Ed Towns

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of AmeriChoice for its ten years of quality health care services to the many residents of Brooklyn. AmeriChoice began serving residents of Brooklyn in January 1994 as Managed Healthcare Systems (MHS), and today, it is a premier health plan available to beneficiaries of Medicaid, Medicare, the Child Health Plus Program and the State's Family Health Plus program. AmeriChoice is one of the few for-profit companies that has long been and continues to remain committed to the vital public sector segment of the health care market. Currently, it serves more than 100,000 members with a staff of 170 dedicated employees. In spite of its growing members, Americhoice has maintained a personalized focus to members' health care needs using the innovative Personal Care Model which extends beyond the traditional borders of health care to involve families, community organizations and government agencies in developing practical solutions which maintain the highest possible functional health status for members. AmeriChoice has received a national HERA Award from the American Association of Health Plans which recognizes the significant work this health plan has done to increase the number of children receiving five or more comprehensive well-child visits with a physician during the first 15 months of life. Mr. Speaker, AmeriChoice has been a valued organization of the Brooklyn community for ten years, serving as a premier health plan available to beneficiaries of Medicaid, Medicare, the Child Health Plus Program and the State's Family Health Plus program. As such, it is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this remarkable organization.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, on May 12, the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness conducted a hearing into human-rights violations in Kashmir and in Punjab, Khalistan. It was a very successful hearing. Witnesses travelled from Kashmir and from out of state to testify. Those testifying included The Honorable Michael Kozak, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Human Rights and Labor; The Honorable Donald Camp, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South Asian Affairs; Mr. T. Kumar, Advocacy Director--Asia, Amnesty International; The Honorable Robert Giuda, Deputy Majority Leader of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and Chairman, Americans for Resolution of Kashmir; Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Executive Director, Kashmiri American Council; Mrs. Attiya Inayatullah, a human-rights activist from Kashmir; Selig Harrison, Director of the Asia Program, Woodrow Wilson Center for International Policy; and Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan. Many witnesses talked about the atrocities that have become everyday policy in India's minority states, such as Punjab, Khalistan and Kashmir. Witnesses testified to such atrocities as extrajudicial killings, including fake encounter killings, custodial deaths throughout the country, excessive use of force by security forces, youth sexually incapacitated through torture, rapes, murders, burning villages, and others. India claims to be democratic, but it is really a brutal tyranny, as these atrocities show. It has placed over 700,000 troops in Kashmir and another 500,000 in Punjab, Khalistan to suppress any opposition to its brutal rule. The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 300,000 Christians since 1948, over 87,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands of Tamils, Assamese, Bodos, Manipuris, Dalits, and others. Mr. Speaker, the United States of America, the beacon of freedom for the world, cannot just stand by and let these atrocities occur. We should stop aid to India until it respects human rights and we should put this Congress on record in support of self-determination for the Sikhs, Kashmiris, Nagas, and everyone who is seeking freedom from India's brutal rule. Mr. Speaker, the Council of Khalistan issued an excellent, detailed, and informative press release on the hearing, which I would like to insert in the Record now. Dr. Aulakh, Others Expose Indian Human Rights Violations at Congressional Hearing Washington, DC, May 12, 2004.--Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, exposed Indian human rights violations against the Sikhs and other minorities at a Congressional hearing today entitled ``Decades of Terror: Exploring Human Rights Abuses in Kashmir and the Disputed Territories.'' He gave a very emotional informative, strong statement. It was a very successful appearance. ``Repression is the official policy of supposedly secular and democratic India,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``The reality is that India is a Hindu theocracy, not the democracy it claims to be,'' he said. On October 7, 1987, the Sikh Nation declared its independence from India, naming its new country Khalistan. India's brutal occupation of Khalistan and other minority nations is now internationalized and brought to the attention of the world. On December 5, President Bush told Dr. Aulakh, ``I am aware of the Sikh and Kashmiri problem.'' Dr. Aulakh made it clear to the committee that ``freedom for all the minority nations of South Asia is the only way to end the repression and secure full human rights for everyone in that troubled region.'' Dr. Aulakh testified that ``An Army commander in Amritsar district threatened that he would murder the Sikh men, bring the women to the Army barracks, and `produce a new generation of Sikhs.' Mr. Chairman, this is disgraceful and extremely insulting to the proud Sikhs. It is unbecoming of an army commander of a nation which claims to be the world's largest democracy.'' He blasted India's policy of Hindutva, the total Hinduization of every aspect of life in India. He noted that Amnesty International has not been allowed into Punjab since 1978. ``Even Castro's Cuba has allowed Amnesty International into the country more recently,'' he said. Subcommittee Chairman Representative Dan Burton (R-Indiana) opened the hearing with a statement. Congressman Burton said, ``Just as the world is disgusted by the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by United States servicemen and women, we should be disgusted by the tactics that have been systematically employed by Indian military and paramilitary forces.'' He quoted the U.S. State Department report on India: ``Significant human rights abuses included: Extrajudicial killings, including fake encounter killings, custodial deaths throughout the country, and excessive use of force by security forces.'' Chairman Burton noted ``techniques like reprisal killings, burning down of whole villages, and summary executions.'' He said that ``India's insistence on resolving a political problem by force has dragged it down into a campaign of essentially lawless state terrorism.'' ``We thank Chairman Burton for holding this important hearing,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``It has been helpful in showing the world the truth about India's claim to be a secular democracy. What India really is is one of the world's most brutal tyrannies,'' he said. Other speakers included The Honorable Michael Kozak, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; The Honorable Donald Camp, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South Asian Affairs; Mr. T. Kumar, Advocacy Director--Asia, Amnesty International; The Honorable Bob Giuda, Chairman of Americans for Resolution of Kashmir and Deputy Majority Leader of the New Hampshire House of Representatives; Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Executive Director of the Kashmiri American Council; Mrs. Attiya Inayatullah, a human-rights activist and aid worker; and Selig Harrison, Director of the Asia Program, Woodrow Wilson Center for International Policy. Sikhs from Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania came to the hearing. Representatives of the Sikh Coalition were in attendance. Such Sikh youth leaders as Amardeep Singh Bhalla, Gurpreet Singh Dhillon, Mona Kaur Dhillon, and others, as well as Sikh activists Ranjit Singh, Gurbax Singh Dhillon, Karj Singh Sandhu, Kavneet Singh Pannu, and many others attended in an excellent show of Sikh strength. The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 300,000 Christians since 1948, over 87,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands of Tamils, Assamese, Bodos, Manipuris, Dalits, and others. The Indian Supreme Court called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse than a genocide.'' Mrs. Inayatullah testified that in Kashmir, ``Since 1989 and as of January 2004 the death toll stands at 87,648. The orphan count is 105,210, women ages 7-70 molested is a shameful 9,297 and another 21,286 reported widowed, with there being no record of the number of youth sexually incapacitated through torture and disabled for life.'' She said that ``Buzz words like cross-border terrorism and fundamentalism will not cover India's guilt.'' Rep. Giuda noted that ``Indian law immunizes its army and police from prosecution for actions committed under color of `prevention of terrorism', enabling a hideous government-sanctioned repertoire of torture, rapes, murder, arson, and custodial killing. Pakistan allows U.N. observers and human-rights organizations unfettered access to Free Kashmir, while India denies access to substantial parts of IOK. One must ask, `Why are no observers allowed? What is India hiding?' '' Mr. Kumar said that ``torture, including rape, deaths in custody, extrajudicial killings, and `disappearances' have been perpetrated by agents of the state with impunity.'' He said that ``Most families of all backgrounds have experienced some form of loss--of livelihood, of a relative, or of the sense of security of life, liberty, and other fundamental human rights.'' Dr. Fai reported that ``Killings in Kashmir have become so commonplace that they are reported like car accidents in the United States.'' He described rapes, torture, arbitrary arrests, and other activities. He noted that ``freedom to speak, write, or organize around self- determination or criticism of the Indian government for millions of Kashmiris is chimerical.'' He noted that the Official Secrets Act gives the government authority to suppress criticism of its policies. He said that ``India has authorized a police state reminiscent of the Gestapo.'' Mr. Harrison stated that India has built ``an inflated military force that has committed well-documented atrocities.'' Secretary Kozak said, ``Our annual human-rights report documents our concern and gives examples of the abuses that take place all too frequently.'' Dr. Aulakh testified that 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 never given to his family. The police never released the body of former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh Kaunke after SSP Swaran Singh Ghotna murdered him. Ghotna has not been brought to trial for the murder of Jathedar Kaunke. No one has been brought to justice for the kidnapping and murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra. According to a report by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR), 52,268 Sikhs are being held as political prisoners in India without charge or trial. Some have been in illegal custody since 1984! Amnesty International recently reported at least 100 current torture cases in Punjab. A Sikh leader named Gurnihal Singh Pirzada was arrested on charges that he attended a meeting with ``dissidents.'' Although he denies attending the meeting, he said that it would not be illegal if he did. Dr. Aulakh noted that history shows that multinational states such as India are doomed to failure. Countries like Austria-Hungary, India's longtime friend the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and others prove this point. India is not one country; it is a polyglot like those countries, thrown together for the convenience of the British colonialists. It is doomed to break up as they did. India is ruled by Hindu theocrats whose agenda is ``Hindu, Hindi, Hindutva, Hindu Rashtra,'' or total Hindu domination of every facet of Indian life. An Indian Cabinet minister said that everyone who lives in India must be a Hindu or subservient to Hindus. ``As Professor Darshan Singh, a former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, said, `If a Sikh is not for Khalistan, he is not a Sikh','' Dr. Aulakh noted. ``We must continue to press for our God-given birthright of freedom,'' he said. ``Without political power, religions cannot flourish and nations perish.''

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, as you know, a Sikh, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has been named as the new Prime Minister of India. Dr. Singh is a former Finance Minister in the government of Narasimha Rao from 1991 to 1996. He is a very experienced Indian official. I hope that this will be a step forward for good relations between the United States and India, Mr. Speaker. We all seek good relations. However, the support of India's Communists for the governing coalition makes me wonder if good relations are possible under this particular government. Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan has sent a letter to Prime Minister Singh congratulating him on his new position. In the letter, Dr. Aulakh notes that it is good for the image of Sikhs worldwide that Dr. Manmohan Singh is now Prime Minister. He also notes that it was the RSS, parent organization of the ousted BJP, that assassinated Mohandas Gandhi and takes note of India's violent history, urging Prime Minister Singh to take strong measures to avoid repeating this history, such as releasing the political prisoners that India holds, punishing those responsible for atrocities, ending the taking of Punjabi water to nonriparian states without compensation, and other such policies I think we can all support. India will be a better place if Prime Minister Singh implements these policies. According to the Movement Against State Repression (MASR), 52,268 Sikhs are being held as political prisoners. Amnesty International reports that tens of thousands of other minorities are also being held as political prisoners. A democracy should not hold political prisoners. I am sure all my colleagues will agree with me that all these political prisoners should be released immediately. The letter also reminds Prime Minister Singh that while ending the BJP's policy of Hindutva--total Hinduization of every aspect of Indian life--will be welcome, it was the Congress Party under Dr. Singh's political patrons, the Gandhi family, that carried out the military attack on the Golden Temple, the center and seat of the Sikh religion and the massacre of Sikhs in Delhi and elsewhere in India. Dr. Aulakh urges Dr. Singh to make a complete break with these policies by punishing those responsible. In 1987, the Sikhs declared themselves independent from India, naming their new country Khalistan. As Dr. Aulakh points out in his letter, allowing Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagaland, and the other nations seeking their freedom from India to be free is the best way to spare the subcontinent any more bloodshed. I join in that call, Mr. Speaker. We should support a free and fair plebiscite on the question of independence for the minority nations of South Asia. And until human rights are fully observed and a complete break is made with the bloody and repressive policies of the past, the United States should stop providing aid to India. These measures will encourage India to take the steps necessary to bring peace, freedom, prosperity, and dignity to everyone in the subcontinent. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert the Council of Khalistan's letter to Prime Minister Singh into the Record at this time. Council of Khalistan, Washington, DC, May 26, 2004. The Hon. Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, Chanakyapouri, New Delhi, India. Dear Prime Minister Singh: Congratulations on becoming Prime Minister of India. You have been entrusted with a significant responsibility. We are very pleased to see a Sikh as Prime Minister. You have reached this high office because of your intelligence and hard work and your presence in this position gives the world a strong and positive impression of Sikhs. However, remember the way that the Gandhi family used Giani Zail Singh when he was President of India. He became the figurehead for their repression of the Sikhs. Unlike Zail Singh, you are in a position of real power. Sikhs around the world will be watching what you do and hoping that you will not allow yourself to be used in a similar manner. As a Sikh, you are in a position to understand the problems of the Sikh Nation. The Movement Against State Repression (MASR) did a report that showed the government admitted to holding 52,268 Sikh political prisoners. They have been held without charge or trial, some for as long as 20 years! If you are truly committed to secularism, one of your first acts should be to release all political prisoners. If any have died in custody, their bodies should be released to their families. These are people who have committed no crime but opposition to the government. How can there be political prisoners in a democracy? I urge you to restore to Punjab what is rightfully Punjab's. I call on you to restore the Punjabi-speaking areas that were removed from the state of Punjab to it. Punjab was meant to be a unified Sikh state and Indian governments of the past have pursued a deliberate policy of dividing, bankrupting, and weakening it to divide and weaken the Sikhs. As a Sikh and as Prime Minister, you are in a position to put a stop to this policy. You are also in a position to restore Punjab's water rights. For years, Punjab's water has been diverted to non-riparian states with no compensation to Punjab or to the people of Punjab. Please put an end to the diversion of Punjab's water to non-riparian states and when such diversion is necessary, please make certain that the Sikh farmers of Punjab get appropriate compensation for their water. This is only fair and right, and it is a policy that will earn you greater support among the Sikhs. All other states control their water resources. We are also pleased that the BJP is out of power. Rahul Gandhi, MP, the son of Sonia and Rajiv Gandhi and a member of your party, pointed out that the RSS, which is the parent organization of the BJP, assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. The RSS is a pro-Fascist organization and both Vajpayee and Advani are proud RSS members. The end of the policy of Hindutva will be a welcome development. Sikh support for the Congress Party is also a by-product of the corrupt Parkash Singh Badal regime in Punjab, the most corrupt government in Punjab's history. The Badal government even invented a new word for bribery: fee for service. However, it was a Congress government that attacked the Golden Temple and carried out the massacre of Sikhs in Delhi and throughout India. As your own nephew pointed out, Sikhs can never forget the attack on the Golden Temple. Thus it is disturbing to read that you have said you intend to follow the policies of Rajiv Gandhi. His policy was the murder of at least 8,000 Sikhs in Delhi alone and over 20,000 throughout India. It is also disturbing that your party gave tickets to Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, who are responsible for ordering the murders of thousands of Sikhs in Delhi, and that Tytler was appointed to your Cabinet. Tytler and Sajjan Kumar supplied gasoline for these murders and incited the crowd. These people belong in jail, not in the government. I hope that you will not follow such undemocratic, anti- secularist, anti-Sikhs policies. Policies such as these have made it clear that there is no place for Sikhs in India. If you are truly committed to secularism, you cannot follow such brutal, repressive policies against Sikhs and other minorities. The brutal policies have brought about the murders of over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 87,000 Kashmiri Muslims since 1988, over 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, and tens of thousands of Assamese, Bodos, Dalits, Manipuris, and other minorities. The United States State Department exposed the fact that between 1992 and 1994, a Congress government paid out more than 41,000 cash bounties to police officers for killing Sikhs. One officer received a bonus for murdering a three- year-old boy, claiming the toddler was a ``terrorist.'' The time has come for India to make a clean break with its past by punishing those responsible for these actions, compensating the victims' families, and committing itself to preventing and punishing such acts in the future. This will show your commitment to secular, democratic government and not the theocratic repression of the country's past governments. India is a very fractured country. Because of past history, no party is able to unify the people and command a majority of the support, so coalition governments are inevitable. Coalition governments are inherently unstable. For example, the support of India's three Communist parties for your coalition weakens your ability to pursue good relations with the United States and other Western countries, which could increase India's isolation from the world. History also shows us that multinational countries are doomed to failure. Austria-Hungary, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia are examples of this. India is a multinational state, not a single country, thrown together by British colonialists and with 18 official languages. How can such a country be held together except by massive repression and bloodshed? And the repression has simply created greater resentment of the central government, which also strengthens the support for the 17 independence movements throughout India. Either way, holding India together is a futile enterprise destined to fail. Since India is a democracy, I urge you to solve this problem the democratic way. In 1947, India committed itself to a plebiscite on the status of Kashmir. The Sikhs also seek their freedom and sovereignty, as the Nagas and others also do. If India is truly the world's largest democracy, why not simply allow the people to decide their status by a free and fair vote. That is the way that you achieved power, by the people's votes. Why not let the people vote on this critical issue? The essence of democracy is the right of self- determination. As a Sikh, you are aware that the Sikh Nation is a separate nation which was supposed to receive sovereignty at the time of India's independence. As you know, Sikhs ruled Punjab from 1710 to 1716 and from 1765 to 1849. No Sikh representative has signed the Indian Constitution to this day. Every day, Sikhs pray ``Raj Kare Ga Khalsa,'' the Khalsa shall rule. As you know, the Sikh Nation declared its independence from India on October 7, 1987, calling their new country Khalistan. As former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Professor Darshan Singh has said, ``If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.'' I know that you are a Sikh, Mr. Prime Minister. I can see your turban. I know that you are concerned about the future of the Sikh Nation. Therefore, I urge you to sit down with Sikh representatives and negotiate the boundaries of a sovereign, independent, free Khalistan. This is the best thing that you can do for the Sikh Nation, your own people, and it is the best way to ensure that India goes the way of Czechoslovakia, not that of Yugoslavia. Please spare India, Khalistan, and all the nations of South Asia any further bloodshed. Congratulations again on your new position. Sincerely, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President, Council of Khalistan.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Lance Cpl. William W. White in recognition of his bravery, courage, and sacrifice for our country. Lance Cpl. White, who grew up in Brooklyn, had been assigned to the 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion, part of the 1st Marine Division, which is based in Camp Pendleton in California. On March 29, 2004, he became the first soldier from New York City to die in the Iraq war after his military Humvee rolled into a canal, and he drowned. He was 24 years old. A 1998 graduate of Bushwick High School, White was committed to serving his country as he was planning to join the fire department or pursue a career in law enforcement upon his return. Until his final days, he always shared a great concern and love for others, especially his family. In his last letter home, he sent home a $100 bill to help his brother pay a cell phone tab, instructing him to keep the money if the brother had already paid the bill. Lance Cpl. White was a disciplined student of martial arts and of the Bible. He left behind his wife Mychaele of 18 months. Mr. Speaker, Lance Cpl. William W. White was a true American hero, making the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. 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 Jossie B. Lawson in recognition of her commitment to public service through her work in the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office and dedication to her community through volunteer efforts in her church. Jossie B. Lawson was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 6, 1954. She is the proud mother of two talented daughters, Sareve C. Lawson and Alia H. Akili. Jossie is the product of the New York City public school system. After graduating from Performing Arts High School, she attended Hunter College. Her most recent academic achievement was the completion of the prestigious EEO Complaint Handling program at the Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations in 2001. Shortly after receiving her certification in Paralegal Studies from Long Island University, Jossie was hired as a paralegal by the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office in 1983. She was later promoted to Administrative Manager in 1990, and again to her current position of EEO Coordinator by the current District Attorney Charles ``Joe'' Hynes in 1998. She is also responsible for facilitating the College Internship program in the agency and has represented the District Attorney's Office on the Board of Women's Advisors for the City of New York. As a young adult, Jossie began working with the youth of her congregation, Zion Baptist Church where Dr. M. M. Peace is the pastor. She is a gifted singer and serves as a worship leader in her church. Her strong commitment to personal mentoring and use of her considerable skills as a life coach, has earned her the love and respect of many. Jossie has given her time and support to countless individuals across the years. Her ability to motivate and encourage people coupled with her gift of helping others discover and nurture the gifts within themselves is why she is frequently invited to participate in workshops and motivational sessions. Jossie is a woman who will push you to excellence, pray you toward success and pull you with the strength of her belief in your potential. Many have been blessed by her guidance. She is truly a woman who makes a difference. Mr. Speaker, Jossie B. Lawson has dedicated her life to her community through both her professional and her personal activities. 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 Sandra Doctor in recognition of her longstanding commitment and work for her immediate community, New York City and the State of New York. Sandra is a woman of faith, hope and strength. A spiritual person, she is hardworking and cares deeply for her family and her fellow man. She tries to make a difference in the lives of others. She also has a passion for the arts, modern and praise dancing, and music. Sandra loves to read books as well. Sandra was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is the eldest daughter of Roy Lee and Mildred Miller. She has been a member of St. Paul Community Baptist Church for over 31 years and has served on the young adult usher board and now works with the Jewel Collective Women's Ministry. Sandra attended Bay Ridge High School in Brooklyn and went on to pursue a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Management from the State University of New York College at Old Westbury in May 1986. After graduating from college she worked for the New York City Board of Education as a Purchasing Assistant. Two years later, she took a position with the NYC Human Resources Administration, Adult Protective Services, and has been there for the last 16 years. She has held many positions including Field Caseworker, Intake Caseworker, Unit Supervisor, Assistant to the Director, and is currently the Community Outreach Coordinator. Sandra is the liaison between APS and community based organizations, the Office of Health and Mental Health, the NYS Office of Fair Hearings and NYS Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. She also worked weekends for two years at Clinton Housing Development Corp. as a counselor and front desk security. CHDC is a SRO that provides housing and social services to mentally ill, elderly and previously homeless adults. Currently Sandra attends Hunter College School of Social Work Management Development Program. Sandra serves on many advisory boards; Manhattan Geriatric Committee, New York County Taskforce on Elder Abuse, Elder Mistreatment Committee, Living Alone Needing Care (LINC), and Mentally Ill Chemically and Alcohol Dependent (MICA). She has been a member of the Women's Caucus for Congressman Ed Towns since 1998. She is also a member of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Mayor's Taskforce and HRA Crisis and Disaster Team, where she has volunteered for the last five years. Sandra has received awards for the 911 Tragedy and the Citywide Y2K Operation. She has received emergency training through HRA Crisis and Disaster team and the American Red Cross. Mr. Speaker, Sandra Doctor has dedicated her life to her community and her church through both her professional and personal life. 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 Monica Gill, in recognition of her dedication to children and young adults as a teacher and social worker, as well as her accomplishments in the business world. Monica is not afraid of anything that comes before her other than God as she has always had obstacles in her life that she had to overcome. Losing her mother at the early age of 13 set the precedent for a difficult road ahead. She attended the Spence School--High School, University of Nebraska--Omaha, University of Missouri, Kansas City and Hunter College Graduate School of Social Work. Monica earned a BA in Journalism/International Studies, a M.S. in Urban Studies and 24 credits toward her Masters in Social Work, respectively. While obtaining her college degrees, she had three children: Joan, and twins, Imani and N'Namdi. At the same time, she would also work one or sometimes two jobs. She began her career as a photographer/public relations assistant at Warner Communications. Next she went to Europe, where she assisted Air Force personnel with their college achievements in Europe. Monica returned to the states where she worked with the college administration preparing the paths for college graduates to successfully gain employment for one of the Fortune 500 companies. She would work one job during the day around her classes and on weekends, she worked with Cox Cable of Omaha in the production and programming department. In 1983, she received a scholarship from the National Association of Black Journalists for an essay she wrote regarding the life of Malcolm X. That same year she received a broadcaster's award from KMTV-TV Omaha and an internship from KETV-TV as a weekend reporter. She moved to Kansas City and became an in-house writer for the Federal Reserve Bank District 10. Afterward, she worked for the Kansas City Conventions and Visitors Bureau and the Kansas City Globe (an African-American Daily). Her journalism and broadcasting career was booming, until the twins helped her change careers and she became a Language Arts Teacher for four years. The frustration of teaching children who were dirty and hungry led her to become a social worker and work to improve the lives of youth. After working as a social worker for more than 10 years, she realized her specialty was working with adolescents from 16-23 years old. She assisted over 200 youth to obtain housing, GEDs, employment and vocational training to better their lives. Finding services and advocating for the youth was a God-given vocation for her, which Monica had to recently give up due to surgical complications. Monica is currently a real estate sales associate for Coldwell Banker-Five Star Realty and serves on the Bedford Stuyvesant Real Estate Board. She is on the Advisory Board for Building Blocks Child Care Center, Board Advisor for the NYS Office of Children and Family Services--Pyramid Reception Center, Bronx, and a consultant for the Caribbean Carnival Bands and Activities. Monica also attends Christian Cultural Center, which is pastored by the Rev. A.R. Bernard. Mr. Speaker, Monica Gill has significantly improved her community through her work as a teacher, social worker, and now as an advisor to advocacy organizations. 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 Jasmine Edwards in recognition of her commitment to serving families in need of assistance. Born to Guyanese immigrants, Jasmine is a member of the first generation in her family to be born in the United States of America. Her mother emigrated to the U.S. as a registered nurse and later became a New York City school teacher. Her father, a former probation officer supervisor emigrated to the U.S. to attend the University of Connecticut. She recently became the seventh member in her family to become an attorney. Jasmine is admitted to practice law in New York State and the United States District Courts. She is a member of the Association of Black Women Attorneys, Brooklyn Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. She is also a licensed real estate broker and an instructor at the New York Paralegal School. Her law firm of Edwards & Greenidge is based in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Jasmine and her partner, both Guyanese-Americans, are committed to serving those in the community who desperately need legal advice. After graduating from Temple University, she worked as a social worker. Jasmine provided services to families that had been accused of child abuse and/or neglect. Her goal was to assist parents in implementing alternative parenting skills. During her tenure at CUNY School of Law, Jasmine accepted an internship at the prestigious Federal Defenders Association of Philadelphia in the Habeas Corpus Unit. The objective of the Habeas Corpus Unit was to convince the appellate courts that certain convicted criminals should not be executed. While working as a researcher that summer, Jasmine discovered that over 80 percent of the persons on death row shared the same painful experiences when they were younger as those abused and neglected children, who were part of families that she once counseled as a social worker. These experiences coupled with her desire to assist others inspired her to establish a law office in a neighborhood where many people are underserved. Jasmine's goal is to provide outstanding legal representation that is proactive as well as reactive. Mr. Speaker, Jasmine Edwards has dedicated her life to helping those in need, as a social worker for abused and neglected children and now as an attorney for the underserved residents of Brooklyn. 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 Janet B. Munroe Rousseau in recognition of her dedication to her community and improving the lives of children. Janet was born in Trinidad, West Indies. When she immigrated to the United States with her husband, she had already had a nursing degree. She started her nursing profession in England. However, Janet decided to broaden her scope of knowledge by completing the certification for the Nurse Midwifery Program (R.N, C.N.M.) at Downstate University in Brooklyn, New York. She is licensed to practice Midwifery by the New York State Education Department and the American College of Nurse Midwives. Janet also completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health at St. Joseph's College while working full-time and presiding as Vice-President of the PTA at her daughter's elementary school. Janet is a member of over ten professional affiliations within her nursing career including: the Nursing Admissions Committee, the Clinical Faculty of the College of Health Related Professions, and the Search Committee for the Chairperson of the Nurse-Midwifery Program, which is only given to those who are accomplished in their field. During her career Janet has collaborated with other nursing professionals in formulating the first health fair for Central and East Flatbush area. In addition to being a health care provider, Janet has been a member of the Sesame Flyers International Inc. since its inception in 1983. She has held numerous positions within this prestigious organization including Vice-President, Treasurer, Comptroller, Head of Social Affairs, Nutritionist for the Children's Saturday Program and now, a member of the Board of Directors. This community service organization is her second family. Janet devotes a lot of her spare time to making sure the group lives up to the motto, ``Love a Kid Today and Everyday.'' Janet is truly worthy to be honored as a ``Woman Who Dares to Be Different.'' She is not only a daring woman, but she is also a dynamic wife, mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, sister, friend and well- rounded blessed person. Mr. Speaker, Janet B. Munroe Rousseau has dedicated her life to strengthening her community as a health care provider and community activist. 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 Dr. He-Hon Lao in recognition of her contribution to the field of medicine and her special role in helping to standardize the field of acupuncture in America. Dr. Lao is a physician in Chinese medicine, a senior Acupuncturist and Herbalist, and the Founder and Director of New York Oriental HealthCare Center in Brooklyn. As a graduate of Shandong University of Medicine in 1968, she received her post-graduate training with herbal master Huang Siang-Zhou and acupuncture professor Jin Rui. She also served as Chief physician at the Red Cross Hospital under the Department of Complementary Medicine in Canton, China. While working at the Red Cross Hospital, she was one of the first physicians in China at that time to use Acupuncture and Chinese medicine in clinical research. Inspired by the lack of standardization and regulation of the acupuncture profession, Dr. Lao joined the New York State Department of Education in January 1991 where she established a comprehensive educational requirement for licensing and code of ethics. She believes a profession without proper and rigorous training is not a profession. In addition, Dr. Lao set standards in the clinical experience of acupuncture with an emphasis on professional competency. In fact, the comprehensive practice of acupuncture today is a direct result of her advocacy. As a physician, Dr. Lao has over 35 years experience of clinical practice and teaching in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. She has a long list of published works and is also a frequent lecturer on holistic medicine. Most of her lectures and seminars are professional development oriented for other doctors and healthcare professionals. Currently, Dr. Lao works at Woodhull Hospital as a supervisory acupuncturist where she treats several thousand patients every year. She is in charge of supervising the acupuncture detoxification program which is an integral part of the treatment for chemically dependent patients. She finds her job very rewarding, especially when she sees a converted drug addict go to the podium and receive a graduation certificate from her hands. She has a similar impact on many other people's lives, and that is why she loves her job. Mr. Speaker, Dr. He-Hon Lao has dedicated her life to easing patients' pain through the practice and development of acupuncture. 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 Peterson in recognition of her substantial contributions to her community. Upon gazing on their beautiful baby girl, parents Emily Cole and John Stafford named her Joan, celebrating the namesake of both grandmothers. Joan spent her early years of elementary education at Clio Public School where her grandmother, Joan Guice taught first grade, her mother taught 10th grade and her grandfather Professor Charles Guice served as principal for 50 years. Her latter years were spent at St. Joseph Catholic School where she graduated 8th Grade. Upon completing elementary school, she attended Holy Rosary High School in Lafayette, Louisiana and graduated with honors. Joan attended college at Tuskegee University with a major in Nursing Education. However, when her mother moved the family to Brooklyn, New York, she enrolled at Medgar Evers College and completed her education in Business Management. She later attended New York University and received a certificate as an Administrative Assistant. Joan worked with the United Negro College Fund as an Employee Associate where she began to develop a format that would bring together all graduates of other black colleges to participate in a job market. This has now evolved as a site on the Internet for job placements. Joan later met and married hometown friend, David Peterson, Jr. From their union, two children, Danielle and David Peterson III, were born. The children attended St. Paul Community Christian School where Joan became very involved in her children's education and participated in all fundraising activities. When the children transferred to P.S. 308, Joan continued to be active and was the Financial Secretary for the P.T.A. until her daughter Danielle graduated. Joan joined the Concerned Women of Brooklyn in which she is still an active member. In 1997, Joan's husband became ill and passed away. Subsequently, Joan bought a house and moved to Bedford-Stuyvesant, where she immediately joined the Block Association where she now serves as Financial Secretary. Joan presently works for the Health and Hospital Corporation as a Senior Systems Analyst. In her sixteen years of service, she has worked in several areas, Office of Affiliations, Construction Management, Kings County Reconstruction Project, Elmhurst Modernization Project, Accounting Department and presently she is in the Receiving Department at Queens Hospital. As a recipient of several awards as an Outstanding Leader in her community and school, Joan is interested in developing a program that would address young males, ages 10-18 years. Joan is a member of St. Paul Community Baptist Church, where Rev. Johnny Ray Youngblood is the senior pastor. Mr. Speaker, Joan Peterson has actively participated in improving her community through various volunteer positions. 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 Ojeda Hall-Phillips in recognition of her dedication to increasing economic opportunities for women and minorities in her community. Ojeda Hall-Phillips is the Deputy Director of the Local Development Corporation of East New York, a 25-year old community economic development, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to developing business, job and housing opportunities for the residents of East Brooklyn and the surrounding areas. A strategist and planner, Ojeda runs the Brooklyn Enterprise Center at the Local Development Corporation of East New York whose mission is to build economic independence among women and minorities through enterprise formation and expansion and skills development, with special emphasis on low- income African Americans and Latinos in East Brooklyn. She previously served as an associate in the strategic planning departments of the investment banking firms of Salomon Smith Barney and JP Morgan. Also an entrepreneur, Ojeda is the Associate Publisher of Glory Magazine, a lifestyle magazine that empowers African American Christian women to live out their faith in everyday life from fitness, health, beauty, and fashion to money management, spiritual growth, parenting, and relationships. She has been a contributing writer for Heart & Soul Magazine, writing articles focusing on repairing credit and managing finances. A member of the Board of Deaconesses of the Brown Memorial Baptist Church, she became head of Spiritual Ministries for the Women's Ministry Institute at Brown Memorial Baptist Church in 2002. She co- leads the Women's Bible Studies and the First Friday Women's Revival Series. She currently serves on the Boards of Directors for: Groundwork Inc, a youth development program to support young people living in high poverty urban communities to develop their strengths, skills, talents and competencies through effective experiential learning and work programs with special emphasis on youth in East New York; the New York City Financial Network Action Consortium, an initiative to build better community development credit unions in New York City; Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, a job readiness program providing training and employment for hard to employ youth and adults in Brooklyn and; the Association of Women's Business Centers which develop and strengthen a global network of women's business centers to advance the growth and success of women business owners. Ms. Hall-Phillips earned a bachelors degree in government from Harvard University and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree from the Drew Theological School in Madison, NJ. She is the winner of Drew University's Lawrence E. Toombs Prize in Old Testament History, F.B. Yetter Prize in Old Testament Studies; and the Patricia Wickham Prize in Feminist Scholarship and Spirituality and Social Justice Award. She is married to Minister Samuel Phillips III, Associate Minister of the Brown Memorial Baptist Church. Ojeda and her husband live in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Mr. Speaker, Ojeda Hall-Phillips has dedicated her life through professional and volunteer efforts to increasing economic opportunity for all. 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 Col. Celia Y. Bramble in recognition of her dedication to the work of Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. Celia Y. Bramble is currently an Associate Executive Director for Training and Organizational Development at Kings County Hospital Center. She began her career at Kings County Hospital in 1967 after migrating from St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She moved up the ranks from Staff Nurse and Head Nurse to administrative positions through academic achievement, clinical competence and dedication. In her current role, Celia has overall responsibility for planning, coordinating and developing educational programs for professional and support staff within the Central Brooklyn Family Health Network. This includes overseeing over 40 training initiatives managed by Community Health Partnership funds. One of her greatest rewards is to see support staff, who she has coached and mentored, become practical and registered nurses. One of her major achievements is the 100 percent success rate that she has had in preparing students to take the New York State Board for Nursing examination. Ms. Bramble is also responsible for coordinating clinical experience for students in 14 programs of nursing. She serves on the advisory board of 7 of these programs. In her role as board member, she provides guidance to faculty to include the need for curriculum changes to support current trends in nursing, so that new graduates can successfully make the transition from student to practitioner. Some of her recommendations resulted in programs of nursing adding Cultural Diversity, Pain Management and Introduction to Nursing Management to the curriculum. Ms. Bramble received her undergraduate degree from CW Post College, Long Island University; a Master of Arts in Teaching in Nursing and a Masters in Education from Columbia University. She also holds a Certification in Nursing Education and Staff Development from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Among her professional awards are the New York State Nurses Association Nursing Education Award and the Health and Hospitals Corporation Multicultural Award for developing programs to promote tolerance for a culturally diverse workforce. Ms. Bramble's accomplishments extend far beyond her professional affiliations. In 1981, she was commissioned as a Captain in the United States Army Reserve. Over the years, her devotion to duty, clinical skills and leadership qualities elevated her to the rank of Colonel. Her distinguished military career included assignments in various military hospitals in peacetime and wartime. Her last assignment was Commander of the 344th Combat Support Hospital at Fort Hamilton, New York, until she retired as a Colonel in April 2003. Her military honors include: The Legion of Merit award, the Army Commendation Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, numerous Certificates of Achievement and Letters of Commendation. Mr. Speaker, Col. Celia Bramble has dedicated her life to providing quality healthcare to both civilians and military personnel. 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 Sheila Pemberton in recognition of her contributions to her community and dedication to providing quality health care to all people. As a young adult growing up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, it was always Sheila Pemberton's dream to pursue a career in nursing which would enable her to serve humanity. In her nursing career, which spanned over 40 years, Sheila has always advocated for her clients to receive quality health care. As a young nurse, Sheila joined a small, elite group of Public Health Nurses within the City of New York Department of Health. As a Public Health Nurse, Sheila worked in various capacities in the Bedford Stuyvesant community. She was passionate about the quality of care provided to both adults and children. She worked in child health clinics, which covered a wide range of health problems and was truly an advocate for children. As a School Nurse, she worked tirelessly with children from elementary to high school in both public and parochial schools. During her tenure she interacted with students, parents and teachers to promote health in the community with emphasis on the family as a unit. She is a strong voice for the physically and mentally challenged and whenever there is a call for help, Sheila will answer it. She is a lifelong member of Chi Eta Sorority, Theta Chi Chapter. From her inception in this sorority, Soror Pemberton, as she is called, has lived up to the motto ``Service for Humanity.'' She works diligently to carry out the goals of the sorority and always makes herself available to provide assistance in any capacity. Sheila is an ardent member of her church and has served as co- chairperson of the health organization. These activities include organizing health fairs, visiting the sick, shut-ins, accompanying patients to the doctor and providing childcare on occasions for parents. She has always advocated for the helpless, less fortunate and at present, she advocates for a physically challenged individual who lives in a special residence. She visits him on a regular basis and attends meetings on his behalf. Ms. Pemberton has been recognized with many awards for her extensive and varied experiences, including: certificates of achievement and recognition from the NYC Department of Health for 25-30 years of service; a Proclamation from the Office of the Mayor, City of New York; the Bureau of School Children and Adolescents for Contributions to the Bureau; District 21 Board of Education for Staff Development; and for participating in the Developmental/Delayed and Disability in Children program in New York City. Many sorority honors have also been bestowed on Sheila including: The Marguerite Creth Jackson Sisterhood Award for Service for Humanity of Chi Eta Phi Sorority; for Outstanding Co- chairperson of the Hospitality Committee of Chi Eta Phi Sorority in 1990; and for serving as Dean of Pledge Chi Chapter June 1992 to June 1997. Mr. Speaker, Sheila Pemberton has dedicated her life to providing quality health care to her community. 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 Eva Cooper in recognition of her nursing services to the Brooklyn community. Eva Cooper has worked at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital and Interfaith Medical Center for over 37 years. Eva is currently the Nurse Manager of four Ambulatory Care sites and the PCAP (Prenatal Care Assistance Program) Coordinator for the Medical Center. She began her career in health care as a Licensed Practical Nurse on a busy 40-bed surgical unit. Eva would always make every effort to give the highest level of patient care. On several occasions, when semi-private rooms were available some patients preferred to remain on the unit, because they were so pleased with the care they were given. Upon receiving her diploma from the Brooklyn Jewish School of Nursing, Eva began working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as a Staff Nurse. During her tenure on the unit she was promoted to Assistant Head Nurse in 1988 and to Manager in 1992. Eva was the Chairperson of the Baby Alumni Celebration for 3 years, which focused on the accomplishments of the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) graduates. When the St. Johns Episcopal Hospital and Brooklyn Jewish Hospital merged in 1983, Eva organized the smooth transition of the NICU. In 1995, Eva was offered an opportunity to become the Nurse Manager of Ambulatory Care Services of the hospital-based Pediatric and OB/GYN Clinic and two community-based clinic sites. Eva regularly participates in community health fairs, stressing the importance of regular visits to the doctor, balanced nutrition and regular exercise. She spearheads the Reach Out and Read Program at Interfaith Medical Center. The Reach Out and Read Program is a national literacy program that advocates the distribution of books to all children, ages 6 months to 5 years, at each well-child visit. She organizes many events including Easter basket celebrations, Halloween parties and Christmas parties. As the PCAP Coordinator, Eva advocates for the prenatal patients of Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights. The program provides insurance coverage for women, who are uninsured or underinsured, during their pregnancy and post-partum visits. Eva also organizes the Ambulatory Care Services quarterly Prenatal Open House Tours, which allows patients to view the Maternal Child Unit and introduces the staff responsible for patient care. Eva has been recognized for her leadership abilities and unselfish commitment to patient care on numerous occasions: Nurse of the Year-- 1988, IMC Women's Auxiliary Recognition Award--1998, and Manager of the Year--2002. She is a member of several community organizations including Brooklyn Perinatal Network, Caribbean Women's Association and the Fulton Street Merchant's Association. Eva earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Medgar Evers College, and a Masters Degree in Health Services Administration from Central Michigan University. Eva currently attends Self-Realization Fellowship Church in New York. Mr. Speaker, Eva Cooper has dedicated her life to providing quality nursing services to the people of Brooklyn. 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 Ife-S. Charles in recognition of her commitment to community empowerment. Ife-S. Charles was born in Trinidad, West Indies and immigrated to the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York 30 plus years ago. She attended Holy Spirit Junior High School, Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene and later went on to earn a degree in Human Services. Ife currently resides in the community of Crown Heights with her daughter. She is a New York State Certified Mediator specializing in Community, Family and Parent Teen Mediation. She is the Deputy Director at the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center (CHCMC) located on Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights. Her job at CHCMC gives her the opportunity to work with youth and families in her neighborhood. She works closely with the 71st and 77th Precinct Youth and Community Affairs Officers, where she conducts Conflict Resolution Workshops at Empowerment Programs offered by the precincts. She has trained youths in peer mediation and conflict resolution. She is the Director of the 77th Community Task Force which is an effort to enhance community and police relationships. Ife subscribes to her own E3 philosophy: Enlight; Enrich and Effect. This is a philosophy that she uses in her work with the community and youth. Her attraction to community work is part of who she is which is why she enjoys serving as a motivational speaker at local churches and community centers. Ife can be seen speaking to the young women and men of the community where she gives them words of encouragement or directs them to organizations for their own self-improvement. On any given day you can find Ife in her office with a group of young people talking about life issues and ways of dealing with such issues. For those not attending school, she works diligently at finding them placements in GED and/or job training programs. She further supports the youth in her community by attending open school meetings with teachers, and by enrolling some in karate school, often negotiating fees with the Sensei so that ``her children'', as she frequently calls them, will have a place to go and not get caught up in what the streets do not have to offer. Ife credits her love for the work that she does to her Creator and her daughter Jahdai. She is also inspired by her son, Malchijah, who departed this life several years ago. Mr. Speaker, Ife Charles has dedicated her life to the betterment of her community. 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 Priscilla Maddox in recognition of her entrepreneurial accomplishments as well as her contribution to dietary and health sciences fields. Priscilla Maddox is part owner, and co-founder of Kitchen for Hire, a commercial kitchen for caterers and others who do large volume food preparation. A unique concept, Kitchen for Hire has been established since September 2000 in Brooklyn, New York. Priscilla began her career at Sydenham Hospital, New York, where she worked for 10 years as head of the Microbiology Department. She then moved on to the Marcus Garvey Nursing Home in Brooklyn where she served as Infection Control Coordinator for six years. In 1983, Priscilla headed the Isabella Geriatric Center in New York City as a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator. After retiring from the Center, Priscilla became self-employed and ran PMM Enterprises for six years. In 2001, Priscilla became an instructor at Medgar Evers College, where she presently conducts Continuing Education Classes, including Cooking for Diabetics. A holder of many licenses and certificates, Priscilla possesses a Food Handler's License from the City of New York Department of Health, a Commercial Cooking and Catering Certificate, Better Process Control School, Cornell University Food Processing Extension; Nursing Home Administrator's License, New York State Department of Health; Health Care Risk Management, Institute of Medical Law/American Institute of Medical Law, Inc. which was approved by the State of Florida Department of Insurance. Priscilla works with a number of community-based organizations. She is a member of the National Register of Who's Who 2004 and the Women's Chefs & Restaurateurs. She is also a member of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce (CACCI); the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce; Community Board #8 in Brooklyn, NY; the Washington Avenue Merchants Association (WAMA); the Non-Profit Risk Management Institutes in Washington, DC; the Renaissance Health Care Network Auxiliary at Harlem Hospital. In addition, Priscilla works with the Isabella Nursing Home Corporation and the advisory board of Visions Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Priscilla has been at the forefront of many continuing education programs including those sponsored by American Association of Homes & Services of the Aging, NY and WIBO, Workshop in Business Opportunities. She recently received a citation at the 13th Luncheon and Awards Ceremony for ``Visions: Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired'' from Brooklyn Borough President, Marty Markowitz, Priscilla is a graduate of Pace University. She received her Masters in Health Service Administration from the New School for Social Research in New York. She has also received additional education on Care for the Elderly in the Orient sponsored by the University of California in Los Angeles Gerontological Society of America. Mr. Speaker, Priscilla Maddox has made several and varied contributions to her community including service to the elderly, business development, and sponsoring continuing education programs. 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 Lisa Davis in recognition of her commitment to public service and help of those in greatest need. Lisa is the third of four children born to Blackwood and Eliza Davis. She is proud to have grown up in Crown Heights and is now a longtime resident of Bedford-Stuyvesant. A graduate of Ohio University, with a Bachelor of Science in Recreational Therapy, Lisa sought employment with the New York City Housing Authority as a Youth Community Center Director upon her return to Brooklyn. After 4 years, she left the Authority to work as a case manager for the Bureau of Child Welfare. Shortly afterward, she became a New York State Parole Officer, assigned to a special unit named S.H.O.C.K. This program managed only parolees younger than 22 years old and convicted of a drug-related crime. After several years of providing her services to the city and State, she left the public sector for 7 years to assist with the management of the family business. Five years ago, Lisa returned to the NYC Housing Authority as a Community Coordinator for Brooklyn South and quickly advanced to the position of Citywide Program Manager. She was soon promoted to Senior Program Manager. As Senior Program Manager, she develops, implements, manages and evaluates youth and senior center programs throughout the borough. Lisa is the creator of NYC Housing Authority Kids Walk, which is approaching its third event year. She is putting forth a great deal of effort to connect health care services to the Brooklyn Housing Developments, Brookdale University Hospital, adolescent obesity program, Fit for Life; SUNY Downstate Hospital, Asthma Mobile Unit and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health. Lisa has also committed herself to a number of volunteer activities. Currently, her highest priority is PowerPlay NYC Inc, which empowers young women through play. Lisa's mantra of ``Not everyone thinks like me, and that's okay,'' has allowed her to have a successful professional life as well as a fulfilling personal life. Mr. Speaker, Lisa Davis has dedicated virtually all her professional life to improving the lives of young adults and seniors 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 Henna White in recognition of her work to heal divisions and solve problems within her community and among families in Brooklyn. Henna attained national recognition for her work in inter-group relations, which began in the wake of the Crown Heights disturbances in 1991. She is a South African who grew up during the turbulent years of apartheid and was instrumental in forming ``Mothers to Mothers,'' a dialogue group composed of Jewish and African-American women who meet regularly to learn about and from each other. She has received a number of awards for her inter-group activities and she continues to work with communities and groups to help foster harmony. Henna has also been at the forefront of issues dealing with domestic violence. She is a well-known speaker on the topics of domestic violence and women's issues and has organized conferences, forums and educators' workshops. She created Brairot, a batterer's intervention and counseling group for Orthodox Jewish males as well as a sex offenders program designed to meet the specific religious and cultural needs of sexual offenders. She has been the guiding force in helping communities break through the denial and realize the tragic effect of domestic violence on families. After reading about the tragedies of newborn babies being left in dumpsters, Henna created a program called Baby Safe Haven. Baby Safe Haven gives new mothers the opportunity to anonymously leave a newborn at a safe place such as a hospital or a firehouse, keeping the baby safe and giving the mother immunity from prosecution. Approximately 7 years ago in the aftermath of Yitzhak Rabin's assassination and in response to the rhetoric that divided the Jewish people, Henna founded the Jewish Women's Dialogue under the auspices of the American Jewish Committee. The Dialogue is a group of approximately 30 women from all walks of life with differing and opposing religious views who have learned to listen and talk to each other. The women have created a foundation of trust based on shared beliefs about their differences while maintaining a level of understanding and respect for each other. This organization is now being replicated throughout the New York Jewish community as well as in Boston and Washington. In her professional life, Henna works for the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office as Community Liaison for District Attorney Hynes. She serves as the Chairman of the Board of Kingsbrook Hospital. She is the first woman to chair the Board of Directors and has been spearheading many programs that educate women when it comes to health related issues. Her work with youth and families is recognized throughout New York, especially in the areas of teens at-risk and drug addiction. Henna is also the President of the Jewish Community Council of Canarsie and a board member of the American Jewish Committee. Henna is a Chassidic Lubavitch woman born in South Africa who now resides in Canarsie, Brooklyn with her husband, Asher, and their four children. Mr. Speaker, Henna White has helped solve some of the most difficult and private issues facing families across Brooklyn. 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 Dr. Linda Brady in recognition of her commitment to the provision of healthcare services to the people of Brooklyn. Dr. Linda Brady is a physician executive with extensive clinical and healthcare management experience. She was appointed President & CEO of Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in 1999, and has been associated with the hospital for 19 years. She previously served as the Hospital's Medical Director as well as the Director of the Department of Neurology & Psychiatry. Dr. Brady was the guiding force behind the development of the Geriatric Psychiatry Inpatient Unit, which has received considerable praise for the highly professional and compassionate care rendered in the treatment of older adults with psychiatric disorders. Dr. Brady served as the Associate Medical Director of Psychiatric Emergency Services at Kings County Hospital from 1980 to 1993. A cum laude graduate of Barnard College, Dr. Brady received her medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine and completed her psychiatric residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx Municipal Hospital Center. She is a Board Certified Psychiatrist with added qualifications in Geriatric Psychiatry and an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at SUNY Health Sciences Center of Brooklyn. Dr. Brady is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the American College of Physician Executives, and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Dr. Brady has received numerous awards for community service from various elected officials and Community Based Organizations, including the Bikur Cholim of Crown Heights, the Caribbean Women's Health Association, the Boy Scouts of America and the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Industry. She pledges that Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center will continue to forge ties to the culturally diverse community in which it is located and will remain a vital part of the healthcare delivery system in Brooklyn. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Linda Brady has dedicated her life to improving mental health services for the residents of Brooklyn. 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 health professional.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 50th Anniversary of the Supreme Court's courageous decision in Brown vs. the Board of Education. I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the team of lawyers from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, led by Thurgood Marshall who had the courage to pursue this case. I want to thank the legal scholars and strategists at Howard University School of Law, led by Charles Hamilton Houston, who had the intellect to map out this winning strategy. I want to thank the sociologists and psychologists, led by Kenneth and Mamie Clark who undertook the challenge of gathering evidence of the harm done to African American children when society branded them with a mark of inferiority. And I want to thank the parents and students who risked homes, livelihoods, and underwent physical threats and harassment to be a part of this lawsuit. Fifty years after Brown, this country owes a debt of gratitude to each of these people who played a part in bringing about the end of legal segregation based on race. In the face of violence, intimidation and governmental resistance, they pressed forward to move this country closer to the realization of its stated creed--freedom, equality and justice for all. Yet 50 years later, we know that the work they started is not finished. We must remember that their goal was not only to end legal segregation of the public schools, but to assure that a quality public education is available for all children. We are still involved in that struggle. On this anniversary of Brown, many will point to the fact that many schools are still segregated and are rapidly re-segregating. I join them in these concerns. As people talk about the Brown decision, many will talk about the meaning of the decision and others will talk about the promise the decision represented. The theoretical underpinning of Brown was that public schools must be supported adequately. The lawyers in Brown wanted to dismantle segregation for many worthwhile reasons. But they also wanted to emphasize that as practiced, separate was inherently unequal. While we have legally abolished the separateness required before Brown, we have not yet addressed the problem of equality of funding. We are still operating state-based educational systems in which schools attended by racial minorities receive less money that those located in primarily white areas. This inequality in funding must be abolished to complete the mission of Brown. We must focus on the perpetual under-funding of inner-city schools. We must recognized that the achievement gap is inextricably linked to the economic gap. Low- performing schools are almost always situated in communities that are pockets of poverty. We must realize the importance of teacher and administration accountability but not forget that Congressional accountability requires that we make school funding a priority. Congress must assure that there is adequate money for school construction to reduce class size and purchase educational materials. We must ensure that teachers are paid for the professional and important job that they do. And finally, we must provide funding which allows local communities to build a supportive infrastructure that values the role of education in the community. To me, the message of the Brown decision was simple--education is a vehicle of upward mobility. If we have heard Brown's message, we must fulfill its promise--that every child can succeed, if given the opportunity of a quality public education. We still have not fulfilled the promise. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I suggest that we in this House dedicate ourselves to hear the message of Brown and fulfill its promise by working to provide the opportunity for a quality public education for all of America's children.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address a long-standing and unfortunately ever growing problem affecting our society, prescription drug abuse and addiction. Specifically, I would like to discuss the scourge that has been caused by the prescription drug OxyContin. OxyContin has caused countless deaths from overdose and toxicity. Equally important, however, OxyContin has caused thousands of individuals lawfully prescribed the drug to become addicted, causing a wide variety of destructiveness and in many instances ruining the lives of innocent people. OxyContin is a schedule II narcotic pain medication as defined by the Controlled Substances Act. This is the most dangerous designation of legal, as opposed to illegal, prescription drugs under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. It is in the same class as morphine. Unfortunately for the American public, the manufacturers and distributors of OxyContin have made concerted, intentional efforts to make this dangerous drug anything but ``controlled''. Purdue Pharma is the manufacturer of OxyContin. This drug was promoted with the assistance of Abbott Laboratories. Over the last 6 years OxyContin has amassed sales of more than ten billion dollars as a result of an overly aggressive, inappropriate and, unfortunately for our citizens, highly effective marketing plan. This drug was marketed to a broad range of physicians who, according to Purdue Pharma's own internal documents, were uneducated or at least undereducated on the use of opioids like oxycodone and morphine. Family practitioners in rural areas, gynecologists, sports medicine practitioners and even dentists were instructed by Purdue and Abbott representatives that they could prescribe this morphine-like drug for even moderate pain without the slightest concern of addiction. They were told to prescribe the drug in very high doses so long as the pain persisted. The most widely prescribed dose of OxyContin contains 20 milligrams of oxycodone. Taking one pill of 20 mg OxyContin would be the equivalent of taking 4 Percocets, a very strong narcotic pain medication, as well. The marketing plan and the assertions about the safety of the drug were based on false information. OxyContin can be addictive to prescription patients. In fact, countless numbers of innocent pain patients have become addicted to OxyContin. They were told both by the company and unwitting physicians that this drug was not addictive. That was not true. There is no support for the theory that the OxyContin is not addictive. Moreover, the manufacturers and promoters of this dangerous drug have conspicuously failed to study the addictiveness of this drug over the last 6, very prosperous years. It is only logical that the results of those studies would only undermine their very persuasive sales claims that this drug was not addictive. Purdue will most certainly tout their concern for the pain patient, claiming that their drug provides pain relief to the masses of unfortunate sufferers of chronic pain. I am not persuaded nor will I be deceived by this argument. I am truly concerned for the pain patient. It is not my purpose to take good medications away from pain patients, but it is also not my intent to permit American companies to mislead the pain patients as to the safety and effectiveness of pain medication. Misinformation about the addictiveness of this drug did not help the pain patient. Instead, it took advantage of the very condition that this drug was supposed to help. I call upon Congress to convene hearings on the question of how this public health menace came to be, who is responsible, what was told to the American public and to healthcare professionals by the manufacturer, and what we, the Congress, can do to prevent tragedies like this from repeating themselves in the future.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, India is undergoing a cycle of elections. Unlike this country, India does not hold the elections on a single day but over a period of time. I guess it's difficult to hold elections on one day when you have a billion people. Elections in Punjab have been scheduled for May 10. Recently, the Council of Khalistan put out an open letter to the people of Punjab urging them to use these elections to bring about independence for the Sikh homeland, Punjab, Khalistan. It looks like the elections will result in a hung Parliament. The militantly Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been leading the government, seems to have lost some ground. A coalition government will need to be formed. That brings substantial power to the regional parties in the various states and regions of the country. These parties could well control who runs the Indian government. The Council of Khalistan called on these regional parties to band together in a ``freedom bloc'' to unite for freedom and self-determination for all of the minorities of South Asia. The open letter notes that both the BJP and the rival Congress Party are dangerous to the freedom of the Sikhs and other minorities, and the regional Akali Dal is in coalition with the BJP. The Akali leaders invited the Congress Party government of Indira Gandhi to invade the Golden Temple, the seat of the Sikh religion, and they surrendered quickly when the attack came. This letter points out these and other reasons why it is important to use these elections as a springboard to achieve freedom for Khalistan and the other nations seeking to free themselves of Indian rule. Mr. Speaker, we all know the brutality of India's suppression of these freedom movements. They have murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, over 85,000 Kashmiri Muslims, over 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, and tens of thousands of other minorities. Now, according to the Tribune of Chandigarh, the Indian government is demanding that the government of Punjab pay them back for the costs accrued in suppressing the Sikhs. This is outrageous, Mr. Speaker. As the beacon of freedom, the United States must be strong against this kind of repression. We should stop all American aid to India until it stops the repression and allows all people within its borders to enjoy their most basic human rights fully. And we should put this Congress on record as supporting self- determination for the Sikhs of Khalistan, the Muslims of Kashmir, the Christians of Nagaland, and all the other people seeking freedom from India's brutal rule. The right to self-determination is the essence of democracy, Mr. Speaker. The lack of self-determination and the repression show that India's claim to be a democracy is fake. It is time for us to take a stand on behalf of freedom for all. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert the Council of Khalistan's open letter into the Record at this time. Open Letter to the Sikh Nation, April 27, 2004. Elections in Punjab have been set for May 10. Elections under the Indian Constitution will not free the Sikh Nation. Use this opportunity, however, to elect committed, hottest Sikhs who are committed to freeing Khalistan to Parliament. These elections will certainly result in a hung Parliament. No party is capable of putting together the national majority needed to control Parliament on its own. A coalition government will be formed. The regional parties will be very important in deciding who will control the government. This gives the regional parties and the regions they represent enormous power. We must use this power to our benefit. It is time for the regional parties to form a ``freedom bloc'' to work together for freedom for Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagaland, and all the minority nations seeking their freedom from India's brutal rule. We agree with L.K. Advani when he said, ``When Kashmir goes, India goes.'' By securing freedom for any of the captive nations of South Asia, we bring about freedom for all of us. Working together in a common, unified effort will hasten that day for everyone. Congress and the BJP are both the enemies of the Sikh Nation. They both watch out for the interests of the Hindu majority at the expense of the Sikh Nation and other minorities. The BJP has murdered Muslims in Gujarat, in Kashmir, and elsewhere and Christians in Nagaland and throughout India. They have forcibly reconverted Christians back to Hinduism. They preach Hindutva (total Hindu control of the culture and society) and openly preach that if you live in India, you must either be Hindu or be subservient to Hinduism. The Congress Party attacked the Golden Temple, the most sacred shrine of the Sikh Nation, 125 other Gurdwaras throughout Punjab. Over 20,000 Sikhs were murdered in those attacks, known as Operation Bluestar, including Sant Jamail Singh Bhindranwale, General Shabeg Singh, Bhai Amrik Singh, and over 100 Sikh religious students ages 8-13 who were taken out into the courtyard and shot. The BJP congratulated Indira Gandhi on the attack and said it should have been done earlier. These attacks accelerated the Sikh independence movement and deepened the desire for independence in the hearts of Sikhs, a fire that burns brightly in the hearts of the Sikh Nation to this day. Sant Bhindranwale said that the attack on the Golden Temple would ``lay the foundation stone of Khalistan'' and he was right. Late in 2003, former Member of Parliament Atinder Pal Singh organized a seminar on Khalistan at Baba Makhan Shah Labana Hall, Sector 30, Chandigarh. This shows that the flame of freedom is still burning in the hearts of Sikhs. Sikhs can never forgive or forget the Indian government's military attack on the Golden Temple. It is time to take action to free our homeland. The Badal Akalis are totally controlled by their coalition partners, the BJP. Chief Minister Captain Anarinder Singh is in bed with the Congress Party. He honored the former Chief Minister, Beant Singh, who is responsible for the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of Sildis and gave over 41,000 cash bounties to police officials for Killing Sikhs. Neither will protect the interests of the Sikh Nation. They have undermined Sikh character and Sikh values. Simply by joining the Congress Party, Captain Amarinder Singh is undermining Sikh values. Badal, Tobra, and Longowal said that India would have to get to the Golden Temple by rolling tanks over their dead bodies, then quickly surrendered. The Alkalis invited the Indian Army to the Golden Temple to murder Sant Bhindranwale, General Shabeg Singh, Bhai Amrik Singh, and so many other committed Sikhs. Do not support Badal or the Alkalis. The Badal government was the most corrupt government in the history of Punjab. They sold jobs for a fixed fee. They came up with a new, dignified term for bribery: ``fee for service.'' If you didn't pay the fee, you didn't get the service. Badal's wife was so experienced that she could pick up a bag of money and tell how much money was in it. Parkash Singh Badal was a disaster for Puniab and a disgrace to the Sikh Nation. Yet the Akali Dal continues to support Badal, even though he was prosecuted and jailed for his corruption. What has happened to the character of the present-day Alkalis? They are defaming the name of the pre-partition pious Akalis who suffered and sacrificed for the cause of the Khalsa Panth. Not even a singe Akali protested the unprecedented corruption of Badal. According to India-West, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau carried out raids on Badal's properties for several months and filed a charge-sheet in a local court charging Mr. Badal with siphoning off Rs. 784 million, the equivalent of $17 million in U.S. money, during his five years as chief minister. The article says that Mr. Badal and his family hold assets of Rs. 4326 crores (nearly $1 billion), most of which are located outside India. Half the population of India lives below the international poverty line. About 40 percent live on less than $2 per day. Lalit Mansingh, the outgoing Indian Ambassador to the United States, has said, ``There is no India without Sikhs and no Sikhs without India.'' He is wrong. The Sikh Nation has survived perfectly fine without India. Before there was an India, Sikhs flourished. The Sikhs ruled Punjab as an independent country from 1710 to 1716 and again from 1765 to 1849. Sikhs stopped the invasion from the West, annexed Kashmir from the Afghans, and occupied Kabul for a short period. Remember the words of Professor Darshan Singh, former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, during the celebration of Guru Nanak's birthday: ``If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.'' He was only reiterating the Guru's blessing, ``In Grieb Sikhin Ko Deon Patshahi.'' The time to achieve our independence is now. The opportunity these elections provide must be used to liberate our homeland, Khalistan, from Indian oppression. We must choose leaders who will work for freedom for the Sikh Nation. Remember, you get what you vote for. Always remember our heritage: Raj Kare Ga Khalsa; Khalsa Bagi Yan Badshah. Freedom for Khalistan is very close. Let us take this opportunity to make it happen. Panth Da Sewadar, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President, Council of Khalistan.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Allergy and Asthma Network for holding today's 7th annual Asthma Awareness Day and the Breath Freely Briefing to increase asthma awareness. I also want to thank my colleagues, Representative Stearns, Chairman Barton, Representative Tubbs-Jones, Representative Engel and Representative Kennedy for their leadership on this issue. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 2023. I signed onto this bill because I understand the life-altering effects of asthma. As you know, asthma is the 6th ranking chronic condition in the United States and the leading serious chronic illness of children in the United States. The African American community is disproportionately impacted by the effects of asthma. More than 3 million African Americans currently have asthma. We are three times more likely than the general population to be hospitalized for asthma. Sadly, African Americans constitute 26 percent of all asthma deaths. The fact that asthma can be managed with proper health care and appropriate medications, makes these deaths all the more tragic. I hope that our efforts through this bill and as well as the attention that we can bring to this disease through Asthma Awareness Day education and outreach activities today and throughout the weekend at the Omni Shoreham Hotel will help us reduce the incidence of asthma and the fatality rate associated with it. With this kind of bi-partisan effort and supported at the state and local level, we can make sure that every asthma patient has a chance to breath freely.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 2771. This bill is very important to the people of New York. The entire New York delegation supports this bill. This legislation would reauthorize funding for the New York City Watershed Agreement, helping to ensure safe and healthy drawing for the residents of New York. New York City's vast water supply provides 1.4 billion gallons of high quality drinking water to more than 9 million New Yorkers every day. Nearly 90 percent of those consumers reside in New York City. To supply millions of people with safe, clean water takes an extensive water supply. In fact, the supply consists of 19 reservoirs in a watershed that spans almost 2,000 square miles. It covers 8 counties, 60 towns, and 11 villages in the Catskill Mountain region and the Hudson River Valley. The effective protection of this essential national resource is an enormous challenge. Let me point out that environmental groups worked with New York City, State officials, Upstate communities, and the Federal Government to create the New York City Watershed Agreement. While this landmark agreement laid the groundwork for protecting the city's water supply, it could only work if an effective quality water monitoring program was implemented. So in 1996 Congress responded by authorizing annual funding for 7 years. During this period, Congress has provided a total of $31 million to implement a comprehensive surveillance program, matched equally by grant recipients. Additionally, New York City and State have leveraged those Federal funds by investing $1.6 billion to protect the New York City drinking water supply. By reauthorizing Federal funding for the watershed agreement which expired last September, this bill would demonstrate the Federal Government's continued commitment and help maintain the safety of New York City's water supply. Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me conclude by thanking the staff, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton); the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor), and of course the ranking member, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) for their hard work on this as well. Let me say that this is very important to New York City. And I know there has been some concern about the fact that other bills have not been moved or other areas have not included, but let me say that I think a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. And starting with New York, I think that is a good place to start. I cannot think of a better place to start than New York.