Bill Pascrell

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention Joseph S. Stolarz of Passaic, NJ. In the week following Veterans Day, it seems appropriate that we would honor a man who has distinguished himself while serving his country in the armed services. Joseph was born in a small mining community in Pennsylvania, moving shortly thereafter to a farm in Poland, his family's native country. Returning to America in 1938, he settled in Passaic with his two sisters. Heeding the call to duty, Joe enlisted in the U.S. Army on December 12, 1940. He was stationed at Fort Dix when he received word of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Joseph's division was quickly broken up and used to defend the beaches of New York and New Jersey from any German assault. He was finally sent abroad in May 1944, landing in Liverpool. Joe's division, the 30th participated in the D-Day landings in France. After securing the beaches of Normandy, the 30th division participated in the allied drive across France, Belgium, and Germany. Joe didn't escape the battlefields of Europe unscratched. In January 1945, he was hit twice within 2 days, ultimately spending months in a VA hospital recuperating. Despite his injuries, Joe served our country with valor. In all, he received a defense medal, two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, a World War Two Victory Medal, a European Medal, an Expert Infantry Badge, and a medal from the French city of St. Lo. He was honorably discharged from military service on November 12, 1945. Upon his return to New Jersey, Joe became a civilian success. He completed his education, graduating from Passaic High School and ultimately attending Fairleigh Dickinson University. While visiting Poland in 1956, he met his wife and the future mother of his five children, Anna Brusik. In 1962, Joe fulfilled a lifelong dream when he purchased the Crystal Ballroom, where he continues to operate his tavern business with the aid of his wife and son, Joe Jr. Joe has also been active in his community and is involved in a number of political and cultural associations including the American Legion, the Tavern Owner's Association, the Central of Polish Organizations, the Holy Rosary Young Men's Club, and the Veterans' Alliance. Joe is also a regular on the parade circuit, marching in the annual Passaic Memorial Day event, as well as the Pulaski Day Parade. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, and Joseph's family and friends in celebrating the life of Joseph Stolarz, a patriot, entrepreneur, and family man.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call your attention to Perez Council #262 of the Knights of Columbus as they celebrate their 100th year of promoting the ideals of Columbianism in Passaic, NJ. The entire community has benefitted from the principles of this order, namely charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. On September 7, 1897, a small group of Catholic laymen met with the Reverend John A. Shepherd to form what would eventually become the Perez Council #262, Knights of Columbus, Passaic, NJ. The founders quickly became pillars of the religious and civic community. The names Ryan, Bowes, Driscoll, Gallagher, Galvin, Whelan, Cogan, and Burgoyne still elicit fond memories from the older gentlemen of the Passaic members of the Knights of Columbus. Through good times and bad, the Council has provided the moral leadership for the surrounding community. During the Depression era, the Passaic Knights of Columbus lost their home on Hoover Avenue and Washington Place. Yet, their spirit was kept alive by a number of dedicated members, who continued to meet regularly in the building they once called their own. Happily, in March 1947, with the help of His Excellency The Most Reverend Thomas H. McLaughlin, and our Chaplain, the Right Reverend Monsignor William V. Dunn, the Passaic Knights once again found themselves on firm financial footing, with a home of their own. The Perez Council has much to celebrate, including a long and distinguished record of leadership in the field of religious activity. In 1912, the Council leapt into the fledgling field of the Retreat Movement, sponsoring trips to areas in New York and New Jersey for meditation. They have played a pioneering role in attempting to bridge the gap between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. In 1956, the Council held its Annual Communion Breakfast in the Parish Hall of the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church of the Eastern Rite. The members of the Council have also distinguished themselves in service to our country. During the First World War, sixty-eight brothers were in the Armed Forces. Twenty-eight answered the call during the Second World War. Others served during the Korean War and the conflict in Vietnam. Many brothers continue to serve, giving up their time to assist injured Catholic veterans and help these veterans attend mass in the East Orange Veteran's Hospital. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, and the entire Passaic area in congratulating Perez Council #262 of the Knights of Columbus on one hundred years of serving the spiritual needs of the community.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, the supporters of fast track never discuss the massive trade imbalance which grows every year, never. This reflects job loss in America. The supporters are good, very good, at denigrating organized labor's efforts to defeat fast track. Organized labor has a vested interest. The jobs of members in various unions and the jobs in nonunion workplaces are at stake. Why is their effort a special interest, and the expenditures of millions by multinational corporations simply ``in the best interests of the American economy?'' How can some Members of this House who vehemently defend the sovereignty of our Nation with foreign powers now surrender the oversight of the trade deal implementation to the World Trade Organization? The WTO has just ruled in favor of Costa Rica and India on textile matters. What are we doing for our own sovereignty? Why sell us out again? Reciprocity, Mr. President, reciprocity, Mr. Speaker, not duplicity. Vote ``no'' on fast track.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I have in my left hand a document which is the bill we will be voting on tomorrow. It is called the reciprocal trade agreement, not unlike the reciprocal trade agreement in the early 1930's. The only problem is that our trade policies have not been reciprocal in particularly the last 3 years. NAFTA has caused job losses in the hundreds of thousands for the last 34 months. In our area in north Jersey, approximately 15,000 jobs have been lost since NAFTA's inception. And in Mexico and Canada, it is graphic evidence that NAFTA is not working over the long haul. We have tripled, we have quadrupled the imbalance in trade with Mexico, 2\1/2\ times the imbalance in trade with Canada. This is not a record of accomplishment but rather of failure. Please vote ``no'' on fast track. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to discuss a matter of great importance to my district and to the Nation as a whole--the issue of the renewal of fast-track trade negotiating authority. As the debate moves to a close, and as supporters and detractors of the measure voice their positions, I rise today for the purpose of clarification. And to share the conclusions that I have come to regarding this important issue. The measure seeks to extend fast-track authority for 4 years. As such, it sets our national trade policy as we approach--and then enter--the 21st century. No one doubts the fact that we live in a global economy--and that nation's are more interconnected then ever before. No one doubts that if we are to retain our preeminent position in the world--we must lead from strength--both economically and morally. And for me, global leadership in the arena of international trade means that fair trade should not be subordinated to the notion of free trade. We must trade with other nations on equal footing--and not sacrifice American jobs to those earning a lower wage--particularly when that nation has not yet achieved our level of social, economic, and environmental development. The bill that I am holding--the Reciprocal Trade Agreement Authorities Act of 1997--commonly referred to as fast track--states very clearly its objectives and scope. Section 102(b)7(B) of the bill states that: The principle negotiating objectives of the United States is to ensure that foreign governments do not derogate from or waive existing domestic environmental, health, safety, or labor measures . . . as an encouragement to gain competitive advantage in international trade. The key word in this section is ``existing.'' No country that fast track is designed to facilitate trade with, has adequate existing environmental and labor structures. Nothing in the legislation before us enables the United States to negotiate for higher standards. That is unacceptable and workers, business owners, and consumers in the United States have paid the price for this disparity in standards. And, just as importantly, the fast-tract authority that past Presidents have had--including President's Bush and Reagan--allowed them to negotiate weak side agreements for labor and the environment; this measure does not even allow that. Basically, we are throwing up our hands and saying let those with whom we trade improve on their own--and in their own time. We are saying: Let them pay their workers a bowl of rice a day, let them not give their workers the right to organize, let their factories dump sewage into the rivers, let them pollute the air, let them ship tainted food across our borders to be consumed at dinner tables across the country, and on and on and on. And make no mistake about it--this debate is not about labor versus business or Republican versus Democrat--this debate is about jobs. Its about the environment and environmental degradation. Its about consumer safety in areas like imported food. Its about the viability of small businesses who struggle to be competitive. And finally its about consumers who today are paying more now than ever before for imported apparel at the clothing store. The proponents of fast track argue that the administration deserves this ability based on what they perceive as a successful NAFTA policy. They point to the creation of 311,000 new jobs. I take exception to this figure and cite an alternative one from the Economic Policy Institute which states that 600,000 jobs have been lost during NAFTA's first 34 months. In northern New Jersey alone, statistics show that approximately 15,000 jobs have been lost since 1993. Many companies in my district specifically point to NAFTA as the proximate cause of their reduction in business. In fact, the small businesses who have contacted me have had to cut jobs--and have not created a single new one since 1993. Trade policy needs to be inclusive regarding these important elements, not exclusive. Labor and environmental provisions need to be in the core agreement. If we do not lead from the high ground we will relinquish all that we have accomplished in our long progress to achieving the society that we now live in. The argument that this fast-track legislation represents forward progress rings hollow to my ears and to many of my colleagues. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this flawed measure.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention Mr. Eugene Coppola as he is honored by the Fidelians as their 1997 Man of the Year on Saturday, November 1, 1997. He has earned this prestigious honor by becoming a driving force behind the Fidelians' magnanimous and numerous charitable efforts. The Fidelians were founded in 1939 as an organization to help inner city youth. It has grown in the ensuing decades and can now claim over 100 members. As an organization, the Fidelians own a 3\1/2\ acre camp in North Haledon. Each summer, they administer a summer camp for children with Down's syndrome. In addition, they assist other camps that utilize their facilities, including a camp from Paterson that supports children with cerebral palsy. For early two decades, Eugene has played a vital and integral role in directing the charitable deeds of the Fidelians. He has been a member for over 17 years. Eugene has also demonstrated a unique capacity to lead, serving as president of the Fidelians and sitting on the board of trustees for several years. Eugene has born and raised in Paterson, attending Public School No. 18 and Eastside High School. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in business administration from Seton Hall University. A resident of Franklin Lakes, Eugene and his wife, Stephanie, are the proud parents of two children, Victoria and Michael. However, the story of Eugene's success neither begins nor ends with his involvement with the Fidelians. Eugene also serves the community in a multitude of other capacities. As a member of the Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Franklin Lakes, he is the treasurer and a board member of the Catholic Charities of Passaic and Sussex Counties. Eugene is a trustee for the IBEW 1158 Pension and Welfare Fund, a position he has held for the past decade. He has been the president of the Mount Joseph's Childrens' Center in Totowa. In addition to his charity work with the Fidelians, Eugene supports the Deborah Heart Center, the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the National Kidney Foundation. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleague, Mr. Coppola's family, and the Fidelians in recognizing Mr. Eugene Coppola as the Fidelians' Man of the Year for 1997.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention Mr. Jerry Gamble. Jerry will be honored by the Joseph M. Pizza Association of Northern New Jersey for his long and distinguished service as a dedicated law enforcement officer on Sunday, November 2, 1997. Jerry was born in Paterson, the son of James and June Gamble. He received his education in the Haledon School System and is a graduate of the Technical and Vocational High School. Later, he attended William Paterson College. Quickly becoming a success in the law enforcement field, Jerry went back to school to further his occupational knowledge by attending management programs at Rutgers University. Jerry's career has been one of consistent success and a prestigious line of promotions. Jerry joined the Borough of Haledon's police force in 1966 as a special police officer. Promoted to the rank of full police officer in 1970, Jerry made sergeant 7 years later. In 1982, he was promoted to captain. Five years later, in March of 1987, Jerry was named Haledon's chief of police. Success in his professional life has also been accompanied by personal triumphs. Jerry and his wife, the former Geri Castello, are the proud parents of daughter Lindsey Marie Gamble. Throughout the Borough of Haledon and the surrounding communities, Jerry is well known as a giving man with an extensive love of family, people, and children. Keeping pace with his outstanding career, Jerry has also been active in a number of charitable and service-oriented organizations. He has demonstrated a unique capacity for leadership, serving as the president of the Passaic County Police Chiefs Association and as the first vice- president of the Passaic County 200 Club. Jerry is also a member of PBA-349, the New Jersey State Chief of Police Association, the National Association of Chiefs of Police, the Italian American Police Officers Association, the New Jersey/New York Honor Legion, and the Haledon Business and Economic Development Association. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Police Chief Jerry Gamble's significant and outstanding services to Haledon and the greater Passaic County community, would you join me, our colleagues, Chief Gamble's family, and the law enforcement community of Passaic County in congratulating him on this impressive honor.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call your attention to Mr. Rudy Demarest as he is honored by the Old Timers Athletic Association of Greater Paterson. He is the recipient of the 1997 Lou Costello Athletic Memorial Award. This prestigious award is presented annually to individuals who have made a lifelong contribution to the sporting community of the Greater Paterson area. Rudy Demarest has earned this honor by serving as a baseball coach for over 60 years and providing a positive role model for the children of Paterson. Rudy was born and raised in Paterson. He attended Central High School and demonstrated a gift for coaching at a very young age. As a freshman in 1933, Rudy coached the School 10 baseball team to the city championship. An athlete in his own right, Rudy was invited to train with a professional team in Florida in 1946. However, he was unwilling to leave his wife, who was pregnant with his first child, and remained in Paterson. Foregoing his own dreams of professional athletics, Rudy channeled his energies into coaching, serving the Paterson area in various capacities for 64 years. Those who have been taught the fundamentals of baseball by Rudy remember him fondly. He is well known as a coach that focused on the individual needs of each athlete, often treating them like members of his own family. Not surprisingly, Rudy often shocks former pupils by calling them by their first name, sometimes 20 or 30 years after he coached them. Rudy's distinguished career has been an unqualified success. For 14 years, he volunteered his time as an assistant baseball coach at John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson. Still an active member of the Passaic County American Legion Baseball Committee, he coached the team for Raymond Pellington American Legion Post 260 for many years. Rudy's accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. In 1985, he was named Paterson's Youth Guidance Man of the Year. In 1987, Rudy was named the vice president of the Metropolitan Semi-Pro Baseball League. In 1993, he was named commissioner of that organization. In 1994, he was honored by the Passaic County Coaches Association, an organization of which he has been a lifelong member. In addition to his successes in coaching, Rudy is the proud father of four. Two of his progeny, son, Al, and granddaughter, Annette, have also been honored with awards from the Old Timers Athletic Association. The former driver for the Paterson News, Rudy also serves as president of the Senior Group of Our Lady of Pompei Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, Rudy's family and friends, the city of Paterson, and the hundreds of Paterson youth that have benefited from Rudy's guidance in recognizing the wisdom of the Old Timers Athletic Association's choice of Rudy Demarest as the 1997 winner of the Lou Costello Athletic Memorial Award.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention W. Peter McBride of Franklin Lakes, NJ who is being honored this evening as the ``1997 Man of the Year'' by the Boys and Girls Club of Paterson. This award is presented to Peter in recognition of his outstanding leadership activities throughout the north Jersey area, and his many philanthropic activities in the Greater Paterson community. Peter was born and lived his early childhood in Paterson. He attended primary school in Ridgewood and high school at the Delbarton School in Morristown. Peter went to Maryknoll College, a liberal arts college and seminary in Glen Ellen, IL. During college, Peter spent his summers doing community development work in Chicago and Mexico. He graduated in 1967 and opted to continue his education by enrolling in Seton Hall's graduate school of business. The Vietnam war interrupted Peter's education and he enlisted in the U.S. Army, receiving a commission as second lieutenant. After his tour of duty, Peter entered the family business and has been active, first with his father Nevins and more recently his brother David, leading McBride Enterprises as it developed into one of New Jersey's premier real estate development companies. McBride Enterprises has built a number of industrial and office parks, including those in Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Wayne, Totowa, Oakland and Mahwah. Fair Lawn Industrial Park, the first project, became a model for the planned industrial park development. In addition to leading McBride Enterprises, Peter is also president of Urban Farms, Inc., a residential development company which has developed over 2,500 acres in Franklin Lakes and Wayne. The McBride family roots are in Paterson, established by patriarch John McBride who emigrated from Ireland in 1863. Peter's grandfather, Frank A. McBride, founded a plumbing company in 1898, which, under the leadership of his sons Frank, Nevins, and Joseph, grew to become the F.A. McBride Co., Mechanical Contractors. The McBride family has continued to maintain an interest in their ancestors' adopted home of Paterson and Passaic County. Several family members have been board members and volunteers at St. Joseph's Hospital, and Peter currently sits on the Board of the Hospital Foundation. Peter is past president and a board member of the Passaic Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He has been one of the organizers of the scouts' annual sports celebrity dinner, which for 15 years has been the major fundraising activity of the council. Peter is also cochairman of the Annual J. Nevins McBride Golf Outing for Scouting which benefits the youth of Passaic County. His involvement with scouting extends to his family, where his son is a boy scout with Troop 34 in Franklin Lakes. Peter also serves on the Ramapo College Board of Trustees, Most Blessed Sacrament Parish Council, the Archdiocese of Newark Finance Council and the Board of Directors of Hudson United Bank. Peter lives in Franklin Lakes with his wife, Pam, and children Meredith, Peter, and Annie. Pam is the volunteer architect for ``Woman Raise the Roof,'' a Habitat for Humanity Project in Paterson. Pam and Peter are also mentors for Operation Link-Up at Kennedy High School. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, Peter's family and friends, and the people of north Jersey in recognizing W. Peter McBride's many outstanding and invaluable contributions to the community and to the Boys and Girls Club of Paterson.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the momentous occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Hispanic Information Center of Passaic, Inc. The Hispanic Information Center of Passaic was established in 1972 to identify, study, and articulate the human service needs of the Hispanic community in the city of Passaic. Today, through its different programs, the agency reaches out to the most at-risk populations. It contributes to economic and social stability by means of job placement and support to families, youth, seniors, the disabled, people suffering from addiction, and the homeless. Services are rendered with no regard to race, color, or national origin. Each and every program at the center is administered with the utmost of professionalism and caring. The Community Service Program of the Hispanic Information Center strives to inform low- and moderate-income clients of the resources available that will help them develop and maintain economic self-sufficiency. In addition, the program assists in providing social service information and helps with social adjustment, job placement, emergency shelter, food referral, advocacy, translations, and referrals. The center also offers a program of the youth counseling services which was created to serve individuals referred by schools, State agencies, or families. They work to prevent dropping out of school and provide individual and group counseling to help young people cope with family, school, and environmental problems through behavior modification. They also provide tutoring, pre-delinquent and family intervention, vocational and educational orientation, as well as recreation and field trips. This program serves as an advocate for youth in school, city, county agencies, and courts. The Homebound Program caters to persons who are homebound due to age or illness with the goal of preventing institutionalization. Services are geared toward improving the quality of life and independent living within the heritage characteristic of a Latino culture. Services included but are not limited to case management, counseling, referral, translations, interpreters, recreational activities, and social events. Other programs aimed at fostering familial settings include the Host Program which is designed to assist children whose natural parents are unable to provide adequate care at home. Families are recruited in order to provide a temporary home environment. The goal of the program is to reunite the child with their family or to ensure that the child will have a safe and nurturing family environment. The program is founded on the premise that all children have the right to physical and emotional protection. Host parenting is not a lifetime commitment to a child but a commitment to make a meaningful contribution to a child's life. Additionally the goal of the Bridge Family Program is to provide a temporary placement for children ages 7 to 10 who have been adopted and the adoption was disrupted. Further, the Teaching Family Program is designed to help adolescents currently placed in residential facilities or being considered for such placement with alternative family settings within the community. The program provides support and guidance to assist them in their transition to a permanent family environment. The Alcohol Outreach for Minorities Program was established to serve the needs of individuals suffering from the consequences of alcoholism. The program provides a 16-week treatment service and is the only Hispanic alcoholism treatment and referral service program in Passaic County which takes into consideration the cultural uniqueness of the Hispanic client. The Immigration and Citizenship Program was established with the purpose of helping immigrants achieve social stability through immigration aid, which gives information and basic orientation to the immigrants that wish to become permanent residents or legalize their migratory status. The new citizenship project aids eligible permanent residents in completing naturalization forms, lending them the service of fingerprinting, photos, and educational services to better prepare them for the test required by INS for naturalization. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, the city of Passaic, and the people of north Jersey, in recognizing the momentous occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Hispanic Information Center of Passaic and its many outstanding and invaluable contributions made to the community.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the LaTourette amendment. We have seen a pattern of trying to undermine and trying to impose incremental changes in labor agreements on this floor. Parties signed agreements. They should change the agreements in collective bargaining. It is not up to the Congress of the United States to take away labor protections. When we have the head of management saying that if these protections are removed, they are going to have very little effect upon the total package, what more do we wish? Labor and management are on the same page. Why should we rip out that page? If we do not have this amendment, we will eliminate wage protections for displaced passenger rail employees which have been in place since 1930. Many of these workers gave up their seniority on freight railroads to come over to Amtrak when it was created. They would lose severance benefits they deserve under this bill. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, thank God we are in the 105th Congress. That was a chart from the 104th Congress. Specifically speaking, in subtitle 5 of title 49, section 24706, it is very clear what the language is that they are going to take out with the Quinn amendment. It says the following: Employee protective arrangements, Amtrak or a rail carrier shall provide fair and equitable arrangements to protect the interests of employees of Amtrak or a rail carrier, as the case may be, affected by the discontinuance of intercity rail passenger service. We are talking about the preservation of rights, privileges and benefits of the employees to continuation of collective-bargaining rights, the protection of individual employees against a worsening of their positions related to employment, assurances of priority of employment, reemployment, et cetera, et cetera. All that we are talking about in the LaTourette amendment is to place the words at the end of that section saying, ``unless the parties agree.'' They cannot even accept that. This is antilabor. I will say it here on the floor.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend Carolyn McCarthy, and her son Kevin who will be getting married very soon. Each of us are familiar with the circumstances that inspired Carolyn to seek election to this House. Since the day she arrived, her commitment to making our society safe and to improving the lives of those she represents has been an inspiration to us all. I know that Carolyn is immensely proud of her son, who has demonstrated remarkable strength in overcoming odds most of us would find insurmountable. Kevin McCarthy is truly a ``profile in courage,'' and I am proud today to join those from our class in wishing he and his fiance Leslie Nolan all the love and happiness in the world on their wedding day. One phrase that is too often thrown around these days is ``family values.'' If anyone really wants to know the meaning of that phrase, they need to look no further than to Carolyn and Kevin McCarthy. It is a privilege to serve in this body with Carolyn, and to honor her son Kevin for the life he has led--and wish him all the best in his new life with Leslie: Background on the Wedding of Kevin McCarthy and Leslie Nolan Kevin McCarthy and Leslie Nolan met last fall during his mother's successful 1996 Congressional campaign. Previous to her employment with NASA, Leslie had worked for 10 years on Capitol Hill. With the political season heating up, she got the itch to get back into the game and contacted a friend at EMILY's List, a campaign resource group for female candidates, where she was hooked up with the McCarthy campaign. She arranged to take 6 weeks of vacation and came to Long Island to volunteer for the campaign. She became the candidate's travel assistant. Leslie returned home in November to her job as a Senior Policy Analyst at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The couple began a long distance relationship via the telephone, train and New York shuttles. They became engaged on April 26, 1997 at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. Kevin got down on one knee and proposed with a diamond engagement ring and a card in front of Longwood's beautiful waterfall. Leslie received a dozen roses each day the week before the engagement! Their wedding will be celebrated by Deacon John Reinhart at the Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Mineola. 225 guests are expected. The couple will celebrate their nuptials with a wedding ball at the historic Oheka Castle in Huntington. They will honeymoon in the Caribbean and are planning to make their home on Long Island. Kevin McCarthy is the only child of Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and the late Dennis McCarthy. Kevin is a Mutual Funds Clerk with Prudential Securities in New York City. He is a graduate of the New York Institute of Technology and is presently pursuing a Masters in Business Administration in International Business at the same school. Leslie Nolan is the oldest child of Mary and Nicholas Nolan, Sr. of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Until recently she resided in Bowie, Maryland. Leslie is employed by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies as Assistant Chief for Outreach in New York City. She has 2 sisters & 1 brother, as well as 3 nieces and 1 nephew. Leslie is a graduate of the University of Maryland. Her paternal grandparents, John and Mary Nolan of Venice, Florida, recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Her maternal grandparents, Jules & Iola Jorgenson, reside in Fremont, Nebraska.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. Thurman].

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Rangel substitute. I believe the gentleman from New York [Mr. Rangel] has drafted a very smart and effective proposal which would provide necessary assistance to public schools. As a former mayor and a member of a local school board, I know all too well about the problems facing our public schools. I have seen them firsthand and closeup. I did not have to read about them. Approximately 90 percent of our students are educated in our public school system. A staggering percentage of those students are forced to learn in schools that are crumbling all around them. We have a responsibility to address this deficiency. The Rangel substitute does just that. It provides schools with much-needed resources for construction and repair, the purchase of equipment, curriculum development, and teacher training. It does all this within the confines of the balanced budget agreement. Many of us proudly supported the landmark tax relief legislation we passed this year, but I was disappointed that in the $90-plus billion relief bill, elementary and secondary education was largely ignored. The Rangel substitute gives us an opportunity to expand, both in scope and investment, upon the one area in that bill that provided real assistance to secondary and primary and elementary schools. The Taxpayer Relief Act provides interest-free capital to public schools, but does so only at a very modest level. Under this substitute, the funds available would be increased from $400 million in each of the next 2 calendar years to $4 billion. That is a significant contribution, when we look at the needs of construction in every 1 of the 50 States of the Union. This only touches the surface. Mr. Speaker, this program establishes a valuable partnership between our public schools and the private sector. This partnership will ensure that the resources flow directly into the schools where they are needed. At the same time, the lender will be made whole through a Federal tax credit equal to the interest that the borrower would otherwise have had to pay. This is a prudent use of Federal resources. The Rangel substitute is smart, and addresses real problems in our educational system. It does it within the confines of the balanced budget agreement. I do not oppose increasing choice in educational systems, and in fact, I am pleased that in the upcoming days this Chamber will likely have an opportunity to vote on legislation opening up the choice of charter schools to more students and their parents. Nor am I opposed to private or parochial education, having been the product of it myself. What I am opposed to is turning our backs on the public school system that educates 90 percent of our children. Let us support choice. Let us give parents more say in their children's education. Let us not blindly shun private or parochial education. I urge my colleagues to support the Rangel substitute.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention Terry M. Ryan of Little Falls, NJ, as he is very deservingly honored this evening by Wayne General Hospital. Terry is president of Hanson & Ryan, Inc. in Totowa, NJ. He joined the agency in 1970 and is responsible for oversight of all agency operations. Terry also serves as president of Financial Services subsidiary, T.M. Ryan Financial Services, Inc. Hanson & Ryan, Inc. has been listed in Business News of New Jersey as one of the ``Top 50 Insurance Brokers.'' Terry attended Syracuse University and graduated from the College of Insurance with a degree in insurance and risk management. Active in the industry throughout his career, Terry was a founder of the IIANJ [Independent Insurance Agents of New Jersey] Young Agents Committee and served as its first chairman in 1974. He served IIAA [Independent Insurance Agents of America] as regional director of the National YAC [Young Agents Committee] for 3 years. Terry has been a member of the Agents Advisory Council for Aetna Casualty & Surety and served as chairman. He has also been the New Jersey representative to the GPC council for Aetna and has served on GRE Insurance Group Advisory Council. Terry has served on the executive committee of the IIAPC [Independent Insurance Agents of Passaic County]. He has received the New Jersey Department of Insurance Meritorious Service Award and IIANJ's Young Agent of the Year Award. Terry is chairman of the Insurance Committee for the Township of Little Falls and very notably is currently chairman of the Board of Wayne General Hospital. He has been active in many additional community organizations and received citations for his work in those areas. Among those organizations, he has served as a youth sports coaching program honorary trustee of the Passaic County 200 Club of which he was cofounder. An active member of his community, Terry is currently a member of the board of directors of the Passaic Valley Rotary Club, the National Notary Association, the Little Falls Athletic Club, and an associate member of the Passaic Police Chief's Association. He is a past member of the board of directors, Passaic Valley Kiwanis, the Hamilton Club of Paterson, vice-president-elect and board member of the Passaic Valley Chamber of Commerce, board member of the American Cancer Society-- Passaic County chapter, and a member of the board of directors for the Passaic County Historical Society. Terry resides in Little Falls with his wife, Debbie and three children, Sean, Carrie, and Kristin. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, Terry's family, friends, and colleagues, and the Township of Little Falls in recognizing Terry M. Ryan's many outstanding and invaluable contributions to the community.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention Charles H. Marciante, president of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO. For the past 36 years, Charlie has been a leader in the New Jersey State AFL-CIO. Prior to the merger of the State's AFL and CIO unions, he served briefly as secretary-treasurer of the old State Federation of Labor. Charlie served as secretary-treasurer of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO from its inception on September 25, 1961 until his election as president in 1969. First elected as president in June 1970, he was reelected to a 3-year term in 1973 and a 4-year term in 1976, 1980, 1984, 1992, and again in 1996. Now serving his eighth and last term as president, it is apparent that Charlie has given his all to the New Jersey AFL-CIO. Identified from youth within the trade movement, Charlie has achieved a notable position as spokesman for organized labor in New Jersey, as well as deserved recognition in the councils of the national labor movement. Charlie was born in Trenton, NJ. He was educated in the Trenton public school system and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Rutgers University in 1952. Prior to his election as secretary-treasurer of the State federation Charlie served a 5-year apprenticeship and worked in the construction industry as a journeyman electrician. In the field of electronics, Charlie supervised the installation and military readiness of one of the major east coast missile defense sites in New Jersey for the U.S. Air Force. He remains a member of Local Union No. 269 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), AFL-CIO, as a journeyman electrician. Charlie has served his State in numerous social, civic, and charitable leadership capacities while an officer with the New Jersey AFL-CIO. A former charter member of the State's Economic Development Authority, he has also served as a member of the Economic Development Council and was appointed to the Governor's Economic Recovery Commission in 1974. Charlie is a founding member of the Alliance for Action and the Society for Economic and Environmental Development (SEED), which is a dual coalition of labor and business groups seeking to expand economic potentials for New Jersey. He served for several years on the State Department of Education's vocational education board, raising New Jersey's standing from 49th to 6th in the Nation on vocational programs and school facilities. Charlie led the campaigns to reform New Jersey's workers compensation and unemployment insurance systems and devoted himself to the State Workers Compensation Reform Act of 1980 and the unemployment insurance system task force in 1983 to 1984. He has also served on the New Jersey Business Retention and Job Retraining Commission assisting dislocated workers to secure extended out of work benefits, retraining and education upgrading to assist them to compete job wise and a rapidly changing economic world. In 1990, Charlie served as cochairman of the Governor's Health Care Reform Commission, the first proposed total revamp of the State's health care system, which was a prototype of the Federal universal care proposal of President Clinton. Many of the ideas generated from that commission were incorporated into the Federal proposal. Charlie is a member of the board of directors of the Robert Wood Johnson University School of Medicine and Dentistry in New Brunswick, NJ, serving on the finance and quality of care committees. He and several unions successfully led the Federal court challenge to reform of the delivery of health care in New Jersey. Charlie has acted as a State labor coordinator for Radio Free Europe, a U.S. savings bond campaign labor coordinator and vice chairman of the President's and Governor's committee to employ the handicapped. He has been a major fundraiser for Deborah Hospital, where free heart and lung procedures are undertaken, and has served as labor coordinator for annual March of Dimes drives in New Jersey. Politically, Charlie has served as an elected delegate from New Jersey to several Democratic National Conventions and has served in the 1980's on the labor advisory committee of the Republican National Committee along with several other AFL-CIO designated representatives. Charlie is married to the former Barbara Quinn of Trenton. They reside in West Trenton and have four children, Michael, Catherine, Stephen, and Mary Barbara. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, Charlie's family and friends, NJ SEED, and the State of New Jersey in recognizing Charles H. Marciante's many outstanding and invaluable contributions to the community.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the Cali Family who were honored on Friday, October 17, 1977, by the Center for Italian and Italian-American Culture. Vincenzo Cali, the family patriarch, arrived in the United States from Aidone, Sicily in 1901 at Ellis Island. An immigrant farmer arriving in America, Vincenzo continued westward until he reached a part of the United States with hills and vistas like those of the Aidone he loved--the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. He then brought his wife, Maria Grazia, to America, Though a farmer, Vincenzo soon became a contractor in the lucrative coal mines of Bear Canyon, located in the Sangre De Cristo mountains of Colorado. It was in the hills of Bear Canyon where his sons, Angelo and John, experienced an idyllic early childhood. They were 13 and 10 years old respectively when, in 1928, due to an economic downturn, the Cali family moved east for the prospect of earning a better living. Angelo attended high school in Passaic, NJ. He received a B.A. degree from Montclair State University and did graduate work in anthropology at Columbia University. He was director of adult education in Clifton from 1938 to 1942. During World War II, Angelo was an officer in Military Intelligence in the European Theater of Operations [ETO] attached to the 3d Armored Division. After the war, Angelo was a training facilities and contract officer, charged with rehabilitating veterans. John attended Clifton High School and received a B.A. degree in psychology from Indiana University. During the war, John worked as an industrial psychologist for the Industrial Relations Methods in New York City, a company specializing in the supervision of wartime workers. Soon after the war, John and Angelo developed proprietary schools for training veterans and in particular, opened the first School for Modern Music in New Jersey. In 1949, Angelo and John saw an opportunity presented by the post World War II housing shortage and embarked with their much-loved childhood friend, Edward Leshowitz, on careers in real estate construction and investment. They formed Cali Associates and began developing one-family communities throughout northern New Jersey. In the early 1960's, they began to include apartments and condominiums in their construction activities and over the years have built more than 5,500 residential units. In the last 1960's Cali Associates expanded its operations to include developing and managing office properties. Cali Associates earned praise for their original and pleasing designs and many have received architectural awards. Seven buildings have been awarded the ``New Good Neighbor Award'' for their unique architecture and contributions to the local economy. In addition, Cali has twice received the ``Developers of the Year'' awards from the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties [NAIOP]. In 1977, Angelo's son, John R. Cali, decided to join Cali Associates along with Brant Cali, John's son. Both sons learned the construction and management business from the bottom up and were well prepared to assume the responsibilities of managing Cali Realty Corp. when it made its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in August 1994. When Cali Realty went public, its assets consisted primarily of a portfolio of 12 office buildings adding up to 2.5 million square feet. Going public gave the founding fathers, Angelo and John, the opportunity to pass the torch over to the second generation of Calis. This continuity is clearly a source of pride for the Cali family. As chief administrative officer, John R. Cali took on the responsibilities for directing acquisition functions for Cali Realty. Brant Cali, the chief operating officer, is responsible for directing the property management, leasing and marketing activities for Calif Realty. In just 3 years since going public, the second generation has expanded the company across the tristate area, completing more than 9.7 million square feet of acquisitions, accumulating more than 117 properties and increasing the total market cap of the company from $300 million to nearly $2 billion. In 1996, John J. Cali retained the title of chairman and passed on the title of CEO to Tom Rizk, a close friend brought into the business to serve as general counsel. All partners and their heirs are still with Cali Realty. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, the Center for Italian and Italian-American Culture, friends of the Cali family and the State of New Jersey in applauding this family's realization of the American dream and recognizing their many outstanding and invaluable contributions to the community.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention Raymond R. Kimble, the township manager and director of public safety for the Township of Belleville, NJ as he was honored on Thursday, October 16, 1997, for 33 years of outstanding public service. Ray was born and raised in the township of Belleville, attended the public schools and was a star athlete on the Belleville High School football team. He graduated from William Paterson College with a B.S. in public administration and a master's degree in urban and community affairs. Ray served his Nation proudly in the U.S. Army from November 1958 to October 1960 and began his service to the Belleville police department on February 16, 1964 when he received his initial appointment. Ray was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1967, lieutenant in 1973, captain in 1981, deputy chief in 1986, and eventually to the rank of chief of police on April 1, 1992. Throughout his career as a police officer, Ray either served or supervised the police department's patrol division, detective bureau, records and identification bureau, internal affairs division and crime prevention unit. He has been recognized numerous times for actions above and beyond the call of duty, including the April 1970 apprehension of a suspect wanted for murder in Belleville, the June 1970 rescue of a woman submerged under water in her car after a motor vehicle accident, and the June 1977 apprehension of a suspect exiting a liquor store after committing armed robbery. As chief of police, Ray was responsible for many improvements made in the Belleville police department including new guns and radios for the officers, the expansion of the narcotics squad, the creation of the Silver Lake sub station and the addition of 15 police officers through State and Federal grants. Ray helped bring about the addition of over $1 million in State and Federal funds to the department, the establishment of the community policing unit and training bureau, and the expansion of the internal affairs unit. He was additionally instrumental in the building of the new public safety complex. Ray is the former vice president of the Essex County Police Chief's Association and a member of the New Jersey State Police Chief's Association, Belleville P.B.A Local 28 where he served on the executive board. He also devoted his time as a member and officer of the Belleville Little League. He is married to the former Marie Marinaro and is the father of four children, Raymond Kimble, Jr., Esq., Steve Kimble, Esq., C.P.A., Linda Conley, and Lisa Gabriele, and the grandfather of Raymond. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, Ray's family, friends, and colleagues, the Township of Belleville and the members of the law enforcement community in recognizing Raymond R. Kimble's many years of dedication and invaluable contributions to the public safety of Belleville and its citizens.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the Honorable Wayne R. Bryant, senator of the 5th district, the Honorable Richard H. Bagger, assemblyman of the 22d district, Thomas P. Giblin, president of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 58, and T. Joseph Semrod, chairman and CEO of Summit Bancorp. These individuals were all honored on Tuesday, October 14, 1997, by the New Jersey Society for Environmental and Economic Development [NJ SEED] and each is tremendously deserving of this recognition. Senator Wayne Bryant and Assemblyman Richard Bagger are receiving the organization's legislative award. While in the legislature, Wayne sponsored a series of welfare reform initiatives, signed into law in 1992, designed to foster family formation and require personal responsibility through education and employment. He was also sponsor of legislation which created the Thomas H. Kean New Jersey State Aquarium in Camden and the transportation trust fund. He is a graduate of Haddon Heights High School and Howard University and received his bachelor of arts degree in political science in 1969. Wayne studied law at Rutgers University in Camden, receiving his juris doctorate in 1972, the year of his admission to the New Jersey bar. Assemblyman Richard H. Bagger was born March 27, 1960, in Plainfield. Richard is a 1982 graduate of Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He received his juris doctorate degree from Rutgers Law School in 1986. He was admitted to the bar in 1986 and is a corporate manager with Pfizer, Inc. Richard served as mayor of Westfield in 1991 and 1992. He also served on the Westfield Town Council from 1984 to 1990 and on the Westfield Planning Board from 1987 to 1992, serving as chairman in 1990. He is serving his third term in the assembly and is the sponsor of more than 50 laws, including measures concerning economic development, energy policy, civil justice reform, education, state budgeting, and local government. Thomas P. Giblin, of Montclair, NJ, was elected New Jersey State Democratic Chairman in June 1997. His party service also includes serving as chairman of the Essex County Democratic Committee since June 1993, performing as a delegate at the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, IL, and being an alternate delegate to the 1984 and 1988 conventions. He was also a member of the New Jersey electoral college. Tom served for 10 years as a member of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders and served as president during 1987 to 1988. He as elected Essex County surrogate in November 1989 and served until his election as Essex County Democratic chairman. Tom is president of the 5,000 member Local 68-68A-68B of the International Union of Operating Engineers, AFL-CIO, headquartered in West Caldwell, NJ. As president of Local 68, Tom also serves as chairman of the board of trustees for the union's pensions, welfare, education, and annuity funds. He is the president of the Essex-West Hudson Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and a trustee of the United Labor Agency of Essex and West Hudson. T. Joseph Semrod is chairman and CEO of Summit Bancorp. He is a respected individual throughout the banking and financial community. He is the recipient of a multitude of civic awards and has led Summit Bank through tumultuous and rapid expansion. Summit is a New Jersey bank and under Joe's leadership they have definitely prioritized New Jersey. Joe has exemplified the importance of being a good corporate neighbor and is indeed worthy of accolades. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, the families and friends of Wayne, Richard, Tom, and Joe, New Jersey SEED, and the State of New Jersey in recognizing Wayne R. Bryant, Richard H. Bagger, Thomas P. Giblin, and T. Joseph Semrod's many outstanding and invaluable contributions to the community.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to discuss a matter of great importance to my district and to the Nation as a whole, the issue of the renewal of fast-track trade negotiating authority. This is first a consumer issue, second a jobs issue, and third a wage issue. The previous speaker, the distinguished gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior], has clearly defined the parameters of this debate very differently than the administration. As the debate moves forward, and as supporters and detractors of the measure voice their positions, I rise tonight for the purpose of clarification and to share the conclusions that I have come to regarding this important issue. The President's measure seeks to extend fast track authority for 8 years. As such, it sets our national trade policy as we approach and then enter the 21st century. No one doubts the fact that we do live in a global economy and that nations are more interconnected than ever before. No one doubts that if we are to retain our preeminent position in the world, we must lead from strength, both economically and morally. For me, global leadership in the area of international trade means that fair trade should not be subordinated to the notion of free trade. We must trade with other nations on an equal footing and not sacrifice American jobs to those earning a lower wage, particularly when that nation has not yet achieved our level of social, economic and environmental development. The proponents of fast track argue that the administration deserves this ability based on what they perceive as a successful NAFTA policy. They point to the creation of 311,000 new jobs. I take exception, and many take exception, to this figure and cite an alternative one documented which states that 600,000 jobs have been lost during NAFTA's first 34 months. In northern New Jersey alone where I live, statistics show that approximately 15,000 jobs have been lost since 1993. Many companies in my district, small machinery, apparel, textile, foot wear, specifically point to NAFTA as the proximate cause of the reduction in their business. This leads me to my next point. Fast track is about jobs, but just as importantly, it is about consumer safety in areas like imported food; it is about the environment and environmental degradation; about labor rights and the viability of small businesses; and finally, it is about the consumers paying a reasonable price for goods. We should not lower our standards and sacrifice consumer safety and environmental protections and labor rights simply because we subscribe to the notion of free trade, which has proven to be a myth in the last 4 years. Trade policy needs to be inclusive regarding these important elements, not exclusive. Labor and environmental provisions need to be in the core agreements, not in unenforceable side agreements which put our workers and our jobs at risk and in jeopardy. If we do not lead from the high ground, we will relinquish all that we have accomplished in our long process to achieve the society that we now live in, the greatest democracy in the world. The argument that this fast track legislation represents forward progress rings hollow to my ears and to many of my colleagues. The facts and figures and anecdotes we are about to discuss will bear this out. We need a forward-looking trade policy, not one that looks backward. Mr. Speaker, in the very short period of the last 3 years, the consumer in this country is now in a position never before, never before experienced, and that is, imported apparel to the United States of America is now 2.2 percent higher than domestic apparel. Yet, when we look at these charts, we see that in imported apparel to the United States of America there is a retail market of 55 percent, compared to 50 percent in those domestic goods made here. Yet, when we look down lower to imported goods, only 1 percent of the total picture goes to manufacturing labor. In our chart to my far right, the domestic apparel takes up 15 percent for labor. How can our workers compete against these figures? And yet, at the same time, our wives and our loved ones go into stores and pay much more for goods that are being paid for and manufactured for literally bowls of rice in certain parts of this world. This is not an open market, this is constriction. This is not helping the American consumer, this is hurting the American consumer. This is not creating jobs, this is hurting jobs in America. We need to stop exporting those jobs. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior].

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, before I yield to my colleagues, I just wanted to bring out something that both of my colleagues have mentioned, and that is in terms of wages. Just today in the papers in New Jersey, and that is in 1990, if one was making in the area of $44,000 to $45,000 a year, since that time, in that 5- or 6-year period that we have the statistics for, one's wages increased $104 in those 5 years. Anything below that, anything below that, and that means a lot of folks in my district, the Eighth District in New Jersey, the losses can be anywhere from $800 to $2,000. Those are astonishing numbers. Now, we want and believe in trade, but we want our workers and our businesses to benefit. We have redefined the debate very significantly, because this is not labor versus business. Many of those who oppose fast track in my district own businesses and are very conservative, austere business people who are being hurt, and they understand what is going on very well. So to define this as this against that, we are not going to accept that this time, are we?

Mr. PASCRELL. That is exactly what I am saying.

Mr. PASCRELL. Very well.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the loving memory of Bessie Gilmore, from Paterson, NJ. Bessie was born on September 12, 1920 in Camden, SC. She was the daughter of the late Charles June, Sr. and Margaret Bracey June Jackson. Bessie moved to Paterson, NJ at a very young age and was baptized at St. Augustine Presbyterian Church in Paterson. A graduate of Paterson Public School No. 6, she attend Eastside High School and graduated from Brown Home Mather Academy in Camden, SC. As a community leader, Bessie spoke for the disenfranchised citizens of Paterson. She spearheaded numerous civic action committees, served as chief organizer for the Federation of Neighborhood Councils, which is a division of the Paterson Task Force for Community Action, and coorganized the Welfare Rights Organization. Bessie served as a commissioner on the Paterson Board of Adjustment and a member of the Board of Directors of the Bergen/Passaic County Health Systems Agency, the WPAT Coalition Committee, and Title One Committee. A Fourth Ward Democratic coleader and County Committeewoman, she was a member of the NAACP and the Citizens Committee for the Passaic County Vocational High School. Bessie's many honors included the War Against Poverty Award, presented to her by the Paterson Task Force for Community Action, the Major's Award for Civic Contributions, and the Paterson Chapter of the Black Women's Health Project Award. Bessie is survived by her husband Louis Gilmore, her daughter Deborah Jamison Jeter, and two brothers, Charles June, Jr., and James Jackson, Jr. Mr Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, Bessie's family and friends, and the city of Paterson in paying tribute to the loving memory of Bessie Gilmore.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention Bill Gates who was honored at the Allied Health Industry dinner. Bill is the president of the Gates Co., in Clifton, NJ. The company is a manufacturer and distributor of United States and foreign flags as well as custom banners. They also sell and install flag poles. The Gates Co. is now 127 years old, having been established by Bill's grandfather in 1870 in New York and moving to New Jersey in 1904. Bill served with the U.S. Navy in World War II in the South Pacific and is a member of the U.S. Navy League. After completing his service requirements and attending William Paterson College, he joined the family business and now carries forth a proud tradition and a sense of legacy. Currently Bill is deeply involved with Wayne General Hospital, serving on the board of trustees for both the hospital and the foundation. Wayne General Hospital is the sponsor of an exploring program where over 30 young people get a first hand look at various medical careers. Bill is a member of the Greater Paterson Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Regional Chamber of Commerce where he serves on the board of directors. He was an area code coordinator for the PolioPlus Campaign, and has been tremendously involved in the Paterson Rotary Club. He served as past president of the Rotary Club, governor's representative, St. governor's representative, chief governor's representative for three terms, and past district governor of District 7490 of the Rotary International. Additionally he is on the board of the Action Theater Conservatory, a member of the Hawthorne Elks, the Genesis Masonic Lodge, a member of the Upper Montclair Country Club, and a former member of the Boy Scout Troop 20 in Paterson. Bill and his wife, Joyce, reside in Wayne and are blessed with two daughters and three granddaughters. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, Bill's family and friends, and the people of northern Jersey in recognizing Bill Gates' many outstanding and invaluable contributions made to the community.