Pete Sessions

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I, too, would join with the gentleman from Massachusetts in enunciating our support of not only the staff members of the Rules Committee and for the hard work that they put in day in and day out and night in and night out but also would join in support of what the gentleman from Massachusetts said when he talked about our colleague Martin Frost. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost) has served for 26 years as a distinguished Member of not only the House of Representatives but also in his service to the people of the 24th Congressional District of Texas. During that period of time the gentleman from Texas has distinguished himself as a person who would articulate not only the position of the Democrat Party but also a position that was very successful in support of veterans all across this country and in many other issues that he so deeply believed in, including a major piece of legislation which was known as the Amber Alert system for children who had been taken from their parents. Mr. Speaker, I include for printing in the Congressional Record a resolution that was passed by the Rules Committee last night, November 18, 2004: Resolution of the House Committee on Rules November 18, 2004 Whereas, Martin Frost has served the United States House of Representatives and the citizens of the United States with excellence since first elected to this body in 1978; Whereas, Martin Frost began developing his extensive political and legislative expertise as a reporter for Congressional Quarterly, and then as a practicing attorney in the Dallas area, while honorably serving the country as a member of the United States Army Reserves; Whereas, Martin Frost has represented the constituents of the 24th district of Texas, serving the citizens of the Dallas and Fort Worth areas for 26 years in the House of Representatives with outstanding diligence and passion. He has taken on issues of importance to the diverse population of his district, such as the active- and reserve-duty military, and Medicare, and has been an integral figure in the creation of the nationwide AMBER Alert system for missing children; Whereas, Martin Frost has utilized his status as the highest ranking Southern Democrat in the House, and as a senior member of the Texas delegation, to address concerns vital to his region, such as transportation issues, veterans affairs and youth violence; Whereas, Martin Frost has exemplified himself as a model of leadership of the Democratic Party in the House, serving in the capacity of chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, as well as chairman of the House Democratic Caucus during his career in Washington, proving himself to be an astute policy and political strategist; Whereas, the Committee on Rules has benefitted greatly by the service of Martin Frost since his appointment to the committee as a freshman in 1978, most recently through his leadership as Ranking Minority Member of the Committee, acting as a sounding board for the Democratic delegation in advocating legislative priorities and providing his extensive knowledge of the House rules and practices garnered from his 26 year service to the Committee to ensure success in fulfilling its jurisdictional duties; Whereas, the tenure of Martin Frost in this United States Congress has been characterized by honesty, integrity, and a general willingness to work together with colleagues, on a variety of important issues: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Committee on Rules, That its Members express their deep appreciation for the service Martin Frost has selflessly given to the country, our citizens, the House Rules Committee, and the United States House of Representatives, and wish him the best of luck and godspeed on all future endeavors.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. SESSIONS. I thank the gentleman for his comments, also, about our colleague from Texas (Mr. Frost). Mr. Speaker, we have also earlier thanked a number of people, the Members of Congress who were a part of making this bill, IDEA, successful. Certainly we will have in a few minutes the opportunity to hear from Chairman Boehner once again and his colleague, the ranking member, George Miller, from California. Both of these gentleman spent an incredible number of hours working together. We have heard obviously from the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey). We will also hear from the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle). But I think it is important that we also say that there have been a number of people who have worked behind the scenes to make this bill successful and they really come from both sides of this great hall, the Senate and the House. I would like to personally thank Connie Garner from the office of Senator Kennedy; David Cleary from the office of Chairman Boehner. David has worked tirelessly not only on behalf of these children but also doing town hall meetings to make sure that we got this right. Melanie Looney, who is also from Chairman Boehner's office; Alex Nock, who is from Mr. Miller's office; Denzel McGuire from the office of Senator Judd Gregg. I would also like to thank from my staff Bobby Hillert and from the White House Elan Liang for their hard work to make sure that this document not only enunciated a better policy but also took in all the feedback from educators, parents and students from across this country who wake up every day to make IDEA better. I do, too, encourage all my colleagues to support this bipartisan piece of legislation.

Mr. SESSIONS. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri).

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today we are having a discussion about some of America's greatest gifts, and that is our children with disabilities. An observation I would make is the kind words on both sides have come as a result of a lot of hard work, a lot of hard work not only within this body but also with the Senate. It also came as a result of a lot of hard work where members of that committee and subcommittee had to go out all across America and listen to parents and listen to educators and to listen to people. Certainly the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) was a huge part of this success. Mr. Speaker, at this time, however, I would like to suggest that the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) was a great leader in this process. He made sure of the strength of his argument so this law would make a difference. So I, like the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner), stand here to say that the gentleman from Delaware (Chairman Castle) has done a great job on behalf of so many students. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Education Reform.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, last night, late in the Committee on Rules, the ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), came before our committee and talked with great confidence and exuberance about the hard work that had been produced by not only the conferees but also that proud committee. Today, I am very pleased to have that chairman, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), who has worked diligently for the past few years not only with me as a parent with a child who falls under IDEA but also with all Members who bring thoughts and ideas about encouraging our teachers and our parents and our children to achieve greater things. I would like to publicly say that not only the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) but also what the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner) has done has been of great service to our country, and I would like to thank him for that. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner).

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. This rule waives all points of order against the conference report for H.R. 1350 and against its consideration, and provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. Mr. Speaker, shortly after my second son, Alex, was born in 1994, my father gave me some healthy words of advice when he said that Alex Sessions would be the greatest thing that would ever happen to our family. He knew and understood that in fact Alex was a very special baby. He was born with Downs Syndrome. The past 10 years have reaffirmed my father's words to me, and Alex has become one of the greatest parts of our family's life. Ten years later, Alex is a very happy third grader at Lakewood Elementary in Dallas, Texas; and Alex has the support of numerous teachers, students, and parents who provide him with remarkable educational lessons and invaluable friendships. For each of the last 2 years, Alex has been rewarded with the school's highest citizenship honor, to be a Lakewood Super Stallion. In the last 3 weeks, Alex has successfully written for the first time his first and last name. While these are great personal achievements for Alex and our entire family, stories like these are being told all across the country because of the extra efforts of those dedicated educators who are working diligently with these wonderful children under landmark Federal legislation known as IDEA, or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Several decades ago, Congress passed this legislation to guarantee children with disabilities full access to a fulfilling and appropriate public education. And while I have talked today about the many successes and achievements of this important program, there are also areas within the law that could and can use improvement and adjustment. I am proud to support the bipartisan legislation that is before us today to reauthorize and improve this most important education program to ensure that the true promise and intent of this act is carried out to the fullest extent of our abilities as Congressmen. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1350 creates an educational atmosphere focusing on the future of our most vulnerable children. It builds on the existing strengths of IDEA, while modernizing and improving the program to guarantee that children with disabilities have the most appropriate tools to fully utilize their gifts. The changes that we are making in IDEA will give children measurable goals to ensure they reach their postsecondary living and employment goals. H.R. 1350 directly addresses perhaps the greatest problem facing IDEA, the effective monitoring and enforcement of the act. Effective July 1, 2005, it will give the Secretary of Education clear authority to enforce standards to monitor and enforce whether or not schools are in compliance with IDEA, authority that has been lacking since the inception of this education initiative. States will be empowered to create an acceptable set of standards; and if they are not met, the Secretary of Education will now have the tools necessary to take appropriate and reasonable action to work with State and local educators to remedy the situation. This conference report provides Congress with a 6-year glidepath to fully fund IDEA by 2011. Under President Bush's leadership, funding for all education programs, in particular IDEA, have been a high priority. In his first term, President Bush increased IDEA funding to States by $4.8 billion, or what we would know as a 76 percent increase. This Republican-controlled Congress, which I am proud to be a part of, has increased the Federal share of IDEA funding to 19 percent in 10 years, whereas our predecessors in the Democrat-controlled Congresses only allowed the Federal share of IDEA costs to reach 7 percent. H.R. 1350 also restores trust and constructive dialogue to the relationship between parents and school personnel promoting an earlier resolution to problems before they end up in court. This legislation creates the opportunity for a resolution session within 30 days of a complaint being filed to quickly resolve the problem. The constant threat of litigation creates an atmosphere of distrust between parents and schools, an environment that harms everyone involved. Today's legislation also solves another problem that has plagued IDEA for too long. Today, many children with reading problems are misidentified as learning disabled and wrongly placed in special education classes, a costly mistake which siphons away valuable funding from students who truly need IDEA services. To address this issue, H.R. 1350 requires districts with significant over-identifying of students to operate early intervention programs to reduce over-identification, eliminating the outdated IQ discrepancy, a model that relies on a wait- to-fail approach, and introduces a response to intervention model that identifies specific learning disabilities before the students are at a failing grade level. I am proud of this new IDEA legislation. Because of the important resources that H.R. 1350 provides to our schools, it may one day help my son Alex to further meet his goals of learning to read. I am pleased to note that the House version of this legislation successfully passed through the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and then through the House in April of 2003. Today's conference report enjoys the overwhelming bipartisan support of its conferees, and I am confident that this report will enjoy wide bipartisan margins in both Houses before it is signed by President Bush. I would ask that all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle demonstrate their commitment to the special education needs of our country's disabled children by supporting this conference report. I would like to thank the House sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), and the chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), for their dedicated hard work in producing the conference report. I would also like to take a minute to commend the conferees from both bodies that have labored to produce this fine product, including the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), Senator Edward Kennedy, and Senator Judd Gregg. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by the direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 858 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank the gentleman for his observations about our not being able to do the things that need to be done because of tax cuts. Mr. Speaker, there is a difference between our parties. One of the differences is taxing and spending. We, as Republicans, believe that if we give the American people back more of their own money that they earned that we will create a circumstance, an environment, an economy in this country that grows to where people become employed, we become competitive with the world, and we do the things ultimately to give people, the American public, more of their own money so they can live their own dreams and make their own dreams happen. I do recognize we have a difference in our opinions. I do recognize that one party wants to tax and spend. I do understand that one party wants to give tax cuts and grow the economy. But at some point we also have to get our work done, and that is what we are trying to do today by saying that this rule is about allowing that necessary business when the minority leader, when the majority leader, and Speaker agree on legislation that can come to this floor. We are waiting here for other business to be finished and done, but it does not mean we should shut off debate or for other very important legislation if there is complete bipartisan agreement about moving forward. So I am proud today once again to stand here before the American public and to say we are ready to do business here in the House of Representatives, and in a few minutes we will have more work that needs to be done. We will handle legislation dealing with what is called IDEA, the Individuals With Disabilities Act, that deals with important education changes that have also been worked on and have bipartisan agreement that the gentleman and I heard about last night in the Committee on Rules. So for us to say we are not doing our work, that we are a failure is simply not, I do not believe, a correct enunciation of what this House of Representatives has stood for these last few years or stands for today. We are ready, capable, and able to work and reach out across the aisle to bring legislation that is important to the American people and for it to be sound legislation, for it to make a difference to the American people, but more importantly that it be done in a proper, cautious fashion that creates health and opportunity for the American economy and for the American family. That is what this United States Congress should be all about, producing a product that are accomplishments that we can be proud of.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Florida engaging in this wonderful discussion. I have been here for 8 years. During those 8 years as a Member of Congress, I believe 5 of those years I have been here at Christmas time, the week of Christmas, doing the job that needed to be done. I do understand that we do have these 13 spending bills that need to be done. I also recognize we have a process. The gentleman and I sit up late at night in the Committee on Rules attempting to work through those processes to make sure the President does get the needed legislation before him. But we have the underpinnings of the Constitution where we have two bodies, the Senate and the House. If we do our work, it does not mean they have to do their work. Likewise, if they do their work, it does not mean we have to. So we have to come to an agreement and those agreements sometimes take a little longer, but what we have avoided is shutting down the government. The government has done its business. We have been very successful to make sure that we address those issues. So I would say that, well, yes, the President is supposed to sign those bills, but at least we have not gone home before he will get a chance to do that.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the American people understood exactly what the parties stood for, the accomplishments of those parties, and that is what the election was about. I am pleased today to be back in the United States Congress on the floor of the House of Representatives touting not the things that the gentleman from Florida talked about that did not get done but rather the things that did get done, accomplishments that occurred during this year. I am very proud of the leadership of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert) our Speaker, and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce), and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) who have provided this body with the leadership to ensure that the things that were done in the 108th Congress got done. Mr. Speaker, I hold up 15 pages worth of bills, of accomplishments that this body was a part of. Mr. Speaker, this body was a part of making sure that we would answer the question about how Medicare would address the needs of senior citizens and low-income seniors, and we understood and we understand today that 95 percent of all of the money that is spent in Medicare is spent on major, critical, life-threatening issues that people have. We have changed that now to, instead of dealing with a person once they are sick, we are going to change that to preventative type of spending. That is what we believe Medicare should be doing. That is not something that we should be ashamed of. That is something we should be proud of. We are proud that we will have in place this next year again, once again, for low-income seniors, the ability for this government to help them not have to make a decision in buying and receiving their prescription drugs. That is something I am proud of. I am proud to know that we, once again, had a tax bill, a tax bill that would make sure that we become competitive with this marketplace. Mr. Speaker, when we cut taxes, business gets that money, and they do a bunch of things that are great for this country. They buy more equipment, they employ more people, and we become competitive with the world. I would say that Republicans have a different philosophy than Democrats. We believe that we should do a few things and do them well, and that is what this Republican Congress has done this year. We have not just rushed out and tried to tackle every single issue. We have done the things that will make a huge difference for the American public. I believe that that is what this election was about, and I believe that this President stood before the American people and talked about what his policies had been and will be. I think they are accomplishments that I am proud of, I think that this body is proud of them, and I darn sure know that the American people turned out in record numbers to say thank you so much for the service to this great Nation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. This rule provides that suspensions will be in order at any time on the legislative day of Friday, November 19, 2004. It also provides that the Speaker or his designee will consult with the Minority Leader or her designee on any suspension considered under the rule. Mr. Speaker, the Republican leadership of this House has sent out a positive legislative plan for this week and the balance of the 108th Congress on behalf of the American people. The goal of this plan is to clean up this Congress's legislative calendar by passing a number of bills before we adjourn that will improve America's economic and national security. Over the past year, Congress has passed a number of important new education, trade, tax, and national security bills that will keep Americans safer, create new jobs, and improve our economy. Later today, and for the rest of the week, we will consider legislation to improve the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and provide for consideration of outstanding spending measures to ensure that Congress can complete its work before we adjourn. I understand that Members on either side of our aisle may have different views about how to address these issues, and we have had and will continue to have the opportunity to hear a great deal of debate from both sides not only on these issues but also on other issues that are important to this Nation. However, some of this legislation that the Republican House leadership has also scheduled for consideration on behalf of America has broad support from Members of both the majority and the minority. And, in an attempt to make sure that this important work is finished by the end of the 108th Congress, we are here today to pass this rule to provide for consideration of these bills under rules that will require them to pass by a two-thirds majority. This balanced rule provides the minority with the ability to consult with the Speaker on any suspension that is offered, ensuring that their input and views are duly considered before any legislation is considered under this rule brought to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this uncontroversial and balanced rule. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 859 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Tom Day on the occasion of his being named President of the National Apartment Association (NAA). I join my colleagues in honoring his accomplishment and commitment to service. This fellow North Texan has risen through the ranks of the NAA to serve in this illustrious leadership position. NAA is a federation of 164 state and local affiliates, comprised of more than 30,000 multifamily housing companies representing more than five million apartment homes throughout the United States and Canada. Locally, Tom has allowed his love for profession to carry over into his advocacy for his cause. Mr. Day has held many local and state positions in the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas and the Texas Apartment Association. Recently, Tom has held the position of President of both of these organizations. His qualifications to lead such an expansive organization are tremendous. I wish Mr. Day all the best for great success with his new induction as President of the NAA, and I am confident of the continued good works of the association and its members.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I join my fellow Lone Star State colleagues in congratulating Gloria Voutos of the Richardson Independent School District's (RISD) Spring Valley Elementary School. I am proud to represent Spring Valley Elementary School in the 32nd Congressional District of Texas. Gloria Voutos was just recently named the Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year for 2005 by the Texas Education Agency. This award is a high distinction for Gloria, as more than 228,000 teachers in Texas are eligible to be chosen for this honor. Gloria is a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and after serving her country in uniform, she decided to further serve her local community by becoming a teacher. She completed her teacher preparation program at Southern Methodist University that I am also proud to represent. She has pursued a career of being a bilingual instructional specialist, and constantly wins high praise from her colleagues and students. This is the second consecutive year that the RISD has produced a teacher that has been named a finalist for this year, and I am very delighted that this year Richardson was able to be the home for the winner. I wish Gloria all the best for her continued teaching excellence with the children of the Richardson ISD.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, I believe that the Members of this body understand that there is a need to make sure that we protect this country and the laws of this country. We have consulted with the Attorney General of the United States and other U.S. attorneys who are asking for this. I support this amendment. I believe it will help the President of the United States to ensure the safety of our country. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today, I rise to offer my legislation, Prevention of Terrorist Access to Destructive Weapons Act, an amendment to H.R. 10. This amendment will aid the hard-working Federal investigators and agents on the front line in the war on terror by establishing a zero tolerance policy towards the illegal importation, possession or transfer of shoulder- fired missiles, atomic weapons, dirty bombs, and the smallpox virus.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the several very important articles in my added materials that I have submitted speak not only to the threat to the United States, but also the reality of the groups who were engaged in the transfer, the trafficking of shoulder-fired missiles, of weapons of mass destruction, in terms of viruses that could be placed in the United States of America. Mr. Chairman, I respect the gentleman for not liking the minimum mandatory sentences. I would also say that it is up to this body, Mr. Chairman, to make sure that we provide the tools necessary to the Attorney General and other U.S. attorneys who may be prosecuting these cases, to give to the frontline agents and investigators those abilities to find and stop those people who are perpetrators of crime, mass murder against the United States of America. Most of all, I would remind this body how important it is to make sure that we keep terrorism away from our doorsteps. I believe in effective law enforcement, effective use of the laws of this country, and making sure that we have looked at this from the perspective of the Attorney General of the United States and U.S. attorneys across this country who support this important legislation. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SESSIONS. Today, maximum penalties of only 10 years in prison apply to the unlawful possession of shoulder-fired missiles. The same weak penalty also currently applies to the unlawful possession of an atomic weapon. Today, there is no law criminalizing the possession of dirty bombs with criminal intent, and the unregistered possession of the smallpox virus carries a maximum penalties of only 5 years in prison. Given the terrorist threats that we currently face in the United States, weak punishments for the possession or use of these weapons is simply unacceptable in light of the fact that we know that 26 terror groups already have shoulder-fired missiles in their possession. My amendment imposes stringent, mandatory minimum criminal penalties for these heinous crimes similar to the laws that we already use to prosecute drug kingpins. Specifically, for each of the weapons covered by the bill, unlawful possession would result in mandatory imprisonment for up to 30 years to life. Using, attempting, or conspiring to use, or possessing and threatening to use these weapons would result in mandatory life in prison. And if one death were to result from the unlawful possession of one of these weapons, this amendment would allow the death penalty to be applied to anyone who targets America in a terrorist attack. Although tougher penalties may not deter homicidal terrorists determined to attack the United States, they will help to deter those middlemen who are essential to the transfer of such weapons. Many of these middlemen aid terrorists purely for financial gain, and significantly tougher mandatory penalties would dramatically alter their cost-benefit calculations. When the middleman is caught importing or hiding these weapons, the existence of tough penalties will also assist prosecutors and investigators in obtaining cooperation and moving swiftly to identify terrorists. Long mandatory sentences, including life without parole, provide a fast and powerful incentive to cooperate, as has already been proven in cracking the code of silence for organized crime. In the case of these dangerous weapons, the speed with which persons choose to cooperate could also save thousands of lives. These increased penalties are completely justified in light of the catastrophic destruction that could be caused by the use of any of these weapons, and supporting my amendment will send a strong message of America's resolve to win the war on terrorism. Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting and giving Federal investigators and prosecutors the tools they have asked for to aid them in their fight against terrorism by supporting this commonsense, effective amendment. [From the Associated Press, Aug. 5, 2004] Two Arrested in Missile Sting Operation Washington.--Two leaders of a mosque in Albany, New York, were arrested on charges stemming from an alleged plot to help a man they thought was a terrorist who wanted to purchase a shoulder-fired missile, federal authorities said Thursday. The men have ties to a group called Ansar al-Islam, which has been linked to the al Qaeda terror network, according to two federal law enforcement authorities speaking on condition of anonymity. The two arrests came as FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other agents executed search warrants at the Masjid As-Salam mosque and two Albany-area homes, officials said. The men were identified as Yassin Aref, 34, the imam of the mosque, and 49-year-old Mohammed Hoosain, one of the mosque's founders. According to law enforcement officials, the two are being charged with providing material support to terrorism by participating in a conspiracy to help an individual they believed was a terrorist purchase a shoulder-fired missile. The individual was an undercover government agent and no missile ever changed hands. Aref and Hoosain were allegedly involved in money-laundering aspects of the plot, the officials said. The investigation has been going on for a year and is not related to the Bush administration's decision earlier this week to raise the terror alert level for certain financial sector buildings in New York and Washington, the officials said. In Albany, some mosque members gathered early Thursday outside the institution for morning prayers. More details about the case were expected to be released later Thursday by the Justice Department.