Ed Towns

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Earl L. Williams who is being honored at the Brooklyn Caribe Lions Club dinner dance as ``Civic Humanitarian of the Year.'' Earl, who was born in Panama City, Republic of Panama, has been a community activist and civic leader for more than 40 years. Currently, he is the New York State Democratic Committeeman (District Leader) for the 40th Assembly District; Chairman of Community Planning Board #5, in East New York, Director of Spring Creek Towers Community Center, and a Certified Meeting Planner. Earl graduated from San Mateo College in California with a BA degree, specializing in public affairs. A graduate of the National Housing Center Institute in Washington DC, he also attended NYU Real Estate Institute. He is a member of the Starrett City Spring Creek Lions Club, Brooklyn Borough President's Board, East Brooklyn Empire Zone, Black Meeting Planners of America, and East New York Hispanic Coalition. He has also chaired many Lions' activities within the district, region, New York State, and internationally. Earl has received many citations and awards from Lions Clubs International including a Presidential Medal; three Presidential Leadership Medals; nine International Extension awards; a Melvin Jones Fellow; Leadership Citations from New York City Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, and Community Service Awards from New York City Council, New York State Senate and Assembly. Earl Williams and his wife Ruth, who have been married for more than 40 years, are the parents of two children, Jacqueline Denise, an attorney, and Mark (deceased) and the grandparents of Marrissa. Earl is a communicant of St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church and serves in the ministry of hospitality. Mr. Speaker, Earl Williams has been a leader in his community and has taken on numerous roles and responsibilities to serve others. As such, he is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and the award of Civic Humanitarian of the Year. Thus, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Antonio Bonilla who is being honored at the Brooklyn Caribe Lions Club dinner dance as ``Businessman of The Year.'' Antonio is a successful businessman who was born in Isabela, Puerto Rico. He came to New York in 1953 and has worked in various jobs, including carpentry, cooking, and marketing. One of his first employers was Emerson Radio Corporation, where he worked for over 10 years. Then in the 1960's his wife, Leonor, exposed him to Mexico's culture, including its people, food, and music. By 1971, his dream to open a Mexican restaurant had become a reality. Together with his family, they found and renovated the space on the corner of Second Ave and 26th Street in Manhattan and named it Mexico Lindo Restaurant. Today the restaurant has become a popular nightspot for the entertainment and political communities. Antonio is a distinguished businessman whose cooperation with many religious and political organizations has established him as a philanthropist. He is very proud of the fact that he has always held a job, and that all his accomplishments have been the product of hard work. Antonio and Leonor have three daughters Adriana, Claudia and Lara. Together as a family, they have strived to stay one step ahead of the competition. This award should serve to inspire and encourage him in continuing the important work he has already begun. Mr. Speaker, Antonio Bonilla has been a leader in his community and has been a wonderful example of how dedication and perseverance can lead to success. As such, he is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and the award of Businessman of the Year. Thus, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the United States government denied a visa to Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat, due to the state government's complicity in the massacre of Muslims there and his insensitive statements about minorities. His visa was revoked under the law that prohibits those responsible for violations of religious freedom from getting visas. This was the right thing to do, and I salute those who made this decision. According to the March 25 issue of India-West, the denial of a visa to Mr. Modi was met with attacks from the Indian government. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who, as a Sikh, is a member of a religious minority himself, complained in Parliament that ``we do not believe it is appropriate . . . to make a subjective judgment question a constitutional authority in India.'' The Foreign Ministry said that the denial of Mr. Modi's visa ``is uncalled for and displays lack of courtesy and sensitivity toward a constitutionally elected chief minister of a state of India.'' Of course, they completely neglected to mention Mr. Modi's lack of courtesy and sensitivity towards the 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims killed in the riots that his government helped organize. India's Human Rights Commission held Mt. Modi and his government responsible for the massacre. The Indian government officially stated that the decision showed ``a lack of courtesy and sensitivity'' and that their ``sovereignty'' was violated by the decision. This is the standard argument of tyrants. It is the argument countries like Red China make when they are criticized. On March 19 in New Delhi, India-West reported, fanatical Hindu nationalist fundamentalists affiliated with the militant organization Bajrang Dal rioted against the United States because Mr. Modi was denied his visa. They barged into a Pepsi-Cola warehouse, smashed bottles of Pepsi, and set fire to the building. The warehouse was partially burned. About a dozen workers fled. The rioters also ransacked a nearby Pepsi office. Another group protested the U.S. consulate in Bombay. They carried signs reading ``Down With the United States.'' Some Bajrang Dal members tried to enter the visa application center in Ahmedabad. Modi himself said, ``Let us pledge to work for such a day that an American would have to stand in line for entry into Gujarat.'' He accused the United States of trying to ``impose its laws on other countries.'' He urged India to deny visas to American officials. Mr. Speaker, this is just the latest chapter in India's ongoing repression of its minorities, which has been well documented in this House over the years, and its virulent hatred of America. Why do we spend our time, energy, and money supporting such a country? The time has come to hold India's feet to the fire. Denying Mr. Modi a visa was simply a small first step, and a good one. We must do more. The time has come to stop our aid and trade with India until all people enjoy the full flower of human rights and to support self-determination for all the peoples and nations seeking their freedom through a free and fair plebiscite. The essence of democracy is the right to self- determination. As the world's oldest and strongest democracy, it is up to the United States to take fhese measures in support of freedom for all. Mr. Speaker, I would like to place the India-West article of March 25 into the Record at this tIme. [From the India-West, Mar. 25, 2005] Pepsi Warehouse Burned in Visa Denial Uproar--Continued from page A1 The riots were sparked by the burning of a train coach by Muslims in Godhra, killing 59 Hindu kar sevaks. Modi was denied a diplomatic visa to travel to the United States and his existing tourist/business visa was revoked under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act that bars people responsible for violations of religious freedom from getting a visa. Modi had been scheduled to address a gathering of Indian American groups and motel owners in New York, Florida and in New Jersey. India slammed the decision, saying it showed a ``lack of courtesy and sensitivity,'' and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh criticized the American decision in Parliament. ``The American government has been clearly informed . . . we do not believe that it is appropriate to use allegations or anything less than due legal process to make a subjective judgment to question a constitutional authority in India,'' Singh told the Rajya Sabha. Responding to opposition leader Jaswant Singh's submission that the decision was unacceptable, Manmohan Singh said, ``We agree that this is not a matter of partisan politics, but rather a matter of concern over a point of principle. Our prompt and firm response clearly shows our principled stand in this matter.'' Earlier, Indian officials summoned Ambassador Mulford's deputy Robert Blake ``to lodge a strong protest.'' ``This action . . . is uncalled for and displays lack of courtesy and sensitivity toward a constitutionally elected chief minister of a state of India,'' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, expressing the government's ``deep concern and regret.'' The U.S. stood by its decision after a review sought by India. Mulford, who was out of town when the news broke March 18, said the U.S. decision was aimed at Modi alone, and not Gujaratis. He also denied it would affect ties with India. In Washington, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the U.S. response was based on a finding by India's National Human Rights Commission that held Modi's government responsible for the 2002 Hindu-Muslim violence in the state, India's worst in a decade. The decision led to widespread uproar in parts of Gujarat. A day after the decision, nearly 150 Bajrang Dal activists barged into the warehouse of U.S.-based PepsiCo in the Surat, smashed bottles and set fire to the place, said Dharmesh Joshi, a witness. The warehouse was partially burned. A witness said about a dozen workers at the warehouse fled during the attack and firefighters doused the flames. The protesters also ransacked a nearby PepsiCo office and demonstrated outside the American consulate in Mumbai. Some carried placards reading: ``Down with the United States,'' ``Boycott the U.S. goods and the Americans.'' Up to 150 Bajrang Dal activists also tried to enter the U.S. visa application center in Ahmedabad but were turned back by police. Modi called the U.S. decision ``an insult to India and its Constitution.'' In a public address in Ahmedabad, he lashed out at the United States. ``A man from Gujarat was thrown out of a train in South Africa. This led to a movement that overthrew the British Empire,'' Modi thundered, in a reference to Mahatma Gandhi. ``Let us pledge to work for such a day that an American would have to stand in line for entry into Gujarat,'' he added. ``The United States can't impose its laws on other countries. In the same way, India should deny visas to U.S. officials as a protest against Washington's policies in Iraq,'' Modi said. ``On what basis has the U.S. decided this?'' Modi asked. ``Where has the U.S. got its information from? The American government should know that every state in India is ruled by the Constitution and no one can violate that. No court has indicted the Gujarat government or the CM of complicity in the incidents that took place in the state.'' If the Pakistani president and the Bangladesh prime minister could visit the U.S., two countries in which minorities have suffered, Modi said he could be admitted too.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, April 13, which is the birthday of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, is Vaisakhi Day for the Sikhs. I wish all the Sikhs around the world a happy Vaisakhi Day. Vaisakhi Day is the anniversary of the day in 1699 when Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the ten Sikh Gurus, created the Khalsa Panth. At that time, he said, ``I give sovereignty to the humble Sikhs.'' Yet over 300 years later, they still struggle for that sovereignty while they suffer under severe repression from ``the world's largest democracy.'' More than 250,000 Sikhs have been murdered at the hands of the Indian government, according to figures compiled by the Punjab State Magistracy. The Movement Against State Repression reports that 52,268 Sikhs are being held as political prisoners under the repressive TADA law. How can this happen in a democracy? Sikhs have an opportunity this Vaisakhi Day to reclaim their sovereignty. In January, 35 Sikhs were arrested for simply raising the Sikh flag and making speeches in support of Khalistan, the Sikh homeland that declared its independence on October 7, 1987. Political leaders are coming out for Khalistan. All of India's efforts to suppress the Sikhs sovereignty movement have just given it new life. What can we do to support this worthy cause? We should stop our aid and trade with India as long as it continues to kill ethnic minorities, hold political prisoners, and engage in other wholesale violations of the most basic human rights. We should go on record in support of self- determination in the form of a free and fair plebiscite on independence in Khalistan, in Kashmir, in Nagaland, and wherever the people are seeking freedom. These measures will help bring a new glow of freedom to all people in the subcontinent. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to place the Council of Khalistan's Vaisakhi Day message into the Record for the information of my colleagues. Vaisakhi Day Should Be Celebrated in Freedom I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family and friends and all Sikhs a Happy Vaisakhi Day. As you know, Vaisakhi Day is the anniversary of the founding of the Khalsa. On Vaisakhi Day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh baptized the Sikhs and required them to keep the five Ks. He made the Sikhs into saints and soldiers, giving the blessing ``In grieb Sikhin ko deon Patshahi'' (``I give sovereignty to the humble Sikhs.'') Just two years after his departure from this earthly plane in 1708, the Sikhs established our own independent state in Punjab. Today we struggle to regain the sovereignty that Guru Gobind Singh bestowed upon us over 300 years ago. Yet the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Joginder Singh Vedanti, was quoted as saying that ``We don't want a separate territory.'' Does Jathedar Vedanti, like every other Sikh, pray ``Raj Kare Ga Khalsa'' (``the Khalsa shall rule'') every morning and evening? Has he forgotten our heritage of freedom? How can the spiritual leader of the Sikh religion deny the Sikh Nation's legitimate aspiration for freedom and sovereignty? Is he not stung by the words of one of his predecessors, former AkalTakht Jathedar Professor Darshan Singh, who said, ``If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh''? Is Akal Takht occupied by a person who does not believe in Sikh values and Sikh apsirations? The flame of freedom continues to burn brightly in the heart of the Sikh Nation. No force can suppress it. On Republic Day, Sikh leaders raised the Sikh flag in Amritsar and made speeches in support of Khalistan. 35 Sikhs were arrested for raising the Kesri Nishan. Eleven of them continue to be held and they have been denied bail. Is this the freedom that Guru Gobind Singh bestowed upon us? Is this the ``glow of freedom'' that Nehru promised us when Master Tara Singh and the Sikh leaders of the time chose to take our share with India? Punjab's Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, was declared a hero of the Sikh Nation for asserting Punjab's sovereignty and preserving Punjab's natural resource, its river water, for the use of Punjab farmers by cancelling Punjab's water agreements. In so doing, Amarinder Singh and the Legislative Assembly explicitly declared the sovereignty of the state of Punjab. In December former Member of Parliament Simranjit Singh Mann again reverted to public support of Khalistan. He pledged that his party will lead a peaceful movement to liberate Khalistan. Obviously, Mr. Mann is aware of the rising support of our cause. Mann joins Sardar Atinder Pal Singh, Sardar D.S. Gill of the International Human Rights Organization, and other Sikh leaders in Punjab in supporting freedom for Khalistan openly. Jagjit Singh, President of Dal Khalsa, was quoted in the Deccan Herald as saying that ``the Indian government can never suppress the movement. Sikh aspirations can only be met when they have a separate state.'' There is no other choice for the Sikh nation but a sovereign, independent Khalistan. Every Sikh leader must come out openly for Khalistan. We salute those Sikh leaders in Punjab who have done so. Any organization that sincerely supports Khalistan deserves the support of the Sikh Nation. However, the Sikh Nation needs leadership that is honest, sincere, consistent, and dedicated to the cause of Sikh freedom. Leaders like Dr. Jagjit Singh Chohan, Harchand Singh Longowal, Didar Bains, Ganga Singh Dhillon, the Akali Dal leadership, and others who were complicit in the attack on the Golden Temple cannot be trusted by the Sikh Nation. The evidence against them is clear in Chakravyuh: Web of Indian Secularism. The Sikh Nation cannot believe that these leaders will not betray the cause of Khalistan, just as they betrayed the Sikh Nation in 1984. We must be careful if we are to continue to move the cause of freedom for Khalistan forward in 2005 as we did in 2004. The Akali Dal conspired with the Indian government in 1984 to invade the Golden Temple to murder Sant Bhindranwale and 20,000 other Sikh during June 1984 in Punjab. Even the Pope spoke out strongly against this invasion and desecration of our most sacred shrine. How can these so-called Sikh leaders connive with the people who carried it out? If Sikhs will not even protect the sanctity of the Golden Temple, how can the Sikh Nation survive as a nation? The Akali Dal has lost all its credibility. The Badal government was so corrupt openly and no Akali leader would come forward and tell Badal and his wife to stop this unparallelled corruption. If Jathedar Vedanti opposes freedom and sovereignty for the Sikh Nation, then he is not fit to sit in Akal Takht, in the seat of the Khalsa Panth. The Sikh Nation should have a Jathedar who is committed to sovereignty. The Council of Khalistan has stood strongly and consistently for liberating our homeland, Khalistan, from Indian occupation. For over 18 years we have led this fight while others were trying to divert the resources and the attention of the Sikh Nation away from the issue of freedom in a sovereign, independent Khalistan. Khalistan is the only way that Sikhs will be able to live in freedom, peace, prosperity, and dignity. It is time to start a Shantmai Morcha to liberate Khalistan from Indian occupation. The Akal Takht Sahib and Darbar Sahib are under the control of the Indian government, the same Indian government that has murdered more than a quarter of a million Sikhs in the past twenty years. The Jathedar of the Akal Takht and the head granthi of Darbar Sahib toe the line that the Indian government tells them. They are not appointed by the Khalsa Panth. Otherwise they would behave like a real Jathedar, Jathedar Gurdev Singh Kaunke, rather than like Indian government puppet Jathedar Aroor Singh, who gave a Siropa to General Dyer for the massacre of Sikhs and others at Jallianwala Bagh. These institutions will remain under the control of the Indian regime until we free the Sikh homeland, Punjab, Khalistan, from Indian occupation and oppression and sever our relations with the New Delhi government. The Sikhs in Punjab have suffered enormous repression at the hands of the Indian regime in the last 25 years. Over 50,000 Sikh youth were picked up from their houses, tortured, murdered in police custody, then secretly cremated as ``unidentified bodies.'' Their remains were never even given to their families! Another 52,268 are being held as political prisoners. Some have been in illegal custody since 1984! Even now, the capital of Punjab, Chandigarh, has not been handed over to Punjab, but remains a Union Territory. How can Sikhs have any freedom living under a government that would do these things? Sikhs will never get any justice from Delhi. The leaders in Delhi are only interested in imposing Hindu sovereignty over all the minorities to advance their own careers and their own power. Ever since independence, India has mistreated the Sikh Nation, starting with Patel's memo labelling Sikhs ``a criminal tribe.'' What a shame for Home Minister Patel and the Indian government to issue this memorandum when the Sikh Nation gave over 80 percent of the sacrifices to free India. How can Sikhs continue to live in such a country? There is no place for Sikhs in supposedly secular, supposedly democratic India. Let us make Viasakhi Day a day of freedom. Let us dedicate ourselves this Vaisakhi Day to living up to the blessing of Guru Gobind Singh. Let us take the occasion of Vaisakhi Day to begin to shake ourselves loose from the yoke of Indian oppression and liberate our homeland, Khalistan, so that all Sikhs may live lives of prosperity, freedom, and dignity.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Reverend Doctor William Raymond Whitaker, Jr., in recognition of his dedication to his church and community. Reverend Doctor William Raymond Whitaker, Jr., was born in Newport News, Virginia on November 12, 1959. The Whitaker family moved shortly thereafter to Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Whitaker is a product of the Bedford Stuyvesant Tompkins Project community. He attended Carter G. Woodson Public School 23, Mark Hopkins Junior High School 33, Fort Hamilton High School and graduated from the former Eastern District High School. Furthering his education, he attended Adelphi Academy, majoring in Business. Pastor Whitaker obtained his Bachelor of Theology degree from Community Bible Institute in Brooklyn in May 1999 and his Master of Theology from Chelsea University in London, England, where he graduated with the highest academic distinction, summa cum laude, in May 2004. On October 4, 2004, the Hope for All Bible College bestowed upon Reverend Whitaker the Honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree. Dr. Whitaker was called to the Ministry at the young age of 16 and preached his initial sermon in October 1976 under the leadership of Reverend Joseph Stiff, Jr., of Bethel Church of God in Christ. He served faithfully as an usher, choir member and Sunday school student. In June 1985, he was licensed by Greater Free Gift and ordained in November 1986. On December 13, 1994, Rev. Whitaker was called by the Lord to serve as Pastor of the Greater Free Gift Baptist Church and since then, the ministry has and continues to multiply. He preaches the Word of God in a manner that can be applied to everyday life. Dr. Whitaker answered yet another call on his life, which was to establish the Greater Free Gift Bible Institute where he diligently shares his knowledge and wisdom as president and teacher. Under the leadership of this great visionary, hundreds have been blessed, encouraged, inspired and delivered. He continues to lead the Greater Free Gift Baptist Church to make even greater strides in its growth and development, including the formation of the Drama and Dance Ministry and ``Serenity on Stockton Street.'' Rev. Whitaker's sole desire is to help people reach their ultimate potential spirituality by developing a personal relationship with God. In addition to being dynamic preacher and teacher, Pastor Whitaker is a world-renowned vocalist. He has recorded songs with legendary gospel artists such as ``The Godfather of Gospel'' Elder Timothy Wright and performed throughout the world including in Paris, France. His commitment to the community is evident by his service as the Former Chair of Evangelism for the Eastern Region of the Progressive National Baptist Convention and his involvement in the National Baptist Convention Housing Staff USA, Inc. He is the former Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees, former Director of the Music Department of the New York Missionary Baptist Association as well as the former Ecumenical Director to Congressman Ed Towns. Additional community affiliations include Central Brooklyn Churches, Police Benevolent Association, 303 Vernon Board of Managers and AIDS Awareness seminar (graduate of ARRIVE where he received his license as counselor). He also serves as a mentor to the students at IS 33. Mr. Speaker, Reverend Doctor William Raymond Whitaker, Jr., has dedicated his life to his church and community. As such, he is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the Espinal Family who are being honored at the Brooklyn Caribe Lions Club dinner dance as ``Outstanding Family of the Year.'' Jose and Agueda Espinal are the parents of this family, and together, they have raised thirteen children in the community of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York. Jose and Agueda immigrated from the Dominican Republic in 1977. They hoped to provide a better life and education for their family. Their children are Carmen, Pablo, Pedro, Maria, Julio, Esteban, Andres, Ceferino, Carlos, Bienvenido, Rafael, Mary Carmen and Juan Martin. All the members of the Espinal Family have established very successful community based businesses. The majority of the children and grandchildren are professionals with degrees in business administration. They are also well known for their generosity to churches, civic and community organizations, which serve the less fortunate and infirm. This distinguished family is an inspiration and a role model to everyone in the community. May this award inspire and encourage them to continue the important work that they have already begun. The wonderful example of dedication to their fellow community members and commitment to the important value of family has surely made them worthy of this honor. Mr. Speaker, by raising thirteen successful children and still finding time and money to assist others, the Espinal Family has been a shining example to the community. As such, they are more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and the award of Outstanding Family of the Year. Thus, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Robert Rodriguez who is being honored at the Brooklyn Caribe Lions Club dinner dance as ``Mortgage Broker of the Year.'' Robert is a successful mortgage broker who was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. His father, Higinio Rodriguez, was working for the Brooklyn Navy Yard many years ago when he sent for his wife, Rafaela Santos-Rodriguez and family, including a very young Robert who was three years old. Robert attended Brooklyn College, majored in psychology and later obtained his real estate mortgage and insurance broker's licenses. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps and received an Honorable Discharge. Among many enterprises, he opened up Sunset Park Real Estate in 1980. It became a very successful and inspirational real estate firm in an up and coming neighborhood. In 1987, he became a founding member and President of the Fifth Avenue Merchants Association in 1987. Later, he was instrumental in converting that association to The Business Improvement District of Sunset Park. During this period, he became (and continues to be) a member of The Bay Ridge Board of Realtor and a member of the New York Association of Mortgage Brokers. Presently, he is President and sole owner of Dinero Mortgage & Funding Corp. located in Sunset Park. By helping people obtain a mortgage, Robert has personally helped many minorities in accomplishing their dreams of obtaining a home for themselves and their loved ones. Robert is married to Julie Cardinale Rodriguez, a Loan Officer for Countrywide Mortgage. He has three children, Lisa, Robert Jr. and Shelly along with seven grandchildren. Robert is a wonderful example of how hard work and perseverance can lead to success. May this award inspire and encourage him to continue the important work he has already begun. Mr. Speaker, Robert Rodriguez has been a leader in his community by building a successful business and helping his fellow community members realize their dream of homeownership. As such, he is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and the award of Mortgage Broker of the Year. Thus, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Manuel Vargas who is being honored at the Brooklyn Caribe Lions Club dinner dance as ``Real Estate Broker of the Year.'' Manuel is a successful licensed real estate broker in New York and Florida. He graduated magna cum laude from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Real Estate. Manuel has more than 10 years of experience in the real estate market. A Hall of Fame member for a large franchise in the new millennium, Manuel decided to start PAN/AMERICAN Realty. Amongst his reasons for doing so was because he wanted to deliver excellent, personalized service to his clients and to establish a household name that would be synonymous with honesty, professionalism and efficient marketing techniques. His goal was to give realty advice to clients and customers about all facets of the real estate industry. Throughout his career, Manuel has learned that he can also make a positive impact in the community that he works in by helping those in need. He has received numerous awards for all of the support and dedication he has given to different organizations. Mr. Speaker, Manuel Vargas has been a leader in his community and has been a wonderful example of how dedication and perseverance can lead to success. As such, he is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and the award of Real Estate Broker of the Year. Thus, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Mae Catherine Greene in recognition for her dedication to her community. Mae Catherine Greene fondly known as ``Cat'' by family and close friends is almost a life long resident of the east New York community of which she has been an integral and staunchly loyal advocate. She was born in Chadbourn, NC in March of 1957, the ninth of ten children of a proud and independent working mother. Mae obtained her education in the neighborhood she so greatly loves and admires. She attended P.S. 149, I.S. 292 and William H. Maxwell High School in east New York. Mae, who has been married for almost 27 years to her childhood sweetheart, Richard Greene, is the proud mother of six children who still live in east New York as well. Having six children in the public school system and being a concerned, loving and dedicated parent, Mae took a strong interest in the neighborhood's public school system. She was very involved and an active presence in many different capacities. She served as President and Secretary on Community Board 19 and President of the P.T.A. at P.S. 213, I.S. 171 and I.S. 292. Additionally, she was Chapter 1 Chairperson for the District for both P.S. 213 and I.S. 171 as well as P.A.C. President for the Board for two day care centers, Georgia-Livonia and Einstein in East NY. Mae is not only an advocate for education, but she is also very involved in community and politically based issues and activities. She has been a longtime advocate for senior citizen, immigrant and housing rights. Mae has served as Secretary to the Tenants' Advisory Board and Property Manager at Elva McZeal Housing Development and as a Community Advisor at Beekman Houses in the Bronx, NY. She also set up a parents' rights advocacy for immigrant parents at P.S. 213, was a community liaison for Health Plus, and an advocate for the senior citizens at Elva McZeal Houses. Mr. Speaker, Mae Catherine Greene has strengthened her community through her numerous volunteer efforts with the PTA, the Community Board, and local housing associations. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Reverend William F. Wright, Jr. who has been a leader in his community and is celebrating his 25th Pastoral Anniversary at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Reverend Wright was born in Aiken, South Carolina to William Frank Wright and Willie Weaver Wright. He was reared in Nash County, North Carolina and graduated from Nash Central High School and North AT&T State University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree. In 1979, he received a Master of Divinity Degree from Shaw Divinity School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Rev. Wright was called to the gospel ministry in 1975 and was licensed to preach by the East White Oak Baptist Church that same year. In 1977, Rev. Wright was ordained by the Guilford Association. His pastorate was at West End Baptist Church in Reidsville, North Carolina. Under his leadership, West End extensively renovated the sanctuary. After nineteen years with Lorillard Corporation, Rev. Wright retired as a manager to become the full-time pastor of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Lorillard Credit Union. As a gospel preacher and community servant, Rev. Wright has served with and led many community and interfaith coalitions and groups. Under his leadership, the Greensboro Pulpit Forum undertook some of its most challenging work, including the community buying and stewardship program, which led to a decent labor contract between the K-Mart workers and Unite, their labor union. From the helm of the Pulpit Forum, he has served his fellow preachers as motivator, leader, and confidant. Rev. Wright has served on the Board of Directors for Greensboro Urban Ministries, the Greensboro Housing Resource Board, the Greensboro Fair Housing Board, the Greensboro Human Relations Commission, the Greensboro 100, and the NAACP. His honors and awards are many. Under his leadership, New Zion has been named ``Church of the Year'' by the NAACP more than five times. Rev. Wright, himself, has been named ``NAACP Man of the Year'' for 1995. He was recently honored at the NAACP National Meeting with a community service award for his role in the K-Mart struggle. Rev. Wright's leadership in the church is matched by his leadership in the community. Five years before it became fashionable, Wright had the Pulpit Forum release a thirty-two (32) page position paper in which the church was challenged to enter into the business of confronting the problem of youth and drugs in the community. This work included workshops, direct contact actions, and visits into the communities where our youth suffer. In the spring of 1993, there was a daylong event where thirty young men admitted to gang involvement and being members of rival gangs. Everyone joined together in a joint statement declaring an end to his gang rivalries. On a personal level, this Pastor is known in the Greensboro community as a ``Pastor's Pastor,'' a mentor, and a friend to all. His ready demeanor makes him readily available to pastors for counseling and friendship. He is often called upon for advice by struggling congregations and has more than once been called upon to present leadership training to churches and deacons. Rev. Wright is married to Narcissus Hargrove Wright of Henderson, North Carolina and the proud father of four children: Billy, Wendi, Nicole and Ashley. The Wrights presently make their home in Greensboro, North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, Reverend William F. Wright, Jr. has used his position as a spiritual and community leader to improve the lives of those around him, and his 25th Pastoral Anniversary is yet another reminder of all of the good work he has accomplished. As such, he is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today. Thus, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a distinguished organization the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush. It is an honor to represent the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush in the House of Representatives and it behooves us to pay tribute to their selfless endeavors of more than a quarter century. Mr. Speaker, the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush, was founded twenty six years ago to assist families in need in the greater Brooklyn area. Over the course of its many years of dedication to the Brooklyn community The Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush has truly emerged as a premier organization committed to assisting those who have nowhere else to turn. Under the leadership of their Executive Director, Rabbi Yechezkel Pikus, The Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush has established itself as Brooklyn's central address for social services, immigration services and many forms of crucial emergency assistance. The Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush has been instrumental in creating successful employment programs and developing Small Business services. Through the Leader Family Employment Center and the South Brooklyn Business Outreach Center they have empowered people with the tools to succeed in their professional endeavors. Additionally, they are renowned for providing vital outreach to the elderly and homebound with particular attention and sensitivity to Holocaust survivors. They have also developed a scholarship fund to send children from disadvantaged families to summer camp. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the achievements of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush. Their uncompromising commitment to Jewish ideals and ethics is an inspiration for us all. Mr. Speaker, may our country continue to benefit from the civic actions of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flat bush and community groups similar to them.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Madeleine Golde who has dedicated her career to strengthening our health care system for hard working Americans across this country. As the Deputy Director for Health Care Legislation and Senior Legislative Advocate for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) national office in Washington, DC, Madeleine has been a key healthcare advocate on Capitol Hill regarding federal policy. After nearly 7 years of service, Madeleine is retiring from SEIU. SEIU represents 1.8 million working people in the areas of health care, public service, building service, industrial and allied trades. Madeleine has been instrumental in fashioning both the strategy and substantive health care policy to advance the goals of SEIU. She has made countless visits to Capitol Hill on the behalf of American workers to meet with congressional staff on important health care policy issues. She has also worked with numerous organizations that share SEIU's goal of improving our nation's health care system. Most important, Madeleine has been an important partner with the City of New York in advancing several important health care issues, including fiscal relief for Federal Medicaid matching rates, bioterrorism, Bioshield I and II, Ryan White Title I, Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funding, smallpox vaccinations, indigent care costs for undocumented immigrants, Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Commission, disaster response capabilities, immunizations for children, the adult vaccine program, and Medicare. Most recently, she worked with New York City to insure the passage of the Smith Bingaman amendment, which blocked Senate passage of $14 billion in budget resolution cuts to Medicaid and called for Congress to have a bipartisan commission on Medicaid. Mr. Speaker, Madeleine Golde has been a leader in advocating for a health care system that ensures all Americans have quality and affordable health care coverage. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Anita Burson who has dedicated her life to empowering disenfranchised citizens, improving her community and strengthening her church. The first child of a distinguished Baptist minister and church leader, Anita was born at the segregated Jubilee Hospital in Henderson, North Carolina, on the Fourth of July at the conclusion of Sunday services, to Rev. Dr. O. B. J. Burson and Katie Leak Burson, an educator and engineer. Her late parents were college sweethearts at Shaw University. Anita is a direct Native American descendant. A child of the parsonage during the turbulent last days of de facto segregation, Anita was privileged to witness daily the planning and activities involved in the fight for desegregation. She was also privileged to meet and hear some of the great pulpiteers and civil rights leaders of the time, who were often guests in the family home. Anita was immersed in religious activity, as well as education and civic awareness. One of her strongest memories of the struggle for civil rights was the evening white supremacist terrorists fired bullets into the church her father pastored in Coley Springs, North Carolina, while an integrated prayer rally and training sessions for voter registration and civil demonstrations were in progress. Those bullets remain lodged in the doors of that church sanctuary today. Anita attended public schools in North Carolina and Virginia, where she was one of the first students to integrate a Summer Enrichment Program for gifted students. Later the family moved to Brooklyn, New York where she completed high school. While still a high school student, she organized the first on-site voter registration campaign for 18-year-olds, at her high school. During her college career, she became the first Black woman to serve as an elected student officer at Finch College, and the first to earn a position on the Academic Council. Anita graduated from Finch/Marymount Manhattan College with a Bachelors Degree in Cultural Anthropology & Sociology. In 1977, Anita was elected to Community School Board #17, and became a member of the first Black majority in New York City's Crown Heights- Flatbush district in Brooklyn. She served as an officer on that body's executive board. Later, as a political campaign professional, she worked for President Jimmy Carter. She has served as a consultant to candidates for Federal, statewide and municipal legislative offices and other positions. The Rev. O. B. J. Burson's role as a religious and civic leader ushered Anita into a life of community awareness and commitment. Her life has always been deeply rooted in the Baptist and AME Zion denominations. She is the great-great-granddaughter of Rev. Washington Leak and great-granddaughter of Rev. Thomas J. Leak, two prominent AME Zion leaders and educators. She is a fourth generation member of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc. (NBC,USA); her paternal great-grandfather and his brother were present at its original meetings. Continuing that legacy in 1992 and 1993, Anita became the first outside consultant (in 112 years) for The NBC, U.S.A., to coordinate convention activity for its annual board meeting and annual session held in New York City. Professionally, Anita is best known for her unparalleled skill as an advisor to pastors, clergy, denominational organizations, and to individuals, groups and corporations seeking to relate better to them. With nearly 25 years of experience in all aspects of professional campaign management and not-for-profit organizational development, Anita's professional acumen has been enhanced by her life's experiences. She is noted for her creative concepts and approaches to building sustainable relationships and enhancing networks between the public and private sector and religious organizations. Anita is a frequent speaker at churches, and for special events within local communities around the nation. She is to begin her own seminary training later this year. Mr. Speaker, Anita Burson has been a leader in her community through her commitment to her church, civic organizations and coalition building. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, the current situation in our world prompts the United States to seek and deepen relations with countries who share our principles and values, one such country is the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the course of its development, Kazakhstan has achieved tremendous results despite some ups and downs. In fact, the people of Kazakhstan have gained long awaited freedom thirteen years ago and have chosen the right path consistently moving towards their ultimate goal of building a democratic and civil society with a strong market economy. The recent state of the nation address by President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan is strong proof of that. I have read this document and must note that it is indeed a milestone for the country. It provides an outstanding description of the state and perspectives of the development of Kazakhstan's society. It is a comprehensive address which I kindly ask, Mr. Speaker, to submit to the Congressional Record for those of my colleagues who follow the development of this young and promising country. Let me mention a few highlights. It is amazing how this country, which for many years existed under a totalitarian regime without any idea of market reforms has managed to achieve tremendous results in a very short period. Average income has grown almost fivefold during the last ten years, monthly salaries have increased by about 6 times, the minimum wage has gone up 25 times, average monthly pensions have increased by 4.6 times, and personal and average per capita bank deposits by 35 and 37 times. Compared to 2003, state expenditures on guaranteed free health care have risen 1.7 times. The most impressive part of the message is the massive social component of the Kazakh leader's program aimed at significant improvement of wellbeing of all levels of society, especially the poor, elderly, disabled and children. The President's annual address also reflects the desire of a young nation to become a bulwark of democracy in a vitally important region. Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan has become a leader in promoting political and democratic transformations in the post Soviet states. Most importantly, Kazakhstan is not going to stop half way to this goal, but is eager to deepen this process based on Western standards of democracy. I support President Nazarbayev's initiative to create a National Program of Political Reforms in which the key player will be the people. I strongly believe that the evolution of Kazakh society inevitably will lead to a triumph of democracy. It is dictated by the will and aspirations of the people. I also agree with President Nazarbayev when he said that today ``Kazakhstan is regarded in the world as a regional power possessing a strong economy and a solid position in the international community''. I congratulate the people and the Government of Kazakhstan for their achievements and am sincerely happy for them. I am very glad that the United States has been instrumental in aiding the development of Kazakhstan. Our bilateral relations have gained the status of a strategic partnership. I am absolutely convinced successful cooperation between the U.S. and Kazakhstan is the cornerstone of stability in a crucial region and it is in the interest of both our countries and the world as a whole. Today, it is vital for America to demonstrate its gratitude to the people of Kazakhstan who stood side by side with us after 9/11 and is today living up to its commitment in helping to build a free Iraq. I urge my colleagues and the administration to render them assistance and support their endeavors to be among the truly democratic countries of the world.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Beatrice Jackson-Walls in recognition of her commitment to her church and her community. Beatrice is a vivacious, effervescent Virginia Belle. A member of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Brooklyn for 57 years, she has dedicated her teenage and young adult life to serving in the Youth Fellowship, Young People's Choir and as a teacher in the Baptist Training Union, Junior Department. Professionally, Beatrice serves Cornerstone Baptist Church as a skillful efficient Administrative Assistant and has had the honor and pleasure of working with three spiritual giants: the late Pastor Emeritus, Reverend Dr. Sandy F. Ray; the Reverend Dr. Harry S. Wright; and her present Pastor, the Reverend Lawrence E. Aker, III. Artistically, Beatrice is a gifted soprano soloist in the Senior Choir and has performed in concerts throughout the New York Metropolitan area, including Carnegie Recital Hall and the prestigious St. Peters Church in Manhattan. A past Sunday School Teacher, she continues to utilize her educational and volunteer leadership skills as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Cornerstone Day Care Center, Inc., Chair of Special Projects of the Capital Fund Raising Committee, President of the Senior Choir, Corresponding Secretary of the Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir of Bedford Stuyvesant, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Food Pantry. She also served on the Board of Directors of the American Lung Association of Brooklyn. A product of the school systems in Virginia and Delaware, she pursued her education at New York Community College (now New York Technical College) in Brooklyn. She is the recipient of numerous religious, community and business awards and honors. Her hobbies include stained glass designing, traveling, serving, gardening, poetry and people. God blessed her with 39 years of marriage to the late Deacon Joseph M. Walls. She is mother of two sons, Joseph Demetrius and Darryl Christopher and the grandmother of three of the most precious and special children, Jasmyne Marie, D. Christopher II, and Amara Aurellia. Mr. Speaker, Beatrice Jackson-Walls has strengthened her community through her numerous volunteer efforts with her church. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Janice Y. Jones in recognition of her strong commitment to her family and dedication to educating our children. Janice Y. Jones was born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York to James and Clara Jones. At the age of five the family moved to East New York, where Janice attended local public schools, P.S. 159, I.S. 218 and Franklin Lane High School. Janice won a scholarship to Connecticut College. After a year at Connecticut, she returned home to help her mother care for her three younger brothers due to the death of her father. Janice went back to Lane where she was hired as an Educational Assistant. She went through the Career Training Program and obtained her degree from York College and her Teaching License. During her tenure at Lane, she worked closely with the activities director, the guidance department and was one of the coaches for the cheerleading squad. She accompanied her mother to numerous community and school meetings as well. Although Lane did not have a teaching position for Janice, Transit Tech High School hired her as a Special Education Teacher. After one year of teaching, Janice became the Coordinator of Student Activities at Transit Tech. The title included many duties such as the leadership program for students, senior activities, the Transit Tech Volunteer Program, SkillsUSA (VICA), and a parent and community liaison. She worked closely with and underwent training by the Anti-Defamation League, the National Conference of Community, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Education Conflict Resolution and Negotiation Team where she now is a trainer herself. Janice has served on the Board of Trustees for New York City VICA and as the Vice Chairperson of the New York State VICA Board of Trustees. Janice is very devoted to her students and tries to encourage them to reach for greatness and realize their potential. When time allows, she is also an active volunteer in the community. Mr. Speaker, Janice Y. Jones has dedicated herself to her community and to educating our children. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Pamela Mary Johnson-Junior who has committed herself to strengthening her community through her work on the Community Planning Board. Pamela was born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn and still resides there today. Pamela and her twin brother are the last of 10 children born to Booker T. Johnson and Ina L. Johnson. At age 16, Pamela graduated a year early from high school and attended Long Island University. Later, she transferred to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and majored in Criminal Justice Administration and Planning. Pamela learned at a very early age the importance of community involvement and as a teenager, she became actively involved in her Block Association. Soon thereafter, she was elected President of the Teenage Association of the 500 Decatur Street Block Association. However, her interests in politics extended beyond the local level. When Jesse Jackson ran for the Presidency of the United States, she took a two month leave of absence from her position as a Legal Assistant at one of Wall Street's top law firms, where she had been employed for over 16 years, to volunteer her services at Jesse Jackson's Bedford Stuyvesant based campaign headquarters. Nearly twenty years later, Pam continues to maintain a 50+ hour work week at the firm. In the 1990's, Pamela became actively involved in Bedford-Stuyvesant community affairs and began attending monthly community meetings at Community Board No. 3 and at the 81st Precinct. This opportunity provided her with first-hand experience and knowledge of the needs of the community. In 1996, she was appointed to Community Planning Board No. 3 by then Borough President Howard Golden. In 2000, she was elected to the position of 2nd Vice President of the Board and in 2001 she was elected to the position of 1st Vice President of the Board, which she has held for several years. During her tenure as Economic Development Chairperson of the Board, Pamela has spearheaded the 197a Plan for Bedford-Stuyvesant, collaborating with health professionals, churches, tenant associations, community activists, block associations, and Pratt Institute. She also solicited and helped raise over $250,000 to fund the 197a Plan. Pamela has forged relationships between the Community Planning Board and various New York City agencies in an effort to build the commercial corridors in Bedford-Stuyvesant and has worked closely with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and elected officials in the development of the Fulton F.I.R.S.T. Initiative. Finally, she has held weekly meetings during the summer months to ensure that community residents were informed of new and upcoming developments. Mr. Speaker, Pamela Mary Johnson-Junior has been a leader in her community through her efforts to improve our educational system and serve those in need. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Joan Eastmond who has dedicated her life to strengthening our educational system and improving her community. Joan was born the youngest of 6 children into the Eastmond family and long time member of Bedford-Stuyvesant's royalty. The Eastmond family's record of community service had a profound influence on her development and ultimately, her achievements. The birth of her son, Brian, was noted by Essence Magazine. She has always been committed to public service. As a teen she got involved with NAACP Youth Committee. She also participated in the School Integration Movement, led by her former minister, the late Dr. Milton Galamison (Siloam Presbyterian Church). She also had a unique role as a teacher. She struggled against the wishes of the prejudiced school system and the biases of the UFT. Her classroom at JHS 271 in the late 1960s was a model of ``africentricism'' and educational liberation. A Training Coordinator of AFRAM Associates, she nurtured her decision-making role of parents on 9 different sites, public and private, located in 5 different States and the District of Columbia. She co-developed with Preston Wilcox and the late Kenneth W. Haskins, a tested and copyrighted educational model: Parent Implementation (Decision-Making) in Education. She also is the author of a major AFRAM Publication: The HAMPTON Experiences. Currently employed at the Fort Greene Senior Citizens Center where she combines a variety of services for senior citizens, youth and graduate students (Lincoln University of Human Services Program), into a simulated social mission. Joan is best known for the services she provides to the community as Joan has never forgotten where she came from. While serving ``at-risk'' youth at Bed-Stuy Restoration, her commitment to others became quite evident. She did not approach these youth as potential problems. Instead, she worked to convince them that they were in fact, ``diamonds in the rough.'' Mr. Speaker, Joan Eastmond has been a leader in her community through her efforts to improve our educational system and serve those in need. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to learn that this past Wednesday, two Sikhs named Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik, who were accused of carrying out the 1985 Air India bombing, were acquitted. These Sikhs were found innocent because the witnesses against them were not believable. The Indian government has maintained for 20 years that the Sikhs were responsible for the Air India disaster and has used it as an excuse to kill Sikhs and tighten the repression against them. Now it is clear that they were not responsible. Why did India grant a loan of $2 million to the main financial backer of the organization that carried out the bombing? Why did Indian operatives approach Lal Singh, offering him ``2 million dollars and settlement in a nice country'' if he would offer false testimony against the two accused Sikhs? Why did the Consul General of India in Toronto call in a detailed description of the disaster just hours later when it took the Canadian investigators weeks to find that information? How did he know so much? Why was the Consul General later expelled? His successor as Consul General was quoted as saying that Sikhs who support Khalistan, the independent Sikh homeland, are terrorists, but the movement for Sikh independence is led by the Council of Khalistan, which is committed to achieving an independent Khalistan by peaceful, democratic, nonviolent means. The book Soft Target, which is the definitive account of the Air India case, quotes a Canadian Security Investigative Service investigator as saying, ``If you really want to clear the incidents quickly, take vans down to the Indian High Commission and the consulates in Toronto and Vancouver, load up everybody and take them down for questioning. We know it and they know it that they are involved.'' And the acquittal of the Sikhs accused just provides further substantiation of India's guilt. Mr. Speaker, this country must not support terrorism. We cannot support the people who bombed the Air India airliner and killed 329 innocent people, especially at a time when we are fighting terrorism around the world. It is time to cut off all our aid and trade with India and support freedom and self-determination for all the nations struggling for their independence in South Asia. That is the best way to establish peace, freedom, security, and dignity for all in that troubled region of the world. I would like to insert the press release on the acquittal of these two Sikhs from the Council of Khalistan into the Record, Mr. Speaker. I believe it will clearly show who is responsible for this terrible act of terrorism. Malik, BagrI Acquitted of All Charges in Air India Case justice has been done despite pressure from indian regime Washington, DC, March 16, 2005. Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri have been acquitted of all charges in the Air India bombing case, in a major rebuke to the Indian regime. Malik and Bagri were found not guilty today in the deaths of 329 people who perished when Air India Flight 182 was brought down by a bomb on June 23, 1985 in Canada's worst case of mass murder. Justice Ian Josephson delivered the verdicts this afternoon, saying he didn't believe many of the witnesses. ``Justice has been done for these Sikhs,'' said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, which leads the Sikh struggle for independence. ``Despite the effort of the Indian government to blame these Sikhs for its own acts, they have been found innocent. This is a major setback for the Hindustani regime,'' he said. Canadian Member of Parliament wrote in 1989 that the Canadian government had spent $60 million on the case. ``On behalf of over 600,000 Sikhs in Canada and the 25 million Sikhs worldwide, we would like to express our gratitude to Judge Josephson for doing the right thing and not caving in to the pressure of the Indian government,'' Dr. Aulakh said. Air India flight 182 was blown up off Ireland in 1985. It was on its way from Toronto to Bombay. It was supposed to be blown up at the London airport when no passengers would be aboard, but due to delays it blew up over Ireland. The book Soft Target by Canadian journalists Zuhair Kashmeri of the Toronto Globe and Mail and Brian McAndrew of the Toronto Star exposed India's responsibility for this bombing. In the book, Kashmeri and McAndrew quoted a Canadian Security Investigative Service (CSIS) investigator as saying, ``If you really want to clear the incidents quickly, take vans down to the Indian High Commission and the consulates in Toronto and Vancouver, load up everybody and take them down for questioning. We know it and they know it that they are involved.'' The book shows that within hours after the flight was blown up, the Indian Consul General in Toronto, Surinder Malik (no relation to Ripudaman Singh Malik), called in a detailed description of the bombing and the names of those he said were involved, information that the Canadian government didn't discover until weeks later. Mr. Malik said to look on the passenger manifest for the name ``L. Singh.'' This would turn out to be Lal Singh, who told the press that he was offered ``two million dollars and settlement in a nice country'' by the Indian regime to give false testimony in the case. In his book Betrayal: The Spy Canada Abandoned, Member of Parliament David Kilgour wrote that Canadian-Polish double agent Ryszard Paszkowski was approached to join a plot to carry out a second bombing. The people who approached Paszkowski were connected to the Indian government. The main backer of the group that was supposedly behind the Air India bombing had received a $2 million loan from the State Bank of India just before the plane was attacked, according to Soft Target. The year after the bombing, three Indian consuls general were asked to leave the country. At the time of the bombing, the Congress Party needed the Sikhs as scapegoats to win votes on a law-and-order platform. The attack also served as justification for the government to shed more Sikh blood. The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 300,000 Christians since 1948, over 90,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands of Tamils, Assamese, Manipuris, Dalits, Bodos, and others. The Indian Supreme Court called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse than a genocide.'' According to a report by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR), 52,268 Sikhs and tens of thousands of other minorities are being held as political prisoners in India without charge or trial. Some have been in illegal custody since 1984! We demand the immediate release of all these political prisoners. The Sikh Nation declared its independence from India on October 7, 1987 and formed the Council of Khalistan at that time to lead the struggle for independence. When India became independent, Sikhs were equal partners in the transfer of power and were to receive their own state, but the weak and ignorant Sikh leaders of the time were tricked into staying with India on the promise that they would have ``the glow of freedom'' and no law affecting the Sikhs would pass without their consent. Sikhs ruled an independent and sovereign Punjab from 1710 to 1716 and again from 1765 to 1849 and were recognized by most of the countries of the world at that time. Sikhs do not accept the Indian constitution. No Sikh representative has ever signed it. V.P. Singh, who was the Indian Consul General in Toronto when Soft Target came out, was quoted in the June 22, 1989 issue of the Washington Times, as saying that Sikhs who support Khalistan are terrorists. The Council of Khalistan, which leads the Sikh struggle to liberate Khalistan, openly repudiated militancy and has an 18-year record of working to free Khalistan by peaceful, democratic, nonviolent means. Indian police arrested human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra after he exposed their policy of mass cremation of Sikhs, in which over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested, tortured, and murdered, then their bodies were declared unidentified and secretly cremated. Khalra was murdered in police custody. His body was not given to his family. No one has been brought to justice for the kidnapping and murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra. The police never released the body of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke after SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna murdered him. He has never been tried for the Jathedar Kaunke murder. In 1994, the U.S. State Department reported that the Indian government had paid over 41,000 cash bounties for killing Sikhs. Missionary Graham Staines was murdered along with his two sons, ages 8 and 10, by a mob of militant, fundamentalist Hindu nationalists who set fire to the jeep, surrounded it, and chanted ``Victory to Hannuman,'' a Hindu god. None of the people involved has been tried. The persons who have murdered priests, raped nuns, and burned Christian churches have not been charged or tried. The murderers of 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat have never been brought to trial. An Indian newspaper reported that the police were ordered not to get involved in that massacre, a frightening parallel to the Delhi massacre of Sikhs in 1984. India is not one country; it is a polyglot thrown together for the convenience of the British colonialists. It is doomed to break up as they did. Last year, the Punjab Legislative Assembly passed a bill cancelling the government's daylight robbery of Punjab river water. The Assembly explicitly stated the sovereignty of Punjab. ``The Indian regime stands exposed for the bloody tyranny that it is,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``This verdict is a major setback to their repressive drive for hegemony over all of South Asia,'' he said. ``This is a victory not only for the Sikh Nation, but for freedom-loving people everywhere.'' ``I urge the international community to help us free Khalistan from Indian occupation,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``Freedom is the birthright of all people and nations,'' he said. ``As Professor Darshan Singh, a former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, said, `lf a Sikh is not for Khalistan, he is not a Sikh','' Dr. Aulakh noted. ``We must continue to press for freedom,'' he said. ``Without political power, religions cannot flourish and nations perish. A sovereign Khalistan is essential for the survival of the Sikh religion and the Sikh Nation.''

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Queenie Mary Corley Wooten in recognition of her public service and numerous contributions to her community. Queenie has made a difference in many people's lives. She was born into a family of ten in Salley, South Carolina to the late James and Estella Hunt Corely. She is the wife of the late James Wooten and the companion of Dr. Raymond B. Croskey for the past 21 years. She has encountered many challenges during her life and has embraced them all with courage and dignity, which exemplifies the type of person she is. Queenie graduated from Medgar Evers College in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education. She took additional courses, which enhanced her long and remarkable career in education. Presently, she is working in Region #5 as a Coordinator of External Community Programs. In addition to networking with East New York and Brownsville city agencies, she serves on the cabinets of Planning Board #5 and #16. Queenie is developing innovative and creative external programs to improve educational and developmental outcomes for students. She coordinates activities with the external community, also assists the director with setting priorities and selecting high quality collaborative programs. She mobilizes resources for regional and school priorities, collaborates with schools in Region #5 to create inter- agency regional advisory councils, and volunteers on Planning Board #5, working with the committee on education. Additionally, she works diligently with students to help them get credit for community service. Queenie is one of the founders of the American College of Counselors, for the New York Branch, and was recently honored by the Department of Education for her service of 41 years. In fact, she has received numerous honors and awards for her work including: an award from Medgar Evers College as one of its first graduates; the Sojourner Truth Award from the Brooklyn Club of the Negro Business & Professional Women's Club; an honoree of the Women's League of Science and Medicine Inc; and the education award from Van Siclen Block Association. Organizations such as National Sickle Cell Research and the Latin Souls Little League Baseball have honored her as well. Queenie serves on the Board of Directors for Medgar Evers Alumni Association, as the Youth Advisor for the Brooklyn Youth Club, and the chair of North East Committee of Elections. She notes that all of her accomplishments would not have been possible without the spiritual leadership of Rev. Jacob Underwood. Queenie has been a faithful member of Grace Baptist for the past 35 years. Mr. Speaker, Queenie Mary Corley Wooten has been dedicated to serving her community through her work on numerous community boards and volunteer efforts. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Maggie Harvey who has committed herself strengthening her community and has had an accomplished thirty-year career in finance. Maggie was born in Georgetown, Guyana. The second of two girls and two boys, she was born to Uric and Gwendoline Harris-Haynes. She was baptized in St. George Cathedral. During her early years, she was dedicated as a soldier in the Salvation Army and worshiped at the Citadel Corp. She received her early education and professional training in Guyana and upon graduation, accepted the position of personal secretary to the Divisional Commander of the Salvation Army. In 1970, she immigrated to the United States and married Ronald Harvey, who is also Guyanese. Maggie and Ronald have three daughters. During her 30 years of employment with JP Morgan Chase & Co., she has worked in various departments of the bank. Presently, she is in the Legal Department, Corporate Compliance/Money Laundering and Foreign Assets Control. In 1988, she was received into fellowship at Miracle Temple Ministries in Brooklyn (formerly Church of the First Born), where Bishop E. Stewart is the Pastor. She serves on the Bishop's Anniversary Committee and also has responsibility for the Church's weekly bulletin. She is also a Home League Member of the Salvation Army Bedford Temple Corp. in Brooklyn. Members of the organization sew handmade blankets, lap throws, cosmetic bags for personal items and smocks, which are given to the homeless, sick and nursing home shut-ins. Maggie finds this work very rewarding, and takes a leading role in the organization as the Service Chairperson for the Home Leaguers. She looks forward to doing greater things through Christ, which strengthens her. Mr. Speaker, Maggie Harvey has served her community while launching a successful career in the financial industry. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Rosa Witsell who has dedicated her career to her community and enriching the lives of our children. Rosa grew up in Charleston, South Carolina and is the youngest of four children. She was nurtured in a home environment where there was a strong belief and faith in God. At age 10 she joined the Tabernacle Baptist Church and became a Sunday School Teacher and Secretary, and a member of the Junior Usher Board. After earning her Bachelor's of Science from Johnson C. Smith University, Rosa moved to Brooklyn, New York where she continued her spiritual growth by joining the Brown Memorial Baptist Church under the Pastorate of the late Dr. Rev. Samuel Austin. She remains active in Brown's Ministries under her current Pastor, Rev. Clinton M. Miller, where she is a member of the Senior Missionary Society, Willing Worker's Club, and the 40/60 Friendship Club. Rosa began her career path with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation as a Recreation Director. She spent 12 years nurturing the young minds of 3 and 4 year olds in a distinguished pre-school program and broadening the horizon of 6 and 12 year olds in summer day camp. Rosa was later promoted to Assistant Supervisor of Recreation where she served the Harlem Community and later the East New York Community. She also served as her agency's liaison to Community Board Five, representing the agency at Community Board meetings, Youth Committee meetings, and providing invaluable support and assistance to the Board's staff. After more than 20 years, Rosa retired from the Department of Parks, but remained in the East New York Community as Center Director of the Starrett-at-Spring Creek Teen Center. In addition to educational and cultural trips, Rosa implemented an annual Mother/Daughter Dinner, Double Dutch and Talent Show competitions, dance classes, and workshops dealing with job skills, AIDS awareness, and proper make-up. After 4 years as Center Director, Rosa resigned and joined the United States Postal Service where she is currently employed as a letter carrier. She enjoys the continued interaction with college students, young families, and seniors. Rosa's customers frequently thank her for her smile and excellent service. In fact, because her customers took the time to send letters of accommodation to the Postmaster, the Postal Service recognized her for outstanding customer service. Rosa is a former Board member of Brooklyn Neighborhood Improvement Association, and a former Cadet Girl Scout Leader. She is a single mom whose daughter Esteen, and son in-law Derrick are about to make her a first time grandmother in a few short months. Mr. Speaker, Rosa Witsell has dedicated herself to her professional career, to serving her community and improving the lives of our children. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a distinguished organization, The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg. It is an honor to represent The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg in the House of Representatives and it behooves us to pay tribute to such a selfless organization. Mr. Speaker, The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg was founded in 1966 to help families in need in South Williamsburg. Over the course of its 39 years of service to the Brooklyn community The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg has thrived marvelously where today it represents more than 50,000 community residents and 148 not-for-profits, religious, educational, charitable organizations and civic associations in the Jewish community of Williamsburg, Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant. Under the tutelage of their President, Rabbi David Niederman, The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg has established itself as a direct provider of social and housing services and is the address for urban planning, public health and community development services for the Jewish community of Greater Williamsburg. The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, has been a leader in providing low-income housing to the Williamsburg community. Their most recent project includes the development of a waterfront property at the site of the former Schaeffer Brewery, which has 149 housing units reserved for low-income people. Additionally, they are the central address for the New York State and New York City Departments of Health and the Center for Disease Control in researching and conducting pilot projects on Cancer and Shigellosis in the culturally rich Hasidic Jewish community. They have also been instrumental in providing treatment to those suffering from the adverse affects of tobacco as well as being involved in collaborative efforts with other not-for- profits in providing for the overall betterment of the Williamsburg community. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is incumbent on this body to recognize the achievements of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg. After the destruction and decimation of many Hasidic dynasties in Europe during the Holocaust, it is truly an inspiration to see the Hasidic sects of Satmar, Pupa, Vishnitz, Vien, Tzelem, Skver, Klausenberg and Spinka join together under the umbrella of The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and call Brooklyn their home. Mr. Speaker, may our country continue to benefit from the civic actions of The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and community groups similar to them.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Sandra Odessa Thompson in recognition of her service to New York City and her dedication to her community through her numerous civic commitments. Sandra Odessa Thompson was born and raised in Brooklyn. Sandra is a permanent Associate Staff Analyst employed by the City of New York managing a portfolio of more than $100 million involving cultural institutions at the Department of Design & Construction (DDC). She earned a BS in Biology from Pennsylvania State University, a MA in Human Sexuality and Health Education, and a professional diploma in Human Resources Management from New York University. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Origin, a new women's magazine, which is the premier magazine for women in the Delaware Valley. Over the years, Sandra has been actively involved in civic, community and fundraising events including a fundraiser for Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn, Inc., featuring the Broadway diva, Ms. Jennifer Holliday. She is a member of the Executive Board for the Organization of Staff Analysts (OSA); a member of OSA's Black History Committee; a team negotiator in 2004 for the City's Analysts; as well as a co- founder of DDC's OSA Chapter, where she serves as Vice-Chair of Contracts & Negotiations. Sandra has also received numerous honors, community and civic awards including: the Precinct/Clergy Community Award for fostering police-community relations; the OSA's first Elaine Cherry Memorial Award for Union Activism; several City Council Citations; and the 98.7 KISS-FM Strong Achiever Award. She has also been recognized as one of The 2000 Most Notable American Women and for her work as a budget analyst for the City's portion [$65 million] of MoMA's (Museum of Modem Art) move from Manhattan to Queens and for one of her gardens (The Cloisters) she funded in a national magazine. Additionally, Sandra is creating a mentoring and scholarship foundation in her parents' memory. She mentors several young ladies; actively recruits and networks (in NYC) for prospective Penn State University (PSU) undergraduates as an alumni volunteer; and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Previously, she was the past Recording Secretary and fundraiser for the 81st Precinct Community Council; a liaison between the 81st precinct community and youth councils; a strategic planning team member for the 2004 Youth Speak Outs & Borough Conference. Sandra also collaborated with the Kings County District Attorney's Office on the 2003 boroughwide Youth Speak Outs & Silence the Violence Youth Conference. Mr. Speaker, Sandra Odessa Thompson has dedicated herself to her community through both her professional and numerous volunteer efforts. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Jeanette Lugo Sosa in recognition of her strong commitment to strengthening the education of our children. Jeanette has been the principal of PS 151K since 1999. She has come full circle in the Bushwick community. As a child, she studied at PS 274K and IS 111, before earning a Bachelor's Degree in Educational Administration and a Professional Diploma in Psychology from New York University. Her administrative career began as Interim Acting Assistant Principal at PS 343, then as Assistant Principal at IS 291 before being appointed to her current post. PS 151K has truly blossomed under her strong leadership and administrative style. Reading and math scores have increased tremendously, and a science lab is now available for the students. Jeanette works diligently with a very active Parents' Association to promote an atmosphere of harmony and warmth. Under her tenure, the third through fifth grade violin orchestra, the third through fifth grade jazz band, and the kindergarten through second grade Piano Lab have all been created. Additionally, her leadership has been responsible for establishing the Fine Arts Lab for all grades. These accomplishments clearly demonstrate her passionate love of the arts. Jeanette and her husband, Jose, are celebrating 25 years of wedded bliss. They are extremely proud of their three beautiful daughters: Celia, a Doctoral Candidate at Binghamton University; Margo, a kindergarten teacher at PS 145K; and Rebecca, a junior at The Mary Louis Academy for Girls. Mr. Speaker, Jeanette Lugo Sosa has chosen to dedicate her career to educating our children and enriching their lives. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.