Bob Menendez

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding gentleman, Mr. Antonio Pelaez of the American Cuban Community. On September 20, 1997, Mr. Pelaez will be celebrating two very important milestones in his life. The first joyous event is Antonio and Olga Pelaez's 50th wedding anniversary. The second is the 25th anniversary of his company, ANPESIL Distributors, Inc. Fifty years ago Antonio and Olga Pelaez joined their love for each other in holy matrimony. Over the years, their love and strength has been handed down to their children, Antonio Jr., Luis, and Olga. A quarter of a century ago, this exceptional family, led by Mr. Pelaez and his son Antonio Jr., founded ANPESIL, one of the largest candy distributors in New Jersey. In the Cuban community, family owned businesses are common, but in the United States few have grown to be as successful as ANPESIL. Achieving the American Dream can be attributed to Mr. Pelaez's hard work and vision, as well as the strength of his family. Mr. Pelaez and his family along with his nephew Emilio Jr. have worked hard toward this achievement. Emilio Jr. is now the company treasurer, a position he took over after his father Emilio Sr. retired 5 years ago. Mr. Pelaez left Cuba for Spain in 1961, where he worked as a salesman for the Swift Premium Co. Although he later founded his own frozen foods distribution company, he decided in 1970 to join his brothers in the United States with the hope that America would offer even greater opportunities for an entrepreneur. Mr. Pelaez has been distinguished as the only Hispanic member of Pennsylvania's Candy Hall of Fame. He has also received numerous awards from confectionery companies all over the world, and domestic banking and financial institutions. It is a great pleasure to honor and recognize Mr. Antonio Pelaez on the occasion of these two anniversaries. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the outstanding commitment and dedication made by Mr. Antonio Pelaez and his company ANPESIL.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would yield in response to his question.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would yield, I think that as the Speaker stated, the legislative history here is clear. It is my clear intention not to have that take place, but I do not want to start amending and worrying about the extent to which we broaden the scope beyond what is intended under the statute, which as the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Frank] just discussed, I am in complete agreement with what he just discussed, as long as it is during the actual contest on the floor.

Mr. MENENDEZ. At this time I do not know the exact wording.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I think we have laid out the case. The record is clear as it relates to this one concern. I ask my colleagues to join us in preserving the dignity of the House, I would be happy to yield back my time, if that is the reality of the other side.

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

Mr. MENENDEZ. I do not yield for a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. MENENDEZ. I agree with the comments of the majority leader. I think the Speaker has made it very clear, and unless the gentleman seeks to still have speakers, I am ready to yield back the balance of my time if the gentleman is ready to yield back the balance of his time.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, in view that the House is in pro forma session Friday, presuming that the interpretation is that this is an appropriate privileged resolution, would that mean that the resolution would have to be considered within the next 2 days, meaning either today or tomorrow?

Mr. MENENDEZ. Further parliamentary inquiry. A legislative day in which we are in pro forma session and on which there is no one here, is that considered to be a legislative day in the context of the ruling of the Chair?

Mr. MENENDEZ. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I hereby give notice of my intention to offer a resolution which raises a question of the privileges of the House. The form of the resolution is as follows: Whereas, former Representative Robert Dornan has abused his privileges as a former Member of the House of Representatives, and has conducted himself on the floor in a manner which brings discredit to the House; Whereas in the course of Representative Menendez of New Jersey representing his constituents, exercising his rights as an elected representative of the people and a Member of this House to debate on the House floor, and asking a valid parliamentary inquiry that did not name any individual by name, Robert Dornan, a former Member of this House, verbally assaulted Representative Menendez of New Jersey, using profane language, accused Representative Menendez of religious bigotry, called his integrity into question, and by the tone of voice and the context of his remarks clearly attempted to lure Representative Menendez off the floor into a physical altercation; Whereas Representative Menendez' family did not face persecution and come to this land, the home and cradle of democracy, so that anyone could attempt to intimidate his constitutional exercise of the democratic process on behalf of the people of his district; Whereas, clause 2 of rule I of the Rules of the House of Representatives calls upon the Speaker of the House to preserve order and decorum on the House floor Therefore, be it Resolved that, the Sergeant-at-Arms is instructed to remove former Representative Robert Dornan from the Hall of the House and rooms leading thereto, and to prevent him from returning to the Hall of the House and rooms leading thereto until the election contest concerning the 46th District of California is resolved. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). Under rule IX, a resolution offered from the floor by a Member other than the majority leader or the minority leader as a question of the privileges of the House has immediate precedent only at a time or place designated by the Chair in the legislative schedule within 2 legislative days of its being properly noticed. The Chair will announce the Chair's designation at a later time. The Chair's determination as to whether the resolution constitutes a question of privilege will be made at the time designated by the Chair for consideration of the resolution. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, what rules of the House permit a former Member of the House to accost verbally another Member of the House on a matter that affects that Member?

Mr. MENENDEZ. Well, Mr. Chairman, what procedure does a Member of the House have when they are accosted by a former Member of the House to have that Member removed?

Mr. MENENDEZ. Well, I would like an answer, because I have just had Mr. Dornan, a former Member of this House, come up and verbally accost me. And I do not expect in the greatest democratic institution in the world to have to take what my foreparents did not do, in a country in which they left to avoid, is that to have to come to this body and listen to a former Member of the House proceed in that way and to use words that were both profane and at the same time to use words that were demeaning. So I want to know, in public, what procedure do we have to not have that type of action happen on the House floor?

Mr. MENENDEZ. Further parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Chairman. If in fact a Member of the House, a present Member of the House, were to make comments that were inappropriate, their words could be taken down. They would not be allowed to speak. I want to know whether or not there is a procedure existing that in fact will create the opportunity to not have this type of occurrence that happened on the House floor.

Mr. MENENDEZ. And I will hold the Chair to that expectation.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry that goes to the integrity of the House. My question is, Could the Speaker advise the House of that provision of the rules which prohibits former Members of the House from coming onto the House floor and lobbying when they have a direct personal or pecuniary interest in a matter pending before the House?

Mr. MENENDEZ. And that is the controlling provision as it relates to former Members not lobbying in the House in that respect, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, our first job in Congress must always be to do everything we can to defend and create American jobs. Yet the charter of one of the strongest tools in our job creating arsenal, the Export-Import Bank, runs out on September 30. Why should we care? We should care because European-based Airbus, which receives substantial export support from France, Germany, and Britain, is as we speak trying to steal international clients from American-based Boeing. Airbus is openly telling Boeing's customers that congressional inaction is evidence they can no longer rely on the U.S. Export-Import Bank to keep providing the backing for their transactions. Boeing has thousands of suppliers spread across the country, 72 of them in my home State of New Jersey. Each one of those suppliers supports families and homes and school tuition for hard working Americans. I am here today with my distinguished colleague the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hastert], the chief deputy Republican whip, because this is not a partisan issue, it is an American issue, it is a jobs issue. For these reasons, it is an issue that should move to the top of the agenda and on to the House floor.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to three outstanding citizens who have distinguished themselves through their selfless dedication to the residents of my home State of New Jersey. Dorothy E. Harrington, Lourdes I. Santiago, and Rhoda Birnbaum will be honored as this year's recipients of the Mary T. Norton Congressional Award. This prestigious award, sponsored by the United Way of Hudson County, will be presented to these women as a tribute to their invaluable contributions to their communities, at the 62d Annual Campaign Kick-off Luncheon on September 16, 1997 at the Meadowlands Hilton. Mrs. Dorothy E. Harrington holds the honor of accomplishing two significant firsts for women in the city of Bayonne. A native of Bayonne, Dot has the distinction of being the first woman elected to public office in the city of Bayonne. She also holds the honor of being the first woman to serve as president of the Bayonne Board of Education, from 1981 to 1986. In 1986, Dot was elected to serve as first ward council member of the Bayonne Municipal Council. Dot currently holds the position of council member at-large, to which she was elected in 1990, and re-elected in 1994. Over the years Dot has been an outstanding member of her community, and a dedicated volunteer. Ms. Lourdes Santiago has made an exceptional commitment in serving others in her community. Ms. Santiago received her juris doctorate in 1981 from Rutgers University School of Law in Newark, NJ. Ms. Santiago has also received admission to the Supreme Court of New Jersey in 1984. In 1994 she was appointed to the supreme court task force on minority affairs and is currently serving a second term on that task force following a 1996 re-appointment. Ms. Santiago has outstandingly represented her Hispanic community as the recipient of numerous professional and community-based awards. Ms. Rhoda Birnbaum has dedicated herself to enhancing the lives of the people in her community. As a young adult, following the example set by her parents, Ms. Birnbaum became active in social service and religious organizations. As an accountant with Arthur S. Geiger Co., public accountants, she has provided management and accounting expertise--with member United Way organizations--to advance the health and human services agenda by expanding resources and applying them effectively to build better, self-sufficient communities. It is an honor to have such outstanding and exceptionally caring individuals working in my district. Their dedication exemplifies the ideal of community service at its best. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dorothy Harrington, Lourdes Santiago, and Rhoda Birnbaum.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.