Steven Rothman

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, I too wish to express my gratitude to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the subcommittee, and to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor) on behalf of the ranking member, the gentleman fro Minnesota (Mr. Sabo), for the cooperation and generosity of the committee for its help on a wide range of transportation priorities in New Jersey that are included in this bill. I understand the funding constraints under which the committee is working. I would also, however, like to point out that this new ferry hub project would provide an important transportation solution for the tri-state area, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, as well as in particular for Jersey City. It would connect the New York and New Jersey financial districts with a 5-minute ferry ride, transport up to 30,000 passengers daily, and provide relief to the now congested PATH and Holland Tunnel interstate traffic.

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank my distinguished colleague.

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentlemen. As the Federal Aviation Administration looks at ways of reducing the stress on our overburdened regional air space, particularly the air space over northern New Jersey, I would also ask the committee to work with the FAA on examining the important role that Stewart International Airport could play in accommodating general aviation aircraft that now use Teterboro Airport, located in my district in New Jersey. Such a shift from Teterboro to Stewart would reduce the aircraft noise and air traffic that affects hundreds of thousands of my constituents every day.

Mr. ROTHMAN. I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota.

Mr. ROTHMAN. I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky.

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I wish to engage in a colloquy with our distinguished chairman, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), on the subject of Stewart Airport. Mr. Chairman, I thank you for joining in a colloquy with me and the distinguished ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Sabo), to discuss an important issue regarding air traffic in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region. Mr. Chairman, I am grateful for your efforts and those of our distinguished ranking member and for the work of the committee to research how to reduce the terrible problem of aircraft noise, which affects tens of thousands of my constituents in northern New Jersey. I also want to thank the chairman and ranking member for addressing the critical problem of airline delays and for their work on the redesign of the New Jersey-New York metropolitan area's regional air space.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the U.S. Mint is poised to issue the 14th in a series of State Quarters that started in 1999 and which will continue through at least the year 2008. On June 4, 2001, 1 read an interesting article in the The Record, the largest newspaper in my Congressional District, about the origins of the state quarter, which came about because of the legislative vision of my colleague from Delaware, Representative Michael Castle and the tenacity of the Mayor of my hometown, the Borough of Fair Lawn, David Ganz. Mayor Ganz is not a stranger to the congressional legislative process. In 1973, while still a student at Georgetown University here in Washington, he was admitted to the Periodical Press Gallery of the United States Senate as a Special Correspondent for Numismatic News Weekly, a hobby publication based in Wisconsin. He went on to become a member of the Board of Governors of the American Numismatic Association, a Congressionally-chartered group sometimes referred to as the National Coin Club. In 1993, U.S. Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen, named him among the first six members of the newly-created Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee. Both as President of the American Numismatic Association, and as a columnist for various coin collecting hobby publications, David had long advocated for a return to commemorative coinage [for which there had been a hiatus from 1954 until 1981], but also for truly circulating commemorative coins. He testified before the House & Senate Banking Committees on numerous occasions in the quarter century following his first appearance in March of 1974. Mr. Speaker, bureaucracy is often afraid of change for no reason beyond the fact that it is not familiar, not predictable, or not safe. Mayor Ganz had a vision that circulating commemorative coinage would be good for our nation's coin collectors, good for our nation's coffers, and ultimately, educational to all Americans. From the time that he joined the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee in 1993 until he departed in January of 1996, he began a drum beat for what eventually became the American's State Quarters Program. That singular drum beat, initially opposed by the U.S. Mint and certain federal bureaucrats, eventually became an orchestra playing the same tune--and as a result of the efforts of my colleague from Delaware, Representative Castle, and others, the state quarter program was born. Mayor Ganz recently wrote a book entitled The Official Guide to America's State Quarters, published by Random House, as a mass-market paperback which tells the compelling story of initially being a voice in the wilderness, and later finding that if defeat is an orphan, victory has a thousand fathers. The story about Mayor Ganz which appeared in the June 4, 2001, edition of The Record is a fascinating and interesting one, and I ask that it be reprinted in the Congressional Record. Mr. Speaker, The Record editorial about Mayor Ganz that was printed on June 5, 2001, says that one man can make a difference, and he certainly has. I am proud to call this man my Mayor, and proud to have him as a friend. I ask that this editorial be reprinted in the Congressional Record as well. A great two-bit idea It would be an exaggeration to say that David Ganz's achievement reflects the power of one man to change history. But it would not be overstated to say that Fair Lawn's mayor has brightened everyone's life a little--not to mention the not inconsequential achievement of adding roughly $5 billion a year to the nation's Treasury. Mr. Ganz, a 49-year-old lawyer and lifelong numismatist, was the engine behind all those fascinating, new quarters we've been finding in our pockets over the last two years-- the ones celebrating the nation's 50 states. The commemorative coins have been issued at the rate of five a year since 1999, and the U.S. Mint will continue issuing new coins through 2008, when there will be one for each state. The achievement has added a little adventure to the otherwise unremarkable task of handling change, and it has regenerated interest in coin collecting. By setting the Mint's presses into overtime in production of five times more quarters than usual to meet demand, the new coins have added $5 billion a year to the Treasury's coffers. Each quarter costs 3 cents to produce, leaving 22 cents as profit for the Mint. Mr. Ganz's idea wasn't unusual. A lot of people have over the years recommended that the Mint spice up the nation's stodgy coin and currency by putting commemorative issues into general circulation. But the bureaucrats resisted, content to issue the occasional limited-production commemorative that only collectors would buy and save, Mr. Ganz's prominence, energy, and perseverance as a member of former Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen's Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee dismantled those bureaucratic hurdles. By doing so, the Fair Lawn mayor has added this sort of color to our lives: Trips to change makers at the laundromat now have possibilities of becoming serendipitous encounters with pieces of history instead of hurried chores to feed the dryer.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my full support for H.R. 1184, a bill that requires the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the contributions of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to the United States. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill, which was introduced by my good friend and colleague Representative Jim Leach on March 22, 2001. A similar piece of legislation has been introduced in the other body by U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu on February 15 for herself and 24 other members of the Senate. Dr. Martin Luther King proved to be a man larger than life, and had an extraordinary impact not only on the civil rights movement, but on the history of America. The 40th anniversary of his ``I have a dream'' speech, delivered at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, is fast approaching in the year 2003. That may seem far in the future, but in the realm of coin design, we do not have the luxury of waiting because of the time that it will take the Mint to prepare dies and to make this a part of the overall commemorative program. In the last session of Congress, legislation was introduced in both the House and Senate to mint a coin in honor of Dr. King, but unfortunately no action was taken on these measures. In my Congressional District, however, there was enthusiastic support for honoring Dr. King with a commemorative coin. In fact, the Borough Council of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, passed Resolution 315-2000 urging that a bill permitting the minting of a coin in honor of Dr. King be passed by the U.S. Congress. I am very pleased that this measure is supported by the Mayor of the Borough of Fair Lawn, David L. Ganz, who is not only a coin collector, but also a former member of the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee, and a long-time advocate of using commemorative coins only for a proper purpose. In an article appearing in the January 16, 2001, issue of Numismatic News, a weekly trade publication, he argues that ``the accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. transcend the work of presidents and academicians and cut across cultural lines. His life's work ultimately affected the fabric of American society . . . worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 . . . [and leading to] social justice for a whole class of citizens and a generation of American.'' I submit this insightful article to be included in the Congressional Record. H.R. 1184 provides a remarkable opportunity to honor a remarkable man. I urge the members of the Banking and Financial Services Committee, and ultimately this body, to promptly pass H.R. 1184. [From the Numismatic News, Jan. 16, 2001] King Consideration Will Return in 107th Congress When the 107th Congress convenes, dozens of bills will be introduced that, over the succeeding two years, will multiply to the thousands and eventually become about 600 laws. Some will name post offices for former members of Congress, federal buildings for prominent Americans, and some will even change tax laws, promote social justice or shape a kinder and gentler society. One bill--which will surely repeat its previous introduction in the 106th Congress by then-chair of the House Banking committee and the chair of the House coinage subcommittee--bears reconsideration, and passage: recognition of the life's work and accomplishments of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who surely changed the texture, complexity and general tenor of American society, perhaps more than any other individual. H.R. 3633, a bill to authorize half dollar, dollar and $5 gold pieces honoring the American civil rights leader, was introduced in the House in February 2000. In the following months, it obtained co-sponsors, but not sufficient to move the matter to the legislative approval needed to create a new coin. The point can be argued. Franklin D. Roosevelt brought the nation out of the Great Depression, fought a war and created Social Security and a host of other programs that defined part of American political culture in the second half of the 20th century (after his death). Lyndon Johnson created a Great Society, Harry Truman a Square Deal, John F. Kennedy a New Frontier and, earlier, Woodrow Wilson made a world safe for democracy. There are also Ronald Reagan, who presided over the demise of the communist threat from the Soviet Union; Theodore Roosevelt, who launched America's military greatness and internationalism; and even Herbert Hoover, a great humanitarian who solved the issues of a starving Europe, much as Gen. George Marshall did a generation later. But in terms of historical perspective, which is what coinage of a nation should truly reflect, the accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. transcend the work of presidents and academicians and cut across cultural lines. His life's work ultimately affected the fabric of American society--its military policies, economic and social fabric, religious institutions and the intellectual development of a generation of Americans, and beyond. His accomplishments were worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 (something he shared with Theodore Roosevelt, who won it in 1905), and there can be little doubt that the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott in the early 1950s led to a peaceful revolution and social justice for a whole class of citizens and a generation of Americans. Like many who are termed heroes, Dr. King proved that he also had feet of clay, and in no small measure the private files maintained on him by the late J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI director, are responsible for the attacks on the King reputation and his legacy. Born in 1939, the son of Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. (``Daddy'' King), young Martin attended Morehouse College in Atlanta and Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. He received a Ph.D. in theology in 1955 and became pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery--the same year that other events were to grip the nation. In December 1955, after Rosa Parks refused to obey Montgomery's policy mandating segregation on buses, black residents launched a bus boycott and elected King as president of the newly formed Montgomery Improvement Association. As the boycott continued during 1956, King gained national prominence. His house was bombed, and he and other boycott leaders were tried in court and convicted on charges of conspiring to interfere with the bus company's operations. But in December 1956, Montgomery's buses were desegregated when the U.S. Supreme Court declared Alabama's segregation laws unconstitutional. In 1957 King and other black ministers founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. As SCLC president, King emphasized the goal of black voting rights when he spoke at the Lincoln Memorial during the 1957 Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom. It was in the 1963 March on Washington that he won his nonviolence spurs. On Aug. 28, 1963, his oratory attracted more than 250,000 protesters to Washington, D.C., where, speaking from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, King delivered his famous I Have a Dream speech. ``I have a dream,'' he said, ``that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'' During the year following the march, King's renown as a nonviolent leader grew, and, in 1964, he received the Noble Peace Prize. ``Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love,'' he told the Swedish Academy. King's ability to achieve his objectives was also limited by the increasing resistance he encountered from national political leaders. When urban racial violence escalated. J. Edgar Hoover intensified his efforts to discredit King. King's own criticism of American intervention in the Vietnam War soured his relations with the Johnson administration. It was in the late winter or early spring of 1968 that Dr. King went to South Side Junior High School in Rockville Centre, N.Y., a community of modest size (about 26,000 people) on Long Island's south shore. There, I met him as he spoke one evening in the school auditorium; he was a remarkable speaker, and though I disagreed with him at the time in the way he criticized our southeast Asia conflict, I came away with a sense that he was a remarkable man--someone I was proud of as an American. Not long afterward, he delivered his last speech during a bitter garbage collectors' strike in Memphis. ``We've got some difficult days ahead, but it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.'' The following evening, on April 4, 1968, he was assassinated by James Earl Ray. In 1986, King's birthday, Jan. 15, became a federal holiday, placing him on par with several U.S. presidents. In the last session of Congress, Rep. James A.S. Leach, R-Iowa, and Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., were key sponsors of the King commemorative coin legislation. In the waning days of the session, Rep. Rush Holt, D-NJ., and Steve Rothman, D-N.J., signed on, bringing co-sponsors up to 138 members--not a majority in the 435-member House. The real question is whether the 2003 date marking the 40th anniversary of the ``I have a dream'' speech is worthy of commemoration. I submit that a society that is unwilling to honor human dignity on its coinage is simply missing the boat and fails to understand the historical perspective of coinage, and how commemoratives like other coins stand for all time. Don't mistake these comments for suggesting that the coin will be a good seller; to the contrary, it probably will not be. Controversy does not work to increase sales. The Crispus Attucks Revolutionary War coin (with 500,000 pieces authorized) sold a disappointing 26,000 in uncirculated and 54,000 in proof. But if the question is asked who had more impact on American society, Eunice Shriver and the Special Olympics or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., there is simply no contest. In considering whether the U.S. Botanic Gardens' 175th anniversary or the I Have A Dream speech has had a lasting impact on American society, the Lincoln Memorial address prevails. We probably don't want to go into a discussion of the merits of some of the other modern commemorative coins (38th anniversary of the Korean War, for example), but it seems clear enough that if the test is an accomplishment that stands for all time, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., warts and all, is worthy of numismatic commemoration. Whether there will be a reintroduction and action in the 107th Congress remains to be seen. What is clear enough is that if 2003 is to be the year, time is growing short to allow for the creation, production and marketing of this distinctive and important commemorative product.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman who has dedicated her life to the pursuit of learning and sharing the gift of knowledge with her students. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Lynn Sullivan, an educator in East Rutherford, New Jersey, who was recently honored by that town for her service. In fact, June, 2001 has been declared ``Lynn Sullivan Month'' by the East Rutherford Education Community. Lynn Sullivan has brought her creativity and imagination to the profession of teaching. She was well loved by both her colleagues as well as the many students whose lives she touched. There is no doubt that her work will be greatly missed by the students of East Rutherford. However, here efforts will always be felt. I am reminded of Henry Adam's saying that, ``A teacher affects eternity; they can never tell where their influence stops.'' People who give so much of themselves, as Lynn Sullivan, do not do so for the recognition. However, she certainly deserves to receive it. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate Lynn Sullivan as well as her family on the occasion of this well deserved tribute from the town of East Rutherford, New Jersey, and wish them health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman who has dedicated her life to the pursuit of learning and sharing the gift of knowledge with her students. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Elsie Palsi, an educator in East Rutherford, New Jersey, who was recently honored by that town for her service. In fact, June, 2001 has been declared ``Elsie Palsi Month'' by the East Rutherford Education Community. Elsie Palsi has brought her creativity and imagination to the profession of teaching. She was well loved by both her colleagues as well as the many students whose lives she touched. There is no doubt that her work will be greatly missed by the students of East Rutherford. However, her efforts will always be felt. I am reminded of Henry Adams' saying that, ``A teacher affects eternity; they can never tell where their influence stops.'' People who give so much of themselves, as Elsie Palsi, do not do so for the recognition. However, she certainly deserves to receive it. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate Elsie Palsi as well as her family on the occasion of this well deserved tribute from the town of East Rutherford, New Jersey, and wish them health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman who has dedicated her life to the pursuit of learning and sharing the gift of knowledge with her students. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Kathleen Mastbeth, an educator in East Rutherford, New Jersey, who was recently honored by that town for her service. In fact, June, 2001 has been declared ``Kathleen Mastbeth Month'' by the East Rutherford Education Community. For 33 years, Kathleen Mastbeth has brought her creativity and imagination to the profession of teaching. She was well loved by both her colleagues as well as the many students whose lives she touched. There is no doubt that her work will be greatly missed by the students of East Rutherford. However, her efforts will always be felt. I am reminded of Henry Adams' saying that, ``A teacher affects eternity; they can never tell where their influence stops.'' People who give so much of themselves, as Kathleen Mastbeth, do not do so for the recognition. However, she certainly deserves to receive it. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate Kathleen Mastbeth as well as her family on the occasion of this well deserved tribute from the town of East Rutherford, New Jersey, and wish them health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a man who has dedicated his life to charity and selfless devotion to others. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my good friend, Munr Kazmir of Fort Lee, New Jersey, who is being honored by the Rabbinical College of America with an honorary law degree. As CEO of Quality Health Care and Direct Meds, success has followed Munr to every project he has embarked upon. And he has shared his success with others in the Jewish community both in the United States and throughout the world. There is only one word that can be used to describe how my friend Munr lives his life, and it is a word that has a different meaning to each who speaks it. The word is ``tzedakah.'' Giving tzedakah is considered in the Jewish tradition to be a religious obligation, a mitzvah. When it comes to defining this word, I agree with Rabbi Avi Weinstein, who said, ``Tzedakah, the Jewish term for helping the poor, is often translated as `charity.' However, the Hebrew root `tzedek' is more closely translated as `justice' or `fairness.''' What I have found most touching about Dr. Munr Kazmir is that in everything he does, there is always a sense of justice and fairness that shines through. His work is truly extraordinary and stretches form our home state to our homeland. He is active in the UJA Federation of Bergen County and North Hudson, and he has also worked tirelessly for the Aleh Foundation which benefits the disabled children of Israel and Lubavitch Chabad houses around the world. He has also as many of you know supported and counseled countless numbers of community leaders on the local, state, national, and international level. He has been honored throughout the New York Metropolitan area, in Washington and Tel Aviv. Munr is also a forward-thinking person who never loses sight of the future: our young people. Born into a culture where he did not have the opportunity to receive a Jewish education, he has been a tireless advocate to make sure other children have the chance to learn about their Jewish heritage. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate my dear friend Munr Kazmir, on the occasion of this well deserved tribute from the Rabbinical College of America, and wish him long life, good health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I join with my colleagues in commemorating the 86th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Along with the Armenian-American community in my district and with people of goodwill throughout the country, Congress today is observing the death of 1.5 million Armenians from the years 1915-1923. As we gather today, many of my constituents over the weekend participated in solemn services held in the memory of the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. Whether at St. Leon Armenian Apostolic Church in Fair Lawn, Saints Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church in Ridgefield, or at Saint Thomas Armenian Apostolic Church in Tenafly, thousands of Americans of Armenian descent will be joining together in Northern New Jersey this evening to ensure that the world does not forget the first crime against humanity of the 20th century. And so let me offer my solidarity with those remembering the Armenian Genocide today. And let me also emphasize that we should today not only remember the martyred, but as well, the survivors of the Armenian genocide. Though few survivors of the Armenian Genocide are still living today, those who endured the horrors of 1915, are heroes for all time. Today, the people of Armenia and her Diaspora are proudly looking to rebuild their country. From the ashes of despair born of the genocide, and from the ravages of seven decades of Communist rule, Armenians the world over are striving to secure a safe and prosperous future for Armenian and Nagonno-Karabagh. As Armenian-Americans rebuild their homeland, and as they seek to secure an economically prosperous state, founded on firm democratic principles, I will stand by them. Let me conclude my brief remarks today by encouraging the young people of America to never forget the tragedy and lessons of 1915. Because as George Santayana once remarked, `Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.' And if no clearer evidence of these prescient words are necessary let us remind one another today that before commencing the Holocaust, Hitler himself stated, `Who today remembers the Armenians?' As a Jewish-American and being ever mindful of the Holocaust, I join with my colleagues today in observing the Armenian Genocide. And I promise to stand firm against the shameful efforts of those who today seek to deny the Armenian Genocide.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman who has dedicated her life to fostering understanding and mutual respect among various racial, ethnic, and religious groups in an effort to promote our common humanity. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my good friend, Joy Kurland of Parsippany, New Jersey, this year's winner of the Anti-Defamation League's Distinguished Community Service Award. As the Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the UJA Federation of Bergen County and North Hudson since 1990, Joy has played a vital role in strengthening Judaism throughout New Jersey. Much of her work has been to foster understanding and respect among the many racial, ethnic and religious groups that form the tapestry of our community. I was privileged to work with Joy both as a member of the Jewish Community Relations Council as well as the Interfaith Brotherhood Sisterhood Committee. It was truly a pleasure to work with someone who is as dedicated as Joy, and I was always impressed by her hard work, common sense, dedication, and professionalism. Joy is also a forward-thinking person who never loses sight of the future: our young people. She is always working with young people and encouraging them to increase their participation in the Jewish community. She has supervised the campus youth programs for Jewish Student Services of MetroWest at Montclair State University, Drew University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. People who give so much of themselves, as Joy Kurland, do not do so for the recognition. However, she certainly deserves to receive it. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate Joy Kurland as well as her husband Leon and her daughter Meredith, who is a social worker, on the occasion of this well deserved tribute from the Anti-Defamation League, and wish them health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a man who has distinguished himself not just for his contributions to the medical field, but for his charity and selfless devotion to others. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Michael B. Harris of Englewood, New Jersey, this year's winner of the Anti-Defamation League's Maimonides Award. Maimonides was one of the great Jewish scholars. In addition to being the first person to write a systematic code of all Jewish law, the Mishneh Torah, he was also an expert on medicine, and one of his most notable sayings is, ``The well-being to the soul can be obtained only after that of the body has been secured.'' The list of Dr. Harris' accomplishments is long and distinguished. He currently serves as Director of the Tomorrow's Childrens' Institute, Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the Hackensack University Medical Center, and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Medical School, as well as having authored or co-authored more than 50 articles and 50 abstracts in the field of pediatric hematology/oncology. While that sounds like it would be enough work for two people, he still finds time to donate his expertise and give of himself to the community. He is the Chair of the Medical Advisory Board of the Israeli Children's Cancer Foundation and was recently asked to serve as Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee of Gilda's Club of Northern New Jersey. And he has been a member of the Board of Directors of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood for many years. People who give so much of themselves as Dr. Michael Harris do not do so for the recognition. However, he certainly deserves to receive it. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate Dr. Michael Harris, as well as his wife Frieda, and his children Miera, Aimee, Jonathan and Aaron on the occasion of this well deserved tribute from the Anti-Defamation League, and wish them health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a couple who have been great friends to the Jewish community of Bergen County, New Jersey, as well as personal friends of mine for many years. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Deane and Susan Penn of Alpine, New Jersey, this year's winners of the Anti-Defamation League's Torch of Liberty Award. Those who are fortunate enough to know Susan and Deane know the depth of their dedication to the community and helping others. I would like to discuss some of their many contributions to the community. Susan Penn brings a combination of warmth, intelligence, and drive to every project she undertakes; and their are many. She is a Vice President of the UJA Federation of Bergen County & North Hudson, and holds a number of other positions within the Federation. Susan is also deeply committed to the JCC on the Palisades, and is a member of its Board of Trustees, She has also held leadership positions in secular and Jewish educational institutes as well as community groups, too numerous to mention. Dr. Deane Penn is a highly respected physician who has served as the President of the medical staff at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey. Yet his thriving medical career has never stopped him from devoting his considerable talents to working in our community. He is a Trustee of the Jewish Home in Rockleigh, New Jersey and is a member of the Physician's Cabinet of the UJA Federation. The Penns are also both avid tennis players and competitors. And they are sharing their love of that sport, and the Jewish people, by co- chairing the National Masters Tennis Team for the 16th World Maccabiah Games in Israel. People who give so much of themselves as Dr. Deane and Susan Penn do not do so for the recognition. However, they certainly deserve to receive it. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate Dr. Deane and Susan Penn as well as their children Jonathan and Stacey on the occasion of this well deserved tribute from the Anti-Defamation League, and wish them health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce my introduction of a House Resolution designed to re-authorize the creation of the United States Assay Commission, an American institution that was initiated in 1792. The Assay Commission was authorized by the original Mint Act of April 2, 1792 and continued to meet each year (with the exception of 1815) until about 20 years ago, when it was finally abolished in 1980. During that time, it was the oldest continually operating committee in the federal government and brought in outside people to maintain oversight over the operations of the U.S. Mint. Originally authorized as part of the nation's first Mint Act of April 2, 1792, the purpose of the Assay Commission was to examine the nation's coins on an annual basis and certify to the President, Congress, and the American people that gold and silver coins had the necessary purity, the proper weight, and necessarily, value. Among the earliest members, statutorily, were Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Alexander Hamilton, and even the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Starting about 140 years ago, some members of the general public were invited to participate, and at the time that the Coinage Act of 1873 was passed, it was codified that the President had the right to appoint members of the Assay Commission from the general public at large. That practice continued for more than a century, though after 1970 there were no longer silver coins to review. By the time that the Assay Commission was abolished in the Carter Administration as part of the President's re-organization project, it no longer served any valid function because the U.S. Mint was no longer producing gold or silver coinage--whether of a circulating or of a commemorative nature. Starting in 1982, the Mint began anew producing contemporary commemorative coinage from .900 fine silver. By 1984, gold commemorative coins for the Olympic games were added, and since then the U.S. Mint has produced hundreds of millions of dollars worth of retail sales of gold, and silver commemorative coinage. Since 1986, the Mint began producing gold, silver and platinum bullion coins which are now widely traded all over the world. Mr. Speaker, I recall that in the mid-1980's, lacking outside oversight, a problem was discovered in one of the Mint's bullion products. It appears, from the official Mint records, that some fractional gold eagle coins (those weighing less than an ounce) did not have the proper fineness or weight in gold. Because of this, there was a serious marketing problem in the Far East, as confidence in this uniquely American product diminished. Today, the United States Mint is a business that, were it in privately controlled hands, would constitute a Fortune-500 corporation. It has come to my attention that an informal, ad hoc group of former Presidential appointees, all former Assay Commissioners, have suggested that it is time for the Mint to have the oversight of the Annual Assay commission. In fact, this distinguished group reiterated their concern this past summer at a reunion meeting held in the Assay Room of the Philadelphia Mint in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association's anniversary convention. Service on the commission is essentially an honorary task, as the members of the committee have historically paid for all of their own expenses, including their transportation costs and overnight stay at Philadelphia's Mint when necessary. There are obviously minor costs associated with it, but each of these is quite capable of being covered by the Mint's rotating Enterprise fund. Mr. Speaker, an article advocating the restoration of the annual Assay Commission written by Fair Lawn, New Jersey Mayor, David L. Ganz, appeared in Numismatic News, a weekly coin hobby periodical. I would ask that this article be reprinted, in full, in the Congressional Record. In the course of two centuries of existence, more than a thousand individuals served on the annual Assay Commission. During the era when the Mint was active in promoting commemorative coinage, they constituted a group who not only participated in their government first hand, but also thereafter served as good-will ambassadors for the products of the United States Mint. The Mint has dozens of products that it offers to collectors, and since the 50 state quarter program began, the ranks of those collecting coins has grown from three to five million Americans to more than 125 million people collecting state quarters. Some of those state quarters are made of coin silver, and having citizens retain some oversight over these coins not only keeps consumer confidence in the Mint's operations high, but affords the rare opportunity for citizens to regularly, and actively, participate in their government. I urge my colleagues to help me re-authorize the Assay Commission by cosponsoring the legislation that I have introduced today. [From the Numismatic News, Oct. 5, 1999] Time to Consider Reviving the Assay Commission (By David L. Ganz) Let me set the stage. A quarter century ago this past February, Richard Nixon was in the final throes of his star- crossed Presidency, though no one yet suspected that Watergate was about to become his ultimate downfall and lead to probable impeachment. American coinage of 1974 was devoid of silver, and private gold ownership had been illegal since 1933, except for rare and unusual gold coin of that era or earlier, unless the Office of Domestic Gold & Silver Operations gave a rarely sought, seldom-granted license to acquire the particular specimen. As Washington hunkered down for a difficult winter storm, the White House press office was readying a press release that would surprise many for the number of Democrats and other non-supporters of President Nixon that were to be listed--not the so-called Enemy's List, but actually a designation to public service. The weeks before had been trying for the applicants, many of whom had written letters, sent resumes, asked political contacts for a personal boost, responded to background checks that were initiated by government staff, followed up by security agencies interested in potential skeletons that could prove embarrassing to the White House if found in a presidential appointee. First inklings of what was to transpire probably came to most individuals in the form of a telephone call on Friday, Feb. 8 from Washington, asking if the prospect could be available for official travel the following week on Tuesday. Arrangements were strictly on your own, as were virtually all of the associated expenses in traveling to Philadelphia. What this preparation was for was the Trial of the Pyx, the annual Assay Commission, a tradition stretching back to 1792, and at that time, the oldest continually operating commission in the Untied States government. First of the commissions, which were mandated by the original Coinage Act of April 2, 1792 were deemed so essential to the confidence of the public in the national money that section 18 of the legislation directed that the original inspectors were to include the chief Justice of the United States, the Secretary and Comptroller of the Currency, the Secretary of the Department of State, and the Attorney General of the United States. This was neither a casual request nor one that was considered so unimportant an aide could attend. The statute is explicit: this who's who ``are hereby required to attend for that purpose'', meaning that in July of 1795, chief justice John Jay, Secretary of State Edmund Randolph, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, Attorney General William Bradford may have gathered. In the Jefferson Administration, consider this remarkable group: Chief Justice John Marshall; Secretary of State (and future president) James Madison; Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin, Attorney General Caesar Rodney might all have been there. By 1801, the statute had been amended to add the United States District Judge for Pennsylvania as an officer at the Annual Assay, and by the time that the Act of January 18, 1837 was approved, the cabinet officials and the Chief Justice were omitted in favor of the U.S. District Court Judge from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (the state having been divided in half for judicial purposes), other governmental officials, and ``such other persons as the President shall, from time to time, designate for that purpose, who shall meet as commissioners, for the performance of this duty, on the second Monday in February, annually. . . . .'' Flash forward to 1974. The call comes from Washington. A trek begins to Philadelphia, where it has begun to snow. Dozens of people from all across the country come to serve on the Assay Commission, all traveling at their own expense. Starting in the midst of the Truman Administration, a serious numismatist or two had begun to be appointed. Some who assisted the government in some numismatic or related matter were similarly given the honor. Among the early appointees: Max Schwartz (1945), the New York attorney who later became ANA's legal counsel; Ted Hammer (1947), John Jay Pittman (1947), Adm. Oscar Dodson (1948), and Hans M.F. Schulman (1952). Some came by air (from California); others drove. I came by train, on Amtrak's Metroliner, leaving from New York's Penn Station and arriving an hour and a half later at Philadelphia's station by the same name. Those who came in February, 1974, gathered on Tuesday evening, Feb. 12, at the Holiday Inn off Independence Mall, and unlike years when there were only one or two hobbyists, this was a banner year. (I almost did not attend; having started law school just three or four weeks before, I had to petition the Dean of the School to permit the attendance lapse and honor the presidential appointment). My classmates, as we have referred to ourselves over the succeeding quarter century, included some then and future hobby luminaries: Don Bailey (former officer of Arizona Numismatic Association), John Barrett (member of several local clubs), Dr. Harold Bushey, Sam Butland (Washington Numismatic Society V.P.), Charles Colver (CSNA Secretary), David Cooper (CSNS v.p.), George Crocker (S.C.N.A. president), Joe Frantz (OIN Secretary), Maurice Gould (ANA governor), Ken Hallenbeck (past president, Indiana State Numismatic Assn.). Also: Dr. Robert Harris, Jerry Hildebrand (organizer World Coin Club of Missouri), Richard Heer, Barbara Hyde (TAMS Board member, sculptor), Philip Keller (past president of the American Society for the Study of French Numismatics), Reva Kline (member of several upstate New York coin clubs), Stewart Koppel (past president, Aurora, Ill. Coin Club), Charles M. Leusner (Delaware Co. Coin Club). Rounding out the Commission: Capt. Gary Lewis (past president of Colorado-Wyoming Numismatic Association), Fred Mantei (past president Flushing Coin Club), Lt. Col. Melvin Mueller (member of many local and regional clubs), James L. Miller (COINage Magazine publisher), John Muroff (Philadelphia Coin Club member), and Harris Rusitzsky (Rochester Numismatic Association member). I was also a member (law student and former assistant editor, Numismatic news). This rather remarkable group of men and women, the White House and Mint joint announcement announced, were appointed by the President ``from across the nation . . . the 25 Commissioners, working in such varied fields as medicine, dentistry, law, engineering, forestry research and the military, share a common interest in coins and the science of numismatics.'' Early in its history, and indeed, into the first half of the 20th century, the appointees were either political themselves, or politically connected. Ellen (Mrs. Irving) Berlin, Commissioner 1941, was one example; Mrs. Norweb (1955) was another. So was Sen. H. Willis Robertson (1962), chairman of the But that does not say that the description of the work done by the Assay Commission remains irrelevant. To the contrary, unlike 1974 which examined the non-precious metal coinage of 1973, today there are silver, gold and platinum bullion coins, and numerous commemorative coins, and related items that circulate the world-over. There is accountability within the Mint, but at present, the Mint's primary accountability is to Congress, and to the coinage subcommittee in the House, and the larger Senate Banking Committee on the other side of Capitol Hill. If there is a problem, it remains largely unknown to the public at large, except in case of acute embarrassment. In April, 1987 for example, the U.S. mint was accused of having grossly underweight fractional gold coins--a move that nearly scuttled the entire effort of the program to market into the Far East. The Assay Commission having been abolished in 1980, there was no voice of authoritative reassurance, for the Mint denied that there was even a problem--when it was clear that the fractionals had not been properly assayed and were lightweight in their gold content. Abolition of the Assay Commission came in two stages. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter declined to name any public members to the Commission, ending a practice of more than 117 years duration. Then, F.T. Davis, director of the General Government Division of the President's Reorganization Project, got into the act. ``We are conducting an organizational study of the Annual Assay Commission,'' he wrote me on Sept. 6, 1977. ``The study will focus on possible alternative methods of carrying out the functions of the Commission.'' I prepared a memorandum for Davis at his request, answering several specific questions, careful to take no position on its continued validity. Earlier in the year, in a major law review article proposing a ``Revision of the Minting & Coinage Laws of the United States'' which was published in the Cleveland Law Review, I had essentially concluded that it was a political choice to decide whether or not to continue the two-century old commission. Davis asked if the mission of the Assay Commission was essential. I replied ``More aptly, the question is whether or not assaying of coins is essential. The answer is an unqualified yes to that.'' Indeed, that Mint regularly conducts assays of its coin product as a means of assuring quality. (The 1987 foul- up was an administrative problem; the gold coins were assayed and came up short, but a decision was made to circulate them, anyway). Davis also asked what the function of the Commission should be in the succeeding two years if it was continued. I suggested that the law be ``rewritten to provide for compositional analysis of all subsidiary coinage plus the dollar coin''. The die was already cast, however, and the Carter Administration (having already declined to name public members) simply let the Assay Commission whither away until, in 1980, it expired with the passage of Public Law 96-209 (March 14, 1980). The irony is that only a short time later, the Mint was once again producing precious metal coinage. As the new millennium is on the verge of commencement, a movement initiated by former commissioners (most of whom are members of the Old Time Assay Commissioner's Society, OTACS for short), has talked about proposing revitalization of this old commission. There are reasons why it could succeed, and some why it should. There are a number of reasons why the Assay Commission ought to be reconstituted, and any proposal to do so will require a legislative initiative in Congress. Toward that goal, I was asked by an ad hoc advocacy group to try my hand at it. If you've got an interest in the Assay Commission, perhaps you'd care to send a note to your Congressman or Senator (U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. zip for the House 20515. Senate 20510) with a copy of this article, and the draft legislation. You can encourage them to do the rest.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, these workplace safety standards were not developed over night. They were discussed under a Republican administration. It took thousands and thousands of comments, 7,000 written comments. One thousand individuals came to hearings across the Nation. They were not developed overnight. As a result, these regulations were promulgated, put forth, only nine pages to protect American workers. They have not even been put into effect yet. The Republican majority today, and President George W. Bush, want to throw out these workplace safety regulations before they have even been put into effect after 10 years of discussion and work. Vote no on this rule.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Peace Corps and to join in the celebration of this wonderful organization's 40th anniversary. Since its founding in 1961, few government initiatives have captured the imagination of the American people like the Peace Corps. Born out of President John F. Kennedy's bold vision for the future, the Peace Corps has served to promote world peace and friendship for four decades. Remarkably, since 1961 over 160,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps, serving in 134 countries and bringing hope to millions of people around the world. By working to bring clean water to villages and towns, teaching children, helping start new small businesses and stopping the spread of dangerous diseases, Peace Corps volunteers have served as our nation's ambassadors of ``good will'' to the rest of the world. I am pleased to have Philip Peredo, a former Peace Corps volunteer, serve on my staff in my District Office in Hackensack, New Jersey. As a Peace Corps volunteer from 1998 until just last year, Phil taught English language classes at Neijiang Teacher's University in the Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China. The lessons Phil taught his students about America will long endure, just as the lessons he learned from his students will stay with Phil for the rest of his life. Whether they are in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Central Asia, Eastern and Central Europe, or Central and South America, Peace Corps volunteers continue to make our world a better place. For their idealism, for their commitment to achieving real progress for the less fortunate, I salute all Peace Corps volunteers, past and present. I wish the Peace Corps continued success in sharing America's promise with people around the world.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have come to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today to commend the authors of H. Con. Res. 14, legislation that will permit the use of the Capitol rotunda for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the Days of Remembrance of victims of the Holocaust. I believe it is vital for the United States to continue to lead the way in the remembrance and prevention of crimes against humanity. And that is the exact purpose served by the legislation before us today, which will enable us to hold a solemn ceremony in the rotunda of the Capitol to remember the millions of victims of the Holocaust. The important lesson learned by remembering the victims of the Holocaust is that man's inhumanity to man, if unchecked, can quickly result in the slaughter of millions of innocent people. Whether we honor the victims of the Holocaust at the U.S. Capitol, or whether we study the tragic story of other genocides, the universal lesson is that America has a national interest in assuring that the 21st century is not marred by genocide. Mr. Speaker, over the past several months I have been honored to work with one of my constituents, Ms. Bonnie Glogover, of Edgewater, New Jersey in an effort to increase awareness about the Holocaust. Ms. Glogover, whose father is a survivor of Auschwitz, is working to see that Holocaust Remembrance Day is printed on calendars to educate the public about this important observance. Her unending dedication to this worthwhile cause is a tribute to our sworn duty to never forget, and I am proud to be associated with her in this endeavor. This year, Holocaust Remembrance Day will be commemorated on April 19, 2001. I urge all my colleagues to inform their constituents of this and to join House and Senate leaders in the Capitol Rotunda this April to remember the innocent victims of the Holocaust. I am honored to support H. Con. Res. 14 and I urge my colleagues to vote for this worthwhile legislation.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to join my colleague and friend, the gentleman from Virginia, Tom Davis, and the gentleman from Rhode Island, Patrick Kennedy, in introducing legislation to improve our Nation's voting systems. Our message today is simple: While we will never have a perfect system for electing our leaders, we must always seek improvements to that system so the will of the American people always prevails. Improving our voting systems will not be a simple task. But we will achieve our goal in our nation's best traditions of open debate and bipartisan consensus. One encouraging development from this year's Presidential election, is that it has prompted an important debate, about the problems with our various voting systems across the country and how we must work together to improve them. We believe one way to improve the system is by creating a strong, bipartisan council, to be known as the ``Commission on Electoral Administration.'' The Commission would be charged with reviewing how we conduct our elections across the country, and issuing recommendations to make sure that the difficulties experienced by the voters of Florida do not occur again. The Commission would be funded with $100 million. The money would be dispersed as voluntary matching grants, to states and local communities that choose to implement the commission's modernization recommendations. This effort is in no way an attempt to federalize state or local elections. It is, quite simply, a way to give local communities the financial help they need to purchase better election equipment and to run fairer, more accurate elections. Despite some of the inflammatory rhetoric of the past few weeks, I know that members on both sides of the aisle want to have the best process for voting and the most accurate method of counting those votes. Our ultimate goal must be to ensure that every American is heard when they go to vote. It is in our national interest to do so. I believe this legislation will take us one step closer to that goal.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a longtime resident of the Borough of Fair Lawn, New Jersey who is completing her 24th year of service to our community as a distinguished member of the Borough Council. Mr. Speaker, I honor Councilwoman Florence Dobrow, who is better known as Flossie to her many friends and supporters. Flossie became politically active as part of the Fair Lawn Independent Democrats and was first elected to the Borough Council in 1976. In July of 1981, Flossie became the Borough's 18th Mayor and served one term. Having earned the support and respect of the people of Fair Lawn, Flossie has been re-elected time and again to the Borough Council and today is recognized in the Hall of Fame of the New Jersey League of Municipalities for her year of public service. Flossie's accomplishments in Fair Lawn are legendary. The Dobrow Field Complex, which for years has been used by youngsters to play a number of sports, is named in honor of her contributions to our community. As a founder of the Fair Lawn Garden Club, Flossie created what is popularly known as ``Flossie's Posse,'' to engage local community members in making certain that shrubs and flowers throughout the Borough are being managed properly. Simply put, Flossie is a local treasure, much as her cousin Abe Stark was a treasure to Ebbets Field, where his ``Hit Sign Win Suit'' was a legend of a different kind. With her late husband Saul and her son Ira, she has contributed to Fair Lawn in every respect. Today, Flossie's grandson is the object of her love and devotion. I understand that Flossie's remarkable years of service to the Borough of Fair Lawn will be the subject of a testimonial dinner that will be held on December 7, 2000. As a proud resident of Fair Lawn, I join my fellow Borough residents in saluting Flossie and the outstanding example she has set for others to follow. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Flossie Dobrow on the occasion of this well deserved tribute and wish her health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of S. 1438. As a cosponsor of H.R. 2710, the National Law Enforcement Museum Act, the House companion bill to S. 1438, I am extremely pleased that House of Representatives is considering S. 1438, legislation which authorizes the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund to construct a National Law Enforcement Museum in the District of Columbia. Fittingly, this Museum will be built directly across the street from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Dedicated in 1991, the three-acre park is highlighted by the names of more than 15,000 federal, state and local law enforcement officers who have courageously and selflessly sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. They paid the ultimate price to protect us and enforce the laws which bind our society together. I am glad that we are taking a step closer today to preserving the history of all of America's law enforcement officers' heroic service and sacrifice for future generations.