Steven Rothman

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to recognize the Borough of Palisades Park on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. During the last decade of the last century, the New Jersey State Legislature passed legislation which made it possible for any community to organize itself into a Borough. The residents living in the area that would become Palisades Park took advantage of this opportunity and filed the requisite papers with the court in Hackensack. In 1899, the Borough of Palisades Park was created. Over the past 100 years, Palisades Park has grown into a vital part of Bergen County and the State of New Jersey. While its tree-lined streets evoke memories of a simpler time in our nation's history, the hustle and bustle of its main thoroughfares make it clear that Palisades Park has grown into a modern and thriving community. Over the course of the past one hundred years, Palisades Park has grown into one of New Jersey's most vibrant towns. It has developed into a vital economic force and can boast of being called home by a rich mosaic of cultures. The countless gifts and special talents of its residents have helped make it a terrific place to live and raise a family. The many individuals whose tireless efforts and contributions have imbued Palisades Park with its unique spirit of community should be commended for giving her sons and daughters a rich legacy from which to learn. Palisades Park's future is bright and I anticipate hearing news of its newest successes and triumphs in the years to come. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to come and visit Palisades Park to experience the Borough's beauty firsthand.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the late Mickey Mendoza of Saddle Brook, New Jersey, a young man whose life was ended in a tragic incident in Ecuador on April 11, 1999. Regrettably, to this day, no full explanation has been offered by Ecuadorian officials to describe the circumstances surrounding Mickey's death. All that we know for sure is that a bullet from a gun belonging to a police officer in Guayquil, Ecuador senselessly ended the life of a promising fourteen year old American citizen. I met with Mickey's parents, Galo and Doris and their three children shortly after this death and I know the pain they are enduring. Today I have come to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to say that I fully share the Mendoza family's desire to get to the bottom of how Mickey died. They are owed this answer and I intend to continue my work with U.S. officials in Ecuador to ensure that they get a full accounting of what led to Mickey's death. Mickey Mendoza was, in almost all respects, living the American dream. He was a bright and energetic student at Saddle Brook Middle School. He was active in sports, taking part in his school's wrestling team and playing soccer in a recreational league. In addition, after school, Mickey was attending confirmation classes at Mount Virgin Roman Catholic Church in Garfield, New Jersey. His creativity, his energy, his thoughtfulness, and all this has been taken from us. Father Paul Bochicchia, pastor of Mickey's church, after learning of his death, recounted that Mickey was especially protective of his little nine year old sister, Isabella. What better tribute than to remember Mickey as a fourteen year old boy who cared for his little sister. This tells us everything we need to know about who Mickey was and why his death has touched the lives of so many people. Among the many messages of sympathy that the Mendoza family have received, I read one that I would like to share with my colleagues. This letter was written by Anthony Maneri, Mickey's classmate at Saddle Brook Middle School; ``Mickey was a great pal. He always could make you laugh, even at sad times. He always knew the right things to say to make people laugh. He was a great friend and I am going to miss him. I will never forget him.''

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Russell Major. Russell Major devoted every single waking moment to making Englewood, New Jersey a city that could boast of being a haven for all people, regardless of their race, color or ethnic background. The countless hours that Russell spent organizing sit-ins and circulating petitions to achieve this end were oriented particularly towards providing the children of Englewood with the opportunity to realize the American Dream. He rightly recognized that to deny a child an opportunity for a quality education is to deny that child a lifetime of opportunities. Russell Major believed that every child should be educated in schools that are safe and well-maintained, schools that have access to advanced educational technology, and schools with classes that are small enough to facilitate the best teaching and learning. On June 12, 1999, the Englewood Board of Education will be renaming the Liberty School after Russell Major. From now on, when the students walk into the Russell Major Liberty School on Tenafly Road, they will be walking into a school whose namesake embodies the values that they are being taught: tolerance, patience, fairness, vigilance, and excellence. These are the values that will help these young people realize the vision that Russell had for them and for all Americans, a vision that was grounded in family, community and education. It was also a vision that enabled Russell Major to give of his heart, as much as he gave of his mind. And it was a vision that gained him the respect of every person who ever came into contact with him. Russell Major fought to make the America he envisioned a reality for the people of Englewood and beyond. By renaming the Liberty School in Russell's memory, we are honoring his legacy and challenging future generations to continue his important work.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the New Jersey Tenants Organization (NJTO). The NJTO was founded 30 years ago during an extreme housing shortage. Tenants in New Jersey faced unconscionable rent increases and had little protection from landlord abuse. Landlord-tenant laws at that time were very primitive and gave practically no protection to tenants. In fact, the only right afforded to tenants was the right of pay. This situation compelled a group of concerned citizens to come together to form the NJTO to combat these conditions. Using strategies ranging from rent strikes to legal battles, the NJTO succeeded in getting the State of New Jersey to enact the State Retaliatory Eviction Law in its first year of existence. This crucial triumph was responsible for paving the way for a massive wave of state-wide tenant mobilization. Over the past 30 years, the NJTO has grown into the oldest statewide tenants organization in the United States and can boast of being the driving force behind 18 major landlord-tenant laws. During this time, the NJTO's advocacy on behalf of New Jerseyans has resulted in the strongest legal protections for tenants throughout the entire country. This year, the NJTO is counting among its honorees Arlene Glassman, a neighbor of mine from Fair Lawn, New Jersey and Bob Ryley of Jackson Township, New Jersey. Arlene has been a committed member of the NJTO for the past 20 years and has served on the Board of Directors since 1995. In Fair Lawn, she made a name for herself by successfully leading the effort to reduce the allowable rent and revise the rent ordinance. Thanks to her leadership, Fair Lawn's leaders and elected officials have a greater appreciation of the needs of the tenants in the town. Bob Ryley will also be recognized for his work with the Mobil Home Owners Association of New Jersey (MHOA). Since joining the group in 1984, Bob obtained mobile home tenants the right of first refusal should the landlord decide to sell their park. In this era of political apathy, Bob has succeeded in his efforts to keep the MHOA's members actively involved on issues of concern to them. Both Arlene and Bob will receive the NJTO's Ronald B. Atlas Award on June 27 for their years of service on behalf of New Jersey tenants. This prestigious award is the NJTO's way of articulating the organization's gratitude for all of the time and energy that Arlene and Bob have given to the group and I am proud to extend my congratulations to them today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am submitting today for the Record the enclosed article written by Mr. Leonard Cole of Ridgewood, New Jersey. Mr. Cole, who serves as the distinguished chairman of the Communal Unity Committee of United Jewish Appeal Federation of Bergen County and North Hudson and as vice chair of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, recently returned from refugee camps in Tirana, Albania. In his article, Mr. Cole eloquently illustrates the remarkable humanitarian efforts being made by the Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, in association with the United Jewish Communities, to assist refugees displaced as a result of the conflict in Kosovo. I am confident that all of our colleagues will find much food for thought in this well written article. [From the Jewish Standard, May 14, 1999] Finding Kindness Amid Chaos (By Leonard A. Cole) Nearly 15 years ago, on a two-day mission to Israel, I witnessed lines of bedraggled Ethiopian Jews emerge from an El Al airplane. They had suddenly been transported from a 14th-century existence in Ethiopia to a 20th-century life in Israel. Last week, during another two-day mission, I witnessed a sad obverse. In the company of Israeli and American Jews, I visited refugees in a camp in Tirana, Albania, whose lives have been reduced to primitive survival. Among the 800,000 ethnic Albanians booted out of Kosovo, 5,000 were crowded into this Tirana camp. Living eight and nine to a tent, able to bathe once a week, they are uncertain where or if they have a future. The only heartening similarity between the experiences of the Ethiopian Jews and Kosovar Muslims has been the rapid humanitarian response by Jews and other caring people around the world. And none have shown more caring than the people of Israel. For seven weeks, out of noble intention, NATO has been pounding Yugoslav targets with bombs and missiles. The attacks were intended to stop Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's policy of murder and deportation of ethnic Albanians from his country's province of Kosovo. Milosevic's penchant for ``ethnic cleansing'' is too reminiscent of Hitler's war against the Jews for the Jewish people not to support intervention. But diplomatic and military miscalculations have become painfully apparent: the failure of NATO's firepower quickly to stop Milosevic's actions; the depressing likelihood that the bombing actually accelerated the deportations; the destruction of unintended targets, including the Chinese embassy, a hospital complex, and convoys of refugees. The unanticipated calculus was underscored for me by the sight of scores of U.S. helicopters sitting idly in Albania's major airport. Although touted as especially effective against ground targets, none has yet been used, apparently in fear that Serbian firepower was still too threatening to these low-flying craft. Exactly how the military and politicial issues will be resolved remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the victims of the conflict need immediate attention. In the early hours of May 5, our plane, chartered by the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), was preparing to take off from Ben-Gurion airport. We were beginning a two-day whirlwind of visits to Albania, Hungary, and back to Israel. We would be traveling through a thicket of suffering, but also witnessing efforts to alleviate that suffering. Under the auspices of the newly constituted United Jewish Communities (UJC), some two dozen representatives from North American federations had come to bear witness. Described by the UJC as a ``rescue mission,'' our venture really was more a search--a search for information, for meaning, and ultimately for ways to help. ``Leave the last 12 rows empty,'' the stewardess instructed. Along with other blear-eyed passengers, I squeezed into the forward section. Our weight was needed as a balance for the supplies that had been loaded into the rear cargo area. Like 23 previous flights from Israel, eight of them chartered by JAFI, the main purpose was to deliver supplies obtained from contributions by Israelis and Jews throughout the world. At the refugee camp, we watched as carton after carton was unloaded from trucks that had transported them from the plane. In orderly fashion the boxes were opened and the contents were distributed by representatives of various humanitarian groups, including JAFI, the American Jewish Joint Distribution committee (JDC), and Latet, an Organization of Israeli volunteers. And it is well to remember that JAFI, JDC, and other helping agencies, in association with the UJC, are truly the point organizations for the rest of us. the money and supplies have come from federations and from individual Jews around the world. Israeli citizens alone have contributed more than $1 million in food, blankets, towels, diapers, soap, toys, and more. The Israelis built and staffed the first field hospital in a refugee camp. Delivering supplies to the Albanian Muslims was only part of the humanitarian effort we witnessed in that part of the world. We next flew to Hungary, where we met dozens of Jews from Serbia who fled the bombings and were now guests of the Hungarian Jewish community in Budapest. On the second day of the war. Asa Zinger, head of the Jewish community in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, phoned his counterpart in Budapest, Gustav Zoltai. When told of the distress among the 3,000 Jews of Serbia, Zoltai quickly arranged for his community to receive as many of them as possible. both leaders, now in their 70s, are Holocaust survivors. ``For us,'' said Zoltai, ``it would be difficult to know of such suffering by a Jewish community and not to help.'' About 400 Jews from Serbia have become guests of the Budapest Jewish community. Since males between 14 and 65 cannot leave Serbia, families are now being split. In come cases, mothers have come with their children to Budapest; in others just the children have been sent. But that is not all. Israel is also playing host to Muslim and Jewish refugees from the fighting areas. In fact, when we flew back to Israel that evening, 32 Yugoslav Jews who had been staying in Budapest came with us. Some were coming as visitors, and others to make aliyah. All these efforts are also being assisted by JAFI and the JDC--that is, through resources provided by Jews everywhere. In Israel, we visited with several of the hundreds of Kosovars and Serbs--Muslims and Jews--that the state is hosting. Each had his own sad story, though all expressed gratitude for the kindness extended by Israelis and other Jews. Perhaps the most memorable exchange occurred when a member of the UJC delegation asked a Jewish family from Kosovo what they had expected before arriving in Israel. Anita Conforti, 22, translated her mother's answer into English: ``Warm deserts and cold people.'' What did you find after you got here? ``Paradise.''

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is Brain Tumor Awareness Week. Each year 100,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor. Brain tumors are the second leading cause of cancer death for children under 19, and the third leading cause of cancer death for young adults ages 20 to 39. Brain tumors attack the essence of the individual. They attack the control center for thought, emotion and movement. There are over 100 different types of brain tumors, making effective treatment very complicated. Currently, there is no cure for most malignant brain tumors. Only 37 percent of men and 52 percent of women survive 5 years following the diagnosis of a primary benign or malignant brain tumor. Congress needs to appropriate increased funding for the National Institutes of Health and advocate for a strong investment in brain tumor research. We also need Federal legislation that gives patients access to clinical trials and other therapies that are not approved yet by the Food and Drug Administration. I urge more research for brain tumors and more funding for the NIH.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gekas) for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in favor of H.R. 833. I believe that this legislation is important in order to restore integrity to our Nation's bankruptcy system. While I believe in the fresh start that bankruptcy provides, and agree that there are people who legitimately need and deserve its protections, I am concerned that this last resort is currently being abused by many people. That is unfair to consumers, to creditors and to the people who truly need the system. Also, while I support the bill, I believe that it could have been made better had we been allowed a floor vote to eliminate the provision which allows States to opt out of the homestead exemption contained in the bill, and I hope that the various State legislatures who have been given this discretion will do so wisely. Nevertheless, I support H.R. 833 and wish to make four points today. First, I believe that there is an urgent need for meaningful reform. It is just common sense, if someone borrows money from somebody else or they encourage them to perform some services and they consume the money or get the benefit of the services, they should pay it back if they can, because if they do not, everyone else in America pays for being a deadbeat. Now, this bill says we do not want the rest of American families to pick up the tab for those who have avoided paying their just obligations, even though they could afford to repay all or a portion of it. Next, there is a need to create Federal standards. More than 70 percent of the all-time 1.4 million bankruptcies were filed in Chapter 7, which means all their debts are forgiven, even without regards to income. This says, let us take a look at the regional median income. So in New Jersey, the State that I come from and represent, if someone makes $67,000, less than $67,000 for a family of four, they can discharge all their debts. It is only if you make more than $67,000 that the questions start to be asked: Can you afford to repay a portion of your debt? There is discretion involved. There are presumptions that you can afford to repay, but after child support and other legitimate, important deductions are made, the bankruptcy trustee can still use his or her judgment to take into account extraordinary circumstances, such as a decline in income or unexpected medical expenses. The bill still truly allows those who need a fresh start to get one, but says in New Jersey if you make over $67,000 a year and can afford to repay a portion of your debt, you should. This bill improves the current law also in several ways. It strengthens protections for vital family support obligations. It completely protects retirement plan assets from the claims of creditors, and completely protects savings accounts for post-secondary college savings accounts, up to $50,000 per child. It adds a whole host of other new consumer protections. Therefore, as an original cosponsor of this bill, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this important bankruptcy reform legislation.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 7, 1999, Terry Paul Bottinelli, Esq. will be sworn in as the 101st President of the Bergen County Bar Association in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. I have known Terry for many years; he is a trusted friend and a gifted attorney practicing in Hackensack, New Jersey in the 9th Congressional District. He is a partner in the law firm of Herten, Burstein, Sheridan, Cevasco, Bottinelli & Litt, where he specializes in personal injury litigation. Terry is a resident of Wyckoff, New Jersey, and is a Member of the New Jersey and Florida Bars. He has been admitted to the United States Tax Court and the New Jersey Federal District Court. He received his Juris Doctor from Western New England School of Law; he also studied at Rutgers School of Law. His undergraduate work was done at Fairfield University and the Universidad de Madrid. Terry Paul Bottinelli serves as Planning Board Attorney for the Borough of Bogota in Bergen County. He also serves the Borough of Cresskill as the Municipal Court Judge. Terry is affiliated with the American Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the New Jersey Trial Lawyers Association, the New Jersey State Bar Association, the Bergen County Bar Association, The Florida Bar, and the American Arbitration Association. As an affiliate with the Bergen County Bar Association, Terry is a Trustee of the Young Lawyers Division, the Chair of the Civil Practice Committee, the Chair of the Law Day Committee; he is a Delegate to the State Bar General Council and represents the People's Law School in conjunction the ATLA. Terry Paul Bottinelli had dedicated many hours to civic activities in Bergen County. He is a Trustee of the Wyckoff Community School, a Member of the Boy Scouts of America, Explorer Advisory Committee, serves the Bergen County Office on Aging, Senor Citizen Pro Bono Legal Services Program, and is a football coach in the Wyckoff Recreation League. Terry Paul Bottinelli, Esp. is indeed an outstanding attorney and American citizen who has well-earned the confidence of his colleagues in the Bergen County Bar Association who have elected him their new President. I am proud to call him my dear friend. The residents of my Congressional District owe Terry a debt of gratitude for his outstanding legal and civic work. He is truly a remarkable individual, and I take great pleasure in extending my sincere congratulations to him on this wonderful occasion.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I believe that if and when the President and our military commanders come to the conclusion that they need to introduce American ground forces into Kosovo, that they should come to the Congress and make the case before us. However, I do believe that the Goodling-Fowler bill, while well-intentioned, is the wrong way to go about this. The bill before us prevents American troops in NATO from rescuing refugees just across the border into Kosovo, even if the tragedy and the massacre is occurring right before our soldiers' eyes. It would prevent the prepositioning of supplies and ammunition in the event we and NATO need to intervene on the ground in the future, and it would prevent our military from providing necessary intelligence assistance to conduct our air campaign. But worst of all, it tells Slobodan Milosevic that he will have plenty of time to do what he wants to do and slaughter and mutilate and rape almost 1 million people in Kosovo, because the United States Congress and my Republican colleagues have decided they are going to tie the President's hands, even in the case of an emergency military intervention, should it be necessary; to require the President to come back to the Congress, convene the Congress, hold a debate in order to rescue people or to take emergency steps. I think that that is wrong, and I urge my colleagues, let us not decide on the necessity of ground troops until the President and the military commanders of NATO ask us for them. But let us not prevent the President and NATO now from using our ground forces, if necessary, only in the case of an emergency. That would be a wrong message for Milosevic; that would endanger our military men and women, and it is a step we should not take. I urge a ``no'' vote on this bill.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that the conflict in Yugoslavia requires this body to take the extraordinary step of declaring war today, for the first time in the last 50 years of American history. To declare war today could have dangerous consequences that nobody, regardless of party, wants to have occur. If war is declared, then any country that has a connection to Serbia becomes a potential enemy of the United States and could be drawn into the conflict in the Balkans. We could find ourselves at war technically with Russia or China, who have a relationship with Serbia, two of the world's most potent nuclear powers. We did not declare war when we engaged in the conflict in Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Panama, Haiti or Grenada. Why are some forcing Congress, or trying to force Congress to declare war now? We have not done so in 50 years, since World War II. Now is not the time to escalate the conflict. We should not tie our military's hands with the red tape and other legal obligations that flow from a declaration of war. We should not engage in an action that might cause this conflict to spread to other regions of Europe beyond our control. This measure demands defeat, and I urge my colleagues to vote against it.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give birthday greetings to a constituent in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Martin Etler of Elmary Place, who celebrates his birthday on April 24. Marty was born in Holliswood (Queens), New York, on April 24, 1929, and eight years later in 1937, moved with his parents to Paterson where he graduated from East Side High School in 1947, and then went into the service for four years and three months, serving his country in the Air Force. As a member of the 301st Bomb Group (352nd Squadron), Marty was stationed first in Guam, then at a Royal Air Force facility outside London, and still later at several bases inside the United States. In 1952, he moved to Fair Lawn, a town in our district I am proud not only to represent, but also to reside in. He married the lovely Violet DeVries, and though his work in the maintenance department of United Airlines kept him busy for nearly 40 years, he still found time to give back to his community. As a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment for some 20 years, he has given of himself willingly on the first Monday of each month, and many third Mondays--rarely missing a meeting except in the summer when he has coordinated the reunions of his Air Force Squadron and Bomber group all over the United States. Marty has taken the ``job'' of being a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment very seriously, almost always going out to the premises for which a variance is sought, looking at the neighborhood, the relief sought, and then trying to work the inevitable compromise between the zoning ordinance and those seeking a variance or relief from something that is otherwise prohibited. On the occasion of this milestone birthday, Mr. Speaker, I am certain that the entire Borough of Fair Lawn, and this House of Representatives, wishes him well.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, last week, during consideration of the State Department reauthorization bill in the House International Relations Committee, I rose with Congressman Menendez to present an amendment to that bill. Its purpose was to ban the further training of members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary by the FBI at their National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. There were many reasons why we introduced that amendment, but one of the most compelling was the suspicion of RUC complicity in the assassination of Rosemary Nelson. Accusations of RUC support for the murder of Catholic leaders abounds. Rosemary Nelson appeared before the International Relations Committee and testified that she had received death threats from members of the RUC. The U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers has found that the RUC is engaged ``in activities which constitute intimidation, harassment, [and] hindrance'' of defense lawyers [in Northern Ireland] in the course of their professional duties. He also labeled the RUC's intimidation of defense lawyers in Northern Ireland as, and I quote, ``consistent and systematic.'' This is not acceptable. There must be an independent investigation into the murder of Rosemary Nelson to determine who is responsible. Those who are responsible must be brought to justice. If members of the RUC are confirmed to have been involved, the RUC should be disbanded and a new police force created. Mr. Speakers, Northern Ireland needs a police force for all the people. Defense attorneys in Northern Ireland must be protected so that they can do their jobs. I support H. Res. 128 and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the nearly 200 independent McDonald's Restaurant Owners of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for launching the Arching into Education Scholarship program. These locally owned and operated restaurants have a longstanding commitment to the communities they serve. The Arching into Education Scholarships is just the latest example of the great work our area McDonald's owners are doing. Through this program, the owners are providing $175,000 in college scholarship money to high school seniors in the New York Tri-State area. Arching Into Education encompasses three distinct scholarship programs: one offers scholarships for all students; another provides scholarships for students wishing to attend a United Negro College Fund member institution; and a third, the GospelFest Music Scholarships, awards scholarships for students interested in majoring in music. The Tri-State McDonald's Owners have also partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities to offer an additional $175,000 in scholarships for HACER, a scholarship program for area students of Hispanic heritage. Combined in these four scholarship programs, McDonald's owners will contribute $350,000 in college scholarships to students in the Tri-State community. These scholarship programs are just one part of the McDonald's Owners' continuing commitment to education and the communities in which they operate. The Tri-State Owners support reading incentive programs and other initiatives for elementary school students. Additionally, they sponsor programs that teach parents the importance of immunizing young children, and instruct children on bicycle safety, helmet use, and fire safety. The Tri-State McDonald's owners also help support the great work that the Ronald McDonald House does for families of young cancer victims. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize the important contributions Tri- State McDonald's owners are making to our communities. I urge you and all Members of Congress to join me in applauding the McDonald's Restaurant Owners of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for their continued commitment to education and dedication to programs that help ensure a successful future for our children.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, the 2000 Census, like all the ones preceding it, will have an impact on the lives of real people. Federal money is dispersed amongst the States on the basis of population. Population is determined in the census. Funding for so many important Federal programs that so many Americans and New Jersians care about will be in jeopardy. The Federal dollars for housing assistance for seniors, small business loans, Head Start programs, Pell Grants, school lunches, and so many more are determined by the census count. In the 1990 Census, 34,000 children in New Jersey were not counted. In the 1990 Census, 2 million children across the country were not counted. So how can my friends on the Republican side of the aisle want us to continue an ineffective, inaccurate census program? I do not know how they can do it, but what we can do in the Congress is to vote against the rule and vote against H.R. 472. Otherwise, Americans all over this country will be shortchanged for all of these programs and others if we do not use accurate methods. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject the rule on H.R. 472 and, if the rule is passed, to adopt the Maloney amendment which will maintain local government involvement without hampering the Census Bureau's ability to carry out an accurate census. Everyone counts in America. Let us make sure the census counts them. Let us approve the Democratic alternative.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge). Mr. Speaker, 2 years ago we balanced the budget for the first time in 29 years. Now we must meet our next great challenges, making sure that Social Security and Medicare are there for our children and our grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I like tax cuts, I like them as much as the next person, that is why I voted for $95 billion worth of tax cuts in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. But with Social Security and Medicare set to go broke in the years 2034 and 2015 respectively, it should go without saying that fixing Social Security and Medicare should have first priority over any more tax cuts. Mr. Speaker, with due respect, my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle have put together a budget that does not put one penny toward extending the life of either Social Security or Medicare. Instead, in my judgment, my good friends on the Republican side of the aisle are ready to squander $780 billion worth of our surplus on open- ended irresponsible tax cuts. Mr. Speaker, in my judgment we ought to save Social Security and Medicare first before we spend any more of the surplus on any more tax cuts.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, the Spratt Democratic budget extends the life of Social Security and Medicare. The Republican budget does not. Do not be fooled. This same Democratic Party that created Social Security and Medicare is the same party to trust when it comes to strengthening Social Security and Medicare. Under the Democratic plan, the Social Security trust fund would have 50 percent more dollars in it than under the Republican plan. There is a $1.3 trillion set-aside in the Democratic plan, more for Social Security than in the Republican plan; $1.3 trillion. For Medicare, the Republican plan does not do anything at all. The Republican plan does not add one penny of money to extend the life of Medicare or to strengthen it. The Democratic plan for Medicare will triple the amount of money put into Medicare, a move that will extend the life of Medicare until 2020. For all those who care about Social Security and Medicare and who want Social Security and Medicare to be there for our generation and our children's generation, there is only one responsible choice: The Democratic budget.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Also, I thank the sponsor, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros- Lehtinen). Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 99, expressing the sense of the United States House of Representatives regarding the human rights situation in Cuba. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this resolution. The wrongful imprisonment by Fidel Castro of the group of four, four Cuban citizens who were speaking out about the need for peaceful change, peaceful transformation to a democracy in Cuba, and were jailed by Fidel Castro, is only the latest example of Fidel Castro's efforts to suppress the most basic human rights of the Cuban people. Jailing Cubans for speaking their conscience is unjust, it is wrong, and it is important for the United States of America and our Congress to condemn such actions. However, let us step back for a minute, because not every American follows what is going on in Cuba every day, and ask ourselves, why are there human rights violations going on in Cuba? The answer is simple: Fidel Castro. Fidel Castro, a dictator, a totalitarian ruler, has decided that for the last 40 years, only he and he alone can decide the fate of the Cuban people. He says he is the only person in Cuba who God has given the right to rule over and decide the basic human rights of the Cuban people. It is fundamentally undemocratic. It is fundamentally wrong. He is the last surviving totalitarian dictator in the Western Hemisphere. That is who Fidel Castro is. Even after 40 years of totalitarian rule, Fidel Castro will not give his people freedom. All Fidel Castro has to do is hold free elections. If he is so popular, if his policies are so wise, then the people of Cuba will elect him. Why is he afraid to hold free elections? Because he is a totalitarian dictator who does not have the support of his people, and he knows it. I am proud to be a supporter of this resolution that focuses the world's attention where it should be, on the refusal of one man, Fidel Castro, to give the millions of people in his country their freedom, the last totalitarian dictator in the Western Hemisphere.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Salmon) for his bill. Mr. Speaker, which country is America's greatest ally in the Middle East? Which country votes with the United States 95 percent of the time at the United Nations, more so than any other American ally? Which country allows U.S. planes to fly over her air space? Which country cares for America's soldiers and her hospitals and is our partner in developing a missile defense system? Who is the Middle East's only democracy and the longest and best ally of the United States? Israel. Mr. Speaker, the resolution pending before this body right now is very simple. It simply reaffirms America's commitments to both her number one ally in the Middle East, Israel, and to the peace process that began with the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993. Palestinian threats to unilaterally declare statehood is a violation of the Oslo Accords that they signed. A unilaterally declared Palestinian state, without borders agreed upon by the state of Israel, would take Israeli land, would threaten Israel's people and would, yes, threaten Israel's very existence. America, and the United States Congress, must be very clear to the Palestinian Authority. When you wrongfully threaten America's best and most strategic ally in the Middle East and one of America's greatest allies in the world, there will be immediate, lasting and severe consequences. Mr. Speaker, the United States must not recognize a unilaterally declared Palestinian state, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, the peace talks in Kosovo are predicated on one very simple premise: The international community must pose a credible military threat to enforce any peace agreement that is reached between the Kosovars and the Serbs. To discuss today whether or not the United States, the world's only superpower and the world's greatest military force, will lend its support to any Kosovo peace settlement is premature and is inappropriate at this time. To debate this issue today undermines the efforts of the envoys who are trying to negotiate a peace settlement between the Serbs and Kosovars. However, the credible threat of military force does provide an incentive for the Serbs and Kosovars to reach a peace agreement. To debate this issue today threatens that incentive and could embolden Slobodan Milosevic to reject NATO peacekeeping troops completely, and could cause the Kosovars to give up on the peace process. The bottom line, though, is that wavering American leadership in this situation has the potential to lead to more bloodshed in Kosovo that could spill over into other parts of Europe and metastasize beyond our control. Mr. Chairman, we cannot have it both ways. We cannot be the world's only superpower but then remain aloof when the situation demands our leadership. Mr. Chairman, I do not rise today to say that the United States is obligated to resolve every conflict that erupts around the world. We have the right to decide these matters on a case-by-case basis. But in this case it is in our national interests to lend our country's support to the international effort to prevent the return of wanton bloodshed, murder, rape and wholesale slaughter in Kosovo. The Balkans have been the birthplace of war before. Allowing a conflict to explode in that region could have devastating consequences to the peace and stability of Europe and, hence, to America's national interests.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, March 11 marks the 75th anniversary jubilee of the founding of the Borough of Fair Lawn, NJ, a town in New Jersey's 9th Congressional District where I, and more than 30,000 other residents, make our home. Fair Lawn is a compact community located in the Northwest corner of Bergen County, one of the most densely populated areas of our State. But it is a very liveable community, with interesting sites, and a distinctive history that I would like to briefly call to the attention of the House. The 75th Anniversary jubilee celebration kicks off on March 11. To get the year-long series of anniversary events underway, the Fair Lawn League of Women Voters has invited residents to tour the building which houses the office of their local government, and to ``Meet Fair Lawn's Government-Live!'' Beginning at 7 p.m., guests can be escorted into the Council Chambers and greeted by League members, Mayor David Ganz, Borough Manager Barbara Sacks, the Borough Council, 75th Anniversary Committee Chairman John Cosgrove, and some 75 year Fair Lawn residents. Visitors will be able to select five or six departments to visit and Borough employees will be available to explain how their department works and to answer any questions guests may have. Among the departments available will be: Recreation, Fire, Engineering, Public Works, Finance, Building Tax Collector/Assessor, Police, Borough Clerk, Health, and Welfare. Local students will act as ushers and help to distribute literature. As a special bonus, the first 300 visitors will receive a copy of the League's popular 45-page book, the ``1999 Citizen Guide,'', which is everything you wanted to know about New Jersey Government. No historic account of Fair Lawn would be complete without recognition of the Lenni-Lenapi (``original people''), native tributes of northern New Jersey. Their trails, campsites, rock shelters and hunting grounds became the roads and towns that Fair Lawn uses today. When the first Dutch settlers made their way up to what we know as the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers, it was to establish fur trading posts with the Hackinghaesaky Indians, one of the tribes of the Lenni- Lenapi. The great chief of the tribes was Oratam. As settlements grew, the Lenni-Lenapi were forced further west to unsettled land. They left behind place names of Indian origin. Few of us realize how many such names are still with us, for example: Passaic (either ``where the river goes over the falls'' or ``valley''), Paramus (``fine stream'' or ``place of wild turkeys''), Wagaraw (``crooked place'' or ``river bend''). Typically, River Road, one of the oldest roads in the eastern part of our country, was once an Indian trail, leading to the ``Great Rock'' tribal council site in Glen Rock. The most interesting Indian relic in Fair Lawn is the fist trap (weir) in the Passaic River. It can be seen during low water 200 yards upstream from the Fair Lawn Avenue bridge. The trap consists of two rows of stones forming a V-shaped dam into which the Indians drove the fish during migration, closing the opening at the point of the ``V'' with weighted nets. The Dutch called this the ``soltendam,'' or ``sloterdam'' from the verb sluiten, ``shut.'' This give rise to the name of Slooterdam (also spelled Sloterdam) which was used to describe the surrounding area. Fair Lawn was known as Slooterdam as late as 1791, and River Road was called the ``Slauterdam Road'' until after the Civil War. Probably the oldest structure standing in Fair Lawn is the Garreston- Brocker home, now known as the Garreston Forge and Farm Restoration, on River Road, south of Morlot Avenue. The west wing, the kitchen, was the original building built some time between 1708-1730. The main wing was built before 1800 but the gambrel roof, dormer and porch were added in 1903. The property, known at its purchase in 1719 as the Sloterdam Patent, was originally a huge plantation stretching between the Passaic and Saddle Rivers. Another structure, almost as old, was built by Jacob Vanderbeck. It is located off Fair Lawn Avenue (formerly Dunkerhook Road) east of Saddle River Road. Nearby, on Dunkerhook Road (``Donckerhoek'' or ``dark corner'' in old Dutch) is the Naugle House, built in the 18th century by Jacob Vanderbeck's son-in-law, a paymaster to General Lafayette's troops. Lafayette stayed in this house for several days in 1824 when he returned to this country after the Revolutionary War. Another old structure is on Fair Lawn Avenue, east of Plaza Road. It is known as the ``Dutch House'' and has been a restaurant or tavern since 1929. The sandstone construction is typical of the early Flemish Colonial style. No early ownership has been established but it is believed to be the Bogert House built between 1740 and 1760. The land stretched to the Glen Rock area and was farmed until the Radburn developers bought it in the late 1920's. The Thomas Cadmus House was moved to its site north of the Radburn railroad station from nearby Fair Lawn Avenue to save it from demolition. It is now the official Fair Lawn Museum. It has a typical dressed stone front and roughly coursed sides, wide board floors and hewn beams. It is thought to have been built before 1815. The only other old sandstone house still standing in Fair Lawn is the G.V.H. Berdan House on River Road between Berdan and Hopper Avenues. Although the exterior was carefully reconditioned with respect for its historic style when the building was converted to offices, the end facing the street has since been marred by numerous signs. The ``Old Red Mill,'' which is located along the Saddle River south of what is now Route 4, is another well-known landmark of the area. The original mill, believed to have been located on the Fair Lawn side of the river, was a central meeting place for the neighboring farmers. It gave the name ``Red Mill'' to the area. The mill, a large red wooden building, was built in 1745 and stood two and one-half stories high. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the mill was converted to manufacture woolen blankets and yarn from flax grown in Fair Lawn. During the Civil War, the mill produced blankets for the Union Army. The mill was visited by at least two famous persons: Aaron Burr was honored at a Christmas party there during the Revolution and President William McKinley visited Easton's renowned lake and fountains. Only a few minor skirmishes were fought during the Revolutionary War in the area later to be known as Fair Lawn. But Bergen County had the distinction of being the only county in all the nation which saw George Washington during each of the eight years of the War. When Washington and his troops retreated from the British across New Jersey to Pennsylvania in 1776, it was John H. Post of Sloterdam who dismantled the bridge across the Passaic River, preventing pursuit by Cornwallis after Washington's troops reached safety on the other side. With foresight, Post stacked the bridge planks on the far side of the river for future use. The railroad came through town in the early 1880's and the trolley line to Hackensack and the Hudson River in 1906. Toward the end of the 19th century and in the early 20th, homes were built near the Passaic River, off Fair Lawn and Morlot Avenues (``the flats'') and at Columbia Heights, to house workers for Paterson's mills and factories and for the Textile Dyeing and Finishing Co. on Wagaraw road. Warren Point also developed at the end of the 19th century, with a railroad station and post office, but most of the development was in what is now Elmwood Park. Within Fair Lawn's boundaries is a unique community called Radburn. One of the first modern planned communities in the United States, it was intended originally to be a self-sufficient entity known as ``Town for the Motor Age.'' The architect-planners Clarence S. Stein and Henry Wright enlisted the practical aid of financier Alexander Bing who had organized the City Housing Corporation in 1924. Bing's enthusiasm brought his corporation to New Jersey, and Radburn was born in 1928. Unhappily, the Great Depression in 1929 struck Radburn hard and in 1933 the corporation went bankrupt. Unfortunately, the hope for self sufficiency for 25,000 residents in Radburn reached only 5,000 by 1964 when Anthony Bailey wrote his ``Radburn Revisited'' report in the New York Herald-Tribune. The Radburn idea did not die, however; it was admired, copied and improved on in England, Scandinavia, India, Canada, Russia, and in many ``new towns'' in the United States. Fair Lawn's greatest period of growth was during the 1940's and 1950's. Vast areas of farm lands were developed for single-family homes and several large garden apartment complexes. The population grew from 9,000 in 1940 to an estimated peak of about 37,000 in 1968. Fair Lawn Industrial Park on Route 208 was developed during the 1950's with several additions in the following decade. Among the Industrial Park's corporate residents are internationally known firms such as Kodak, Nabisco and Lea & Perrins. By 1970, the last large tracts of land had been utilized. The last farm in Fair Lawn was a 20-acre tract in the Industrial Park at Fair Lawn Avenue. In 1998 this tract started development as apartments, and by the end of this year, there will be more than 340 new apartment units open. The certificates of occupancy for the first units were issued just a few weeks ago. What began as an agricultural hamlet has grown into a suburban town providing homes, schools parks and shops for residents and jobs for thousands of workers in businesses, offices and industries. All of us who reside in Fair Lawn are proud of our community and Mr. Speaker, I thought it would be appropriate to bring to your attention that this jubilee celebration gives us all the opportunity to celebrate not only a town and good government, but its good people.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Daniel M. Ganz and Beverlee Kaufman, who will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of their wedding on March 27, 1999. It is fitting that they are celebrating this anniversary with their two children (David and Sandy), their friends, and the rest of their family. For many years, Beverlee and Danny Ganz lived in Rockville Centre, Long Island, where they raised their family and were active in community affairs. Dan, in particular, was very involved with the Recreation Department as a volunteer working with both table-tennis and court-tennis. They sent their children to the Rockville Centre public school system. David then went off to Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., and Sandy to Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. David became a lawyer, practicing in New York City and New Jersey, later served as the volunteer president of the American Numismatic Association, and currently presides as the Mayor of Fair Lawn, New Jersey. He has just written his 14th book-length work. Sandy went on to earn a Masters degree in physical therapy, and to find employment as the Associate Director of Physical Therapy at the Manhattan Hospital for Special Therapy. She then became director for the Amsterdam Nursing Home division, and has authored several works on physical therapy treatments. I met Dan and Bev at David's inauguration as Mayor this past January 1st, and I am glad to know such a devoted couple, who are also two remarkable individuals. It is rare today that any couple can spend a half century in wedded bliss, but they are two people who have managed it. Dan turns 80 this October and Bev will be 75 in just a few weeks, but they are both still active in their new home in Boca Raton, Florida, playing tennis, golf, and exploring the Internet. Recently, Dan, who is a World War II veteran with 26 missions in the Triangle ``A'' squadron in England, used the Internet to reunite with his Captain and navigator, whom he had not seen in 54 years. Last year, he met up with the remainder of his crew. Some of his combat photos, including the Bridge of the Remagen, were included in the wartime exhibit shown at the National Archives in Washington. He has not stopped giving to his community. In Boca Raton, he has been performing magic--which he has done professionally for nearly 70 years--at hospitals for youngsters with terminal diseases such as AIDS, and for seniors. Bev is now frequently his assistant at these events. They have three grandchildren (Scott, Elyse, and Pam), daughter-in- law Kathy, and a host of friends and relatives who are joining them and their children in celebration of their first 50 years of marriage. I wish them well and congratulate them on this wonderful achievement.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a project in my home state of New Jersey that deserves recognition: the ``At Home with the ARTS'' program. This acronym stands for Alzheimer's Recognition Therapy Service (ARTS). A problem in our society today is the increased presence of Alzheimer's disease. Thanks to a three-year $217,000 grant by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation of Princeton, the ARTS program has expanded to assist more families with the crippling effects of Alzheimer's Disease. The ``At Home with the ARTS'' program serves two purposes. First, it helps to improve the quality of life for the individual with Alzheimer's, and secondly, it helps the caregiver cope with the effects of the disease. The program assigns a recreational therapist, who is trained in recreation, music, art, or activity therapy, to a patient with Alzheimer's. The therapist and the patient meet once a week for 12 weeks, during which time the therapist tries a variety of activities to see which is best at securing the patient's attention. The most challenging aspect of this program is finding what activity interests the patient. This program has been successful in helping people such as Beverly Cohen of Teaneck, whose mother is suffering from Alzheimer's. Since her mother was hard of hearing and did not enjoy watching television, Ms. Cohen tried giving her small tasks to complete--but, her mother was not interested. However, after several weeks of meeting with a recreational therapist, Ms. Cohen discovered that her mother enjoyed arranging dried flowers and pasting magazine pictures on coffee cans. Ms. Cohen said the therapist helped her figure out the things her mother enjoyed doing, and Ms. Cohen feels that both she and her mother have profited greatly from the program. The success of the ``At Home with the ARTS'' Program has gained the attention of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and their grant of $217,000 has helped to create an offshoot program in Hudson and Essex counties. Volunteers of the Foundation's offshoot program serve as companions to Alzheimer's patients, and are trained to provide an additional four hours of recreational therapy per week. This added time greatly improves the changes of providing those who suffer from Alzheimer's with a more active and fulfilling daily routine. Since it was started in 1995, ARTS has served more than 132 families, and the offshoot program has served 85. Both the program creators and its patients believe the sessions help to reduce the depression and behavioral disorders associated with Alzheimer's. Fred Brand, Manager of Family Service Programs for the Association said that ``Recreational activities won't stop the course of the disease, but (the therapy) is something that brings back memories, brings back a sense of pleasure, and brings back a dormant type of abilities.'' Finally, all of the program's initiatives are not directed solely towards the patient. At the end of each visit, a half hour is spent with the caregiver so they may learn how to do the activities developed by the therapist themselves. I want to commend the people involved with the ARTS program and those who volunteer their time for the offshoot program. They truly make a daily difference in many people's lives. I also commend the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for providing the vital financial support to this program and others across the nation.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, on July 17th, 1997, 230 people died when TWA Flight 800 exploded 9 miles off the coast of Long Island. To this day the crash continues to be a national tragedy. For almost 2 years, the families of those who perished have had to deal with more than the unbearable pain of losing a loved one in such a sudden, violent and public manner. To this day they have to live with not having many answers for their loss, as they continue to wait for an explanation about why the disaster occurred. As if this disaster alone is not enough, the tragedy is made all the worse by an outdated law that prevents survivors from suing in state court, in front of a jury, for damages like pain and suffering and loss of companionship that are traditionally available under the tort law system. Had the plance crashed seconds earlier--when the plane was only two miles off of New York's coast--this would not be an issue. However, at nine miles out, the 1920 ``Death on the High Seas Act'' governs. This out-dated law dictates that lawsuits arising from aviation accidents that occur more than 3 miles off of the United States shoreline be brought in Admiralty Court, and limits recovery of damages for survivors to lose income only. While this may have been an appropriate law 79 years ago, in 1999 it is nothing short of outrageous. A constituent of mine, Carol Ziemkiewicz (ZEM-ka-witz), lost her daughter on that flight. Jill Ziemkiewicz had been working as a flight attendant for only a month and a half when she was assigned to her first international flight on TWA Flight 800. She would be going to Paris, where she was eager to visit the Garden of Versailles. An hour before TWA Flight 800 left to take Jill to Paris, she called her mother and summed up her anticipation--her last words to her were ``I'm psyched.'' Jill was only twenty-three years old at the time she was killed and it is accurate to say that her life, along with every other on the plane, ended to early. But the 230 people who died in that crash were not the only victims on that fateful night. Those victims left behind families, friends, and loved ones, people who continue to live but whose lives will never be the same because of this tragedy. I am proud to support H.R. 603. H.R. 603 will help to ensure that Carol Ziemkiewicz and the hundreds of other surviving family members like her know that the lives of their loved ones had value--that what happened to them was a tragedy and we all must do what we can to ease their pain and suffering. They have been through enough. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 603.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 32, the ``Social Security Guarantee Initiative.'' As we all know, one of the most important questions facing Congress today is how best to preserve Social Security and Medicare for this and future generations. We need to ensure that benefits are not cut for today's Social Security recipients, while at the same time guaranteeing that our children and grandchildren will have the piece of mind that Social Security brings. Before Social Security was enacted in 1935, retirement meant financial insecurity and poverty for many seniors. This program, however, has dramatically changed that and has allowed millions of Americans to enjoy their later years with greater tranquility and less worry. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said it best when, upon signing the Social Security Act, he stated that ``[t]he Social Security Act was primarily designed to provide the average worker with some assurance that when cycles of unemployment come or when his work days are over, he will have enough money to live decently.'' It is imperative that Congress and the President work together in a bipartisan manner to achieve this goal. Arguably the most successful domestic government program in world history, it is our duty to do everything in our power to ensure its existence for years to come. I urge my colleagues to vote for this resolution. And even more importantly, I urge my colleagues to put partisan differences aside, and to take concrete actions beyond this resolution, to strengthen the Social Security system.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Madam Chairman, I want to thank the ranking member for yielding me this time. I am not a member of the committee, but I have been long supportive of the work of the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in assuring a sound transportation infrastructure for our Nation. It is vital, not only to our Nation's present quality of life, but to the quality of life for our children. I rise today in support of H.R. 99, but I would like to spend my moments here, if I might, talking about aircraft noise. Aircraft engines make a lot of noise. They are loud, droning, and, in some cases, unbearable to be near. People living in major metropolitan areas where there are often several airports nearby have to live with this oppressive aircraft noise. It has an extremely negative impact on the quality of their lives and on their health. In an attempt to address this problem, the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 was enacted. This law requires jet aircraft to be equipped with newer technology, quieter Stage 3 engines by December 31, 1999. It ends the operation of the older, noisier, Stage 2 and Stage 1 aircraft engines. As a result of that law, major commercial airliners have already phased out most of their Stage 2 and Stage 1 aircraft. But, unfortunately, the law exempted aircraft weighing less than 75,000 pounds. Planes weighing less than 75,000 pounds are typically general aviation aircraft. However, even though these general aviation aircraft are smaller than commercial airliners, in most cases they are louder than commercial airliners, because most of them are still equipped with the Stage 2 or Stage 1 engines. Therefore, air noise problems in our most densely populated areas in the United States will not go away unless we have an across-the-board elimination of Stage 2 and Stage 1 aircraft engines, including engines of all general aviation aircraft. Let me give you an example. At Teterboro Airport, in New Jersey, in my district, Teterboro Airport has roughly 15 percent of the aircraft using Teterboro with the Stage 1 or Stage 2 aircraft, only 15 percent, but that 15 percent of Stage 1 and Stage 2 aircraft account for 90 percent, 90 percent, of all the aircraft noise violations at the airport. So, the solution: I am introducing the Aircraft Noise Reduction Act of 1999, which will close this loophole and prohibit the operation of all older, louder, Stage 1 and Stage 2 aircraft engines in the 20 largest metropolitan areas with the worst air-noise problems. In heavy aircraft traffic areas, like New York-Northern New Jersey- Long Island, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Seattle, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Diego, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Denver, the residents surrounding these airports are being continuously pounded with aircraft noise and they are demanding action. They need relief from aircraft noise now, and we must give them that relief now. This legislation achieves a balance, the need for the aircraft noise relief for these residents living in our Nation's most congested areas, with the legitimate economic needs of small aircraft operators who need to land in smaller airports away from our Nation's largest cities. I am hopeful that the leaders of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Subcommittee on Aviation will work with me to see that this legislation is included in the FAA's reauthorization bill. I hope my colleagues will work with me to help provide aircraft noise relief, not only to my constituents, but to the millions of Americans all across this country who presently suffer from aircraft noise.