message to Fidel Castro that the United States will not stand idly by when faced with intensifying violation of human rights in Cuba. But more importantly, this resolution is intended to send a message to the Cuban people that the United States stands in solidarity with them as they struggle to exercise the basic freedoms and rights that are guaranteed to them, not by the United States but by virtue of Cuba's signature on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Lastly, and let me just say that I do not ask that Members take my word about the situation in Cuba, I just want to read to my colleagues a few excerpts from the State Department's Human Rights Report for last year. It says: ``The Government's human rights record remained poor. It continued systematically to violate fundamental civil and political rights of its citizens. There were several credible reports of death due to excessive use of force by the police. Members of the security forces and prison officials continued to beat and otherwise abuse detainees and prisoners. The Government failed to prosecute or sanction adequately members of the security forces and prison guards who committed such abuses. The authorities routinely continued to harass, threaten, arbitrarily arrest, detain, imprison, and defame human rights advocates and members of the independent professional associations'' struggling to create civil society inside of Cuba, ``including journalists, economists, doctors, and lawyers, often with the goal of coercing them into leaving'' their own country. ``Prison guards and state security officials also subjected human rights and prodemocracy activists to threats of physical violence; systemic psychological intimidation; and with detention or imprisonment in cells with common and violent criminals, aggressive homosexuals, or state security agents posing as prisoners. Political prisoners are required to comply,'' political prisoners, these are just people who speak up for democracy and human rights, who do not enjoy what we are doing in this Chamber at this very moment, at this time, regardless of my colleagues' views, individuals who just simply speak up their mind are routinely put with common criminals and often are punished severely if they refuse. ``Detainees and prisoners often are subjected to repeated, vigorous interrogations designed to coerce them into signing incriminating statements, to force collaboration with authorities, or to intimidate victims.'' One of them, Wilfredo Martinez Perez, died as a result of his opposition to the Cuban regime. This is all the State Department Human Rights Report being quoted: ``On March 30, police detained Wilfredo Martinez Perez, a member of a human rights organization, for disorderly conduct at a public festival near his home in Havana. Martinez's body was delivered to a funeral home in Guines the next day where his family and other witnesses claimed that his body showed contusions and bruises, which suggested that he died as a result of a beating while in police custody.'' How convenient for the Cuban authorities, arresting someone who is simply at a public festival and delivering his body dead home the next day to his family. That is the evidence, among others, that our colleagues need to decide on. That is the way in which they should cast their votes on this resolution. I cannot believe that those who support human rights in other parts of the world cannot support human rights inside of Cuba. Therefore, I expect them, as they speak in other parts of the world, to speak up today and to also cast their vote with us. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman), who has been a strong supporter on behalf of human rights and democracy in Cuba.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Union County Commission on the Status of Women and the winners of the 1999 Women of Excellence award. This organization was established in September, 1989, and has dedicated itself to ensuring that women in Union County are treated fairly in the workplace. They continue to provide information and support to women that affects not only my district, but the whole state of New Jersey. By providing this information to a number of governmental agencies, the Union County Commission on the Status of Women has played a central role in attaining and maintaining equality for women. They advise the Board of Chosen Freeholders in the policy and decisionmaking process of County government, recommend programs to promote the expansion of rights and opportunities available to women in Union County, and originate and implement comprehensive programs to meet the special needs, interests, and concerns of the women of Union County. To accomplish this necessary and important task, the organization has consistently sought out the best and the brightest people to help them achieve their goals. They have been so successful in this venture that this year, twelve women are singled out for their drive, motivation, and accomplishment in guaranteeing that the rights of the women of Union County are protected. And, as they were singled out by the Commission, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize these women once again for their work and dedication: Business--Nora Holley MacMillan of Summit Community Service--Nancy Terrezza of Union Township Education--Roberta T. Feehan of Elizabeth Government--Charlotte DeFilippo of Hillside Government--Senator Wynona M. Lipman of Newark Health Care--Hazel H. Garlic of Elizabeth Journalism/Public Relation--Adele Kenny of Fanwood Law--Judge Susan M. McMullan of Westfield Law Enforcement--Sergeant Nancy McKenzie of Rahway Volunteerism--Glenda Magloire of Union County Women's Advocacy--Mayor Geri Samuel of Scotch Plains Women's Advocacy--Nellie Suggs of Westfield. These women exemplify leadership and dedication to both Union County and the community at large. For these tremendous contributions to New Jersey and their incredible example as public servants, I am very happy to honor these individuals for their achievements. I salute and congratulate all of them on their extraordinary accomplishments.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose the Fowler amendment and to support the Gejdenson amendment. As we have this debate in this House at this time, a time that is poorly timed in terms of what the national interests of the United States are and ultimately how that may lead to the national security of the United States, we simply should not be having this debate at this time. Right now, as we debate, I am sure that Slobodan Milosevic is looking at this debate, and how we decide today sends him a signal as to how he will move, and move militarily. Even before we give an opportunity for peace to have a chance, we snuff it out with the actions on the Floor. The gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) recognizes that the representatives of the respective parties are supposed to reconvene next week in France. We could not hold off until there was the opportunity for those parties to be brought together by the international community, led by the United States, to see if there is a chance to avoid countless numbers of murders, countless numbers of deaths? We could not give that simple opportunity for peace to take place? It was so compelling to proceed today? Mr. Chairman, this is not about enforcing our will. It is about enforcing, hopefully, an agreed commitment, an agreed commitment to peace. This is a test of NATO, and ultimately, maybe in some different context, at some different time, Members are going to want NATO to work. If Members do not step up to the plate now, the portion of the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) which limits us to 15 percent, and says, in a clear message to the Europeans, this is clearly your problem, but we are part of NATO and we are going to participate in it, if Members want NATO to be put at risk, they will not respond. The Fowler amendment is ultimately, in my mind, with all due respect, should it pass, a death sentence to thousands of people in Kosovo, because in essence what we are saying by virtue of that amendment, it is a vote on the ultimate question, to not permit troops to be deployed, even before we know that in fact an agreement in which we would be invited in as part of NATO could take place. We are already sending a message to Slobodan Milosevic that in fact he does not have to make an agreement; go ahead, just hold out there, do what you want, and at the end of the day we will have that on our minds and in our consciences and in the national security interests of the United States, because the conflagration that will take place if we do not act under an agreed-upon peace will be incredibly dangerous to the United States. This is, after all, the location in which World War II started. Let me just finish by saying that I am reminded of that quote that said, during World War II, ``First they came after the trade unionists, and since I was not a trade unionist, I did not object; and then they came after the Catholics, and since I was not a Catholic, I did not object; and then they came after the Jews, and since I was not a Jew, I did not object; and then they came after me, and there was no one left to object.'' I agree with the previous speaker, we need to assist our military. I think many of us are willing to put our votes there. But we need to make sure that we stand ready not to cast today a vote that in essence precipitates the chance for peace, that ends it, that gives it a blow before there is even a chance; and that in essence this vote that we will be casting, particularly on this amendment, ends up being a death sentence to thousands of people. We have an opportunity for peace, and we need to preserve that opportunity for peace. I urge my colleagues very seriously to vote against the Fowler amendment, because if not, they are already voting on the ultimate question; and to therefore, in voting against her amendment and giving peace an opportunity, then vote for the Gejdenson amendment.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, now is not the time to have this debate. Too much is at stake to risk sending a message of America's disunity at this critical point in the negotiations. Innocent men, women and children, little babies, entire families have been butchered, children have been orphaned, women have been raped, 400,000 people have been driven from their homes. That is what is at stake here today: human lives. If we are the leaders of the free world, if we are still that brave Nation that stood against darkness in World War II, now is the time to stand together to help the people of Kosovo find peace. But as we speak, negotiations are at a critical stage. We are either on the brink of a breakthrough or at the point of a breakdown. If the negotiations succeed, thousands of lives will be saved. Thousands of these children will live to grow up. And if we fail, many of these people will die. With all that at stake, at a time when these poor people are looking to us for stability, to help them find their way back to peace, why are Republicans holding this debate here today at the very moment we need to show unity? If there are parts of any final agreement we want to debate, then for God's sake, let us wait until we see it, let us wait until the ink is dry, let us wait until it is signed. Right now there is no accord to debate, there is only the possibility of sabotaging the process before it has had the chance to reach a conclusion. That is why this premature debate is the very height of irresponsibility, and even more so because this is where World War I began. My colleagues, past is prologue, and we should not have to learn this lesson twice. This region does have strategic importance to the United States and many Americans died when the world ignored these tensions once before. Preventing an escalation will save American lives in the long run. We cannot afford a war in Kosovo that could destabilize the region, that could spill over into Albania, to Macedonia, Turkey, and Greece, which are NATO allies. We should be standing together. We should be supporting these negotiations. We should be supporting the suffering families in Kosovo, and we should have delayed this debate until the negotiators have had the time to finish their work. But if Republicans want to force a decision now, the decision should be and must be that this is a cause and a region in the national interests of the United States and, ultimately, in the national security interests of the United States worth defending. And if troops are needed to do that, we should support that mission and we should support them. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to once again join with us to try to delay this vote and, if not, then to vote to send a clear message that America stands ready to help in Kosovo.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jose and Leonor Rodriguez on the 69th anniversary of their marriage. Jose Domingo Rodriguez and Leonor Rojas Perez were born in Remedios, Las Villas, Cuba. After marrying as teenagers, they were anxious to establish themselves as business owners in their hometown. Through their hard work and entrepreneurial spirit the couple opened ``La Fe'' bar/cafeteria, which quickly became the most popular establishment in the area. Through his success, Mr. Rodriguez became a respected community leader. In December, 1968, the couple left Cuba to live in New Jersey. Once here, they worked hard and made many sacrifices to ensure that their sons, Roberto and Rene, flourished in their new country. Despite having limited formal education, Jose and Leonor Rodriguez taught their children the importance of learning and achievement at school. Today, Roberto is a successful banker in Union City and Rene is an accomplished physician in Washington, D.C. I am sure my colleagues join me in giving Jose and Leonor hearty congratulations on their 69th wedding anniversary. I commend them and wish them many more happy years together.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his answers.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I think many Members have serious concerns and want to be able to be sure that they will be present on the potential resolution on Kosovo. Does the gentleman have a sense on what day of next week the Kosovo resolution will be coming to the floor?

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, my last question, so therefore, by that statement, it looks rather certain that we will be here voting on Friday?

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the majority leader if he might answer one or two questions. Mr. Speaker, would the gentleman believe that, beyond that which he has told the House, that anything specifically will be added to the schedule other than the resolutions that will be considered on Tuesday on the consent agenda?

Mr. MENENDEZ. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to inquire of the distinguished majority leader at this time regarding the schedule.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the late Honorable Angelo Cortinas and the Honorable Anselmo Millan for their dedication and commitment to the Hispanic Community. In his days as a detective for the Office of the Sheriff, Deputy Mayor Angelo Cortinas worked tirelessly for the citizens of Essex County. Responsible for more than 2,000 arrests during his 26 years on the force, Mr. Cortinas was committed to the safety and well being of the community. More specifically, Mr. Cortinas devoted his life and career to the betterment of Latinos and the Hispanic Community. Through hard work and perseverance, Mr. Cortinas' grassroots efforts provided many services to the Latinos in my district. He served as founding member on the Hispanic Emergency Council, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Hispanic Law Enforcement Society of Essex County. He also served as Chairman of Club Espana, Vice President of the National Association of Latino Trustees, Honorary member of the Cuban American Association, and as a member of the State Democratic Hispanic League of Voters. In addition, Mr. Cortinas served as the Chairman of the College Board since 1993, making him the first Hispanic in the state to attain this distinguished position. After retiring from an impressive career with the Sheriff's Office, Mr. Cortinas used his years of experience to further serve the community by entering into politics. Since January, 1998, Mr. Cortinas had served as Deputy Mayor of Newark until his recent passing. Mr. Cortinas will be greatly missed by the Latino Community, the City of Newark, and the 13th Congressional District. Anselmo Millan was elected in 1995 as the first ever Hispanic Councilman in the Town of Harrison. He has been a source of leadership to the jurisdiction, as well as to the Hispanic Community. Mr. Millan has coordinated citizenship drives, clothes drives for survivors of Hurricanes Mitch and Hortense, and helped organize the Coalicion de Sociedades Espanolas. He has also been a leader for Latino vote-USA, an organization that is devoted to including Latinos in the democratic process. Mr. Millan continues to serve the community by maintaining memberships on many committees and boards. From the Boy Scouts of America and the Harrison PTA, to Club Espana and Casa Galicia, Mr. Millan has solidified his position in the community as a youth advocate and Hispanic Leader. And his efforts have not gone unnoticed. Mr. Millan has won numerous awards including the Award of Honor Al Merito for Commitment to the Hispanic Community and awards of support from the Uruguayan, Portuguese, and Equatorian communities. In addition to the leadership and support Mr. Millan has provided to the Latinos of Harrison, he has also served the larger community through his environmental concerns. Acting as Chairman to a number of environmentally conscious organizations such as Clean Communities, the Beautification Committee, and the Brownfields Committee, Mr. Millan helped shine a light on environmental issues both in the 13th District as well as the state of New Jersey. These two men exemplify leadership and dedication to both the Hispanic Community and the community at large. For these tremendous contributions to New Jersey and their incredible example as public servants, I am very happy to honor these individuals for their achievements. I salute and congratulate both of them on their extraordinary accomplishments.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Zulima Farber and Joan Verplanck for being awarded the Women's Political Caucus of New Jersey's Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award for their outstanding contributions to New Jersey and their trailblazing efforts on behalf of women. For over 20 years Zulima Farber has faithfully defended and been an advocate for New Jersey's neediest citizens. From 1992 to 1994, Ms. Farber was appointed Public Advocate and Public Defender for the State of New Jersey. As a member of Governor Florio's cabinet, she faithfully advocated the interests of the public in all policy matters. Specifically, she led efforts to regulate utility rates and protect the developmentally disabled, consumers of mental health services, and abused children. She also oversaw a major overhaul of the management of Public Defender Offices. Being New Jersey's Public Advocate was Ms. Farber's most public position, but many are not aware of the other aspects of her remarkable career. As a young woman, her family fled Castro-controlled Cuba and settled in New Jersey. In order to support her family and fund her college education, Ms. Farber got a job as a secretary in a law firm of my hometown of Union City, New Jersey. After completing an undergraduate and masters degree from Montclair State, Ms. Farber received her JD degree from Rutgers Law School in Newark. At Rutgers Law she became a founding member of and vice-president of the Association of Latin American Law Students. After law school Ms. Farber pursued a successful career as a prosecutor in Bergen County, was named Assistant Counsel to Governor Byrne and then became the first female partner of the renowned firm Lowenstein, Sandler. Zulima Farber is a member of the State Court Advisory Committee on Ethics, the Fairleigh Dickinson University Board of Trustees, the Meadowlands Hospital Board of Trustees and the State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Joan Verplanck was elected the first ever female president of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce in December, 1994. In this position she has served as a powerful advocate for our state's business interests and through her leadership, local and regional chambers of commerce have coordinated their efforts to form a grass-roots network in support of business issues. Ms. Verplanck was also instrumental in the creation of the State Chamber Education Foundation which is facilitating science and technology training for New Jersey's schools. Prior to her election as president of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, she accumulated 18 years of experience managing local chambers of commerce, including 8 years as the president of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Verplanck is also a member of the board of directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In addition to her outstanding service through the Chamber of Commerce, Joan Verplanck also twice chaired the State's conference on women and she currently serves on the Board of Advisors for Management Education at Rutgers University, the New Jersey Employment Security Council and the Dredging Project Facilitation Task Force. These women, Zulima Farber and Joan Verplanck, exemplify the principles which Barbara Boggs Sigmund stood for as a Mayor, a freeholder and a public servant. For these tremendous contributions to New Jersey and their incredible example as public servants, I cannot think of two people more deserving of the Women's Political Caucus of New Jersey's Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award. I salute them and congratulate them on this accomplishment.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the grand reopening of the New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir in Jersey City. This vital organization has served the educational, cultural, religious, and social needs of the Hindu community in Hudson and Essex Counties since 1988. Today's youth face so many more dangers and have so many more opportunities than the children of a generation ago. It is important for our children to have places to learn about their culture, their heritage, and develop their own value systems. Pandit Suresh N. Sugrim, founder of the New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir, recognizes that in order to be prepared for the next century our children need more than just wage-earning skills, but they also need to learn the value our cultural and religious centers are built upon. The New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir provides Hindu immigrants important ties to their heritage, while at the same time helping their community. As a member of the East Cultural Clergy Association, the Samaj has also made great strides in building relationships with many of the other religious and cultural communities in the area. For instance, when Reverend William Barnett was injured by several gunshot wounds, Pandit Suresh N. Sugrim participated in a vigil to show solidarity with the surrounding community. I will be unable to attend the grand reopening myself, but I am sure I speak for the entire Congress when I say that as a nation we owe a tremendous debt to the work of cultural and religious centers such as the New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir. So, I congratulate them on their reopening and wish them continued good fortune.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Minority Student Program (MSP) at Rutgers School of Law-Newark for the 15th Anniversary of its Summer Internship Program. Since 1984, the MSP has matched over 200 talented young students with prestigious employers. The law school historically has attracted students who want to make a difference in the world in which they live. These students represent numerous ethnic groups and nationalities, but are united in their desire to pursue a career in the legal profession. The MSP's Summer Internship Program has been an essential step in translating a quality education in the law into employment opportunities for students. These internships help students develop skills, make contacts, and earn the money necessary to pay for law school. In addition, the program provides employers access to a pool of promising potential employees. Graduates now make important social and political contributions to their community as judges, presidential appointees, law professors, and prominent members of the bar. It is an honor and a pleasure to be part of this celebration and to recognize the dedication and commitment of the Minority Student Program at Rutgers School of Law-Newark. I am certain that my colleagues will join me in paying tribute to this remarkable program.