Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today, along with Chairman Delahunt of the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, I am introducing legislation to commemorate the 64th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, U.N.

Joining us in supporting this legislation are Representatives Ed Towns, Maurice Hinchey, Sam Farr, Madeleine Bordallo, Jose Serrano, Jim McGovern, Michael Honda, Dennis Kucinich, John Olver, and Barbara Lee.

For 64 years since its founding, the U.N. has made many contributions to the world community and 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 Southeast Asia in 2004.

Last year, Secretary General of the U.N. Ban Ki-moon launched a multi-year campaign to improve awareness among global policy-makers at the highest levels regarding issues relating to violence against women. This campaign has been successful in bringing people together to make a difference in the lives of women globally throughout its first year by holding a number of conferences that bring together experts and world leaders to promote solutions to the issues of violence against women.

I look forward to working with Chairman Delahunt and others to support the U.N. as the organization moves forward and to commend the U.N. for 64 years of good work.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Dabney Montgomery, a member of the ground crew of the Tuskegee Airmen, who later served as a bodyguard for Martin Luther King during the historic 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Mr. Montgomery is being honored by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237, at an event in my district on Friday, June 5, 2009. Mr. Montgomery is a retired New York City Housing Authority housing assistant.

Mr. Montgomery was born in Selma, Alabama in 1923. He was inducted into the armed forces in 1943 and underwent basic training in Biloxi, Mississippi, followed by a course in the mechanics of army supplies at Camp Lee, Virginia. He was one of three men in his course who were selected for the Army Air Corps in Oscoda, Michigan. By the time he arrived in Michigan, the unit was already packing to ship out. He was assigned to the 1051st Company of the 96th Air Service group, in charge of making sure that the units were supplied with food and clothing.

Tuskegee Institute was awarded the U.S. Army Air Corps contract to help train America's first Black military aviators because it had already invested in the development of an airfield, had a proven civilian pilot training program and its graduates performed highest on flight aptitude exams. The project was considered an experiment because it was designed to refute a racist 1920s theory that suggested that blacks could not tolerate the sharp curves and dives that were needed to fly a fighter plane. Eleanor Roosevelt was much impressed by the pilots she met at the Tuskegee Institute in 1941, and persuaded her husband to use these talented men in combat missions. With nearly 1,000 pilots and as many as 19,000 support personnel ranging from mechanics to nurses, the Tuskegee Airmen were credited with shooting down more than 100 enemy aircraft. Their success paved the way for today's integrated armed forces.

Some members of the Tuskegee Airmen went home and lived quiet lives. Mr. Montgomery went on to become actively involved in the civil rights movement. Mr. Montgomery first met Martin Luther King, Jr. as a student in Boston where Mr. Montgomery studied. They shared the same godmother.

In 1965, Mr. Montgomery was living in New York City, working as a social service investigator for the Welfare Department. One night he saw a news broadcast of blacks being beaten and gassed in Alabama for wanting to vote. Outraged that this could happen in America, he decided to return to Selma to take part in the protests. He took a leave of absence from his job, and arrived in Selma on the bus. He didn't tell his parents or his friends that he was in town, but went directly to the Brown Chapel AME Church, the march headquarters.

Mr. Montgomery had experienced Alabama's discriminatory registration practices himself, and remembers the anger and frustration he felt at being denied the right to vote.

In 1946 when he returned to Selma after the war, he went to the courthouse to register. He was given three forms that had to be signed by three white men testifying that he was ``a good boy.'' He persuaded three men who knew his father to sign the forms, but that was not sufficient. He also had to show that he owned $3,000 worth of land--not cash, which he had, but real property. So he gave up. As he walked down the courthouse steps, he met a white veteran going to register to vote. The white man just signed up--no forms, no attestations, no real property. Having experienced the discrimination himself, Mr. Montgomery wanted to change the system. He was moved by having the opportunity to join with the other protesters, where they prayed on the steps of the very courthouse where his registration had been rejected. A sheriff with a large gun came by and advised them to go pray in church. Mr. Montgomery says he told him, ``We feel sorry for you. All you have on your side is your gun. We have truth on our side, we have God on our side, and the truth and God will last forever; your gun will disintegrate.''

Mr. Montgomery volunteered to be a bodyguard for Mr. King during the march from Selma to Montgomery. The first time the marchers tried to cross the bridge, they were turned back. A federal court gave permission and more than 3,000 people marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge. White people drove by and called them names. Undeterred, they made the 54 mile march that helped bring about the Voting Rights Act saying that all Americans should have the right to vote. In recent years, Mr. Montgomery's service is earning him honors. In 2007, he and the other surviving Tuskegee Airmen were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. On the morning of his inauguration, President Barack Obama had breakfast with the Tuskegee Airman, and Mr. Montgomery was there. He also took part in the reading of the U.S. Constitution at the Newseum. Fittingly, he was given Amendment 24, sections 1 and 2, barring a poll tax. Local 237 President Greg Floyd will present him with a Trailblazer Award at the Retiree Division's Founders Day celebration tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, I ask my distinguished colleagues to join me in recognizing the achievements of Dabney Montgomery, an outstanding veteran, hero, civil rights activist and civil servant.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise in strong support of the rule and the underlying bill that would provide 4 weeks of paid leave to Federal employees for the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child. It is identical to the version of the bill, H.R. 5781, which passed the House last Congress with strong bipartisan support. The vote count was 278-146, with 50 Republicans voting for the bill in the 110th Congress.

My good friend on the other side of the aisle said that Federal employees are not asking for this. That is not the truth, and I would like permission to place in the Record various letters written in support. They actively have been meeting with us and supporting it for the past 15 years. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and I and others have been championing this bill. And I would like to put their letters of support in the Record.

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial

Organizations,

Washington, DC, June 4, 2009.

Legislative Alert

Dear Representative: The American Federation of Labor and

Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) strongly

supports HR 626, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave

Act of 2009. This vital legislation would provide all

Executive and Legislative Branch federal employees with

income support for up to four weeks of parental leave in

order to facilitate bonding between parents with newborn

infants or newly adopted children.

Federal workers are among those who must choose between

meeting their family obligations and maintaining family

income because under current law, no part of the leave under

the Family and Medical Leave Act is guaranteed to be paid

leave. The years when employees are most likely to become

parents coincide with the early years of their career, when

they are least likely to have accumulated enough savings to

forgo their salary for several weeks. Workers early in their

career are also least likely to have accumulated enough

annual leave to cover the time needed to provide adequate

care for a newborn or newly adopted child. As a result, many

workers are effectively prevented from using FMLA leave at

all.

Spending time with a newborn or a newly adopted child

should not be viewed as a luxury that only the rich should be

able to afford. Virtually all research on child development

and family stability supports the notion that parent-infant

bonding during the earliest months of life is crucial.

Children who form strong emotional bonds or ``attachment''

with their parents are most likely to enjoy good health and

have positive relations with others throughout their

lifetimes. H.R. 626 takes as a given that all children who

become new members of a family need this critical time with

their parents, and provides all parents--adoptive and

biological--equal treatment.

More and more private sector employers provide paid

parental leave because they recognize that productivity is

lost when a parent returns to work before they have found

appropriate child care for a newborn or newly adopted child,

or when an employee comes to work ill because all leave was

exhausted during the protracted adoption process. Without the

extension of paid parental leave to all Executive and

Legislative branch employees, the federal government will

lose good workers, trained at taxpayer expense, who decide to

leave federal service for an employer who offers paid

parental leave.

The benefits to children and families of four weeks of paid

parental leave have been well established. The AFL-CIO urges

Congress to pass the Federal Employee Paid Parental Leave Act

of 2009.

Sincerely,

William Samuel,

Director,

Government Affairs Department.

This bill puts the civilian branch on par with the military. It has already been pointed out that a large portion of the private sector voluntarily provides paid leave. And in a study by Harvard and by the GAO, we found that we are ranked 168th in the world; 168 countries provide some form of paid leave. We are tied with Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, and Lesotho as countries that do not provide paid leave.

So this is an opportunity for this body, which constantly talks about family values, to show that they truly do value families and provide paid leave, 4 weeks, building on the 12 weeks of unpaid leave from the Family and Medical Leave Act, so that families can have support during this critical time of the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child.

I believe my time is expired. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on the underlying bill.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership in moving this bill to the floor and so many other areas in this Congress. And I'd like to thank all of my colleagues that have supported this on both sides of the aisle in its overwhelming passage in the past Congress, and of course today, especially Majority Leader Steny Hoyer who, with me, introduced this bill 15 years ago. And Chairman Towns, who has led our committee so well, and Ranking Member Wolf, Davis, Lynch, and former Congressman Tom Davis for all of their leadership on this issue.

We are here today to show that this Congress doesn't just talk about family values; it values families. This bill, H.R. 626, that grants 4 weeks of paid leave for the birth or fostering or adoption of a child is the first bill to pass balancing work and family since 1993.

In 1993, we passed the landmark Family Medical Leave Act that provided 12 weeks of unpaid leave, which allowed women to have children and not lose their jobs. And this is very important since most women have to work. Many are single heads of household, but it takes two family incomes to make ends meet. This bill builds on those 12 weeks by providing 4 weeks of paid leave.

Many on the other side of the aisle have said that this economy is in recession and we should not be doing this. But I'd like to point out, in addition to the points that Mr. Lynch made earlier, that they have been opposed to it in good times, bad times. They're just opposed to it.

But paid leave ensures that the birth of a child does not further destabilize families who are struggling to make ends meet during these troubled times. During this recession, working families need all the help they can get. 11.6 million Americans are unemployed today, which means that every paycheck counts more than ever.

Millions of dual-earner couples were struggling to stay afloat on two incomes before the economic crisis, and massive job losses mean that many of those families are now scrambling to pay the bills on just one income.

Without paid leave, the birth of a child means that many working families are left with no income at all. By extending benefits to Federal workers, we can diminish the risk of real economic hardship for the 1.8 million employees of America's largest employer, the Federal Government.

A new parent spends an average of $11,000 in additional spending in the first 2 years of a child's life, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. By ensuring that family incomes remain steady while a parent is at home taking care of a new child, paid leave ensures that new parents' consumption remains steady, too. This consumption drives economic growth, which is precisely what our economy needs to recover.

In a downturn, workers who take parental leave without pay are at risk of serious financial hardship. Those workers may qualify for Federal or State benefits such as TANF or SNAP, which places an additional burden on our systems that are already strained by ballooning caseloads.

I have a great deal more to say on this issue, and I will place in the Record the remainder of my comments.

We need common-sense reforms like this, that reflect the way families live now. Many workers today, including Federal employees, simply cannot afford to go without a paycheck for any length of time.

Most families rely on two incomes to get by, and having one parent stay at home may not be an option. Without paid leave, the birth of a child can leave them with no income at all.

The U.S. should be a leader in family friendly workplace policies, but unfortunately we are

falling behind. 168 countries guarantee some form of paid leave. The United States, along with Lesotho, Swaziland, and Papua New Guinea, does not.

Federal employees are noticing the lack of family friendly work policies in the Federal Government.

The Office of Personnel Management's Federal Human Capital Survey for 2008 indicates that issues of work-life balance are becoming a major concern for more and more Federal employees, because outdated leave policies are not addressing their needs.

At the same time, they report less support from their supervisors on this issue than at any time in the past. Statistics like these are clear evidence that this bill is overdue.

Our Armed Forces are to be commended for taking the lead on this issue. They already provide their new mothers with paid leave for the birth of a child.

My colleague Congressman Stark has introduced legislation which would provide paid parental leave to employees in the private sector.

It is time for us to bring the Federal Government up to speed.

Opponents of this bill say it will cost too much, but H.R. 626 is PAYGO neutral, and according to CBO ``enacting H.R. 626 would not affect direct spending or receipts.''

Let me be clear: There are no PAYGO implications for this bill. This is not to say that implementing paid parental leave is free of cost.

CBO says that providing 4 weeks of paid leave provided for in this bill would total $140 million starting in 2011, which would increase to $209 million if and only if the Office of Personnel Management chooses to increase the amount of paid leave to 8 weeks.

What this number represents is the value of the salaries of the 17,800 female and 12,000 male federal employees that the CBO assumes will take 4 weeks of paid parental leave in the bill's first year of implementation.

In other words, it is what agencies currently save when those employees go without pay under the current system.

Not reflected in the CBO score is the money we can save by providing paid parental leave.

Over the next few years, providing paid parental leave will increase employee morale and productivity while reducing turnover costs.

It can also help boost the economy in general. New parents spend an average of $11,000 in added expenses in the year a child is born. By insuring that new families' incomes stay steady, paid leave insures that their consumption remains steady too, and this is exactly what our economy needs to recover.

Critics of this bill have said that it sends the ``wrong message at the wrong time'' to families and taxpayers.

That is not the message I hear.

Passing H.R. 626 today would send a strong message to hardworking families across the country that healthy and happy families are central to the well-being of this country, and that we never want a parent to have to make the terrible choice between getting a paycheck and caring for their new baby.

I urge my colleagues to support working families and to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 626.

I appreciate my colleagues' hard work and effort, but I rise in opposition to this amendment. The amendment would do absolutely nothing but maintain the status quo. It asks Federal employees to continue to cobble together sick and annual leave if they want to get a paycheck while they care for their new child.

This policy does not help relatively new employees, younger workers, or those with health problems who have little accrued leave to draw on. And it also puts the health and well-being of our employees and their families at risk.

I would like to place in the Record the Statement of Administration Policy.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 626--Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009

(Rep. Maloney, D-New York, and 55 cosponsors)

The Administration supports the goal of H.R. 626, which

would provide Federal employees with access to paid leave

upon the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child.

Being able to spend time at home with a new child is a

critical part of building a strong family. The initial

bonding between parents and their new child is essential to

healthy child-development and providing a firm foundation for

the child's success in life. Measures that support these

relationships strengthen our families, our communities, and

our nation. The Federal government should reflect its

commitment to these core values by helping Federal employees

to care for their families as well as serve the public.

Providing paid parental leave has been successfully employed

by a number of private-sector employers, and can help to make

job opportunities accessible to more workers.

The Administration is currently reviewing existing Federal

leave policies to determine the extent of their gaps and

limitations. The Administration looks forward to working with

Congress to refine the details of this legislation to make

sure it meets the needs of Federal agencies and employees, as

well as their families.

Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. Alexandros P. Mallias, the Ambassador of Greece to the United States. During his tenure, Ambassador Mallias has fostered greater understanding and forged closer bonds between the leaders of Greece and America, including with many members of the House and Senate and officials in the Executive Branch. Ambassador Mallias has been a truly outstanding representative of the Hellenic Republic.

After nearly four years leading the Greek diplomatic delegation to the United States, Ambassador Alexandros Mallias is returning to serve as a senior advisor to the Greek Foreign Minister, Dora Bakoyianni, on critical issues in the sensitive Balkan region. Having first presented his credentials in Washington in 2005, Ambassador Mallias has served with distinction during a critical period in Greek American relations.

A proponent of public diplomacy, Ambassador Mallias has made hands-on interaction with the American people an integral part of his mission here, reaching beyond the bounds of Beltway politics. He traveled extensively throughout the U.S., visiting more than 30 states and delivering more than 140 public lectures at universities, think tanks and other organizations, not just on issues relating to Greece, but also on matters affecting the broader Southeastern European region.

Born on October 1, 1949, Ambassador Mallias traces his family's roots to Stemnitsa in the mountainous region of Arcadia. He received his undergraduate degree in Economics from University of Athens, studied Political Science at the University of Geneva, and obtained a Post- Graduate Certificate from the ``Institut des Hautes Etudes Europeennes''. He joined the Foreign Service of the Hellenic Republic in 1976.

Ambassador Mallias developed a close and warm relationship with the Hellenic American Community.

He and his wife Francoise, whom he affectionately calls his ``pillar of support,'' devoted themselves tirelessly and selflessly to promoting the relationship between the United States and Greece. They opened the Greek Embassy in Washington to events and cultural occasions, frequently hosting the Hellenic-American community and the diplomatic community at large. I was honored to be included at many of these events and even, on one special occasion, to be honored by the Greek Embassy. It was a true highlight of my career, the memory of which I will always treasure.

During his four years as Ambassador, Alexandros P. Mallias worked to ensure that the critical strategic relationship between Greece and the United States remained on a positive note. There is a fresh interest on the part of the United States to work with Greece on a wide array of issues of regional as well as global importance, such as the security of vital sea lanes.

As Ambassador Mallias has always said, Greece's greatest asset in the United States remains the vibrant Hellenic-American community, so many of whose members I am proud

to serve in the United States House of Representatives. As the Co- Founder and Co-Chair of the Hellenic Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, I can say with certainty that this outstanding ambassador will be sorely missed. Ambassador Mallias, we wish you ``Ke Sta Annoterar,'' or great success, in all your future endeavors!

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Ambassador Alexandros P. Mallias, a great statesman and diplomat whose life's work has contributed immeasurably to cross-cultural understanding and international cooperation.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the honorees of the Lexington Democratic Club's Annual Dinner and its 60th Anniversary celebration. At its 60th Anniversary celebration at the Yale Club in Manhattan, the Lexington Democratic Club is honoring its living former Presidents, State Committee Members, and District Leaders.

As the first political club dedicated to reform in New York City, the Lexington Democratic Club has sought to increase inclusive civic participation, promote transparent, open government, and support the merit-based selection of judges. Its leaders reflect the best ideals of the Club and have devoted their volunteer efforts to supporting the Club's proud mantle of reform.

Among those being honored are Ann Pinciss Berman, Joanne Bing, Jonathan L. Bing, John Bradley, William Bryk, Reita Cash, David L. Cohen, Pat Falk, Conrad Foa, Neil V. Getnick, Brenda Goodman, Zachary R. Greenhill, Roger Grimble, Paul Hellegers, Russell Hemenway, Nikki Henkin, Bernard E. Jacob, Barbara Kloberdanz, Richard Lane, Heather K. Leifer, Robert J. Levinsohn, Andrew Lowenthal, Robin Marsico, Trudy L. Mason, Gail Melhado, John K. Mills, Jane Lowe Parshall, Peter Philip, Robert Plautz, Warrie Price, Joanne Pugh, Lawrence M. Rosenstock, Marjorie Sachs, H. Richard Schumacher, Felice Shea, Diane Staab, Michael Stolzer, Alexander M. Tisch, David Tyson and Roger Waldman. Many of these individuals went on to win political office, to be elected as judges or to take on other roles in public service. All of them care deeply about the community and have worked to make New York City a better place to live.

Throughout its storied, sixty-year existence, the Lexington Democratic Club of New York City has proudly carried the banner of reform and good government. It is fitting that, as the Club celebrates the conclusion of its sixth decade, its members honor those civic and political leaders who were inspired by its noble ideals and who worked with such dedication and energy to effect them.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me recognizing the significant contributions to our civic and political life made by the 2009 honorees of the Lexington Democratic Club of New York City.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Ed Malloy, an extraordinary man who has served with distinction as President of the New York State and New York City Building & Construction Trades Councils, representing more than 200,000 working men and women across the great Empire State. Mr. Malloy has also served as Vice President of the New York State AFL-CIO, as an Executive Board Member of the New York City Central Labor Council, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the New York Building Congress.

Prior to his leadership of the Building and Construction Trades in New York, Mr. Malloy served as the chief executive officer of the Enterprise Association of Steamfitters Local Union 638. A proud veteran of the United States Army, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York--Empire State College, and earned a certificate in Labor Studies from Cornell University's New York School of Industrial Relations.

As President of the Building and Construction Trades since 1992, Mr. Malloy dedicated himself to fighting for union members across New York State. Working with private sector leaders and government officials alike, Mr. Malloy justly developed a reputation for being a fierce advocate for working men and women who always kept labor movement's critical mission at the forefront, but also never hesitated to reach out to management in a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation. Under his tenure, important new infrastructure and real estate projects were launched and completed and countless new jobs were created, all within a framework of fairness and justice for the laborers he represented. Particularly noteworthy have been Ed Malloy's successes in negotiating agreements between unions and their employers that have saved millions in taxpayer dollars.

Ed Malloy has played a pivotal role in transforming the composition of New York's unionized construction workforce and helping previously under-represented minorities in achieving equal opportunities. Today, more than half of all apprentices in the construction trades are members of minority groups in no small part thanks to his leadership. Ed Malloy also helped launch ``Helmets to Hardhats,'' a national program that fast-tracks veterans of the armed forces into promising careers in the industry.

Mr. Malloy's leadership was an integral element in forging the historic Project Pathways agreement, which directs talented high school students toward vocational careers through a symbiotic partnership of New York City public education and the apprenticeship system of the Building and Construction Trades. This innovative collaboration brings essential opportunities to new generations of American workers. Through Ed Malloy's leadership, participating unions have thus far invested $4 million of post-secondary scholarship funds to the Project Pathways program. In today's era of global competition and financial uncertainty, Mr. Malloy has remained devoted to providing young people with the skills they need to flourish in meaningful jobs at good wages.

Mr. Malloy has devoted himself in service to the community and to his beloved family. A past recipient of the Ellis Island Medal and Grand Marshal of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, he has also served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, New York State Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the Police Athletic League, and as Chairman of the National Museum of Catholic Art and History, among many other well-known and well- respected institutions. He has been a family man throughout his life, devoted to his wife, Marilyn, his two daughters, Theresa and Anne, and his seven grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Ed Malloy, a great American whose life's work has improved the lives and working conditions of countless individuals.

Madam Speaker, today I am reintroducing important legislation with my colleague Mr. Smith that I hope will go a long way to restoring public confidence in governmental vaccine-safety monitoring agencies. Public confidence in vaccine-safety is critical to maintaining the effectiveness of our Nation's vaccine program in preventing the spread of infectious disease. However, this confidence has been shaken by the actual or perceived conflicts of interest that may arise in the current system by which federal government agencies compete for funds or promote high immunization rates while concurrently promoting vaccine-safety. In addition to possible conflicts of interest, the public has serious concerns with the safety of vaccines or multiple vaccine schedules that may result in vaccine-related injuries. This legislation aims to build and maintain public confidence by putting measures in place to ensure the integrity and quality of vaccine-safety research. It is absolutely necessary that the American public have total and complete trust in the safety of our Nation's vaccine program, which is why I introduce this legislation today.

Madam Speaker, today I am reintroducing an important piece of legislation with my colleagues Mr. Smith, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Burton, and Mr. Ackerman that will protect infants and young children from mercury, a known neurotoxin, in vaccines. This legislation builds on the policy recommendations issued in July 1999 by the Public Health Service, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians. That policy proclaimed ``[The] Public Health Service, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agree that thimerosal-containing vaccines should be removed as soon as possible.'' Mercury is well established as a neurotoxin and is particularly harmful to the developing central nervous system. Given that mercury remains in some childhood vaccines and that some infants are likely to receive mercury-containing flu vaccine in the upcoming flu season this bill puts in statute definite timelines for the elimination of mercury from vaccines to eliminate this exposure in children and reduce this exposure in adults. It is incumbent upon us to ensure the immunizations we provide our children are free from harmful neurotoxins, which is why I proudly introduce this legislation.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this and so many other issues.

Mr. Speaker, Congress is on the verge of passing landmark credit card reform. This bill will make the lives of hardworking, responsible Americans better. It will make their economic futures more predictable and their families more secure. It will level the playing field and restore balance to credit card contracts. It will end what the Fed has characterized as anti-competitive, unfair and deceptive practices.

I am very proud of the work that went into this bill by so many people, especially Chairman Frank and Chairman Dodd. It will have a positive impact everywhere and on anyone in this country who uses a credit card.

Over the past 3 years as I have labored on this bill with my colleagues, the need to stop credit card industry abuses has become ever more apparent with every passing billing cycle. Today, our families are being hard-hit in this economy, and some credit card companies are hurting our families by arbitrarily raising interest rates and changing the rules to increase their profits. This bill will put an end to these practices.

Many small businesses rely on personal credit cards, but we are seeing increased numbers of small business owners hit with increased penalties and interest rates and canceled credit for absolutely no reason, which is killing small businesses and hurting our economy. NFIB has endorsed this bill.

With these reforms, consumers will have more money to invest in the economy instead of paying off debt. A study by the Joint Economic Committee found that these abusive practices are slowing our recovery by effectively raising prices for consumers.

This bill is a reaffirmation of the principle of ``a deal is a deal'' and is the result of years of advocacy for this change by many of my colleagues, national consumer groups, civil rights organizations, labor unions, and business organizations. Americans want this bill. More than 50 editorial boards across this country have endorsed it.

In this Congress, under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Subcommittee Chair Gutierrez and Chairman Frank, we passed it with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 357-70. Just yesterday the Senate passed it with a vote of 90-5 and maintained the core principles of the bill with many important additions.

My only regret with the Senate's action is that they voted to include a completely unrelated provision allowing guns in our national parks, rolling back a rule that was put into place by President Reagan that has absolutely no purpose on this bill and should be removed in a separate vote. And while I will vote against this provision later today, I do not think we should stop these important consumer protections for credit cardholders.

The President has asked us to send him this bill by Memorial Day. We have our chance to do that today. This is one credit card bill that the American people cannot afford to become past due.

I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Madam Speaker, on May 18, 2009, I missed rollcall votes numbered 267, 268, and 269.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes 267, a resolution congratulating Camp Dudley YMCA of Westport, New York, on the occasion of its 125th anniversary; 268, the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act; and, 269, a resolution recognizing the importance of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and its positive effect on the lives of low-income children and families.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the survivors and victims of the Pontian Genocide of 1915-1923. On May 19 we remember the treacherous actions of those who murdered hundreds of thousands of Pontian Hellenes and destroyed their communities, and we remember the survivors and the fallen.

Nearly a century ago, there were large communities of Hellenes living across the Ottoman Empire. In a few short years, these communities were destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of lives were taken at the order of the Ottoman government. Hellenic Pontians had lived along the southeastern coast of the Black Sea in what is now northern Turkey for more than three millenia. The perfidious decision to destroy these peaceful communities resulted from the fear that foreign populations under Ottoman rule would join with their mother countries and destroy a crumbling empire.

During a bloody eight year reign of terror, the Ottoman government orchestrated the killing or displacement of hundreds of thousands of Greeks, Armenians and Assyrians who had been living in the Pontus region. 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. Mass rapes and abductions of women and children also occurred. More than half of the Pontian population perished from violence, starvation or disease.

Roughly 400,000 Pontians refugees survived the onslaught and fled to Greece, Russia, and the United States. 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.

One of the greatest tragedies of genocide is that the aggressors often succeed in eliminating the memory of those who fled. Few Americans today know about the Pontian Genocide. We have an obligation to honor the memory of those who died and teach our children about those dreadful times in hope that they will never be repeated. On May 19th, 2009, on the annual day of remembrance, members of the Pan- Pontian Federation will pay solemn homage to the victims. Although the genocide almost caused the extinction of the Pontian people, their traditions and culture still resonate today.

Madam 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. I commend the Pan-Pontian Federation in their efforts to preserve Greek culture and history. May the victims of the Pontian Genocide rest in peace.

Madam Speaker, today, I, along with Representative Petri (R-WI), reintroduce legislation to subject operators of push polls or phone banks to the same disclosure requirements as other types of political communication. It will not ban push polls or phone banking--it will simply create a level playing field for all types of political communication. Under this bill, any person conducting these types of calls would be required to disclose to each recipient of a call the identity of the organization paying for the call. In addition, the bill would require that campaigns and other organizations that conduct advocacy phone calls report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) the number of households they have contacted and the script they used in making the calls. The bill would not interfere with legitimate polling, conducted either by candidates or independent organizations, as it would only apply to phone banks in which more than 1,500 households are contacted within the 25 days preceding a federal election.

Madam Speaker, with great sadness and affection, I rise to pay tribute to a dear friend, Perry Luntz, who passed away in April. Perry was an author, journalist and marketer who served on his community board, became President of his local political club and actively participated in numerous political campaigns. I was privileged to have known him, and I will miss him deeply.

Perry was a lifelong civic activist. He served for many years as a member of Community Board 6 in Manhattan, and was President of the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club. Perry was actively involved in numerous political campaigns, including Freddy Ferrer's two unsuccessful runs for Mayor of the City of New York and Eugene Nickerson's campaign for county executive in Nassau County (Nickerson served from 1962 to 1970 and was the only Democrat to win that office until 2001). Perry was also a volunteer literacy teacher. During the Vietnam War, he participated in several protests and had the misfortune to be tear-gassed at a rally in Washington, DC.

Public service was Perry's passion, but his career was as a journalist and marketing specialist. In one way or another, Perry was involved with the beverage alcohol business for most of his adult life. For more than a decade, he served as Director of Marketing Communications (a term he coined) for Seagram Distillers, and subsequently worked on the creative side of several advertising agencies, including a stint as a creative director of a Young & Rubicam division. For several years he headed his own marketing communications agency. For more than 20 years Perry was publisher and editor of ``Beverage Alcohol Market Report,'' an international e-letter for beer, wine, and spirits executives. He was Senior Editor and columnist for the Beverage Media groups of trade magazines.

Perry believed in moderation, maintaining that spirits should be appreciated for their gustatory delights. When he was interviewed about Irish whiskey he admonished: ``It's supposed to be enjoyed, to be savored. It's not meant to be guzzled.'' Perry served as Chair of The Wine Media Guild and was a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. At age 80, in November 2007, Perry published his first book, Whiskey and Spirits for Dummies, which has been translated into both German and Spanish. The book takes readers on a journey into the rich heritage and diverse taste profiles of different spirits from around the globe, tracing the origins of whiskey, rum, brandy, vodka, gin and tequila, among others, explaining how they are made, and showing the reader how to evaluate, serve and enjoy them.

Tragically, while suffering from lung cancer and a broken hip, Perry contracted Legionnaire's Disease at a skilled nursing /subacute rehabilitation facility where he was recuperating. As required by law, the New York City Department of Health has reported his illness to the New York State Department of Health, which oversees such facilities. When I first met Perry, he was deeply involved in efforts to improve conditions at a variety of facilities in my district, and he always had a profound sense of empathy for the disadvantaged. It would, therefore, be particularly fitting for so dedicated an activist if his last illness were to become the impetus for improved conditions at nursing homes in general.-----

Born in Brooklyn in 1927, Perry graduated from Boys High (now known as Boys and Girls High) and went on to earn a degree in marketing from New York University. Perry served with the 473rd Air Service Group in Berlin at the end of World War II and was awarded the Army of Occupation Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. Perry is survived by his wife Carol Ann Rinzler, two sons, Ira and Russell, and two grandchildren, Eli and Ari. His son, Lloyd, predeceased him.

Madam Speaker, I ask my distinguished colleagues to join me in recognizing the many achievements of Perry Luntz, an informative author and journalist, creative ad man, committed community activist and exceptional human being who cared deeply about his community and sought to improve the world around him. He will be profoundly missed.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this and so many other things.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 774, legislation to name the Long Island City Main Post Office after former Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro. The main post office is located at 4602 21st Street in Long Island City, Queens, in the district Ferraro represented with distinction in the U.S. House of Representatives for 6 years. It is also located in the district that I am honored to represent. It is a grand building and a fitting building for an extraordinary woman.

A trailblazer, role model, leader, Ferraro has been a pivotal figure in American history. When Walter Mondale selected her in 1984 to be the first female Vice Presidential candidate on a national party ticket, she became an icon. The night she was nominated--and I was there with great excitement to see the first woman on a national party ticket--she took to the microphone and told the crowd, ``American history is about doors being opened, doors of opportunity for everyone, no matter who you are, as long as you are willing to earn it.''

And although doors have continued to open for women, the marble ceiling remains intact. It took more than two decades for another woman to be given a similar opportunity, and none have won. Geraldine Ferraro continues to symbolize the hope and expectation that one day a woman will be elected to the White House. Ferraro has spent her entire career opening doors, breaking down barriers, and helping others to follow her. She was one of only two women in her law school class. She was appointed assistant district attorney for Queens County, New York, at a time when women prosecutors were extremely rare.

When she entered Congress in 1979, she was one of only 13 women in the House. Nonetheless, she quickly earned the respect of her colleagues and was elected to the secretary of the House Democratic Caucus for the 97th and 98th Congresses. Granting her a seat on the influential Steering and Policy Committee, Ferraro served on the Post Office and Civil Services Committee, the Public Works and Transportation Committee, the Select Committee on Aging, and in 1983 was appointed to the Budget Committee.

In her work on the Post Office and Civil Services Committee, the newly elected Ferraro helped enact a widely demanded local ZIP Code that gave the Queens neighborhoods of Ridgewood and Glendale a Queens- based code, 11385. Previously, Glendale and parts of Ridgewood were serviced under 11227, Bushwick's ZIP Code in Brooklyn. But when the 1977 blackout plunged Bushwick into riots, her constituents noticed that insurance companies and banks were raising premiums and rates in the entire ZIP Code even though Queens remained largely balanced and unscathed by the violence and looting. Although the Postmaster General told Ferraro that a ZIP Code change like this had never been done before, he would go forward if the Congresswoman could collect some 50,000 signatures. And that is what she did.

In January of 1993, President Clinton appointed Ferraro as a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. She attended the June 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna as the alternate U.S. delegate. In October of 1993, Clinton promoted her to be head of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights Delegation, with the rank of United States Ambassador. She was vice- Chair of the U.S. delegation to the landmark September 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, and I accompanied her as a representative for this body at that historic conference.

Ferraro has written three books, cohosted a political talk show, cofounded a consulting management company to help corporations train women leaders, and worked on the boards of dozens of organizations. Today, she is of counsel at the law firm of Blank Rome, where she advises clients on a wide range of public policy issues. And whatever her many accomplishments have been in the area of Queens that Ferraro once represented, people remember her as their good friend, their neighbor, and their Congresswoman, a tenacious fighter who represented them and their interests. She never forgot them and they have never forgotten her. Thousands of her former constituents use the Main Post Office every week, and they will be delighted to have this important neighborhood institution named in her honor.

So I am thrilled to be the sponsor of this important legislation.