Max Rose

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today in memory of Dr. Ahmad Jaber, who passed away last week after a lifetime spent building New York's thriving Muslim-American community. Dr. Jaber was a towering figure who rose from humble origins. He was a proud Palestinian who won prestigious scholarships to study medicine in Iraq, Jordan, and later to do his residency in this great country. As a young doctor, Dr. Jaber had done and seen more than most people do in a lifetime, but he did not stop there. He built his medical practice in Sunset Park into a thriving business, personally delivering more than 5,000 babies. He attended to his community's spiritual needs, and he was a fixture at his mosque, providing financial support as well as translating sermons or offering medical assistance. Dr. Jaber helped found numerous organizations throughout his life, which now carry on his legacy of strengthening the Muslim-American community in New York and around the country. We need more people like Dr. Jaber in this country, people who leave their mark on society through humble and dedicated work on behalf of their community. We are forever grateful to have benefited from Dr. Jaber's presence, and he will be so deeply missed. Allah yerhamo.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, this may be the last time I get to address this hallowed Chamber, and for that I am grateful for this opportunity. I want to start by thanking my staff. It may come as a surprise to some of my colleagues, as well as the press, but I do have some flaws. My staff worked with me for 2 years--some of them even longer--and together we--not me, we--accomplished an extraordinary amount for the great people of southern Brooklyn and Staten Island. As I leave to pursue new adventures, I want to depart, though, with a few words of optimism for our great country, as well as a warning. We live in a tough time for truth, and it is causing faith in our government to corrode. There is not a person in this Chamber who thinks the American people trust us. There is not a person sitting here right now who thinks the American people believe in our government. This didn't happen overnight. It was death by a thousand disappointments, a thousand scandals, and a thousand lives broken by politicians who mock a virus until it kills their neighbor; who carve us up into blue States and red States, yet have the nerve to question someone else's patriotism; who saw no problem whatsoever giving a trillion-dollar tax cut to Big Pharma and companies that are killing our planet, but then they clutch their pearls when we say we want to be there for poor people and when we say we want to be there for the most vulnerable. During my few years in politics, I have seen how we can beat back this festering cynicism: when we fight like hell for what is right, especially for those who need us most, when we bring converts to our side by promoting truth where there is injustice, and by appealing to common sense and--God forbid--humanity. I have seen constituents who thought their government was there only to screw them over; begin to hope that maybe that wasn't the case when we passed the Victim Compensation Fund; and when we cut through the red tape to finally begin the construction of the East Shore Seawall, the largest resiliency project in New York City history. I saw it when we reunited families torn apart by the racist Muslim ban and when we secured millions to combat the opioid epidemic. In retrospect, those were the good days. Then there were days when it felt like our politics was absolutely irredeemable, when a peaceful march for justice in my community was used as a weapon to tell my constituents that it is impossible to believe that Black Lives Matter while also believing that the vast majority of police officers are heroes. Those marchers were called thugs and they were called rioters just for believing that peaceful protests could change this country. The public was told that their movement was dangerous and not something you should listen to but something you should be afraid of. Yet for those who saw it with their own eyes, the truth cut through all those smears. I remember being outside of a supermarket. It was raining, and I was miserable. An off-duty police officer came up to talk to me. He assured me he was no Democrat, but he had been working that day of the march. He had been skeptical, but those young men and women changed his mind, and he was proud of them. That officer saw past the lies and past the differences others have used to divide us. He witnessed his fellow Americans in pain, and for him it changed everything. In typical Staten Island fashion, though, right after, he told me he wasn't going to vote for me and that I was going to lose for a thousand other reasons. But conversations like that refreshed my memory and my faith that this country can one day live up to its promise. We can put the government back on the side of working people from New York City to Washington, D.C., and everywhere in between. That is the America we know is possible: One where, in the face of unimaginable vitriol, we don't hate back; in the face of unimaginable adversity, we don't give up fighting until it doesn't matter what you look like and where you come from, but in this country you can accomplish your dreams--a safe America, a just America, our America. In light of recent electoral results, some have begun to wonder if Democrats should soft-pedal the fight for equal justice, if they should take a step back from fighting for economic security or even just give up. I am here to say absolutely not. This cannot wait. Justice cannot wait. If you aren't willing to risk everything to build a better country, then you do not belong here in the first place. Mr. Speaker, to close, representing Staten Island and south Brooklyn has been the honor of my life. On behalf of Leigh, Miles, and myself, I thank the people of the 11th Congressional District for this extraordinary privilege. I am not sure what life has in store for us, but I will be on the front lines making sure our city and our country live up to its promise. May God bless my colleagues with the strength to do what is right, and may God bless this great country.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Illinois for yielding her time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 5736, the Transnational White Supremacist Review Act. Today, our country faces a wide range of complex threats to our safety, our security, and our way of life. Not only are American families having to keep their communities safe and their economy together in the face of COVID, but in large swaths of the country, they are doing so while dealing with more frequent and catastrophic natural disasters. Sadly, though, amidst all of this, terrorism does not stop. The homeland security threat posed by white supremacist extremists is pervasive and persistent. Extremists exploit such crises as we are in right now. Often, this involves the targeting of the most vulnerable in society. Earlier this year, the Directors of the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center testified before our committee regarding the unrelenting nature of bad actors during times like these. Both testified to the significant homeland security threat posed by racially motivated domestic actors, primarily white supremacist extremists. In my capacity as chair of the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Subcommittee, I have joined with my colleagues to raise the alarm about this threat. In carrying out my work on the committee, I have identified a common theme. And that is, plain and simple, that this white supremacist domestic terrorist problem is, in fact, not domestic at all. It is global in nature. Look no further than the deadly attacks in El Paso, Texas, and Poway, California, last year. The U.S. experienced firsthand the ramifications of an international white supremacist movement when two domestic actors independently drew inspiration from the foreign terrorists who committed the Christchurch, New Zealand, attack. Troublingly, there are reports that white supremacist groups have adapted recruitment tactics and begun using training camps modeled after jihadist groups like al-Qaida and ISIS. Just last week, a former Trump administration counterterrorism official confirmed that training by foreign groups is happening when she acknowledged that there have been instances when our foreign counterterrorism partners have alerted us to the fact that U.S. citizens were in their countries to conduct trainings or participate in trainings with white supremacist movements. These foreign partners told this former official that the U.S. is an exporter of this ideology and must address this problem. This is exactly what this bill today seeks to address, a bill designed to send a message to our foreign partners that Congress hears them and is taking action. This bill would require DHS to produce and circulate a threat assessment on foreign violent white supremacist extremist groups to local law enforcement. It would also push social media companies to do so much more in addressing this threat. Crucially, this bill includes civil rights and civil liberty safeguards as well. Countering white supremacy will require a whole-of-society approach, education, awareness, and so on. Through our work on this committee, we found that Americans stay safest when law enforcement at all levels is equipped with the best available information. This bill makes sure that our frontline responders in the law enforcement community have just that. It is endorsed by the ADL, an expert advocacy group that has tracked the white supremacist threat for decades. It is also endorsed by the Blue Dog Coalition, a group that looks past partisanship and advocates for commonsense national security solutions. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on its passage.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Ms. Madeleine Brennan, a legend in Dyker Heights and a testament to the idea that great schools begin with great leaders. For 50 years, Madeleine served as the principal of Dyker Heights Intermediate School, making her the longest serving principal in New York City history and perhaps the entire country. She loved her job so much that even when her pension and 401(k) meant that she could make more money in retirement, she kept on working. That passion inspired many of her students to not only become teachers themselves, but to return to Dyker Heights Intermediate School to work on her staff. Ms. Brennan passed away this past April, but her legacy lives on in the thousands of lives she influenced over the years. She will be dearly missed.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Mr. Louis Antonelli, an amazing husband, father, grandfather, and someone who served his community and his church with love and with compassion. Louis loved to serve, and he took pride in his work as a member of the New York City FOP and in his service on the board of the South Beach Civic Association. And although he was no stranger to tragedy with the loss of his beloved son, he never lost his joy or his passion for others. He loved to entertain guests, and when they would come and visit, you would never find him without a smile, a piece of candy, or some kind words to share. He will be missed, but he will never be forgotten. My heart goes out to Angela, his adoring wife of over 60 years, his two daughters, and his five grandchildren. Mr. Antonelli, we will never forget your memory.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank, of course, the chairman of this committee and my wonderful colleague from Michigan for her friendship and her extraordinary leadership. I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 3659, otherwise known as Danny's Law. This bill will establish a roundtable of experts and stakeholders to study and report on the problem of bullying in our schools. This isn't a new problem, but it is one that is increasingly more prevalent and increasingly more complex. Kids today don't just face bullying at school. They bring it home with them as well, home on their phones, home on their computers. It is all over social media. Addressing this problem will require a head-on commitment nationwide to end bullying, one that involves not just lawmakers as ourselves, but every single person in this Nation, private sector, public sector, everyone. I hope this bill will be a first step toward instilling emotional literacy in our young people so that they can see the common humanity amongst each other and grow to be empathetic adults. I sincerely hope that we can model that behavior as well for them. In times like this, when our country is growing ever more divided, we need to be teaching our children not the art of division but how to accept one another, respect each other, work with each other. Danny Fitzpatrick was one of those people. He was a boy who loved to love. He accepted each person as they are and always found in them a shared humanity. Society, our society, allowed a beautiful young boy like Danny to be bullied so horribly that he took his own life at 13 years old. This should not happen in America. This cannot happen in America, not to any family. But his mother, Danny's mother, took her pain and she made it her mission to ensure that no other family experiences this agony. We cannot get Danny back. We cannot erase his family's pain.

Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, we cannot get Danny back. We cannot erase his family's pain. But what we can do right here is give Danny's life meaning and protect all of America's children, our children, by passing this bill. Madam Speaker, I once again want to thank the staff, Chairman Scott, and Ranking Member Foxx for bringing this overdue bill to the floor. I urge my colleagues, on behalf of America's children, to vote ``yes.''

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, I would like to acknowledge today the efforts of Robert Reilly, who throughout this turbulent year has gone out of his way to support his workforce at RTR Financial on Staten Island. It is well known within RTR Financial that when you work for Mr. Reilly you become part of the family; he often says that ``family comes first.'' During the early months of pandemic, Mr. Reilly exemplified these values by ensuring that every single employee had their needs met. He became an early adopter of remote-work to keep his employees safe, and invested in his employees to make sure they were properly equipped for this new environment. Mr. Reilly's kindness did not stop there, for he continues to support his workplace family through the transition back to the office. Robert has consistently reassured his employees as well as keeping them informed about local testing initiatives. Packages of sanitizer and other safety equipment are given to employees weekly, and Mr. Reilly has allowed many to continue their remote-work indefinitely. I want to thank him for setting a positive example and for proving that the best way for businesses to navigate these tough times is by investing in the safety and well-being of their employees.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of my constituent Levester Thompson, who was taken from us far too soon after battling COVID-19. Growing up in a small Virginia town of 300, LT aspired to move to the big city, inspired to work as a banker in Manhattan. He commuted 2\1/2\ hours every day from Staten Island to pursue that dream. As he got older, he realized there is so much more to life, so he returned to his true passion, his true passion for sports, working as an equipment manager for NYU's athletics department and spending more time helping his children, Jade and Chase, realize their own passions. LT was a larger-than-life character, a coach, a mentor, someone with a great sense of humor, and a smile that will be so dearly missed. LT, you will forever live in our memory.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me today in extending our best wishes for my constituent, Mr. Alfred Burgreen, for his 101st birthday. The son of European immigrants, Alfred was born in New York City on August 15, 1919. He lived through the Great Depression and went on to serve in the 82nd Airborne where he helped liberate Europe from the Nazis. After he was wounded during the invasion of Sicily, Mr. Burgreen returned home, married Shirley Feldman, and attended Columbia University under the G.I. bill. He continued to dedicate his life to civil service and to raising a family of three children, six grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. His children describe him as an inveterate letter writer and a gracious host who is always willing to reach out and offer a friendly ear or some words of wisdom-- including the three most important lessons he passed on to his children: be empathetic, get an education, and always root for the Mets. Now, for the past 40 years, Mr. Burgreen has lived in Brooklyn surrounded by his incredibly loving support system. He's the oldest surviving member of the 82nd Airborne, a unit that he still continues to support to this day. Just a few years ago, a professor reached out to Mr. Burgreen asking for help writing his history of the 82nd Airborne. Not only did Alfred provide everything he'd kept from his days in the Army--photos, rosters, you name it--but he actually provided details about three soldiers who were listed as Missing in Action, details that might help the Army investigate and give closure to the families. This is just one example of Alfred Burgreen's incredible compassion and ability to keep people connected. So once again, I ask all of my colleagues to join me today in thanking Mr. Alfred Burgreen for his service to our nation and in wishing this hero not just a happy 101st birthday, but many more to come.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I will begin by thanking the gentlewoman. I am a fourth generation New Yorker. I am a Jew. I am a vet. And you are a hero. It has been such an incredible honor to serve with you. Thank you for so much. I also thank Congressman Ruiz for partnering on this effort I would like to speak on today. I rise today in support of our amendment to increase appropriations for Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act grants, because when it comes to our law enforcement, the last thing that we should ever do is pinch pennies. There are few in this Chamber, heck, a few in this country, who know what it means to put your life on the line every single day for years in the service of others. Well, that is what the NYPD does every single day, and they do not get the appreciation that they deserve. That is as true today as it ever has been. What law enforcement across the country deserves is our support, not just with our words, but with our budgetary decisions, because while our Nation confronts the realities of systemic racism both in our history and in our everyday life, the future that we must build is one based around unity. It is one where there is trust between the community and those who protect us. It is a future, though, where we also acknowledge that law enforcement officials are up to three times as likely to die from suicide as they are in the line of duty. Our officers have faced daily horrors during this pandemic. We have called them essential workers. They have always been essential. Something must be done in these hallowed Chambers. That is exactly what this program is for. It allows police departments to use these funds in a way that works best for their officers. That is why I am honored to offer this amendment yet another year with Dr. Ruiz. Each and every day, officers in my community on Staten Island and South Brooklyn are hugging their children, hugging their partners, their spouses good-bye, not knowing if they are going to return home. That is a stress that they live with every day that none of us can relate to. This program must be advanced in honor of their service.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of Fred Cerullo, Jr., a family man, a business owner, and a fellow Army vet. For more than 40 years, Mr. Cerullo welcomed friends and neighbors to Owl's Head Service Center, the business his father established in Bay Ridge in 1956. He treated everyone who stopped by this neighborhood landmark as if they were family, so much so that even those who did not own a car would stop by to visit Fred. After serving in the Army at Fort Dix, Fred passed his devotion on to his children, to include his son, Fred, my dear friend, who served New York City as a four-term city councilman and in several other roles in city government. Today, my heart goes out to Fred Cerullo's family and to everyone whom he touched in such a wonderful way. May he rest in peace. We will never forget Fred's incredible legacy.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairwoman Lowey for the opportunity to bring this critical amendment to the floor. Her leadership of the Committee is matched only by her commitment to combat the nefarious rise of anti-Semitism around the world, and unfortunately here at home. I encourage my colleagues to support my amendment to the FY2021 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations bill, to increase the Diplomatic Policy and Support account by $500,000 in order to double the amount allocated for the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism (SEAS), Elan Carr. Over the last year, we've seen an increase in anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence directed against Jewish communities in the United States as well as around the world. In my home city of New York, hate crimes spiked by 72 percent over the same period last year. We've also seen distressing cases of violence, like the terror attacks in Monsey during the celebration of Hanukkah and the assault against a synagogue in Halle, Germany. We've even seen anti-Semites target Jewish Members of Congress like me for daring to stand up to them. It is clear that need to be investing, now more than ever, to monitoring and combatting anti- Semitism wherever it rears its head. The Office of the Special Envoy, and especially Special Envoy Carr, have done incredible work addressing this rise in global anti-Semitism. Yet the office currently has only three dedicated full-time staffers, including the Special Envoy himself, and a number of detailees. The critical work of the Special Envoy and his Assistant Envoys requires the staff and the commensurate budget with which to confront this challenge. By doubling the amount allocated for the office, the Special Envoy will be able to hire more staff, to include specialists and operations support, as well as increase their activities identifying anti-Semitism and sharing best practices with Jewish communities around the world. This amendment will provide a much-needed investment at a critical time for Jews around the world. I urge its inclusion in the House Appropriations package, and thank my colleagues for their support.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the NO BAN Act to finally repeal the racist and discriminatory Muslim bans that have stained our Nation for the past 3 years. The Muslim ban undermines everything that this great country stands for, the greatest country in the history of the world. It has torn apart my constituents' families and trapped their loved ones in war zones and refugee camps. It has made Muslim Americans feel like second class citizens in their very own country. They are Americans just as much as I. This ban has done nothing to make us safe. Senator John McCain, in fact, once called the ban a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism. The administration's own officials admit this does absolutely nothing to protect our country. The State Department says that just one-tenth of 1 percent of the people blocked from this country under the Muslim ban was deemed a security risk. Those stats do not lie. DHS cannot point to a single threat that our existing immigration policies and systems would not have handled. If we are going to fight for this country to fulfill its promise, this ban must be overturned.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. Jim Smith, a dedicated community advocate, a mentor, and the Father of Gay Pride on Staten Island. Jim was the consummate Staten Islander. As a kid, he was the Staten Island Advance paperboy and a standout at Curtis High School. He went on to serve his country in the Coast Guard and honored his fellow veterans by bringing home a Vietnam memorial to West Brighton. But he is best known as one of the founders of Staten Island's Pride Center, where he spent years opening hearts and minds to the idea that love is love. So, it is only fitting that Jim left us on the 51st anniversary of Stonewall, leaving behind countless Staten Islanders whose lives are better for having known him. Today, we honor his incredible life, and I hope next year we can honor him one last time when he looks down and sees the Pride Center finally marching down Forest Avenue in our St. Patrick's Day parade.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment. And, quite frankly, I am dumbfounded. You are aware that this conversation is in public. So I won't put words in your mouth, but I will use your own words. You say today you don't want to consolidate wealth amongst the few. What do you think your tax scam did? This is about workers. You say you are worried about deficit spending. Hallelujah. Suddenly you are worried about it. You weren't worried about deficit spending when it came to endless wars. You weren't worried about deficit spending when it came to a tax scam. This conversation is in public. You don't get to go back to your districts now and say you are on the side of workers. But whose side are you on? Because there is one thing this amendment will do. It will boost corporate profits, it will put money in the hands of billionaires, and it will rip off workers. So today out in public, you reveal yourselves * * *. We are going to make sure that people remember this.

Mr. ROSE of New York. No. * * *.

Mr. ROSE of New York. I would like to say that my colleagues across the aisle----

Mr. ROSE of New York. * * * .

Mr. ROSE of New York. Yes, of course.

Mr. ROSE of New York. I did not mean any disrespect if I caused that. All right?

Mr. ROSE of New York. I am sorry I offended anybody and I withdraw. Thank you again.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his extraordinary leadership on this extraordinary bill. Last year, I stood up right on this floor and asked, ``Where is our infrastructure bill?'' Well, thanks to Chairman DeFazio, we finally have one. This bill allocates $300 billion to rebuild our roads and our bridges so my constituents on Staten Island and in South Brooklyn don't have to pay thousands of dollars a year to repair road damage to their cars. This bill invests $100 billion for more reliable mass transit so my constituents in Brooklyn aren't stuck waiting for an R train, F train, D train, that never seems to arrive. This bill includes my legislation to overturn outdated rules, preventing agencies like the Port Authority and the MTA from using the tolls they collect to provide discounts for commuters, with no other choice but to pay the highest tolls in the country. Eleven months ago, I stood here because we couldn't wait another year. And now I am proud to be able to tell my constituents they won't have to wait. The days of decrepit roads, endless congestion, delayed trains and buses will soon be over.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, over 125,000 Americans dead, economic destruction all around us, and cases spiking across the country. States and cities are facing budget gaps that are going to force our essential workers to get kicked to the curb, all because Mitch McConnell feels zero sense of urgency. Rent and mortgage payments due tomorrow. Taxes due in a few weeks. Small businesses hanging on for their dear life. And Mitch McConnell, sitting on his hands, caring only about politics. Mr. Speaker, what happened in my city is happening in Texas, Arizona, and Florida. These States need our help, too. This is about the people who saved our country, our essential workers, doctors, nurses, cops, firefighters. We passed the HEROES Act. Where is your bill, Mitch? Do something. Do your job because the rest of America is doing theirs right now.

Mr. ROSE of New York

Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with an incredibly heavy heart to honor the life of my dear friend, Reverend Maggie Howard, a woman whose kind soul is impossible to describe in just this 1 minute that I have. From her Stapleton UAME Church on Tompkins Avenue on Staten Island, Reverend Howard led a ministry of service that was impossible to miss. Through her soup kitchen and pantry, she not only opened the doors of her church; she opened her heart and soul to anyone in need. When others might see someone homeless or suffering and look the other way, no, Maggie would offer them a meal or even a job. That love for her community earned her the nickname Stapleton's Mother Teresa, and it was her fierce spirit that allowed her to overcome so many challenges in her life, including fighting through her own health struggles. I know that all of Staten Island is feeling the pain of losing Reverend Howard this young, but I want to close out with words of optimism that were near and dear to her heart: ``No matter what happened yesterday, tomorrow can be better if we start today.'' Today, Staten Islanders are going to come together to honor and celebrate Reverend Howard's life, and we will never forget her memory.