Ed Towns

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the skill and achievements of Deidra Towns. Her contribution to community and public service is incomparable. A woman at the beginning of her career, Deidra's dynamic personality bespeaks a character that will stare the world down--and win. Already, she has flourished as an Administrative Assistant at Bedford-Stuyvesant Legal Services, a Managed Care Training Facilitator/Public Relations Coordinator at East New York Diagnostic and Treatment Center and as a Legislative Aid for the New York State Assembly. Currently, Deidra is the Team Leader for the Red Hook Public Safety Corps. In this position she has provided direction and structure to its AmeriCorps team. She has also planned and implemented projects designed to address public safety issues. As a devoted mother to her daughter, Kiara, and a loving daughter to Edolphus and Gwen Towns, there is no doubt that this young woman will leave her special mark on her community. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Deidra C. Towns for all of her achievements, for being a woman who dares to be different, and for showing young women everywhere that they can do and accomplish anything.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the skill and achievements of Joyce Arberman. Her contributions to our community are incomparable. Ms. Arberman's service to the community spans almost two decades. She works closely with the Ladies of the Adult Retardate Center (LARC), a program which is nearest to her heart. Currently, she works to organize the Center's annual major fund raiser. Over the years, Ms. Arberman's efforts has lead to the raising of almost over a million dollars for LARC. Currently, Ms. Arberman serves as State Committeewoman of the 39th Assembly District, a post she was elected to in 1984. She, along with Assemblyman Anthony Genovesi, are the leaders of the Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club in Brooklyn. Clearly, our district has only benefitted from her tireless efforts. Ms. Arberman's family remains a source of strength for her. She has a son, Jeff, a daughter, Jamee, and is also the grandmother of two wonderful grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Joyce Arberman for all of her achievements, for being a woman who dares to be different, and for showing young women everywhere that they can do and accomplish anything.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the skill and achievements of Robin Hunter-Buskey. Her contribution to the health care community is incomparable. A native New York, Robin attended the State University of New York at Stoney Brook, where she completed the Physical Therapy and Physicians Assistant Programs. She has practiced in a variety of healthcare settings including: HomeCare, Emergency Medicine, OB/GYN, Substance Abuse, infectious Disease, Rehabilitation, Internal Medicine and Geriatrics. In her current role, Robin brings her urban medicine experience into a growing suburban community. As a dedicated member of various professional organizations, Robin has been a consultant to the New York State Board for Physical Therapy and a public member of the Board for Professional Medical Conduct. She is a clinical instructor and mentor to physician assistant students, medical students and others interested in the health professions. Also, Robin has given countless hours toward ensuring increased minority recruitment and retention in health professional programs. Though Ms. Hunter-Buskey has moved to North Carolina, I know her work in the community will always be appreciated. As a mother of two, Veronica and Bennett, family involvement and support has given deeper meaning to Robin's commitment to helping others. Raising a developmental challenged child has helped her provide motivation for others. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Robin Hunter-Buskey for all of her achievements, for being a woman who dares to be different, and for showing young women everywhere that they can do and accomplish anything.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the skill and achievements of Cynthia Carrington-Murray. Her contribution to the health care community is incomparable. After transferring from her native Trinidad and Tobago, she received her Bachelors Degree in Nursing and a Masters in Community Health Administration from Long Island University. Currently, Cynthia is the Executive Director of the Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn, a 428 bed public hospital that is part of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. Woodhull is the acute care hospital for the North Brooklyn Health Network with over 18,000 discharges and 240,000 clinic visits annually. The Center operates three free-standing residency programs in Internal Medicine, Primary Care Pediatrics and Dentistry. A dynamic and personable leader, Cynthia brings over twenty years of progressive leadership to the formidable task of interpreting Woodhull's mission, vision and goals. A strong advocate of community health, she imbues her work with vigor, compassion, and a keen understanding of the needs of the North Brooklyn community. She has received numerous awards for her professional excellence and she is a member of the Board of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Nurses Association of America and the President of the East 45th Street Block Association. As a wife and mother to two, daughters Camille and Kamika, Cynthia has managed the triumphs and pressures of those roles, and risen to excellence in the field of nursing. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Cynthia Carrington- Murray for all of her achievements, for being a woman who dares to be different, and for showing young women everywhere that they can do and accomplish anything.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the skill and achievements of Renee Pollack. Her contributions to education, particularly Bushwick High School, are incomparable. Her philosophy is simple: ``Students need to be able to dream the way I dreamed and I will try to help make those dreams come true.'' Early in her career she served as an assistant principal of Pupil Personnel Services at Park West High School in Manhattan. Renee was also a Spanish teacher, grade advisor, and served as a member of various task forces and steering committees. Renee has realized her childhood dream of being a principal and it is clear that her students are as enthusiastic about her as she is about them. During her tenure, Renee has obtained new computers for the library, laboratory and the college office; improved the functioning of the program office for the teachers and students; expanded the technology initiative for all the content areas; opened a Saturday community school for students and parents to have an opportunity to learn; and opened the pool and gym on Saturdays so students and their parents can go swimming. It is clear that Ms. Pollack has a vision for Bushwick High School and its surrounding community. I have no doubt that she will leave an indelible mark on all the teachers, students and parents that she will come in contact with. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Renee Pollack for all of her achievements, for being a woman who dares to be different, and for showing young women everywhere that they can do and accomplish anything.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the skill and achievements of Juanita C. Bobbitt. Her contribution to the United Nations and women's issues is incomparable. Ms. Bobbitt was raised in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community of Brooklyn. Her undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York as well as her Masters degree from New York University and Harvard University, successfully prepared her for a United Nations career that has spanned nearly four decades. As a consultant to governments and an expert in public administration and management, she has travelled to Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. She is fluent in French and Spanish. Recently, she was responsible for managing a group of professionals to formulate and implement programs in developing countries and economies in transition devoted to social, rural and community development, poverty alleviation, and the advancement of women. She is currently leading the Gender Advisory Services Unit in the Division for the Advancement of Women within the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Most recently, Ms. Bobbitt organized a workshop on behalf of the United Nations to examine the ways to enhance the partnership among entrepreneurs, government, and the business community. As a result of Ms. Bobbitt's workshop, the Lausanne Enterprise was created to serve as an international mechanism to further develop women's entrepreneurship worldwide as a result of Ms. Bobbitt's workshop. As an active member of her community, Ms. Bobbitt has served on various academic committees. She is also a long-standing member of St. George's Episcopal Church and a Golden Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., a Public Service Sorority. Ms. Bobbitt has been able to reach these incredible goals and also be the proud mother of one son, Edmund Michael Bobbitt, a Harvard graduate and entrepreneur. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Ms. Juanita C. Bobbitt for all of her achievements, for being a woman who dares to be different, and for showing young women everywhere that they can do and accomplish anything.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the efforts of one of the hardest working young women in my district, Ms. Kandace V. Simmons. Kandace is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Simmons Design Group, Ltd., a building design firm located in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Simmons Design Group was established in 1969 by her father, the late Harry Simmons, Jr. as Simmons Architects. Ms. Simmons over sees the strategic planning marketing, financial administration, and project management of the firm. Prior to permanently joining the family business in 1994, Kandace had a varied career. After graduation from Yale University in 1988, she was a financial analyst with Chemical Bank. She later moved to New York City Department of General Services (DGS) becoming a senior policy analyst where she implemented City-wide cost savings initiatives. Ms. Simmons also coordinated activities for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in city-owned buildings. In 1992, wile still employed by DGS, she founded Simmons Entertainment, managing jazz musicians and producing concerts in Houston, TX. At her father's request, Ms. Simmons returned to Simmons Architects in July, 1994 with overall responsibility for the business management of the firm. After the death of her father in October 1994, Ms. Simmons took charge of the company. In addition to managing Simmons Design Group, she is an architectural student at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Kandace Simmons is the eldest child of the late Harry Simmons, Jr. and Dr. Sharon E. Simmons. She is also the sister of Harry Simmons III and Carlton Tarver. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Ms. Kandace Simmons for all of her achievements, for being a woman who dares to be different, and showing young women everywhere that they can do, and accomplish, anything.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the numerous achievements of Peter C. Campanelli during his fiftieth birthday celebration. His dedication to providing vital clinical services to individuals afflicted with mental illness has been incomparable. As an adjunct professor at Rutgers and as a supervisor of students working towards an expertise in Cognitive/Behavioral Psychotherapy, Dr. Campanelli has trained a new generation to deal with the intricacies of the mental health field. He also organized and directed the Institute for Community Living (ICL), a private not-for-profit corporation, for the purpose of development and operation of community residences for the mentally ill within the catchment areas of two large state psychiatric hospitals. ICL currently provides approximately five hundred and sixty residential beds within various levels of care. It is clear that Dr. Campanelli strives to provide vital services to a constituency desperate for health and social services. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Dr. Peter C. Campanelli on his fiftieth birthday and thank him for sowing the seeds for others in our community to follow in his footsteps and provide the needed services for those who live there.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my vehement opposition to H.R. 856, the United States-Puerto Rico Political Status Act, and to the English-only language amendment offered by the gentleman from New York. At the outset, I want to extend my full support to my fellow colleagues, Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) and Jose Serrano (D-NY), in their efforts to ensure that the people of Puerto Rico have a ``voice'' in this process. As Congresswoman Velazquez stated earlier today, ``Why don't we let Puerto Rico decide what's best for Puerto Rico.'' For close to one hundred years, Puerto Rico has been a Commonwealth of the United States. Puerto Rican citizens have abided by the laws of the United States; they have participated in defending the United States in various wars; and even joined the military during peaceful times. Both English and Spanish are the official languages of Puerto Rico. They clearly are an integral part of our representative government. We should take extreme caution and listen to their concerns. Moreover, we should not, as some of our colleagues are trying to do, force them to abide by a stringent English-only language requirement. How can we force such an arbitrary requirement on the citizens of Puerto Rico when none exists for any of the 50 states? As the bridge to Latin America, already over 85% of Puerto Ricans are fluent in both English and Spanish. Further, the United States does not have an official language law, and we should not start by imposing one on a geographic area as diverse as Puerto Rico. For over four hundred years, our country has been a ``melting pot'' for people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. In fact, we pride ourselves on this unique aspect of our history. We are a nation founded on the principles of freedom and equality for all. Mr. Chairman, I hope that my colleagues will remember these principles and support the right of self-determination for the citizens of Puerto Rico.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, will you please insert the following remarks as part of the Congressional Record's extension of remarks section. Indian Genocide Betrays Gandhi's Principle of Nonviolence Mr. Towns. Mr. Speaker, recently 22 of my colleagues and I wrote a letter to the Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, urging him to deliver on his campaign promise that he would appoint an independent judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the atrocities and genocide in Punjab. If South Africa can have its Truth Commission, why can't the truth about Indian genocide be brought to light? This letter is not the product of a small ideological coterie. the signers come from both parties and they range across the political spectrum. What we have in common is a love of freedom and a belief that basic human rights must be respected, especially in countries that call themselves democratic. The Indian government wraps itself in the mantle of Mohandas Gandhi, the spiritual leader of its independence movement. It has spent a lot of money to erect statues of Gandhi throughout the United States and around the world. Yet the genocide against the Sikhs of Khalistan, the Christians of Nagaland, the Dalits, the Muslims of Kashmir, the tribal people of Manipur, and others continues. Since Mr. Badal's government took power last year, at least 75 atrocities have been reported in the newspapers or otherwise documented. In a democracy, especially one so overt in its dedication to the nonviolent principles of Gandhi, such genocide and ethnic cleansing should not be occurring. At the very least, the government should be investigating the genocide and bringing those responsible to justice. Instead, the Badal government in Punjab boasts that it has not taken action to punish any police officer. The central government in New Delhi is no better. Apparently, building statues to nonviolence is much easier than practicing it. No statue ever saved the life of a victim of state terrorism or police tyranny. What good did those Gandhi statutes do Jaswant Singh Khalra, the human-rights activists the police kidnapped over two years ago? It is time to make India start living up to the principles it espouses. A judicial commission to investigate the genocide is the first step that must be taken. This would show the world that India is finally beginning to get serious about respecting the human rights of all people, not just upper-caste Brahmin aristocrats. Letting Amnesty International and other human- rights monitors into the country would also signal India's commitment to finding and punishing those who violate human rights. If India will not take even these minimal steps, then we must take strong action. It is time to impose tough economic sanctions on the Indian regime, cut off aid to that theocratic satrapy, and publicly support the freedom movements in the many captive nations of South Asia. By these steps we can help give the gift of freedom to all the people of the subcontinent. That is much more valuable than any statue. On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to enter our letter to Chief Minister Badal into the Record. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, January 30, 1998. The Honorable Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, Chandigarh, Punjab, India. Dear Chief Minister Badal: On January 5, four human-rights activists led by Colonel Partap Singh, President of the Khalsa Raj Party, and co-signed by Justice Ajit Singh Bains (Punjab Human Rights Organization), Inderjeet Singh Jaijee and Major General Narinder Singh (Movement Against State Repression) wrote a joint letter requesting that you fulfill your campaign promise to appoint an independent commission to investigate atrocities which have occurred in Punjab over the last 14 years. The Central Bureau of Investigation, the Supreme Court of India and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights have found that the Punjab police have engaged in a deliberate policy of abduction, torture and illegal cremation of Sikh youth on a massive scale. All have urged your Government and the Government of India to facilitate a fully empowered and impartial inquiry into these and other custodial deaths. We are also concerned that the police continue to engage in acts of murder, rape and torture of Sikh youth. Over 75 cases have been documented thus far. It is imperative that your Government fulfills its pledge to appoint an independent judicial inquiry to determine just who was killed and who was responsible. It will send a signal to those elements in the security forces that your Government will no longer tolerate security elements that engage in lawless and brutal conduct. Just as we are witnessing in South Africa's Truth Commission, it is time for the truth to come out in Punjab, for better or for worse. Sincerely, Edolphus Towns, Dan Burton, Cynthia A. McKinney, Dana Rohrabacher, Richard Pombo, Donald M. Payne, Collin C. Peterson, William J. Jefferson, Jerry Solomon, Phil Crane, George Miller, Gary Condit, Roscoe Bartlett, Tom Coburn, John N. Hostettler, Sheila Jackson-Lee, J.C. Watts, John T. Doolittle, Sam Farr, Esteban E. Torres, Bernard Sanders, Wally Herger, Randy ``Duke'' Cunningham.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, once again the truth has leaked out from behind the facade of Indian democracy. The Punjab government of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has issued an order intercepting the mail of Sukhbir Singh Osan, a reporter based in Chandigarh who writes for numerous publications including Aj Di Awaaz. In addition to Mr. Osan, the superintendent of police, Mr. R.P. Singh, issued a written order to intercept the mail of ``five senior ex-Army officers and some politicians residing in Chandigarh,'' according to Burning Punjab News. Postal authorities verbally confirmed the existence of the order, but refused to put the confirmation in writing. This is not a new practice. In 1993, the Movement Against State Repression--and why does a democratic country need a ``Movement Against State Repression'' anyway?--went to court to get an injunction against the Home Secretary of the Union Territory, who was intercepting the mail of politicians and journalists. The High Court ruled the interceptions illegal, yet a mere five years later the Punjab government is doing the same thing. This is the reality of Indian ``democracy.'' Mr. Osan has been one of the few journalists with the courage to expose the repression, corruption, and police-state tactics of the Punjab government. For this, his civil rights are being violated, yet India and its friends here insist more loudly than ever that India is a ``democracy.'' Clearly, it is not a democracy for Sukhbir Singh Osan and other political opponents of the Punjab government or for the minorities living under the repression of the state and central government. Couple this with the political detentions of several followers of Jasbir Singh Rode last August and the ongoing complaints against Sikh youth under the supposedly-expired ``Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act'' (TADA), and you discover the real face of Indian democracy. Underneath that democratic veneer is a brutal police state unworthy of American aid or trade. I ask the American ambassador to India to raise this matter with the Government of India and to report back to the Congress on when this ban is going to be lifted. Journalists and all citizens must be free to receive information freely. Until India learns to respect freedom of the press, it has no right to call itself a democracy. I am inserting the article from Burning Punjab on the interception of Mr. Osan's mail into the Record. I hope my colleagues will take the time to read it.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to my colleagues' attention the attached article from the October, 1997 edition of APB and place it into the Congressional Record. The article illustrates the importance of anti-theft VIN labels when used in identifying ``re- numbered'' stolen cars. Multi-Agency Task Force Fights Auto Theft and Wins 3M/IAATI/Award A Florida multi-agency auto theft task force was selected to receive the 1997 3M/International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI) Vehicle Theft Investigation Award for an investigation that led to several federal and state indictments and the recovery of vehicles valued at nearly one million dollars. Detective John Pierce received the award on behalf of the Dade County Multi-Agency Auto Theft Task Force at the Annual IAATI Conference August 4-8 in Brisbane, Australia, for an investigation coordinated by Sergeant Dave Rehrig. All task force members, represented by U.S. Customs, FBI, Florida Highway Patrol, Dade County State Attorney's Office, Metro- Dade Police, Miami Police, Miami Beach Police, Hialeah Gardens Police, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau, demonstrated excellent teamwork to successfully close down an organized auto theft ring. The case was initiated when task force detectives learned of an apartment complex where several high value sport utility vehicles were being recovered on a regular basis. Surveillance of these vehicles led to the discovery of a large, loosely organized, but very professional group of individuals responsible for vehicle smuggling to South American countries. The group also had been ``re-numbering'' vehicles for domestic sale. During the investigation, Detective Pierce discovered that an employee at the Port of Miami was selling lists of vehicle identification numbers (VINs) from exported vehicles that had been showing up on stolen re-numbered vehicles. This discovery, in turn, led to the recovery of several vehicles. ``Almost all the cars had counterfeit labels on them,'' Sgt. Rehrig said. After obtaining a warrant, tools of the counterfeit VIN label operation were uncovered, which included over 150 counterfeit anti-theft labels. The counterfeiting technique used by the subjects produced, at first blush, visually perfect labels. Investigators were able to determine they were counterfeit, however, by examining for a covert security feature and by the way the labels peeled off, leaving a paper residue pattern. ``VIN labels on re-numbered cars peel right off but they don't leave a footprint like the 3M anti-theft labels,'' explained Sgt. Rehrig. The counterfeit labels also were discovered because they were produced on a flat paper that did not have the ``window'' in the middle, which is characteristic of authentic 3M anti-theft labels. Even though the vehicles were missing their public and confidential VINs, Detective Pierce was able to prove the vehicles were stolen and make arrests by finding at least one component part with an intact anti-theft label. Several vehicles were identified using the original 3M anti-theft label which the subjects had missed when they were sanitizing the stolen vehicles. For example, one recovered Toyota Landcruiser had been re- numbered and the thieves replaced the 3M anti-theft labels with counterfeits. The frame rail was restamped, and even the window glass (etched with the VIN) was changed. Despite these extraordinary measures, the subjects missed removing a single anti-theft label. ``There is no question the anti-theft labels were a crucial part of the investigation,'' Sgt. Rehrig said. ``Vehicle identification labels are often the key to cracking vehicle theft cases,'' said Kevin Curry, Verification Systems, 3M Safety and Security Systems Division. ``The winner of this year's award is a concrete, real-world example of the value and role that anti-theft labels play in the investigation and recovery of stolen vehicles.'' According to preliminary reports conducted by the National Institute of Justice and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, anti-theft labels have been a significant contributor to the continued decline of auto theft in the United States since the early 1990's. The study reports that component parts anti-theft labels assist most big city and state auto theft investigators to arrest car and parts thieves and to prosecute them. Sgt. Rehrig agrees. ``The auto theft rate in Dade County dropped 17.5 percent in 1996,'' Rehrig said. ``Furthermore, detectives have noticed a decline in the theft of Toyota Landcruisers countrywide.'' Detective Pierce and the task force continue to follow-up leads from this case. To date, the case has yielded seven federal indictments, including the charging of the individual believed to be responsible for most of the overall operation of the theft organization. Four subjects have been arrested on state charges, and 38 vehicles, valued at some $906,000, have been recovered. The 3M/IAATI award is given annually to recognize superior efforts of an auto theft investigator or team where vehicle identification number (VIN) labels played a crucial role in the investigation. ``We are very pleased and proud to be selected for this award,'' Rehrig said.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the special order just given.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. I would like to thank my colleague from New York for his comments. Of course, I think that when we look back at her work, I think we can say that she used the philosophy to ``let the work I have done speak for me.'' I think she has done a magnificent job, and, of course, let me say to the family the fact that we have lost her, but the point is that the work that she has done will live on and on and on.

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleagues, to pay tribute to the late Edna F. Kelly, a Member who served in this body for 19 years, from 1949 to 1968. Yesterday I spoke about her significant contribution in the foreign policy arena. I would be remiss, however, if I did not also share with my colleagues the gentlelady's achievements on domestic issues. Early in the 1950s, she was among the first in Congress to advocate for a tax reduction for low-income single parents left with the sole responsibility of caring for their dependent children. Congresswoman Kelly called attention to the inequity in the Tax Code that permitted business deductions for entertainment, but none for child care. As she said at the time, there certainly can be no question as to the justice for this exemption. This is a measure to protect the family, and it is principally a matter to help protect the children. Her proposal became part of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. The gentlewoman from New York can also be credited with promoting the first equal pay for equal work bill, which she introduced in 1951. It was a landmark effort, which established a new era in the fight for women's equality. Congresswoman Kelly was in attendance when President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law June 10, 1963. In her later years in Congress, Edna Kelly often spoke with pride of her support for measures that helped this Nation expand social and economic justice and opened doors to housing, education, voting and jobs for all minorities. She received numerous awards, including the Mother Gerard Phelan Award from Marymount College; an honorary doctorate from Russell Sage College, and her alma mater Hunter College's highest honor, the Centennial Medal. She set a standard of service that made all New Yorkers proud. As our former Governor Hugh Carey said in reference to Congresswoman Kelly, ``Her legislative ability and outstanding contributions dispel all doubts about the leadership potential and political acumen of our American womanpower.'' Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield to my colleague, the gentleman from upstate New York (Mr. Solomon), who knew her and worked with her.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce to my colleagues the sad news of the passing of one of our illustrious former New York colleagues, Edna F. Kelly, who served in this body from 1949 to 1968. Representative Kelly died at her residence in Alexandria, Virginia at the age of 91 on December 14 of last year. Throughout her 19-year career in the House, Representative Kelly was recognized for her expertise in foreign affairs, serving as the chair of the Subcommittee on Europe and retiring from Congress as the third ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. During her tenure, Edna Kelly was responsible for measures that settled displaced people after World War II and refugees for Russia and Eastern Europe. She also helped to create the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. Edna Kelly was truly a legislative pioneer. To pay tribute to her achievements, I have requested time tomorrow, and I urge my colleagues to join me in sharing their thoughts on this great lady and her accomplishments as a member of this House.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work and achievements of Assemblyman James F. Brennan. Jim Brennan represents the 44th assembly district containing section of Park Slope, Flatbush, Kensington, Parkville, Midwood, and Windsor Terrace. Since 1994, Jim has chaired the assembly standing committee on mental health, mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Mr. Brennan also serves on four committees: corporations, authorities and commissions; education; and real property taxation. In his 12 years in the legislative, Mr. Brennan has sought to champion consumer protection, energy conservation, and social and economic justice. He is well known for his expertise on budget matters, school aid, and utility regulatory matters. He is the author of a major piece of budget reform legislation, the tax expenditure budget. This law, passed in 1991, requires the Governor to submit an itemized list of every special tax break that exists within the State tax code as part of the budget. This gives the legislature and the public the opportunity to scrutinize each tax break and to determine if it has a benefit to the public as well as to the private parties involved. Mr. Brennan also authored the exemption from the vault tax for New York City homeowners and the exemption from the New York City personal income tax for poverty level taxpayers. Mr. Brennan maintains an active presence in his district, participating in the many civic, school, and community improvement efforts with his constituents. To better serve his constituency, he maintains two district offices. He was first elected to the assembly in 1984 after working for his predecessor, Joseph Ferris. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Assemblyman Jim Brennan for all of his years of faithful service to his country and to the 44th assembly district of Brooklyn, NY.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ida Eckhaus, a pioneer in providing community living for people with mental disabilities. Mrs. Eckhaus has always been committed to bringing vital services to the people of New York City. Through her efforts, she was one of the founding members of APRIL, the Association of Parents for Rehabilitation and Independent Living. She and her husband Sam, along with three other couples, got together with the simple plan of obtaining housing for persons who suffered mental illnesses. In those meetings, they found there were many more needs for the mentally ill. Out of those meetings, the organization grew to become one of the largest affiliated in the State. In addition to her community advocacy, she enjoyed working with families and their loved ones. For years her personal telephone at home was a crisis hotline. No hour was too late, no problem too difficult, no person too distraught for her. She was always there to help in any way she could. Even after the installation of the APRIL Hotline, Mrs. Eckhaus continued to take her calls at home. Mrs. Eckhaus was a person of superlatively high standards, complete integrity, and boundless enthusiasm for whatever task she undertook. Throughout here service, she also served on numerous boards including the Institute for Community Living and AMI/New York State and she also founded Summit House of Brooklyn. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Mrs. Ida Eckhaus and all her contributions to the community of Brooklyn.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Adam Arlen, a pioneer in providing community living for people with mental disabilities. Mr. Arlen was born in Poland where he was educated in economics. After experiencing years of hardship during World War II and the oppression of the subsequent Communist government, in a dramatic personal adventure, he escaped to the United States to start a new life in 1966. During his first years in America, following formal training, Adam Arlen became a nursing home administrator. In the early 1970's, seeing that large numbers of individuals with mental illnesses were being discharged from State hospitals into the community with inadequate aftercare, he pioneered the development of this type of community living in New York State. For almost two decades, he stood out among his colleagues as a supporter of the highest quality of services for individuals under his care. In his role as advocate, he testified before legislative and administrative bodies and supported the creation of award-winning mental health programs. As a founding member of the Institute of Community Living's Board of Directors, he has continued to speak out on behalf of those with mental disabilities offering unique and practical advice that stems from his special personal history and as well as professional interests. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the zealous and faithful advocacy of Adam Arlen on behalf of individuals with mental disabilities.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I noted with interest the recent remarks of Dr. Ainslie Embree, a professor at Columbia University, at a seminar on ``India's Regional Security'' held recently at the Henry Stimson Center here in Washington. Professor Embree stated categorically that India faces no external threat. The imminent threat to India is the movements for self- determination throughout the subcontinent, he said. He cited the freedom movement in Kashmir as the most immediate, but also cited the freedom struggles in Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab, Khalistan. India takes the position that self-determination movements are only used legitimately against a colonial power, but that once a country is independent no part of that country can claim its independence, as the Sikh nation did on October 7, 1987, when it reclaimed its freedom, forming the separate, sovereign country of Khalistan. Sikhs ruled Punjab until the British annexation in 1849 and were to receive sovereign power in 1947 when India was made independent, so clearly it is now India that is the occupying colonial power in Khalistan, as well as Kashmir, Nagaland, and many other countries in South Asia. In fact, there was no political entity called India until the British created it in the nineteenth century. Professor Embree said that India will have to resolve the Kashmir issue by letting the people of Kashmir exercise their political will through the referendum they were promised in 1948, but which India has never allowed to be held. Despite facing no external threat, India is building up its military might, especially its nuclear capacity. Two Indian scientists admitted in mid-October that India's supposedly peaceful nuclear explosion in 1974 was a bomb. In addition, the chief of the Indian infantry said on October 23 that the Indian military is being trained in nuclear and chemical warfare. A secret report, revealed on October 16, shows that Indian plans to produce enough plutonium for 50 nuclear bombs within three years. These frightening developments raise a troubling question: If India faces no external threat, why is it producing nuclear weapons and training its troops for nuclear war? There are only two possible answers. Either these weapons are a means of tightening the repression or India is planning to start a war with a neighbor, presumably Pakistan. I would warn India right now: The world will find any nuclear attack unacceptable and a war will only strengthen the hand of the freedom movements in the countries India occupies. In light of these revelations, especially since India refuses to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, India should be declared a nuclear threat to the world and appropriate security measures should be taken. We should place tough sanctions on India, cut off its aid, and support the movements for self-determination in Khalistan, Kashmir, Nagaland, and all the nations of South Asia. We must support freedom wherever and whenever we can. We can make a real difference in South Asia. We must begin supporting freedom in South Asia now. I am inserting an article from the news service NNI on Professor Embree's remarks into the Record. India Faces Internal Threat Not External; American Experts (By Ainslie Embree) Washington, October 28 (NNI).--The only threat to Indian security is internal not external, and the internal threat is the ``self determination threat,'' said Dr. Ainslie Embree Professor Columbia University speaking at a seminar held at Henry Stimson Center Washington. The topic was ``India's Regional Security''. He was the key-note speaker. Dr. Ainslie said India as well as Israel had been driving for commercial and cultural hegemony over the world. Focusing on Indian claims, he pointed out that in the brief 50 years of independence, India had already lost the role that the sub-continent played in the region during the Mughal and the British rules. He said that during early days of independence Nehru defined India's problems as the communal problem, the caste problem and the language problem, but Nehru failed to mention the self determination as India's biggest problem. He said ironically, India itself was a big supporter of self determination in those days, and would support all the liberation movements against the colonial powers in Africa, Asia or Latin America. India changed its position on self determination in 1966, said Dr. Ainsilie. He said that since 1966 India pronounced the self determination movement as a movement against an alien occupation, foreign occupation or a colonial occupation only; and once a country was independent, no part of that country could claim independence, and thus no self determination movement was acceptable. The first self determination example of South Asia is Pakistan, said Dr. Ainsilie, adding Pakistan was the result of self determination movement by the Muslims of the sub- continent. He said apart from several self determination movements of South Asia stretching from Nagaland to Tamilnad to Punjab, the most important, most lasting one is the self determination movement of the Kashmiris. He said India will have to resolve the Kashmir issue, even if it considers the UN resolution as an extreme position and impracticable, India cannot ignore the movement and will have to let Kashmiris exercise their will. Dr. Ainsilie emphasized that Kashmir is the core issue between Pakistan and India, and no one in Pakistan is interested in the small matters like visa or trade facility, while is not ready to accept the Kashmir problem as a problem. On Siachen, Dr. Ainslie said that Pakistan's position was logistically better than India's, so that Pakistan had to spend much less than India. India is bleeding at Siachen, he added. Dr. Ainslie Embree is also a member of Kashmir Study Group, and the team leader who recently visited Pakistan, where he met with Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub, Information Minister Syed Mushahid Hussain, Minister of State for ``Agenda 2001'' Ahsan Iqbal.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work and achievements of Joseph Sultan. Joe Sultan is a Brooklyn native who graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1972. He attended the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art & Science where he received his bachelor of architecture degree in 1976. After graduation, he worked for such prestigious architectural firms as Davis Brody Associates, Giorgio Cavaglieri and Warren Gran & Associates. In 1983, Joe established his own firm. Sultan Associates and in 1991 merged with Warren Gran & Associates to form Gran Sultan Associates. Together Joe and Warren Gran have completed numerous schools for the New York City School Construction Authority, four SRO's for mentally ill adults and many other commercial, residential, and institutional projects. Joe is currently designing the home for the Long Island Children Museum and Crosby Commons, a 67-apartment assisted living residence for United Methodist Homes of Connecticut. He has taught construction technology at New York University as a visiting lecturer and his work has been featured in the national media. He and Warren have been named local heroes by Time magazine for their work in supportive housing. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Joseph Sultan for all of his years of faithful service to his country and to the 10th Congressional District of Brooklyn, NY.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Chairman, I join my colleagues in applauding the scheduling of the conference report on S. 830, legislation to reform the Food and Drug Administration, prior to our adjournment of the 1st session of the 105th Congress. This bill is the culmination of 2 years of hard bipartisan work by the Commerce Committee to modernize procedures that the Food and Drug Administration uses to approve drugs, devices and food products. Once again, Mr. Chairman, the Commerce Committee under the able leadership of our chairman, Mr. Bliley, and our ranking member, Mr. Dingell, have demonstrated that we have the ability to develop comprehensive legislative responses to critical public policy questions. I also want to especially acknowledge the efforts of our subcommittee chairman, Mr. Bilirakis and our ranking subcommittee member, Mr. Brown, for the willingness to guide the deliberations on this bill in a bipartisan fashion. Without the modernizing steps that have been incorporated in this legislation today, the FDA would continue to be seen as a barrier to new innovative therapies and products. The bill before us today represents a careful balance between a new, streamlined process and consumer protections against harmful products. These innovations in the way the FDA will do business from now on makes the approval of drugs and devices a more predictable process. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I am most pleased about the provisions in this bill which relate to food products. I had the wonderful experience of working closely on these issues in a bipartisan fashion with the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Whitfield], the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Klug], the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Greenwood], and the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Hall]. While some argued that food reforms were too controversial to include in this bill, my colleagues and I never stopped believing that we could craft reasonable and meaningful food reforms that would be acceptable to the industry, FDA, and consumers alike. With the able assistance of our committee counsels on both sides of the aisle, Eric Berger and Kay Holcombe, the measure incorporated in S. 830 accomplish this goal. The food issues in this bill build on the success of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act and they represent a modest downpayment on more significant food law reforms, including the question of national uniformity. Mr. Chairman, I join my colleagues from the Commerce Committee in urging the immediate passage of this legislation.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in supporting S. 714, a bill to extend the Native American Veterans Housing Loan Program. During my tenure as chairman of the Government Operations Subcommittee on Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations, it was brought to my attention by several tribal governments, including the Navajo Nation, that their members had not been able to take advantage of this housing loan program. At that time, Veterans Administration Secretary, Jesse Brown, supported the extension of this program in order to make it available to a much larger number of native American veterans. While administration support for this program is certainly welcomed and it is vital to ensuring that the program is fully implemented, today, we have an opportunity to strengthen the housing loan program for native Ameican veterans by giving it a legislative authorization until the year 2003. In addition, Mr. Speaker, I join with my subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Connecticut, Chris Shays, in praising the addition, in this bill, or authority for the Department to provide noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home care. Under the auspices of the House Government Reform and Oversight Subcommittee on Human Resources, Chairman Shays and I have been involved in numerous hearings related to the illnesses suffered by our Gulf War veterans. One of the critical elements in improving the quality of life for veterans suffering from these illnesses has been their ability to receive health care services outside of the traditional V.A. hospital and nursing home setting. Hopefully, this authority will enable the Department to provide not only alternative forms of treatment for our Nation's veterans but to also open up new avenues for research that were heretofore unavailable. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work and achievements of Dr. Karen S. Daughtry. While working as the director for the past 26 years of the Alonzo A. Daughtry Memorial Day Care Center, her dedication to issues concerning women and children, locally and internationally, has proven incomparable. As a 1996 recipient of the doctor of ministry degree from New York Theological Seminary, her commitment to social change, through her faith, is unquestionable. Using a Christian perspective, she has focused on increasing knowledge and comprehensive understanding of social and political issues which impact on and relate to family life, health, the arts, and educational and personal development. Dr. Daughtry, has been able to further her goals by serving as an advisor to the House of the Lord Youth Department and Sisterhood, and as chair of the Church's National Department of Women's Work. Dr. Daughtry also serves on the board of directors of the Randolph Evans Memorial Scholarship Fund, an organization formed in 1979 which awards 10 scholarships of $1,500 each to Brooklyn college bound youth in the name and memory of Randolph Evans, a 16-year-old shot to death in 1976 by a police officer. Under her leadership, Sisters Against South African Apartheid [SASAA] participated in a petition drive which delivered thousands of signatures to the United Nations on behalf of detained and tortured children of Angola and hosted Mrs. Maria Eugenia Neto, the mother of Angola, at a special service when she visited the United States. In addition, SASAA was proud to host Zenami Mandela, daughter of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, a year prior to his release from prison. The organization also participated with the Nelson Mandela Reception Committee in organizing the first visit to New York City of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, and hosted Mrs. Mandela in programs at the House of the Lord Church and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Probably what Dr. Karen Daughtry would consider her most important achievement, however, is the raising of her family. She has been married since 1962 to Rev. Herbert Daughtry, national presiding minister of the House of Lord Churches. They are proud parents of three daughters, Leah Denyatta, Sharon D'Boya, and Dawnique Dekeba and one son Herbert, Jr., all college graduates. Though Dr. Daughtry may only be one person, she has shown this country and the world the power of what one person can do. As a result, Dr. Daughtry has been the recipient of a plethora of awards and proclamations for her work and achievements. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Dr. Karen Daughtry for all of her important work.

Mr. TOWNS

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, this week Congress did a great service for this Nation by passing the Internal Revenue Service reform legislation. However, in our celebration, I must inform my colleagues that there is more work that needs to be done. We must eliminate a little known tax loophole for private clubs that profit from practicing discrimination. This chart details four private golf clubs identified by HBO's ``Real Sport with Bryant Gumbel.'' They have $9 million in taxpayers funds while excluding African-Americans. Each year these 501(c)(7) clubs act as nonprofit organizations that are exempt from paying corporate taxes to the Federal Government. This is just the tip of the iceberg, Mr. Speaker. I am offering legislation today that will end this, and I hope the Members of this body will join me.