Bob Menendez

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois, [Mr. Davis].

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone], who will be part of a delegation attending Mother Teresa's funeral and has to depart soon.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Kennelly].

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in sponsoring this resolution and rise in strong support of the resolution before us honoring Mother Teresa. It is appropriate that today, as we honor the life of a simple woman whom millions called Mother, this week Catholics commemorate the birthday of another simple woman who became the most important woman in Catholicism, Mary, the Blessed Mother. Last Friday, September 5, the world lost one of its shining lights. Mother Teresa's death was a loss for us all. She was the embodiment of compassion and a beacon of goodness. Her name grew to become synonymous with caring for the poor, the indigent, and the downtrodden. She was not one who sought the spotlight; rather, she let her deeds and service do the speaking for her. She had a strong will that enabled her to accomplish many good deeds and improve the lives of thousands of human beings daily, and without a doubt, she left her mark on our world, helping millions of people in India, the United States, and all over the world. Her work was not easy, glamorous, or pleasant. She was a devout Roman Catholic teaching nun in India until a train ride in 1946 when she heard her call within a call, and the call within a call was to go to the slums of Calcutta to care for, in her own words, ``the poorest of the poor.'' She founded the order of the Missionaries of Charity in 1948, and through her dedication, made the order into a worldwide organization with more than 4,000 nuns and 400 Catholic brothers running nearly 600 homes and schools in more than 100 countries. The order operates schools and hospitals, youth centers and orphanages, and it also treats over 50,000 lepers at its medical centers in Africa and Asia. Mother Teresa took Indian citizenship in 1950. She saw her order in the broader context of India's own tradition of spirituality and compassion and incorporated it into Indian society. In a meeting with Prime Minister Nehru, he promised her all the assistance she needed. And even though India is primarily a country consisting of Hindus, it adopted Mother Teresa as its own and welcomed her with open arms. For her, pity was not what the poor needed; rather, she sought to provide dignity for them. She and members of her order lived like the people they served, without the amenities most of us take for granted. And she taught us all, regardless of religion, that in fact without a title, and without any form of nobility, that it is how one lives their life and what one does within their life that is the most important ingredient. I am proud that she was awarded honorary U.S. citizenship and granted the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And earlier this year I had the honor, with so many of our other colleagues, in being present as she received the Congressional Gold Medal in the rotunda of the Capitol. I am reminded of what she said at that ceremony, where she repeated her admonition time and time again that we should focus on our concerns for the poorest of the poor, which she said several times during her brief remarks. Those of us who serve in this Congress should remember those words, those of us who were there, who were proud to be there at that historical moment, proud to be in her company, who rejoice in her life's works, we need to take to heart as we decide in this Chamber issues that cut across the board on the poorest of the poor, in education, in housing, in health care, whether it be in our cities or in Appalachia, that the fate of the poorest of the poor is a matter that constantly is before us as we decide on many of the votes that we take in this House. Sometimes I would daresay we do not cast our votes in a manner in which I think we would meet Mother Teresa's standards. Finally, while her loss saddens us, Mother Teresa provided reassuring words about her work and the future. She said, ``If the work were mine, it would die with me, but it is the work of God, so He will look after it.'' I wish her successor at the Missionaries of Charity, Sister Nirmala, my best wishes as she carries forth the work Mother Teresa started and nurtured. She was a beacon of hope, and that beacon of hope that burned brightly during her life will continue through her order. Good-bye, Mother Teresa, and God bless. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise about the House election contest in California. First, Bob Dornan is given unprecedented subpoena power which he uses to harass and violate the privacy rights of law-abiding American citizens simply because they have a Spanish surname. Then those actions amount to nothing short of a witch-hunt. Now I read in yesterday's Roll Call that Bob Dornan will use his special privileges as a former Member to take his witch-hunt to the House floor. Surely, this casts an appearance of impropriety upon the House. If this election were being challenged by any American other than a defeated Member of the House, that American could not come to the House floor to lobby on behalf of their own interests. They would not get special subpoena powers, and neither should Bob Dornan. Bob Dornan should not use the privileges as a former Member of this House to influence his case. Mr. Speaker, there should not be a case at all. The Republican California Secretary of State certified the election of the gentlewoman from California, and there is no sufficient credible evidence to challenge it. It is time for Bob Dornan to stop wasting taxpayers' money, to end this witch-hunt and end the influence that he is trying to use in this House.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Indiana, whom I have worked with on other issues. But on this issue I clearly disagree with him. It is ironic that we offer this amendment to cut assistance India on the 50th anniversary of its independence. This amendment takes a swipe at one of the most vibrant and energetic democracies in the world, and it is the wrong approach to take. It seeks to punish a country which has been a democracy since its independence, it seeks to punish a country that has improved and is improving its human rights record. Since 1996, India has been taking positive steps to improve its neighborhood. The amendment comes at a time when both India and Pakistan are working to resolve the disputes that exist between them, including Kashmir, in a bilateral manner. Earlier this year this House passed Concurrent Resolution 16 which congratulated the people of India on reaching a 30-year agreement with their neighbor Bangladesh on sharing water from the Ganges River. These are two of the more conspicuous unilateral efforts India has been making with its neighbors to increase cooperation in south Asia. The amendment charges that India is a country without respect for human rights, particularly in the states of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. Mr. Chairman, it is important to note that the party in charge of Punjab is the Akali Dal, a Sikh-controlled party. They control 74 of the Punjab's 117 seats. They came to power after 69 percent of the eligible voters in Punjab went to the polls. Democracy exists in Punjab and the voters spoke by casting their ballots and electing a new party to power. That is democracy. Let us not forget Jammu and Kashmir. Under the threat of violence and terror from separatist elements, nearly 55 percent of eligible voters in the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir went to the polls for state assembly elections last September and October. The people of those specific states went to the polls despite a boycott called by Pakistani-backed separatist rebels and despite the separatist threats on their lives. Our own State Department notes in its annual country report that during 1996 India made further progress in resolving human rights problems. After 3 years of existence, India's national human rights commission continues to play a key role in bringing accountability for human rights abuses and continues to enlarge its useful role in addressing patterns of abuse. What we are being asked to do today is to cut funds to India that uses such funds to encourage economic growth, which has a direct correlation to our trading with India, stabilize population growth, enhance food security and nutrition, protect the environment, reduce HIV transmission and educate girls and women. We cannot forget that we are India's largest trading and investment partner. So let us celebrate India's golden jubilee by defeating this amendment. India has been a success as a democracy with its independent judiciary, free press, and energetic political system. It sought to address conflicts in a lawful, democratic manner. Instead of pursuing punitive measures against a free and democratic country, we should be seeking to expand our economic, political and strategic ties with India so that we can move forward together. We should pursue an agenda which will not worsen the climate in India and south Asia. We should instead stand steadfast to its commitment to free markets, as well as its commitment to human rights. It is in the national interest of the United States to defeat this amendment and to promote those market reforms and democratic government that India has been pursuing.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate India on its 50th year of Independence and to salute the Coalition of Indian Organizations of New Jersey as it marks the occasion with a celebration at the Brookdale Park Stadium in Essex County on August 23, 1997. The Indian-American community has been an exemplary community in New Jersey. I have been working with them since my years as mayor of my hometown, Union City. The Indian-Americans boasts the highest median income and highest proportion of college graduates of any immigrant group in the United States. They have contributed much to our cultural, economic, and social life in America. In New Jersey I have seen the contributions Indian-Americans make as businessmen, doctors, engineers, lawyers, surgeons, and scientists. They brought with them a hard work ethnic and family values that benefit our society. I have the honor of being one of the founding members of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans. As an executive committee member of the caucus, I have been vigilant on issues of concern to the Indian-American community. I fought to change the provisions of the welfare law which targeted the legal immigrant community, and I am pleased we were able to make immigrants who were in our Nation as of August 22, 1996 eligible for Supplemental Security Income no matter when they become disabled. India won its independence from England at midnight on August 15, 1947. This was the culmination of years of effort led by Mohandas K. Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Azad, and countless others. They fought peacefully against British colonial rule. The Indian-American community in America has taken the best of this tradition. America's relationship with India has grown due to the efforts of the Indian-American community. I understand the importance of cultivating economic, political, and strategic ties with India. As links between our Nation and India expand, Indian-Americans will need to continue to promote the relationship. It is an honor to have such a productive and vibrant community residing in my home State of New Jersey. I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the 50th anniversary of India's Independence and the Coalition of Indian Organizations of New Jersey.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, what will morning in America look like after we pass this bill? What will be the American vision of the future? We delivered the balanced budget based on tough choices and sacrifices made by Democrats in 1993, but the Democratic vision for America did not stop with a tax cut for corporations and the wealthy. Democrats fought for and delivered a far greater vision for all Americans and a more inclusive tax cut. Tomorrow morning in America, because of Democrats, 24 million more children will wake up with health care, millions more than under the Republican plan. Tomorrow morning in America, because of Democrats, every student with a talent and ambition will awaken to the opportunity to attend a 4-year college and get a degree, millions more than under the Republican plan. Tomorrow morning in America a hard-working farmer or small business person will be able to keep the family business in the family. Families will more easily sell and buy better homes. Hundreds of neighborhoods will awaken knowing that the local scourge of a nearby polluted brownfield will be cleaned up. Tomorrow morning in America twice the families in my own home State of New Jersey will receive a tax credit for their children because Democrats fought for a better vision of the future.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, my amendment seeks to limit the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars to the International Atomic Energy Agency for programs and projects in Cuba. Over the next 3 years, Cuba will receive more than $1.7 million from the IAEA, even though Cuba has continuously refused to sign the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, ratify the Treaty of Tlatelolco, negotiate full-scope safeguards or incorporate internationally accepted nuclear safety standards. In addition to those glaring aberrations, the Castro dictatorship has decided that a dangerous Soviet-era nuclear plant in Juragua, near Cienfuegos, Cuba, should be completed and operated. Already the IAEA has provided nearly $700,000 to Cuba to support the Juragua Nuclear Power Plant. A letter to me from President Clinton stated that: The United States opposes the construction of the Juragua nuclear power plant because of our concerns about Cuba's ability to ensure the safe operation of the facility and because of Cuba's refusal to sign the Nuclear Non- proliferation Treaty or ratify the Treaty of Tlatelolco. The State Department, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Energy have also expressed concerns about the construction and operation of Cuba's proposed nuclear reactors. Dr. Edward Purvis, who headed the United States Department of Energy's investigation of Cuba's reactors has this to say: An accident in the Cuban VVER-440 is probable. It is just a question of when. I don't know if they are the most dangerous reactors in the world, but they are the most dangerous reactors anywhere close to the United States. In a report to Congress, the General Accounting Office outlined concerns among nuclear energy experts about deficiencies in the Cienfuegos nuclear plant project. They included: A lack in Cuba both of a nuclear regulatory scheme and an adequate infrastructure to ensure the plant's safe operation, maintenance, and adequate training of program operators. Reports by a former technician from Cuba who, by examining with x rays, weld sites believed to be part of the auxiliary plumbing system for the plant, found that 10 to 15 percent of those were defective. This technician, Mr. Jose Oro, was quoted as saying, ``The operation of this reactor will be criminal. The construction was being performed in a completely negligent manner.'' According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Caribbean plate, where this reactor sits, is in fact subject to seismic risks to Cuba in the reactor cite and may produce large to moderate earthquakes and in fact may produce large to moderate earthquakes. In fact, on May 25, 1992, the Caribbean plate produced an earthquake numbering 7 on the Richter scale. Finally, I would like members who are from the State of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, and here in Washington, DC, to consider the following: We are talking about in those States over 80 million Americans, Mr. Chairman, almost one in three Americans to my right on this chart. According to a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, summer winds could carry radioactive pollutants from a nuclear accident at the power plant throughout all of Florida and parts of the States on the gulf coast as far as Texas and northern winds could carry the pollutants as far northeast as Virginia and Washington, DC. Many more states would be affect in the time. So we should point out that this is not a question of nuclear safety where we might be interested in supporting the IAEA here, because there is at present no nuclear material at the Juragua power plant. But what the IAEA is doing is preserving the plant so that construction can be renewed at a point in time in which Cuba acquires sufficient financing a plant that we have said that we do not want a plant, that the President has said he is concerned about a plant, that the GAO says that does not make any sense and is a risk and that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says is a risk. So the question is whether or not you believe that the United States taxpayer dollars should be supporting the preservation of this dangerous plant with our tax dollars, particularly whether Cuba will likely never have the resources to complete it and if it did would pose a very serious national security threat to the United States. I believe it is in our national interest not to be having resources go in this way. If there was a plant that was up and running and a plant that we said did not pose a threat to us, yes, let us have the IAEA produce the opportunity for oversight but let us not give them money to mothball a plant that we never want to see take place in the first place. I hope that the committee will accept the amendment, and certainly I ask my colleagues to support it.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Yes, Mr. Chairman, it is.

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the statements of the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi] and I appreciate her support, notwithstanding her concerns. I just want to address her concerns and say that it is my understanding that in all years except one, actually this was written into the law up to 1994, and subsequently to that, we have sought through amendments to do what in fact we are doing here again tonight; and that has not in any way created a difficulty for us as a country with the IAEA. As a matter of fact, we made contributions to what they call a special account that in fact is directly for this purpose. So I think that we will continue to have a good relationship with the IAEA, we will continue to make sure that they provide for nuclear safeguards and in many places throughout the world in which they do excellent work, but still send a very clear message that we do not want this power plant. I appreciate the concerns of the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi].

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Peruvian community as they celebrate their 13th Annual State Parade. This event, which recognizes Peruvian independence from Spain, was celebrated on Sunday, July 27, 1997, in the cities of Passaic, Clifton, and Paterson, NJ. Peru's independence began 176 years ago on July 28, 1821. The State Parade is the biggest celebration of Peruvian immigrants in my home State of New Jersey. They have made many contributions to this country. They have distinguished themselves at every level of American society. Their dedication to family and community demonstrates what can be accomplished when people work together. The Peruvian community is honored to have Carlos Noriega Jimenez and Roberto Chale as the grand marshals of the parade. Carlos Noriega Jimenez is the first Peruvian-American in space. He is a major for the USMC who was on the May 15, 1997, NASA mission STS-84 aboard the space shuttle Atlantis. Mr. Noriega Jimenez is loved by the Peruvian community and serves as an inspiration for the entire Hispanic population. Roberto Chale is the former star soccer player of the Peruvian national team. Mr. Chale, along with other Peruvian soccer players, remain as role models for the younger generation. I commend the 1997 Peruvian Parade Committee led by parade president Jose Falen who is currently in his third year as the parade president, and vice-president Lusi Ona for their work in making this event possible. On this momentous occasion, a number of people will be recognized for their outstanding work: Ambassador Carlos Gamarra Mujica, Florencio Guerrero, Lucila Campos, Daisy Cuellar, Dr. Carlos Neyra Estens, Roberto Bustamante, and Jose Cabada. Each of these exceptional individuals has made a unique contribution to enhancing the image of Hispanics in our community. It is gratifying to know that the Peruvian Day Parade brings our community together, reflecting on the cities of Passaic, Clifton, Paterson, and the State of New Jersey. I am certain my colleagues will rise with me and recognize this wonderful celebration of culture and diversity.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Chairman, regardless of what is being said here, over $200,000 in funds provided by this bill is being committed to a witch hunt against one of our colleagues, the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Sanchez], for the sake of partisan games. This is an unprecedented attack which many of us believe has much more to do with the growing political power of Hispanics in this country. The committee has allowed a pattern of actions by both Mr. Dornan, the loser in that contest, and the committee itself which are an outrage to the Latino community. The violation of privacy rights that people have a right to expect when they apply to the INS; that is why they had to subpoena them, to violate their privacy rights, and future voter intimidation and voter suppression of the Hispanic community are outrageous and will never be tolerated by us. The voters of the 46th District of California elected the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Sanchez] in an election certified by the Republican Secretary of State last November, uncontested in any California court. For the first time since 1969 Republicans forced a hearing on the merits, a procedure that is available here. That hearing, held in the district of the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Sanchez], was a media circus that produced no credible evidence of changing the election outcome. Unprecedented subpoena powers have been given to Mr. Dornan, now a private citizen, to harass Hispanic Americans and organizations that have helped them, like Catholic Charities, 20,000 students at Rancho Santiago Community College and even, as Mr. Dornan admitted, the Carpenters Union. Why? Because they had a large contingent of immigrant workers. Add to all of these facts the admissions that we have already heard here and by one of the senior Republican Committee on Appropriations members that the real reason for pursuing the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Sanchez] is to kill motor-voter, and we have a Republican plan that is crystal clear. So what is that plan? Attack the underpinnings of Hispanic empowerment by attacking a Hispanic woman elected to Congress, give unprecedented subpoena powers to a private citizen to intimidate Hispanic individuals, violate their privacy rights at the INS, create fear in the community, and by doing so create a chilling effect on voters, thereby intimidating them and suppressing their enjoyment of the right to vote, and, as a by-product, let us create the base for getting rid of motor-voter. And that reminds me of the Republican motivated ballot security program that happened in my State of New Jersey in 1980, which were brought to Federal Court, and we will do it again if we have to. We should not permit the use of taxpayer funds for such a biased political witch hunt, we should not accept and we will not accept this treatment as a community. We are here to stay, and so is the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Sanchez]. Get it over with, stop wasting our money, and we should register a vote of protest on this bill.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Mrs. Dorothy Danzis Bier, a New Jersey resident, who died on July 8, at the age of 91. Throughout most of her life, she was deeply tied to the 13th Congressional District of New Jersey; and those ties continue to enrich this area of New Jersey. Mrs. Bier was born in Newark, delivered by her uncle, Dr. Max Danzis, a founding physician of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Her youth was spent growing up in Highland Park, Bayonne, and Newark, where she graduated from Newark's South Side High School in 1922. After graduating from the Newark Normal School, which is now Kean College, Mrs. Bier received her teaching certificate and taught in the Newark school system. In 1929, Mrs. Bier married David Bier and, shortly thereafter, the couple settled in Jersey City. Their only child Marcia was born at Beth Israel Medical Center in 1930. Mr. and Mrs. Bier owned and operated Mother Bier's Bakery at 121 Madison Street in Hoboken until the mid-1960's when poor health forced Mr. Bier to close the business. At that time, although in her 60's, Mrs. Bier returned to the education field and taught pre-school children in Jersey City from 1965 until 1970 under the Head Start Program. She retired in 1970 and moved to Millburn, NJ, to be near her daughter, son-in-law Cyril Greenstein; and her beloved grandchildren, Scott and Randy. She moved once again, to Miami, FL, in 1987 where her daughter and son-in-law had relocated. Surviving her are her daughter and son-in-law of Aventura, FL; her grandsons, Scott Greenstein, M.D., of Middlebury, CT; and Randy Greenstein of Rockville, MD. She was also the great-grandmother of Max and Jesse Greenstein of Middlebury, CT; and a nephew, Alan Danzis of Berkeley Heights, NJ. Her husband David passed away in 1969; and her only sibling, Leo Danzis of Elizabeth, NJ, and vice president of the Ketchum Pharmaceutical Co., died in 1977. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Bier was a unique woman; witty, intelligent, and politically astute throughout her life. I know that she was adored by her family; and that she adored them. I extend my condolences to her daughter and her grandsons. They lost the matriarch of their family. New Jersey lost a beloved daughter who truly has left my area poorer for her passing.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Africa, I and a cosponsor of this resolution, and I want to thank the chairman of the committee for his diligence in putting it forth and for working with us on its language; we are very concerned about the ongoing violence in the Republic of Congo, and although a truce was called between President Lissouba and former President Denis Sassou Nguesso on June 17, reports of gunfire and shellings still continue to this date, and it has been estimated that between 1,000 and 3,000 people have died as a result of the fighting. President Lissouba won his seat in 1992 in an election that was determined to be free and fair and, as in Sierra Leone, we cannot tolerate violence as a format for change. The Congo was scheduled to hold elections on July 27. Elections are the appropriate format for change, if so decided by the people of the Congo. It is crucial that the two parties come together to negotiate a real truce and to reschedule elections, and certainly it is not too late to get things back on track. The draft declaration issued by the Foreign Ministers of the West African Economic and Monetary Union in which they stated that they are prepared to join a peacekeeping force to restore peace in the Congo is demonstrative of a growing consensus among African nations for a proactive and African response to the outbreak of violence on the continent, and I think we should welcome their declaration. Again I want to thank the gentleman from California [Mr. Royce] for responding quickly in drafting the resolution. It is important that the Congress clearly condemn the fighting, place its support behind democracy, negotiation, elections, peace, and ultimately behind the will of the people of the Republic of the Congo.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my strong support as cosponsor for this resolution and commend the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] and the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton] for their leadership in bringing it before the House. On Sunday we commemorated the unhappy anniversary and tragic circumstances of 23 years of division on the island of Cyprus, which has been artificially divided following an invasion by Turkish troops on July 20, 1974. On that date, over 200,000 Greek Cypriots became refugees in their own country and to this date are denied return to their homes. Today, a full 37 percent of the island remains under occupation by Turkish troops which in defiance of United Nations resolutions, now number 35,000, making Cyprus one of the most militarized places in the world. After 23 years, the people of Cyprus in both communities deserve a solution which will reunite the island, its communities, and its people. As Secretary of State Albright recently pointed out, ``U.S.- Cyprus relations extend far beyond the so-called Cyprus problem. * * * Cyprus is a valued partner against new global threats.'' A resolution would strengthen peace and stability in the volatile eastern Mediterranean and significantly advance U.S. national security interests in the region and beyond. I recently sent a letter to President Clinton with 67 of my colleagues in the House. The letter outlines what we believe should be the parameters of any Cyprus solution. They are that Cyprus should be reunited with a strong federal government in which the federated states derive their powers from the federal constitution, a democratic constitution which would ensure the rights of all of its citizens and communities and which would guarantee the right to private property and free travel to all parts of the country. If Turkey is serious about its commitment to a permanent solution, then it must bring its views into conformity with the United Nations framework on issues of sovereignty and political equality which they have refused to do. Cyprus should not be a prisoner to Turkey's objections or threats. This is an opportunity for us to make a difference and the swift passage of this resolution sends a message of Congress' deep desire to see a settlement and the reunification of Cyprus for all of its people.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have had the opportunity to work with my colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Ballenger], to introduce this resolution. El Salvador means ``the Savior'' in Spanish, and I believe that El Salvador represents hope and salvation for all of Central America. During the civil war in the 1980's, about 75,000 Salvadorans lost their lives in this country, a small country of 5 million people, but they have managed to find peace, democracy, and a market economy, and today El Salvador leads the region economically with an average annual growth rate of 6 percent in this decade. This resolution is an expression of good will toward the people of El Salvador and toward President Armando Calderon del Sol who was just recently here, and we have had discussions with him and as he faces the challenges that are still present before El Salvador. But we are confident that El Salvador, as has been mentioned here, will continue to progress, building democratic institutions and improving the lives of the Salvadoran people. We can do our part by making sure that the seeds of democracy which are taking root in El Salvador are fully cemented, and that is why I want to hail the Attorney General's decision not to deport, not to deport Salvadorans who came to the United States, fleeing from civil war, as a result of our foreign policy in part, and now would have made a dramatic economic impact on El Salvador if, in fact, they were massively deported. These are people who I believe had rights under the law which were eviscerated under the Immigration Reform Act of last year, and whose rights retroactively should never have been abolished in that manner. In essence, by preserving their opportunity to go ahead and make their case before the Immigration Court of Appeals, this provides an opportunity for El Salvador also to flourish in the process. So I want to commend all of those and also the Congressional Hispanic Caucus who worked very hard on this with the administration. For our part we want to make sure that the United States Congress and administration provide El Salvador with the necessary resources and the type of policy that continues stability and growth, stability which is clearly in the national interests of the United States in a region that is so close to our borders.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 99, which condemns the recent military coup d'etat in Sierra Leone staged by Johnny Paul Koromah and the Armed Forces Ruling Council. I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from New York [Mr. Houghton], for introducing the resolution, which passed both our Subcommittee on Africa and the Committee on International Relations unanimously. In 1996 Sierra Leone held free, fair, and democratic elections. Those elections and the people's choice of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah to lead Sierra Leone were not dissolved by the coup d'etat. They cannot be erased or suspended by undemocratic or violate means. While the coup is certainly disturbing, as we continue to see some of these actions in other places, I think what is encouraging is that many African nations and the Organization of African Unity were swift in their condemnation and asking that governments refrain from recognizing or supporting the new regime. With this resolution, the United States Congress joins the chorus of voices which have spoken out against the coup, and calls upon Mr. Koromah and the AFRC to return power to the true and democratically- elected government, the government that was chosen by the people of Sierra Leone.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a unique group of people, the sponsors of Project Children '97 who have distinguished themselves with unwavering dedication to the promotion of peace in Northern Ireland. Through their generous spirit of compassion, the Project Children '97 sponsors exemplify the best that we as Americans have to offer: reverence for the rights and freedom of the individual citizens. For 22 years caring American families have welcomed children from Northern Ireland into their homes and hearts for 6 weeks during what is traditionally the most violent time of year in the children's homeland. One year ago, the children who came to visit us from Northern Ireland faced an uncertain future. The cherished cease-fire, in effect for 18 months, had been shattered by a new round of violence. Though the past year has seen a continuation of the troubles, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's inclusion of Sinn Fein in peace talks, along with the cancellation of four of Northern Ireland's Orange Order parades are hopeful signs that we will soon see a return to a lasting ceasefire. This makes the time shared by the 56 families and 61 children participating in Project Children '97 even more valuable. This year, the 56 families from my home State of New Jersey who have been so generous as to open their homes and their lives to these young people include: Kourosh and Rosemary Akhavan, Len and Kathy Ancuta, Sean and Beatris Ashe, Garry and Janet Baker, Gary and Linda Bardzell, Charles and June Bray, Michael and Elizabeth Cancian, Kevin and Patricia Comer, Robert and Barbara Comito, James and Patti Cunningham, Philip and Kathleen DiCicco, Donald and Irene Diverio, Robert And Brianna Donohue, Al and Ellen Dorso, Peter and Robin DuHaine, Brent and Lauren Elliot, Rick and Arlene Faustini, Raymond and Rosemary Ferraro, Robert and Elizabeth Gamble, Margaret Gilsenan, Michael and Pat Goodwin, William and Margaret Giaimo/Terry, Edward and Patricia Grzybowski, George and Margaret Hughes, Edwin and Patricia Jankowski, Nicholas and Patricia Kaminsky, Keith and Karen Kirby, Robert And Donna Lee, Michael and Kathleen McBride, John and Louise McGlinchey, Brian and Lori McGorty, Robert and Dyan Moore, Robert and Carole Nyman, Sean and Anne O'Neill, Kevin and Susan O'Shea, David and Cathleen Quinn, Stephen and Jean Revis, John and Lori Rose, James and Mary Ellen Ruitenberg, Paul and Candace Ruitenberg III, Donald and Patricia Ryerson, Guy and Patti Schweizer, Stephen and Catherine Simpson, Michael and Laura Sims, Cheryl Stone, Douglas and Susanna Stroud, James and Louise Sweeney, Robert and Denise Thompson, Jr., Michael and Anne Tizio, Edward and Judith Wagner, Joseph and Barbara Wells, Craig and Barbara Yeske, Anthony and Anita Zak, Rodney and Linda Bialko, and Grianna and Donald Wynne. The 61 young people from Northern Ireland who we have been fortunate enough to visit New Jersey are: David Sterrett, John McIlveen, Alannah Massey, Gerald O'Reilly, Lesley Black, Steven Orr, Paul Mahony, Ryan Corbett, Kevin Nellins, Elaine Coyle, Charlene McWilliams, Lindsey Todd, Eilish Bradley, Joseph McGovern, Claire McKinley, Joseph Doak, Eva Taggart Laura Cairns, Linzi Graham, Joseph Gillen, Seamus Nellins, Michael Duffy, Catriona McCann, Ita Monaghan, Daniel Lynch, Christine Brown, Aislinn Devlin, Stephanie Rae, Aine Hargey, Natalia McKeown, Aisling Burns, Seadhna Billings, Dermot Hartigan, Nicola Catney, Leigh Martin, Mary Louise Heatley, Clara Mulvenna, Danielle Gorman, Brenda Austin, Barry Dobbin, David Goodall, Laura Baird, Paul Willis, Catherine Crawford, Sara Doherty, Kerry-Marie McCaugherty, Jennifer Dixon, Nicola McCabe, Kenneth Murphy, Marie Martin, Darren Diamond, David Diamond, Stephen Coyle, Robert O'Neill, James Moran, Elaine Murray, Margaret White, Mary Deery, Natasha McConnell, Michelle Donnelly, and Collette McTernan. It is an honor to recognize the exceptional compassion of Project Children '97's sponsors. I hope that word of their steps toward peace will spread throughout Northern Ireland and the world. These exemplary individuals are truly local messengers of lasting peace.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to William Cobane, a special gentleman who has distinguished himself through his outstanding dedication to my district. He served as an intern in my office, and excelled to become a congressional staff member who served my constituents earnestly and without desire of reward. In recognition of his dedicated service, I would like to honor Mr. Cobane for his exceptional voluntary service and efforts on behalf of the Sixth Annual Project Children Luncheon on July 21, 1997 at O'Donoghue's Pub in Hoboken, NJ. Tradition and excellence are key words describing this truly dedicated citizen. Mr. Cobane has worked extensively on the Project Children benefit--an organization committed to promoting peace in Northern Ireland. This organization annually brings children from Northern Ireland to spend part of their summer in America with host families. Driven by his Irish roots, Bill Cobane works to make sure these children have the wonderful opportunity to experience and enjoy this time in America, and away from the violence in their homeland. His hard work and commitment to the event has benefited the lives of many young children from Northern Ireland. He has dedicated much of his time and efforts toward the success of this special event. Mr. Cobane's work and dedication are an example of his loyal and committed service to others. His volunteerism demonstrates his dedication to his community and his stature as a model citizen. His service to my district will always stand as a shining example for others. I am proud to have such a caring individual work on the Project Children Luncheon.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague. First of all I want to recognize and commend the gentleman for keeping this issue before the Congress of the United States, and for that matter, before the American people, and for organizing this special order. We do hope there will be a point in time in which this special order will truly be just a commemoration and not a further quest and search for peace and justice in Cyprus. The gentleman has been an outstanding advocate in this respect, and we commend him. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a member of the Committee on International Relations and as a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus to join in the commemoration of that unhappy anniversary and tragic circumstances of 23 years, over two decades, of the division of the island of Cyprus. It seems incredible, but for 23 years now the Republic of Cyprus has been artificially divided following an illegal invasion by Turkish troops on July 20, 1974. On that date over 200,000 Greek Cypriots became refugees in their own country and to this day are denied the right to return to their homes. Today a full 37 percent of the island remains under occupation by Turkish troops, which in defiance of U.N. resolutions, now number over 35,000. This makes Cyprus one of the most militarized places in the world. I saw that fact firsthand as I traveled with my constituents from New Jersey, the Zambas family, to Cyprus, crossed the green line, which is the division between northern Cyprus and the rest of the country, to the occupied territory to an area called Brastio-Morphu. Clearly to me the militarization was so, so obvious in the process of that visit. But also what was obvious is that when Turkish Cypriots, those who lived on the island, not those who have been imported from Anatolia but those who live on the island, are given an opportunity to intermingle with Greek Cypriots, that there is the opportunity for coexistence and coalescence. That became clear to me in the conversation between my constituents and the Turkish Cypriots who had lived there before the invasion. They were willing to talk to each other. Only the people who were escorting us, the security forces, refused to let them speak to each other. As an example of that, it is those who occupy the north that create this division. We remember the over 1,619 Greek Cypriots and 5 American citizens who are still missing as a result of the military operations in 1974. Sadly, we also commemorate this year the deaths of three civilians last summer, two who died from the bullets of Turkish soldiers, they were unarmed, they were simply along the green line, and the other at the hands of a mob of Turkish thugs. These actions are nothing but barbaric and should be addressed in that way, which is why I was happy to join many of my colleagues at the United Nations in condemning those barbaric actions. Those are not the actions that a civilized country takes. It is not the actions that a country for which we give aid takes against other individuals. Mr. Speaker, the comments of the former Prime Minister, Prime Minister Tansu Ciller, that we will break the hands of those raised against us, signify, contrary to Turkey's stated position, that in fact they consider northern Cyprus Turkey's domain. So after 23 years, the people of Cyprus in both communities deserve a solution which will reunite the island, its communities, and its people. For too long the Cyprus problem has been a source of tension and instability in an important area of the world. My colleague, the gentleman from Florida, has a map that very well describes that part of the world and the importance of what is happening in the Aegean. Even our Secretary of State Madeleine Albright recently pointed out ``U.S. Cyprus relations extend far beyond, far beyond the so-called Cyprus problem. Cyprus is a valued partner against new global threats.'' I think that is why we in the Congress are engaged in this issue. A resolution would strengthen peace and stability in the volatile eastern Mediterranean and significantly advance the United States national security interests in the region and beyond. It is in the United States national interest to see such a solution. Cyprus is a bridge between East and West. It is a bulkhead in the sea of Islamic fundamentalism. Its solution would ease the tensions between two very important NATO allies. President Clinton's appointment of Richard Holbrooke as his Special Emissary on Cyprus has us all refocused again on the attention to a resolution to the Cyprus problem at a crucial time. Last week I was proud to circulate and send a letter, and I know that my colleague, the gentleman from Florida and others, joined with me in a letter signed by 67 of our colleagues in the House to President Clinton outlining what we believe should be the parameters of any Cyprus solution. Those parameters are basically those that have been recognized I think by the international community through U.N. resolutions, but specifically they are that Cyprus should be reunited with a strong federal government in which the federated states derive their powers from a federal constitution, a democratic constitution which would ensure the rights of all citizens and all communities, and which would guarantee the right to private property and free travel to all parts of the country. We have heard much about the Greek Cypriots' willingness to compromise, and they have, time and time again. But there are limitations. Turkey must not be allowed to derail once again the tremendous opportunity for peace that exists on the island. While Turkey has verbally committed itself at appropriate moments during these years to pursue better relations with its neighbors, its actions, however, not what it says but what it does, its actions demonstrate a consistent pattern of hostility and unwillingness. Even the former U.N. Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, said so in a report on Cyprus. So if Turkey is serious about its commitment to a permanent solution, then it must bring its views into conformity with the U.N. framework on issues of sovereignty and political equality. In conclusion, I want to say that Cyprus will not be a prisoner to Turkey's objections or threats. It will not postpone and it should not postpone its well-deserved entry into the European Union over Turkish objections. If European integration is good for Turkey, then it must be good for all of the Cypriot people. The world must know that in this small Mediterranean island of Cyprus, there are people filled with hope and expectation that this is the moment in which their divided homeland can once and for all be reunited in accordance with international expectations. We cannot rest until the last boot of the last Turkish soldier leaves Cyprus, until a divided country is reunited, until the last divided city of the world, Nicosia, is rejoined, until peace and justice become a reality for all of its citizens, Greeks and Turks alike. I again commend the distinguished gentleman from Florida [Mr. Bilirakis] for keeping this before the American people, before Congress, and forging ahead.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, the Democrats want tax cuts for working taxpaying families. A lot of smoke is being created here to say, well, who is really saying the truth? Well, let us look at the Congressional Research Service report made by the nonpartisan Library of Congress, by the specialists on the economics end of policy, that says the Office of Treasury provides a more comprehensive measure, more consistent with how economists would measure the bill's benefits to individuals in different income classes. What they conclude is that using measures that are more consistent with conventional economic analysis the permanent provisions of the bill the Office of Treasury estimates indicate that by any distributional measure; that means who gets what, the tax cuts under the Republican plan favor higher income individuals in the House and Senate bills with the effects more pronounced in the House bill. Mr. Speaker, that is why Americans throughout the country favor the democratic alternative. They understand it is for working taxpaying families.

Mr. MENENDEZ

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, Democrats want tax cuts and tax relief for working taxpaying families. However Republicans in the Congress have passed tax bills that shortchange working families and instead shower tax breaks to the very wealthy. A new Treasury Department analysis revealed that the Republican bill is light on relief for working families and heavy on tax breaks for the rich. According to the Treasury analysis, only a third of the tax breaks, only a third, go to the middle 60 percent of all families. Who is that? Families making between $17,000 and $93,000 a year. By stark contrast, the Democratic alternative offers those same families 66 percent of all of the tax cut relief, and those are the working families in this country we want to help. Republicans also skimp on the tax breaks for college students in their budget. Their bill only gives half of the $1,500 college tuition credit for the first 2 years, does virtually nothing for juniors and seniors. Mr. Speaker, that is why Democrats continue to fight for working families. We are going to ensure a tax bill that meets the needs of working families in this country.