Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to show my support for the goals of a National Siblings Day for all Americans, a day to honor our sisters and brothers for the many ways in which they enrich our lives. This occasion would give us the opportunity to show appreciation for our siblings, much the same way that Mother's Day and Father's Day are celebrated, and completes the celebration of the whole family. One of my Manhattan constituents, Claudia Evart, has worked tirelessly to encourage everyone to honor their siblings on April 10th each year.

April 10th marks the birthday of Claudia's sister Lisette, who died tragically in 1972 at age 19 in a car accident that also killed their father. An additional tragedy struck in 1987, when Ms. Evart's older brother, Alan, died in an accident in his home. He was 36 years old.

Siblings make an important contribution to who we are. Often, when our parents are gone, our siblings are our only remaining family. And, sometimes, as in the case of my constituent Claudia Evart, Siblings Day will help us remember siblings whom we have lost at an early age.

I applaud these past 12 years of hard work by Claudia Evart who has created a loving tribute to her deceased siblings with her work to establish a National Siblings Day. Her inspired work should serve as a lesson to us all. Since 1998, 31 governors have issued gubernatorial proclamations in their states for Siblings Day: AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, FL,

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill. It is long overdue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act.

This bill requires group health plans to cover mental health and substance-related disorders the same way they cover medical and surgical disorders.

It's time we permanently end discrimination on the basis of illness.

We all know that mental illness is just like any physical illness. But we would never think of limiting treatment for cancer, heart disease, or diabetes.

People would be outraged.

So, it's amazing to me that some people still see mental illness as different and separate from physical illness.

In New York City, since 9/11, we have all seen an increase in the number of people seeking mental health services.

No one should feel ashamed for seeking needed healthcare and no one should be denied care simply because they cannot afford it.

More than ever, our returning soldiers, our firefighters, and our police officers, are suffering from traumatic events and need the proper care.

Our soldiers are coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental health problems.

Too often, the stigma associated with mental health prevents them from seeking the care they so desperately need.

In my own district, our police officers and others are still coping with the horrors they witnessed after the tragedy of 9/11.

Thanks to the New York City Police Foundation's program, Project COPE, civilian and uniform members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) are able to access mental health services.

Project COPE is an example of an outside group providing mental health services because too many people are going without proper treatment.

I am proud that today, as a bipartisan body, we will pass legislation that will help ease access to treatment and will help millions of people and their families battling mental illness.

Madam Speaker, I rise to ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the ribbon cutting for New York Eye and Ear Infirmary's Ear Institute. This spacious new facility, located on the 9th Floor of 380 Second Avenue, will provide hope to thousands of individuals who are suffering from hearing loss.

The Ear Institute is a state-of-the-art facility that brings together ear specialty services from the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Beth Israel Medical Center and the Children's Hearing Institute. The $2.7 million renovation encompasses 15,150 square feet and will provide care to approximately 15,000 patients each year. A center of excellence in auditory health care, it includes a Hearing and Learning Center, the Cochlear Implant Center, a Hearing and Balance Disorders Center and a Vestibular Rehabilitation Center. The Institute's physicians will include specialists in otology and neurotology, as well as some of the world's most respected medical researchers in otolaryngology.

Hearing loss is America's number one birth defect and a leading cause of disability affecting 28 million Americans of all ages. Most adults over age 60 lose approximately 1 percent of their hearing annually, making hearing loss one of the most universal problems of aging. Hearing loss leaves people isolated from the community and unable to participate in many activities. Using innovative technology, the Ear Institute can literally transform the quality of people's lives. At the Ear Institute ribbon-cutting, I met profoundly deaf individuals who, thanks to innovative techniques used by the Infirmary's exceptional medical staff, were now able to hear, including children who could hear well enough to participate in mainstream classrooms, adults who who were able to return to their jobs, and seniors who were able to enjoy a better quality of life.

The Ear Institute will build on the excellent programs that the Infirmary has offered for many years. The Infirmary's Cochlear Implant Center is one of the largest in the United States, and participates in numerous national and international research protocols. The Infirmary pioneered innovative procedures that have restored hearing to thousands of profoundly deaf individuals, including infants as young as six months and adults.

The Infirmary also specializes in diagnostic services for people with hearing and balance disorders, and the new Ear Institute is equipped with some of the latest technology for helping diagnose problems, including rotational chair testing, dynamic Platform Posturography, pure tone and speech audiometry, advanced auditory brainstem and middle latency testing.

Founded in 1820, the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary is the oldest specialty hospital in the Western Hemisphere and was the first hospital to provide clinical training to medical students. The Infirmary is currently a teaching hospital affiliated with New York Medical College. With more than 20 residents and fellows graduating each year, it is considered one of the finest training programs for ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists in the world today.

With some of the most advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities available anywhere in the world, the Infirmary is often the first user of innovative technology, such as the first clinical high-resolution ultrasound biomicroscope in the United States. The Infirmary performs more than 23,000 surgical procedures and treats approximately 142,000 people on an outpatient basis each year. Its Eye Trauma Center treats more emergency eye cases than any other facility in New York.

Madam Speaker, I ask my distinguished colleagues to join me in recognizing the exceptional achievements of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and in celebrating the opening day of its new state-of-the- art Ear Institute.

Madam Speaker, yesterday, the United States Congress lost a dear friend, a true humanitarian, and a real statesman, Chairman Tom Lantos of California.

I extend my deepest sympathies to Tom's dedicated wife Annette, his daughters Annette and Katrina, and to his many grandchildren and great- grandchildren. We are thinking of them during this difficult time and hope they will find solace in knowing that their husband, father, and grandfather was a true hero and role model for so many of the people he touched.

Chairman Lantos was unrelenting in his lifelong commitment to defending the oppressed. He decisively chose to serve his fellow human beings, often at great personal risk to himself. After escaping from Nazi labor camps in World War II, young Tom fought in the underground Nazi resistance and continued to fight for justice. His ability to triumph through tragedy is truly inspirational.

Tom embodied the American dream. In the summer of 1947, Tom was awarded a scholarship to study in the United States. He arrived in New York City with no money and only a Hungarian salami which was quickly seized by U.S. customs officials. With his incredible persistence and deep intellect, he soon earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. Tom was always thankful for the opportunities given to him by the United States and America is blessed to have had such a loyal citizen and distinguished leader.

Continuing his dedication to others, Tom served the American public and people of the world as an exemplary Member of Congress. He founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and most recently served as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Standing by his convictions, Tom was arrested at the Embassy of Sudan for protesting human rights violations in Darfur. As a result of this brave action, the President renewed his call for a stronger international presence in Darfur. Tom continually defended those too often ignored by the international community. People of the world are indebted to him for his strong leadership in promoting human rights.

I am honored to have served in Congress with Congressman Lantos and to have worked together on significant legislation defending the international human rights of women. His support was paramount to the achievement of many gains for women's human rights.

Together, we were able to provide direct assistance to advance the status of women in Afghanistan. We also collaborated on landmark legislation to stop human trafficking. I am deeply grateful for his commitment to the women of the world.

Chairman Tom Lantos will always be remembered with respect and gratitude. He consistently gave voice to the voiceless and was their champion. His legacy of upholding human dignity will continue to inspire future generations of Americans.

Madam Speaker, Robin Danielson's two daughters will never forget the tragic day in Speaker, 1998 when their mother died at the age of 44. Nor will they forget the preventable illness that killed her.

Like thousands of others, Robin Danielson was the victim of Toxic Shock Syndrome, TSS, a rare but potentially life-threatening illness that is often linked to high-absorbency tampon use. Robin's death could have been prevented if only she had recognized the symptoms. Yet, even today, many women are not fully aware of the risks of tampon use or

I thank the gentlemen for yielding the time, and I appreciate their leadership.

Madam Speaker, today we will vote on an important bipartisan achievement, an economic stimulus package that is truly timely, temporary and targeted. Under the plan, more than 100 million families squeezed by the high cost of basic living expenses will get a meaningful tax rebate, and it is targeted to those families most in need. Millions of families can get help to avoid losing their homes, and small

businesses can take advantage of tax cuts that will help spur investment and job creation.

This package will provide a boost to the economy by putting hundreds of dollars into the hands of middle and lower income families who will generate demand without the fear of igniting inflation.

Our plan also temporarily raises the mortgage lending limits for FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac to increase affordable refinancing options for those facing foreclosure and to inject much needed liquidity into the housing markets.

I regret that many of the aspects of the FHA reform were cut out of the bill, and we hope to have them passed in the Senate. These efforts build on the hard work of Democrats in Congress to help families stay in their homes and to prevent other crises like this from happening in the future.

This package is an important first step, but there is much more to do. We will keep fighting to restore the American Dream and to help America's hardworking families.

Madam Speaker, a new report by the Joint Economic Committee shows 1 million more children a year may need public health insurance due to the worsening economic conditions, even apart from the growing trend in coverage in our Nation. But State budgets are already strained by the weak national economy and the growing housing crisis.

This is a perfect storm that can be avoided, if Congress votes today to override the President's veto of legislation that would bring health care to 10 million children in need.

Over the next 5 years, our bill would preserve coverage for more than 6 million children currently covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program and extend coverage to nearly 4 million children who are currently uninsured.

I urge my colleagues today to vote to override the President's veto of children's health insurance.

Mr. Speaker, a new report by the Joint Economic Committee shows that a million more children a year may need public health insurance due to worsening economic conditions, even apart from the growing trend in public coverage.

If history is any guide, an economic downturn will lead to substantial increases in the demand for children's health and Medicaid, including some 70,000 additional children in each year of a downturn in my home State of New York.

Yet the administration is proposing a range of cutbacks to these programs that will make the problem even more severe. And State budgets are already strained by the weak national economy and the growing housing crisis.

This is a perfect economic storm that can be avoided if Congress votes today or tomorrow to override the President's veto of legislation that would bring health care to 10 million children in need.

Over the next 5 years, our bill would preserve coverage for the more than 6 million children currently covered by children's health care and extend coverage to nearly 4 million children who are currently uninsured. Overriding the President's veto of SCHIP reauthorization would guarantee sufficient funding levels for the Children's Health Program to serve future enrollment needs. Additional Medicaid assistance to the States would also provide shelter from the coming economic storm. Increasing the Federal Medicaid match percentage to the States as part of a stimulus package would help ease the blow of the economic slowdown on our children, families, and States.

I urge my colleagues to override the President's veto of children's health care tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, Along with Representatives John Conyers and Lamar Smith, I am introducing ``The Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2008.'' I have been working on the issue of DNA technology since 2001 when I, along with former Representative Steve Horn, held a hearing in the Government Reform Committee where we heard from a courageous rape survivor, Debbie Smith. Debbie recounted her horrifying story . . . how on a Friday afternoon in March 1989, she was in the kitchen of her home in Virginia, when a masked intruder broke in and blindfolded and robbed her. He then took her to the woods nearby and savagely raped her. Years later, Debbie learned that DNA processing techniques had produced a ``cold hit'' identifying her assailant, who had been jailed 6 months after her assault for another crime. He was charged with Debbie's rape in 1995, freeing Debbie from a life of fear.

It was for Debbie, and the thousands of rape survivors like her, that I authored a bill to provide Federal funding to process the unconscionable backlog of DNA evidence. Originally introduced in 2001, ``The Debbie Smith Act'' was signed into law in 2004 as part of ``The Justice for All Act,'' comprehensive legislation that ensured that DNA evidence could be used to convict the guilty and free the innocent.

Since 2004, millions of dollars in funding have been appropriated under the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program to process thousands of unprocessed DNA evidence kits across the country. Because this groundbreaking program's authorization expires at the end of FY2009, ``The Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2008'' extends the program through FY2014.

According to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, every 2 minutes someone is sexually assaulted somewhere in the United States. DNA evidence does not forget and it cannot be intimidated. By processing this evidence, we can prevent rapists from attacking more innocent victims and ensure that the survivors and their families receive justice.

Madam Speaker, when Congress considers competing proposals to stimulate the economy, why not take a businesslike approach and consider the ``metrics'' of previous efforts? When the current administration took office, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 10,587. Yesterday, it was 12,472, representing a gain of 18 percent over 7 years. Unemployment and poverty rates are higher. Our debt is staggering. Our trade deficit is the highest in history.

During the previous Democratic administration, the Dow Jones Industrials rose 328 percent over an 8-year period. Unemployment fell every year, millions were lifted out of poverty, and we achieved a budget surplus.

So this time around, ask yourself, which model works for me? Which model was better? I think the facts speak for themselves.

Madam Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and chairing this important subcommittee and her hard work on this bill, along with Chairman Frank, and I rise in very strong support of the revitalization, reauthorization of an important program,

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the PanPaphian Association of America for its tremendous contributions to our cultural and civic life. Founded two decades ago by Hellenic Cypriot Americans of Paphian ancestry, the Association has carried out its vital educational and humanitarian mission while helping promote peace and understanding on the occupied island of Cyprus.

The PanPaphian Association of American is holding its annual dinner- dance this month, at which its members will honor Mr. Nikos Tziazas with the Evagoras Pallikarides Award. Born in Paphos, Mr. Tziazas immigrated to the United States in 1979 after graduating from high school and serving more than two years in the Cypriot National Guard as an artillery officer. While in college, he became an active member of the Zenon Association; general secretary and a member of the soccer team at the Eleftheria Football Club; and an active member of the Cypriot Students Association. After graduating from St. Francis College with a degree in management and finance in 1986, Nikos Tziazas started his first company, National Mortgage Finders, and simultaneously began coaching soccer at the Eleftheria Pancyprian Youth association. In 2006, he became president of its soccer club. Under his leadership, the club became one of the largest and most successful in the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League and in the community of persons of Hellenic descent. In 2005 he served as president of the Panpaphian Association. Currently Nicos Tziazas is president of Lyons General Insurance Agency, and remains active in youth activities as president of the Eleftheria Pancyprian Youth Soccer Club. He is a devoted to his wife, Kalina, and his children, Kristothea and Nicholas.

The PanPaphian Association is bestowing its Distinguished Fellow Cyprian Award on Despina Axiotakis. She was born in Asgata, Limassol on Cyprus, where her father, Kyriacos Ioannou, was well known as the ``Palikari'' for exhibiting tremendous feats of strength. With her family, she immigrated here in 1956. After her education at the Traphagen School of Fashion, she entered the business world and today serves as president of Axiocom Productions, a firm specializing in public relations.

Despina Axiotakis became active in the political arena, serving the presidential campaigns of Governors Michael Dukakis and Bill Clinton. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Greek Children's Fund and the Church of the Assumption in Windham, New York. While serving as president of the Asgata Association Cyprus Woman's Division, she founded the Asgata Youth and Dance Division that included teaching the group Hellenic and Cypriot dances. In addition, she was the editor of the ``Asgata Newsletter'' for more than eight years. She serves as general secretary of the Cyprus Federation of America, a position she has held for more than 15 years. At the same time she has served as executive director of the Cyprus United States Chamber of Commerce. Despina is devoted to her husband, John, their 2 children, Lucas and Irene, and their 5 grandchildren.

The PanPaphian Association is honoring as its ``Member of the Year'' Mr. Michael Ioannou Michaels. Born in Kalavasos, Cyprus, he immigrated to the United States at the age of 21 and began working on ships as a welder. Mr. Michaels eventually started his own construction company. Although he adopted the United States as his new home, he never lost the connection with his native country, and became involved in several organizations such as the Cyprus Federation of America, the PanPaphian Association, and Kalavasos Fraternity, which he serves as acting president, and also participates in the Pancyprian soccer team and the Cyprian dance group. One of his most noteworthy contributions to civic life is his generous and selfless devotion to the Rachel Cooper Foundation, which enables children with congenital heart disease from Cyprus and other countries to be flown to the U.S. for urgent medical care. Although he recently lost his beloved wife Olympia, Mr. Michaels remains devoted to her memory and to his daughter, Martha, and her husband, Andy.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues rise to join me in paying tribute to the PanPaphian Association of America and all its good works.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Angie Markham, a great American who serves as the Executive Director of the Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Queens, Inc. Angie Markham is devoted to her family and her community. In recognition of her selfless dedication to the well-being of others, she was honored by the Taminent Regular Democratic Club of the Borough of Queens in New York City at its 76th Annual Dinner Dance.

Next year will mark two full decades of distinguished service by Angie Markham as Executive Director of the Federation of Italian- American Organizations of Queens, Inc. As the leader of the Federation, Angie Markham has developed and managed countless worthwhile initiatives that have provided essential services to the community. These include an annual Columbus Day Parade in Queens; a surplus food distribution program; an annual 5-Kilometer Run to Help Fight Drug Abuse; Italian Heritage Cultural Month festivities coordinated with the office of the Queens Borough President, St. John's University, and several other community-based organizations; soccer camps, clinics, and tournaments for area youth; weekly cultural and entertainment events every summer in Athens Square Park in Astoria; classes in Italian language and culture, English as a second language, and civics. While devoting her time and attention to this incredible range of activities, Angie Markham has also remained devoted to her family as a beloved wife and mother.

In recognition of her many outstanding contributions to the community, Angie Markham has been honored by numerous organizations and leaders. She has been honored by the Queens Borough President's office, by State Senator George Onorato, by State Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, and by New York City Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr., as well by numerous government agencies and civic associations.

In being honored by the Taminent Regular Democratic Club, Angie Markham's achievements were recognized by one of the largest and most vibrant political and civic organizations in our nation's greatest city. The Taminent Club represents voters in the neighborhoods of Astoria and Long Island City in the New York State Assembly's 36th District and is led by its able District Leaders, the Honorable Gloria DeMarco Aloise and the Honorable George Onorato. The Taminent Club proudly carries the banner of the world's oldest political party in one of the most diverse counties in the United States of America. Borough of Queens.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in recognizing the outstanding contributions to our cultural and civic life made by Angie Markham.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Nick Tenaglia, a native son of Astoria in Queens who has dedicated his energies throughout his life to serving others. In recognition of his selfless dedication to his community, Nick Tenaglia was honored by the Taminent Regular Democratic Club of the Borough of Queens in New York City at its 76th Annual Dinner Dance.

A lifelong Astoria resident, Nick Tenaglia has distinguished himself both for his service to the community and for his proficiency as an outdoorsman and nature lover. After graduating from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Elementary School and LaSalle Academy, he chose a career in the building trades. Nick Tenaglia joined the Carpenters Union, where he served an apprenticeship for four years. In 1985, he joined the staff of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and eight years later was promoted to Supervisor.

It was fitting that Mr. Tenaglia made his professional home at the municipal agency charged with protecting the beautiful and diverse natural environment of the New York City metropolitan area, because he is an avid and skilled angler and marksman. In 1997 and 1998, Nick Tenaglia was named the New York City Fresh Water Fishing Champion, and he has also earned awards from the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. He regularly participates in New York State Rifle and Pistol Club competitions. In his spare time, he can frequently be found at his property in the Pocono Mountains.

In being honored by the Taminent Regular Democratic Club, Nick Tenaglia's achievements were recognized by one of the largest and most vibrant political and civic organizations in our nation's greatest city. The Taminent Club represents voters in the neighborhoods of Astoria and Long Island City in the New York State Assembly's 36th District and is led by its able District Leaders, the Honorable Gloria DeMarco Aloise and the Honorable George Onorato, a distinguished New York State Senator. The Taminent Club, which Mr. Tenaglia serves as a Member of the Board of Directors and as Sergeant-at-Arms, proudly carries the banner of the world's oldest political party in one of the most diverse counties in the United States of America. Borough of Queens.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in recognizing the outstanding contributions to the community made by Nick Tenaglia.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Antonio Meloni, a tireless, energetic and effective civic activist. Antonio Meloni is devoted to his community and his family, and in recognition of his selfless dedication to the well-being of others, he was honored by the Taminent Regular Democratic Club of the Borough of Queens in New York City at its 76th Annual Dinner Dance.

A resident of Astoria for forty-two years, Antonio Meloni has distinguished himself for his outstanding service to the community. He has been a leader in local crime-fighting and neighborhood beautification efforts, working with at-risk youth in the Second Chance Task Force, serving as an instructor in women's self-defense courses, and working to prevent and clean up the urban blight of graffiti. Mr. Meloni has been extraordinarily active in numerous civic organizations, ranging from the Astoria-Long Island City Kiwanis Club; the 114th Precinct Community Council; the local New York City Community Emergency Response Team; the Variety Boys and Girls Club; the Knights of Columbus; the Church of the Immaculate Conception, where he serves as a Minister of Welcome; the Astoria Civic Association, which he currently serves as Vice President; and Queens Community Board 1, on which he has chaired the Public Safety Committee for many years, among many other organizations. Of Antonio Meloni's many accomplishments in service to the community, one of which he is particularly proud is the design and completion of the ``Greater Love Than This'' memorial to veterans of our nation's armed forces, a monument that is located next to the existing World War I Memorial in Astoria Park. In recognition of his many civic contributions, Mr. Meloni has been honored over the years by former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, the New York State Crime Prevention Coalition, the New York City Council, and numerous community organizations.

Next year will mark two full decades of distinguished service by Antonio Meloni as Executive Director of Immigration Advocacy Services. In this capacity, he has developed and managed countless worthwhile initiatives that have provided essential services to new arrivals to our nation's greatest city. While devoting his time and attention to this incredible range of activities, Antonio Meloni has also remained devoted to his beloved family, including his wife Denise and his two children Michael and Angela.

In being honored by the Taminent Regular Democratic Club, Antonio Meloni's achievements were recognized by one of the largest and most vibrant political and civic organizations in our nation's greatest city. The Taminent Club represents voters in the neighborhoods of Astoria and Long Island City in the New York State Assembly's 36th District and is led by its able District Leaders, the Honorable Gloria DeMarco Aloise and the Honorable George Onorato, a distinguished New York State Senator. The Taminent Club proudly carries the banner of the world's oldest political party in one of the most diverse counties in the United States of America. Borough of Queens.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in recognizing the outstanding contributions to our cultural and civic life made by Antonio Meloni.