Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, New York lost an exceptional community leader this month when Irene Peveri passed away. Irene Peveri was not just a leader, but a mentor and innovator who helped change the very skyline of Manhattan by persuading the city to require livable streetscapes in our densely urban community.

For nearly three decades, Irene Peveri passionately advocated both growth and preservation in New York City neighborhoods, and became a leading voice for ``contextual zoning''--the idea that taller buildings are appropriate for avenues with their wider boulevards and retail activity, while low scale buildings are a better fit for side streets. She worked tirelessly with community boards, grassroots organizations, neighbors, politicians, business leaders, and entrepreneurs to ensure that New York's neighborhoods retained a human scale. When she testified, her presentations were always thoughtful, factual, impressive and delivered with persuasive sincerity.

In the early 1980s Irene joined with her neighbors in successfully challenging the construction of a ``sliver building.'' Sliver buildings are tall slender buildings constructed on lots that have a narrow frontage, typically 45 feet or less. The effort was successful when the city adopted a law banning sliver buildings in 1983.

In 1985, local leaders in founded East Side Rezoning Alliance (ESRA), a coalition of community groups dedicated to advocating zoning changes that would scale down allowable heights for new buildings on side streets. Irene served as ESRA's co-chair for most of its existence. At every opportunity, Irene encouraged builders and community groups to work together to ensure that new developments would be compatible in scale with older buildings in the neighborhood.

ESRA funded several planning studies to change the New York City Zoning Resolution, using the proceeds from an annual street fair along Third Avenue and grants from philanthropic organizations. These studies persuaded the Department of City Planning to support the rezoning of many areas between 14th and 59th streets, and led to a permanent change in city law. The new zoning text restricted large scale development to the avenues, and imposed stricter building heights on the side streets. This mix of development allows tall buildings to rise without overwhelming the neighborhood. The latest study funded by ESRA was the CB6 197-a Plan, a community-based plan covering the entire Community Board 6 area. It was adopted by the City Council on March 26, 2008.

The model Irene and her allies developed was replicated elsewhere in the city. ESRA gave support and guidance to community groups that were trying to fend off overbuilding. With Irene's assistance, other neighborhood groups were able to persuade the city to adopt contextual zoning for their areas. As a result, most neighborhoods enjoy a mix of development, and Manhattan residents can still enjoy a glimpse of the sky.

More recently, Irene worked with the Coalition for Community Facility Reform to oppose the proliferation of rear yard incursions. New York City's zoning resolution mandates rear yards, which were intended to provide residents with unbroken, block-long swaths of green. In 1961, the law was amended to allow community facilities (a term that includes everything from doctors' offices to monasteries, from day-care centers to various non-profits) to build extensions in the rear yards of residential buildings all the way to the property line, so long as the addition is no more than 23 feet high. These rear yard incursions reduce the availability of light, air and green space for residents of neighboring properties. Irene and other community leaders worked to persuade the city to change the zoning resolution to further restrict the types of entities that are eligible for the exemption to schools, houses of worship, colleges or universities, and hospitals and related facilities.

Irene was a member of Community Board 6 and served on its Land Use Committee. During that time, Irene was a vital participant in every major zoning review and initiative of Community Board 6, from the rebuilding of Third Avenue, to, most recently, the development proposals for the Con Edison site on First Avenue. She remained active in the Community Board until her death and was Second-Vice Chair of the Board when she passed away. The Board recently celebrated her achievements at a ceremony held May 19, 2008.

Irene Peveri had a genuine passion for and dedication to all of Manhattan's neighborhoods. She was a consensus builder who understood the importance of working in concert with her neighbors. Irene had a unique gift for empowering others and engaging them in the community. She possessed a talent for bringing people and ideas together, forging unlikely partnerships that helped achieve the goal of making sure New York remains a livable city.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in recognizing the enormous contributions to civic and political life made by Irene Peveri, a dedicated activist who made an extraordinary difference in the way New York City has developed.

Madam Speaker, the President can no longer deny that the labor market is in recession. June was the sixth straight month of job losses, and this year the economy has lost over half a million jobs in the private sector. We have 8.5 million unemployed Americans, more than at any other time since 2003.

High prices for gasoline and food are squeezing workers' pay. Real wages were lower in June than they have been since September 2006. The recovery rebates have been boosting consumption, and millions will benefit from the extension of unemployment benefits signed into law last week.

Clearly, we must stem the tide of rising job losses. We need a second stimulus package of infrastructure development and fiscal relief for our States.

Madam Speaker, I wish to address the Chamber tonight on the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights.

In recent years, the playing field between credit card companies and credit cardholders has become very one-sided. It is no surprise that it is average American cardholders and not the credit card companies who are getting the short end of the stick.

A credit card agreement is supposed to be a contract. But what good is a contract when only one party has any power to make decisions, and one party makes all the decisions? Cardholders deserve more bargaining power. The United States Congress can and should help level the playing field between card companies and cardholders.

I introduced the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights, H.R. 5244, to give American credit cardholders a fair deal. We now have over 155 cosponsors in this body. My comprehensive credit card reform bill takes a balanced approach to reforming major industry abuses and improving consumer protections for cardholders.

Put simply, the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights protects cardholders against arbitrary interest rate increases any time and for any reason; prevents cardholders from being unfairly penalized; protects cardholders from due date gimmicks; shields cardholders from misleading terms, and empowers them to set limits on their own credit and to better control their own credit; prevents card companies from giving subprime credit cards to people who cannot afford them; and requires Congress to provide much better oversight of the credit card industry in general.

The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights fosters fair competition and free market values. It sets no price controls, no rate caps, and no fees. It merely requires the card companies to let consumers know when they are jacking their fees up and increasing their rates. I believe the free market works best when consumers are empowered to make their own choices, and my bill would give cardholders the information and the rights they need to make choices about their own credit.

The balanced provisions in my bill are the deliberative result of over a year of careful study and analysis. Over the last 2 years, I held numerous congressional hearings and meetings to determine how Congress, Federal regulators, and credit card companies could work together to help improve services and protections for cardholders.

There is no doubt that credit cards are very important to our economy. They offer cardholders instant access to a convenient and flexible source of financing, and have enabled many people to start new businesses, pay for tuition, or make other major purchases. Credit cards also provide many people with a safety net to help solve cash flow problems or cover unexpected expenses. But cardholders are increasingly confronting problems with unfair industry practices embodied in one-sided contracts, and this must be changed.

In recent months, the House of Representatives, under the leadership of Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, succeeded in passing major mortgage reform legislation and an economic stimulus plan. The Senate is now following suit. Both of these important steps will help get our economy back on track, but we cannot overlook credit card reform. It is a critical part of the equation, and one Congress will be turning its attention to.

Over 155 of my colleagues have already signed on as cosponsors of this important legislation. In the coming months, I plan to continue to build on the support this bill has gained, and I plan to work with Barney Frank to get this marked up in committee so we can bring it to the floor for a vote.

Consumers deserve to know where their elected officials stand on credit card reform that affects their lives. This is a critical issue of importance to my constituents, and we must show them that Congress is ready to restore some balance between consumers and credit card companies.

When I started to work on this issue, one of the first things I did was hold a roundtable discussion with many of the stakeholders, major credit card issuers, as well as leading consumer advocates. From this discussion, I developed a series of principles that have guided the development of the legislation. I am going to take a few minutes to describe each of these principles, explain what the bill does to achieve them, and provide real-world examples of what this means to the average credit cardholder.

The first principle is that cardholders deserve protection against arbitrary interest rates any time and for any reason. Right now, credit card companies have the right to raise a customer's interest rate for any reason. This has made it very difficult for many consumers to understand how and why they have had their interest rate changed and hiked up on their credit cards.

Compounding this problem is that when a new higher interest rate is applied, it not only affects future purchases, it also raises the interest rate on existing balances. Consumers are often only made aware of these new higher interest rate increases only after they have gone into effect.

To counter this problem, the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights requires credit card companies to give a customer 45 days' notice of any and all interest rate hikes, and allows them the option to just say ``no,'' to opt out of the interest rate increase. In return, if the cardholder opts out of the new rate, they are required to close the card and pay off the existing balance at the payment schedule they agreed to.

And here is a real-world example. A person has a $1,000 balance and a 9.9 percent APR interest rate. One month, she pays her utility bill one day late. The credit card company charges her a $35 late fee and raises her interest rate from 9.9 percent to over 29 percent, but does not tell her about the rate increase until she gets her next statement in the mail. The new rate is applied to the entire existing balance of $1,000. And the consumer can try and get a new card at a lower rate, but until then the $1,000 debt will be growing at a 29.99 percent rate of interest.

Under the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights, the customer would still be charged the late fee, but they would be notified that, in 45 days, their interest rate would be raised from 9.9 percent to over 29 percent. This would give them more time to try to apply for a new credit card with a lower interest rate; or, they could decline the higher interest rate on the card, close the account, and pay off the balance at the old 9.9 percent rate.

I have got to say, under the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights, the customer could still be assessed the higher interest rate for missing payments on other bills, but that new higher rate would only apply to purchases and balances going forward and not retroactive on their existing balances. They would also have the ability to opt out of the rate increase, close the account, and pay off their existing balances at the old rate.

Another principle in the bill is that cardholders who pay on time and don't go over their limit should not be penalized. The so-called double cycle billing is a confusing practice that certain card companies employ to charge cardholders more interest. It affects cardholders who go from paying off their balances in full to carrying a balance. Here is how it works.

Most card companies charge interest on the remaining unpaid balance from a cardholder's previous billing cycle. Card companies that use double cycle billing, however, charge cardholders interest on the entire balance from the previous cycle even if the cardholder paid part of it off. Card companies that use double cycle billing are effectively charging interest on balances that have already been paid. How fair is that? The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights bans this really unfair practice called double cycle billing.

Here is a real-world example. A cardholder usually pays off her credit card

in full every month, but one month she charged $100 and only paid $50 by the due date. If she had a credit card that calculated payments on a single cycle, she would have been given credit for paying that $50 and only charged interest in the next billing cycle on the remaining $50 that she owed. But since her card company uses double cycle billing, she was charged interest on the $100 from the previous billing cycle plus the remaining $50 that she still owes. Under my bill, card companies would be prohibited from billing on a double cycle and charging interest on debt that has already been paid.

Another principle of this legislation is that cardholders should be protected from due date gimmicks. Currently, card companies are allowed to mail billing statements out as few as 14 days before the statement is due. Mail delays and a host of other problems mean that cardholders on that schedule find themselves with less than a week to get their payments back to their card company, increasing the likelihood that they will have a late payment.

The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights gives cardholders more time to pay their bills. It requires card companies to mail billing statements 25 calendar days before the statement's due date. It also requires that payments made before 5:00 p.m. eastern standard time on the due date are considered timely. The bill also prohibits card companies from charging late fees when a cardholder presents proof of mailing his or her bill within 7 days of the due date.

Another is that the bill and the cardholders should be protected from misleading terms and statements. Card companies can currently define the terms ``fixed rate'' and ``prime rate'' pretty much any way they want to. This can lead to obvious confusion among cardholders.

The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights prevents card companies from using these terms in a misleading or in a deceptive manner by establishing single set definitions that every company must use. For example, the term ``fixed rate'' must be a rate that will not change or vary for any reason over a defined period of time. The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights also gives cardholders who get pre-approval for a card the right to reject that card up until the moment they are to use it or to activate it without having their credit adversely impacted.

I would like to say that, also, another principle is that cardholders deserve the right to set limits, and card companies should not impose excessive fees on cardholders. Most card companies currently don't give cardholders the option of setting real limits on their own accounts. Instead, card companies allow the cardholder to exceed that amount and assess fees and/or a rate increase for doing so.

The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights would require card companies to offer consumers the option of having a fixed credit card limit that cannot be exceeded, and it would prevent card companies from charging over-the-limit fees on a cardholder with a fixed credit limit.

The bill also limits the amount of consecutive over-the-limit fees card companies can charge to a more reasonable number of three. Here is a real-world example.

A cardholder had a credit limit of $2,000 on her card. Things got a little tight around the holidays, and she used her card more than normal, accidentally going over her limit by $50. As a result, she was charged a $39 late fee. In the next billing cycle, she sent the card company a check for $60, but that still left her over her credit limit, so she was charged another $39 over-the-limit fee.

Under the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights, the cardholder would be able to set his or her credit limit and wouldn't be able to make any purchases that put him over his fixed limit. If a cardholder did not want to set a fixed limit and did so accidentally go over his limit, a card company would only be allowed to impose more reasonable three consecutive, over-the-limit fees upon the customer.

Another principle of the bill is that card companies should fairly credit and allocate payments. When a credit card account has balances with different interest rates, a decision has to be made as to how to allocate payments. A cardholder pays the least amount of interest when any payment is allocated to the highest interest rate balance first, and a credit card company makes more in interest payments when the payment is allocated completely to the lowest rate balances. Currently, most credit card companies allocate payments to the lowest interest rate balance first while prohibiting payment on balances at higher interest rates until the lower rate balance is paid in full. This isn't very fair to the cardholder, however. In fact, many cardholders have no idea that their card companies are deciding to allocate their payments.

The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights directs card companies to fairly allocate payments on balances at different interest rates, making payments more equitable for both cardholders and card companies.

Here is a real-life example of that principle. A cardholder has a new credit card given with an introductory zero percent interest rate on all balance transfers. So he transferred a $1,000 balance he had on another card. He then went out and bought $2,000 worth of new equipment. When he made a $250 payment on his new card that month, he noticed that his interest rate for new purchases was 24 percent, but all of his payment went to pay down the zero percent balance. He wanted to pay, obviously, on the $2,000 balance since it was at such a high interest rate, but he was told he could not start paying on that balance until the original zero balance was paid in full.

Under my bill, the $250 payment would go towards paying off both the lower interest balance and the higher interest balance on a proportional basis.

I want to say that this bill has gained not only 155 of my colleagues in a bipartisan sense, but it has also gained over 45 editorials from across this Nation in support of the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights. I would like to share some of the comments from these editorials.

From the New York Times on May 3 of this year: `` . . . consumers are already losing as their interest rates on the cards suddenly skyrocket. Fees appear mysteriously on their bills, and even the billing cycles get shortened to make it harder to pay on time. Congress needs to take up the issue now rather than wait for the Federal Reserve to create rules that can be too easily changed. The banking industry likes to boast that more than 90 percent of credit card customers have no problems with their little plastic cards. Given that there are more than 1 billion credit cards believed to be in use, that leaves a lot of people swamped by what is now called the `tricks and traps' of the credit card business.''

The Boston Globe reports on May 31: ``Regulators and elected officials are starting to circle the credit card companies and not a moment too soon. The Federal Reserve reports that credit card debt rose more than 7 percent last month on top of the already burdensome average of $8,000 per American family. Credit and debit card delinquencies are at their highest levels in 18 years, and all the while, credit card companies are employing practices that only dig consumers deeper and deeper into debt.''

The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights is a modest reform to bar credit card companies from raising interest rates on outstanding balances because of some action or unpaid bill in another area. It deserves our support.

On May 6, USA Today reported: ``For years, Congress ignored consumer outrage as the industry flooded the public with solicitations, then squeezed customers with escalating fees and high rates. Voters should pay close attention this year to who is trying to get the issuers to act more responsibly and who is defending some of their more outrageous practices.''

The Staten Island Advance on May 16 stated: ``In a sign that Americans are relying more on their credit cards, the total for revolving credit has grown in 2008 significantly faster than fixed-rate debt. During the past year, revolving debt has risen nearly $6 billion per month, or almost 8 percent, one of the fastest growth rates since 2001. In the past 12 years, penalty fees for late payments have more than doubled, from an average of $13 in 1995 to $28 now.

Make just one late payment, and you can face a penalty interest rate of more than 30 percent. The fine print in most disclosure statements says that issuers can change the terms of the cardholder's agreement at any time, for any reason. There is no other contract in the world that can change its terms at any time.''

In Tennessee, the Knox News reports: ``The proposed regulations should curb some of the more unfair practices, and if effective, it may help consumers.''

The St. Petersburg Times in Florida reports: ``Americans owe more than $800 billion in credit card debt, and more than 1 in 3 cardholders are unable to make timely payment on accumulated balances. What is troublesome for banks can be tragic for families. With falling home values, stagnant wages and rising prices for basics such as food and fuel, Americans are relying more on credit cards to pay for necessities. Some lenders have taken advantage of that situation by bumping up fees and interest rates on credit cards, even for those who pay on time. Somebody needs to regulate a market that is out of control and takes advantage of the most naive and vulnerable consumers and is threatening an already fragile economy.''

Then in Pennsylvania, on May 10, the Daily and Sunday Review stated: ``Intervention is necessary if Americans under the thumb of the credit card industry are to have any hope of solvency, and even though the Feds' proposals are welcomed, they should not supplant far broader relief envisioned in the credit card bill of rights.''

The Charleston Gazette writes: ``Yes, too many accepted cards they could not afford, and charged more than they earned. As the old saying goes, `It's easier to sign a note than to pay for it.' However, tricking customers who carry a balance into paying dubious fees and penalties is unethical.''

The Dallas Morning News says: ``There's a huge difference between charging cardholders who have missed payments and willfully creating a system to generate unnecessary penalties. We deserve change. We should pass change.''

On May 6, the Baltimore Sun said: ``Amid a severe mortgage crisis and credit crunch, the rules should help prevent many cardholders from going under because of some of the industry's worst practices, including high interest rates and high fees. These proposals, which don't take effect until the end of the year, should not prevent Congress from acting on its own and passing needed credit card reform.''

I would like to say that credit cards are important. They benefit many families, and I would say that some industry groups and some banks have instituted best practices and have said that they voluntarily will no longer impose any time/any reason increases on customers who pay on time and who don't go over their limits. They say they will no longer practice double cycle billing, but many credit card companies still practice these really harmful and unfair policies, so we need to pass this legislation, and we need to give relief to consumers and level the playing field, not only between the consumer and the cardholder but between companies that are doing the right thing and those that are still abusing the consumers.

I would like to say that I thank my colleagues. One hundred fifty- five of my colleagues have joined me on the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights and over 45 editorials from across this country. I hope that my colleagues will read the bill, those who are not on it, and will join us in this effort to bring relief to America's working families.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. The 14th Congressional District of New York, which I represent, is home to 18 hospitals--perhaps more than any other district in the nation. Of course, along with hospitals come physicians who regularly report to me about the crisis of healthcare in this country. I am grateful that H.R. 6331 helps America's doctors while also significantly helping Medicare beneficiaries and hope that the other body will act swiftly on this much needed legislation.

H.R. 6331 eliminates the pending 10.6 percent cuts in the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) to physicians for the remainder of 2008 and provides a 1.1 percent update in payments for 2009. I have thousands of doctors in my district who tell me that the uncertainty of Medicare payments makes it increasingly difficult to plan for expenses. Unfortunately, we are seeing that for many doctors, the response to the uncertainty is to stop taking new patients, or even more dire, end their participation with the Medicare program. This is catastrophic for patient access and care. This bill is a positive first step toward eliminating that uncertainty and allowing time for Congress to develop reforms to the current system.

I am proud that this bill strengthens Medicare for those beneficiaries who are in greatest need and ensures access to good quality care while remaining fiscally responsible. I thank Chairmen Dingell and Rangel for this important bill and urge my colleagues to support America's seniors by voting in favor of H.R. 6331.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6184) to provide for a program for circulating quarter dollar coins that are emblematic of a national park or other national site in each State, the District of Columbia, and each territory of the United States, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent all that Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and insert any extraneous material as they so wish.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6184, America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act, introduced by my good friend and colleague from Delaware, Congressman Castle.

I have had the great pleasure to work with Mr. Castle on several coin bills of this nature in the past, the very successful State quarters and most recently the Presidential dollars. I am proud to be the Democratic lead sponsor of this bill, and I am happy to report that it has strong bipartisan support, as shown by the fact that it passed out of the Financial Services Committee on a unanimous vote in support.

I want to thank Congressman Castle for all of his hard work on this legislation, as well as Chairman Frank for his support, and the support of the staff of the Financial Services Committee and our individual staffs for their hard work on this bill. Of course, all of us love our national parks, and especially those of our home State, which will be honored on each of these coins.

Beginning in 2010, new quarters will bear a design representing a national park or site in each State and the District of Columbia at the rate of 5 new designs a year. The sites will be selected at the beginning of the process by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the States, and the coins will be minted in the order in which the sites selected were established as national sites, which I think is a very clever touch.

As a former teacher and educator, I am always excited about the new designs on everyday coins because they encourage more Americans of all ages to pay attention to the coins in your pockets and learn a few facts about what is depicted. I can say of the very successful State quarter program, it became a very popular teaching tool. Many teachers devised lesson plans around the quarters, and many of my constituents collected these coins. My own daughter had a book with each of the quarters in it; and many people would ask me, when is the next quarter coming out? And because it was so successful, the 50 State quarter program raised $6.2 billion over the past 10 years of its life span which is just ending this year. And we can hope that we will have similar results from this series of coins.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation. It is an education tool. It also will generate needed revenues for our Treasury.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond to my dear friend and colleague on the other side of the aisle who has attacked the Speaker of this House really unfairly and with false statements.

The point is and the reality is that we have two oil men in the White House and their policies are the ones that have benefited Big Oil and hurt the American consumer. Now under the leadership of the Democratic Speaker and the New Direction Congress, we have been passing solutions for the first time to help American consumers and to help this country move into the 21st century with policies that are important for conserving energy, renewable energy, efficient technologies, and reducing energy prices for the long run.

No, I will not yield. I have my time; you had yours.

First of all what, the New Direction Congress passed was the first new vehicle fuel-efficiency standards in 32 years. We also passed an historic commitment to affordable American-grown biofuels. If the other side of the aisle was interested in moving us into the 21st century and conserving energy, why in the world didn't they pass new vehicle fuel- efficiency standards? We passed it. This Congress passed it. The Democrats passed it, and are forcing the car builders and others to move in with fuel-efficient standards.

We also took action to lower gas prices by suspending oil purchasing for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. These are very important initiatives.

Now the gentleman on the other side of the aisle, my very good friend, talked about the need to build new refineries. Well, ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP and Shell have publicly stated that they have no plans to build new refineries; instead, they prefer to expand existing facilities. These are their statements. Shell and BP all testified that they were unaware of any environmental regulations preventing them from building new refineries or expanding old ones. They can do that now.

Internal memos from oil companies make it very clear that oil companies decided that they needed to reduce refinery capacity to drive up their profits. And the New Direction Congress is

continuing to bring real relief to those feeling the pinch of the high gas and diesel prices, and ensuring the needs of families and businesses are put before the interests of Big Oil companies.

Now my dear friend on the other side of the aisle talks about drilling, drilling, drilling, drilling, as if we could drill ourselves out of the challenges we face.

The fact is that there are over 68 million acres on shore and offshore in the United States of America that are currently leased by oil companies and they are open to drilling and actually under a lease to do so but are not developed. Now we are talking about leases on 68 million acres of land that is owned by the American people. Now what Chairman Rahall says is use it or lose it, and I think he is absolutely correct. I support his bill, to say that you either drill on those 68 million acres or you give up your lease and let someone else drill there. That's what the Democrats are saying. We are not going to hand out more leases to the oil companies on public land that is owned by the public and is the land and the reserves of this country. We are saying to them if you have a lease, you use that lease. You drill. You're not going to get another one. And if you're not going to drill, then let's put it out for competitive bid and let someone else come forward and drill on that land.

The fact is that 80 percent of the oil available on the Outer Continental Shelf is in regions that are already open to leasing, but the oil companies haven't decided if it is worth their time to drill there. The fact is that drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge wouldn't yield any oil for 10 years, and then would only save the customer, the consumer, 1.8 cents per gallon in 2025. The fact is that America uses a quarter of the world's oil consumption every day, but only 1.6 percent of the world's supply, so there is simply no way to drill ourselves to a solution.

I repeat, while my colleagues were running this body, where were their solutions? I didn't see any. I didn't see them raising the mile per gallon of gas, I didn't see them conserving. I didn't see them investing in biofuels or moving forward with innovative energy solutions, as this new Democratic leadership has been doing. They have just held onto the failed policies of the past which have gotten us to where we are. As I repeat, we have two oil men in the White House that have been behind these policies.

So I would say that the Democratic leadership has done a great deal to help the American consumer. They are facing many challenges. Their wages are stagnant. The price of gasoline is now over $4 a gallon. The price of milk is over $4 a gallon. So they are facing really inflation and many, many challenges.

The Democratic leadership has come forward with a stimulus package to help the American taxpayer, the American citizen. We have come forward with a fuel-efficiency standard. We have come forward with many hearings today on the possible manipulation of oil in the futures market so that we can curb those abuses if they are documented. We are for drilling on the 68 million acres that are currently under contract and should be drilled on.

So this Congress, I congratulate the leadership of Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats and the relevant committees. We have passed legislation, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act. We have passed the Gas Price Relief for Consumers Act. We have passed the Energy Price Gouging Prevention Act which will provide consumer relief by giving the Federal Trade Commission the authority to investigate and punish those who artificially inflate energy prices. President Bush has threatened a veto of this very commonsense consumer protection measure.

So I say with all due respect to my wonderful colleagues and friends on the other side of the aisle, where were your ideas when you could pass them? Where are your ideas now? The ones that we are passing that helps the consumer and moves this country into the 21st century, and that makes a profitable use of land that is owned by the American people instead of giving more, and in many cases in a no-bid process to oil companies who are just sitting on it and not doing anything to help the American consumer.

So I would say you brought it up, so I am just responding to some of your allegations.

I feel this is such an important issue that I would like to yield 2 minutes to my distinguished colleague from the great State of New York, Congressman Serrano, on H.R. 6184, and I thank him for his leadership on this important bill.

Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

I thank the gentleman for his statement. He has been a strong advocate for the Territories. He raises and highlights an important point that the Territories are included, and I appreciate his recognizing the many contributions from the citizens of Puerto Rico and other Territories to our great country.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time and urge my colleagues to support this creative bill that is before us. I hope that it passes unanimously and moves to the Senate with swift passage.

Parliamentary Inquiry

I do object. We have a system. We have gone through it, and I feel we should move to a vote.

If the gentleman feels so strongly about it, he has worked so hard on this bill, it's a successful bill, and we hope to have another successful bill, so I will allow the gentleman to reclaim his time.

I would inquire how much time remains on both sides, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for reciprocity. If he is reclaiming his time, then I would like to reclaim my time.

I do ask unanimous consent to reclaim my time.

The gentlewoman has no further speakers, but I wonder if the gentleman on the other side of the aisle yields back his time.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Just to respond to my dear friend and colleague on the other side of the aisle, I'm very appreciative that you're supportive of the bill before us, but I want to point out that there is nothing in this bill that would in any way prevent drilling. In fact, they can drill now on 68 million acres of land on which they have a lease.

And we did have a vote, and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle did not support the vote that would compel the oil industry to start drilling or lose permits on this 68 million acres of undeveloped Federal oil reserves which they are currently warehousing and keeping domestic supply lower and prices higher. I believe that's a very balanced premarket approach. Use it or lose it. Let someone else drill there.

And industry is only using a fraction of its leases now. And refining is not an issue. Refineries are running below capacity.

But we have enacted in law, past laws, that are laws now, the Energy Independence and Security Act. This historic Act would increase vehicle fuel efficiency to 35 miles per gallon, and this is the first congressional increase in more than three decades. And this would be very helpful.

And I'd like to place into the Record an entire list of laws that have been enacted by this Democratic leadership, laws that are coming up to be considered, including cracking down on price gouging, and legislation that the House has passed and we're waiting for the Senate to act on: the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act, the Gas Price Relief for Consumers Act, the Energy Price Gouging Prevention Act. These are all important concrete steps, not rhetoric, but concrete steps to help consumers.

New Direction Legislation

Enacted into Law

Energy Independence and Security Act in 2007--Historic

energy legislation with provisions to combat oil market

manipulation, increase vehicle fuel efficiency to 35 miles

per gallon in 2020--the first Congressional increase in more

than three decades--and promote the use of American biofuels.

Signed into law, December 19, 2007.

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer

Protection Act--Temporarily suspends the filling of the SPR,

starting June 30th, to put more oil on the market to help

drive down gasoline prices. Signed into law, May 19, 2008.

Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008--The new Farm

Bill makes an historic commitment to more affordable American

biofuels and increases Commodity Futures Trading Commission

(CFTC) oversight authority to detect and prevent manipulation

of energy prices. President Bush vetoed this bill, but the

Congress overrode that veto.

Recent and Upcoming Legislation

Reducing Transit Fares (H.R. 6052)--Gives grants to mass

transit authorities to lower fares for commuters pinched at

the pump and expand transit services.

Cracking Down on Price Gouging (H.R. 6346)--Gives

enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission to

investigate and punish those who artificially inflate fuel

prices.

``Use It Or Lose It'' for Oil Companies Holding Permits and

Not Drilling--Compels the oil industry to start drilling or

lose permits on the 68 million acres of undeveloped federal

oil reserves which they are currently warehousing, keeping

domestic supply lower and prices higher.

Further Close the ``Enron Loophole'' for Petroleum

Markets--Takes steps to curb excessive speculation in the

energy futures markets, which experts have noted is driving

up the price of a barrel of oil.

Legislation that the house has passed

Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act--Extends and expands

tax incentives for renewable energy (including incentives for

plug-in vehicles), retains and creates hundreds of thousands

of green jobs, spurs American innovation and business

investment, and cuts taxes for millions of Americans. The

President has threatened a veto.

The Gas Price Relief for Consumers Act--Combats record gas

prices by authorizing lawsuits against oil cartel members for

price fixing, and creating an Antitrust Task Force to crack

down on anticompetitive behavior or market manipulation.

President Bush has threatened a veto.

Energy Price Gouging Prevention Act--This bill will provide

consumer relief by giving the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

the authority to investigate and punish those who

artificially inflate energy prices. President Bush has

threatened a veto.

I'd like to remind my dear colleagues on the other side of the aisle that when President Bush came to office he had a $5 trillion projected surplus. We now

have a series of records that have been given to us by the Republican leadership, only they are the wrong kinds of records.

We have record debt that is galloping towards $9 trillion. Each and every American owes over $30,000 to this debt. We have the largest trade deficit in the history of this country, over $900 billion, and we have the largest deficit in the history of this country. We have lost more jobs in the first half of this year than have been lost since the Great Depression, and if we continue at this rate, we will lose over 1 million jobs in this year.

Now, that is the record of the Republican leadership. But what is before us is a very important bill, one that I support, one that I urge my colleagues to support. And I urge my colleagues to support consideration of H.R. 6184, and I hope that we will have a bipartisan commitment to passing this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the genocide perpetrated on the Ukrainian people by Joseph Stalin's murderous Soviet regime. This month, countless Ukrainian-Americans and persons of goodwill, including members of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the United Ukrainian American Organizations of New York, join together in a Walk Against Genocide in New York City in remembrance of the terrible events in the Ukraine in 1932-33 that took the lives of millions. Participants in the Walk are honoring the Ukrainians who perished in the famine by observing a moment of remembrance.

Three quarters of a century ago, the Ukrainian genocide, also referred to as the Holodomor, or ``Death by Starvation,'' was consciously inflicted upon the Ukrainian people by the totalitarian tyranny of dictator Joseph Stalin. With its radical agricultural collectivization policies, Stalin's brutal Soviet regime caused widespread famine and mass starvation, systematically murdering millions of innocent men, women and children.

The Holodomor was an intentional act perpetrated against the Ukrainians as punishment for their resistance to Soviet control. Evidence in the form of recently released KGB archival documents reveal the Soviet government's ruthless plans. The Commission on the Ukraine Famine created by the United States Congress in 1985 issued a report 3 years later confirming the existence of a deliberate policy to starve the Ukrainian people and concluded in 1988 that ``Joseph Stalin and those around him committed genocide against Ukrainians in 1932-1933.''

In sheer numbers, this genocidal tragedy ranks among the worst examples of man's inhumanity towards man, and offers one of history's starkest examples of the devastation that is wrought by oppressive governments when they use food as a weapon. The Holodomor was perhaps the greatest national catastrophe in the history of the Ukraine, and its emotional repercussions still affect the Ukrainian people to this day.

By remembering that horrific period, we work towards a day when such atrocities will never again occur in the world. This year, the 75th anniversary of the famine was commemorated in Kiev and indeed throughout the world. All Americans should join in remembering this historical atrocity and resolve to act against future crimes against humanity. The Walk Against Genocide not only serves to commemorate the innocent men, women and children of the Ukraine who lost their lives, but also to take a stand against acts of genocide that still occur in the world today. The Walk Against Genocide is thus an uplifting manifestation of the enduring resilience of the human spirit.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in saluting the participants in the Walk Against Genocide and in recognizing the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the United Ukrainian American Organizations of New York on the occasion of the 75th anniversary commemorating the Ukrainian genocide.

Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague, the Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand to pay tribute to the Fort Ticonderoga Association, the non-profit organization chartered by the State University of New York Regents to administer the great National Historic Landmark at Fort Ticonderoga. This July, the Association will open the Deborah Clarke Mars Education Center, which will house an authentic re-creation of the magasin du Roi, or ``King's Warehouse'', that stood on the Fort's parade ground from 1756 to 1759, as well as facilities for educational programs, lectures, and symposia. This month, the Fort Ticonderoga Association also observed the 250th anniversary of one of the bloodiest conflicts of the French and Indian War, the Battle of Carillon, by staging a two-day re-enactment of the conflict.

The Fort Ticonderoga Association was organized in 1931. It has carried on the stewardship of the historic site by the Pell family, whose members have maintained the Fort since the early 19th century. William Ferris Pell, a noted businessman and preservationist, originally purchased Fort Ticonderoga and the surrounding lands to prevent the stripping of precious materials from the legendary stone forts that rest on the site. He established his summer home-turned- hotel, the Pavillion, on the beautiful grounds, offering affordable accommodations to travelers visiting the historic ruins for nearly six decades. Stephen Pell, his great-grandson, began restoration of the Fort and the Pavillion in 1908; subsequently, the site became a popular tourist destination and was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Fort Ticonderoga and the surrounding grounds have a rich history. Its site was originally chosen for its strategic location on the Ticonderoga peninsula on the shore of Lake Champlain that protected the portage to nearby Lake George. At the time, it was the French Empire's southernmost fort in the New World and a sensitive and strategic military installation coveted by the world's two largest empires, the British and the French. This July will mark the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Carillon, a major battle in the French and Indian War in which outnumbered French troops led by Louis-Joseph le Marquis de Montcalm successfully and valiantly defeated a British attacking force. On July 8, 1758, British General James Abercromby led a British and colonial army of 16,000 men against a small French force of 3,200 entrenched at Fort Carillon (the original name of Fort Ticonderoga). Despite being outnumbered by more than 4 to 1, the French forces prevailed and forced the British to retreat. In honor of their victory, the French erected a cross on the battle site, of which a reproduction still stands at the ``French Lines'' even today. A year later, British forces under Lord Jefferey Amherst successfully conquered the Fort.

Fort Ticonderoga retained its strategic significance during the American Revolution. On May 10, 1775, American soldiers won their first victory in the Revolution when they captured Fort Ticonderoga in a surprise attack at dawn. The cannons from Ticonderoga were then hauled all the way across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by troops led by Henry Knox, and used to successfully prosecute the Siege of Boston, driving the Redcoats away from the Massachusetts Bay.

Today, the Fort Ticonderoga Association strives to engage, educate, and entertain visitors by sharing the authentic stories of diverse cultures that met at the Ticonderoga peninsula in war and peace over the last 250 years. Its members achieve this goal through accurate historical interpretations, high standards of preservation, and able management of the Fort's world-class collections of scholarly works, through innovative educational offerings, and with operational excellence.

Under the diligent care of the Association, Fort Ticonderoga has earned numerous awards, including the Upstate History Alliance Award of Excellence, the Adirondack Architectural Heritage Award of Excellence for the Kings' Garden Restoration, and the Preservation League of New York State Award of Excellence. Fort Ticonderoga also received a State and Local History Certificate of Commendation from the American Association for ``America's First Victory.'' Clearly, its role in American history left an important legacy for Fort Ticonderoga that resonates even today.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in recognizing the enormous contributions to the preservation and stewardship of American history performed by the Fort Ticonderoga Association.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to WPIX-TV, the award-winning and groundbreaking New York City television station historically known to millions of New Yorkers as Channel 11. This month, the first independent television station in our nation's greatest city is celebrating its 60th anniversary. All Americans should pay tribute to its remarkable success in bringing thoughtful, newsworthy and entertaining programming into our homes over the course of the past six decades.

Since its founding, WPIX-TV has been a leader in the field of television broadcasting. A pioneer, it established a standard of innovative, visionary programming that other TV stations have sought to emulate. It never lost sight of its mission to deliver the most accurate, timely, and pertinent issues of the day. Even as the television industry has undergone huge changes, WPIX-TV's originality, creativity, and understanding remain its hallmarks today.

The flagship station of the CW Television Network, WPIX-TV is seen in more than 10 million homes. It has come a long way from the humble origins of its launch. The station's top-rated CW network programming, the award-winning CW11 News at Ten, the CW11 Morning News, its extensive library of hit movies, first-run programs, off-network sitcom favorites, quality children's programming and public affairs shows, and outstanding event coverage have contributed immensely to the station's success. Under the leadership of News Director Karen Scott and with outstanding reporting by veteran broadcast journalists like the Emmy Award-winning Marvin Scott, WPIX-TV's news programming remains widely respected, not just in the nation's largest media market, but around the country, and at the able direction of Vice President and General Manager Betty Ellen Berlamino, WPIX-TV continues to maintain its distinctive flair and brand identity.

WPIX-TV has earned more than 150 Emmy Awards, including for Outstanding Morning News Program and for its News at 10. In addition, the CW11 has been honored with numerous Edward R. Murrow Awards, New York State Broadcasters Awards, New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Awards, New York Press Club Awards, and Deadline Club Awards for excellence in reporting, news coverage, public affairs, news specials, and features.

Over the course of six decades, WPIX has marked numerous milestones in TV history, including the first use of instant replay, which took place on July 17, 1959 during its broadcast of a ballgame between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox. WPIX also aired the first appearance on New York television of the Rolling Stones on ``The Clay Cole Show'' in 1964. From the Giants to the Yankees to the Mets, from Cap'n Jack McCarthy to Officer Joe Bolton, WPIX has enjoyed a rich and illustrious history. The little station that could, WPIX and its talented and hard-working employees have richly earned the right to celebrate the station's 60th anniversary. Its success derives from the resilience and drive required to realize the American dream.

In addition to its broadcasting excellence, WPIX has dedicated itself to community service. In 1981, it partnered with the McCormick Tribute Foundation to create the CW11 Care for Kids fund. Since its creation, the fund has provided more than $7 million in grants to outstanding nonprofit organizations in the Tri-State area that address the unmet needs of kids and their families, including AIDS support services, drop-out prevention, drug abuse prevention/treatment, and child abuse prevention/treatment programs. These interests address a wide range of children's needs and the goal of this fund is not only to provide grants, but also significant programming that is important to families with children and teenagers.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the enormous contributions to our lives made by WPIX-TV Channel 11 New York.

Madam Speaker, on June 9, 2008, I missed rollcall votes numbered 438, a resolution honoring the life, musical accomplishments, and contributions of Louis Jordan on the 100th anniversary of his birth; 439, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Black Music Month, and 440, a resolution congratulating James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, for 100 years of service and leadership to the United States.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes numbered 438, 439, and 440.

Madam Speaker, I rise to say ``thank you'' to the retired New York Giants' co-captain and Super Bowl champion, George Martin, for finishing his 3,200-mile trek across America to raise money and awareness for the sick men and women, heroes and heroines of 9/11 who are still suffering.

His cross-country journey started in New York just after the sixth anniversary of 9/11. It continued through Washington, DC, in early October where he met with Members of Congress about legislation that is pending here. We met, and he continued on his journey.

He finished in California last Saturday, and is now having a well- deserved rest. George is an inspiration to those of us in Congress who are working hard to pass H.R. 3543. We have over 115 cosponsors. It is the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, and it is for the heroes and heroines of 9/11. It would treat and monitor all of those who were exposed to the deadly toxins, and it would treat those who are sick. It is the least we can do for these heroes and heroines. We should pass it before the seventh anniversary of 9/11.

Madam Speaker, the administration's answer to record gas prices today is to allow drilling in Alaska's pristine wilderness and off our shorelines for little payoff a decade from now.

What they don't tell you is that big oil companies already lease 68 million acres of public lands that they are not developing. Big oil companies are sitting on 81 percent of America's Federal oil and gas reserves, but all they are producing are complaints that it's not enough.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6251--the ``use it or lose it'' bill. This legislation would compel the oil industry to start drilling on the acreage they already lease before obtaining any new leases.

Madam Speaker, if domestic drilling can bring relief to American families, what are the oil companies waiting for?

Madam Chairman, the run-up in gas prices is squeezing families and sending them in search of cheaper alternatives to driving.

As a result, our public transit authorities are also feeling the pinch as rising fuel costs and record ridership strain their systems.

Almost half of bus operators and two-thirds of rail operators have been forced to raise their fares.

Today, we are considering H.R. 6052, the Saving Energy through Public Transportation Act, which provides grants to mass transit systems to reduce fares and expand services for commuters.

Using public transportation saves the average household more than $6,000 a year and reduces dangerous carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming.

Madam Chairman, I urge my colleagues to get on the bus and support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I risk today in opposition to H.R. 6304, The FISA Amendments Act of 2008. As a representative from New York City, I know how important good intelligence is in ensuring that our Nation does not face another terrorist attack. However, we must ensure that we do not trample on civil liberties in the process. This administration has expanded the powers of the government to monitor the actions of American citizens with, unfortunately, too little oversight from Congress or the courts.

While I appreciate the efforts to reach a compromise on this legislation, H.R. 6304 does not go far enough to protect the rights of the American people. The legislation allows for retroactive immunity for telecommunication companies that participated in the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program. I also am concerned that most Members of Congress will not have access to important reports issued by the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence.

We should stand up for the Constitution and for the rights of our constituents by ensuring that their privacy is better protected.

Madam Speaker, today, along with Chairman Delahunt of the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, I am introducing legislation to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.

Since its founding, the United Nations has made many contributions to the global community in the fields of health, education, peace-keeping and humanitarian aid.

For 63 years the United Nations has provided a forum for the achievement of international cooperation in solving the world's most pressing economic, social and humanitarian problems including climate change, trafficking in humans, combating global terrorism, and responding quickly to disasters such as the tsunami in South East Asia in 2004.

The United Nations has visionary new leadership that should also be commended. Under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations launched a multi-year campaign to improve awareness amongst global policy-makers at the highest levels regarding issues relating to violence against women.

Joining us are Representatives Jim McDermott, Maurice Hinchey, Sam Farr, Madeleine Bordallo, Donna Christensen, Jose Serrano, Jim McGovern, Dennis Kucinich, Chaka Fattah, Robert Brady, Betty McCollum, James P. Moran, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Raul Grijalva, and Barbara Lee.

I look forward to working with Chairman Delahunt and my other colleagues to pledge the support of Congress to the United Nations as the organization moves forward and to commend the United Nations for sixty-three years of good work.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Pan-Macedonian Studies Center on the occasion of its Second Annual Testimonial Dinner. This year the Center will be honoring His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, with the Philippion Award.

The Pan-Macedonian Studies Center was established in 1995 by Elias L. Neofytides, Fotis Gerasopoulos and Paul Evangelou to help forge links between generations and between persons of Hellenic descent living in the U.S. and Greece. The Center thus helped ease the transition for adults adapting to a new life in America and increase understanding between generations.

The Pan-Macedonian Studies Center has showcased the best of American and Hellenic cultures. It sponsors programs for young and old, including offerings in sports, fitness, arts and crafts, and dancing; educational initiatives such as a lending library and tutoring; and services including lessons on health education, accounting, civics, and computer literacy. The Center also helps produce Macedonian TV programming airing on Queens public television, and publishes and disseminates books on Macedonian culture to schools and libraries in the United States at no cost. The Center is open to all, regardless of ethnic origin, and all its services and programs are free of charge.

This year, the Pan-Macedonian Studies Center has selected His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios to receive the Philippion Award for his contributions to the Hellenic-American community. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios is a distinguished Macedonian who always brings ``peace and serenity'' into the hearts of the faithful adherents of his faith.

He was born Demetrios Trakatellis in Thessaloniki, Greece on February 1, 1928. In 1950 he graduated with distinction from the University of Athens School of Theology. In 1960 he was ordained a deacon, and in 1964 he became a priest. He was elected Bishop of Vresthena in 1967, and served as an auxiliary bishop to the Archbishop of Athens with the primary responsibility for the theological education of the clergy. From 1965 to 1971, on scholarship from the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, he studied New Testament and Christianity's origins and earned a Ph.D. ``with distinction'' in 1972.

As Bishop of Vresthena, he then returned to his ecclesiastical position in the Archdiocese of Athens and in the ensuing years he held the responsibilities of the theological education of the clergy, youth ministries, and other duties related to theological conferences in Greece and abroad. In 1977, he earned a Th.D. in Theology from the University of Athens.

From 1983 to 1993, the Bishop of Vresthena was the Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies and Christian Origins at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. Serving as a faculty member for more than a decade, he taught many of America's Greek Orthodox clergy. He also taught at Harvard Divinity School as a Visiting Professor of New Testament during the academic years of 1984 to 1985 and from 1988 to 1989. After several years in the United States, he returned to Greece in 1993 to pursue full-time scholarly writing and research. At the same time, he resumed his responsibilities at the Archdiocese of Athens.

Elected Archbishop of America in 1999 by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical

Patriarchate, Archbishop Demetrios was enthroned on September 18, 1999 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City. As Archbishop of America, he leads a church of more than one and a half million Greek Orthodox Christians in the United States. He has done so with distinction, and in so doing has made enormous contributions to our Nation and our world.

I ask that my colleagues join me in saluting the Pan-Macedonian Studies Center and its distinguished honoree, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios.