Ed Towns

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to talk about Dr. Bob Lee of WBLS, a man that is really making a difference. When young people hear his name and when they come in contact with him, they get excited. He has been with WBLS for 20 years doing this. I think that the board of education and people that are in education should really take note of the fact that this man has the way to motivate young people, to get them to get up in the morning and go to school and, of course, he has been doing this and doing it so well. So being as he is doing it so well, it seems to me that educators some way or another should sit down with him, have a summit and talk about how he is able to get the young people involved in a positive kind of way. When I think about the things that he is doing, it bothers me that we do not highlight it enough, because when something negative is going on, we readily will talk about it. When something bad is going on, we will get it throughout the city, get it throughout the town in no time flat. But when something positive is going on, we have difficulty getting that message around. Dr. Bob Lee is doing something positive. Of course, when you have a high dropout rate, he is able to go into those areas, talk to the kids, motivate them and get them to return to school. When they are not doing well in school, he is able to sort of talk to them and sort of get them involved in a very positive kind of way, get them to know how important it is to do their homework. So if he is able to do this on such a small scale, it seems to me that we should be able to capitalize on his skills throughout this Nation. I am hoping that those that are in education are listening tonight, that will be able to go and to sit down with him and to find out how he is doing it and, of course, encourage him to do more. I think that one way to do that would be to expand it by funding the program of some sort and to be able to get the word out to people. I would like to say tonight, I salute Dr. Bob Lee for the outstanding work that he is doing. I have watched him on various talk shows when he has been on to talk about how he feels about working with young people and how important he thinks it is. Just recently, we had a toy gun turn-in drive and Dr. Bob Lee got involved in that. Of course, we were having trouble on getting the media, but when he got involved in it, of course, people began to respond, because they recognized the fact that it is a very serious issue. And toy guns, as you know, is something that we need to deal with, because many of our young people are getting killed because of toy guns. In my own district, we have had several youngsters to be killed because they had a toy gun. We have had youngsters to be shot. But Dr. Bob Lee has been working with us in terms of getting this message out to adults, letting them know that toy guns is something that you should not buy for your son or your daughter. I think that this is the kind of message that we have to send, because even the police department, they are saying that toy guns are very dangerous because they are saying that if it looks like a gun, as far as they are concerned, it is a gun. And I think that we do not expect them to stop and interview somebody as to whether or not the gun is real. If it looks like a gun, as far as the police department is concerned, it is a gun. I want to thank Dr. Bob Lee and all those people out there helping to make certain that we get the message across to people that toy guns are not something that our young people should have and that people should not purchase them for them. It is not the kind of toy that you want to give. Give an educational toy, give something that is going to bring about life, give something that is going to encourage people to be able to grow and to develop, not to give them something that they will probably get killed because they have it. I would like to salute him tonight and to say, Dr. Bob Lee, we applaud you for the outstanding job that you are doing on behalf of the young people in this Nation and we hope that you will be able to continue to expand it as well.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Jamesetta A. Halley-Boyce. Dr. Jamesetta A. Halley-Boyce, a native New Yorker received her Ph.D. in Health Care Services Administration from the Walden University of Indiana at Bloomington. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from Hunter College and her Master's from New York University. She holds a Certificate of Training from the Johnson and Johnson Fellows Program (Class of 1985) in Management for Executive Nurses, from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business. During her twenty-one year career with the Department of Veterans Affairs, she held increasingly more challenging assignments in nursing leadership positions as VA Medical Centers throughout the United States. Her last assignment was Chief of Nursing Service at the Brooklyn VAMC where her responsibilities included the delivery of nursing care at the Medical-Surgical Hospital on the Main Campus, the Ambulatory Care Clinic at Ryerson Street in Brooklyn and the St. Albans Extended Care Center in Queens, New York. Additionally, Dr. Halley- Boyce has served as Chief of Nursing at the VAMCs in Asheville, North Carolina, Northport, Long Island, New York, and East Orange, New Jersey. In 1987, Dr. Halley-Boyce appeared before the Committee on Veterans Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives, to give testimony as the Chief, Nursing Service member of a panel of VA field experts. The two-day hearings addressed the impact of the President's proposed fiscal year 1988 Veterans Administration Budget. Recognized as a leader in the profession of Nursing, Dr. Halley-Boyce has held elected offices in the New Jersey State Nurses' Association, the New York State Nurses' Association's Council on Human Rights and the Interprofessional Relations Committee of the Medical Society of the County of Kings, Inc. She is past President of the Greater New York/ Nassau/Suffolk Organization of Nurse Executives and is a previous Board Member of the New York State Organization of Nurse Executives. She is the only professional nurse on the Editorial Board of the Medical Herald, a National Urban Health Care Newspaper. Dr. Halley-Boyce is a recognized expert on quality management in the delivery of health care services and has lectured widely and published on this subject. She has held numerous faculty appointments; at the Seton Hall University, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Duke University, Thomas Edison State College, the State University Center at Stony Brook, and currently at the SUNY-Health Science Center at Brooklyn. In 1991, she founded the Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. Mentor Program partnership with the SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn College of Nursing and University Hospital's Department of Nursing Services. As a result of that Membership Program, several hundred student nurses at UHB and most recently at New York City Technical College, have successfully made the transition into the profession of nursing. In October 1990, Dr. Halley-Boyce joined the State of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Downstate Medical Center, as the Chief Nurse Executive Officer. She currently serves as the Interim Vice President for Hospital Affairs & Chief Executive Officer of University Hospital of Brooklyn. Dr. Halley-Boyce, a Diplomate of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) was appointed a member of the Regent's Advisory council for the New York area in 1997. Dr. Halley- Boyce is also an active member of several other professional organizations on the national, state and local levels, including the National Association of Health Services Executives, the American Organization of Nurse Executives, American Nurses' Association, Sigma Theta Tau, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Chi Eta Phi Sorority. In addition to her distinguished professional career and active membership in several professional organizations, Dr. Halley-Boyce has also received several awards for achievement, leadership and outstanding community service. Awards such as: Federal Executive Manager of the Year 1990, awarded by the Greater New York Federal Executive Board; The Community Service Award for Outstanding Contribution and Dedication to the Brooklyn Community by the HSCB/UHB Community Advisory Board; and the Women of Distinction Award by the YMCA of Brooklyn.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Vincent Calamia, a shining example of what physicians in this country should aspire to be. Dr. Vincent Calamia, F.A.C.P., F.A.C.E. is the President of the largest group practice in New York City, University Physicians Group, as well as the Director of Geriatrics at Staten Island University Hospital. He also conducts a private practice in Endocrinology on Staten Island. Dr. Calamia is a Diplomate in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Geriatrics, and Quality Assurance. In addition, he is Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the State University of New York at Brooklyn. Mr. Speaker, one would think with all these responsibilities that Dr. Calamia would not have time for much else in his life, but he makes a generous portion of his time available for medical humanitarian efforts. He serves on the Board of the MSO of the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, Board of the MSO of the Beth Israel Health System, and on the Board of the Alzheimer's Association of Staten Island. Dr. Calamia is also Vice President of the Children's Foundation of the Ukraine, which supports orphanages in the Ukraine. This coming summer with the help of Dr. Eugene Holuka and under the auspices of the Forum Club, the Foundation will be sponsoring the open-heart surgery of two children at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Mr. Speaker, I would like you and my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to join me in honoring Dr. Vincent Calamia.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Maxine C. Brown-Reid, a leader in healthcare. As Deputy Executive Director at Kings County Hospital Center, Ms. Brown-Reid is responsible for Network Ambulatory Care Services, Managed Care and Community Health. Her areas of responsibility include the hospital's clinics and Emergency Departments (except Behavioral Health Services), the East New York Diagnostic and Treatment Center, ten Family Health Services Clinics and the Flatbush Health Center, the newest off-site facility. Ms. Brown-Reid began her tenure with Kings County Hospital Center in 1982 as an Administrative Resident to the Executive Director. At the end of the one year program, she was appointed as Assistant Director for Pediatric Outpatient Services, followed by a promotion to Associate Director of Maternal and Child Health Services, Outpatient. After seven years at Kings County Hospital Center, Ms. Brown-Reid relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, where she was the first black Administrator for Emergency Services at University Medical Center. Upon her return to New York, Ms. Brown rejoined the Network family by accepting a position as Deputy Executive Director at the East New York Diagnostic and Treatment Center, and while there she was promoted to her current Network position. Ms. Brown-Reid received her undergraduate degree from Fordham University and her MPA from New York University. She is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Hospital Association's Society for Ambulatory Care Professionals. Mr. Speaker, I would like you and my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to join me in honoring Ms. Maxine C. Brown-Reid.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the achievements of Eduardo Castell, a resident of the Park Slope neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. ``Eddie'', as he is known amongst his colleagues and friends, has committed himself to a life of public service. Even as an honor student at Connecticut College, he served on that College's Board of Trustees as a Student Representative. He later joined the staff of our colleague, the late Congressman Ted Weiss, where he was instrumental in the passage of legislation that required credit reporting agencies to list delinquent child support payments on individuals' credit reports. This law, strongly supported by women and children's advocacy groups, has been instrumental in identifying and correcting the abusive practices of ``dead beat dads''. He joined the staff of Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez where he rose from the position of Legislative Director to Chief of Staff. During his tenure with Congresswoman Velazquez, Eddie drafted legislative proposals on education, housing, banking, and insurance including a ``hate crimes'' initiative which funds organizations education and prevention in schools. He was also instrumental in bringing nearly $20 million in Federal monies for economic development to Brooklyn. Currently, Eddie is Special Assistant to William C. Thompson, Jr., President of the New York City Board of Education, a position he has held since 1997. In this capacity, he advises President Thompson on education policy and administrative oversight of the nation's largest school system. Eddie has led efforts to expand minority procurement and contracting and to explore alternatives for building new schools. He was also involved in the passage of a citywide school uniform policy. Never one to limit his community activism, Eddie serves on the Board of Directors of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a Brooklyn-based not-for- profit housing and business development organization. He is a former Advisory Board member of the Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation. He and his wife, Jennifer, have one son, Carlos. I salute Eddie Castell for his commitment to a career of public service.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I want to bring to my colleagues' attention the achievements of Ms. Winsome McLean-Davis. Ms. McLean-Davis is currently the administrator for the Bishop Henry B. Hucles Episcopal Nursing Home which is a 240-bed skilled nursing facility in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Through her leadership and pioneering spirit, the facility opened an adult day care program in April of this year. The Episcopal Nursing Home has also received a deficiency-free assessment from the Department of Health. Winsome's contributions to our community go beyond her accomplishments in the successful operation of this nursing facility. As Vice President of her local block association, Winsome has focused on improving her community. In an attempt to develop community support groups, Winsome organized a summer program for children and youth. Currently, Winsome also serves as the Vice President of the Black Long Term Care Administrators' Association (BLTCA). Our community has greatly benefited from Winsome's strong moral commitments. She credits her father, Curlin Thomas McLean, a trade union leader in Jamaica with instilling in her the principle that ``investing in another's life is the real sign of true service.'' Her mother, Ruby, by example, continues to enforce these values. Winsome completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of the West Indies and Howard University. She completed post-graduate studies in gerontology at the Brookdale Center on Aging of the City University of New York. Winsome is married to Kenneth Davis and they have a five-year-old son, Andrew. Ms. McLean-Davis is truly an inspiration to her fellow administrators and a pillar in her community. I commend her to my colleagues as an outstanding example of a community leader.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, let me point out that the gun that I have in my hand is a toy gun. It looks like a real gun, but it is a toy gun. This is the thing that I am hoping we will be able to come to grips with, that we need to ban toy guns. Too many of these guns look like real guns. Not only that, we have young people in this country who are being killed because of toy guns. In my own district, I have had youngsters killed because they had a toy gun in their hand, and the police officer did not know it was a toy and ended up shooting the person, and the person ended up dying. Not only that, we have people that are wounded and end up in the hospital and have hospital costs as a result of toy guns. Then someone said, well, put a red sticker on them, and then that way the person will know that it is a toy. Well, two things are happening with that. The criminals are now putting red around the front of their guns, and then the other thing is that one can take and pull this right off in no time flat. Then it looks like a real gun again. So we need to sort of make a decision to do something about toy guns. I have a display here. All these guns here look like real guns. We brought it into the airport, and all the people in the airport started ducking because they thought they were real. So if we have young people getting killed with these toys as a result of having these toy guns, it seems to me we should do something. Let me just give my colleagues some statistics that might be alarming to them, that every day in the United States of America, we lose a classroom full of children from guns. A classroom full of children die every day in the United States of America because of guns. Then we have toy guns, which I think that only wets a child's appetite to go get a real gun, and so, therefore, why should we not ban them? Because if it wets their appetite to go get a real gun, then I think that we need to do something. But the other part, which I do find this extremely alarming, that we have the criminals now robbing with toy guns. In New York, we have the Sullivan law. Of course, if they rob with a toy gun, then they are not violating the Sullivan law, so, therefore, the charges are less. But the point is that the crime still took place. Nobody is going to interview one to find out whether the gun is real or not. When one sticks it into a teller's face, the teller is going to give up the money. That is the problem, because they look like they are real. So I think the time has come when we must do something about it. I have been working on this in my own district. I had what we call a toy gun turn-in, that one turns in one's toy gun, and I would give one an educational toy. Let me tell my colleagues that children were coming and bringing these toy guns and getting these educational toys, which points out that once we begin to remind them, remind the parents and the grandparents about the danger of these toy guns, then people will get the message. So I am hoping that the Congress will go along with the bill that I have put forth and hope that I will be able to get the kind of support, to be able to get a hearing, and to be able to do the kind of things that need to be done to be able to protect our children. I think that, in a civilized country, to allow this kind of thing to happen and not to address the issue, to me, just is very alarming. So I am hoping that we will be able to save the lives of our children by making certain that these kind of guns are banned. I think that anybody could understand, in terms of police officers, a police officer is not going to interview a child. If a child is standing there with a gun like this in his hand or her hand, the police officer is not going to ask, is that gun real or is that gun a toy? The police officer is not going to do any interviewing. The police officer is going to shoot; and then after that, then we have got a problem. So I think that the time has come when we, as a Nation, should begin to address this issue and address it in a very serious fashion. I think that the best way to address it is to say that toy guns have no place in our society. We should move to eliminate them and to eliminate them now. So I ask my colleagues to join me in the gun turn-in, the toy gun turn-in, so that our children will be much safer in this Nation.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor from H.R. 1475.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a man that really has made a difference in this Nation, James Alexander Forbes, Senior, a minister who passed away just recently. The funeral was yesterday. He had eight children. Of course, he educated all of his eight children. They received at least a masters's degree, and four of the eight children have doctor's degrees. He did this at the same time he was in school himself. He went to school with his three children that were in college, and he was in college right along with them. Of course, it shows us his commitment to education. He was not able to start out early in life, so therefore he felt it was important to get an education and to encourage his children, as well. He was a man who truly pulled himself up by his bootstraps. When we look at his family in terms of what the children were able to accomplish, we look at the pastor of Riverside Church, Dr. James Alexander Forbes, Junior, one of the children, of course, and then we have David Forbes, who is one of the outstanding ministers in the State of North Carolina, and then, of course, we have another daughter that is a lawyer here and working in HUD, and then we have several that are in education, and another son that is a psychiatrist practicing in Richmond, Virginia, it goes to show us in terms of the fact that if we are committed, the kind of things we can do. The Forbes family has demonstrated that in a very eloquent fashion. I also think about how he touched lives. When we talk to people who walk the street, they will tell us how Dr. James Alexander Forbes, Senior, was able to motivate people. Young people would just sort of come and spend time with him, because he had so much to offer. I am certain that in his homegoing, that many people wanted to say things and wanted to be part of the ceremony, but were not able to be part of that ceremony because of the fact that he was such a special person. I remember from my early years, in terms of dealing with him, how he always wanted you to have all the facts, wanted you to have all the information. If you decided to talk to him, if you were not prepared, he would tell you to go away and come back after you have collected all the data. So I would say to the family and to all the friends of Dr. James Alexander Forbes, Senior, here is a man who has really made a difference in the lives of people. As much as he is gone now, think of the fact that he has touched so many lives, and the people that he has touched. I am certain that he will continue to live through those people that he trained, through those people that he was able to help, through those people that he counseled. I think that will make a difference in terms of their lives as well. In closing, let me just say to the family that, sure, they are going to miss their dad, their granddad, their uncle, and of course, brother, all of that, and friend. But I think we need to just, at this moment in time, think about the contributions that he has made. I am certain that the angels in heaven are probably being told by God today, step aside, angels, let me handle Reverend Forbes myself, because that is the kind of life that he lived. I think that he would say to the angels, you are not prepared to handle this right now.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, recently, this House passed H.R. 1691, the Religious Liberty Protection Act. The bill is currently in committee in the Senate and I would like to take this opportunity to urge our colleagues in the other house to pass this bill as soon as possible. America is a secular democracy, a country where the religious rights of every citizen are protected by the Constitution. In many other countries, including some that call themselves secular and democratic, people do not enjoy these freedoms. We must do whatever we can to protect religious freedom for every American. The Sikh religion requires Sikhs to have five symbols known as the ``five Ks.'' The five Ks are unshorn hair (Kes), a comb (Kanga), a bracelet (Kara), a kind of shorts (Kachha), and a ceremonial sword (Kirpan). These are required by the religion. In a recent incident in Mentor, Ohio, outside Cleveland, a 69-year- old Sikh named Gurbachan Singh Bhatia was involved in a minor traffic accident. When the police arrived at the scene, a policeman saw Mr. Bhatia's kirpan (ceremonial sword). He was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. The case is scheduled to be heard in December. In a case in Cincinnati involving similar circumstances, the judge, the Honorable Mark Painter wrote, ``To be a Sikh is to wear a kirpan--it is that simple. It is a religious symbol and in no way a weapon.'' Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, has been working to get the Religious Liberty Protection Act to protect the rights of Mr. Bhatia and all religious people of all faiths in America. No person should be harassed for his religious faith. He has written to Senator Hatch, who chairs the Judiciary Committee over there, and all members of the committee in support of this bill. I call on the local authorities in Mentor to drop all charges against Mr. Bhatia and I also call on my colleagues over in the Senate to pass H.R. 1691, the Religious Liberty Protection Act. I submit Dr. Aulakh's letter to Senator Hatch into the Record for the information of my colleagues. Council of Khalistan, Washington, DC, October 7, 1999. Hon. Orrin Hatch, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, Washington, DC. Subject: Request to Expedite Passage of H.R. 1691 to Protect Religious Freedom Dear Senator Hatch: On behalf of over 500,000 Sikhs, I am writing to you in support of H.R. 1691, the Religious Liberty Protection Act. The Council of Khalistan represents the interests of the Sikh Nation in this country and worldwide. It was constituted by the Panthic Committee to represent the Sikh struggle for freedom. We have worked for the last 12 years in pursuit of this objective. It is vitally important that the Religious Liberty Protection Act be reported out of committee and passed as soon as possible. Charan Singh Kalsi of New Jersey was fired by the New York Transit Authority. The Transit Authority tried to force him to wear a hard hat instead of his turban, which he is required to wear as a symbol of his Sikh religion. When a Sikh is baptized, he or she is required to have five symbols called the five Ks. They are unshorn hair (Kes), a comb (Kanga), a bracelet (Kara), a kind of shorts (Kachha), and a ceremonial sword (Kirpan). These are required by the religion. Recently in Mentor, Ohio, Gurbachan Singh Bhatia, a 69- year-old Sikh, was involved in a minor traffic accident. The police were called to the scene of the accident. When the policeman saw Mr. Bhatia's kirpan (ceremonial sword), he was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. He is currently scheduled to go to trial in December. In a similar case in Cincinnati, Judge Mark Painter wrote, ``To be a Sikh is to wear a kirpan--it is that simple. It is a religious symbol and in no way a weapon.'' Mr. Bhatia and Mr. Kalsi are exercising their freedom of religion. The U.S. Constitution guarantees religious freedom to everyone. The Religious Liberty Protection Act will protect individuals like Gurbachan Singh Bhatia and Charan Singh Kalsi from being prosecuted and denied jobs for exercising their religious freedom. That is why this bill is so important. On behalf of the Sikhs in America, I urge you to report the Religious Liberty Protection Act out so that it can be passed and become law as soon as possible. Sincerely, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President, Council of Khalistan.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to note that the annual convention of the Council of Khalistan named Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, as Khalistan Man of the Year. Dr. Aulakh is well known to us here on Capitol Hill. He has been a tireless advocate for freedom for the Sikhs. He has consistently worked to expose the brutal human-rights violations committed against the Sikhs by the Indian government. He has worked with us here in Congress to preserve the true history of the Sikhs which the Indian government is trying to alter. Dr. Aulakh has also worked for the rights of Sikhs in this country. He provided information to support asylum requests. He has supported Charan Singh Kalsi, the Sikhs who was fired by the New York Transit Authority because he refused to remove his turban for a hard hat. He is actively working to get the authorities in Mentor, OH, outside Cleveland, to drop concealed weapons charges against Gurbachan Singh Bhatia for carrying his kirpan, a ceremonial sword required by the Sikh religion. For all of these reasons and more, Dr. Aulakh deserves the support of all Sikhs and richly deserves the title of Khalistan Man of the Year. I submit the resolution designating Dr. Aulakh Khalistan Man of the Year into the Record for the information of my colleagues. Resolution Designating Dr. Aulakh Khalistan's Man of the Year for 1999 Passed at the Convention of the Council of Khalistan, October 9-10, 1999, Richmond Hill, NY Whereas the struggle for a free Khalistan is the most important issue facing the Sikh Nation; Whereas Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh and the Council of Khalistan have been working tirelessly for this goal for eleven years; Whereas Dr. Aulakh has been very successful in internationalizing the Sikh freedom struggle, in bringing the genocide against the Sikhs and other minorities to the attention of Congress and the media, in giving speeches, raising funds, and otherwise creating a political and social climate that brings Sikh freedom closer to fulfillment; Therefore be it resolved by the delegates of this convention: That Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, is hereby designated as Khalistan's Man of the Year for 1999.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, we took the extraordinary action in the last Congress of creating an opportunity for States to provide health insurance to the children of the working poor. As we commemorate October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we should take the opportunity to pass H.R. 1070 to expand Medicaid coverage to screen for breast and cervical cancer. This bill will provide cancer screening for the mothers and grandmothers of the children that we covered under the child health initiative. These women are the waitresses, the domestic workers, and the farmers' wives who do not have the financial ability to take advantage of preventative cancer screenings. Their low-paying jobs do not provide them with the insurance coverage that would cover the costs of breast and cervical cancer screenings, but they also make them ineligible for Medicaid. If they were unemployed or on welfare they would be covered by Medicaid, and thus receive the screening services. Mr. Speaker, I cannot overstate the relationship between cancer screening and early detection. We all know that early detection saves the lives of women who are impacted by breast and cervical cancer. For example, the American Cancer Society estimates that of the 46,000 breast cancer deaths in 1994, 14,000 women, almost one-third, could have been saved with early detection. That means that approximately one in three women died needlessly. That is why I fought so hard to convince the National Cancer Institute to maintain the age for mammography at 40 rather than pushing it back to age 50. I am very pleased that, in 1997, NCI finally, finally agreed to restore their guidelines to the recommended biennial mammograms for women aged 40 to 49. This screening tool definitely needs to be readily available to women in this age group. In fact, 29,000 women between the age of 40 and 49 are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Of these 29,000, a disproportionate percentage will be African-American women, minority women. Particularly, black American women have a 25 percent higher mortality rate because their cancer is not detected early enough. In addition to screening for breast cancer, H.R. 1070 will also provide reimbursement for cervical cancer screenings. Testimony before the Committee on Commerce also confirmed that cervical cancer is 95 percent treatable and curable if detected in time. Working poor women are not receiving these screening services simply because they fall between the cracks of being too young for Medicare, not poor enough for Medicaid, and no access to commercial health insurance. It is not often that we have a chance to save lives simply by improving access to prevention tools. Through the expansion of Medicaid coverage this month, we have that opportunity with H.R. 1070. I would hope that my colleagues will support the inclusion of the important measure in whatever budget initiatives we enact this session. The working women of this Nation deserves a fighting chance against breast and cervical cancer. In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let us give them this chance by enacting H.R. 1070. That is the way to say ``thank you'' to people like Laura Brown and the Magic Johnson Foundation for all the work that they do.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, America is a country where everyone enjoys religious freedom. There are about 500,000 Sikhs in this country and they have every right to practice their religion in this country. Sikhs have contributed to America in many walks of life, from agriculture to medicine to law, among others. Sikhs participated in World War I and World War II, and a Sikh even served as a Member of Congress in the 1960s. His name was Dalip Singh Saund and he was from California. When a Sikh is baptized, he or she is required to have five symbols called the five Ks. They are unshorn hair (Kes), a comb (Kanga), a tracelet (Kara), a kind of shorts (Kachha), and a ceremonial sword (Kirpan). Sometimes law enforcement officers in this country consider a Kirpan a concealed weapon and arrest the Sikh carrying a Kirpan. Earlier this week, Gurbachan Singh Bhatia, a 69-year-old Sikh, was arrested in the suburbs of Cleveland for carrying a concealed weapon. He is to appear at a pretrial hearing on October 4. I hope that the case against Mr. Bhatia will be dismissed. A similar case happened in Cincinnati in 1996. The First Ohio District Court of Appeals overturned a municipal court conviction of a Sikh man for carrying a concealed weapon. Judge Mark Painter of that court wrote that ``to be a Skih is to wear a kirpan--it is that simple. It is a religious symbol and in no way a weapon.'' Like Christianity, the Sikh religion is a monotheistic, divinely revealed and independent religion which believes in the equality of the whole human race, including gender equality. They pray, work hard to earn an honest living, and share their earnings with the needy. I know many Sikhs in my district who are baptized and carry this symbol Kirpan. I would not like any of my constituents to be harassed for practicing their religion. We must educate our law-enforcement agencies regarding this religious symbol of the Sikhs. Our Constitution grants religious freedom to all. We want Sikh Americans to practice their religion without any interference, even if we have to pass special legislation allowing the Sikhs to carry Kirpans. I would like to put the Detroit News article on the Bhatia case into the Record. [From the Detroit News, Sept. 23, 1999] Can a Weapon Be a Religious Icon? Mentor, Ohio--When he was baptized a Sikh in India, Gurbachan Singh Bhatia, now 69, vowed to always wear a kirpan, a 6-inch knife symbolizing his willingness to defend the faith. But during investigation of a minor traffic mishap in this Cleveland suburb, Bhatia was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. At the time, he was returning home from a religious ceremony blessing the new home of a Sikh family. Police Chief Richard Amiott said his officers acted properly in enforcing the law banning concealed weapons. ``How can you describe for me the difference between a ceremonial knife and any knife?'' he asked. Bhatia must appear for a pretrial hearing Oct. 4. If convicted, he could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. But Ron Graham, city prosecutor, said he may be willing to drop the charges if the Sikh priest can demonstrate that he is required by his religion to carry the kirpan. Although state law does not allow for exceptions, Graham said, ``We don't want to prosecute anyone for exercising religious freedom.'' In a similar case in Cincinnati in 1996, the 1st Ohio District Court of Appeals overturned a municipal court conviction of a Sikh man for carrying a concealed weapon. ``To be a Sikh is to wear a kirpan--it is that simple. It is a religious symbol and in no way a weapon,'' Judge Mark Painter wrote.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the courage and tenacity of the citizens of my birthplace, the great State of North Carolina. They have endured, over the last few days, one of our Nation's worse natural disasters: Hurricane Floyd. I also want to lend my support to their recovery efforts. As fellow Brooklynite Jackie Robinson once resonated, ``a life means nothing except for the impact it has on others.'' At this moment, we must all reach out and lend a helping hand to North Carolina. Although the impact of Hurricane Floyd was felt from the Bahamas to New England, North Carolina has shouldered the brunt of the storm. Governor Jim Hunt of North Carolina reported that at least 10,000 people are in shelters, an estimated 1,500 people are still stranded, and that preliminary property damage figures may exceed $1.3 billion. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has predicted that this could be the most challenging recovery effort in the organization's history. Unfortunately, it has become painfully clear that Hurricane Floyd, combined with Hurricane Dennis, is shaping up to be the worst disaster North Carolina has ever witnessed. So today I rise to say that this is not just a North Carolina problem; this is a national problem. We must all work together to ensure that the citizens of the great Tar Heel state fully recover from this unforgettable event. That is why I will join with Congresswoman Eva Clayton of North Carolina and other members of Congress to send a legislative package that will provide further relief to the Hurricane survivors. I have also called North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt's office, which recently organized the N.C. Hurricane Floyd Relief Fund, to determine what other immediate assistance is needed. As we speak, thousands of people urgently need bottled water, non-perishable foods, clothing and bedding. For those who want to lend a helping hand, the donation hotline number is 1-888-786-7601. Mr. Speaker, let us all take a moment out of our busy lives to remember North Carolina. To the citizens of North Carolina, I want you to know that you have my unwavering support. May God bless you.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, for several years, administration officials had said they needed and wanted targeted legislation to give them necessary flexibility to achieve clean up goals of the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA has tried many times to address those needs as well through regulation. While those efforts have attempted to speed clean up and make requirements more rational, each attempt has met with legal challenges and protracted negotiations and lawsuits, severely limiting the Agency's ability to effectively address this concern. Moreover, with each attempt at moving in the direction of common-sense, the Agency is forced to pay fealty to broken statutory provisions that have inhibited Brownfields cleanups for 15 years. Importantly, a 1997 General Accounting Office study confirmed this assessment: ``EPA has concluded . . . the agency could not easily achieve comprehensive reform through the regulatory process. It believes that such reform can best be achieved by revising the underlying law to exempt governing remediation waste.'' GAO examined EPA's concerns and those of many other stakeholders and agreed with EPA's assessment. The portion of the RCRA law that we are concerned with is that which directs cleanup of properties contaminated with hazardous waste. That portion affects far more than the more than 5000 ``RCRA permitted sites'' plus most of the Superfund sites. Indeed, the current RCRA cleanup program also affects many state cleanups, including those at ``brownfields sites,'' brownfields are abandoned, idled or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. EPA estimates there may be as many as 450,000 of these sites. As brownfields redevelopment activities have increased, it has increasingly come to our attention that the hazardous waste management and permitting requirements under RCRA either preclude the development of some sites altogether or significantly increase the time and cost of redevelopment. In fact, EPA has stated that, ``. . . RCRA requirements, written with end of pipe wastes in mind, may be unnecessarily burdensome when applied to brownfields cleanups.'' Let's review some of the legislative record on this issue. First, the cleanup contractors who clearly want to see more remediation activity have stated ``the environmental cleanup industry faces significant impediments to implementing innovative, cost-effective solutions due to the strict permitting, treatment and disposal requirements imposed by RCRA on remediation wastes.'' The State agencies which run voluntary cleanup and brownfields programs have stated: ``As State Waste Managers who administer the RCRA programs, we have long recognized the need for significant reforms to the procedures by which sites are cleaned up under RCRA. Contaminated media is currently regulated by RCRA to the same degree as the ``as/ generated/process wastes''. This is inappropriate and often leads to many environmentally undesirable impacts such as a preference for leaving wastes in place rather than treating or removing the wastes and/or unnecessary delays due to permitting requirements.'' EPA has written in 1997: ``While the agency has not endorsed any specific regulatory proposal, we continued to believe reform to application of RCRA requirements to remediation waste, especially RCRA land disposal restrictions, minimum technology, and permitting requirements, if accomplished appropriately could significantly accelerate cleanup actions at Superfund, Brownfield, and RCRA Corrective Action sites without sacrificing protection of human health and the environment. Just late last year, EPA had attempted one more time to provide some of the needed regulatory flexibility with the issuance of the Hazardous Waste Identification Rule (HWIR). We applaud the agency for those efforts. Unfortunately, that rule was litigated and is under settlement discussion. Remediation waste and newly generated wastes are completely different issues and should be treated differently. Even if EPA's efforts at a settlement are successful and maintain the flexibility needed to encourage cleanup, it will take the agency over two years to implement the changes and even then the new rule would be subject to lawsuit--again introducing uncertainty. Furthermore, the HWIR did not address all of the issues that EPA itself admitted need to be addressed to remove barriers to cleanup. I rise today to say that we have heard the concerns of those who want to cleanup those waste sites, but have been deterred by the barriers in the law. I am pleased to announce that Congressman Towns and I have introduced the Brownfields Remediation Waste Act of 1999. This reflects a bipartisan desire to help fix some of the problems posed by RCRA to increase the number of Brownfields cleanups. Fundamentally, this bill allows EPA to treat remediation waste differently from generated process waste. This bill also clarifies and provides the authority for the so-called ``corrective action management units,'' The EPA rules now in place are recognized as satisfying the requirements of this clarified authority, and any future regulatory changes will benefit from a EPA study of real world problems encountered while implementing these rules. The bill also corrects some limitations by providing that staging piles and temporary units may be used at off-site locations, owned or operated by the persons engaged in remediation at the first location. This will be helpful in consolidating and managing wastes away from the urban sites where they are currently found. A large part of the success of remediation waste management reform, including the EPA rules and this legislation, depends on the States assuming this authority and having the flexibility to tailor these authorities in connection with their own remediation programs; whether operated under RCRA or otherwise. This bill harnesses the innovation of these programs while requiring submission and approval of provisions implementing remediation waste requirements by EPA. EPA's current authorization, as it relates to remedy selection decisions in state programs themselves, would remain the same. We look forward to bipartisan suggestions to improve this legislation and to doing our part to help those pursuing Brownfields and other remediation efforts.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following testimony of Dr. Federico Westerkamp, founder of the Center for Legal and Social Studies. July 22,1999. To the members of Congress: Rep. Tom Lantos, Rep. Eric Faleomavaega, Rep. John Edward Porter First of all, thank you very much for inviting me, as a founding member of the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS) of Buenos Aires, to act as a witness in this Members Briefing on Judicial Corruption in Argentina. In my view, the judiciary of my country is in a delicate state. Charges of corruption have proliferated in the last years. Several judges are under legal processes although they move with the certain slowness. Various judges are currently under close scrutiny. Some of them are being submitted to the so called impeachment under the old system where the House of Representatives makes the accusation and the Senate decides if removal is fitting or not. With few exceptions, mainly for ethical corruption, the system of impeachment failed and the new 1995 constitution replaced with the Council of the Magistracy, a method which just recently started. Many hopes have been placed on the new system, which in its first cases will show whether or not it will fulfill the hopes of the citizenry. There are some courts which have being charged of prevarication, abuse of authority, bad fulfillment of the public functions and ideological falsehood. These are the most common charges against the bad judges, and we hope that the Council of Magistracies proceeds with decision and courage so that the new institution does not fail. In the last decade one case has precisely demonstrated the three categories already mentioned and I do not hesitate signaling that it is the case of the three judges: Mariano Bergers, Roberto Murature and Julio Caesar Corvalan de la Colina, who have all acted as lower court judges in the case of the Buenos Aires Yoga School (BAYS). The case was initiated in December 1993 under the command of the first judge named above, storming the school headquarters and also various private properties of their members, and putting two distinguished ladies in prison without any proof of having committed any crime; on the contrary, all charges against the yoga school were unproved and all the noisy campaign of the court, full of false accusations and with lavishness of false information, created a sense of hysteria in the population of the country, which incredulous, did not know whether to believe or disbelieve the information from the judge, his secretary and various employees and chaperones. The authorities of the Yoga School were threatened with imprisonment. Former judge Berges pronounced serious anti- Semitic expressions against the president of BAYS Dr. Percowicz, and several of his advisors wrote similar expressions on the walls during the searches. As time passed and the facts appeared in the real image, many people--myself among them--realized that everything was a bluff, probably due to the ideological background of the court, and as the truth began to be revealed, the public began to disbelieve the charges against the whole Yoga school, including its students. Judge Berges opted for giving up the case, as he knew that the House Impeachment Committee was going to accuse him before the Senate, in order to remove him. A new lower court judge, Roberto Murature took over; the campaign against the Yoga school was still promoted, but at this time it was obvious that the process was weakening, so the second judge was relieved of the case by a suspicious division in the court, and a the third judge took over. The process has revealed that the charges against the Yoga school were promoted by three families whose daughters were suffering bad treatment before entering the Yoga school, from their mothers and fathers. (In the first case the woman was charged by her stepfather of showing strange behavior, that he ascribed to the Yoga School and its alleged ``brain washing'' by members of the school). The stepfather, with his so called ``expert'' in cults Mr. Silletta started a virulent campaign against the Yoga School, through the media. Last March, the third judge started the second process against the yoga school (double jeopardy, ``non bis in idem''), victimizing three women, Veronica Cane, Valeria Llamas, and Carla Paparella and under petition of their parent declared them mentally ``incapable'' without taking into consideration their psychiatric reports compulsorily ordered by the first judge Berges. The three women, hopeless, came to my home in order to ask me, as a well known human rights defender, for help. That is the reason why I am here. I have tried to speak with Judge Corvalan de la Colina, and with the Secretary of the court, but it was useless, the judge never received myself nor the three women. It seems he is accustomed to ignoring the arguments of anyone who knows what is happening in his court. This is why I have decided to present my testimony as a witness at this briefing, in order to protect the above mentioned women, and to carry over my experiences as a member and founder of human rights NGO's, such as the Assembly of Human Rights, The Center for Legal and Social Studies, and the Movement for Life and Peace. Thank you very much Honorable Representatives.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Mr. Upton of Michigan, to reintroduce the Certified Nurse Midwifery Services Act. There are approximately two million disabled women in Medicare who are of child bearing years that are not receiving ``well women'' services, due to the fact that Medicare is a poor payer for these covered services. Last year, the Agency for Health Policy and Research (AHPR) released a study stating that disabled women were not receiving their primary care services. A disproportionate number of disabled women who are covered by Medicare are currently being seen by Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs), who are duly equipped to handle the underserved population through the unique personal training of CNMs. Although, CNMs are sought to deliver these services Medicare currently reimburses a CNM in rural areas $14 for a typical well-women visit, which could include: a pap smear, mammogram, and other pre-cancer screenings. The typical well-woman visit in fee for services cost on average $50 per visit. CNMs administer the same tests and incur the same associated costs but receive only 65 percent of the physician fee schedule for these services. At this incredibly low rate of reimbursement, a CNM simply cannot survive. Our legislation, which has over 30 bipartisan co-sponsors, increases the level of reimbursement to 95 percent of the physician fee schedule, which is the economic reality in the marketplace. Moreover, CNMs serve as faculty members of medical schools. For over 20 years, they have supervised and trained interns and residents. The bill guarantees payment for graduate medical education and includes technical corrections that will clarify the reassignment of billing rights for CNMs who are employed by others. Additionally, the bill ensures facility fee payments for freestanding birth centers where a woman can receive the full range of care from her preferred CNM. This bill will enhance access to ``well woman'' care for thousands of women in underserved communities. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation as we move forward with initiatives to address shortfalls in the Medicare system.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable island nation which will be celebrating its 37th year of Independence on Friday, August 6, 1999. This is the island nation of Jamaica. But although independent Jamaica will be celebrating its 37th birthday this Friday, the nation of Jamaica is much older than its 37 years. In fact, this nation was born in 1655, 344 years ago, when the former African slaves established free Maroon settlements after the Spanish colonial power had departed the island. It came to adolescence on August 1, 1834, when slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire. Independence is the culmination of a long period of gestation, growth, and maturity in the life of this nation. Jamaica has bequeathed a glorious legacy of resistance to human oppression. The Maroon rebellion, led by its freedom fighters, inflicted heavy losses on the British and forced them to recognize the autonomy of the Maroon communities. Among its pantheon of freedom fighters are Cudjoe, Nanny, Johnny, and Accompong. Jamaica provided leadership during the labor disturbances of 1938, when harsh social conditions forced the working class to take serious industrial action. Among the leaders of the labor revolt were Allen George Coombs, the old Garveyite warrior St. William Grant, and the incomparable William Alexander Bustamante. Jamaican contribution has not been confined to the island of Jamaica. Jamaicans have contributed to the struggle for human rights in the U.S.A. Among the outstanding Jamaicans who have contributed to our history are John Brown Russwurm, the author of the first black newspaper, Freedom's Journal, Robert Brown Elliot, who served in this Congress from the great State of South Carolina, during the Reconstruction period, Claude McKay, one of the outstanding authors during the Harlem Renaissance, and Marcus Mosiah Garvey, the prophet of Pan African nationalism. Jamaica has produced more musical genres than any country in the world, except the U.S. Its traditional African rhythms as reflected in the Kumina, Myal and Pocomania cults led to the development of the worksongs, then to the Mento, then the Ska, the Rock Steady and finally the internationally acclaimed Reggae music. Each of these musical genres has produced its pantheon of superstars. The worksongs produced the acclaimed lyricist, Harry Belafonte, the Mento produced the legendary Lord Flea and Lord Fly, the Ska produced the Skatalites, Rock Steady produced artistes such as Hopeton Lewis and Delroy Wilson, and Reggae produced Jimmy Cliff, Peter Josh, Dennis Brown, and the incomparable Robert Nesta Marley. This nation has produced more sports heroes than any other nation, with the exception of the U.S. It has produced superstars in the fields of cricket, soccer, netball, hockey, boxing, and athletics. It has created history in such nontraditional sports as bobsled, chess, and baseball. It has contributed to the American past time by producing such superstars as Patrick Ewing of the Knicks, Devon White formerly of the Blue Jays, and Chili Davis of the Yankees. Mr. Speaker, never in the long history of human achievement has a nation of such modest size, population, and resources produced so many talented individuals in virtually every field of human endeavor--in the struggle against oppression, in the struggle for social justice, in the task of creating an Afrocentric identity, and in the fields of music, drama, and sports. I wish to conclude by paraphrasing a tribute, which William Shakespeare once paid to another island nation: This royal throne of Kings, this scepter'd isle, This Earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise. This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in a silver sea, This blessed plot, this Earth, this realm, This Jamaica.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following remarks to the attention of my colleagues. These remarks were delivered on July 22nd, at a congressional human rights caucus members' briefing on corrupt practices in Argentina's judicial system. While Argentina has made some strides toward democratization, the information shared with members at this briefing suggests that much work still remains to be done with their judicial system. Statement of Ms. Virginia Golan, Director of Human Affairs, Buenos Aires Yoga School Foundation (BAYS) Honorable Members of Congress, staff members, concerned activists, friends, ladies and gentlemen, thank you with all my heart for the opportunity to share with you our story. It is a sad one . . . but with your help, I hope that there may still be a happy ending for us and for democracy in Argentina. My name is Virginia Golan. I am 28 years old. I am from Argentina. I am a member of a small institute and school of philosophy, the Buenos Aires Yoga School (BAYS). I should be in Buenos Aires today studying, but I can't because of government oppression. I should be with my friends, but I'm not because they are in hiding. Today, I spend as much time as I am able in the United States because I am afraid to go home. In fact, I haven't spent very much time at home since I was badly beaten four years ago by agents of the Argentine judiciary. The first time, late one evening when leaving a meeting of my school, I was attacked. They threw me against a wall, told me not to look back, and threatened to kill me if I did not stop my lobbying efforts in the BAYS case. The next time, in broad daylight, after I left the Argentine Legislature, a strange car pulled next to me. They beat me while shouting, ``Stop causing trouble for the judges, you whore, or we'll kill you.'' The attackers concentrated on hitting my face, leaving me with black eyes and grotesque bruising of my face. Fearing for my safety, soon after I left my home and my friends to bring our story to America. And this is our story. Six years ago, a member of BAYS, Maria Valeria Llamas, was subjected to rape, sexual abuse and psychological torture by her stepfather, Sommariva, he countersued by accusing our school of being a cult that brainwashed and corrupted his 24 year-old stepdaughter. The judicial nightmare that ensued has consumed the last six years of my life and the lives of the 300 families of BAYS. It is about abuse of power. It is about greed and corruption. It is about fear, and violence and hate. It is about all those things that the Argentine government would rather were never mentioned. It is about a small struggle for freedom that has come to symbolize the greater struggle for democracy and justice throughout my country. And today, in these chambers, it is becoming a story of hope. Since that fateful day, the many tentacles of the Argentine Judiciary have harassed the members of our school, especially the women. Our homes have been illegally searched, our property illegally confiscated, our phones illegally tapped, careers ruined and our reputations stained. Even our youngest members have been subjected to the terror that is Argentine justice. Such as minor, Celeste Fain (whose brave mother is here today) a young Jewish girl, who was physically violated and raped by a member of the Argentine judiciary, the first criminal trial judge handling our criminal prosecution, Judge Mariano Berges. Other BAYS members have been detained, separated from their families and forced to submit to psychiatric and psychological tests. While in judicial detention, Dr. Maria Eugenia Rossi and Carmen Graciela Alarcon, two of our more prominent members, were vaginally and anally violated, and subjected to inhumane conditions while in the court's jail for up to 16 days. Most recently, the Argentine judiciary appointed a third criminal trial judge to investigate the BAYS case, a procedural duplication that is highly unusual even under Argentina's bizarre judicial system, as admitted by Argentine Supreme Court Justices Moline O'Connor and Adolfo Roberto Vazquez. The third criminal trial judge, Corvalan de la Colina, has escalated the terror, authorizing new criminal cases to be filed, based on the same meritless facts. Such is the situation with my 27 year-old friend, Carla Paparella. Her parents have mistreated her all her life. As any sane person would do, she left that life of abuse as soon as she was of age. Now her parents continue harassing her by accusing BAYS of forcing her into involtunary servitude. Carla went to see Judge Corvalan to show what a farce this is, but he would not meet her. She filed a document, which I submit as evidence for the record, stating that she is of sound mind and that her parents are lying. She is here with us today. To make matters worse, Maria Valeria Llamas' mother launched a new case based on the same unproven accusations that Maria's stepfather Sommariva initiated 6 years earlier. The Argentine judiciary is now using a new, dangerous strategy to attack BAYS by declaring that some women are mentally incompetent, thereby allowing their parents to sue BAYS on their behalf and against their will. Criminal Trial Judge Corvalan has violated Argentine law by declaring, without legal authority nor professional psychological assessments, that BAYS members Maria Valeria Llamas and Maria Veronica Cane are mentally incapable. The court has stripped these two young women of their civil rights, while terrorizing them with the ever present concern that they can be picked up anytime to be locked away in primitive mental institutions specializing in electroshock therapy. They live in constant fear, and the message to the rest of us at BAYS is that we can be next. The truth is that the official psychological examination and test done on Carla Papparella, Maria Veronica Cane and Maria Valeria Llamas, as well as many others in BAYS who were tested, document they are all sound, stable, normal people. I submit for the record the forensic reports on these BAYS members. I further submit an affidavit by Dr. David Preven, a foremost expert on cults whose practice is in New York. Dr. Preven extensively investigated into the allegation that BAYS is a cult. Dr. Preven's findings directly refute this lie. The Argentine judiciary, however, does not want to deal with reality. In March 1995, the Argentine Court of Appeals instructed the Lower Court criminal trial judge to close the BAYS investigation in 45 days and resolve the case. Incredibly, the judicial decree was ignored and the investigation continues today, a blatant violation of the Argentine Penal Code. The flaunting of Appellate Court decisions by Argentina's criminal trial judges dangerously undermines the foundation of rule of law in Argentina. It is the respect for and enforcement of rule of law that distinguished true democracies from those that pretend to be. All these years, one thread of evidence of corruption, involuntary servitude or brainwashing has been produced in a court of law. But the Argentine judiciary refuses to close the case and all BAYS members are stigmatized by a cloud of suspicion. We are treated as corrupters and corrupt people. We are condemned as mentally incompetent or called prostitutes. We have no possibility of clearing our reputation. We are stripped of our livelihoods, our sense of personal safety and well being, and our very dignity as individuals. Now, some will tell you that this is simply the way of Argentina, which is cursed with an inefficient and belabored judicial system. I do not believe this. Evidence how swiftly our judiciary issues orders of detention, puts people in jail, authorizes searches and taps telephones. Witness how quickly they strip us of our rights and destroy lives. These are not the actions of a moribund institution. On the contrary, the Argentine judiciary can be a brutally efficient and destructive body. It needs direction and reform. It is crying out for help. We are asking for your help in steering our institutions of justice down a better brighter path. Some will tell you that this is not America's concern. I am here to say that it does concern you. Not only are several members American, but as long as the people of America sell weapons to my government, sign contracts and extend debt service and support American business to make profits there, and encourage U.S. citizens to travel and spend money there-- you are investing in Argentina's rule of law. The same rule of law that can put me in jail on a whim, can steal and turn on you. The same judge who has stripped me of my rights for a dollar, will rob you blind through a miscarriage of justice. The same soldier who beats me today, may kill me tomorrow with an American gun. Today, more than ever, I beg that you understand this should be of concern to you and all Americans. Although we were over 1,000 strong in membership, today, after 6 years of constant judicial persecution and violation of our human rights, only 300 remain. The Directors and students of BAYS have seen their honor and their dignity publicly soiled through denigrating accusations of crimes. After 6 years, we know the baseless charges will never be proven in a court of law, as they are blatant lies. Ladies and gentlemen, every evening when we return to our homes, we are afraid to find them ransacked. We are scared to find our names and reputations further denigrated with scurrilous attacks in the yellow press. We are falling deeper and deeper into the despair of an unending hell. We are sick. We are tired. And I'm sorry to say that we are losing. We fear, that this is a never-ending prosecution, haunting us day after day, year after year--it seems forever. The specter of jail and mental institutions threatens our lives daily, while we continue postponing our dreams. I am very afraid because I do not know how much longer we will have the strength to continue this fight against oppression--a fight for our very survival, a fight for freedom for the Argentine people. I wonder, how long can we and must we endure? We beg of your great Nation, America, that you help us make our dreams of a democratic Argentina come true some day. I cannot thank you more deeply from my heart for your help.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, the conflict in Kashmir has been in the news a lot lately. The conflict stemmed from an attack on the Kashmiri freedom fighters in Kargil. While it looks as if the conflict may be receding, there is still fighting. The Sikhs in Punjab are afraid that it will spread to Punjab, Khalistan. The fighting will continue as long as India uses force to suppress the freedom movements of South Asia. While the fighting was at its height, the Council of Khalistan, which leads the Sikh freedom struggle, issued an open letter on the situation. The letter told Sikh troops that if they died for India, they would die as mercenaries, but if they died for Sikh freedom, they would die as martyrs. It urged them to go home and join the struggle to liberate Khalistan. In the letter, the Council of Khalistan pointed out that an Indian colonel said that the troops were ``dying like dogs'' and that 60 percent of the soldiers killed were Sikhs. This is typical of India's strategy to keep the minority nations of South Asia within their artificial borders. They send draftees from one minority to kill another. They don't put Hindu lives at risk. ``Are you willing to die for a country that practices a policy of mass cremations against our Sikh brothers and sisters, a policy the Indian Supreme Court called, `worse than a genocide'?,'' said the letter. It is essential that we help bring real peace to South Asia. Both India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons, and we must do what we can to prevent these weapons from being used. So far, American involvement in the situation has been mainly to lean on Pakistan to bring an end to the conflict. But it is only India that can end the conflict. Only when India stops its efforts to repress the freedom movements can the conflict in South Asia end. India is anti-American and has tried to organize a security alliance against the United States, and in May the Foreign Minister organized and led a meeting with Cuba, China, Russia, Serbia, Iraq, and Libya ``to stop the U.S.'' Amnesty International reported that thousands of political prisoners remain in illegal detention without charge or trial. Some have been there for 15 years. India has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984 in its quest for ``Hindutva.'' It has also killed tens of thousands of Christians in Nagaland, Muslims in Kashmir, Dalits, and other peoples in this pursuit. Sooner or later, India is doomed to break up. I only hope that it does so peacefully. We must not allow another Yugoslavia to emerge in South Asia, where nuclear weapons are present. Mr. Speaker, the time has come for our country to support freedom for all the people of South Asia. If India cannot learn to respect basic human rights as we do in this country, then it should not receive any aid or trade from the United States. It is time for the Congress to put itself on record in support of the freedom movements in Khalistan, Kashmir, Christian Nagaland, and the other nations of South Asia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to put the Council of Khalistan's open letter on Kashmir into the Record for the information of my colleagues. Council of Khalistan, Washington, DC, June 16, 1999. Open Letter to the Sikh Soldiers and Officers Stop ``Dying Like Dogs'' for the Indian Oppressors Will You Be a Martyr or a Mercenary? Join the Freedom Movement to Liberate Khalistan Khalsa Ji: The Indian attack on the Kashmiri freedom fighters at Kargil again shows the reality of Hindutva. You see the death of your fellow Sikhs on a daily basis. About 60 percent of the casualties are Sikhs. When India wants to suppress a freedom movement, they send other minorities to do the dirty work, pitting minorities against each other. Hindustan will just use you and discard you. Do not let yourself be a mercenary for this divide-and-rule strategy by the Indian tyrants. India is losing this war. Casualties are mounting. An Indian colonel admitted that the troops are ``dying like dogs.'' A corporal is quoted as saying. ``Even in war we don't have such senseless casualties.'' All these deaths are very tragic, but it is especially sad when Sikh soldiers give their lives for the oppressor. If a Sikh soldier must die, at least die for the Khalsa Panth. If you die for the Khalsa Panth, you will be a martyr. If you die for India, you are just a mercenary. What are you dying for? Are you willing to die for a country that has murdered over 250,000 of our Sikh brothers and sisters since 1984? Are you willing to die for a country that desecrated the Golden Temple, shot bullet holes through the Guru Granth Sahib? Are you willing to die for a country that practices a policy of mass cremations against our Sikh brothers and sisters, a policy the Indian Supreme Court called ``worse than a genocide''? If you are dying anyway, come home and die for our homeland like the martyrs who were murdered in the Golden Temple attack. It is better to promote the freedom and glory of the Khalsa Panth than to promote Hindutva and the ``territorial integrity'' of India. When human-rights are being violated on such a massive scale, ``territorial integrity'' is not an issue. The political creed of India is ``Hindu, Hindui, Hindutva, Hindu Rashtra.'' As the former Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Balram Jakhar, said, ``If we have to kill a million Sikhs to preserve our territorial integrity, so be it.'' When India wants to protect its artificial borders, it is Sikhs who get killed. When we seek freedom, it is Sikhs who get killed. How can Sikhs put their lives on the line for a country like that? You are all aware of the plight of Sikhs back home in Punjab. The Indian government has bribed Sikh policemen with cash and promotions to murder their Sikh brothers and sisters. The U.S. State Department reported that between 1992 and 1994 the Indian government paid over 41,000 cash bounties to policemen for killing Sikhs. One policeman collected a bounty for murdering a three-year-old boy. Why should Sikhs give their lives for that? Are you aware that in 37 border villages back in Punjab, the people have evacuated because they are afraid that his war on the Kashmiri freedom fighters will expand to Punjab? As the people of Kosovo fled from their homes in fear of the Serbian government's brutality, the people of Punjab, Khalistan--your family, friends, and neighbors--are fleeing their homes in fear of the brutal Indian government. There has been a new deployment of troops to Punjab, raising fears that India will launch an attack on Pakistan from the Sialkot sector. If that happens, more Sikhs will lose their lives. Every day in Ardas, Sikhs pray ``Raj Kare Ga Khalsa,'' the Khalsa shall rule. Our heritage is ``Khalsa Bagi Yan Badshah,'' the Khalsa rules or it is in rebellion. Our Gurus teach us to oppose tyranny wherever it rears its ugly head. How can Sikhs say that and then go fight for a country that denies our Sikh brothers and sisters the most basic human rights? India's political situation is unstable and it is losing this bloody war. In desperation, it has resorted to using chemical weapons. This is a shame on India. It shows the Indian government's complete disregard for the lives of Sikhs, Muslims, and other minorities. However, the instability provides an opportunity to liberate Khalistan. Recently, a group of Sikhs living in Pakistan called for a common front with our Kashmiri brothers to liberate both Khalistan and Kashmir. They said that now is the ideal time for such an effort. They are right. Let us make common cause with the Kashmiri freedom fighters and liberate our countries together. Sikhs remember their martyrs and we also remember our enemies. Sikhs ended the regime of the tyrant Indira Gandhi. A brave Sikh named Delawar Singh ended the tyranny of Beant Singh. Would you rather be remembered as a brave Sikh martyr like Delawar Singh or as a traitor like K.P.S. Gill? I call on Sikhs in the Indian armed forces, whether officers or soldiers, to stop shooting at the Kashmiri freedom fighters and join the Sikh freedom movement. Stop ``dying like dogs'' for the theocratic Indian state. These Kashmiri freedom fighters have the same as the goal of the Sikh Nation: to live in freedom, peace, prosperity, and dignity. Now is the time to join the Sikh freedom movement and liberate Khalistan. You are trained soldiers. The Khalsa Panth needs your services. You will be remembered as the liberators of Khalistan. Remember Gen. Shabeg Singh who gave his life defending the sanctity of Darbar Sahib and the honor of the Sikh Nation. We must free Khalistan. Nations don't survive without political power. This is the opportune time for us. We must not let this opportunity pass. Panth Da Sewadar, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Bruce Sommer has impeccable academic and surgical credentials with honors, ranging from Phi Beta Kappa to the American College of Surgeons; Alpha Omega Alpha; Phi Sigma for Biology; Chi Episilon Mu for Chemistry; and Phi Sigma for Philosophy. Dr. Sommer, a native New Yorker, was born on October 5, 1948, and received his M.D. degree and internship at the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1974. He is presently the Attending Surgeon Chief in the Division of Transplantation at the University Hospital of Brooklyn with prior hospital appointments that include Kings County, Ohio State University's liver transplantation unit, St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center's Burn Center, and the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Hospital. His professional memberships number over twenty, American Society of Transplant Surgeons, American Medical Association, American College of Surgeon Fellows, New York Surgical Society, National Kidney Foundation, not to mention the founding member of the cell transplant society in 1991. Given this illustrious professional background, it is difficult to describe a more exemplary model of a research fellow. Dr. Sommer is renowned for his funded research in acute hepatic failure, minority tissue transplant, and cellular transplantation for enzymatic and metabolic deficiencies. Moreover, Bruce was the principal investigator at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Research Institute engaging in the phase III Study of Acute Renal Graft Rejection with Deoxyspergulin. This exceptional man of healing lives in Harrison, New York with his family. The dedication and sensibility he brings to the medical profession is unparalleled here in Brooklyn. I would like my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in commending Dr. Sommer for his achievements.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an important New York small businessman, Leon Eastmond who is the owner of an honorable seventy year old New York City based corporation specializing in manufacturing boilers, steel storage tanks, fuel tank maintenance. His company EASCO Boiler Corporation performs excavations of underground fuel oil tanks and his employees are trained in procedures for handling hazardous materials including contaminated soil, working in confined spaces and cleaning up oil spills. EASCO currently covers the five boroughs of New York City and both Nassau and Suffolk counties maintaining a fully stocked warehouse facility to serve their customers with state of the art combustion equipment with parts and service available twenty four hours a day, three hundred sixty five days a year. Leon Eastmond is an amazing businessman, but he doesn't limit his help to his company or his employees, but instead, seizes every opportunity to make young people aware that self employment is an exciting option. He has joined the Fernando Mateo Institute and has given talks at Evander Childs and George Washington High Schools. He has been a guest lecturer at the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University and has met with their Minority Student Club on several occasions. Leo realizes that it is important for young people of all races and socio economic levels to meet success oriented black and other minority adults. Mr. Eastmond believes if we start young enough, people will learn to share information and network across all color lines. He truly serves as an inspiration. This is a person who was born and raised in a system that did not deal him a full deck of cards, but he has made the most of it. Moreover, in an effort to help young people turn their lives around, Leon has talked with young adult inmates at Rikers Island and given them hope that there are business people willing to offer them a job and a ``Second Change.'' He now has one former inmate working as a welder's helper. Mr. Speaker, Leon Eastmond sponsors six Little League Softball teams; the Black Leadership Commission on AIDS and contributes to the United Negro College Fund, the New York Urban League, the Special Olympics, Promesa, the United Jewish Appeal and the Alvin Alley Dance Company. He has a PhD. In life and I commend Mr. Eastmond's achievements to my colleagues' attention.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Mark D. Rolnik was born on January 1, 1954. He grew up in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, and attended the Bronx High School of Science. Thereafter he attended the University of Buffalo, where he graduated in 1976. He then attended Benjamin Cardoza School of Law, of Yeshiva University, and received his law degree in 1979. After three years of working for the law firm of Lester Schwartz & Dwyer, Esq. Mark opened his own office on Lower Broadway in Manhattan, and began practicing personal injury law. He has been engaged in this practice since 1982, and continues to practice personal injury to date. In addition to his law practice, he is on the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Kings Basketball Team, a professional basketball team that plays in Brooklyn, New York. This is the first professional sports team to play in Brooklyn since the Dodgers left Ebbets Field in 1958. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Reality Chek Foundation, a Brooklyn charity dedicated to providing learning experiences to inner city youths. He and his wife Adria have two children, Elizabeth, age 13, and Alexandra, age 11. They currently reside in Short Hills, New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, please join me in commending Mr. Rolnik for his contributions to supporting programs for inner city youth.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Terri Thomson. Presently, Ms. Thomson serves as Vice President- Director of New York City and State Government Relations for Citigroup, a position she has held since December 1996. Ms. Thomson began her career with the company in February 1990 serving as Director of Community and Government Relations in the communities of Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Prior to her career at Citigroup, Terri served as District Administrator for Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-NY), advocating for the citizens of the 7th Congressional District for ten years. Terri Thomson has taken a leading role in the community and has been a strong supporter of many community initiatives. Terri Thomson was appointed for a four-year term beginning July 1, 1998 as a member of the New York City Board of Education. As a Board Member, she serves as Chair of the Parent Involvement and the Capital Plan Committees. Ms. Thomson has advocated for parent involvement because of her commitment to improving the quality of education for our youth. As Vice Chair of the Board of the Brooklyn Sports Foundation, Ms. Thomson assisted the organization in supporting the development of an amateur athletic facility in Coney Island to serve the children of New York City. Our society has benefited from Ms. Thomson's active support of organizations that nurture cultural and academic enrichment. She has previously served as a board member for Queens Symphony Orchestra, Queens Library Foundation, Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, and St. Francis College Board of Regents. People in this community can learn from the perseverance of Ms. Thomson. She has found the time and energy to participate in various activities. As a community leader, Ms. Thomson has recognized the importance of economic empowerment, and, for this reason, she became involved in organizations that work to improve economic conditions. She was a board member of Greater Jamaica Development Corporation; a Chairwoman of Queens County Overall Economic Development Corporation; and Treasurer of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. I commend Ms. Thomson and pray that she will succeed in all future endeavors.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Kojo Abusua Badu is truly a success story. Born in the independent, African State of Ghana, he immigrated to the United States and made admirable achievements on these shores. He is currently President of Convenient Service Center and its sister company, E-Z Pay Inc., headquartered in Bedford Stuyvesant, with locations in Brownsville, Harlem and Queens. These two companies while providing important services in the community also employ approximately sixty individuals, coupled with a combined anticipated gross income over $200 million for 1999. Mr. Badu is also a partner in the Certified Public Accounting firm of Badu & Mahmood located in Manhattan. He was educated at New York University where he earned undergraduate degrees and a Master's Degree in Business Administration and is a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Badu is a widower with four children, two boys and two girls. He participates in various civic and social activities within his community. I want to commend Mr. Kojo Badu for his important contributions to the Brooklyn community.