Steven Rothman

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Garfield Deputy Mayor Stanley J. Moskal for his selection as grand marshal of the 2010 Pulaski Day Parade. The parade, which will be held on October 3, 2010, in New York City, is the 73rd annual celebration of Polish heritage and General Casimir Pulaski's heroic military contributions during the American Revolutionary War. A lifelong resident of Garfield, New Jersey, located within my Congressional District, the Honorable Stanley Moskal was elected to the Garfield Council in 2004. In 2008, he was re-elected to the council as Deputy Mayor. Mr. Moskal is an active community leader in the City of Garfield, serving on the Board of Directors of both the Garfield YMCA and the Garfield Vistula Soccer Club. He is Vice President of the Pulaski Parade Association of Garfield and has served as a commissioner to Garfield's Joint Insurance Fund. Mr. Moskal is a member of Garfield's Community Response Team, having been one of the first councilmen in New Jersey to complete this program. Deputy Mayor Moskal is an active parishioner of Saint Stanislaus Kostka, Roman Catholic Church, where he has served as an usher for their Sunday Mass since the age of 15. In 2004, he was selected to be Marshal of the Garfield Contingent in the Pulaski Day Parade, making him the youngest ever individual to lead Garfield in this annual celebration. Mr. Moskal's election as 2010 Grand Marshal brings him the additional distinction of being the first-ever Garfield resident to serve as Grand Marshal and one of the youngest Grand Marshals in the history of the Pulaski Day Parade. Madam Speaker, today I would like to congratulate Deputy Mayor Moskal on this exciting honor and thank him for his extraordinary contributions to the City of Garfield. I am proud to have such a dedicated and enthusiastic leader as part of my constituency.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, just say no? That's not a solution. The Democrats in the House of Representatives want to find solutions and pay for them, and that's what we are doing. Earlier this year, 42 governors wrote to us and said they needed help paying for health care for the poorest people in their States and 42 governors were out of money. So the Democrats came up with a solution to provide money to these States so that they could provide health care to their poorest people, and we found a way to pay for every penny of it and not add a penny to the deficit and this way help those poor people who needed it, help the governors, and reduce the burden of taxes on local and State taxpayers. We did it by cutting loopholes for corporations who were getting a tax break for taking their companies overseas. See who votes which way. The Democrats came up with the solution. We paid for every penny of it. We are helping the States, the taxpayers, and those in need. We are moving the country forward. We will not allow this country to go back to the policies that brought us to the brink of disaster.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I will be attending my daughter Karen's high school graduation today, and thus will be missing the votes on H.R. 2194, the Conference Report on Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act; H. Res. 1359, the resolution calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit; and H.R. 5175, the DISCLOSE Act. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes'' on these measures.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Nancy Maria Grassano Pirone, an extraordinary resident of New Jersey's Ninth District, in celebration of her 90th birthday on June 21, 2010. Born in Matera, Italy, Mrs. Pirone immigrated to New York City with her family when she was only 11 months old. In 1941, she married her husband, Carmine, and 3 years later, their daughter Esther was born. In 1953, they moved to Leonia, NJ, where Mrs. Pirone has lived ever since. From the beginning of their time in Leonia, Mrs. Pirone and her husband established themselves as active and devoted members of the community, becoming involved with the St. John's Altar Society, the Women's Club of Leonia, the American Legion, Leonia's annual Memorial Day Parade, and many other groups and events. Because Esther had Down syndrome, the Pirones were active volunteers with The Arc of Bergen and Passaic Counties. They helped organize The Arc's ``Camp Rainbow,'' a special needs summer camp that was constructed at a time when only minimal services were provided for children like Esther. Mrs. Pirone is also widely known in Leonia for her 28 years as a crossing guard, having served longer than any other crossing guard in the borough. She retired 2 years before her 30th anniversary to care for Carmine during his battle with cancer. Mrs. Pirone has lived through the passing of both her husband and her daughter, Esther, a mere 3 years apart, yet she still remains a warm and positive influence on everyone she meets. I am proud to have such a kind-hearted and generous individual as Nancy Maria Grassano Pirone as part of my constituency and I am grateful for her many years of service to the Borough of Leonia, New Jersey. Madam Speaker, today I would like to wish Mrs. Nancy Pirone a happy 90th birthday and continued good health and happiness!

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from California for your leadership on this matter and for the very kind words you said about these two heroes, and I'd like to associate myself with your words, as well as the gentleman from Ohio's words which were equally eloquent and true. These were great American heroes who lost their lives defending our country and our country's interests in Iraq. I wanted to take a few moments, Madam Speaker, to share with you a bit of the pain that the people of Carlstadt still feel in their hearts when they think about the loss of these two citizens. This matter was brought to my attention by a friend, indicating to me that the families would be sympathetic and would be honored if this post office was renamed in honor of Frank T. Carvill and Lance Corporal Michael A. Schwarz. When I called the mayor of the town and I said, Is this true, I don't want to intrude on anyone's privacy, and he assured me that this was, in fact, the case. As was said before, the town of Carlstadt, New Jersey, is only a few miles from what were the twin towers, and my district in northeastern New Jersey suffered a number of lost lives on that terrible day on 9/ 11, and then, again, we suffered the loss of these two individuals. Memorial Day just passed, and I remember saying to all of our veterans and all of our young people gathered at these ceremonies, why is Memorial Day important, and in a sense, why would it be important to rename this local post office after these two individuals. It is not just so that we have a daily reminder in Carlstadt, New Jersey, of the heroism and sacrifice of these two brave individuals--and certainly, we hope and expect that the renaming of this post office will have that effect--but also, Madam Speaker, it will be to remind everyone, whether they knew these two fine heroes or not, of the price of liberty for all of us here in America, paid not only by these two outstanding men but by every man and woman who has paid the ultimate price to defend our country. So I am indeed honored and proud to have the opportunity to express the sentiment of the people of Carlstadt, New Jersey, who want the families to know, who want their fellow Americans to know, and who want the world to know how proud they are of these two men and that we still live in a country with brave men and women like Army Staff Sergeant Frank T. Carvill and Marine Lance Corporal Michael A. Schwarz, people willing to defend our Nation and protect the greatest Nation on the face of the earth.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Staten Island, Congressman Nye, and Congressman Poe for your work on this important issue. Madam Speaker, why is it important for the United States to defend the national security of the State of Israel? Well, it is important because the national security of the State of Israel is critically important to the national security of the United States of America. How is that so? Well, we know first of all that the United States has been working with Israel and her technicians on improved missile defense technology. The Arrow missile system is a joint U.S.-Israel technological wonder that protects the United States and its forces around the world from incoming missilery from within zero to 600 miles. We know that the U.S. is working on a project with Israel called David's Sling, again a defensive system to protect U.S. forces and Israeli forces and people from rockets and mortars fired between 43 and 150 miles. We are also working with the State of Israel, the United States is, on a very sophisticated anti-missile system called Arrow 3, which would allow us to defend against ICBMs fired as far as 1,200 miles away and get those missiles 1,200 miles away before they were over American soil or over our troops in the region or over our ally, the State of Israel. So the money that we invest in missile defense with the State of Israel and having our scientists working jointly together is in the vital national security interest of the United States and in the vital national security interest of the State of Israel which provides Americans so many benefits, not just the benefits of supporting a fellow democracy and a nation who our Founders referred to as people deserving of the right to return to their natural homeland. Israel has a strategic importance to the United States as well. It is located on the Mediterranean. It is located near the Red Sea. It is a bad neighborhood. A lot of the actors who would want to hurt Americans around the world and on U.S. soil are inspired, if not financed, from that region. Israel has one of the world's greatest intelligence services. We Americans get day-to-day updates from that intelligence service which benefit us in our fight against terrorists who are trying to kill Americans around the world and on American soil. And of course the money that we give Israel for its military acquisitions, 70 percent of the money is required to buy American-made munitions; American made. Those are just some of the reasons. U.S. generals want Israel to have a missile defense system that will be able to be used to protect U.S. troops in the region as well as our ally, the State of Israel. Also, as one of my colleagues mentioned earlier, we increase the chance for peace if potential adversaries know not only that we have a strong offensive power, but that we have a strong defense. So if they know that whatever they shoot at us won't land, won't blow up on us, and that we will then respond with overwhelming power and they haven't laid a glove on us, so to speak, then they will be deterred. They will say, gee, if I throw everything at them and it won't work because they are protected by this anti-missile system, and they will respond overwhelmingly, why the heck should we fire at them in the first place. That is why a missile defense system for the United States has been so important. That's why a missile defense system for our number one strategic military ally in the region, the Jewish State of Israel, is so important for the United States. It will help protect Israel. It will help protect American troops in the region, and it will help reduce the chances of war if those who want to destroy Israel know Israel can survive an attack and then be ready with its own offensive response. I thank the gentleman for offering this bill, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it as well.

Mr. ROTHMAN

Mr. ROTHMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the New Jersey Legislature's declaration of April 28th as Denim Day and to thank advocates across the state for their tireless efforts to promote sexual assault awareness and provide assistance to victims of sexual assault. Recently, New Jersey became the newest state to adopt Denim Day as an annual event to raise awareness for acts of sexual assault. The establishment of Denim Day across the state of New Jersey is an important call to action reminding us that we must do everything possible as a community and as a nation of laws to stop rape and sexual assault and help survivors. Denim Day originated in 1998, when a decision to overturn a case of sexual assault by the Italian Supreme Court caused outrage among Italian legislators and the public. A statement released by the Head Judge of the Court stated, ``Because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them . . . and by removing the jeans . . . it was no longer assault but consensual sex.'' The women in the Italian Parliament protested by wearing jeans on the steps of the Parliament building and the protests that followed eventually spread to the United States. The movement that originated in Italy reached New Jersey in 2008 and 2009 when several county-based Sexual Violence Programs in New Jersey launched Denim Day. I am proud to say that the YWCA of Bergen County Rape Crisis Center, located in my district, has been a champion of this cause. Today, they will be hosting the third annual ``Denim Day in NJ'' in Bergen County. This is also the first year that Denim Day will be observed officially throughout the state of New Jersey thanks to a New Jersey State Legislature resolution designating April 28 of each year as Denim Day to promote rape awareness throughout the state. I commend the ongoing efforts of the YWCA of Bergen County Rape Crisis Center to provide free and confidential assistance, counseling, and medical and legal services to survivors of sexual assault. I stand united with the YWCA, survivors of sexual assault, and their loved ones in observing this important day.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 80th birthday of George Gallup, Jr., the accomplished son of Dr. George Gallup, Sr., the founder of the renowned Gallup Poll. George Jr. has followed in his father's footsteps; a close friend described George as a ``political junkie,'' a characteristic that clearly runs in the family. It comes as no surprise that George has become so involved and intrigued by the political process, since he has either observed or participated in polling for his entire life. His father pioneered the random sampling technique, which has been used for decades to gauge public opinion on everything from presidential approval to the economy. He also founded the George H. Gallup International Institute, of which George Jr. is the current Chairman. In this role, George Jr. oversees preeminent economists, psychologists, and sociologists all over the world in their efforts to investigate what people think about the most pressing issues of the day. George is from Princeton, New Jersey and has been a lifelong advocate for children's rights locally and nationally. He has made the world a safer place for kids through working closely with Child Lures Prevention, an organization which helps protect children from violence, drugs, and sexual abuse. He also wrote a passionate letter to President Obama in support of the organization and the admirable cause for which it fights. George would agree that the influence of the Gallup Poll over the past 75 years has been much more than symbolic--the organization has provided our political leaders and lawmakers with objective, unbiased information about the ever-shifting values and expectations of the American people. In short, polling makes the government more responsive and accountable to the electorate. Madam Speaker, I know that my colleagues will join me in honoring a man who has been instrumental in keeping our leaders honest and the American public informed.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 62nd Anniversary of the Jewish State of Israel. On April 19, 2010, Israel celebrated Yom Ha'atzmaut, the national Independence Day of Israel, which commemorates its founding in 1948. In that spirit, the following is an op-ed I wrote regarding the benefits of U.S. aid to Israel. Rothman: The Dividends of U.S. Support For Israel--April 13, 2010--The Record. The argument that American military aid to Israel is damaging to the United States is not only erroneous, it hurts the national security interests of this country and threatens the survival of Israel. U.S. support for Israel is essential, not only for Israel's national security, but for America's. Every bit of that support--and more--withstands all reasonable scrutiny. Under the 2010 U.S. budget, about $75 billion, $65 billion and $3.25 billion will be spent on military operations and aid in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan during this fiscal year, respectively. Israel will receive $3 billion, in military aid only. There is no economic aid to Israel, other than loan guarantees that continue to be repaid in full and on time. There isn't enough space here to discuss the relative merits of the expenditures in these other countries, but we already know the critically important return we get for helping our oldest, most trusted ally in the strategically important Middle East--the most powerful military force in that region, the pro-United States, pro-West and democratic Jewish state of Israel. Here's how: First, it's important to remember that about 70 percent of the $3 billion aid must be used by Israel to purchase American military equipment. This provides real support for U.S. high-tech defense jobs and contributes to maintaining our industrial base. This helps the United States stay at the very top in the manufacturing of our own cutting-edge military munitions, aircraft, vehicles, missiles and virtually every defensive and offensive weapon in the U.S. arsenal--with the added contribution of Israel's renowned technical know-how. Second, the United States and Israel are jointly developing state-of-the-art missile defense capabilities in the David's Sling and Arrow 3 systems. These two technologies build on the already successful Arrow 2, jointly developed by our two countries, which is already providing missile defense security to Israel and U.S. civilians and ground troops throughout the region. A multiplier effect The knowledge we gain from these efforts also has a positive multiplier effect on applications to other US. military and non-military uses and jobs here. Third, given Israel's strategic location on the Mediterranean, with access to the Red Sea and other vital international shipping and military lanes of commerce and traffic, it is critically important to the United States that Israel continue to serve as a port of call for our troops, ships, aircraft and intelligence operations. Israel also has permitted the United States to stockpile arms, fuel, munitions and other supplies on its soil to be accessed whenever America needs them in the region. Fourth, America's special relationship with Israel provides us with real-time, minute-to-minute access to one of the best, intelligence services in the world: Israel's. With Israeli agents gathering intelligence and taking action throughout the Middle East and, literally, around the world, regarding al-Qaida, Hezbollah, Iran and Hamas, the US. receives invaluable information about anti-U.S. and terrorist organizations and regimes. Fifth, imagine the additional terrible cost in U.S. blood, and the hundreds of billions more of American taxpayer dollars, if Saddam Hussein had developed nuclear weapons, or if Syria possessed them. Then remember that it was Israel that destroyed the almost- completed nuclear reactor at Osirak, Iraq, in 1981 and Syria's nuclear facility under construction at Deir-ez-Zor in 2007. And think about the many operations that Israel's Defense Forces and intelligence agents have undertaken to foil, slow and disrupt Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapons capability. A nuclear-armed Iran would threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans in the region, all of Iran's Arab neighbors, the world's largest oil supplies and those who rely on that oil. Access to lethal Iranian technology It also would provide anti-U.S. terrorists with access to the most lethal Iranian technology and probably set off a nuclear arms race in the region. For about 2 percent of what the United States spends in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan this year, Americans can take pride in the return on our investment in aid to Israel. And with Israel's truly invaluable assistance to America's vital national security, we can take comfort that--in actions seen in Tehran and Damascus and noticed by al-Qaida and other anti-U.S. terrorists everywhere--the United States is safer and made more secure because of the mutually dependent and beneficial relationship between us and Israel.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth and celebrate with them on their 150th Anniversary of service and dedication to serving their Church and community. The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth come from a long legacy of public service that stretches back to the 19th century. This legacy is interwoven with the founding and development of the Catholic Church in New Jersey. Under the authority of the first American bishop, Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore, Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton founded the American Sisters of Charity in 1809 in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Fifty years later, Sister Mary Xavier Mehegan was assigned by the New York Sisters of Charity to take charge of the new community that the first Bishop of Newark, James Roosevelt Bayley, nephew of Mother Seton, wished to establish. Following the example of Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, the new community was formally ordered and established in Newark, New Jersey on September 29, 1859. The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth founded the Academy of Saint Elizabeth, the first secondary school for young women in the state, near Morristown in 1860. In 1899, at a time when New Jersey had no baccalaureate-degree-granting college for women, Sister Mary Xavier Mehegan founded the College of Saint Elizabeth, New Jersey's oldest four-year college for women and one of the first colleges for women in the United States. Under Sister Mehegan's leadership, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth moved their ministries beyond New Jersey to Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. Following her passing, they further expanded their work into China, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. While their endeavors continued to grow and expand abroad, they did not hesitate to toil restlessly for those who were disadvantaged and discriminated against at home. During the period of segregation, the Sisters of Charity opened a school for black children in Pensacola, Florida. The Sisters truly believe it to be self evident that all men, women and children are created equal. From this rich history, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth have become a beacon of hope throughout the community. Their mission is to work with and for the poor, to alleviate suffering, to dispel ignorance, and to promote justice. They participate in the mission of the Catholic Church through ministry supported and nourished by prayer and a vowed life of service to the community. The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth serve as a true example of selflessness and service. They continue to embody President John F. Kennedy's grand instruction: ``Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.'' Madam Speaker, I know that my colleagues will join with me in honoring the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth for their 150 years of faithful service to New Jersey.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I've been in Congress now-- this is my 14th year. A lot of people don't know about the quality of some of the people who are here in the Congress. A lot of people in this country find it funny to ridicule elected officials in general--Members of Congress in particular. I am going to talk to you about a great American, a great human being. But there are many others like him, in a sense, with the patriotism and grace and greatness that he possessed. Grace, generosity, and greatness: Jack Murtha. This was my fourth year serving on Mr. Murtha's defense subcommittee, and I was wondering how this giant of a man--physical giant, powerful, legislatively powerful man, would accept this guy from Jersey on his subcommittee. But he had such grace. He welcomed me with great civility and gentility. He was tough. He was so generous to me. He was generous to everyone on the committee. He believed in bipartisanship absolutely, completely and totally, especially when it came to the security of our beloved country, the United States of America. So he took the best ideas from wherever they came--Democrat, Republican, liberal, or conservative. He just wanted what was best for America. To talk about generosity, he even let me, a New Jersey guy, into the Pennsylvania corner. I was tickled by it. I was honored. For most of my years here when I was not on his subcommittee, I would see him over there in his corner, and I would see the people flocking around him from Pennsylvania and elsewhere, coming as if truly just to get an audience with just a great man, a great human being, to get advice, to get direction, to get support. He always made you feel as if he was interested in your point of view. He asked me what books I read. When I told him, he said, I want to read that book, and he did. He made you feel like you were making a contribution. The greatness of Jack Murtha--aside from being a great husband and father and war hero and devoted representative of the people of Johnstown and his congressional district--part of his greatness was his expectations, his expectations about what it meant to be an American, someone committed to equal justice, equal opportunity, and integrity. His integrity was unquestioned and unquestionable. I just hope that we remember, Madam Speaker, when we think of this great, gracious, generous, gentle giant, Jack Murtha, we remember not only his expectations for himself, but we remember his expectations for each of us. He had it of his staff, he had it of his committee members, he had it of all of his colleagues of the House that we behave as true American patriots and leave America stronger, freer, more just, and a greater Nation--as great as he believed America to be. He demanded greatness from all of us and that we pass on that legacy for our country, our fellow countrymen and women, for generations to come. Thank you, Mr. Murtha, for all you have done for us, and we hope to repay all that you have done for us by giving back to our country and creating the kind of country that you fought so hard to make. We will never forget you, sir. Thank you. God bless you.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Father Joseph Kukura, President of the Catholic Health Care Partnership of New Jersey, who passed away on February 1, 2010.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, Wednesday, November 18, 2009, due to illness, and at the advice of my doctor, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 896: Passage of H. Con Res. 214. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, due to illness, and at the advice of my doctor, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 897: Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule for H.R. 3791. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, due to illness, and at the advice of my doctor, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 898: Passage of H. Res. 909. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, due to illness, and at the advice of my doctor, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 899: On agreeing to the Perlmutter (CO) Amendment. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, due to illness, and at the advice of my doctor, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 900: On agreeing to the Flake (AZ) Amendment. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Mr. Speaker, due to illness, and at the advice of my doctor, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 901: On Passage of H.R. 3791. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, November 19, 2009, due to my required participation in a classified national security meeting, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 905: On Passage of H.R. 2781. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, due to my required participation in a classified national security meeting, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 906: On Passage of H. Con. Res. 212. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to mark the beginning of the third annual Blood Management Awareness Week. November 2nd through November 6th has been designated as Blood Management Awareness Week by the Society for the Advancement of Blood Management. This event is dedicated to educating patients and healthcare workers about blood management and blood issues. Blood management is the appropriate provision and use of blood and its components and derivatives, and strategies to reduce or avoid the need for a blood transfusion. Optimal patient blood management employs technology and techniques to decrease blood loss and to enhance blood cell production. It reduces risks and costs associated with blood transfusion through transfusion-free medical and surgical techniques. I would also like to recognize the important work of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, which is located in my congressional district, to further the goals and ideals of this important event. The Hospital's Institute for Patient Blood Management and Bloodless Medicine and Surgery is a world-renowned leader in patient blood management. I commend the physicians of the Institute for their commitment to improving patient outcomes and educating the medical community about best practices in blood management.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. I thank the chairman. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the conference agreement on the 2010 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. I want to thank our distinguished chairman, Chairman Price, and our distinguished ranking member, Mr. Rogers, for their outstanding leadership on this bill, and my colleagues on the subcommittee for their outstanding work. First, I would like to remind my colleagues that I come from one of the most densely populated regions in the most densely populated State in the United States, northern New Jersey. This area contains many high-risk terrorist targets. So I understand, as do my constituents, how vitally important this funding is to our region's and our Nation's security. The bill provides, for example, our first responders with excellent resources for the training, equipment and personnel we need to keep our communities safe. It includes $60 million for emergency operations centers, $810 million for local fire departments, and $950 million to protect high- risk urban areas from terrorist attacks. It provides $300 million for port security grants to stop the flow of illegal drugs from coming into this country. It also increases resources for our Customs and Border Protection by over $10 billion to combat drugs and weapons smuggling. In closing, Madam Speaker, this bill, the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill, honors the commitment we made to provide our first responders with the best training and equipment available to keep our ports safe and our borders safe and all of our citizens safe from the terror that lurks out there by individuals still seeking to do us harm.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I would like to submit the following article entitled ``Obama, the Economy and Community Colleges.'' This article was printed in the Bergen Record on September 15, 2009: [From the Bergen Record, Sept. 15, 2009] Obama, the Economy and Community Colleges (By G. Jeremiah Ryan) If most experts are to be believed, the recession has bottomed out and we are about to begin the process of rebuilding our economy. While this is good news, it is hardly comforting to the thousands of New Jerseyans who are out of work or underemployed. That's because although business activity is starting to pick up, job creation isn't. In fact, the same experts who are predicting the start of an economic rebound readily admit that the labor market will continue to deteriorate well into next year, and they expect the unemployment rate to hit double digits. The question, then, is: What can we do to prevent further erosion in the job market and jump-start employment? President Obama answered that question back in July when, in a major public policy address, he unveiled a plan to spend $12 billion over the next 10 years to help the nation's community colleges train people for the jobs that will be needed in tomorrow's economy. Partnership By looking to community colleges for help, the president is harnessing a job-training infrastructure that already exists. No need to reinvent the wheel. Two-year colleges have been preparing students for employment for as long as they have existed. More recently, they have taken the lead in partnering with government agencies to provide customized job training for businesses in their communities. Bergen Community College and the Bergen County Workforce Improvement Board came together this summer to help supermarket retailer Whole Foods train 300 of its employees at stores in Paramus and Edgewater. The board helped arrange a $1 million training grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, while the college developed training budgets and schedules, and located instructors for computer courses, as well as for classes in customer service and basic supervision. Obama is not the only one to recognize the value of community colleges. The public has, too. This fall, many two- year colleges saw sharp increases in enrollment. As of the first day of classes, Bergen Community College had enrolled 16,769 students, a 17 percent increase over last year. Two-year colleges are also preparing students to join the workforce in a relatively short period of time. Labor market experts believe that in the future there will be a strong supply of jobs for people who have two-year degrees or occupational certificates. In fact, these so-called ``middle- skill'' jobs--nurses, hotel managers, paralegals, etc.--make up about 50 percent of the labor market in New Jersey and pay above-average salaries. A licensed practical nurse, for example, earned a median salary of $46,800 in 2006, well above the $35,838 median salary for all occupations in New Jersey that year. Flexibility To have a lasting impact on the economy, it will be important to prepare students for jobs in industries that are growing and have a future. A hallmark of county colleges has been their ability and willingness to add courses of study that are in demand by the communities they serve. This year, Bergen Community College added nine more degree programs in subjects such as non-profit management, homeland security, fire science and sports management. When you add them to the existing curricula, Bergen students have 140 programs of study to choose from, each leading to a rewarding career. Obama's speech was a beginning, a recognition that the path to improving employment must include community colleges. Many details need to be worked out, but we have the know-how and experience to help people get back to work. G. Jeremiah Ryan is president of Bergen Community College in Paramus.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life--and mourn the passing--of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) Aviation Director William DeCota. Bill DeCota was appointed director of the world's largest aviation system in 1999. As Aviation Director for PANYNJ, he supervised the management of a diverse portfolio of airports, from international hubs like Laguardia and Kennedy to Teterboro, a general aviation reliever airport located in my congressional district in New Jersey. Before assuming the position of Aviation Director, Bill served PANYNJ as Deputy Director of Aviation, Assistant Director for Business and Properties, and Manager of Business and Financial Services for the Aviation Department. In all aspects of discharging his responsibilities, Bill was superlative. He oversaw the largest airport improvement program in the history of the United States, and he brought his keen expertise of airport congestion to bear on one of the Nation's most crowded air corridors. During my time in Congress, I have fought to reduce airport overcrowding and aircraft noise pollution, as well as increase safety at Teterboro and all of our national airports. In that fight, Bill was an ally, partner, mentor, and friend. His institutional knowledge and acute understanding of the difficulties faced by people living near airports, as well as his consistent good humor and positive outlook, made him indispensible. He will be sorely missed. In the wake of his untimely passing, Bill leaves a legacy of safer air travel and improved quality of life for airport neighbors. He gave back to the community as richly and generously in his personal life as he did in his career, serving--in addition to positions on a variety of aviation-related boards--as president of the Queens Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Madam Speaker, Bill DeCota was a public servant of the highest order; humble, capable and knowledgeable. I rise today to applaud his achievements, mourn his passing, and express my heartfelt condolences to his friends, family and coworkers. New Jersey, and the country, are poorer for having lost him.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to this amendment. First I would like to thank Chairman Visclosky, Chairman Pastor, Ranking Member Frelinghuysen and all the Energy and Water Subcommittee members for their leadership on this important legislation and their support for this project. This is a good bill, and this is a good project. It will protect America's waterways and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. This amendment that the gentleman from Arizona offers would remove funding for a project that would speed the transition of biotechnology from the laboratory to the marketplace. Since 1989, Mr. Chairman, the Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research has steered more than $122 million towards energy research projects that are chosen on the basis of scientific merit and their importance for building a renewable energy economy, especially from biomass. The consortium works with more than 50 research universities in the United States of America and matches those universities with private entities, which transform their lab work into technology that can be introduced into the economy, creating jobs in the rapidly growing alternative energy sector. This is a picture of a wonderful public-private partnership that so many on both sides of the aisle talk about. Through the Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research, the Federal dollars made available by this earmark are matched 130 percent with non-Federal funds so that for every $1 the government puts in, the private sector puts in $1.30, for a total of $2.30 worth of research. Recently, Mr. Chairman, Rutgers University in my home State of New Jersey partnered with the Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research. Rutgers' work is focused on creating plants that require less fertilizer to grow, the result being less energy used in the manufacture of fertilizer, cheaper crops and easily produced biomass that can be converted into clean energy. The result is tremendously efficient research that is cheaper, that will give us better crops and the next generation of clean, renewable biofuels. Mr. Chairman, if we're going to combat global warming and break America's dependence on foreign oil, investing in research into the next generation of locally generated, renewable biofuels is crucial. The Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research facilitates exactly that, and I am proud to support this earmark. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. May I ask the Chair how much time is remaining.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. I yield 2 minutes to our distinguished chairman, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor).

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. I thank the chairman. There are good investments, and there are bad investments. I think one would find it difficult and unreasonable to say that in the present world economic climate, as well as energy climate, that the United States doesn't need to do more to become energy independent. We do need to do more. This is a public-private partnership involving 50 research universities in the United States, where for every dollar of Federal money, the private sector invests $1.30 to come up with ways to provide renewable energy in a clean fashion and clean, green American jobs. I urge opposition to this amendment.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. I thank my distinguished chairwoman. I rise today in strong support of this bill. First, I would like to thank Chairwoman Lowey for her amazing leadership, and as well our ranking member, Kay Granger, who is not with us, and my fellow subcommittee members, including Congressman Kirk, who is taking the lead on the floor today for the great leadership efforts that they have shown in ensuring that this bill puts partisan differences behind, and that this bill makes sure that we promote our Nation's foreign policy and national security interests by funding economic development, health, and education around the world, and diplomacy. This bill also includes in particular language that would improve transparency and accountability, Mr. Chairman, at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East, commonly called UNRWA. For almost 60 years, UNRWA has provided humanitarian services to Palestinians living in refugee camps throughout the Middle East. Unfortunately, as UNRWA has grown over the years, it has not taken nearly enough steps to ensure that it does not employ, affiliate with, or provide benefits to known terrorists. The problem with UNRWA is fundamental. There is a remarkable lack of available information. That is why I am so grateful to Chairwoman Lowey and our ranking member and my colleagues for including in the bill requirements that the information available regarding textbooks being used to teach the next generation of Palestinians be provided, and more money being provided for that information, and to require the State Department to undertake a review of those educational materials and UNRWA schools to ensure that there are no calls for hatred or intolerance, including anti-Semitism, in these textbooks provided by UNRWA to the Palestinian refugees. In addition, the legislation requires the State Department to report on whether UNRWA is complying with current U.S. law, which states appropriately that no American taxpayer dollars be directed to terrorists or to further terrorist propaganda. I stand in strong support of this bill. I thank my distinguished chairwoman and my colleagues for this wonderful bill and I urge its passage.

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey

Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. I yield to the ranking member.