Bill Pascrell

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call your attention to the life and work of an outstanding individual whom I feel fortunate to call my friend, Mr. Don DiLeo. He was honored on Tuesday, March 7, 2006, by the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ, at the 13th Annual Archbishop's Business and Labor Recognition ceremony. Don DiLeo is president of Teamsters Local Union Number 408, which represents members in the building materials, heavy highway and construction industries. He was appointed as a business agent in 1969 and has served as president of the Local Union since 1980. In 1984, Don was appointed to the Executive Board of Teamsters Joint Council Number 73, which represents 60,000 members affiliated with 20 local unions in the State of New Jersey. Over the course of his tenure, he has served as both president and chairman of the Joint Council Number 73 Pension Fund, chairman of the North Jersey Construction Negotiations Committee for Teamsters, and contributing member of the New Jersey State Board of Mediation. In 2005, the New Jersey Industrial Union Council honored Mr. DiLeo for a lifetime of distinguished service and significant contributions to the trade union movement. The following year, he was named as a vice president to the New Jersey State Building Constructions Trades Council. Under Mr. DiLeo's leadership, New Jersey Teamsters have become very active in many charities. He began an annual golf tournament to raise money for the Joint Council Number 73 Scholarship Fund, which awards grants to the children of council members for their college education. He formed the Joint Council Number 73 Food Bank Corporation, which provides food for striking or locked out union members. The Joint Council also works closely with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey on its Thanksgiving Turkey Drive and other projects. Additionally, in 2004, the council was awarded the Community Food Bank Distinguished Partner Award. Also, the Joint Council participates in the Ocean County Saint Patrick's Day Parade and annually donates a beach wheelchair to a shore town that contributes to the noteworthy event. The Joint Council sponsors the Australian Challenge ``Trip of a Lifetime'' group. Over the past 12 years, Challenge has arranged overseas trips to the United States for children who are seriously ill. The Joint Council and its affiliated locals have provided accommodations and transportation for the children to events, while they are visiting the metropolitan area. In addition, the Joint Council and its locals have remained prime supporters of Camp Fatima, advancing the interests of handicapped children. Don remains happily married to Jacqueline, his wife, with whom he has four children, Joseph, Donald, Jessica and Ralph. He is the proud grandfather of two. Mr. Speaker, the job of a United States Congressman involves so much that is rewarding, yet nothing compares to recognizing the efforts of committed citizens like Mr. Don DiLeo. I ask that you join residents of the Eighth Congressional District, the Borough of Flemington, members of the Teamsters Local Union Number 408, Mr. DiLeo's family and friends and me, in recognizing Don DiLeo for his years of distinguished service in representing the trade union movement.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention to the life and work of an outstanding individual whom I feel fortunate to call my friend, Mr. M. Brian Maher. He was honored on Tuesday, March 7, 2006, at the 13th Annual Archbishop's Business and Labor Recognition ceremony, under the auspices of the Newark (NJ) Archdiocese. Mr. Maher is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Maher Terminals, Inc., a major marine terminal in the Port of New York/New Jersey, as well as a supplier of state-of-the-art marine terminal computer services and software. Mr. Maher, who has been in the business for 35 years, carries on in the tradition of his revered father, who founded Maher Terminals after serving in WorId War II. A graduate of the Ohio State University and a lifetime resident of New Jersey, Mr. Maher is currently a member of the board of trustees of NJN Foundation, and of St. Peter's College. He serves as director of the New York Shipping Association and as director and officer of the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. Mr. Maher has been chosen to receive numerous service awards, including the Ninth Annual Labor Award, from New Jersey's State AFL- CIO, ``Person of the Year 2001'' from New York/New Jersey Foreign Freight Forwarders and Brokers Association, Inc., the International Maritime Hall of Fame Lookout Award, the Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award for distinguished service to American ships and American seafarers, and the Bi-State Harbor Carriers Conference of NJMTA award for being the individual who has contributed most towards bolstering the image of the Port Community. Additionally, Mr. Maher is past chairman of the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce, past member of the Board of Overseers, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and past vice-chair of St. Peter's College Board of Trustees. Mr. Maher is a past member of the board of directors of the Regional Business Partnership, the Regional Plan Association and the Union County Alliance. He served as president and member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Waterfront Employers and is a past director of the National Maritime Safety Association. Originally, appointed by Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Mr. Maher served on the Dredged Materials Management Team, formed to ensure the viability of the Port of New York/New Jersey, and to protect the environment. He also served on the Dredging Project Facilitation Task Force. Brian remains happily married to Sandra, with whom he has two children, Amanda and Michael. Throughout his life, his generosity to charitable causes, and Catholic schools in particular has been admirable. It gives me great pleasure to honor such an upstanding individual. Mr. Speaker, the job of a United States Congressman involves so much that is rewarding, yet nothing compares to recognizing the efforts of fine citizens like Mr. M. Brian Maher. I ask that you join residents of New Jersey, the employees of Maher Terminals, Inc., Mr. Maher's family and friends and me, in recognizing M. Brian Maher for his years of outstanding service to the citizens of our Great State of New Jersey.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Souder and Mr. Cummings deserve a tremendous amount of credit. I look at this problem, as a former mayor, as a criterion, one of the major criteria, for homeland security. If we cannot secure our neighborhoods, if we cannot secure our towns, small and large, against the poison of illicit drugs, which take many of our own sons and daughters every year, then we are never going to be able to address foreign terrorism on our shores. So I thank you, and I thank you. I thank Mr. Davis and Mr. Waxman. I believe in a zero-tolerance policy, but we don't have a sense of urgency. Mr. Souder, I think you put it better than I could ever put it. This is an urgent problem, certainly nothing that started yesterday morning. It has been upon us. The war on drugs is the original war on terror, one that we are fighting, and reauthorizing the Office of National Drug Control Policy is the least we can do, the least we can do, to continue the fight. I think it is a noble fight. Illegal drug trafficking and use is a cancer on our society that destroys people, families, and even destroys neighborhoods. The bill takes a positive step in helping to restore the foundations of our community by authorizing more than $1.1 billion over 4 years to fight drug trafficking in high-intensity areas. I happen to live in one of those high-intensity areas, North Jersey/New York. This is an important investment that can be used by local, county, State and Federal agencies to collaborate information and root out the dealers and the traffickers. In 2004, as a member of the Select Committee on Homeland Security, Secretary Ridge appeared before us. We were talking about terror and elevating the alerts, if you remember the debates we had at that time and the color schemes, et cetera, et cetera, which, by the way, we still have. And I asked Secretary Ridge, who I had a great deal of respect for, I thought he did a good job with the cards that he was dealt; I asked him the question, ``Secretary Ridge, you were Governor of a State. Have you ever seen the terror on the faces of families and people who live in neighborhoods that are infested by drugs? Have you ever seen that terror?'' He said, ``I know exactly where you are going, Congressman, because homeland security should be a place where we make our stand as well.'' Families are being ruined. This bill increases funding for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, I think a successful program. The bill earmarks money for the Dawson Family Community Protection Act, which would focus on providing avenues for citizens to report drug trafficking in at-risk neighborhoods without putting their lives on the line. This is an urgent problem, Mr. Chairman. This is a very urgent problem. When you see how many of our own kids are dying, and adults, I might say, during the year, and compare that against the tragedy of 9/ 11, we must address both of these problems to bring sanity back to our neighborhoods and back to our families. There is an urgency here. Is there an urgency down the street, Mr. Souder and Mr. Cummings?

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I wish to include these in the extension of remarks. I want to speak in strong support of H.R. 1096--legislation to help restore the Thomas Edison National Historic Site. I congratulate my colleague Scott Garrett for introducing this worthy legislation. It has been a privilege to work closely with Representative Garrett and Representative Don Payne, whose district houses a large portion of the Edison site, to preserve this national treasure. I am proud that I represent a region of New Jersey that has given birth to some of the greatest innovations in our Nation's history: Thomas Edison's Glenmont estate in West Orange and the Great Falls National Historic District in Paterson--America's First Industrial City. Each of these impressive areas--only 10 miles apart--sprang from the imagination of two of the great pioneers in American history: Thomas Edison and Alexander Hamilton. Both of these sites--the Edison National Historic Site and the Great Falls Historic District--have been included among the most endangered historic areas in our Nation. The artifacts of both sites are in terrible physical condition and are in grave peril of being lost to the country forever. Together, these majestic places tell the inspiring story of the rise of the greatest technological and economic power the world has ever known. I strongly believe that it is the role of the Federal Government to partner with the local community to preserve the glory of these places for all future generations to behold. Although these sites are both close to my heart, I want to specifically voice my support for the preservation and rehabilitation of the Edison National Historic Site, which embodies Edison's legacy as a pioneer of American technology. The Edison National Historic Site, encompassing Edison's home and laboratory complex, is regarded as one of America's original research and development facilities. Half of Edison's astonishing 1,093 patents were earned during the 44 years he lived in West Orange. The classic inventions created at this site include the phonograph, electric generating systems, the dry storage battery, and the motion picture camera. Edison left a vast collection of artifacts, models, photographs, drawings, and furnishings at the Edison site. In addition, he left nearly 3,500 notebooks documenting every experiment, idea, failure, observation and business strategy of his long career. Even as Thomas Edison lives on as one of the leading visionaries of our time, his home and labs have tragically fallen into severe disrepair due to age-related decay. The public and private sector must work together to ensure that adults and young people alike will always be able to rediscover the genius of Edison and the impact he has had on all of our daily lives. The support of the National Park Service has enabled the Edison Preservation Foundation to create a vital public- private partnership to maintain the site as a major community and educational resource. Despite this progress, Congressional support through H.R. 1096 is vital to the Edison site's long-term success. The legislation is an important symbol of Congress's commitment to preserving the legacy of one of America's most influential inventors and to restoring a Federal site that is a historic landmark. I urge the House of Representatives to move forward and approve this important legislation.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I wish to submit these comments for extension of remarks. I would like to speak in strong support of H. Res. 657, a resolution honoring the contributions of Catholic Schools and thank Mr. Kennedy for his good work. As a proud graduate of St. George's Elementary School, St. John the Baptist High School, and Fordham University, I know firsthand the great value of a Catholic School education. Catholic school has been a longstanding tradition in my family. My three sons graduated from Catholic schools prepared for the challenges they have faced in their professional and personal lives. As we celebrate the 32nd Annual Catholic Schools Week, I am proud to report that Catholic schools continue to play a vibrant and integral role in the educational and cultural life of our Nation. Today, nearly 2.5 million children attend Catholic elementary, middle and high schools. Minority enrollment is nearly 30 percent and non- Catholic enrollment is over 13 percent of the total. There are nearly 400 Catholic schools in my home State of New Jersey alone, serving nearly 130,000 students, and many of these schools serve our urban districts. Impressively, the student/teacher ratio in Catholic schools is 15:1, a ratio which provides teachers the opportunity to truly get to know the individual needs and strengths of the student body. Catholic schools provide a disciplined, multi-faceted educational experience for children. A Catholic education merges critical thinking and knowledge-based learning with a spirit of tolerance, empathy and service to others. This unique approach is exemplified in the theme of this year's Catholic Schools Week: Character. Compassion. Values. Teaching students to serve their communities and to develop fundamental human values enhances self-esteem and enthusiasm, brings abstract subjects to life, and empowers students to think about worlds beyond their own. It may also have a significant salutary effect on academic performance. Recent studies have demonstrated that Catholic students consistently perform up to a very high standard on tests assessing reading, writing, math and science abilities. What transpires during the education of each and every child has repercussions beyond the classroom: It will shape the character of the country that we will become. That is why I would like to thank the Catholic Schools of America for the tremendous success they have had in producing a student body well educated and well prepared to take an active role in strengthening our society. This is perfectly illustrated in the generous response that Catholic schools students have had toward students devastated by the recent hurricane in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Catholic students delivered more than $1 million to Katrina students and opened their hearts and schools to thousands of victims. After the hurricane, New Orleans, with its deep Catholic roots, had 52,000 displaced students enroll in Catholic schools around the Nation, and Biloxi and Mobile had thousands more. This is only one example of the contributions that Catholic Schools are making to our society. I am pleased to add my voice to the chorus of those who celebrate and honor the achievements of these valuable institutions.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call your attention to the life and work of an outstanding individual whom I feel fortunate to call my friend, Mr. Joseph Matthew Gondola. He was recognized on Sunday, January 15, 2006, on the occasion of his retirement after 42 years of service to the United States Postal Service, USPS. Joseph Gondola is the youngest of seven children, having five sisters and one brother. Over the course of his childhood, he overcame frequent hospitalization, where he received treatments for medical ailments ranging from septic poisoning to the dreaded disease, polio. Through it all, Joseph persevered and he did not allow his health problems to prevent him from accomplishing his goals. Joseph attended Central High School in Paterson, where he began his academic growth. This experience was translated effectively to Montclair State College where he received his bachelor of science and master of arts degrees, both cum laude. From that point, he continued his pursuit in higher learning at Seton Hall University. At age 31, Joseph was appointed Clifton postmaster by Representative Charles Joelson, NJ-8th, making him the youngest postmaster for that size postal district. Over the course of his term, he served the USPS as officer in charge in Jamestown, PA, and Newark, NJ. He has hosted and chaired many safety committee meetings in his Clifton office, and served on several review boards. He is very proud that several of his employees have also become postmasters under his guidance. Joseph has remained active in NAPUS, previously serving as president of the New Jersey Chapter, area vice-president, national legislative chairman, and postmaster representative. In 1981, he was elected to a 2-year term as the national president of NAPUS, a position that he currently holds. He also serves as president of the NAPUS Federal Credit Union. He has served, on numerous committees for the American Cancer Society, Boy Scouts of America, and Saint Andrew the Apostle Church in Clifton, NJ. Joseph's tenure at both the USPS and NAPUS is a testament of his character and a remarkable story of one person's belief in the power of public service. It is only fitting that Joseph Matthew Gondola be honored for his commitment to improving the quality of life in Clifton, and on a national level through the postal service, in this, the permanent record of the greatest freely elected body on earth. Joseph remains happily married to Dorothy, his wife of 46 years, with whom he has three children, Mark, Kristen, and Jennifer, and eight adored grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, the job of a United States Congressman involves so much that is rewarding, yet nothing compares to recognizing the efforts of devoted public servants like Mr. Joseph Matthew Gondola. I ask that you join the city of Clifton, the employees of the USPS, Mr. Gondola's family and friends and me, in recognizing Joseph Matthew Gondola for his years of outstanding service to the citizens of our great Nation.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the life of a wonderful man, who sadly passed over a year ago, Mr. Alfred Louis Romeo. It is fitting that he be honored, in this, the permanent record of the greatest freely elected body on earth, for his lifelong dedication to the City of Paterson. Born and raised in my hometown of Paterson, New Jersey, Fred graduated from Central High School. After his graduation from high school in 1958 Fred joined the Paterson Fire Department as a member of the Division Line Gang. The Division Line Gang was a group of firefighters who were assigned to maintain the communications infrastructure for emergency call boxes throughout Paterson. Fred was a member of the Division Line Gang until 1983 , when the ``Gang'' was disbanded, in order to use the more effective emergency voice response system. It was at this time that Fred was transferred as a firefighter to Engine Company Number 7. Fred found time during his busy schedule to volunteer at the Paterson YMCA where he had been a member for over 70 years. In addition, to sitting on the Board of Directors, he served as the Co-Coordinator for the YMCA. Perhaps most importantly, Fred had donated his time on Thanksgiving, for the past 34 years, to help feed the underprivileged at the annual Thanksgiving Feast. Beyond his many philanthropic contributions, Fred was also a Champion and Hall of Fame handball player. He had amassed two New Jersey State Singles Championship titles, 24 NJ State Doubles Championship titles, a Jr. National doubles Championship title, and a National doubles Championship title. Fred was not only a Member of the Board of Directors for the Old Timers Sports Hall of Fame, Association of Paterson; he was an inductee as well. In addition to Fred's many academic and professional achievements, his personal achievements are many also. He was the devoted husband to the late Rose Romeo and father of Rosalind, Francine, and Dominic. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join our colleagues, Fred's family and friends, and me in recognizing the outstanding and invaluable achievements of a man who will be truly missed, Mr. Alfred Louis Romeo.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to John Spencer, who passed away yesterday at the age of 58. From his role on ``The Patty Duke Show'' in the 1960's, to his role on ``The West Wing'' today, he has touched the lives of millions of Americans. Born December 20, 1946, John Spencer grew up in the great town of Totowa, New Jersey, in my congressional district. At the age of 16 he left home to pursue an acting career in New York. He quickly earned a prominent role on ``The Patty Duke Show,'' playing Henry Anderson. When the show moved to Los Angeles and ended Spencer's run, he returned to the great state of New Jersey, attending Fairleigh Dickinson University for two years. He then moved back to New York and began working as a stage actor. Mr. Speaker, John Spencer was the son of a dumptruck driver, and brought that working class attitude to his life as an actor. There is no argument about his acting talent, but what set him apart were the countless hours he spent perfecting the lines, the delivery, the entire character. His career ran the gamut. In the late 1980's he starred aside Harrison Ford in ``Presumed Innocent,'' which led producer David E. Kelley to cast him as Tommy Mullaney on ``L.A. Law.'' In the late 1990's he starred in ``The Rock,'' and ``The Negotiator,'' two very high profile successful films. In 1999, he was the first actor cast by Aaron Sorkin to star on ``The West Wing,'' as Leo McGarry; a role I have especially enjoyed watching him play. First as White House Chief of Staff and currently as the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee, it has been refreshing to watch his character, particularly serving a Democrat in the White House. It would have been nice to have a Vice President from Passaic County. His working class origins were always apparent. From ``Patty Duke'' all the way up to the present movies, he was always somebody down to earth, two boots on the ground. I think it had a lot to do with the parts he played. Mr. Speaker, with John Spencer's death our nation has lost an acting treasure. From the stage, to television to the movies, his career brought joy to millions of Americans. He will be sorely missed.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, Members on both sides of the aisle believe that the government has a right to know who is coming into this country. Secondly, it would seem to me, once you get past the rhetoric, that we do not accept lawlessness. But I must say to Chairman King, a man of intellect and compassion, and I will get to that in a second, and my very good friend, I must say to the chairman that, when we look at section 612, denying citizenship to any legal permanent resident who has been unlawfully present in the country at any time in their life, what we are doing is forgetting how Italians and how Irish came into this country. Now 9/11 did change a lot of things, obviously; no question about that. And it does not mean that we should open the floodgates or close them or build them or not build them. But when we forget how our ancestors got here, many times not in a pristine fashion, this is not of your doing, Mr. Chairman. You can scream to the high moon, but this is not your idea, and even if you put your name on this, I know it is not for sure. We didn't pass this out of the Homeland Security Committee. And by the way, how many folks are we going to have to hire to do all of this? Who is paying for this? You have lost your background, and I mean that in a complimentary way. I do not mean that to be a wise guy. What you did just several years ago with the Irish immigrants who came here, when our British friends wanted to pluck them up and throw them out of the country, it was courageous. You cannot deny this in a bill. You cannot deny your heritage. I call on you to look at your heritage. We are making all immigrants here suspects. I believe, and I think all of us do, that it is a moral imperative for Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Both sides of the aisle agree on that. We need a full and robust approach, one that includes not only strong and effective enforcement provisions but strategies to create new legal channels for future flows of immigrants because they are coming. Family immigration backlogs. Families, we want to unite families in a legal fashion. This bill does not do that, Mr. Chairman. Indeed, it fails to address many of the most important elements of immigration reform while imposing harsh, considered punitive, measures. That is why I believe it is a moral imperative to vote this bill down today. I do not think it is wise, and I do not think it is a real plan. Instead of proceeding in a judicious manner that could affectively stem the flow of illegal immigration, we are debating ineffectual enforcement measures that do not increase the safety and security of the American people. Announcement by the Chairman

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my strong support of H.R. 280, ``The Brownfields Redevelopment Enhancement Act'' and want to thank Representative Gary Miller for shepherding this important legislation through the House. This legislation will remove unnecessary obstacles from localities that are poised to transform abandoned or underutilized sites into clean, marketable properties. This type of redevelopment is an important ingredient in the economic recovery of many areas--creating jobs, improving the quality of the environment and spurring the preservation of open space. There are few issues that we face that have as much strategic potential as redeveloping Brownfields sites. This redevelopment is not just about real estate--it is a jobs issue, a health issue, an environmental issue, a housing issue and an economic development issue. A relatively small investment by the Federal Government will yield tremendous benefits for our country's social and economic well being. The HUD Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) is particularly valuable for neighborhood revitalization, since only BEDI funds are specifically targeted for use in economic development projects. Unfortunately, current law requires that cities obtain Section 108 loan guarantees as a condition of receiving a BEDI grant. This makes it difficult for small and medium sized cities to obtain BEDI grants since they are often not able to raise the capital necessary to meet the Section 108 collateral requirement. Let the Congress pass this common sense legislation to remove the Section 108 requirement and unleash the vast economic potential that lies dormant in our cities across the Nation.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call your attention to the life and work of an outstanding individual who I feel fortunate to call my friend, Ms. Elaine C. Harrington. She was recognized on Saturday, November 5, 2005, for her years of unwavering dedication and service as a Professor to the Passaic County Community College. After 33 years of committed service to the Passaic County Community College (PCCC), Professor Elaine Harrington retired from the College on July 1, 2005. Her tenure at PCCC is a remarkable story of one person's belief in the power of education and its transforming effect on the lives of others. It is only fitting that Elaine Harrington be honored for her commitment to improving the quality of life in Paterson and Passaic County through education in this, the permanent record of the greatest freely elected body on earth. Arriving at PCCC in 1972, at the earliest stages of the College's existence, Professor Harrington shared her many talents generously. She began by teaching the Music Appreciation course and Cultural Field Surveys. She later began teaching courses in Mathematics, English, Public Speaking and African American Literature. She worked closely with the College's most disadvantaged students, nurturing them from the lowest levels of developmental education to the heights of academic achievement. While at the College, Professor Harrington was tireless in her pursuit of making PCCC a beacon of educational excellence. She served as President of the Academic Council and the Faculty Association, and Association secretary for more than a decade. For two years, she served as Acting Dean of Student Affairs. She provided leadership to numerous college committees such as Commencement, Convocation, Instructional Resources, Policies and Procedures, Retention and Accreditation. She rarely missed a Board of Trustees' meeting and became one of the PCCC Foundation's most staunch advocates, earning her the Foundation's ``Distinguished Service Award'' in 2000. Professor Harrington's accomplishments on campus were rivaled only by her important work in the community. As Past President of both the Paterson Branch of the NAACP and the New Jersey State Conference of NAACP Branches, she strongly advocated for improved economic, educational, social, and political opportunities for disenfranchised persons. In her role as State President, she provided leadership to 38 NAACP branches and 20 youth units. Based on the quality and the breadth of the programming that occurred under her watch, the NAACP recognized New Jersey as the number one State Conference in all of Region II. In 1999, Professor Harrington became a member of the National Board of Directors of the NAACP. In addition to her work with NAACP, she has faithfully served organizations such as Concerned Parents for Head Start, Inc., the Paterson YWCA, and the Paterson Board of Education. She is a charter member of the Christ Church United Methodist. Born in Philadelphia, PA and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, Professor Harrington was an honors graduate of Tuskegee Institute High School, earned her B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Tuskegee Institute (University), and later her M.A. degree in Education, Supervision, and Administration from the University of Connecticut, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She received certification in Developmental Education from Fairleigh Dickenson University, and is listed in ``Who's Who Among African Americans''. Upon her retirement, Professor Harrington has returned home to Tuskegee, Alabama. Mr. Speaker, the job of a United States Congressman involves so much that is rewarding, yet nothing compares to recognizing the efforts of devoted educators and public servants like Ms. Elaine Harrington. I ask that you join our colleagues, the faculty and students of Passaic County Community College, Ms. Harrington's family and friends, and me in recognizing Elaine Harrington for her years of outstanding service to the students of Passaic County.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call your attention to the 80th anniversary of the existence of Holy Ascension Church, located on Broad Street in Clifton, New Jersey. To mark this important occasion, the church will be honored by a visit from His Holiness Filaret Patriach of Kyiv and all Rus-Ukraine. As a lifelong resident and former Mayor of the neighboring city of Paterson, I cannot think of another organization that has meant more to the surrounding community than Holy Ascension Church. For the past 80 years, the men and women of Holy Ascension Church have given generously of their time, talents, and energy, and have made an indelible mark on countless people's lives. I feel that it is only fitting that Holy Ascension Church be honored in this, the permanent record of the greatest freely elected body on earth. The history of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Clifton, formerly of Passaic, is the history of many devoted men and woman through the years, who have devoted both time and effort to maintaining the religious traditions of the Holy Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian cultural heritage. With the large migration of Ukrainians to the United States in the early 1900's, many chose to settle in the Passaic County area. In 1925 a small group of Ukrainian-Americans set out to organize an Orthodox Parish to serve their spiritual needs. Through the efforts of the organizers the original church was purchased and consecrated on Sunday July 25, 1925 by his Excellency Metropolitan John Theodorovich. The new church served as a hub for the Ukrainian community. Over the years the Parish members relished in their heritage and shared it throughout the area. There were various outings of the Ukrainian Folk Ballet and the Lysenko Chorus which helped introduce the Ukrainian culture to other people. In 1962-63 the parish adopted its current constitution and by-laws that would serve as the basis for all church activity well into its future. Under the pastorate of the Very Reverend Theodore Foresty, the building committee was reorganized. Land was purchased for the present church and its rectory in 1967. With the impending sale of the church property, the parishioners authorized the building committee to hire Mr. Jaroslav Sichynsky as the architect for their new house of worship. The new parish rectory was the first building to be completed in the fall of 1968. In September of 1968 the last Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Hope Avenue site and contracts were conducted with the State of New Jersey to make way for Rt. 21. The new church structure is a masterpiece in blending old Byzantine style of architecture with the contemporary structural methods. The central dome rises above the stone and brick edifice symbolizing the glory of the kingdom of God that rises above the material world. On Sunday, June 7, 1970, the Consecration and Blessing of the new edifice finally took place. With the presentation of floral bouquets to His Beatitude Metropolitan John, His Excellency Archbishop Matyslaw and His Grace Bishop Mark, the distinguished hierarchy, visiting clergy, and honored guests proceeded from the rectory to the church where they were traditionally greeted with bread and salt by the Parish President Peter Dutkevitch. The blessing of the new church was followed by the Pontifical Liturgy after which the placing of the cornerstone was witnessed by all. The afternoon was celebrated with a dedication banquet. Fifty years after its initial consecration in Passaic, this beautiful church proudly stands as a landmark in the great city of Clifton, spiritually lead by Father Oleh Zhownirovych. Mr. Speaker, as you can see, the men and women of the Holy Ascension Church epitomize the noble spirit of community service and volunteerism that we all strive to achieve. The sense of altruism and spirit of humanitarianism demonstrated daily by the congregation of the Holy Ascension Church is living proof of the difference that a handful of people can make in the lives of many. Mr. Speaker, the job of a United States congressman involves so much that is rewarding, yet nothing compares to recognizing the members of exceptional institutions such as the Holy Ascension Church. I ask that you join our colleagues, the people of the city of Clifton, the Ukrainian community, and me in recognizing the men and women of the Holy Ascension Church for 80 years of ministry to the community of Clifton, New Jersey.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer a personal explanation. Earlier today, I was unavoidably detained on rollcall votes 573, 574, 575 and 576 due to a prior obligation in my district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall vote 573 (to Table Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair on the Obey Motion to Instruct the Conferees on the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006), ``yea'' on rollcall vote 574 (H. Res. 38, Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development H.R. 1973, The Water for the Poor Act of 2005) and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 575 (H. Res. 302, Recognizing and commending the continuing dedication and commitment of employers of the members of the National Guard and the other reserve components who have been mobilized during the Global War on Terrorism and in defense of the United States and ``yea'' on rollcall Vote 576 (H.R. 3770, Grant W. Green Post Office Building Designation Act).

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer a personal explanation. Earlier today, I was unavoidably detained on rollcall votes 570, 571, and 572 due to a prior obligation in my district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 570 (H. Con. Res. 260, Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate, and the continuing need for mutual inter-religious respect and dialogue), ``yea'' on rollcall vote 571 (H.R. 1973, The Water for the Poor Act of 2005) and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 571 (H. Res. 444, Gynecological Resolution for Advancement of Ovarian Cancer Education).

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of fellow Fordham University alumnus Wellington Timothy Mara, who succumbed to cancer yesterday at the age of 89. To football fans in the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan Area, Mara is synonymous with our beloved New York Giants, and has been for decades. Born in New York City on August 14, 1916, Mara was introduced to professional football in 1925, when his father purchased the rights to establish a team in New York. It was that year that Mara had his first job with the Giants, as a ball boy. He would later recount a story from that inaugural season of overhearing head coach Robert Folwell telling his team to ``give them hell out there.'' It was at that moment that 9- year-old Mara realized what a tough game football must be, and fell in love with the game forever. In 1930, Timothy Mara, Wellington's father, gave the team to his two sons, Jack, 22, and Wellington, who was just 14. He became the youngest owner in the league. In the late 1930's, Wellington Mara attended Fordham University. By now an avid football fan, Mara befriended many of the university's football players. At that time, Fordham was a formidable national powerhouse, at one point winning 25 straight games. It was here Mara befriended legendary player, coach and fellow NFL Hall of Famer Vince Lombardi. Upon graduation in 1937, Mara joined the New York Giants operation full-time. With his brother in charge of the business, Wellington Mara soon took control of the player personnel decisions. In this role he drafted or traded for some of the all time great NFL players. He integrated the Giants at a time when much of the league remained all- white. He drafted running back Frank Gifford and Roosevelt Brown and traded for quarterback Y.A. Tittle, all future Hall of Famers. He was the architect of the dominant Giants teams of 1958-1963 when they appeared in five NFL championship games, winning one championship. The first of these championship appearances in 1958 is known as ``the greatest game ever played,'' against the Baltimore Colts, the NFL's first ever sudden death overtime in a championship game. During World War II Mara joined the United States Navy. He served honorably in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, earning the rank of Lieutenant Commander. In the early 1960's, Jack and Wellington Mara agreed to give up lucrative television revenue and allow it to be equally split among all NFL teams. As the owners of the most valuable team in the league at the time, their decision to put the good of the entire league above their self-interest set the league on a path to the enormous prosperity it is enjoying today. When the Giants hit lean times during the 1970's, Mara placed most of the blame on himself. To respond he hired George Young as General Manager, who then was the architect of the dominant Giants' teams of the late 1980's. These teams won Super Bowl XXI (1987) and Super Bowl XXV (1991). Young won five NFL Executive of the Year awards in his 19 seasons with the Giants. All told, in Mara's 81 years with the Giants, they appeared in 26 postseasons, won 16 division championships and six NFL titles. Those six championships represent the third most of any franchise, behind only the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. In addition to his service to the Giants, Mara also worked hard for the league as a whole to ensure collective prosperity. He served on the league's Competition Committee, the Hall of Fame Committee, and the Executive Committee, including a term as chairman from 1971-1977. He has been widely lauded by his fellow owners for his invaluable service to the league. In 1971-72, Fordham University inducted Mara into their Athletic Hall of Fame. Mara has continued his close ties to the university throughout his life, and in 2002 he was honored at the Fordham Founder's dinner, the university's highest honor. In 1997 Mara was inducted into the National Football League Hall of Fame, an honor he reluctantly accepted. He was a strong advocate of leaving the Hall of Fame for just players and coaches, insisting it was they, and not owners, who made the game great. Wellington Mara served his community as a member of the board of the Giants Foundation, a charitable organization founded by the New York Giants involved with providing financial and social support for disadvantaged youth in the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan Area. Mr. Speaker, I would 1ike to offer my deepest condolences to his wife of 61 years Ann, his 11 children and 40 grandchildren. Today I am proud to have introduced a House Resolution honoring the life and work of Wellington Timothy Mara. I respectfully urge that all my colleagues join me in paying our respects, and offer their support for this resolution.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I first of all commend the chairman and the ranking member for putting a great bipartisan bill together concerning government-sponsored enterprises. In addition to establishing a very strong, independent regulator, the legislation will also create a sorely needed affordable housing fund. The housing fund will help people with low incomes who face the greatest difficulty in finding housing that is available and affordable; but as we put forward this new housing fund, I do not think the manager's amendment is a very good one. We should never force nonprofits to choose between providing affordable housing and encouraging full participation in the American Dream. The housing trust fund will provide a much-needed stimulus to our American economy, but it is not only low-income Americans who suffer from lack of affordable housing. I would ask the gentleman to please be cognizant of what I am saying. I know my district and the area within my district. A recent study has found that 4.8 million working families, many of them middle-income, have faced critical housing needs in recent years, spending more than half of their income on rent or living in substandard housing. To help struggling middle-class families, it is essential that we preserve section 123 of this bill, which raises the conforming loan limit by up to 50 percent for certain high-cost housing areas. Without raising that limit, the benefits of the GSE housing subsidies are not distributed evenly or fairly across geographical lines. In 2003, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased 35 percent of all mortgages originated nationwide. In several high-cost housing areas, these institutions were able to purchase fewer than 30 percent of the new mortgages. In my area, a large portion of real estate transactions take place over the conforming loan limit. In my own district, my own area, Bergen, Passaic, and Essex counties, the median price of housing is 125 percent above the existing loan limit, one of the highest rates in the country. This is an unfair limit. It prevents many middle-class families in New Jersey from being able to own a home in the State. At a time, Mr. Chairman, when wages are stagnant, energy prices soaring, college tuition skyrocketing, we are well aware of just how much these hardworking families are being squeezed financially. This is common sense. This is not Democrat or Republican. This is common sense that we help middle-class folks out to purchase the homes. And I am not going to talk personally to the gentleman from New Jersey, but on this he is dead wrong.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw both the House and the Nation's attention to Cushing's disease: a disease that debilitates, degenerates, and devastates the lives of 10 to 15 million people a year. Yet despite the grievous nature of this disease, it has gained little attention from the general public as well as medical advocates across the country. Cushing's disease is caused by the body's overproduction of cortisol, the hormone that serves a number of imperative functions such as sugar break down, metabolism regulation, inflammation reduction, maintenance of blood pressure and cardiovascular function, and regulation of the body's response to stress. Unfortunately, the severity of the disease is also coupled with a high degree of unfamiliarity with its symptoms among victims and doctors alike. These circumstances prove highly dangerous as it is frequently misdiagnosed. This illness comes in various yet equally grievous forms in which its myriad of symptoms are easily confused with other diseases, conditions, and disorders. Some of the most commonly experienced symptoms include rapid weight gain, central obesity, moon face, weakness, fatigue, backache, headache, increased urination, impotence, neuropsychological disorders, muscle atrophy, stretch marks, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and uncontrolled diabetes. Failure to properly and aggressively treat Cushing's disease quickly can lead to fatal consequences. Recently, Ms. Stephanie Womack-Gilchrist, my constituent in the 8th District of New Jersey, shared with me the story of her excruciating battle with this rare and relatively unknown disease. She has endured a 7-year battle with the illness in which she subsequently experienced sporadic hospitalization, comas, seizures, and a miscarriage. Additionally, she was diagnosed with diabetes, suffered from depression, broke both feet due to the severity of her osteoporosis, developed a tumor on her pituitary, and had to endure radiation treatment. Her symptoms baffled various doctors and specialists for 3 years before her original internist identified her affliction as Cushing's disease. Yet, despite this horrific ordeal, Stephanie has persevered. This resilient woman contacted me in an effort to raise awareness about Cushing's Disease. And I stand here today to educate my colleagues on the severity of this disease in order to help her and others suffering from this disease to promote a wide-spread understanding of it. After enduring the absolute havoc that Cushing's wreaked on her life, Ms. Womack-Gilchrest has allied herself with the organization, Cushing's Understanding Support Help (CUSH). This organization is leading the charge in raising the level of public awareness about this debilitating disease. Their website provides comprehensive information about the causes, symptoms, and consequences of Cushing's Disease, and strives to promote a wide understanding of all the elements of this illness. It also provides information on ways to reach out to patients and their families and offers a Chat Night every Wednesday. In addition, CUSH posts opportunities to participate in symptoms studies and various other medical research. They also have an interactive message board on which they post international events, recent news, biographies of CUSH founders and patients, and relevant web casts and video footage, among other things. Such efforts work to not only inform and support those with the affliction, but to globally implement a much needed, education campaign. It is our duty as the legislative leaders of this Nation to respond to all those who are and who will be affected by Cushing's. I urge Congress to recognize the detrimental effects of this agonizing illness and emphatically encourage my colleagues to help promote awareness and understanding of Cushing's Disease.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I regrettably was absent from votes this evening due to commitment in my Congressional District. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 521 on approving the previous days Journal; ``yea'' on rollcall No. 522, to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 457 recognizing National Chemistry Week; and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 523, to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 491, recognizing National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, we all know that the current system for distributing grants is fundamentally broken. I applaud the fact that this bipartisan conference report gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the flexibility to distribute more money based on risk rather than population. While I would like to see a much greater percentage of funds allotted exclusively on risk, at least this conference report finally addresses an issue on which many of us have spent years on both sides of the aisle working to remedy. I find it inexplicable that just as we improve the methods of monetary distribution, just as we improve the way first responders can get what they need, we limit the availability, the pool of needed resources. In fact, if it were not for both folks on each side of the aisle, we would have accepted the administration's plan, which would have been 4 percent less than what we have and no increase whatsoever. Mr. Speaker, I think you should know today that the New York subway system is under high alert. We need to understand what the ramifications of that are. The FBI is working in concert with the New York City Police. This is the first time they have had very specific place, very specific time ramifications. Yet the coordinated and timed bombings in London and Madrid, the latest example of the fact between 1998 and 2003, there were approximately 181 terrorist attacks on rail and transit targets. Since 9/11, despite the fact that passenger rail systems in the United States carry five times as many passengers each day as do the airlines, only $250 million of the estimated $6 billion needed has been invested in improving rail and transit security. Congress continues to provide woefully inadequate appropriations. Only $150 million was appropriated for rail and transit authority. Mr. Speaker, I think we should all be aware of this. It took a bipartisan effort to get us this far. We need to understand what is going on in New York City today, and I know this is not going to change the dollar figure, the dollar amount of this legislation. I would simply ask my brothers and sisters on both sides of the aisle to take note that this is serious business. We need to continue this hard work. The FIRE Act, for instance, was cut $60 million, which has been extremely, extremely crucial to the 32,000 fire departments throughout the United States of America. We cannot do everything. We realize that, Mr. Speaker, but there are things that we can do and we should do.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I oppose the rule on the basis of an exclusion of some very pertinent amendments, but I have to respond to what I just heard. It is not the church that hires the individual, it is the Federal Government's money that is being utilized. You are missing this point. Do not, and I warn everyone about this, do not place one party against the other. We support faith-based, but taxpayers should not have their money taken so that one church can say you are not of this religion so you cannot work for me. That is discrimination and it will never stand up with the Constitution. How dare anyone say on this floor that we are allowed to separate with Federal money, with Federal money, the horror of tens of thousands of desperately poor Americans trapped in an environment of extreme neglect, abandoned by its government, left behind to fend for themselves without the most basic resources to survive? We witnessed that in the last 3 weeks. We witnessed the aftermath and we witnessed a wake-up call to America. I am proud that Americans have opened their hearts in the wake of this tragedy to lend a helping hand that the government at first refused. America believes in giving all of its citizens the resources and opportunities to make a decent life for themselves and their families. America believes in bringing the buses in on time so everyone gets out, not just the wealthiest among us. Head Start is that helping hand. Head Start is bringing the buses in before the floodwaters of poverty trap people in a desperate life of illiteracy, unemployment, crumbling homes, dangerous streets, drug addiction, and no hope. If we did not know it before, the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina has reaffirmed that a Head Start is the very least we owe each other; so I am pleased that there is bipartisan efforts to put this reauthorization bill together. It protects the basic structure of the program. I commend the gentleman for that. But do not separate those of us in this room in saying those are for values and these are not for values. We are talking about a very narrow scope of debate here. Head Start programs continue to address the many needs of low-income children and their families. In the words of Cecile Dickey, the former executive director of Head Start in Paterson, New Jersey, my home town, and a personal hero of mine, she was there when we started Head Start in this Nation, and she said, ``You cannot do anything for the kids without doing something for their parents, too. That is why we have programs designed to help them improve themselves through education and job training, as well as opportunities for them to be involved in planning activities involving their children. We serve the entire family unit.'' Cecile is a perfect example of how Head Start can turn a family's life around. A struggling young mother with two children working in a daycare center, she was recruited by Head Start as a teacher, trained at New York University. Through Head Start, Cecile learned that looking out for her kids meant looking out for her community, and she became a tremendous advocate for her sons. A struggling young mother with two children working in a day care center, she was recruited by Head Start as a teacher and trained at New York University. Through Head Start, Cecile learned that looking out for her kids meant looking out for her community, and she became a tremendous advocate for her sons, and for the children of Paterson. Cecile's four sons, two of whom were Head Start children, have grown up to be surgeons, engineers, and teachers. Cecile and other Head Start advocates argue that the only problem with the program is that not enough eligible children can be served. Nationwide, nearly 50 percent of three and four year olds who qualify by their parents' income have been denied this opportunity in the last few years. In Paterson alone, over 2,000 eligible children are on the waiting list. A study by Rutgers University has reported that high quality pre- school more than pays for itself. When children are enrolled in pre-school programs, mothers are better equipped to find stable, paying jobs. After these children leave school, they earn $143,000 more over their lifetimes and are less likely to need special education than other children. This program has had tremendous success at improving educational and social outcomes for children, and is a good deal for the country: It costs American taxpayers a little more than $6 billion a year, or one third of one percent of the national budget. I hope that the House today will vote for this good bipartisan bill, and will vote down any poison pill amendment that will allow hiring and firing on the basis of religious affiliation. This is anti-American. It will be a shame if all the bipartisan hard work that has gone into crafting this worthy legislation was scuttled by the cynical attempts of a few to codify discrimination into our national laws. No rule for more amendments should have been in order. I urge my colleagues in the House to continue to expand its support of a program that every American can be proud of.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon), the ranking member, and the gentleman from New York (Chairman Boehlert). I rise to express my support for a comprehensive Federal manufacturing policy. I have been calling for this for at least 10 years. This is necessary. This is important. This bill is doing more today to stimulate the economy than anyone realizes. We have been gimmicked on both sides of the aisle about how we are going to get people back to work. This is real. This is not reality TV. I want to associate myself with the words of my good friend, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers). He has hit the nail on the head. If we do not deal with this now, we will be so far behind we will never be able to catch up. Members have to admit, not here on the floor, of course, that the manufacturing czar was a joke, was an absolute joke. I am not impressed with the fact that the National Association of Manufacturers supports this bill because they were at the throttle when New Jersey lost 40 percent of its manufacturing jobs since 1990. They were there as the guardians, and they did absolutely nothing, zero. The Larson amendment, which will be offered later, would create a meaningful Under Secretary of manufacturing and technology. I plead with Members, I think this is a good move, not a bureaucratic move. I think it is important that we send a message to the entire Congress of the United States. I am a native of Paterson, with one T, New Jersey. The gentleman has one in New York with two T's. I deeply understand the value of working with one's hands and the value that a manufacturing base can bring to individual communities. Paterson was founded by none other than Alexander Hamilton. It is interesting, as a Democrat I became a Hamiltonian. Looking back, we find that things have not changed so much in the past 2 centuries. In his day, Hamilton urged Congress to promote manufacturing so the United States could be independent of other nations for military and other essential supplies. Once we have lost the manufacturing apparatus, our ability even to manufacture weapons, weapons, diminishes. God forbid if we ever get to that point, but we are talking about two gentlemen here. What you are talking about is critical, very critical to the economic base of this Nation. Unfortunately, a lot of the meeting is not listening because this is not a sexy enough subject. It is only about jobs. Hamilton also rightly foresaw the importance of a diversified economy. Remember the battle with Jefferson? Jefferson wanted to continue this as an agrarian society for the rest of the 18th and 19th centuries. It was impossible. We need a diversified economy. We cannot rely solely on an agrarian economy, and we cannot rely on the service sector. That has not worked. As I said, we have lost over 40 percent of our jobs. New Jersey, New England, the Midwest, the whole Nation needs a manufacturing administration to step up to the plate, to focus on the ways we can keep a thriving manufacturing sector from all angles. I think this is important to homeland security. We need to discuss that more often. We must have an agency dedicated to addressing some of our failed trade policies and the outsourcing of American jobs. Some of that outsourcing is good. Some of it is horrible. Service jobs, such as part-timing the American working force, and even we are paying for the folks that work at Wal-Mart whether they are full-time or part-time. We are picking up their medical services. This is a cost to the taxpayers of this country never mentioned. The middle class is paying for health services for these people. The loss of manufacturing jobs is leading to an erosion of the middle class with more families seeing their salaries and quality of life decrease. This bill does some very good things. I ask that we support the amendments that are going to be put forward and also the Larson amendment. Let us make the bill a little better, and I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member. They are ahead of their time, but we need to catch up with what has happened in the past 20 years.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, and so it continues. This is a partisan, counterfeit commission if I have ever seen one proposed today, and I have two simple questions: Will the administration escape accountability again? And the second question is this: Will the administration get away with another failure? Please note the word ``escape''. In fact, if you look in the Bible, the Old Testament, Leviticus, chapter 16, verse 8, we find the origin, the etymology of the word scapegoat, the goat that departs. In scripture, you had two goats. One was sacrificed for our sins; the other escaped, was let go. That is from the English word scapen, the Old English, a form of escape. So, Brownie, he was sacrificed, and yesterday all of his minions resigned, all of these people that were hired. We better have an objective review of what happened. We better have an objective view, or else we are never going to get to the truth. This is the most redactive, the most secretive administration in the history of the United States. It has nothing to do with political partisanship either. None whatsoever. We have seen it repeatedly. This is the administration that can show negligence, ineptitude, and dangerous arrogance without ever enduring the burden of even limited liability. Policy disasters abound, yet culpability is never encountered. No one who has followed the workings of this body believes that a commission made up of apologists will ever hold the administration accountable for anything. This is far too important for business as usual. I implore my colleagues to vote against the bill, to demand the creation of a truly independent commission. It worked 4 years ago. It will work now. I do not think there is anything wrong with this. And when you talk about the ability to subpoena, the majority will have the right to oversee whether we can subpoena particular people. This is phony. All we ask for is to let us come together. We agree we need to send help down there. We are doing our best, both sides of the aisle. Let us have an independent review of what has happened and what is going on. We are talking about people's lives here.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I am very disturbed that the gentleman from Pennsylvania, the last speaker, has introduced partisanship in this. I chastised both administrations, Democrat and Republican, as giving away the kitchen sink. We gave it away. We gave it away in the Free China deal. We gave up article I, section 8 of the Constitution, what we learn in the eighth grade: commerce belongs in the House of Representatives, not on the President's desk. And, second of all, the jobs that we have gained and the jobs that we have lost in our dealings with China make very interesting reading because we have lost high-wage jobs, and we have gained those jobs that pay far less. Look at the data.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, NAFTA is the template on which this CAFTA agreement has been forged. Let us use the documented results of NAFTA to predict what will happen if Congress passes this latest flawed trade agreement. Workers will see a decrease in real wages. The statistics are very clear. Number 2, CAFTA cannot reduce the number of immigrants. In fact, quite the contrary. What we have had in Mexico, for instance, as our prime example is 1.3 million agricultural jobs were lost to NAFTA. Look at the commitments, look at the promises by the past administration, by this administration, and what we have done is increased immigration across the borders. Some of our friends are talking out of both sides of their mouths. The gap between the rich and the poor will increase. The redistribution of wealth upward will be exacerbated here in the United States under CAFTA, because more family wage jobs will be sent overseas, replaced by low-wage, Wal-Mart-type service jobs. Get it? Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. If CAFTA passes, doom will be the operative function of this Congress.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise as an opponent to the rule that is before us, and I will vote ``no'' also on the bill. I would like to go back to one of the speakers just a few moments ago who mentioned in his State Mag Mutual. Mag Mutual is one of the 12 largest monoline medical malpractice insurers in the United States. And in 2004, coincidentally, they had 216 percent above what is adequately called their surplus. They have excess surplus. We have a crisis, we have a problem, but I personally believe that we are attacking the wrong folks in order to resolve the problem. The key words here are insurance reform. It is true that due to premium increases, the cost of practicing medicine in the State of New Jersey is rising at an unsustainable pace, but not for the reasons that the proponents of H.R. 5 are claiming. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, medical malpractice premiums are not rising because of claims or settlements. In fact, medical malpractice pay-outs have increased by 5.7 percent since 2001, and this is the chart to prove it. Payouts increased by 5.7 percent and 120 percent increase in premiums, you have the wrong dog in this race. Premiums nationally have risen over 120 percent in the same period. That is the real story. Monetary caps are not the answer. You have not addressed the example that was put before this body: The Vioxx. Nobody wants to face that. Nobody wants to address that. A woman injured, cannot provide, cannot have a pregnancy, cannot give birth to a child, $250,000 cap. You have to be kidding me. I want that to be addressed. Monetary caps are not the answer. Actually, the premiums in States without caps on damages are almost 10 percent lower than those with caps. In California, Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas, insurers have continued to raise premiums despite the fact that these States passed caps. And what happened in California, they had Proposition 103. That is what leveled off, if we consider it leveling off, the antitrust exemption that rates began to finally come down. It is a gift to the insurance companies, the HMOs, the medical institutions that harm patients and are filled with liability protections for manufacturers of defective or harmful health care products. This is plain and simple. The Committee on Rules prevented any Member from offering amendments to this legislation. It is too serious. We are talking about life or death in many cases; the substitute amendment of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) that takes steps to stop frivolous lawsuits, insurance reform and targeted assistance to the physicians in the communities who need it most. For these reasons I urge my colleagues to defeat the rule and this piece of legislation, H.R. 5.