Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served our nation by paying the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom and democracy.

While we should honor all our nation's veterans both living and dead throughout the year, on this particular Memorial Day, we pay tribute to the nation's World War II veterans. On May 29th, the World War II memorial, a fitting tribute to ``the Greatest Generation,'' will be dedicated on the National Mall. Hundreds of thousands of World War II veterans and their families will visit the memorial which is a permanent reminder to us and to future generations that the sacrifices made by the soldiers who served overseas, their families, and the Americans who were on the homefront, saved the world from tyranny. From the beaches of Normandy to the Battle of Midway to the construction of the China-Burma-India Road, these soldiers fought for a cause bigger than themselves.

One of these heroes, Michel Thomas, resides in my congressional district and recently was awarded the Silver Star for his extraordinary courage during World War II. I, along with Senator John McCain (R-AZ), worked with the Department of Defense on Mr. Thomas's behalf so that he finally would receive the honor he so justly deserves.

Michel Thomas was born in Poland to a Jewish family with a thriving textile business. In 1933, he fled Hitler's regime in Germany for France. Thomas last saw his family in 1937. He later learned they were all murdered at Auschwitz.

During the war, he survived two years of concentration and slave labor camps in Vichy France and narrowly escaped deportation to Auschwitz. He joined the Secret Army of the French Resistance, where he was active for two years as a commando leader. In 1943, Thomas was caught by and escaped from Klaus Barbie, the notorious Butcher of Lyon. The next year Thomas served in Combat Intelligence in the 180th Regiment of the U.S. Army 45th Division, The Thunderbirds, and was nominated for the Silver Star for his bravery.

On April 29, 1945, Thomas, an agent in the U.S. Army's Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC), arrived at Dachau concentration camp on the day of liberation. Thomas interrogated and photographed the crematorium workers. Two days later Thomas captured the ``Hangman of Dachau,'' Emil Mahl, who was subsequently convicted of war crimes.

In early May 1945, Thomas tracked a convoy of trucks to a paper mill outside Munich, where he rescued from destruction the Nazi Party's worldwide membership card file of over ten million members. The Nazi leadership had shipped the cards, along with tons of other important Third Reich government documents, to be pulped in the final days of the war. These documents became the heart of the collections of the U.S.- run Berlin Document Center, and were crucial in the Nuremberg war crimes trials and in the denazification of Germany.

In 1946, Thomas helped to capture Gustav Knittel, who was convicted of war crimes for

his role in the Malmedy massacre of American POWs at the Battle of the Bulge. I am proud to honor Michel Thomas for his heroism.

On Memorial Day, it is fitting that we honor all the men and women of the Armed Forces who have served their nation throughout history including those who are currently risking their lives around the world, including in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have been to both countries twice and have visited with soldiers from New York and across the country. I especially want to note the contributions of the 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum under General Austin's leadership, and the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Division of the New York Army National Guard, located in my district, who just shipped out to Iraq on Monday. While they are serving in Iraq, I will be fighting to pass legislation to ensure that they receive full military retirement credit for their days of service at Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

I am pleased to note that today we are passing legislation to correct a longstanding inequity in survivor benefits for the spouses of our fallen veterans. The ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005'' provides for a 5-year phase-in to eliminate the Widow's Tax. This unfair tax penalizes the widows and widowers of military retirees by reducing their Survivor Benefit Plan benefit from 55 percent of the retiree's pension to 35 percent once they reach age 62, normally the same age she or he is eligible for Social Security. The Social Security benefit the surviving spouse receives is often less than the reduction in the benefit, which results in a net loss of income. This legislation brings long overdue relief to the surviving spouses.

I will continue to support the members of Armed Forces in every way that I can. We owe all of them a debt of gratitude which we can never repay. They helped to make this country what it is today, and they have brought peace to other nations across the globe.

I would like to thank my colleagues from New York Representatives Rangel and Walsh for organizing today's moment of silence for America's fallen soldiers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the achievements of the Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza and the Turtle Bay Association, who on May 22, 2004 will unveil in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza Park a bench once owned by the late actress Katherine Hepburn. The ceremony will not only honor Ms. Hepburn's incomparable career, but will also recognize her role as a conservationist and community leader in the Turtle Bay neighborhood.

The bench will be placed in an area of Dag Hammarskjold Park that in 1997 was dedicated to the late actress and renamed the Katherine Hepburn Garden. The garden, built during an extensive renovation of the park, has since become a gathering place for Turtle Bay residents, many of whom were longtime neighbors of Ms. Hepburn and knew her personally. The garden includes a collection of stepping stones engraved with quotes from some of Ms. Hepburn's most memorable movie roles; additionally, Ms. Hepburn's biography is posted at the garden's entrance. I am quite certain that Ms. Hepburn, who was an avid gardener, would be very pleased with how the garden's abundant shade plants have provided her neighborhood of over 60 years with a lovely, tranquil green space--a rarity indeed amid the bustle of midtown Manhattan.

Following the garden's dedication, George Vellonakis, the park's architect, and Millie Margiotta, a board member of the Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza and a longtime member of my District Office staff, toured Ms. Hepburn's Fenwick, Connecticut estate and chatted with Ms. Hepburn on the very bench that will be dedicated on May 22. 1 am so grateful that this wonderful piece of history, which at one time was scheduled to be sold at auction, will now be available for the public to enjoy.

During the upcoming ceremony, Bill Curtis, the President of the Turtle Bay Association, will share fond memories of Ms. Hepburn's efforts to save the Turtle Bay neighborhood's trees when city planners sought to widen 49th Street, along which Ms. Hepburn's townhouse sits. Though she was protective of her privacy, Ms. Hepburn actively supported the Turtle Bay Association's appeals to preserve the character of her neighborhood for future generations to enjoy.

Mr. Speaker, I request that my colleagues join me in honoring the Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Park and the Turtle Bay Association, whose ongoing efforts to preserve the Turtle Bay neighborhood are a fitting tribute to the legacy of a true American icon, the late Katherine Hepburn. To the dedicated volunteers and friends of these fine organizations, I offer my continuing admiration, respect and support.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the achievements of the New York Blood Center (NYBC). On the evening of May 19, 2004, the NYBC will unveil its Wall of Honor, which recognizes the many generous donors--both financial and medical--who make possible the Blood Center's tremendous contributions to the public good. The Wall of Honor will also commemorate the Blood Center's forty years of outstanding service to our community, our nation and our world.

The Blood Center has long been an indispensable part of the New York community. Over the last four decades, the NYBC has become one of America's largest community-based, non-profit blood centers. Each year, it provides life-saving blood products and clinical transfusion services to more than one million patients, in over two hundred New York and New Jersey hospitals. In addition, the Center's Solvent Detergent Viral Inactivation Process has improved the safety of more than twenty billion units of blood-derived products distributed worldwide.

The Blood Center has also become a nationally-recognized center for medical education. The NYBC has trained more than 100 physician professionals through its transfusion medicine fellowship, and has offered clinical training to over 400 medical students and 300 laboratory technicians. In all, more than 30 percent of New York and New Jersey blood bank directors have received specialized training from the New York Blood Center. By any measure, the foregoing statistics represent a truly astonishing record of achievement. The clinicians, staff and contributors of the NYBC should be extremely proud of these accomplishments.

As we take time to celebrate the NYBC's history, we must also acknowledge the Blood Center's efforts to meet new and often daunting challenges. As you may know, the New York region is currently facing a critical shortage of blood. The NYBC estimates that the demand for transfusions will easily exceed the Center's projected supply during the coming summer months. The Center has urged local community groups, schools and churches to organize blood drives to forestall interruptions in major medical services this summer. These difficulties make it all the more necessary for the New York community to continue to support the NYBC's noble efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I request that my colleagues join me in paying tribute to the New York Blood Center, whose forward-thinking initiatives to promote the public's health and well-being are truly worthy of celebration. To the dedicated professionals, volunteers and friends of this fine organization, I offer my continuing admiration, respect and support.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 63rd anniversary of the Battle of Crete. Last year, I introduced H. Res. 244 which recognizes and appreciates the historical significance of the people of Crete during World War II.

This is a historic event with direct significance to the Allies' victory of World War II. On May 20, 1941, thousands of German paratroopers and gliders began landing on Crete. Both the Allies and Nazis wanted Crete because of its strategic location. At that time the British controlled the island. It was a very strong point on the lifeline to India and protected both Palestine and Egypt.

The Nazi invasion force included the elite German paratroopers and glider troops. Hitler felt this was to be an easy victory, yet he is quoted to have said shortly after the invasion, ``France fell in 8 days. Why is Crete free?''

The invasion of Crete took 11 days. It resulted in more than 6,000 German troopers listed as killed, wounded or missing in action. The losses to the elite 7th parachute division were felt so hard by the German Military it signified the end of large-scale airborne operations.

This valiant fight by the Cretan people began in the first hour of the Nazi airborne invasion, in contrast to the European underground movements that took a year or more after being invaded to activate.

Young boys, old men and women displayed breathtaking bravery in defending their Crete. German soldiers never got used to Cretan women fighting them. They would tear the dress from the shoulders of suspected women to find bruises from the recoil of the rifle. The penalty was death.

The Times (London) July 28, 1941, reported that ``five hundred Cretan women have been deported to Germany for taking part in the defense of their native island.''

Another surprise for the German soldiers who invaded Crete was the heroic resistance of the clergy. A priest leading his parishioners into battle was not what the Germans anticipated. At Paleochora, Father Stylianos Frantzeskis, hearing of the German airborne invasion, rushed to his church, sounded the bell, took his rifle and marched his volunteers toward Maleme to write history.

This struggle became an example for all Europe to follow in defying German occupation and aggression.

The price paid by the Cretans for their valiant resistance to Nazi forces was high. Thousands of civilians died from random executions, starvation, and imprisonment. Entire communities were burned and destroyed by the Germans as a reprisal for the Cretan resistance movement. Yet this resistance lasted for four years.

The battle of Crete was to change the final outcome of World War II. The Battle of Crete

significantly contributed in delaying Hitler's plan to invade Russia. The invasion was delayed from April to June of 1941. The 2-month delay in the invasion made Hitler's forces face the Russian winter.

The Russian snowstorms and the sub zero temperatures eventually stalled the Nazi invasion before they could take Moscow or Leningrad. This was the beginning of the downfall of the Nazi reign of terror.

This significant battle and the heroic drive of the Cretan people must always be remembered and honored.

Democracy came from Greece and the Cretan heroes exemplified the courage it takes to preserve it.

Today, the courage and fortitude of the Cretan people is seen in the members of the United Cretan Associations of New York which is located in Astoria, Queens.

I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the Cretans in the United States, Greece, and the diaspora.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues today to honor the thousands of courageous women of the United States Armed Forces. In particular, I am pleased to honor the 5 courageous women who were chosen to be honored by the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues at the 7th Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. These 5 women are:

Command Sergeant Major Debra Strickland of the United States Army;

Master Chief Storekeeper Kelly D. Williams of the United States Navy;

Chief Master Sergeant Margaret C. Burgess of the United States Air Force;

Sergeant Major Barbara J. Titus of the United States Marine Corps;

Senior Chief Store Keeper Corzetta ``Cozy'' Calloway of the United States Coast Guard.

I join my colleagues in commending these women for their bravery and self-sacrifice.

Today, women are making great contributions to our military. There are approximately 212,000 women serving the United States in the Armed Forces, including 33 women generals. For the past 10 years, women have served in combat positions. As women become a larger presence in all areas of the United States military, like their male colleagues, they are risking their lives for our country. As of April 30, 18 United States women soldiers have died in Iraq. This is a higher number of female casualties in any war since World War II. We all owe a great debt to our servicewomen who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Today, as many women in uniform are deployed overseas, it is especially appropriate to honor them and show that their service to our country is greatly appreciated and respected. It is an honor for me to recognize the worthy accomplishments of these particular 5 outstanding military women, those servicewomen who have died in service to our country, and all of the women who currently serve or have served in the United States military.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) for including my amendment in the en bloc amendments.

My amendment directs the Secretary of Defense to eliminate the backlog in rape and sexual assault evidence collection kits, reduce the processing time of those kits, and provide an adequate supply of those kits at all domestic and overseas military installations and military academies.

This amendment is similar to legislation this House passed earlier with the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce) that uses DNA technology to really convict rapists and to put them behind bars.

We know from the Department of Defense report that there are many kits that are gathering dust, that are not being processed. We know that rapists will strike up to eight times according to the FBI. They rate it the second worst crime preceded only by murder. And it is unconscionable that these are not being processed.

This merely helps convictions and helps protect men and women in the military. I thank very much the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) for working to have this included.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for the time.

There are currently over 20,000 women serving overseas. Each one of these women deserves the best available health care services; but under current law, women serving overseas effectively lose their constitutional right to choose at U.S. military bases where they literally cannot even pay for this medical procedure with their own money.

This amendment reverses a discriminatory policy against women. While women are bravely serving this country overseas, some Members of this body, many of whom have never served in the military, are voting to take away the constitutional rights that they enjoy in this country. It is wrong to take away their rights merely because they are in the military service.

Let us put this vote in perspective. It is one of over 200 anti- choice, anti-woman votes that have passed this Congress since the Republican majority took control in 1994.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the budget.

Mr. Speaker, over the past three years, fiscal recklessness has reigned over this House. Record surpluses have been molded into record deficits. Sensible spending has been overtaken by a bloated budget. Discipline and prosperity have been shoved aside for irresponsibility and mismanagement. Now comes today's budget conference report--an opportunity to acknowledge Federal misspending by establishing budget enforcement rules for, at the very least, the next 5 years. Instead, ``pay-as-you-go'' has been adopted for 1 year only, but there is no way to untangle this fiscal mess in 1 year. Perhaps our friends on the other side of the aisle realized that the voting public, in fact, embraces fiscal discipline. Perhaps they want to give the appearance of a balanced budget to score points in November. Unfortunately for our country, mere appearances won't fix this mess, and they won't create jobs. This thinly-veiled attempt at election-year discipline is far too little and far too late. Is our government's budget better off today than it was 4 years ago? Not by a long shot, and this conference reports is not going to do anything to change that any time soon. And that's why I am voting ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, on May 17, 2004, I missed rollcall vote No. 177. Rollcall vote No. 177 was on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 420, a resolution applauding the men and women who keep America moving and recognizing National Transportation Week.

Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 177.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Waxman- Tierney amendment, which would create an expert commission to study the politicization of science and make recommendations on how to protect science from political interference in the decision-making process.

This is an extremely important bill. It should have bipartisan support. We need our decisions to be based on science, not politics. Yet too often the decisions that are coming forward really overrule the recommendations of the scientists for a political goal or a certain ideology. For one example, 2 weeks ago, the FDA denied an application to allow the sale of Plan B emergency contraception and give it over- the-counter status. In this case, the science was very, very clear; and the FDA's own advisory panel voted 27 to zero that Plan B could be safely sold as an over-the-counter medication.

It then voted 23 to 4 to recommend that the FDA approve the application to make it available over the counter, but the FDA's commissioner ignored this determination and overruled the opinion of his own expert panelists. He was in conflict with the science and the experts.

I must say that according to the New England Journal of Medicine, the FDA's decision has no scientific basis. Editors wrote that ``a treatment for any other condition, from hangnail to headache to heart disease, with a similar record of safety would be approved quickly and immediately.''

So this really is a horrific decision. It flies in the face of science.

Mr. Chairman, the following are several news articles that have appeared in major newspapers and letters of support from Planned Parenthood and NARAL in support of the Waxman-Tierney amendment.

Planned Parenthood

Federation of America, Inc.,

Washington, DC, May 18, 2004.

Dear Representative: Today, Representatives Waxman and

Tierney will offer an amendment to H.R. 2432, the Paperwork

and Regulatory Improvements Act. The amendment would create

an expert commission to study the politicization of science

and make recommendations on how to protect science from

political and ideological manipulation and interference.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America strongly urges you

to support this amendment.

Over the past few years an alarming amount of decisions

that should have been decided on scientific merits have been

politicized. Ideology has crept into all aspects of the

government's decision-making on science. Some of the most

egregious offenses have affected women's health and well-

being. The most recent example is the Food and Drug

Administration's (FDA), the gold-standard for scientific

integrity, denial of Plan B emergency contraception's (EC)

over-the-counter status. This major public health setback was

politics at its worst. There is no scientific reason to

restrict access to this safe, effective backup method of

contraception. This decision flied in the face of a joint

hearing of the FDA Nonprescription Drugs and Reproductive

Health Drugs Advisory Committees recommendation of 23 to 4

that the FDA make EC available over the counter. Virtually

all major medical and health care organizations, including

the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,

support making EC available without a prescription.

In addition, in October 2002 Department of Health and Human

Services web sites removed medically accurate information

about condom effectiveness and the lack of a proven link

between abortion and breast cancer. Then in November 2002,

the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Web site posts a

``revised'' that suggests an unproved link between abortion

and breast cancer, a link that has been soundly refuted.

These attempts to replace science with ideology deserve

investigation and Representatives Waxman and Tierney's

amendment to set-up an expert commission to do just that

deserves your support.

Thank you for your time and attention to this issue. Please

do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may

have.

Sincerely,

Gloria Feldt,

President.

Mr. Speaker, on May 11, 2004, I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall votes numbered 153 and 154. Rollcall vote 153 was on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4299, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 410 South Jackson Road in Edinburg, Texas, as the ``Dr. Miguel A. Nevarez Post Office Building.'' Rollcall vote 154 was on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 622, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes numbered 153 and 154.

Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 352, I strongly support this resolution which honors the contributions of people of Indian origin to the United States and declares that Congress is committed to working together with India to promote peace, prosperity, and freedom among all countries.

As the largest democracy in the world, India has shown a genuine commitment to improving its economic ties to the United States, and the U.S. and India have formally committed to work together to build peace and security in South Asia, increase bilateral trade and investment, meet global environmental challenges, fight disease, and eradicate poverty.

There is no doubt that the close relationship between the U.S. and India is crucial to world stability and to the economic futures of both countries. India's long-term economic potential is tremendous, and the U.S. is already its largest trading and investment partner.

I am hopeful that we will foster an even closer relationship in the coming years by working together to tackle new and existing challenges.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the survivors and victims of the Pontian Genocide of 1915-1923.

Few Americans are aware of the Pontian Genocide, a bloody period of ethnic cleansing that erased a community of Hellenes that had lived in Pontus, along the southern coast of the Black Sea in what is now northern Turkey, for more than 3 millennia. In addition to overt acts of murder, the Turkish Government employed a deliberate strategy of displacing people, without taking measures for their survival, by exposing them to death, hunger, and illness.

During a bloody 8-year reign of terror, the Turkish Government orchestrated the killing or displacement of 353,000 Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians who had been living in Pontus. Thousands of people were murdered outright. The rest were uprooted and forcibly marched across the Anatolian border, without food or other provisions, to the Syrian border. Roughly half of the people who were taken from their homes died or were murdered. Many women were raped. The survivors suffered extraordinary hardship as they made their way to Hellas and the Soviet Union. Today, they and their descendants live throughout the Greek diaspora.

Despite the huge number of people who died or were displaced, most of the world paid no attention to their suffering. The fact that so many people could be murdered or removed from their homes without facing any consequences empowered future genocidal regimes to take similar actions.

The suffering of the victims of the Pontian Genocide must never be forgotten. Only by remembering the horrors of the past can we hope to prevent a recurrence. On May 16, 2004, members of the Pan-Pontian Federation will pay solemn homage to the victims in the hope that acknowledgment and awareness of these shameful events will not only teach future generations, but also will help mankind prevent such crimes from being repeated.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Pan- Pontian Federation as they honor the sacrifices and memory of their noble ancestors. May the victims of the Pontian Genocide rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following for the Record.

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, April 27, 2004.

President George W. Bush,

The White House,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. President: We are writing out of great concern

about comments made by one of your top campaign advisors

regarding a woman's right to choose. In a live interview on

CNN, Karen Hughes made the following statement:

``I think after September 11th the American people are

valuing life more and realizing that we need policies to

value the dignity and worth of every life.

``And President Bush has worked to say, let's be

reasonable, let's work to value life, let's try to reduce the

number of abortions, let's increase adoptions.

``And I think those are the kind of policies that the

American people can support, particularly at a time when

we're facing an enemy, and really the fundamental difference

between us and the terror network we fight is that we value

every life. It's the founding conviction of our country, that

we're endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,

the right to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

``Unfortunately our enemies in the terror network, as we're

seeing repeatedly in the headlines these days, don't value

any life, not even the innocent and not even their own.''

(CNN Late Edition, April 25, 2004)

By claiming that those who ``value life'' want to reduce

abortions, then going on to say that the difference between

us and the terrorists is that ``we value every life,'' Ms.

Hughes's argument sounds a lot like an effort to equate those

who are pro-choice with terrorists. This is a dangerous, ugly

and slanderous argument that has no place in our nation's

political discourse. To draw even a remote comparison between

any law-abiding, patriotic American and the terrorists, whose

goal is to wipe our country off the map, is not only

insulting to law-abiding Americans, it shows particular

disrespect to the victims of 9/11 and their families.

Mr. President, you came to office by promising to be ``a

uniter, not a divider.'' Your aide's comments have the

potential to be extremely divisive by invoking the War on

Terrorism. It is cheap and distasteful politics, and we ask

you to take a stand against it.

We urge you to have Ms. Hughes apologize for her comments.

We urge you to clarify for the public that reproductive

choice and terrorism are completely unrelated issues and that

all Americans, regardless of their beliefs about a woman's

right to choose, are united against the terrorists. This is

important for the unity of our country and its political

discourse. We know you will take proper action.

Sincerely,

Carolyn B. Maloney, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Sheila

Jackson-Lee, Hilda Solis, Jan Schakowsky, Tammy

Baldwin, Jerrold Nadler, Barbara Lee, Raul M. Grijalva.

Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, when asked about the March For Women's Lives, Karen Hughes said, and I quote, ``The fundamental difference between us and the terror network we fight is that we value every life.''

On behalf of the millions of Americans who are pro-choice, I am asking, along with nine Members of Congress, that the Bush administration clarify this statement. Surely they cannot be equating choice with terrorism, but it sounds like that to me. This is a dangerous and ugly pattern. If people do not agree, call them terrorists.

Mr. Speaker, I will be placing in the Record the letter from nine Members of Congress to President Bush and the article that appeared today in The Washington Post.