Richard Neal

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I think we've done a good job of balancing small business tax incentives with an increase in the minimum wage. Both workers and employers come out winners. And because the bill is revenue neutral, the taxpayer also wins. The bill provides a few billion dollars of tax relief in the first few years while businesses are absorbing the minimum wage increase. These tax benefits include a 1-year extension of the WOTC, Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which is a credit for employers who hire the hard-to-employ. Eligible workers include those from low-income communities, or those on public assistance, or veterans who simply need a boost in getting back into the workforce. Our bipartisan bill also doubles the WOTC credit for hiring veterans with service-connected disabilities. The bill also increases and extends the small business expensing allowance so that small business owners can write-off capital expenditures. A small business owner buying equipment or new computers can immediately recoup the cost, rather than depreciating the asset over several years. And the bill allows businesses to continue to take a full ``tip credit'' for their tipped workers. Otherwise, with the increase in the minimum wage, these business owners would lose a significant amount of the tip credit right away. I applaud the work of Chairman Rangel and Mr. McCrery who drafted this bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Engel for yielding. Last Saturday in my hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts, I spent the day welcoming back 150 brave American soldiers from the 181st Engineer Battalion of the National Guard who just completed a year-long deployment in Iraq. Their mission was to provide security for their fellow servicemembers and to protect military facilities. This group included members who possessed the Bronze Star, the Combat Action Badge, and the Purple Heart. Every Member of this House and Senate has participated in ceremonies similar to this across the country. We might have our differences about the war, but we find common ground in our steadfast support for these soldiers both in Iraq, on their way to Iraq, and around the world. And that is one of the reasons I intend to vote in favor of this bipartisan resolution today. There is a reason that the framers of our constitutional system chose in Article I to establish that Congress is the first branch of the government, to oversee the Executive. One of the reasons that we are here today is because the majority at the time never asked a question of the Administration. Everything the Administration said, the Republican majority at that time in Congress went along with. I am mindful of the thousands of soldiers who have died, more than 3,200. I am mindful of the 21,000 today who have been wounded. I am mindful of those who continue to serve our country bravely and honorably, and that the burden of this war has fallen on these troops and their families. There has been very little sacrifice asked of the American people. But those who have sacrificed deserve a frank and honest debate about President Bush's policy. This is the debate we should have had 4 years ago. You cannot edit history. We know today there were no weapons of mass destruction. There was no enriched uranium from Niger. There was no connection to al Qaeda. We were not welcomed as liberators in war. And 3\1/2\ years later, the mission has not been accomplished. Madam Speaker, like the vast majority of the American people, I agree that the war in Iraq is going badly and getting worse. I attach great significance to the National Intelligence Estimate. The overall security situation in Iraq has deteriorated, as they have said, with 2006 being one of the deadliest years to date. The war has increased Islamic radicalism around the world and has helped to destabilize the entire Middle East. By any objective standard, Iraq has descended into something worse than a civil war, as noted by the Iraq Study Group, and our American troops are caught in the middle. And let us call it for what it is: a civil war. Yet President Bush, nearly 3 years after declaring an end to major combat operations in Iraq, is sending another 20,000 American troops into battle. And Vice President Cheney, in the face of insurmountable evidence, continues to declare that Iraq is a success. As we debate this resolution today, it is clear that support for the war is at a tipping point. Our intelligence community, speaking collectively in the recent NIE, they believe that the future of Iraq is grim. And, most significantly, our distinguished military commanders believe it is time for a new direction. General Powell, General Zinni, General Batiste, General Gregory Newbold, and others have all expressed concern about the future of Iraq. These are individuals who were involved in the planning and execution of the war; and, obviously, they do not like what they see. Even former director of the National Security Agency under President Reagan, retired Lieutenant General William Odom, acknowledged on Sunday that ``the President's policy in Iraq is based on illusions, not realities.'' I do not believe that public opinion alone should shape public policy, but no one should underestimate the intelligence of the American people. They are convinced that ``stay the course,'' as President Bush has suggested, has not succeeded. Every Member of Congress wants our soldiers to succeed in Iraq. No elected representative in this institution would ever seek to undermine our servicemen and women. But the facts are clear. The war in Iraq is the most important issue facing America today, and our constituents are entitled to know where their representatives stand on the way forward. That is why this debate, finally, is so important. Just as the debate in 2002 led us into the war with Iraq, perhaps this conversation with the American people that we are having today will begin the process of bringing our troops back home. More than 4 years ago, I came to the floor of the House with deep reservations about granting President Bush unlimited powers to authorize this invasion of a sovereign country. It is the best vote of opposition that I have offered in my 19 years in this House of Representatives

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday night, January 24, 2007, the University of Massachusetts presented Henry M. Thomas III of Springfield, MA, with its Distinguished Service Award. This award recognizes the ``demonstrated leadership'' and ``exemplary accomplishments'' of an individual, and I can think of no one more worthy than my friend Henry Thomas. Henry Thomas is a life-long friend of mine and I would like to extend at this time my heartfelt congratulations to him upon receiving this prestigious honor. I would like to include in the Congressional Record today a history of Henry Thomas's accomplishments and dedication to the city of Springfield, social activism and education. Congratulations Henry on an award that is well-deserved. Distinguished Achievement Award Presented to henry m. thomas iii, January 24, 2007. No one in our time has made greater civic contributions to western Massachusetts than Henry M. Thomas III, or shown greater courage and resolve in doing so. His record of achievement during the past three and a half decades has been dazzling in its depth and diversity. Thomas is president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Springfield Inc., which he joined in 1971 as youth and education director. The Urban League serves the African American community by promoting through advocacy and services the academic and social development and the economic self-sufficiency of young people and families. It also fosters racial inclusion and social justice. Thomas showed an early aptitude for leadership. Within 4 years he was promoted to director of voter registration and education at the Springfield Urban League, and then to deputy director. In 1975, when only 25 years old, he was named president and CEO, the youngest person ever so appointed in an Urban League affiliate. He is a past president of the National Urban League Executives and served for 2 years as vice president for youth development at the New York office of the National Urban League, developing infrastructure to support inner-city youth. Many other institutions and organizations have been touched by Thomas's energetic idealism and executive skill. As the first African American chairman of the Springfield Fire Commission from 1985 to 1998, he demonstrated a courageous willingness to challenge a rule that forbade fire department applicants from having an arrest record, as opposed to a conviction--this at a time when blacks and Latinos were frequently arrested on spurious grounds. Ten years later, as the first black chairman of the Springfield Police Commission, Thomas received death threats after granting three African Americans promotions to sergeant. In January 2006, Governor Mitt Romney appointed Thomas vice chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Education, on which he had served since 2001. Thomas was also recently appointed to the transition team of Governor Deval Patrick. Camp Atwater in North Brookfield, MA, the Nation's oldest African American summer youth residential camp, has long benefited from Thomas's support: he reopened it in 1980 following a 6-year hiatus and serves as its CEO. He also serves on a number of local and national boards and commissions. Thomas founded and is the presiding chairman of the board of Springfield's New Leadership Charter School, is a member of the board of the American Camping Association, and chairs the board of trustees of the Springfield Cable Endowment. He founded and is a co-chairman of Step Up Springfield and is on the executive committee of the Hamden County Regional Employment Board. An earnest and inspired educator, Thomas has been a visiting professor in the Master's of Regional Planning Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts. He hosts a weekly community talk show, ``Urban League Community Focus,'' now in its 15th year on Springfield radio station WTCC. Thomas grew up in Springfield, where at Technical High School he was his class's only black gymnast. Equally adept on the gridiron, he was offered dozens of college football scholarships and accepted one at American International College in Springfield. There he founded the black student organization and earned a bachelor's degree in psychology in 1971 and a master's degree in human resource development 2 years later. In 1983 he received a jurisprudence doctorate from Western New England College School of Law. Thomas has called his law degree ``an invaluable tool for dealing with government officials, community leaders, and the business aspects of running a multimillion-dollar nonprofit agency. . . . Virtually every area of my work involves law in some degree.'' He has also received honorary doctorates from Westfield State College and Bay Path College. In 1999, he received an Executive Leadership Program Certificate from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Thomas gives enormous credit to his wife, Devonia J. Thomas, for the support and encouragement she has provided throughout his career. The Thomases have been married for 35 years and live in Springfield's historic Forest Park neighborhood in a home well stocked with books and artifacts reflecting their love of African American history and African art, especially Shona art from what is now Zimbabwe. Their son, Perren, is an investment banker on Wall Street. Their daughter, Shadae, is a fourth-grade teacher in Cambridge, MA. Thomas relaxes by playing racquetball and the saxophone and by reading and watching a good deal of football.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Lantos and certainly Chairman Smith for bringing this resolution to the floor today. One of the reasons that American foreign policy has triumphed in Ireland has been because this was done in a bipartisanship way, a bipartisanship way, the way American foreign policy formally was conducted. And the success that we have enjoyed in the North of Ireland has largely been indispensable due to the involvement of America, and revisiting these cases, as Mr. Smith has requested and Mr. Lantos has sanctioned, is terribly important. Think of these murders, cold-blooded murders, shooting down attorneys who were providing a common defense for suspected, suspected, members of the IRA. Never was there ever indication that they were members of the IRA; they were suspected members of the IRA, and they were not entitled to a common defense under the former justice system in the North of Ireland. So, the attorneys are murdered as well as the suspected members of the IRA. What is notable about this is what occurred last week. Many of us in this Chamber, Members of this House, have been involved in cases dating back to Gibraltar, to Birmingham, and to a series of other cases which we in this House brought forward. It is Members of this body that demanded that the British Government bring these cases to light and be put under the magnifying glass of critical analysis. And now we find that not only was there collusion on the ground, there was collusion at the highest levels of the British Government where the military gave information to paramilitaries on the loyalist side, who then cleared the area so that attorneys could be targeted for assassination. That is how far reaching these murders were. What is also significant is this: It is because of this Chamber that the IRA and its political ally Sinn Fein had the courage to proceed with not only disarmament but, just as importantly, they decided to join policing. And let me just say this about policing today in the North of Ireland. One section of the community used policing to keep the other section of the community in line. That is what this was about. And now the faith that has been offered by the Good Friday Agreement, again in a bipartisan sense, has allowed us to proceed and to move forward. And it could not have been done without people like Mr. Smith. And I could go on and on with Members of this Chamber, and Mr. Lantos again offers support to this initiative today. So it is terribly important. And I want to thank all of you, and Mr. McCord, the chief constable from the North of Ireland will be in my office tomorrow to answer questions from the Members of Congress

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Social Security and Medicare Improved Burn Injury Treatment Access Act of 2007. This legislation provides a waiver of the 24-month waiting period now required before an uninsured individual becomes eligible for Medicare coverage for disabling burn injuries, as well as the five- month waiting period for Social Security disability benefits. Each year an estimated 500,000 people are treated for burn injuries. Of these 500,000 injuries, about 40,000 require hospitalization. Fire and burn deaths average about 4,000 per year. Burn care is highly specialized. While there are thousands of trauma centers in the United States, there are only 125 burn centers with a total burn-bed capacity of just over 1,800. These specialized burn centers treat about 25,000 or 200 admissions per year, out of the total 40,000 admissions, while the other 5,000 U.S. hospitals without burn centers average less than three burn admissions per year. Medical care for serious burn injuries is very expensive, which places a great financial strain on burn centers, about 40 percent of whose patients are uninsured. Because of these financial challenges, burn centers in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Iowa and South Carolina have closed in just the past two years. This is occurring at a time when the federal govemment is asking burn centers to expand their capacity to deal with mass casualty scenarios. The Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security have included burn centers in the Critical Benchmark Surge Capacity Criteria in the funding continuation requirements for state plans administered through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). HSS, in conjunction with the American Burn Association, has created a real-time, web-based burn-bed capacity system in the national emergency preparedness center and funded Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) and clinical, on-site burn nurse training for 200 public health service nurses as a reserve capacity for potential mass burn casualty incidents, as well as supporting more than 20 ABLS courses with over 600 first-responders in ten key areas of the country. The 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., and major accidents like the Rhode Island nightclub fire and North Carolina chemical plant explosions demonstrate the substantial number of burn injuries that can result from such events. Over one-third of those hospitalized in New York on 9/11 had severe burn injuries. The Department of Homeland Security has recognized that there would be mass burn casualties in terrorist acts, and there is a need for appropriate preparedness activities. For example, if the United States should suffer further terrorist attacks using explosions, incendiary devices or chemical weapons, most victims would suffer severe burn injuries. Even a relatively modest number of burn injuries can consume large segments of the nation's burn bed capacity. For example, the victims of the Rhode Island nightclub fire absorbed the burn bed capacity of most of the northern East Coast of the United States. Mass burn casualties that reach into the hundreds or thousands would strain the system to the breaking point. It is clear that burn centers are a national resource and a critical link to public health emergency preparedness. Medicare coverage for serious, disabling burn injuries would enable these burn centers to remain financially viable and preserve an essential component of our public health emergency infrastructure. This legislation follows an approach already taken with respect to End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), both of which result in waivers of the 24- month waiting period for Medicare eligibility. While these two diseases tend to be progressive in nature, the very initial phase of a serious burn injury is when things are most acute. Providing immediate Medicare coverage for uninsured patients suffering serious, disabling burn injuries is a fully justified and necessary step. Although not all hospitalized burn injuries would qualify as ``disabling'' and thus result in immediate Medicare coverage, this legislation is about providing coverage for the many uninsured patients suffering from serious burn injuries and ensuring the survival of a vital national resource that already is in jeopardy, a situation we cannot accept as we seek to prepare the nation to deal with potential mass casualty terrorist events.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, last Saturday in Dublin, the national executive of Sinn Fein voted in favor of holding a special Ard Fheis on January 28 to vote on a motion supporting police and the rule of law. For those who remain committed to lasting peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland, bringing this peace process to a successful conclusion, it was a development that would have been unimaginable just 10 years ago. On both sides of the Irish Sea, the decision by Sinn Fein was welcomed as historic and important. The Taoiseach of Ireland, Bertie Ahern, called it a landmark and timely decision. The British Secretary of State for the North, Peter Hain, called it a hugely significant move of seismic proportions. Mr. Speaker, as someone who has been involved in this process for three decades, I would describe the action by Sinn Fein as remarkable. It is a reflection of the leadership of Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. At a critical moment, they honored their commitments and once again kept their word. A vote taken by the executive last week is just the latest example. No one should minimize the difficulties this decision is causing Sinn Fein leadership on the ground, but for nationalists and republicans the issue of policing has been a long and troubled history. I am confident that the special Ard Fheis will see it as a defining moment in Irish history and vote to support policing and the rule of law.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. McDermott for yielding me this time. After I got done hearing my friend from Pennsylvania speak, I was reminded once again of a recurring theme in this town from Republicans: have they ever met a special interest they didn't love. The struggles of Big Oil: profits last year of 117 percent. Remember as we heard these arguments just a couple of minutes ago from those champions of the average guy, as they would have you believe today, these are the people who in a craven moment in the closing days of the 109th Congress tied an increase in the minimum wage to repeal of the estate tax, conveniently forgetting about that individual who had to work one day a week at minimum wage just to fill their gasoline tanks. This is good policy. It is sensible, and it speaks to the idea of returning $14 billion to the Treasury that will be redirected to renewable and energy-efficient programs resulting in a cleaner and more efficient America where both consumer and business reap the benefits. Advancing progressive energy will wean us off of foreign oil, which all Americans agree is needed. It has been said that American needs another Manhattan Project, not to create weapons of mass destruction, but to create masses of jobs by harnessing America's technological innovation. We all know how many jobs have been lost due to foreign competition, and we are going to continue to lose them if we fail to make the necessary investments in energy technology and the people who are behind the research and its development. Put the American people and their interests first here. The idea that we would drill on public land and not seek some sort of compensation for the Federal Government, relief for the taxpayer, is ridiculous.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to pay my respects to the First Greek Orthodox Church in Springfield, Massachusetts upon the occasion of its 100th anniversary In 1907 an old house was acquired on Auburn Street, converted into a place of worship and it was here that the rapidly growing Greek community held their first church services. By 1920 the Greek population had grown so large that the Auburn Street building no longer could accommodate the members of St. George's Greek Orthodox Church. A building fund campaign was soon inaugurated to raise the funds to buy a new church. A building was purchased on Patton Street which provided adequate facilities for church services, a Greek School and administrative offices. By 1940 the Greek population had again increased greatly. It was at this time that the Congregational Memorial Church at Main and Plainfield Streets became available. The Greek Community took advantage of this opportunity and purchased the Memorial Church and its spacious parish house on October 7, 1940. This magnificent Gothic Church, built in 1866, was designed by the noted architect, Richard Upjohn, with a high vaulted ceiling and priceless stained glass windows. By 1975 the Church began looking at new sites for a community center and by June 1977 it was decided that St. George would expand and stay in Springfield. A General Assembly approved plans for a parish center by purchasing the old Memorial Square Library Building. The St. George Greek Orthodox Church Cultural Center was opened in 1978 and to the present time it houses administrative offices, classrooms for Sunday and Greek Schools, a gymnasium and facilities for social functions. A Chapel was added to the building in 1986. The first Greek immigrants in Springfield brought with them their history, their philosophies, their democratic ideals, their courage, their culture and traditions, their Greek language and customs, their festive celebrations, their foods, music and dance and most of all their Greek Orthodox faith which they have handed down from one generation to the next all of which we celebrate this Centennial Year.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. When you hear this argument and this debate, remember, a year ago, these are the people that were going to abandon the Social Security system. These are the people that were going to throw the Social Security system overboard. I heard the gentleman from Arizona say, well, there is good things in the legislation and there is bad things in the legislation. Does anybody remember the S&L issue around here or did we have amnesia? There were good things about deregulating the S&Ls, and it cost the American taxpayer $500 billion, but a decade later. The Wall Street Journal published a poll yesterday. I hear my Republican friends talking about how great everything is. How good everything is on Wall Street. The American people are asked, in what direction is the country headed, right or wrong? And by almost two-thirds they say the wrong direction. They are paying $3.15 a gallon for gasoline, their health care plan is being taken away, and their retirement plan is being compromised, if not jeopardized. 401(k) plans are replacing the defined benefit that we had all come to know. That is where the anxiety is coming from. That is why the American people think the country's headed in the wrong direction. You are about to hasten the demise of the defined benefit plan by embracing this legislation tonight, and I want to say something as well to those who are witnessing the debate. It has not been vetted through the committee system. It has not been presented back and forth between two parties. It is being put up on a Friday night, once again because they think you are not watching. That is the way the Ways and Means Committee has operated during the last few years. That is the way legislation's brought to the floor, no opportunity for the minority to ever be heard. We simply put it in front of this body, late at night so people cannot witness it, and then we move on from there. Whether it is good or bad, we will not have our fingerprints on it.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House passed H.R. 4376, the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Massachusetts Act of 2005. This legislation authorizes the National Park Service to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on behalf of the superb Springfield Technical Community College. The Springfield Armory Museum is home to Longfellow's famous gun rack which inspired the arsenal at Springfield, home to the Springfield rifle, the Gerrand rifle, the site of Shay's rebellion and located on the Knox Trail which General Knox used and traversed as he moved to Boston and Dorchester for those fateful days of the American Revolution. This legislation seeks to recognize and update the partnership between the Park Service and the college by authorizing the Park Service to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Commonwealth to provide financial assistance to the college for the purpose of maintaining, preserving, renovating and rehabilitating many of the historic structures within the Springfield National Historic Site. This is a very important piece of legislation, Mr. Speaker, and it actually will allow a cooperative agreement to take place that will transform the complexion of what is also the site of the famous Olmstead Papers. I am grateful for this recognition that the House offered yesterday on behalf of these two individual sites.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, this marks the 10th anniversary of the passage of the 1996 welfare bill, a measure I voted for. And the legislation certainly was not perfect, but the system that it supplanted was even worse. Ten years on, instead of having a pep rally for TANF, I think what we ought to be doing is having a serious conversation about whether the program is being implemented in a way that effectively and realistically moves everyone who can work into a job so that they might support their family. With Bill Clinton, the TANF program rightly demanded that able-bodied people do everything possible to find and keep a job. But it also recognized the fact that single moms needed help with child care and transportation in order to successfully and permanently transition out of public assistance. So the Clinton budgets provided that traditional assistance. The Clinton budgets also made enforcement of child support payments a top priority, which gleaned billions of dollars, that pulled thousands of women and children out of poverty. Bill Clinton insisted on an increase in the minimum wage and an expanded earned income tax credit, which helped people earning the lowest wages support themselves. And the results spoke for themselves. Even as welfare caseloads dropped, poverty rates fell for every year that Bill Clinton was in office. So what has happened in the last 5 years? Child care, cut. Food stamps, cut. Medicaid, cut. Child support enforcement, cut. So it is a disappointment but not a surprise that poverty rates are once again on the rise. According to the Census Bureau in 2004, there were 13 million children living under the poverty line. Almost one American child in five grows up in a family that cannot pay for the bare essentials of life like food, shelter, and clothing. How can we let this happen? Today I want people to listen to this. Today a minimum wage worker in America who puts in 40 hours a week and never takes a vacation day, listen to this, they earn, at minimum wage, $10,700 a year before taxes. That is not enough for a single mother with one child to clear the poverty line. But I think it is the new face of compassionate conservatism. That is a full-time working mom who cannot possibly make ends meet for herself and her child. One in five kids in this country grows up in poverty. The welfare bill was supposed to counteract these trends, and when Bill Clinton was in office it was doing a good job. But the programs that helped welfare reform demonstrate progress like child support enforcement, child care assistance, have been eviscerated by this Congress and this administration. But we always have time here for tax cuts for rich people. If we cannot take care of Paris Hilton, who can? This welfare bill was a good start, and if properly implemented, it was during the Clinton years, we would still be on the path to reform.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4376, the ``Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Massachusetts Act of 2005.'' This legislation authorizes the National Park Service to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on behalf of Springfield Technical Community College. Over 30 years ago, in 1974, my predecessor, Congressman Edward Boland, and Senator Kennedy were successful in creating the Springfield Armory National Historic Site. This Boland-Kennedy legislation set in motion three decades of cooperation between the National Park Service, which manages the armory museum, and Springfield Technical Community College. The National Park Service and Springfield Technical Community College are neighbors that together occupy the National Historic Site. The Springfield Armory was the first national armory in the United States. In fact, the armory was founded in 1777, when the site was selected as the location for a magazine and laboratory for the development, production, and storage of guns and powder during the American Revolution. Following the American Revolutionary War, in 1794 Congress officially established the Springfield Armory. George Washington visited the site, which also happened to be the site of Shay's Rebellion. For much of the 19th century, the Springfield Armory developed, manufactured and supplied most of the small arms used by the United States armed services. The Springfield Armory National Historic Site has a rich heritage that is an integral part of our Nation's history. In 1968 the armory was deactivated as a military installation and in 1974 Congress established the National Historic Site. The National Park Service has operated the armory museum on these grounds, and it houses the most outstanding and historically significant arms collection in the country. The future and fate of both the armory museum and Springfield Technical Community College are inextricably linked. Many of the historic buildings on the site are actually located on the college's property, not National Park Service land, although a visitor to the campus would not be able to tell where NPS property ends and college property begins. The land outside the portion of the site administered by NPS is known as the ``Preservation Control Area.'' These college-owned buildings are subject to strict architectural and preservation rules. Many of these historic buildings owned by the college must be preserved and maintained pursuant to standards defined by the Secretary of the Interior. But these historic buildings are in a state of great disrepair and the college cannot easily move to maintain and preserve them absent the full participation of the Park Service. Not only does this deterioration of the facilities hurt the college, but also undermines the attractiveness of the National Park Service area, including the armory museum. My legislation seeks to recognize and update the partnership that has existed over these many years between the Park Service and the college by authorizing the Park Service to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Commonwealth for NPS to provide financial assistance to the college for the purpose of maintaining, preserving, renovating, and rehabilitating the many historic structures within the Springfield Armory National Historic Site. The Park Service frequently enters into such cooperative agreements where the object of the agreement is of direct benefit to the Park Service and its mission or for other public purposes. If these great historic buildings on the site can be renovated with the assistance of the Park Service, it will bring forward a more vibrant and attractive historic site and museum. The Park Service and the college will be able to partner on many joint educational ventures that utilize these revitalized historic facilities. The Springfield Armory National Historic Site is a treasure to the city of Springfield, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and to the Nation. The site is in desperate need of renovation. Enactment of this legislation is the first step toward ensuring the preservation of a site, which has played so vital a role in our Nation's history.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Thank you, Mr. Rangel, very much. What the other side wants you to believe today is that this is tax relief for the average American. What the majority whip said a couple of moments ago was interesting. He said the economy is growing; we have to keep the economy growing. He cleverly neglected to mention the deficits are growing, the insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan are growing. You need the money to pay for those things. You know what this is? This isn't for hardworking families. This is the Paris Hilton Tax Relief Act. That is who we take care of with this. Not Conrad Hilton, Paris Hilton. She will be in great spirits this evening when she finds out that the Republican Party has come to her assistance once again. $2 trillion worth of tax cuts already, $800 billion more worth of tax cuts today, and friends across America, how do you square that with two wars? Seven tax cuts and two wars with no exit strategy in front of us, and they continue to cut taxes. And the majority whip said, oh, he was cutting taxes for average Americans. We don't have time in this institution to raise the minimum wage. We don't have time for the people that clean the hotel rooms, make the beds, and shovel the streets. We don't have time for them. But, my God, today we have time for Paris Hilton. We will take care of her very well with this piece of legislation. The troops in Iraq? We will cut veterans benefits when they come home. Let us make all kinds of changes here. But, my goodness, true to form, they are rich and they are not going to take it any more. This Congress has bent over backwards to take care of the wealthy in America and the strong. And who do we neglect? People that do the menial jobs across this country that we depend upon every single day. Is there no end to this embarrassment of what we do on behalf of the powerful and the wealthy in America? That is how much of the American population is going to benefit from what they do. Less than 2 percent of the American people are about to benefit from what they are going to do today. I cannot believe the choice that this Congress is making today. During the last 10 days, committees within the House have turned back efforts to raise the minimum wage. We won't provide any help to people who earn $5.15 per hour, $10,700 a year. At that wage, people have to work an entire 8-hour day in order to pay for a single tank of gas. And after rejecting any relief for working poor families, what is the next order of business for the Republican Congress? Elimination of the inheritance tax--a tax that affects only the wealthiest 7,000 families in the United States. The proposal under consideration today would cost $762 billion over its first 10 years in effect, all to benefit the tiniest share of the wealthiest and most successful members of our society--people who want for nothing, and who have enjoyed the largest share of the rest of the tax cuts that we have passed since 2001. In this year's budget, the United States Congress cut funding for veterans. We cut funding for programs that helped the elderly and small children. We cut funding for student loans. We have taken the step--unprecedented in our Nation's history--of conducting two wars with six large tax cuts. And even after all of that, here we are today, contemplating a tax cut worth hundreds of billions of dollars that will go to the likes of Paris Hilton. Three estates in every 1,000 would benefit from this tax break. This is not widespread tax relief. This is not Main Street tax relief. This is Park Avenue tax relief that Main Street has to pay for. This bill costs almost as much as estate tax repeal, and the benefits accrue to the people in our society who need tax relief the least. We have a record deficit, we have a skyrocketing national debt, and we have two wars to pay for. This isn't fuzzy math, this is fantasy math.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida. Mr. Speaker, we had in constitutional scholars that were all asked at the Budget Committee meetings whether or not Congress currently possessed the ability within its governing responsibilities to balance the budget, and the answer was ``yes.'' This is a fake tool meant to cover the Republican Party. I opposed this with Ronald Reagan, I opposed it with George Bush, Sr., with Bill Clinton, and now with George Bush, Jr. And do you know what is regrettable about this debate, most regrettable about the debate? Conservatives won't stand up for principle. The idea of a running mate in 1215 was to keep King John from being an autocrat. When Prince Charles invaded the House of Parliament and arrested members who disagreed with him, it was time to take action. What do we do here? We cede more authority to the Executive. You put this tool in the hands of Lyndon Johnson, and you are going to regret it. You are going to regret the day you ever embraced this item. Calling down to the White House to see if your spending proposal was okay? As they say to you, Well, I was checking your voting record on some references you made to the administration recently. Now we will decide whether we are going to keep your item in. How ill-considered, how ill-timed in the middle of war that we would do this, to give the authority to the Executive to make decisions that Mr. Madison and Mr. Jefferson correctly believed belonged with this body. And conservatives violate that spirit today by giving more authority to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Do you know what is going to happen? And you mark my words. The President will determine what spending priorities are and not the Congress according to our Constitution. Wake up to this issue and what we are about to do here today. The threats from the Executive are always a part of our lives in congressional reality, and everybody here knows it. I listened to that debate; it was the weakest debate I have heard. I had conservative Members come over and say, You are right. We agree with you, but we have got to do something. Do you know what to do? Add some transparency to this system. Stop issuing press releases in the appropriations process. That would take care of this issue overnight.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege today to pay tribute to Chester and Irene Brozek of Three Rivers, Massachusetts, upon the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary. It was June 16, 1956, that Chester and Irene wed at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Three Rivers, Massachusetts. They have lived their lives together in that small town, attended the same schools--in the same class--and raised four sons and a daughter; Steven, Jim, David, Carolyn and Michael. Chester, or Zab, worked at the Monsanto Company in Indian Orchard for more than 30 years. Irene worked for the Town of Palmer in the Tax Collector's Office, becoming the tax collector and retiring from that position. On Saturday, June 24th Chester and Irene will return to Saints Peter and Paul Church to celebrate with their children, their 12 grandchildren, relatives and friends this momentous occasion. I congratulate them and wish them health, best wishes and happiness in their years to come.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, the war in Iraq reached another troubling milestone yesterday with the announcement that 2,500 American soldiers have now been killed in the 3-year conflict. In Massachusetts alone, more than 35 families have mourned the loss of a loved one, killed in action in places like Ramadi, Fallujah and Najaf. And since President Bush declared an end to ``major combat operations,'' more than 17,000 troops have been wounded in combat. Every Member of Congress supports the heroic efforts of our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the globe. These brave men and women in uniform, and their service to our country, should never be forgotten. We have the finest armed forces in the world and they represent the United States of America with remarkable courage, honor and dignity. During a recent memorial service for a young soldier from western Massachusetts who was killed in Iraq, a Marine Commander paid tribute to our fallen service members by saying: ``we weep at their passing, honor their service and cherish their memories.'' I would simply add that we are also grateful for the enormous sacrifice they have made for our nation. We are here today in this historic chamber to discuss the future of a war that has already taken so much from so many. A war that a majority Americans now disapprove of. In October 2002, when this institution first debated authorizing the use of military force, I raised a number of concerns about a pre- emptive war with Iraq including its cost, the lack of connection between Saddam Hussein and 9/11, and the fact that Iraq was not a credible threat to the United States. I also believed that a pre- emptive strike would act as an effective recruiting tool for radical Islamic fundamentalism worldwide. For these reasons, I was 1 of 133 House Members who against the Iraq war resolution. Unfortunately, as I stand on the floor of the House, nearly 4 years later, many of these concerns still exist. According to the non- partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS), the war in Iraq has now cost the U.S. taxpayer roughly $319 billion to date. That's $6.4 billion a month and more than $100,000 per minute. If you live in Massachusetts, $9 billion of your money has been spent in Iraq. And there is no end in sight. I would point out to my colleagues that former White House economic adviser Lawrence Lindsey lost his job for predicting that the war would cost a mere $200 billion. From the start, the Bush administration has not been straight with the American people about the cost of the war in Iraq. And this partisan resolution does nothing to address that. In fact, the White House has not been straight about most aspects of the war from the existence of weapons of mass destruction to the threat of the insurgency, and from Iraq's purchase of yellow cake uranium to Saddam's ties to al-Qaeda. And with this resolution, House Republicans will simply rubberstamp President Bush's poor planning and mismanagement. I believe it is time for a new direction in Iraq. More importantly, so do many military leaders. Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni, Army Major General Charles Swannack, Army General John Batiste, Marine Corps Lieutenant General Gregory Newbold and others have all expressed real concerns about our future in Iraq. These are individuals who were deeply involved in the planning and execution of the war. And they do not like what they see. As General Zinni recently said, ``we are paying the price for the lack of credible plan. Ten years worth of planning were thrown away, troop levels dismissed out of hand . . . These were strategic mistakes, mistakes of policy made back here.'' Mr. Speaker, like most Americans, I believe it is time for a new course in Iraq. I believe we need to develop an honorable exit strategy. I will vote against this resolution to give President Bush an open-ended commitment in Iraq. Let's bring the troops back home.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, this discussion is ill-considered and ill-advised. At a time when America foreign policy is under question everywhere across the globe, this is a remarkable achievement for our State Department and for Members of Congress. In fact, the American role has been indefensible in bringing about a new day. This has had brought support cross Congress and across America, reminding ourselves that the European Union participates, Australia participates, and sectarian murders have almost been gone. We are down to a couple of small issues. But the Good Friday Agreement is the way forward, and America and Members of this Congress can take great satisfaction in this achievement. It has worked extraordinarily well.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to pay tribute to the Congregation Kodimoh of Springfield, Massachusetts as it celebrates its 90 Year Anniversary this year. It is my honor to represent a congregation whose contributions to Springfield and its Jewish community have been so significant over the years. On this special anniversary, I include in the Congressional Record Congregation Kodimoh's complete chronological history and extend my heartfelt congratulations to Rabbi Alex and Dr. Bella Weisfogel who will be honored for their accomplishments at a dinner on June 11, 2006. Congregation Kodimoh in Springfield, Massachusetts, is proud of its history as a prominent Orthodox synagogue, which has made important contributions to the strength and vitality of the Jewish and general communities. Kodimoh's story reflects the common immigrant's success story and parallels the growth of the city of Springfield. Kodimoh which means ``forward'' or ``progress'' in Hebrew was founded in 1916 by a segment of the Jewish community with a spirit of optimism caught up in the success of the first generation of Jewish immigrants and the boom of Springfield as an important economic urban center. The name further suggests the desire of the founding members for the congregation to fit in to the American way of life. The Jewish community formed in Springfield primarily in the North End section of the city in the mass immigration from Eastern Europe in the last decades of the 19th century and early 20th century. When the first generation of Jewish immigrants prospered and achieved economic success, a segment desired to provide for itself a better standard of living. The move to the beautiful new neighborhood of Forest Park began, and a synagogue was needed. The first meeting of Kodimoh took place in the home of Moses Ehrlich, the first president of the congregation. Kodimoh was founded to maintain Orthodox standards and practices in modern America. English rather than Yiddish would be the language of sermons, while the synagogue and its members would participate in civic affairs. Tradition would feel at home in a new world. The first building was completed in 1923 on Oakland St. and an adjacent school building was built in 1937. Through the '50s, as more Jews moved to the Park, Kodimoh took its place as a prominent institution in the Jewish community and in the city. The congregation maintained traditional Jewish practice and effectively educated the new generation. The membership required more space for the burgeoning program of services and activities, and the current modern facility was built in 1963, a short distance away on Sumner Ave. While a large segment of the Jewish community and several synagogues moved to Longmeadow, an adjacent suburb, the leadership of Kodimoh decided to keep the synagogue in Forest Park. The new building witnessed extensive growth through the '70s as Kodimoh continued to follow its mission of maintaining Orthodox Judaism, involvement in the broader Jewish community, and local affairs. As the economic opportunities in Springfield declined, the synagogue also saw many young people seek jobs elsewhere. However, Kodimoh remains a vibrant and important religious center which makes a vital contribution to the community. We have faith that Springfield will continue to strengthen itself and the synagogue will benefit. Many important rabbis have served the congregation. Rabbi Isaac Klein continued his prominent career in Buffalo, while Rabbi Norman Lamm became the President of Yeshiva University. Rabbi Alex Weisfogel from 1959-1982 led the synagogue during the construction of the Sumner Avenue building and oversaw the congregation's growth. As Rabbi Emeritus, he has remained in the community with his wife, Dr. Bella Weisfogel. Together they continue their involvement in synagogue and community activities. Not only did Bella support her husband's endeavors, in her own right she contributed in significant ways to the educational and social programming of the synagogue. For all of their accomplishments, Kodimoh honors Rabbi Alex and Dr. Bella Weisfogel at a dinner celebrating the 90th anniversary on June 11, 2006.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to two of my most accomplished and most inspiring constituents. Dick Hoyt, of Holland, Massachusetts, and his son Rick, are a world famous pair, known around the world for their frequent appearances at road races, marathons, and triathlons. They are not, however, average athletes. In 1962 Rick Hoyt was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. Doctors told Rick's parents, Dick and Judy, that their son would be unable to live on his own and that he should be institutionalized. They refused. Instead, the Hoyts did all that they could to enroll Rick in public school with other children his age. Their first major breakthrough came when a group of engineers from Tufts University built, in 1972, an interactive computer that enabled Rick to communicate. His first words took his family by surprise. They learned that he had been following the Stanley Cup finals along with the rest of his family when he said, ``Go Bruins.'' From that moment forward, Rick was unstoppable. He was admitted to public school in 1975, and 2 years after that, asked his father to enter their first race together: a five mile benefit run for another local athlete who had been paralyzed in an accident. Dick says that he remembers Rick telling him that night that he did not feel handicapped when they were competing together. They completed their first marathon, in 1981 in Boston. Four years later, they competed in a triathlon, for which Dick had to not only learn how to swim, but then do so in the race with a small boat tied to his waist with which he pulled Rick. While continuing to race, Rick also furthered his education. In 1993, Rick graduated from Boston University with a degree in Special Education. Today the Hoyts have completed 206 triathlons, 20 Duathlons, 64 marathons, and over 500 other races. They have biked across New England and America. Their best time for a marathon, running together with Dick pushing Rick, is 2 hours and 40 minutes, only 35 minutes short of the world record holder who, of course, was not pushing another person while running. This past year they competed in their twenty-fifth Boston Marathon. I personally have run the SIDS Road Race in Springfield, Massachusetts, with the Hoyts many times including this past fall. Truly, the Hoyt's story is one of a deep love and commitment between father and son, and is one that speaks to all of us. They have won awards from organizations around the world, and regularly receive letters from others whose lives they have touched. Dick Hoyt and his son Rick are truly two of the most remarkable people I have the honor of calling friends, and I am proud to be able to pay tribute to them here on the Floor of the House of Representatives.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, this past Saturday it was my privilege to attend the funeral of Cpl. Henry D. Connell. It was a heart-warming, emotional and unique experience. This funeral was particularly moving since Corporal Connell was only 17 years old when he died on the battlefield in the small village of Unsan in the Democratic Republic of Korea. It was here that his regiment fought with the Chinese People's Volunteer Army for four long grueling days, and where he, and more than 1,000 members of the 8th Regiment, lost their lives. It was November 2, 1950 when the United States Army declared Corporal Henry Connell to officially be missing in action. And 43 years later, on July 12, 1993, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea turned over the remains of 17 soldiers believed to be unaccounted for U.S. servicemen from the Korean War. Corporal Henry D. Connell's remains were one of the 17 soldiers recovered. All told, this Springfield soldier was missing in action for 55 years. He enlisted in the Army at age 17, eager to serve in the Korean War, and served for only 8 months before he died, not living to see his 18th birthday. During his brief tenure in the army, he earned a Bronze Star and was promoted to corporal. Henry Connell was born in Springfield, MA and was the son of the late Robert F. Connell and Beatrice (Creamer) Connell Lanzillo. And this past Saturday, his remains were buried alongside his late mother in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery on Tinkham Road in Springfield. Mr. Speaker, this was a unique and moving ceremony, and I feel fortunate to have been able to attend. I thank everyone involved who made this appropriate remembrance possible, and extend my sympathies to Thomas W. Connell, Henry's brother, and his wife Patricia and their family at this difficult, yet special time. I would also like to enter into the Congressional Record the official obituary that recently ran in the Springfield, Massachusetts newspaper honoring the life of Corporal Henry D. Connell. May Henry Connell now rest in peace. [From the Republican, May 7, 2006] Cpl. Henry D. Connell 1933-1950 Springfield.--Henry D. Connell, 17, a Corporal serving with the United States Army L Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division under the command of Major General Herbart Gay, was declared missing in action on November 2, 1950. He was born in Springfield, MA the son of the late Robert F. Connell and Beatrice (Creamer) Connell Lanzillo. Henry was educated from the Springfield School: System, attended Cathedral High School, and joined the U.S. Army shortly after his 17 birthday. He was injured during combat on September 8, 1950, near the town of Taegu, R.O.K., and was evacuated to the 35th Station Hospital at Kyoto, Honshu, Japan. Shortly after he rejoined his unit, the 8th Calvary Regiment fought a pitched battle for four days with the Chinese People's Volunteer Army near the village of Unsan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It was during this battle that over 1,000 soldiers serving with the 8th Calvary lost their lives, Cpl. Henry D. Connell being one of them. The United States Army declared him missing in action on November 2, 1950. On July 12, 1993, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea turned over 17 soldier's sets of remains believed to be unaccounted for U.S. servicemen from the Korean War near Unsan. Cpl. Henry D. Connell remains were one of the 17 soldiers recovered, and missing in action, for over 43 years. Henry leaves his brother, Thomas W. Connell and his wife, Patricia (LeDoux) Connell of Stuart, FL; as well as several nieces and nephews living in Stuart, FL; and the Greater Springfield area. He was the brother of the late Audrey (Connell) Spencer of West Springfield, who died in 2004. His funeral with full military honors will be held Saturday, May 13, 2006, at Sampson's Chapel of the Acres, 21 Tinkham Rd., Springfield. During this service Henry's brother Thomas W. Connell, will be presented with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for Henry's valor and dedicated service to a grateful nation by the United States Army. Rites of Committal will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Tinkham Rd., Springfield, where Henry will be buried next to his late mother and sister in the Connell family lot. Contributions in his memory may be directed to your nearest chapter of the Disabled American Veterans.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Arizona said earlier we ought not to penalize success. What they are asking you to do today is to subsidize that success on the backs of working Americans. We are stuck in this situation because of what they did at the end of last year. Their own Members said their cuts were too draconian and hurt too many families, but it allowed them to manipulate the rules so that we find ourselves back here today. Let us talk about who gets what when this debate concludes. The average American family is going to get $20 with the Republican tax cut. By the way, this is the sixth and seventh tax cut while we are fighting two wars. Where is your conscience when they do not have body armor, they do not have the equipment they need in Iraq where they serve us so honorably while you cut taxes for Wall Street at the expense of Main Street? Let us talk about that $42,000 that millionaires are going to get with the Republican tax cut and what it means. Think about what you could do with that for student aid, which they trimmed last year; as they cut Medicare, what you could do with that $42,000. They are giving it back to the investors, and where I live $42,000 is annual income for thousands of families. They are giving it back to millionaires with their tax cuts. And $42,000 is what we pay an enlisted soldier with 3 years of experience, and they are giving the $42,000 back to millionaires. $42,000 as they cut Medicaid, $42,000 as they argue that it is okay to trim Medicare. It is $20 for those of you who go to work every day in America. You know what that means with this administration and this Congress, that is 6 gallons of gasoline. Where does it all end with their tax cuts?

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize on the House floor that 2006 marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Sinai Temple in Springfield, Massachusetts. I congratulate the members and leaders of the temple for the important role it plays in the Jewish community throughout the Springfield area. I hope the spiritual services and community cohesion the temple brings to its members will continue well into the future. I would like to insert into the Record a brief history of the Sinai Temple that honors its founders and leaders throughout the years. A Brief History of Sinai Temple Sinai Temple began in 1931 when newlyweds Samuel and Helen Simons decided that Springfield, Massachusetts needed an alternative to the Orthodox and Conservative synagogues in the area. The last major congregation to have been founded in the community was Temple Beth El, which came into being in 1910. Although Sam Simons had grown up in Springfield without a Reform presence, Helen had grown up in a large Reform congregation in West Hartford. She and Sam wanted to bring that kind of religious opportunity to Springfield. Services began in individual homes. After that a home was purchased on Sumner Avenue and remodeled to serve as home for the growing congregation. During the beginning years of the congregation, Rabbis David Eichhorn, Judah Cohn, and Hershel Levin led the congregation. Then, with the arrival of Rabbi Herman Elliot Snyder in 1947, a building drive led to the purchase of land at what was then the ``outskirts'' of Springfield. Ground was broken for the building Sinai now occupies on August 15, 1949. The building at 1100 Dickinson Street was completed in 1950. Not too long after that, the other Jewish institutions of Springfield followed Sinai so that they are now familiar landmarks at the Dickinson Street/ Converse Street intersection: The Jewish Community Center, Jewish Geriatric Services, Heritage Academy plus Temple Beth El and Congregation Bnai Jacob. Rabbi Snyder's era, from 1947 to 1970, saw the congregation grow from 100 families to 450 families. With that growth came a Religious School, Hebrew and Bar/Bat Mitzvah instruction, a Cantor and choir, a well stocked library, and a commitment to community. When Rabbi Snyder became Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Bernard Cohen guided the congregation through a year of transition. He was followed by Rabbi Stanley Davids (1971-1977), Rabbi Howard Kaplansky (1977-1983), and Rabbi Bernard Bloomstone (1983-1988). In 1979, Emily Sleeper Mekler came to the congregation as Cantor. In 1988, Rabbi Mark Dov Shapiro arrived in our community. Rabbi Shapiro brought enthusiasm, a can-do spirit, along with a heartfelt traditional way of embracing Judaism, tzedakah, Torah, and social action. Rabbi Shapiro has overseen the beautification of the Temple; the establishment of a second endowment fund; the enrichment of our Religious School and the expansion of our social action programming. The Rabbi is also devoted to Torah Study and offers a weekly Shabbat morning class. During the Rabbi's tenure at Sinai, many innovations have also taken place in the style of our worship. Sinai Temple has also been blessed with excellent lay leadership, both male and female. Throughout the years, each president and his or her Board of Trustees have contributed much to the tenor and health of the Temple. We hope you'll want to learn more about Sinai. Call us, please. We are eager to welcome you into our community.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment today to congratulate the members of the outstanding women's soccer team at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) who have recently won the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Championship. What an honor! This team of 14 women from Greater Springfield beat colleges from New Jersey, Maryland, and finally Texas to achieve this title. Two of the championship games went beyond overtime into penalty kicks, and the game was won by STCC on the last penalty kick. These young women have distinguished themselves have and made all of us in Western Massachusetts so very proud of them. Their athletic talent and skill, and their qualities of courage, determination, teamwork, and leadership are among those that America holds highest. Each has demonstrated the qualities of teamwork in achieving this honor, and today I would like to honor them by inserting their names into the Congressional Record to forever be recorded in history: Christa Blair, Sarah Levesque, Crystal Dube, Jess Luszc, Hillary Flanders, Le Nguyen, Monica Gunn, Jackie Peloquin, Nora Healy, Chrissy Pikula, Stefiny Knight, Lindsey Pobieglo, Marianne Laford, and Kara Trzasko. Congratulations also to the outstanding coaching staff: Head Coach Bob Fuqua, Assistant Coach Brewster Renn, as well as former Head Coach Martino Naglieri and Assistant Jim LaPlante for bringing this team together and achieving this national title. I would also like to make a special note of the contributions of STCC Athletic Director J. Vincent Grassetti, and his predecessor Willie Manzi for their efforts in building such a fine athletics program. Springfield Technical Community College Lady Rams 2005 Women's Soccer Roster The NJCAA Division III National Champions, November 13, 2005, in Herkimer, NY, against Cedar Valley College of Dallas, Texas. Sarah Levesque, goalkeeper, Ludlow High School. Christa Blair, forward, Gateway Regional High School. Stefiny Knight, midfielder, Ludlow High School. Crystal Dube, midfielder, South Hadley High School. Marianne Laford, defense/midfield, Springfield Central High School. Kara Trzasko, defense, Gateway Regional High School. Nora Healy, forward, Chicopee High School. Chrissy Pikula, defense/midfield, High School of Science & Technology. Jess Luszcz, midfielder, Ludlow High School. Le Nguyen, defense, High School of Science & Technology. Lindsey Pobieglo, midfield/forward, Palmer High School. Jackie Peloquin, defense, Chicopee High School. Monica Gunn, midfielder, Palmer High School. Hillary Flanders, forward, Sabis International Charter School. Head Coach: Bob Fuqua. Assistant Coach: Brewster Renn. Athletics Director: J. Vincent Grassetti.

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Mr. Rangel for yielding me the time. But let us clear something up immediately. Let us not demean the intelligence of the American people when we hear waste, fraud, and abuse. Where has the spending gone? They are bragging on one hand about increasing military spending by 70 percent. Seventy percent for the military. We are fighting two wars, Iraq and Afghanistan. Have we forgotten about that? What about Katrina? Have we forgotten about Katrina? What about their prescription drug bill? Now, which of those qualifies for waste, fraud, and abuse? That is where the money has gone. The problem we have today in this House is their tax cuts that, by the way, went to the top 1 percent of the wage earners in America. The millionaires were taken care of with their largesse. This budget takes the word ``compassionate'' out of ``compassionate conservatism.'' The Republicans would have the country believe that the budget cuts do not have any impact on Americans. There is not a family in America that will not be harmed by this budget. The President's budget was bad enough. I was honored as a Democrat to present the President's budget at the budget meeting. Do you know why? Because not one Republican would present the President's budget. The result, 39-0, we knocked down the President's budget. But let us talk about what this budget does. It calls for freezing child care funding. It will eliminate a program that provides food for 420,000 poor elderly people, 50,000 poor mothers and their kids. It even ordered a 50 percent cut in housing assistance for people with disabilities. Their budget before us today takes an additional $100 million in cuts beyond what the President's budget proposed. At a time when we ought to be concerned about families in America, this budget turns its back on those people. This budget is the polar opposite. Instead of throwing doors open for the American people, they offer less vocational training, fewer small business loans, less financial aid for colleges, less support for our veterans. This budget lacks vision.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize on the House floor that 2005 marked the one-hundredth anniversary of Lodge 711 of the Polish National Alliance (PNA) of North America. I'm proud to have Lodge 711 headquartered in my district in the town of Wilbraham. PNA is the largest ethnic fraternal insurance society in the United States that offers quality life insurance and annuity products, which allows its members and families to achieve financial security. But the PNA's involvement in the communities it serves goes beyond providing quality financial services by organizing various social and cultural programs. Whether its sports and youth programs, spelling bees, college scholarships, or Saturday Schools promoting Polish heritage and culture, PNA helps its members live more fuller and enjoyable lives. Mr. Speaker, I'm honored to have the opportunity to represent a diverse and culturally rich constituency, particularly the Polish communities that have a large presence in Massachusetts' second congressional district. Throughout my years of public service I have witnessed with great pleasure the Polish communities' dedication and commitment to civic affairs. The lessons of Poland's long and hard history of achieving independence has not been lost with the Polish immigrants who came to America or their offspring born in America. The American and Polish people have a long and warm relationship that evolves around the love of freedom and opportunity. This bond goes back to America's revolutionary years when the Polish patriot, Tadeusz Kosciuszko, fought in the American War of Independence and achieved the title of brigadier general. Later, Kosciuszko once again fought for independence when leading the Polish-Lithuania uprising of 1794. The American people honor Kosciuszko with a statue of the patriot in the U.S. Capitol building. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Teresa Struziak-Sherman, Director for PNA Region A, for all her wonderful work over the years that has contributed to the success of the PNA. I would also like to recognize all the other people of Polish ancestry that I have known and worked with throughout my years as a public servant and look forward to my continued relationship with them.