Ed Towns

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mary Mack Blount of Brooklyn, New York for her hard work, dedication and commitment to caring for others. Ms. Mack Blount was born in Macon, Georgia, the third of seven children born to Robert and Myrdis Mack. Mary's family moved to Shelby, North Carolina where she graduated from high school. Shortly after graduation she moved to Brooklyn where she earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from Tuoro College. After graduation she married Harry Blount. Mary and Harry have four children. Mary has always been a committed civic activist. She was an active member of the Crown Heights Community Council as well as the Stuyvesant Action Council. Mary is also a member of the Christ Fellowship Baptist Church where she teaches Sunday School and is a member of the church- based group, Women of Words. In addition, to Mary's civic work she continues to work fulltime for the New York City Board of Education as an Education Analyst. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Mary Mack Blount is a hard working dedicated parent and civic activist with a deep commitment to her church and her community. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today, and I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues in stressing the importance of funding community health centers at a level of at least $175 million for FY 2002. In my home State of New York, we provide over 164,000 residents who are uninsured or Medicaid recipients with health care services. Low-income New Yorkers are dependent on these centers for important services like, immunizations, breast and cervical cancer exams as well as treatment for asthma, diabetes and heart disease. Communities served by community health centers make a real difference in the quality of life for that community. For example, infant morality rates have been shown to be 10 to 40 percent lower than communities not served by health centers. Health center patients have lower hospital admission rates and shorter hospital stays, and make more appropriate use of emergency room services. Moreover, centers have significantly increased the use of preventive health services like pap smears, mammograms, and glaucoma screening services among the populations they serve. The centers have also made significant strides in preventing anemia and lead poisoning. And finally, centers have been reported to make the benefits of public insurance programs available to more eligible children and adults. The HHS inspector general recently commended health centers for their successful efforts in finding thousands of children and adults who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, the Medicaid and S-Chip program and assisting them to enroll in these programs. In addition, we need to ensure that the reauthorization of the health centers program under section 330 of the Public Health Act occurs early during the 107th Congress. I especially want to stress the need to restore authority for facility construction and renovation as well as an appropriate allocation among the community, migrant, homeless and public housing health center programs. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with my colleagues on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Health to fully support community health centers and I urge my colleagues to actively support this critical health care program which provides so much in the way of services to low-income Americans.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, independent telephone companies have filled an important role in the development of our Nation's telecommunications system. For decades the cooperatives and family-owned businesses made sure that all Americans would have access to quality telephone service. Entrepreneurs are buying exchanges promising to deploy improved voice and data service in small communities. Recent studies by NECA and NTIA show that small carriers like these are investing in broadband deployment. I support any legislation that would speed the deployment of advanced services, whether that's in Brooklyn, New York or Basin, Wyoming. The Digital Divide is a pressing issue in this country, not only in urban areas but rural ones as well. I do not look kindly on those who feel that the Digital Divide is not an issue in this country. Those of us who represent rural and urban areas know all too well the lack of access our constituents face. We have a responsibility to create digital opportunities for all Americans, not just those living in the big cities. I want to voice my support for this legislation, but I do have concerns that giving carriers too much price flexibility could put consumers at a competitive disadvantage. I believe we should support small carriers as well as consumer interests. I want to be on record as promoting broadband deployment in rural areas while not jeopardizing the affordability of basic phone services.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following for the Record. 3M ANNOUNCES PROGRAM TO DONATE $1.5 MILLION TO SCHOOLS 3M, in partnership with the American Association of School Librarians, will select 100 schools to receive 3M security products that protect their valuable resources. St. Paul, Minn.--March 6, 2001--3M today announced the company will donate $1.5 million to middle and high schools through its ``3M Salute to Schools'' program in 2001, which provides much-needed security products that help reduce the loss of valuable library resources. One hundred schools will be selected to receive, free of charge, up to two 3M\TM\ Detection Systems for the entrance/ exit of their library media centers, a supply of 3M\TM\ Tattle-Tape\TM\ Security Strips for making materials and materials processing accessories--a package with an average value of about $15,000. Now in its second year, ``3M Salute to Schools'' is sponsored by 3M, in partnership with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association. 3M and AASL both share a strong commitment to education and value investing in the nation's schools. ``Protecting a school's most valuable learning tools is an ongoing challenge for a library media center with limited resources and no proven security,'' says Don Leslie, 3M Library Systems. ``One of the fundamental goals of `3M Salute to Schools' is to enhance education by making detection systems more available to schools that might not otherwise have the resources to purchase them.'' In 2000, 3M donated $1 million to schools through ``3M Salute to Schools.'' AASL selected 70 schools to receive a 3M detection system from among more than 500 applicants. ``Research shows the highest-achieving students attend schools with good library media centers, and protecting library resources contributes to the overall improvement of library media services for young people.'' says Harriet Selverstone, president of AASL. ``AASL is pleased to again partner with 3M to help school libraries preserve these resources for students throughout the country.'' ``3M Salute to Schools'' is open to middle and high schools in the United States. Schools selected to receive the donation will be awarded up to two 3M detection systems for the entrance/exit of their library media centers, a supply of 3M\TM\ Tattle-Tape\TM\ Security Strips for marking items in their collection and necessary materials processing accessories. Individual donations will vary depending upon specific needs of the library, such as the size of a collection and the physical layout of the media center. To be considered for the donation, a school must meet eligibility requirements and be able to demonstrate a need for a detection system. Applications are available online at www.3M.com/library of by calling the American Library Association Fax-On-Demand system at 1-800-545-2433, then press 4 and request document no. 802. Recipients will be announced at the American Library Association Annual Conference, June 14 through 20 in San Francisco. Applications must be postmarked by May 1, 2001. For more information about the 2001 ``3M Salute to Schools'' program, contact the AASL Awards Program at 1-800- 545-2433, ext. 4383, or aasl@ala.org. The global leader in library security for more than 30 years, 3M protects literally billions of individual items in thousands of libraries throughout the world. 3M is a Founding Partner to the American Library Association's Campaign for America's Libraries, also known as the @ your library\TM\ campaign. This five-year public education campaign is designed to help promote the value of all types of libraries and librarians in the 21st century. The sponsorship further demonstrates 3M's commitment to helping libraries better meet the changing needs of library professionals and their customers--now and in the future.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Trilok Singh Puniani is a member of the Army Reserve who is being denied the right to wear the symbol of his religion. Dr. Puniani is a Sikh and is required by his religion to wear his turban. It is one of the five symbols of Sikhism. Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, has written to the President on Dr. Puniani's behalf. Dr. Puniani joined the Army reserve in 1999. There had been a exemption granted that permitted the wearing of a turban while in uniform and there are three Sikhs who have achieved the rank of Colonel who wear their turbans. However, new regulations adopted in July 1999, just a month before Dr. Puniani joined the Army Reserve, denied this exemption for those who joined the service after 1984. Mr. Speaker, the turban is not a hat. It is a religious symbol like the cross or the star of David. It should be afforded the same treatment. One concern about this regulation is that it might discourage Sikhs and other minorities from joining the military services of the United States. Our armed services need manpower. We should not be discouraging anyone from joining. These minority Americans are important to our country and to the Army. Canada and Britain have significant numbers of Sikhs in their military. They both allow these Sikhs to wear their turbans. Why can't we? Whatever your religious beliefs, the military should treat you equally. This is about civil rights and equal treatment. We cannot give a preference to any religion, but we also cannot discriminate against any religion. I strongly urge the Secretary of Defense to restore the exemption so that the religious expression of Dr. Puniani and others will be respected. I insert Dr. Puniani's complaint and Dr. Aulakh's letter to the President into the Record. Council of Khalistan, 1901 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 802, Washington, DC, February 20, 2001. Hon. George W. Bush, President of the United States, The White House, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. President: Today I received by email a letter from Dr. Trilok Singh Puniani, who is a practicing physician and a member of the Army Reserve. He wrote to me about the regulation of July 1999 denying Sikhs who joined the military after 1984 the ability to wear their turbans. The turban is a symbol of the Sikh religion. A practicing Sikh is symbolized by five symbols, one of which is uncut hair covered by a turban. In view of this, Dr. Puniani writes that ``this new regulation will deprive the opportunity of joining the US Armed Forces of many aspiring Sikhs who have tremendous potential to serve the country.'' I agree with him. This would be a loss for America and for its armed forces. Today there are over half a million Sikh citizens in the United States. They would be deprived of the opportunity to serve their country, the United States of America. Not to allow Sikhs in the military to practice their Sikh religion is discriminatory and bad for morale. Sikhs fought valiantly in World Wars I and II along with the Allied forces in Europe and Africa. They suffered heavy casualties. The Sikh soldiers wore their turbans. Belgium erected a special monument to the Sikh forces in Ypres. The British and Canadian forces encourage Sikhs to maintain their Sikh appearance. I respectfully urge you to follow their lead and order the armed forces of the United States to allow Sikhs to practice their religion. By so doing, you would raise the morale and effectiveness of the armed forces. America allows freedom of religion and the armed forces would be the best place to put it into practice. Thank you for your attention to this problem. God bless you and God bless America. Sincerely, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President, Council of Khalistan. Enclosure: Email from Dr. Puniani.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Barbara Young for her exceptional contributions to health care and education for the people of New York. For over 30 years, she has been contributing to the education and health care industry. Mrs. Young received a Bachelors degree in Community Health from Jersey State College; received her Masters from Hunter College City University of New York; and acquired her Nursing Home Administrator's license from Hofstra University. During her professional career, Ms. Young, moved up from Staff Nurse in Neonatal Intensive Care to Vice President of Nursing. Ms. Young, has gone out of her way to help people and be particularly supportive to young minority men whom she feels, need someone to stand up for them and be supportive. She has devoted most of her professional career to care of the elderly and takes pride in promoting and maintaining quality of life. Ms. Young's contributions to the community include being a Cub Scout leader, Girl Scout Leader, teaching religious instruction to mentally challenged children, providing volunteer services at homeless shelters, and making visits to a home for battered women. In addition to Mrs. Young's volunteer work, she is a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Nurses Association and has been Chairperson of the Education Committee whose objective is to provide seminars and health education to health care professionals, and give scholarships to nursing students. She is Vice President of the Imani Reading Group, which started off with a group of professional women who wanted to know more about their African heritage. Currently, she is organizing the reading group to start a prison ministry at the Rikers Island Women's Prison. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mrs. Barbara Young for her hard work and dedication on behalf of the sick and underprivileged, and for her extraordinary contribution in the field of education and health care.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in praising the work and life of Hosea Williams as a civil rights leader. For the past 40 years, he has worked with civil rights issues, helping to make a change for black people in America. Mr. Williams came from a difficult past. At age 13 he was forced to leave his community to escape a lynching mob that wanted to punish him for socializing with a white girl. When the United States entered World War II, he enlisted in the army and became a staff sergeant in an all- black unit of Gen. George S. Patton's Third Army, working as a weapons carrier. He suffered an injury during an attack and had to spend a year in a British hospital. Mr. Williams returned to the United States where he finished high school at 23. He proceeded to earn his bachelor's degree from Morris Brown College in Georgia, with a major in Chemistry; and then received his master's degree from Atlanta University. He then became the first black research chemist hired by the federal government below the Mason- Dixon line. Dissatisfied with the discrimination faced by black people in his community Mr. Williams began giving speeches in a downtown park on his lunch break. He was eventually arrested and jailed. When he was released he took a year leave from the United States Department of Agriculture to do civil rights work and never went back. The latter portion of Mr. Williams's life was spent fighting for civil rights. He worked as a field general for the Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil rights battles of the 1960's. Before joining with Dr. King he worked with National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and helped to run the Southern Christian Leadership Council's actions in St. Augustine. Mr. Williams made sure not only to work with the issues abroad but also to work with his community. Serving on the Atlanta City Council and later as the De Kalb County commissioner he worked to improve the conditions at companies and help the poor. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the late Hosea Williams for his hard work and dedication on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged and for his extraordinary contributions to civil rights.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Reverend Clinton M. Miller of Brooklyn, New York. This weekend Reverend Miller will be installed as the new pastor of the Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Fort Greene. Reverend Miller has worked towards this goal since the moment he realized that he wanted to dedicate himself to religion and I am pleased to acknowledge his achievement. Reverend Miller was born and raised in Brooklyn. He received his high school diploma from the Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School and a Bachelor's Degree from Southern Connecticut State University. While in college, at the age of 19, he heard the call to pastor. This led him to Yale University's Divinity School where he received a Master's Degree. After being ordained by the American Baptist Churches and the United Missionary Association of Greater New York, Clinton began what would become an apprenticeship at the Abyssinian Baptist Church. Rev. Clinton taught in the New York City Public School System until he became a fulltime youth minister at Abyssinian Baptist Church. As a youth minister, Reverend Miller developed a wide array of youth programs, including Sunday evening services, Summer Day Camp, basketball teams and counseling services. In addition, he held a weekly bible reading for seniors. Mr. Speaker, Rev. Miller has had the opportunity of being exposed to the highest quality of spiritual training and guidance under one of the most renowned ministers in the nation, Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts; Rev. Miller believes in a fresh approach to teaching the scripture; he believes in utilizing the tools of the congregation; he believes in using the parish to benefit the community; and he was a student of Abyssinian's renovation effort. As such, Rev. Miller is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today, and I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in honoring this truly remarkable man of faith.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mildred L. Boyce for her contribution to the education of New York's children. For over 25 years Ms. Boyce has been a dedicated teacher and administrator. Although Ms. Boyce was bom in Manhattan she received all of her education in Brooklyn, attending P.S. 44, P.S. 181, J.H.S. 246, Erasmus Hall High School and Brooklyn College, where she received a B.A. degree, M.S. degree and a professional Diploma in Administration and Supervision. Ms. Boyce began her career in education as a 6th grade teacher at P.S. 106, in 1965, where she later held the position of Master Teacher and Interim Acting Assistant Principal, before coming to Philippa Schuyler in 1977. Currently, Ms. Boyce serves as the Principal of the Philippa Schuyler Middle School for the Gifted and Talented. For her devotion, and hard work Ms. Boyce has been the recipient of many awards including the NAACP Educator's Award and the Black Professional Business Women's Educator Award. In addition to her duties as an educator, Ms. Boyce is an active member of St. Laurence Catholic Church, serving as a Lector, and a member of the Baptismal team. She is also a member and advisor to the President of the Council for Supervisors and Administrators as well as an elected delegate from District 32. She sits on the executive board of District 32's supervisors. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ms. Mildred L. Boyce for her hard work and extraordinary contributions in the field of education.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to honor police Captain Daniel H. Ruffle, who will be honored for his distinguished service as the Commanding Officer of the 63rd police precinct on Thursday, March 8th, 2001. Let it be known that he shares this honor with his wife of 27 years, LaVerne, and his daughter Adrienne. Dan received his appointment to the New York City Police Department as a police trainee in June 1967. It was at that time he embarked on a thus far 34 year career. While working as a police officer assigned to the 79th and 60th precincts, Officer Ruffle displayed an intensity and drive in performing his duties that resulted in his being appointed as a citywide narcotics investigator in March 1977. Dan Ruffle's exemplary work was recognized and rewarded with a promotion to Detective in October 1979. As a detective, Ruffle was assigned to the Manhattan Special Victims Squad. Dan's special sense of caring and inner strength became invaluable qualities as he handled some of the most difficult and heinous crime investigations a police officer must face. In September 1983, Daniel Ruffle was promoted to Sergeant and served the communities of both the 68th and 60th precincts. As a supervisor, Ruffle's easygoing demeanor enabled him to encourage and develop relationships between the police officers and the community. Police participation and community involvement continued to be areas that Dan Ruffle stressed during his tenure as a Lieutenant assigned to the 70th, 61st, and 62nd precincts. Dan also served as Lieutenant for the N.S.U. 10. While at the Neighborhood Stabilization Unit, Ruffle was responsible for training hundreds of new police officers. It was his personal insight into policing as well as his dedication to community service that Dan used to influence and develop the careers of the rookie officers in his charge. Many of whom have gone on to have outstanding careers as police officers. December 1995 was when Daniel H. Ruffle was promoted to the rank of captain. He first served as the Executive Officer of the 67th precinct. It was not long before Dan was appointed as the Commanding Officer of the Brooklyn South Task Force. The Task Force under his direction was used on various occasions as a utility unit to provide back up, support, and expertise to local precincts. The 63rd precinct became Dan's command in May 1997. It was here that Captain Ruffle's experience and continued pursuit of excellence were realized with consistent reductions in crime. Year after year the 63rd precinct has been lauded for all of the contributions that have been made in maintaining and improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods it serves. This is a result of the outstanding leadership of Captain Daniel H. Ruffle. Mr. Speaker, Captain Daniel H. Ruffle is more than worthy of receiving this honor and our praises, and I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in recognizing this truly remarkable man.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, as a graduate of North Carolina A&T University, one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), I cannot help but rise to express my shock over the outrageous decision by the majority members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce to exclude HBCUs from the new 2lst Century Competitiveness Subcommittee. I know that my friends across the aisle have no intention of riding on the media coattails of what some people perceive as this past fall's denial of minority voting rights; nevertheless, the misguided decision to separate HBCUs as well as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Tribally Controlled Colleges (TCCs) from non- minority higher education institutions on this subcommittee seems to play right into the hands of those who suggest that last fall's events were part of a concerted effort to deprive minorities of our right to vote. Furthermore, placing these institutions of higher education into a new select education subcommittee which shares jurisdiction with juvenile delinquency, welfare, and child abuse seems to suggest that minority education is more social experiment than higher education program. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am to find out in the 107th Congress that my education is now considered second rate by those in the majority. I join with my fellow Democratic Caucus members in urging the Speaker of the House and the Majority in the House to restore HBCUs, HSIs, and TCCs to their appropriate status as equal institutions of higher education.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, a disturbing case of Indian harassment against the Sikhs recently came to my attention. Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer is a Sikh who serves as co-editor of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs. Dr. Dilgeer is a Norwegian citizen. Dr. Dilgeer went to India a few years ago to work for the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). When new leaders achieved power in the SGPC, Dr. Dilgeer lost his job. He decided to move his family back to Norway. On January 1, Dr. Dilgeer and his wife and two sons went to the New Delhi airport. The Indian immigration authorities at the airport detained the Dilgeer family because Dr. Dilgeer was on the Indian government's blacklist. An immigration official took Mrs. Dilgeer and the Dilgeer's two sons into another room. He accused them of not being related to Dr. Dilgeer and he threatened them. After about an hour, Dr. Dilgeer demanded to speak to the Norwegian Ambassador and to a Member of Parliament who is a friend of his. At that point, the Dilgeers were allowed to board their flight. They arrived at the gate with just two minutes to go. The Dilgeers' flight to Moscow, where they were to meet a connecting flight back to Norway, missed the connection, so the Dilgeers had to stay in Moscow. They were supposed to be put up in a hotel, but when the Russian immigration authorities checked their passports, they detained Dr. Dilgeer and his family at the airport because Dr. Dilgeer was labelled an ``International Terrorist.'' They said they were acting on information received from Indian immigration authorities. The Dilgeers spend the night sleeping on the airport floor while Dr. Dilgeer was in a Russian lock-up. Russia is India's long-time ally. India supported the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and has a friendship treaty with the Soviet Union. Russia was one of the countries whose Ambassador attended a meeting led by Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes to discuss setting up a security alliance ``to stop the U.S.'' The Indian government used its influence with its old ally to harass a Sikh simply for leaving the country. This is typical of Indian tyranny. The Indian government 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 200,000 Christians in Nagaland since 1947, over 70,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands of Dalits, Assamese, Tamils, Manipuris, and others. Two independent investigations confirmed that the Indian government massacred 35 Sikhs in the village of Chithi Singhpora in March and evidence suggests that the government was responsible for the murders of six Sikhs last month. The book Soft Target shows that the Indian government shot down its own airliner in 1985, killing 329 people, to damage the Sikhs. Christians have been subject to a wave of violence and oppression since Christmas 1998. This repression has included church burnings, raping nuns, murdering priests, and the burning to death of a missionary and his 8- and 10-year old sons. The Hitavada newspaper reported in 1994 that the Indian government paid the late governor of Punjab, Surendra Nath, to foment covert terrorist activity in Punjab, Khalistan, and in Kashmir. These are just some examples of India's ongoing tyranny against minorities. Mr. Speaker, this is not acceptable conduct from any country, especially one that claims to be ``the world's largest democracy.'' Yet despite a pattern of tyranny India remains one of the largest recipients of U.S. aid. That aid should be ended and Congress should go on record in support of self-determination for the people of Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagalim, and the other minorities seeking their freedom from India. That is the best way to ensure freedom for all the people in South Asia. I would like to place in the Record a report on the Dilgeer incident by Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, editor of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs. It is very informative about India's repressive treatment of minorities. [From the International Journal of Sikh Affairs] Torture, Threats and Inhumane Treatment by Indian Immigration Personnel at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, on 1st January, 2001 and by the Russian Immigration Personnel, Moscow (International) Airport, Moscow, Russia (By Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, Editor) No. of Victims: Four (Husband and wife and Two sons) (a) First Names of victims: (Dr.) Harjinder and Mrs. Harjinder Middle Name: Singh, Mrs. Dilgeer & Singhs (Two sons). Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer is an authority on the Sikh faith, Sikh history and Sikh culture. Dr. Dilgeer is the founder and Editor in Chief of The Sikhs: Present and Present An International Journal of Sikh Affairs Dr. Dilgeer is the Editor in Chief (on leave) of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs ISSN 1481-5435. (b) Family Name: Dilgeer (Author of the article, ``Delhi Airport Te Sikhan Naal Salook'' meaning ``Delhi Airport Authorities' Treatment To the Sikhs'': Sant Sipahi (International), Punjabi monthly, published from AMRITSAR, PUNJAB, February 2001, Volume 55 (issue No 2), p. 34-35. (c) E-mail/address: Sant Sipahi C/- <santsipahi@hotmail.com>; 4313 Ranjitpura; Post office: Khalsa College, AMRITSARJI 143 002, India. (d) Country: formerly of PUNJAB, India (C/-; 1413 Ranjitpura; Post office: Khalsa College, AMRITSARJI 143 002, India) Citizenship: Norwegian Travelled on: Norwegian Passport Airline: Aeroflot Russian Airline Flight No.: Not available. (e) Persons involved: Family of the Victims (Total 4 persons of a family). (f) Details of incident: Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, Mrs. Dilgeer and their two sons arrived at the Delhi airport on 1st January, 2001, to go back to his country, Norway. His connecting flight was via Moscow. After checking in, Dr. Dilgeer and family went to the Immigration counter. The immigration authorities detained the family as his name was in their computer (Black listed). One of the immigration personnel told his colleague that he (they) is going out of country and let him/them go. However, the checking continued and they were asked to sit on a bench. In the meantime, another personnel came. He took away their passports (Dr. Dilgeer and Mrs. Dilgeer; their sons travelled on the mother's passport). This immigration personnel asked Mrs. Dilgeer and her sons that you have to prove that you are Dr. Dilgeer's wife and his sons. In the meantime another personnel named Chohan (Chauhan) came. He behaved rudely. Dr. dilgeer told him that ``I am not an Indian citizen and you behave like a gentleman.'' This Chohan fellow took Mrs. Dilgeer and their sons along and asked them (mother and sons) and threatened them that ``you have no relationship with Dr. Dilgeer.'' Dr. Dilgeer and you (three) are not related. The immigration personnel threatened them and applied psychological pressure during the interrogation. One hour had gone/passed. Then Dr. Dilgeer demanded from the personnel that ``he would like to speak to the Ambassador of Norway, Delhi, on phone. Also he would like to speak to one of his friend who is a Member of Parliament of India. After his demand, the immigration personnel changed his behavior and ``stamped their passports.'' Dr. Dilgeer and family arrived just ``two'' minutes before closing the aircraft's door. Treatment at Moscow Airport The flight from Delhi missed connection to their flight to Norway. The Russian Immigration personnel checked their passport in order to provide them Hotel until the next available flight to Norway. Dr. Dilgeer was told that you cannot stay in a hotel and you will have to stay at the airport, because you are an ``International Terrorist.'' Their terminology of the International Terrorist was based on the ``Terrorists' List provided by the Government of India.'' The Moscow Immigration authorities kept him (Dr. Dilgeer) in a lock up under their custody. Dr. Dilgeer's family spent the night at the airport and slept on the floor. This has been the treatment, threats and slandering the Sikhs by the Indian immigration personnel at the Delhi international airport and by the Russian airport authorities of the Moscow airport. India, as everybody knows it, is the best partner (political) bed fellow of Russia in the world affairs. The writer, Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon (Machaki), Managing Editor and Acting Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs ISSN 1481-5435, requests the Amnesty International, UN High Commission for Human Rights and other agencies to consider Dr. Dilgeer and his family's case based on the serious violations of their human rights, violations of the rights as international passengers and defaming Dr. Dilgeer as International terrorist by the Russian immigration authorities, based on the information provided to them by the world's ``terrorist'' administration. India is known to the peace-loving countries of the world as ``the largest democracy, India.'' Democracies do not harass and kill innocent citizens and torture them indiscriminately.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to honor the 18-year commitment of SFC Latoya King-John of Brooklyn, NY. Ms. King-John is currently serving in the United States Army Reserve. From 1996-1997, Ms. King- John served in Operation Joint Venture; leaving her husband and two young children while she worked as a movement control supervisor in Bosnia, Croatia, and Hungary. In addition, Ms. King-John has worked for New York State for the past 17 years. While there she has been an active member of the Civil Service Employees Association, where she has served on the Education Committee of Local 351. Also, Ms. King-John is a member of the Non- Commissioned Officers Association. In 1999, Ms. King-John was recognized by the Disabled American Veterans. Mr. Speaker, Ms. King-John has served this country for nearly two decades at great personal sacrifice; she has served New York State for nearly two decades as well. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today, and I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to honor New York State Assemblyman Albert Vann of Brooklyn, New York upon his receipt of the Susan G. Hadden Pioneer Award from the Alliance for Public Technology. The Hon. Albert Vann has served as the NYS Assemblyman for the 56th Assembly since 1974. During this time Mr. Vann has been a tireless advocate on behalf of low-income communities, chairing the Assembly Standing Committee on Children and Families as well as the New York State Black and Puerto Rican Caucus. He is currently the Chairman of the Assembly Standing Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions. The `Corporations' Committee has oversight authority over the New York State Public Service Commission, the regulatory body for telecommunications and cable. Assemblyman Vann has worked on a variety of initiatives to lay the groundwork to bring technology to low income and rural areas. Mr. Vann worked with me to expand the Congressional Black Caucus' Braintrust Communications Conference to include telecommunications and e-commerce issues. He also worked with the New York State Public Service Commission to create the Diffusion Fund, which provides $50 million to establish broadband capacity in low-income communities. In addition, he has held a series of technology seminars in his district to provide his constituents with networking opportunities in telecommunications and information services. Al Vann was selected to serve as co-chair of the Assembly Task Force on Telecommunications where he worked on the ramifications of the 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act for New York State. He has used his positions to ensure that New York State maintains a leadership role on telecommunications issues. Al brought his technology access concerns to a national forum by chairing the National Black Caucus of State Legislators Telecommunications and Energy Committee. Mr. Speaker, NYS Assemblyman Al Vann has been a tireless advocate on behalf of the technologically underserved, through his hard work and dedication, he has provided access where otherwise there would not be any. As such, he is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today, and I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in honoring this fine public servant.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I was disturbed when I read that more violence is taking place in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Some Sikh policemen murdered a Muslim rickshaw driver after he demanded that they pay their fare. In retaliation, five Sikhs were killed by a Muslim gunman. Then one more was killed while participating in a protest march. Now the Indian government has imposed a curfew in Jammu and Kashmir. Recently, the Indian government has been recruiting members of the terrorist, vigilante commandos called the Black Cats into the police. This is apparently a reward for doing a good job of killing Sikhs and other minorities. The police who carried out the rickshaw murder are former Black Cats. It is an open secret that the former Black Cats have infiltrated Sikh and Kashmiri organizations for the purpose of setting them against each other. As in the case of last March's massacre of 35 Sikhs at Chithi Singhpora, the relevant question that must be asked is who benefits? Mr. Speaker, neither the Sikhs nor the Muslims benefit from these killings. The only beneficiary is the theocratic, fundamentalist Hindu nationalist government of India and its divide-and-rule strategy. This looks like a clear effort to set the Sikhs and the Kashmiri freedom fighters against each other to keep both movements weak, divided, and unable to liberate their people. Sikhs have not usually been targets of the violence in Kashmir. These murders and the tragedy at Chithi Singhpora are the only recent incidents involving Sikhs. They are outside the usual pattern. In addition, some of the participants in the protest threatened to harm a mosque. The Sikhs have not harmed any religious places, but the Indian government has a pattern of it. They invaded the Sikhs' holiest shrine, the Golden Temple, and 38 other Gurdwaras in 1984. The BJP destroyed the Babri mosque to put a Hindu temple where it sat. Since Christmas 1998, Christian churches and prayer halls have been attacked and burned. All of these acts have been carried out by the Indian government or by persons associated with the RSS, which is the parent organization of the BJP, the party that leads the coalition government. BJP officials have said that anyone living in India must either be a Hindu or be subservient to Hindus. These murders have been condemned by the Kashmiri freedom fighters and by the Council of Khalistan, which leads the Sikh freedom movement. No organization has come forth to take responsibility for the killings, another parallel to the massacre at Chithi Singhpora. Mr. Speaker, one doesn't have to look very hard to find the hand of the Indian government on these terrible killings. This appears to be part of the Indian government's pattern of terrorism and repression against Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, and other minorities. In that light, this Congress should cut off American aid to India until the repression ends and human rights are restored and we should support a free and fair plebiscite to decide democratically the future of Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagalim, and all the countries seeking their freedom from India. That is how to let the glow of freedom shine all over South Asia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit an article from Reuters News Service on the Kashmir murders into the Record. [From the Reuters News Service, Feb. 5, 2001] Kashmir Capitals Put Under Curfew After Killings Jammu, India, Feb. 4 (Reuters).--Indian authorities imposed curfews on the two capitals of troubled Jammu and Kashmir state on Sunday after gunmen shot dead six Sikhs and wounded five others. Srinagar, the state's summer capital, was brought under a curfew from Sunday following the killing of the Sikhs in the city's Mahjoor Nagar area the day before. Similar measures were announced in the winter capital Jammu. ``An indefinite curfew has been imposed in Jammu city from Monday in view of the heightening tension following the killing of the Sikhs,'' Deputy Commissioner of Police R.K. Goel said. He said the curfew was imposed after Sikh groups had called for a general strike on Monday. A group of Sikhs threw stones at shops and cars and blocked traffic in Jammu on Sunday to protest against the killings. A police official said in Srinagar that security had been tightened in Sikh areas of Kashmir, the only Indian state with a Muslim majority. Separatist rebellion broke out in the Himalayan region in 1990, among Islamic groups seeking either independence or union with neighbouring Pakistan. Authorities say more than 30,000 people have died in the conflict since. The Sikh minority, who make up 300,000 of the state's eight million people, have usually been spared violence, which pits Islamic rebels against government forces, Hindus and pro- Indian Muslims. No group claimed responsibility for Saturday's gun attack on the group of Sikhs. Last March, 35 Sikhs were shot dead by unidentified gunmen as U.S. President Bill Clinton visited India.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the nomination of John Ashcroft of Missouri to the crucial position of United States Attorney General. Mr. Ashcroft has a long and consistent record of conservative extremism, opposing civil rights as well as qualified Federal nominees, abortion rights, gay rights and environmental protection. In his confirmation hearings last week, we saw a nominee on his best behavior, and yet, he could not acknowledge the possibility that he was wrong about the impeccable qualifications of federal judge nominee Ronnie White. We have a nominee who denies that sexual preference was an issue when he questioned James Hormel's ``life-style'' before rejecting his nomination. We have a nominee who claims that as Attorney General of Missouri he always upheld the law and did not try and impose his own personal beliefs while the record shows that just the opposite is true. In fact, there is nothing in the record to indicate that Mr. Ashcroft has ever exhibited any flexibility in his ideology. Mr. Speaker, I ask you should we support giving him the keys to our nation's laws with our eyes opened and our fingers crossed. I cannot remain silent when the person who is nominated to be the chief law enforcement officer of this country and who will be responsible for defending the civil rights of all Americans has repeatedly demonstrated his personal animosity for those fundamental rights. I urge the Administration to live up to its promises to unite this country and withdraw this ill-conceived nominee from consideration. At the very least, I urge my friends in the other Chamber to do the right thing and reject this nominee.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, on December 31, the New York Times Magazine ran a good article on the massacre of 35 Sikhs that took place in Chithi Singhpora in March while President Clinton was visiting India. The article makes it clear that ``Everyone knows who did it'' and that the responsibility rests squarely on the Indian government. The Times writer, Barry Bearak, the newspaper's bureau chief in New Delhi, wrote that ``Among the careful preparations for the historic occasion were a painstaking cleanup around the Taj Mahal, a reconnoitering for wild tigers he might glimpse on a V.I.P. safari and the murder of 35 Sikh villagers in a place called Chittisinghpora.'' I will not place the entire article into the Record, Mr. Speaker, because it is very long, but I recommend it to my colleagues. Bearak interviewed several people who were witnesses to the massacre or who lost family members. It is very clear from his interviews that the Indian government is responsible. This confirms the findings of two independent investigations, one by the International Human Rights Organization, which is based in Ludhiana, and another jointly conducted by the Movement Against State Repression and the Punjab Human Rights Organization. This is typical of the Indian government. The Indian newspaper Hitavada reported in November 1994 that the Indian government paid the late Governor of Punjab, Surendra Nath, $1.5 billion to organize terrorist activities in Punjab and Kashmir. The book ``Soft Target'', written by two Canadian journalists, proved that the Indian government shot down its own airliner in 1985, killing 329 innocent people, to create an image of Sikhs as terrorists. The article noted that the killers were dressed in the regulation uniform of the Indian Army. Some had their faces painted in celebration of the Hindu holiday of Holi. They rounded up 37 Sikhs, one of whom escaped and one of whom survived. The other 35 were murdered in cold blood. They called out the parting phrase ``Jai mata di,'' a Hindu phrase in praise of a Hindu goddess. Clearly the Indian government was trying to create a bad image of the Kashmiri freedom fighters for the President's visit. It looks like President Clinton was right when he called the region ``the most dangerous place in the world.'' Bearak came to Chithi Singhpora in the company of a businessman, who is an associate of a fellow reporter. ``So you want to know the truth?'' the businessman said to Bearak. ``Don't you know the truth can get these people killed?'' The Indian government had killed five Muslims, claiming they were Pakistanis responsible for the massacre, but at least one village resident said that he recognized the remains of one of his relatives. One of the men killed was a man of 60. The Indian government has subsequently admitted that the so-called ``militants'' they killed were in fact innocent. Now they have made another arrest in the case. This is also equally dubious. The 18-year- old that they arrested was ``intensively interrogated,'' according to the article, which usually means torture. At the close of the article, Bearak writes that ``Everyone knows about this crime. The Indian Army did it.'' The evidence makes it clear that this is true. Why should such a country receive any support from the U.S. government? Let us stop our aid to this terrorist regime and let us openly support self-determination for Punjab, Khalistan, for Kashmir, and for all the nations of South Asia.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong objection to the transfer of jurisdiction over finance issues from the Committee on Commerce to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services. I must say that the policy arguments behind this watershed change are very suspect. The Committee on Banking and Financial Services has no expertise in terms of oversight of legislation in the area of securities or insurance. I mean none, zip, none. And, if it is not broken, why fix it? There is no problem, so why are we fixing it? I will tell you, it is strictly politics and nothing else. Serious legislative issues which were unresolved in the Committee on Commerce during the last Congress will now be turned over to a committee with no background or understanding of these important matters at all. I am speaking specifically here of the question of pay equity for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Section 31 fee reduction. Whether these issues will ever be addressed in the 107th Congress remains an open question. As a Member from New York where these issues are of paramount importance, I must stress the fact that these issues will not be addressed by a committee with the appropriate background, and, therefore, I tell you now, this is pure bare knuckle politics. It is nothing else. It is bad policy.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, while this legislation contains many positive restorations in terms of Medicare beneficiaries and providers, I deeply regret that we did not permit the states to offer health coverage for lawful immigrant pregnant women and children through Medicaid and the State Child Health Insurance program (SCHIP). Because of our inaction, many hard working, tax paying, lawfully present immigrants will remain ineligible for basic health care. We had an opportunity to restore the human rights to lawfully present children and pregnant women; yet, we failed to take this first step to make health care available to a group of taxpayers who have no other affordable access to health services. It is a shortfall that I hope we can remedy in the next Congress.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, many of us have spoken to the House about the oppression of Sikhs and other minorities in India. I am distressed to have to report yet another incident. Last month, thousands of Sikhs gathered from around the world to celebrate the birthday of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nankana Sahib, in his birthplace, Nankana Sahib, which is in present-day Pakistan. My good friend Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, was among those in attendance. The government of Pakistan had issued 3,200 visas for Sikhs from Punjab to come across the border and visit Nankana Sahib for this very important religious occasion. At the Attari, railroad station on the border between India and Pakistan, a group of 6,000 police with sticks called lathis charged the 3,200 Sikhs. They sprayed them with tear gas. Only 800, one-fourth of the number granted visas, were allowed to go to Nankana Sahib. Three- fourths were prevented from attending this religious event. Now, Mr. Speaker, this is purely a religious event. There was no politics involved. It was an observance of a religious occasion at a religious shrine, not a rally against the government of India. There was no good reason to prevent these Sikhs from attending this religious event except to intimidate them and create a climate of fear because of their religion. Freedom of religion is one of the essential freedoms of a democratic state, yet this action makes it clear again that religious freedom does not exist in India. It may exist in theory, it may be written in Indian law, but in actual fact there is no religious freedom for Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, and other minorities. In practice, the real policy of the militant Hindu nationalist Indian government, no matter who is charge, is to create a Hindu state and wipe out all other religious expressions. As former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar pointed out, there is no difference between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress Party. The effect for religious minorities is the same. Since 1984, according to Inderjit Singh Jaijee's The Politics of Genocide, over 250,000 Sikhs have been murdered in India. India has killed more than 200,000 Christians in Nagaland since 1947, over 70,000 Kashmiri Muslims since 1988, and tens of thousands of other minorities. There is only one way to put an end to the killing and the oppression, as the Sikhs who were attacked at the Attari station can tell you. It is to allow the people of Khalistan, the people of Kashmir, the people of Nagalim, and all the nations of South Asia to live in freedom. Mr. Speaker, it is time to tell the truth about India. Despite its pretense of democracy, it is a theocratic Hindu state where human rights for minorities are a matter of personal whim and political expediency. Such a country must be declared a violator of basic religious rights, with all the penalties that entails. It must be declared a terrorist nation, as 21 of us wrote to President Clinton earlier this year, and a hostile country, as 17 of us wrote in another letter. Given this abysmal record the United States must stop its aid to India and demand a free and fair plebiscite in Punjab, Khalistan, in Kashmir, in Nagaland, and throughout India to decide the future of these Indian-held states in a democratic way. These measures will help to ensure that the glow of freedom can finally shine on all the people of South Asia. I would like to submit the Council of Khalistan's open letter on this incident into the Record at this time. It is very informative, and I urge everyone to read it. Council of Khalistan, Washington, DC, December 7, 2000. Police Harass Sikh Pilgrims to Discourage Them From Visiting Nankana Sahib There Is No Place for Sikhs in Indian ``Democracy''--Professor Darshan Singh Said at Nankana Sahib, ``If a Sikh Is Not a Khalistani, He Is Not a Sikh'' Khalsa Ji: Last month, it was my privilege to attend the 531st birthday celebration of Guru Nanak Sahib. I would like to thank everyone involved for their hospitality. However, some Sikh pilgrims from Punjab who tried to attend this important religious event were not so cordially treated. A majority of the Sikhs were stopped at the Attari railway station on the border by 6000 police with lathis. 3200 pilgrims were beaten by the police and tear gas was used. Only 800 were allowed to visit Nankana Sahib. It was very clear to the Sikhs that the Indian government does not want Sikhs to visit Guru Nanak's birthplace. These Sikhs from Punjab realize that they need a free and independent Khalistan so that no one can ever again stop them from participating in the birthday celebration of Guru Nanak in Nankana Sahib. This harassment of Sikhs shows us again that we need a sovereign, independent Khalistan to visit our holy shrines, to protect our rights, our security, and our dignity. Under Indian rule, Sikhs are not even allowed to visit Guru Nanak's birthplace to celebrate his birthday. Sikhs are slaves under Indian rule. As long as India continues to occupy our homeland, our slavery will continue. There is only one solution: a sovereign, free, and independent Khalistan. Only in a free Khalistan can Sikhs live in freedom, dignity, prosperity, and peace. Without political power, nations perish. Professor Darshan Singh Ragi, former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, said, ``If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.'' We must reclaim our lost sovereignty. If the BJP wants Hindu Raj, then why does it object to Khalsa Raj? The Sikh Nation is sovereign and ruled Punjab up to 1849 when the British took over. Punjab was recognized by most of the world's major powers at that time. It was a truly democratic, truly secular state, rule of the Punjabis, by the Punjabis, for the Punjabis. Maharajah Ranjit Singh had Muslims and Hindus in his cabinet and among his generals. Under his rule, religious shrines of all religions were built, with his support. This is the kind of state that India claims to be, but is not. Behind the pretense of secular democracy, India is a Hindu theocratic state that oppresses Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, and others. The Sikhs outside India are Khalistanis. They are the ones who will free Khalistan. The present Akali leadership is under Indian government control. India will only allow Akali leaders to come out of India if they toe the line of the Indian government. These Akali leaders are not welcome in foreign countries. None of the political parties will lead Punjab, Khalistan to freedom. The Shiromani Akali Dal, under the leadership of Chief Minister Badal, is in political coalition with the militant Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is part of the RSS, an organization founded in support of Fascism. Badal has not even kept the modest promises that he made to get elected: to free the political prisoners and to hold police officers responsible for their actions in the genocide against the Sikh Nation. Gurcharan Singh Tohra, leader of the All-India Akali Dal, worked with the Indian government prior to the attack on the Golden Temple and surrendered to the Indian forces when they came into the Sikh Nation's holiest shrine. Simranjit Singh Mann was elected to Parliament with the support of Badal after promising not to mention Khalistan. At the Sikh Day Parade in New York, Mann would not join in when the crowd chanted ``Khalistan Zinbabad.'' Even U.S. Congressman Major Owens joined in. Yet Mann would not do so. This revealed his true colors. In 1989, he wrote to the Chief Justice of India pledging his support for India's constitution and territorial integrity. The Congress Party is no better. It is the party that conducted the invasion and desecration of the Golden Temple. Recently, former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar said that there is no difference between the BJP and Congress, and he is right. India's genocide against the Sikh Nation highlights the problem the Sikh Nation faces without our own raj. The Indian government continues its effort to try to wipe the Sikh religion out of existence. A free Khalistan is essential for the survival of the Sikh Nation. There are still 50,000 Sikhs rotting in Indian jails without charge or trial. Yet the Sikh leaders have remained silent. According The Politics of Genocide by Inderjit Singh Jaijee, over 250,000 Sikhs have been murdered at the hands of the Indian government according to the Punjab State Magistracy, yet the Sikh leadership remains silent. Why can't they start a Shantmai Morcha to free the Sikh political prisoners? The massacre of 35 Sikhs in Chithi Singhpora shows that without sovereignty, the Indian oppression of the Sikh Nation will continue. Two exhaustive investigations have proven that the Indian government is responsible for this massacre. Now the Indian government has even admitted that the alleged militants they killed were innocent. This atrocity underlines the need for a sovereign, independent Khalistan. The Indian government has demonstrated that it can conduct massacres of Sikhs whenever and wherever it wants. The Khalsa Panth must answer this wake-up call and free Khalistan. Punjab is a police state. None of the political parties will bring us Khalistan. If we do not show courage and liberate Khalistan, the coming generations of Sikhs will also live in slavery. They will not forgive us if we do not liberate our homeland. In Panjab, they will not procure your rice crop. Farmers are forced to buy fertilizer at extremely high prices; then the government buys up all their produce at artificially low prices to keep the farmers poor even though Panjab, with just two percent of the population, produces over 60 percent of India's wheat and rice reserves. The farmers of Punjab should not have to live that way. In a free Khalistan, we can sell our produce anywhere in the world to maximize our profit. We will not have to have our water diverted to non-riparian states. Free Khalistan will bring economic prosperity for the farmers of Punjab in particular and other Punjabis in general. Indian rule only means economic deprivation and slavery. India claims that it is a democracy, but there is more to democracy than elections. Democracies don't commit genocide. If India is a democracy, then why won't it allow the people of Punjab, Khalistan, Kashmir, and the other minority nations it occupies to vote on their political status in a free and fair plebiscite? India is very unstable. India is on the verge of disintegration. It will disintegrate by the year 2010. Kashmir is going to be free from Indian control soon. As soon as Kashmir is free, Khalistan will follow it. The only way to escape Indian slavery is to liberate Khalistan. New Sikh leadership must emerge to free the Sikh Nation. They should demand self-determination. They should raise the slogan ``India Quit Khalistan'' and start Shantmai Morcha until we achieve freedom. We have now seen how the India government controls Sikh institutions and the entire Sikh leadership in Punjab. Unless the Sikh Nation brings back the Sikh spirit and fight for truth and justice as practiced by Guru Nanak, the Khalsa Panth will not prosper. Remember Guru required the Khalsa to remove evil. Only in a free Khalistan will Sikhs be able to live as required by the Guru. Only in a free Khalistan can the Sikh religion flourish. Only then can the Sikh Nation finally enjoy the glow of freedom that is our birthright. Let us join hands to accomplish our goal of a free Khalistan by 2010. Khalsa Ji, the responsibility is ours. We must start a Khalsa Raj Party and begin a Shantmai Morcha to liberate Khalistan. We must stop supporting leaders who are under the control of the brutal Indian government. We must remember our heritage, ``Khalsa Bagi Yan Badshah.'' Let us commit ourselves to liberate Khalistan and control our own destiny so that the Sikh Nation can flourish and prosper. Support only those new leaders who are honest, dedicated, fearless, and committed to freedom for Khalistan. Any other course is support for keeping the Khalsa Panth in slavery. Sincerely, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President, Council of Khalistan.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I want to offer my condolences to the family of Julian Dixon. All of us are dismayed at his untimely death. He was a colleague and a friend here in the Congress since my arrival here in 1983. While he will long be remembered for his work with the House Ethics Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence, his achievements in supporting development assistance to countries in the Caribbean and Africa should not be overlooked. In fact, it was under his leadership that the first South African sanctions bill was enacted by the United States Congress. His death is a loss not only to his family and the people in his Los Angeles district but to the nation as a whole. I will always feel his loss greatly.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, today I praise the outstanding work of New York's Healthy Start Consortium. Healthy Start/NYC (HS/NYC), a collaborative, community-driven, Federal project was founded in 1991 to combat infant mortality and poor maternal and child health in three medically underserved areas. New York neighborhoods like Bedford- Stuyvesant, Mott Haven and Central Harlem have some of the Nation's highest infant mortality and poverty rates. From 1991 to 1997, HS/NYC served 30,000 women and their families annually which lead to a 40 percent decrease in the infant mortality rate, a drop in low birth weights and a 24 percent decline in births to teens. The Consortium has been able to create a strong public-private network of health and social service agencies, providers, schools, churches, businesses, and individuals. It has remained committed to its community-driven, collaborative approach. I want to particularly commend the work of Ngozi Moses with the Brooklyn Perinatal Network; Arlene Bailey-Franklin with the Bronx Perinatal Consortium; Sharon Rumley with the Queens Comprehensive Perinatal Council; Goldie Watkins- Bryant with Healthy Start/New York City Project; Luci Chambers, with Downstate New York Healthy Start Project; Mario Drummonds, with Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership; Cheryl Brown-Hoyte with Nassau County's Healthy Start Project and Dara Cerwonka with Suffolk County Perinatal Coalition. Now that the Healthy Start Program has been reauthorized, I look forward to working with the Healthy Start/New York City Consortium in the months ahead. The Consortium hopes to broaden its work with consumers. I am certain that the Consortium will be able to bring new families into its program during the next fiscal year. Once again, I offer my congratulations to the Consortium on a job well done.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the publication that has been making a significant contribution to the immigrant community in Brooklyn--The Immigrant's Journal. The Immigrant's Journal is a widely read and widely distributed newspaper in New York City, dealing with immigration and related issues facing the 2 million immigrants living in New York City. In the pages of the Immigrant's Journal, one will find articles on immigration, family matters, real estate, the criminal justice system and the political system. With the vast array of immigration related legislative proposals before Congress, and the multiple problems facing immigrants in the processing of their visas, it is indisputable that this journal represents an idea whose time has come. Apart from its purely informational mission, the Journal seeks to correct and change the misleading stereotypes which some native- born Americans may have of the immigrant community. It seeks to document the positive achievements which immigrants have made in the field of entrepreneurial activity, culture, and politics. Mr. Speaker, I recall that thirty years ago, many parts of Brooklyn were in a state of urban decay and economic stagnation. People were moving out of the area, businesses were closing and many homes were either abandoned or placed in the market. After the massive influx of immigrants in the 1970's, there has been an economic transformation in Central Brooklyn. New businesses have been erected, buildings have been rehabilitated, and thousands of homes been purchased. The pulsating rhythms of reggae and soca have become part of a new musical genre and the Labor Day Carnival in Eastern Parkway has become the largest block party in North America. Caribbean immigrants have not only contributed to entrepreneurial activity and culture, they have made a significant contribution to the political culture of our city. The first Black Assemblyman in our borough, the Honorable Bertram Baker, was from the Caribbean. So were our first Black female Congressperson, the Honorable Shirley Chisolm, and the dean of political strategists, the Honorable Dr. Wesley McHolder. The first Black Borough President of Manhattan, the Hon. Hulan Jack was from the Caribbean and the Chief Judge of the Federal Court in the southern district, the Hon. Constance Baker Mottley. Mr. Speaker, immigrants have made a glorious contribution to the rich tapestry and multi-cultural quilt that we call the American heritage. It is a story that needs to be told, and this newspaper, the Immigrant's Journal, is one of the publications that seek to recount this American saga in a clear and eloquent language.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to pay tribute to the government and people of Barbados who are celebrating the 34th anniversary of their country's independence. Barbados is a country of limited size, and resources that has exerted a gigantic influence in the Caribbean and in the rest of the world. It is the longest settled British colony in the Caribbean, originating with the English settlement at Holetown in 1627 and culminating with the attainment of independence on November 30, 1966. Its modern political history started with the civil disturbances of 1937, which led to the formation of the Barbados Labor Party. It is a vibrant two party democratic state, in which political power has alternated between the two dominant parties--the Barbados Labor Party and the Democratic Labor Party. Barbadians have a long history of international migration, and have exerted a profound influence on the political culture of other nations, particularly the United States, Prince Hall, the father of the Black Masonic movement in the United States was born in Barbados in 1748. David Straker, Dean at Allen University in South Carolina, and one of the founding fathers of the NAACP was born in Barbados in 1842. Other Barbadians who have influenced the political culture of the United States were Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm, Supreme Court Justice Thomas Russell Jones and Ruth Goering, prominent district leader in Brooklyn. Barbadians have also played a pivotal role in regional migration in the Caribbean. They migrated in large numbers to Guyana, where they became the teachers, police officers, civil servants, and trade unionists in that nation. They also migrated in large numbers to the Panama Canal Zone and constituted the labor force that helped build the seventh wonder of the world--the Panama Canal. Today Barbados has emerged as one of the most stable and vibrant economies in the Caribbean. It has perhaps the best-trained civil service in the English speaking Caribbean, the most disciplined labor force, the lowest crime rate, and the highest literacy rate. Its economy has moved from a monoculture based in sugar to a more diversified service oriented economy based in tourism, insurance, offshore banking, and informational technology. While Barbados has been adversely affected by some of the recent restrictions on offshore financial centers imposed by developing countries such as the United States, independence has been an unadulterated blessing to this remarkable island nation, transforming it from a one crop economy to one of the flagship nations in the English speaking Caribbean.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to pay tribute to one of the outstanding videographers of the African experience in New York City, Minister Clemson Brown. During the past 25 years, Minister Brown and his ubiquitous video camera have captured over 20,000 hours of contemporary history in New York City. He has recorded and documented the issues that have shaped and defined the experiences of African people from Howard Beach to Central Park, from Clifford Glover to Amadou Diallo. Minister Brown is currently involved in a project to create a new museum--the Living Museum of African People. It is to be a multimedia spectacular, consisting of exhibits, artifacts, and film representing a chronological timeline that extends from the dawn of human civilization in Africa and culminates in the present millennium. It is hoped that this museum will eradicate the racist stereotype that Africans are a people without a civilization, and create in young people a new sense of pride and self-worth. For the past 25 years, he has recorded and documented the personalities and landmark events that have shaped and defined the destiny of African people. He is the president of Trans Atlantic Production, which has archived the world's largest collection of African and African-American history on videotape. More that 20,000 hours are raw and edited footage of film and videotape are included in this historical treasury. Minister Brown is a world traveler, as well as a respected videographer. His work and abiding interest in the unsung people of the world have taken him all over the United States, as well as the Caribbean, Panama, Cuba, El Salvador, Nicaragua, England, Mexico, Ethiopia, and Kenya. He has traveled along with Reverend and Mrs. Jesse Jackson, the Reverend Herbert Daughtry, Dr. Yosef Ben Jochannan, and Dr. Ivan Van Sertima. Minister Brown served as head of the American delegation that journeyed to Kenya to investigate the promising AIDS therapy, KEMRON. His interest in young people led to the production of over 75 major documentaries, which have been used as learning materials in scores of community programs, schools, and colleges across the country. Minister Brown has also trained uncounted numbers of young people in the use of media equipment and video technology. He has done this through apprenticeship programs and the establishment of media training courses in schools in the New York City area. He is married to Lady V. Brown and has two children--Clemson R. Brown and Herlinda Brown.