Nydia Velázquez

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. I rise before you today to announce the introduction of a bill that will grant the Lower East Side Tenenment Museum, located at 97 Orchard Street in my District, affiliated status with the National Park Service. I have introduced this piece of legislation in conjunction with my colleague and fellow New Yorker, Congresswoman Susan Molinari, and I trust our efforts will lead to the prompt passage of this bill. Located on the island of Manhattan, today's Lower East Side remains what it has been for over 150 years: a vibrant, ethnic, working-class enclave welcoming America's newest residents. The earlier European communities which gave distinctive flavors to the neighborhood have been replaced by Asian, Latin American, and Caribbean residents. The immigrant lifestyle, a rich weave of interlacing threads, plays out its daily drama in an environment largely unchanged in many ways from the Lower East Side of 100 years ago. In numberous places 19th century brick tenements still line the streets--housing businesses at the street level, and families in the floors above. The Lower East Side maintains a distinct identity, whose present character harkens back to a Big Apple of yesteryear. As a nation, we take pride in commemorating important contributions to our culture. Monuments to illustrious leaders abound; icons such as the Statue of Liberty pay homage to our ideals; log cabins and farmhouses stand as symbols of our agrarian roots. Until recently, however, the urban, working-class immigrant element of our heritage remained a historically important, yet undercelebrated sector of the American experience. The Lower East Side Tenement Museum strives to fill that niche, and Congresswoman Molinari and I aim to help facilitate that task. The museum is believed to be the Nation's first to be specifically devoted to the urban immigrant experience. It is housed in an actual historic tenement, and its board members and staff have pursued the museum's mission to interpret immigrant life in the Lower East Side-- and its importance to U.S. history. The museum's work has extended into the present social fabric of the Lower East Side, and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum has quickly blossomed into a nationally renowned institution. Its promotion of: tolerance, ethnic diversity, cultural, and intergenerational interaction, and urban understanding have made the museum a valued part of my community, of New York and of this country as a whole. In no other museum do the past, the present, and the future come together so perfectly, and in a few others can Americans learn so much about their past, while reflecting on the issues they must grapple daily. The idea of a tenement museum grew out of the social history movement. The latter holds that the history of ordinary people is an important component of an accurate historical record. In the words of the museum's founder and president, Ruth J. Abram, We've saved log cabins, farmhouses, and the living spaces of the rich and famous. These efforts have greatly enhanced our understanding of ourselves as a nation. But we've never saved an example of the 19th century urban tenement. Without it, our perception of America, and particularly her immigrant, working-class past, is skewed and incomplete. It is this very vision that has earned the museum such praise, and that has prompted our legislative proposal. In 1988, the newly formed museum determined to preserve a tenement and selected 97 Orchard Street. Scanning the continuous wall of brick tenements along Orchard Street, it would be difficult to differentiate the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. It looks like all its neighbors up and down Orchard and the surrounding streets. But number 97 is remarkable. While two lower floors continued to operate as commercial space, the top four floors were sealed for decades, until the discovery by the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Rooms, wall paper, plumbing, and lighting are preserved as they were left almost 60 years ago. Due in part, to its exceptional degree of integrity, the building conveys a vivid sense of the conditions experienced by its tenants--conditions shared by millions of tenement dwellers throughout the city. The building also serves as an excellent material record of the results of early housing reform legislation in New York City, particularly the Tenement House Act of 1901. While living conditions on the Lower East Side declined continually throughout the 19th century, by 1900 they were so deplorable that the city passed its farthest reaching laws to regulate housing. Changes to 97 Orchard Street in 1905, which are a direct result of those laws, survive today and are still clearly chronicled in the tenement's historic fabric. The history of standards for tenement plumbing, lighting, and ventilation, and means of egress, are contained within its walls. The legislation we have introduced today is a bipartisan effort at allowing this marvelous museum to expand its functions, and while granting it affiliated status with the National Park Service will not cause the latter to incur any costs, it will allow the museum to complement the historical trilogy of Castle Clinton, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. The legislation has been introduced by Senators Moynihan and D'Amato in the Senate, and promises to clear that Chamber during the present session. The bill is supported by the New York State and city governments, as well as by civic leaders, small business owners, organized labor, the Wall Street community, and the National Park Service. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join Congresswoman Molinari and me in sponsoring this historic piece of legislation, and giving the Lower East Side Tenement Museum its rightful place in the annals of our great Nation's history.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. I rise in strong support of the Green amendment to H.R. 1594. This amendment simply states that nothing in this bill will prevent pension plan funds from investing in domestic ventures. Frankly, I can't see why anyone would oppose an amendment that simply reaffirms our commitment to job creation in this country. Our country is quickly becoming a two-class society, and the No. 1 cause of this, is the lack of job creation. As companies in our communities close down and relocate in search of lower wages, what will take their place? At best we are replacing these good-paying blue collar jobs with minimum-wage, part-time positions. We are just not creating enough good-paying jobs in the United States. Every effort must be made to encourage economic growth in our struggling communities across this country. Mr. Green's amendment simply wants to make sure that we continue this commitment. How can my colleagues expect districts like mine, which are in desperate need of a viable economic base, to develop good paying jobs if we are not willing to make a minimal commitment to domestic investment. If we continue to favor investment abroad over investment in our country because of cheap labor and lower costs, communities like mine will slide further down the list of priorities, receiving less and less. As domestic investment dwindles, pension funds will use their limited resources more and more in the suburbs, and will continue to shortchange our cities. In my own district there is potential for growth through a variety of business opportunities. But if we are not willing to encourage domestic investments, we may be sacrificing the next Microsoft or Motorola, before it even gets started. I call on my colleagues to support this amendment. What type of message would we be sending to investors across this country if we are not willing to adopt a simple amendment that encourages domestic investment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Lowey- Kolbe amendment. A far right, anti-women minority in this chamber has inserted a repulsive provision into this bill. The radical minority plans to prohibit the use of Medicaid funds to pay for abortions for women who are raped or victims of incest. This bill serves to penalize poor women for their economic status. If we discriminate against women who are least likely to be able to afford to pay for an abortion during the traumatic and physically devastating circumstances of rape or incest, then many poor woman who can not afford to pay for the procedure will be forced to carry their pregnancy to term. This provision is just another step backward to a time when the Government made decisions about womens reproductive health and back alley abortions were common. [[Page H 8377]] Rich women can afford abortion services in cases of rape or incest, however this bill serves to penalize poor women for their economic status. I urge my colleagues to join me and the majority of the American people in preserving every woman's right to control her own body. Support the Lowey-Kolbe amendment.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Labor-HHS appropriation bill. This destructive legislation takes aim at the people who need the most help--women, children, students, the poor, and the elderly. At a time when we should be giving individuals a helping hand, this bill sentences the poor to a life of poverty and despair--all in the name of a tax break for rich corporations and the wealthiest Americans. One of the most devastating parts of this legislation is the $3.8 billion that is cut from educational spending. Even more alarming, bilingual and immigrant educational programs stand to lose $104 million. I wonder which one of my Republican colleagues would like to explain to the thousands of bilingual students like those at Public School 169 in my district, why the programs that serve to educate them deserve a 50 percent cut? It's ironic that this Congress is lecturing the Nation on welfare reform, yet systematically denying every opportunity for people to become self-sufficient. Another terrible blow will come from the elimination of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Many seniors in the Lower East Side of my district depend on this program to survive. Have we already forgotten last month's episode in which hundreds of seniors died senselessly because they were unable to afford the costs of an electric fan? If we do not maintain funding for this critical program, the next time the temperature climbs into triple digits or drops below zero more people will die. Then there will be no one to blame for these shameful cuts but ourselves. By then, it may be too late. Shame, shame, shame on all of us. I urge my colleagues to vote against it.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise today out of a sense of deep sadness and outrage. Yet again, the majority brings before this body an attack on children, the elderly, and the poor. The cuts in this bill are criminal. Funding for low-income housing is slashed by $7 billion. Homeless assistance; public and assisted housing; housing for the elderly, the disabled, and AIDS victims; and the FHA multifamily insurance program all suffer steep rollbacks. Many others, such as the Drug Elimination Program, are eliminated altogether. These cuts, Mr. Chairman, aren't about numbers--they're about human beings. There's a human tragedy behind every dollar of these reductions. On any given night last winter, there were 600,000 men, women, and sometimes children living on the streets. This bill's $540 million cut in the McKinney program would mean that hundreds of thousands more will join them this winter. I urge my colleagues to vote no on H.R. 2099. There is too much pain behind this bill. A $700 million cut in public housing operating subsidies, and a $2.3 billion reduction in the public housing capital budget isn't an abstraction. These cuts mean delays in both basic maintenance and major repairs; less security services; and the elimination of essential social services. For 3 million public housing residents, the reductions translate into deteriorating buildings, greater insecurity, and fewer opportunities for economic advancement. Ending the Drug Elimination Program isn't about cutting wasteful pork-barrel projects. In New York City, the program funds 435 housing police officers who patrol the grounds and hallways of New York's public housing developments. These beat cops would be lost. This is only a partial list of the many tragedies that would result from this bill. At some point in this appropriations process, reasonable minds and compassionate hearts must prevail. I urge my colleagues to reach that point in this bill.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. I rise today in strong support of this amendment. It would preserve the Fair Housing Initiatives Program [FHIP], an important and cost- effective tool for fighting housing discrimination in our cities, our suburbs, and our rural communities. We'd like to think that discrimination in the real estate market is a thing of the past, or at least a declining problem. The facts show otherwise. For instance, the Federal Reserve has reported that Latino and African-American mortgage applicants in Boston were 60 percent more likely to be turned down for a loan than similar white applicants. In Chicago, 69 percent of white applicants with marginal credit histories got a mortgage. Only 16 percent of minority applicants got the loan. HUD reports that Latinos and African-Americans have at least a 50 percent chance of encountering discrimination in housing sales and rentals. The Fair Housing Initiatives Program is essential for fighting against this persistent discrimination. It recruits nonprofit community groups to provide education, outreach, enforcement, and counseling regarding our Nation's fair housing requirements. Under this program, community groups mediate and resolve fair housing disputes; educate and train landlords, real estate agents, and mortgage lenders; and work with families. These are critical activities that the Federal Government simply can not pursue on its own. There's too little staff, and too few resources. Mr. Chairman, I am very well acquainted with the good work that's being done under the Fair Housing Initiatives Program. Through this program, a nonprofit group in my district has discovered and helped combat a persistent pattern of housing discrimination in south Brooklyn. Over the years, hundreds of Latino housing residents had been forced out of their apartment so that they could be made available for white families. Some were harassed, while others were offered cash payments to move. Where these inducements were inadequate, landlords simply refused to make repairs. Complaints of collapsed ceilings, broken windows, rotted kitchen cabinets, and leaky pipes were simply ignored. One landlord had compiled up to 84 housing code violations in his effort to displace minority tenants. I am happy to report that after just 6 months, this one grant is having dramatic results. The inspector general of the city's housing authority has initiated a vigorous investigation of discriminatory housing practices. Long-overdue repairs are going forward in apartments occupied by non-white tenants. This success story is unfolding through one relatively small FHIP grant in New York City. Other successes are being replayed all across this country. Local advocates and community groups are being empowered to stamp out discrimination in their local housing markets. FHIP is the kind of initiative that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have always praised. I urge every member of this body to support this amendment.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the latest attack on our children, the elderly, and the poor. Today, when families are being forced to do more with less, the Republican crafted VA-HUD appropriations bill threatens the most basic human need, safe, and affordable housing. The VA-HUD appropriations bill cuts homeless assistance by 50 percent, leaving the 600,000 individuals currently homeless with no hope. It slashes public housing subsidies by over $2 billion, sentencing 3 million public housing tenants to higher crime. This will have a devastating effect in New York City. Cuts in section 8 rental assistance and homeless programs come at a time when we should be working to give everyone a chance at having the basic necessity of shelter. Instead, this legislation forces these Americans further into despair. These moves are on top of severe reductions already made by Republicans to programs like AFDC, food stamps, and child assistance programs. Cuts like this create a dangerous game of Russian roulette, forcing families to choose between caring for their loved ones, putting food on the table, or providing a roof over their head. Mr. Speaker, that is simply too high a price to ask our families to pay, all in the name of balancing the budget and tax breaks for the wealthy.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, it pleases me to acknowledge the efforts and accomplishments of the Cypress Hills and East New York communities. Through the hard work and determination of its residents and the local 75th Police Precincts, a ``Stop the Violence'' concert was recently organized on July 16, 1995. The purpose of the event was to promote and enhance positive relations between community residents and the Police Officers that serve and protect them. Through cultural performances and other presentations, young people were exposed to an enlightening and positive atmosphere. Recognizing the limited resources available to support creative and ongoing events such as this one, I must applaud the efforts of the Police Department, community residents, and other collaborative groups for making this activity possible. It is through a collective and innovative strategy that our communities will be able to bring about positive social change. I must also acknowledge the dedication and outstanding track record of Police Officers' Richard Perez and Dennis Rivera. I believe we must use this event as a model strategy for bridging gaps in communication within our cities and neighborhoods. We must also give praise and support to the individuals and organizations that make these activities possible. The communities of Cypress Hills and East New York have made a valuable contribution to society--an investment in our young people. Thank you.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment. A far-right, self-righteous minority in this Chamber has inserted a repulsive, antiwomen provision into this bill. I implore my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me and the majority of the American people in rejecting paternalistic measures such as these. Some million hard-working, public-minded women currently serve their Federal Government in every State of this Union. They often work under difficult circumstance, and usually for modest pay. Radical zealots in this Congress would now single out these women for discrimination. No matter that two-thirds of private fee-for-service plans provide the full range of reproductive health services. No matter that 70 percent of HMO's provide abortion coverage. No matter that the majority of the people of this Nation support a woman's right to choose. These self-appointed morality police would nevertheless deny over 1 million women their constitutional right to choose. The supporters of this extreme provision may argue that they do not require a woman to bring their pregnancies to term--at least not yet. They would merely refuse to fund abortions under the Federal Employees' Health Benefits Program. For many women, that is a distinction without substance. This antiwomen ban has no place in this appropriations measure. It signals a return to a very recent, shameless decade when this Government presumed to substitute its reproductive judgments for those of mature adult females and their health care professionals. It is also a first, giant step backward toward the grim, not-to- distant past when back alley abortions were common horrors. I urge my colleagues not to turn back the clock. Support this amendment, and preserve every woman's right to control her health, and her body, and exercise her sound judgment.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, it pleases me to congratulate some special graduates from the 12th Congressional District of New York. I am certain that this day marks the culmination of much hard work and many valiant efforts for these students, work and efforts which have led and will continue to lead them to success. They have overcome the obstacles of overcrowded and dilapidated classrooms, antiquated and insufficient instructional material, and the all too frequent distractions of random violence and pervasive drug activity. But these students have persevered despite the odds. Their success is a tribute not only to their own strength, but also to the supportive parents and teachers who have encouraged them to make it. These students have learned that education is priceless. They know that education will provide them with the tools and opportunities to be successful in any endeavor they pursue. In many respects, this is the most important lesson they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. In closing, I'd like to say that the best and brightest youths in America must be encouraged to stay on course so they can pave the way for a better future of this Nation. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the following graduates who have triumphed despite adversity. Congratulations to the 1995 graduates of the 12th Congressional District: Cindy Pargan and Frolan Cancel--Eastern District H.S.; Christine Jackson and Jaime Dottin--W.H. Maxwell H.S.; Monica Mera and Willie Guzman--Bushwick H.S.; Robert Jacobs and Takisha Duggan--Murray Bergtraum H.S.; Ana Ferrin and Aida Markisic--Lower East Side Prep H.S.; Madelin Luna and Wilson Perez--J.H.S. 22; Mia Fowler and Jason Garcia--J.H.S. 56; Luis Barret and Tenaja Middleton--J.H.S. 296; Michael Lebron and Deborah Perez--I.S. 111; Nathaniel Foreman and Naiema Townsley--I.S. 383; Ruth Solis and Raymond Viera--I.S. 291; Rita Salas and Jasmine Velazquez--P.S. 86K; Keziah Ramirez and Erica Morel-- P.S. 297; Denise Lebron and Armando Luquis--Transfiguration School.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to take strong exception to the Republican budget resolution that will drastically slash Medicare payments to senior citizens. Instead of wasting less on weapons and military spending, the Republicans want to balance the budget on the backs of the elderly. This plan will slash $270 billion from future Medicare spending, the largest cut in history. Large reductions in Medicare payments will mean that Seniors will have to pay more for health care out of their own pockets. Republicans are cutting Medicare in order to give $240 billion to wealthy corporations. Balancing the budget is a worthy goal, but it should be done more fairly, and not at the expense of the health and well-being of our Nation's elderly. Senior citizens have worked hard and contributed all their lives to this country. Let's end these shameless cuts and choose an equitable path to a balanced budget. Less for guns and corporate welfare; more for children, working families and seniors.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I oppose many of the spending priorities contained in H.R. 1530. One of the most foolish of those initiatives is the $3.5 billion authorized for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization was created by President Reagan during the cold war. Since that time, the Berlin Wall has crumbled and the evil empire no longer exists. There is no significant, long-range ballistic missile threat to the United States now or in the near future. This afternoon we'll have an opportunity to salvage some of these wasteful star wars dollars. The Dellums-DeFazio amendment will channel $150 million more for needy military personnel. Many men and women who serve in the military do not receive salaries high enough to maintain an adequate living standard. This amendment will provide funds to help military personnel who receive food stamps and off base housing. Instead of wasting an exorbitant amount of money on star wars, we could reduce ballistic missile defense funding to the administration request of $2.9 billion and allocate the savings toward increases in pay for needy military families. If we can not meet the critical needs of our Nation's most vulnerable citizens, we should at least provide funds for the men and women who serve our country. We as a nation can not afford to squander funding. It is unconscionable to throw away funding on the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization while neglecting the basic needs of our military personnel. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Dellums-DeFazio amendment this afternoon.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to take strong exception to the Republicans' proposed massive Medicare cuts. These cuts will force senior citizens in my district and around the country to pay $3,500 over 7 years. Many seniors will have to make hard choices between food on their table or the medical attention that they desperately need to survive. Slashing Medicare will not only hurt seniors, it will hurt all Americans. Medicare cuts will hurt many hospitals that rely heavily upon Medicare reimbursement. Republicans argue that these cuts are necessary to save the system. However, the very same Republican budget that cuts Medicare contains a $288 billion tax giveaway for the most affluent Americans. Senior citizens have worked hard and contributed all their lives to this country. They deserve affordable health care. Let us end these shameless cuts and consider real health care reform.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, let me tell you about a letter I recently received from Maria Casillas. Maria lives in my district and writes: Cuts in student aid just don't make sense. Student aid actually saves taxpayers money by stimulating economic growth and increasing productivity. Student aid is important to me because it gives me the opportunity to get a better education than my mother or grandmother had. I work hard in school to get good grades and without financial aid, I could not afford college. Maria wants to go to college and without Federal funding for student loans, she will not have the opportunity to do so. We cannot afford to squander our human resources. Let us invest in the future of our country. Let us provide Maria and young men and women like her with the educational opportunity they deserve. Let us do what is right for the people of this Nation, not what is right for the privileged few.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this bill. This week the Republicans do for overseas interests what the new majority has done for the domestic agenda. They target assistance for the most needy, while preserving billions of dollars for military and security spending. The promotion of peace and international development were once seen as vital to global peace and prosperity. They were also considered as important domestic priorities. [[Page H5410]] This bill reverses those policies. It cuts humanitarian assistance for education, AIDS prevention, and agricultural research; abolishes AID; and cripples international peacekeeping operations. It means death for hundreds of thousands of innocent children in Africa, and many more civilian casualties in the Balkans. This so-called Overseas Interests Act instead invests in arms. Billions more are wasted on military hardware in the Middle East--one of the most heavily armed regions in the world. The foreign assistance cuts will not even make a dent in the deficit. Only 1 percent of the Federal budget is spent on foreign aid. Even less goes towards development assistance. While the world calls out for opportunity and brotherhood, this bill offers isolation and indifference. For international peace and prosperity, and domestic sanity, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the community-based organizations of the Bushwick Resource Coalition. This collaborative network has a long and outstanding history of providing an array of social, health, educational, and economic development services to the Bushwick community. The past few days of this week have been extremely significant. The Bushwick Resource Coalition celebrated its 10th year anniversary on May 15, 1995. The theme of the celebration was ``Bushwick the Future is Ours; What it Was, What it Is, What it Will Be.'' Many of the organizations within the Bushwick community hosted open house events to highlight the vital services they provide. On Friday, May 1995, a luncheon will take place culminating the week of events. This has truly been a historic event for the Bushwick community. The resource coalition has provided leadership and direction at a time of great need. They offer a compassionate sounding board for the concerns of neighborhood residents. They have an extraordinary history of nurturing and cultivating successful development of our communities' families and youth. The Bushwick Resource Coalition deserves to be acknowledged for their remarkable efforts and activities. I applaud their achievement and encourage them to continue.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, we are down to two plans for balancing the budget, and one fundamental choice--Medicare, or CorporateCare. Do we fund tax breaks for the corporate America and the wealthy, or preserve health benefits for the elderly? The Kasich budget chooses the wealthy; the caring majority budget chooses the seniors and working families. The Republican budget rolls back Medicare benefits, ends college aid programs, and slashes spending for child nutrition. Who gains--the rich. They get almost $300 billion in tax breaks. The caring majority budget stands on the side of the American people. It fully funds Medicare and Medicaid, stops backdoor attempts to cut Social Security, and invests billions more in education, job training, and job creation. How do we do this--by closing tax loopholes for the rich, ending corporate welfare programs, and drafting the first sane, post-cold-war defense budget. Republicans and Democrats both have plans for balancing the budget. The only difference is who benefits--the wealthy, or the working people of this country.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, we have heard a lot of rhetoric from the new majority this year. When it comes to this budget, they outdo themselves. They talk about saving our children and grandchildren. What they do is the exact opposite. They take Federal dollars away from our children to be able to give huge tax breaks to the wealthiest families in this country. With a $7 billion cut in education and training programs, this budget will deny thousands of children their chance for a decent education and a brighter future. The only ones who have a brighter future under this budget plan are the wealthiest families in this country. They will get over $281 billion in tax breaks under this budget. There is no bright future for our kids in this budget. Saving our kids means giving them new books, building them new and safer schools. Let us stop the rhetoric, Mr. Chairman, and speak to the truth. The only savings that is going on here is in the tax bill for the rich.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of one of New York's best and most vibrant dining establishments. I am referring to El Ole. It is New York's very own bit of Spain, and it celebrates 25 years of exemplary service this Monday, May 22. The owners of this fabulous restaurant, Pepe and Tony Lagares arrived in the United States back in 1949. They came here from La Coruna, Spain, with their father, Don Jose. They spent their first years in this country working at their grandfather's restaurant, Greenwich Village's El Tropezon. In 1970, they opened El Ole, and for years worked at a grovelling pace. El Ole's reputation spread by word of mouth, and it soon built up a strong clientele. In fact, when El Ole opened its doors for the first time, it could only accommodate 28 patrons. Today, it serves many well known guests on a regular basis, and its exquisite dinning room accommodates 110. Among the many distinguished patrons of El Ole are: Sylvester Stallone, Elizabeth Taylor, Al Pacino, Emilio Estevez, Robert DeNiro, Martin Lawrence, Jon Secada, Jane Evans, Pedro Morales, Jose Chegui Torres, Roberto Ledesma, and former Governor Cuomo and his family. This impressive list comes as no surprise. El Ole has an atmosphere that lends itself to fine dinning and pure enjoyment. But it is much more than a restaurant, it is a refuge for people of all cultures, and its walls have witnessed countless conversations on everything from politics to the arts. From the romantic sounds of Spanish guitars to the fast swing-pace of salsa, cumbia, and merenge, El Ole's superb service and vibrant setting serve as perfect complement to this establishment's world class menu. I applaud the Lagares brothers for their efforts, and thank them for bringing us so much. To El Ole, a happy celebration, may its tables always bear las Delicias de la madre Espana, and may its door always rest open for those who share a passion for culinary pleasure and a thirst for the joy of life. Ole!

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend and congratulate Inspector Joseph Dunne. Joseph Dunne is a former inspector of the 75th Precinct, who recently was transferred to the Internal Affairs Division, because of the exemplary work that he demonstrated in his short time at the helm. In his short tenure, Joseph Dunne has gained the confidence of the residents of the East New York community residents who once lost faith in those that were supposed to protect and defend them. Since his arrival at the 75th Precinct, Joseph Dunne has led the charge for better police and community relations. For 2 consecutive years, East New York led the entire New York City in homicide rates, but in his short time at the 75th, Joseph Dunne has successfully advocated for more police presence, which has contributed to the vast decline in the murder rates in East New York. This is great news, and while I am mentioning the decline of homicide in the East New York community let me add that all other crimes have also declined during Joseph Dunne's tenure. Joseph Dunne has demonstrated his devotion and commitment to East New York and its residents. I congratulate him and wish him well in his endeavors. Joseph Dunne's accomplishments. though they have not made their way into the news media, have made their way into the hearts of my constituents. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I come to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to speak of Joseph Dunne and his work for a better East New York.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to take strong exception to the Republicans' proposed massive Medicare and Medicaid cuts. These cuts will hurt the most vulnerable of Americans, our children, our seniors, the poor and the disabled. Large reductions in Medicare payments will mean increased out-of- pocket costs for seniors. On average seniors will have to come up with another $3,000 for medical expenses once the Republican plan goes into full effect. The Republican plan also puts the squeeze on urban and rural health centers, institutions that rely heavily upon Medicare reimbursement. The end result would be hospital closures and declining health among poor and working families. Why are they cutting this program? In order to fund corporate welfare programs and tax cuts for the 1 percent of the families who control 40 percent of the assets in this country. That is right, for the wealthiest Americans. Let us stop this charade and consider real health care reform.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, this week the American people see the Contract With America for what it really is, that the centerpiece of the Republican agenda, the so-called American Dream Restoration Act, is nothing but a massive tax giveaway to the wealthy. Last Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that we give $228 billion a year in tax breaks and subsidies to large corporations. The rest of the country gets crumbs, and then picks up the tab. This legislation is really an American dream denial act. In order to finance the tax proposals, the Republicans will deny the Republican dream to the millions of students that need financial aid to get a college education. Elimination of the Stafford loan program will deny 4.5 million low- and middle-income students college aid; ending Perkins loans cuts out another 740,000 students. Seven hundred and fifty thousand more college kids will lose their work-study jobs. These are the cuts that the Republicans will demand in order to finance billions of dollars of tax breaks for the rich. Almost half of this tax giveaway goes to the wealthiest 10 percent of the country. This is the Republican contract. What is there to celebrate? Please, Mr. Speaker, do not forget to include corporate welfare reform in your next 100 days.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Mink substitute. It is the most responsible, comprehensive, and humane measure offered in this debate. It addresses the real problems confronted by poor families today offering them the tools they need to achieve self-sufficiency and dignity through work. By contrast, the Republican bill plays a cruel game on many people of this country. It is a game where there are clear winners and losers. In the Republican bill, by the year 2000, up to 2 million children will lose school lunches so that wealthy families with incomes of $200,000 will get a $500 tax break for each child. The winners? The wealthy. The losers? Two million children. In the Republican bill, more than 700,000 disabled children will lose assistance so that families making over $200,000 will gain from a reduced capital gains tax. The winners? The wealthy. The losers? Seven hundred thousand disabled children. In the Republican bill, 15 million children will be punished as a result of so-called reform while the contract calls for a $700 billion tax cut over 10 years with half the benefits going to families making over $100,000 a year. The winners? The wealthy. The losers? The rest of the American people. It is for these reasons that I am supporting the Mink substitute, a bill that is strong on work and job training, strong on child care opportunities, and strong on giving poor families and children a chance to succeed. Mr. Chairman, we don't need a public assistance program that is strong on homelessness, hunger, and despair. That is not about teaching people a lesson. The choice is clear: Pork on the fancy china of the wealthy or food on our children's plates.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the amendment. The cap on punitive damages is one of the most antiwomen extreme Republican measures introduced this year. It must be removed. Contraceptives, breast implants, and other pharmaceutical products have been put on the market, and later found to cause very serious injury to millions of women. Punitive damages are often the only thing that saves millions of others. A. H. Robbins implanted over 2 million women with Dalkon Shields-- even though the company knew that they could develop a life-threatening uterine infection. After large punitive damage awards, they quickly pulled the IUD from the market. Juries award punitive damages when manufacturers act with extreme recklessness, or conscious disregard of harm. Large awards encourage companies to quickly pull dangerous products from the shelves. They deter others from selling harmful devices. Punitive damages save lives--often women's lives. I urge my colleagues to vote for this amendment, and remove one of the worst antiwomen measures considered by this Congress.