Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, since 1997, I have had the privilege to serve New York's 4th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Earlier this year, I announced that I would not be seeking reelection; in January of 2015, I will step down from the post that has brought me so much professional and personal happiness and enabled me to serve the District to the best of my ability.

Who can say that life follows the script we imagine for ourselves when we are young? I was a nurse from Mineola living the life I wanted. But fate intervened: I went to Washington as an advocate against the scourge of gun violence, and I fought for legislation including the 2007 National Instant Background Check System Improvements Act (NICS). I worked tirelessly during this chapter of my life, but I remained in so many ways, a nurse from Mineola. I never forgot where I came from or the people I grew up with. I have treasured those relationships. I became a Representative to better their lives through legislation. As I look back now, I know that together we have done this and laid the groundwork for a brighter future.

Through my work with gun violence legislation, I acquired a reputation as a ``one-issue'' candidate. But, as I like to say, what woman has just one issue? I've authored three pieces of legislation written into law: The Civil Rights History Project Act of 2009, which helped preserve historical artifacts from the Civil Rights era; the Serve America Act of 2009, which greatly expanded vital service programs such as AmeriCorps; and the aforementioned NICS act. In addition, I've worked on various legislative efforts, including acts that bolstered our science and math education. Working on the Dodd- Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, I championed the creation of an entity within the Consumer Financial Bureau that focused on financial empowerment by giving consumers the tools to be financially literate. While I went to Washington as a crusader against gun violence, I grew over the years into a candidate for all issues.

Most elected officials accomplish what they do thanks to the people who supported them along the journey. I am no different, and I am forever grateful. My staff and I worked to provide programs and enact legislation that benefited Long Island. We led the Small Business Relief Forum in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, held numerous job fairs to help Long Islanders manage the difficult economy, and ran blood drives and Medicare prescription drug seminars. We've closed over 30,000 constituent cases--ranging from social security and IRS issues, to veterans affairs and USCIS concerns. In these initiatives, the chief goal was always the same: better the lives of the 4th Congressional District.

No one reaches this point in life without accumulating a long list of people to thank. I am indebted to the entire 4th District for allowing me to represent them in Congress, and to my

staff, volunteers and supporters who have been by my side on this journey. I owe a thank you to my colleagues in the House of Representatives; their compassion for the job has continuously inspired me. And, of course, I am forever grateful for the support of my family, particularly my son Kevin, whose attitude and toughness is a towering display of bravery.

As I enter my last few weeks in office, I feel confident that all we've accomplished has prepared us for what is ahead. However, while my role as a U.S. Representative is ending, my job is not yet done. Although I no longer have a voice in Congress, I will always have a voice for the community. To everyone who has supported me, I'd like to say thank you. But I am not saying goodbye. I remain, as a wonderful chapter of my life comes to an end, very excited to see where we will go together next.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent on December 9, 2014. If I were present, I would have voted on the following: rollcall No. 552--On motion to recommit with instructions-- ``yea''; rollcall No. 553--On final passage of H.R. 5781--``nay.''

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent during the week of December 1, 2014. If I were present, I would have voted on the following: rollcall No. 532--On final passage of H.R. 5629--``yea;'' rollcall No. 533--On final passage of H.R. 3438-- ``yea;'' rollcall No. 534--On final passage of S. 2040--``yea;'' rollcall No. 535--On final passage of H.R. 5050--``yea;'' rollcall No. 536--On final passage of H.R. 3572--``yea;'' rollcall No. 537--On final passage of H.R. 5739--``yea;'' rollcall No. 538--On final passage of H.R. 3240--``yea;'' rollcall No. 539--On final passage of H.R. 2366-- ``yea;'' rollcall No. 540--On final passage of H. Res. 766--``nay;'' rollcall No. 541--On final passage of H.R. 5769--``yea;'' rollcall No. 542--On approving the Journal--``yea;'' rollcall No. 543--On motion to recommit with instructions--``yea;'' rollcall No. 544--On final passage of H.R. 5771--``aye;'' rollcall No. 545--On final passage of H.R. 647-- ``yea;'' rollcall No. 546--On ordering the previous question on the rule--``nay;'' rollcall No. 547--On final passage of H. Res. 770-- ``no;'' rollcall No. 548--On final passage of H. Res. 758--``yea;'' rollcall No. 549--On Motion to recommit with instructions--``yea;'' rollcall No. 550--On final passage of H.R. 5759--``nay;'' rollcall No. 551--On motion to concur with amendment on H.R. 3979--``yea.''

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Shetal I. Shah, MD, FAAP, who has worked tirelessly as an advocate for children over the past 10 years. Dr. Shah is a noted pediatrician, neonatologist, and scientist advocate who works to provide members of the Long Island Congressional Delegation information about the practical impact of national policy decisions on the children across Long Island. He is a recognized and award-winning child health advocate, serving as both Legislative Chairman and Treasurer of the Long Island Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as serving on the New York State American Academy of Pediatrics' Policy and Advocacy Committee, which advises the New York State Legislature on matters of child health and development. At the national level, Dr. Shah also serves as an appointed member of the national advocacy committee of the Society for Pediatric Research, a leading organization of pediatric scientists, researchers, and policy analysts in the Nation.

Dr. Shah's parents, Dr. Indravadan C. Shah, MD, FACS, and Dr. Saroj Shah, MD, FACOG, emigrated from India to Long Island over 40 years ago and they have worked tirelessly to provide healthcare to underserved populations. They instilled in him the personal and professional qualities we all desire in our physicians. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Princeton University, Dr. Shah attended Cornell University Medical College, graduating with Honors in Research prior to completing a three-year pediatric residency at Duke University Children's Hospital. He then completed a three-year intensive fellowship in neonatal-perinatal medicine at New York University. As a neonatologist, he has dedicated his life to the care of our most vulnerable and fragile citizens--critically-ill newborns.

Dr. Shah--a Fulbright Scholar--is past winner of the National Physician Advocate Award from the Institute of Medicine as a Profession at Columbia University. He also received a National Physician Leadership award from the American Medical Association and has been recognized by my colleagues in the 111th and 112th Congress for his contributions to the health of children in New York.

Over the past decade, Dr. Shah has provided my office with counsel on a host of issues related to child health, including stem cell and pediatric research funding, government appropriations for children, immunization policy, tobacco prevention, gun violence protection and child health insurance programs. Most importantly, Dr. Shah provided analysis of the local and statewide impact of the Affordable Care Act, providing a thoughtful review of the significant health improvements in the legislation and detailing areas where it can be further improved.

Mr. Speaker, as I prepare to leave Congress and transition to the next phase of public service, I wish to thank Dr. Shah for his unwavering support for our region's children. His expert child healthcare policy work has significantly informed our conversations on child health issues. He is an involved, thoughtful and forceful citizen who epitomizes the concept that a politically-engaged public promotes national progress. On behalf of New York's Fourth Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. Shah on his accomplishments in the field of pediatric and child health.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent during November 19-20, 2014. If I were present, I would have voted on the following:

Wednesday, November 19, 2014: rollcall No. 526, Kennedy of Massachusetts Part B Amendment No. 2--``yea;'' rollcall No. 527, On motion to recommit with instructions--``yea;'' rollcall No. 528, H.R. 4012 Secret Science Reform Act of 2014--``nay.''

Thursday, November 20, 2014: rollcall No. 529, Waxman of California Part C Amendment No. 1--``yea;'' rollcall No. 530, On motion to recommit with instructions--``yea;'' rollcall No. 531, H.R. 4795 Promoting New Manufacturing Act--``nay.''

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent during September 17, 2014. If I were present, I would have voted on the following:

Rollcall No. 509: H.J. Res 124, ``aye.''

First of all, Mr. Speaker, I would like to certainly welcome the family and friends of our sister, Reverend Seretta McKnight, who just delivered that wonderful prayer opening today's session in the House of Representatives.

Reverend McKnight serves at the Union Baptist Church in Hempstead, New York, on Long Island. She is a product of the Roosevelt Public School System and is a graduate of Syracuse University. Currently, Reverend McKnight is a candidate for a master of divinity degree.

It has been my honor and pleasure to know Reverend McKnight for many years, and I take this time to recognize her for the outstanding service she has provided to local people throughout our unique district and organizations.

I want you to know that she has worked tirelessly with Sisters in the Struggle and several other community-based organizations. She focuses on programs for women and young people. Reverend Seretta McKnight is affectionately known as the ``sister minister'' to all who are enriched by her sermons and wisdom.

Again, I thank Reverend McKnight, her family, her friends, and her mother for traveling to join us today in Washington. I salute her for her years of service to the people of the Fourth Congressional District and to the people of this country.

Just for the record, when my colleague was speaking, my name is Carolyn McCarthy, not Carolyn Maloney, just so we clarify that, and I want to thank Ms. Waters. I want to thank the ranking member on Financial Services.

I have a speech here, but I need to clarify a few things. I am not sure, my memory has not been good since I was sick, but I was on Financial Services when we did Dodd-Frank, and we worked very hard, bipartisanly, on that committee, and we saw the problems on some of the language, and we corrected them bipartisanly.

We made sure that when we were dealing with derivatives, that it didn't have the language that you are complaining about. That came from the Senate side.

When we are talking about the insurance companies and making it easier to make sure they could do their job and not be treated like a bank, we got the language here on the House side. Again, the Senate side misinterprets some and had the wrong language. Gary Miller and I have been working a year--over a year--to make the corrections that are coming out today.

Now, I support everything that we are going to be voting on, but I am reluctant about it because talking to my colleagues on the Senate side, they have said that they will not do it; so something that you all want has a really good chance of never seeing the light of day. Maybe next year. That is fine. Whom are you hurting, and what are you proving? Mainly because, now, the insurance companies are going to be in limbo. We don't know what is going to happen; so you are putting off something again.

I am ending my career here in Congress. I will be retiring, and I have to say, for 18 years, I have worked bipartisanly, and I have gotten a lot of things done, and I hope to continue to get some things done between now and when I retire, but I also think what I have seen here is this politicking that words are said and people don't get to know each other.

Now, the audience might not understand everything that is going on here on the floor, but I do believe that what we have done on Dodd- Frank--and, now, yes, there are technical changes; but, to be very honest with you, in 18 years, I do not remember any bill--major bill-- being passed here, going through the Senate, that didn't come back for technical changes.

We are not perfect. As many times as people want to think we are, we are not. We are human beings; and, unfortunately, we do not take the time to legislate and to work things out as we have done in the past. I am not blaming Republicans, and I am not blaming Democrats.

We have got good people on both sides of the aisle, and it hurts me terribly to see this going on when everybody should be working together for the country, not whether you are a Republican or a Democrat.

There are many of us who care very much about getting jobs. There are many of us that care to get everybody forward, and I think that is something that people have to start realizing. We have so many members on your side of the aisle and members on our side of the aisle that have been friends for

years and years, and you have got to learn to work together. You can have your opinions, and we have ours, but you have got to sit down and work together.

I know the big word around here is don't compromise. It is not compromising. It is trying to represent all of our constituents for the whole country.

And Ms. Waters is absolutely right. She worked very hard during Dodd- Frank, as many of your Republican colleagues did. But it was Gary Miller and I who have been working with the Senate for over a year and to see this bill come onto the floor, which is going to pass, and it will pass. What upsets me is it is not going to go anywhere in the Senate. Another bill will die. And there is no reason for it. 204 Members bipartisanly want to see the Capital Standards Clarification Act of 2014 passed.

I understand where you want to put everything together so you see it is efficient. Sometimes you have to know how the Senate works so that we can be efficient and work with them as we go forward because, if had you done that, you would hear Republicans and Democrats in the Senate and their aides who are saying, This is not the way it is done. That is why we are upset.

When you have so many people working on this, many of your colleagues, my colleagues signing on to having it done, and now we are going to see, most likely, it die or put off until next year, which is really a shame because the companies you are talking about, everything you are talking about as far as the jobs bills and everything else like that, I would like to see that signed by the President tomorrow. That ain't going to happen now, and it is not going to happen now.

So what I will say is Ms. Waters is correct, but I will vote for this bill tomorrow. Many of my colleagues will vote for this bill tomorrow because we are hoping we will go forward. But in my heart of hearts, because I have been around here too long, I don't think the Senate is going to pass it, and that is a shame because that is what you are working for. That is what we are working for. But the Senate's procedures do not do it.

They will take a stand-alone bill. And from what I understand, Mr. Miller and I will hopefully introduce a stand-alone bill in the next few days, because if this dies in the Senate, we will take up the Senate bill, which is our bill, and hopefully get a vote here and have the President sign it within a few days.

Mr. Speaker, tonight the House is considering the Insurance Capital Standards Clarification Act of 2014 under suspension of the rules.

This bill contains four Financial Services Bills including S. 2270.

I am pleased to be the lead democrat on H.R. 4510, the House companion to S. 2270, the Insurance Capital Standards Clarification Act of 2014. However, this is not the same bill that we will be voting on.

Though I will reluctantly support the bill, I am disappointed in the process and believe that S. 2270 should have been brought up as a stand-alone bill, rather than combined with three other bills which have already passed the House. The Senate has indicated they would need to start all over if changes were made to the original bill.

Ranking Member Waters rightly objected to this procedure last week yet her concerns were ignored.

S. 2270 supports a more precise application of capital standards that furthers the interests of strong prudential supervision. This legislation grants the Federal Reserve the appropriate flexibility to apply accurate capital standards for insurers. This bill will help keep insurance products affordable and available by ensuring the correct capital standards are applied to insurance companies that fall under the supervision of the Federal Reserve.

This House version already has 204 bipartisan cosponsors and S. 2270 would easily pass under suspension. This bill has already passed the Senate by unanimous consent. Passing S. 2270 on its own in the House would have sent the bill directly to the president's desk.

Instead, the Financial Services committee majority leadership has insisted on combining four bills and using our title, even though this is different legislation. This creates uncertainty as to the future of the original bill.

I will support the Insurance Capital Standards Clarification Act of 2014 on the floor tonight and urge my colleagues to do the same. However, I am disappointed in the process that has been used. Had S. 2270 been passed as a stand-alone bill, it would have been sent directly to the President's desk. Instead, we will likely have to vote on S. 2270 as a stand-alone bill during the lame duck session, which is already filled with a long list of remaining actions.

The House delay in passing this bill is causing uncertainty for insurance companies who cannot plan for the future of their businesses without knowing the appropriate capital standards. I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 4510, the House version of S. 2270, so that we can reach 218 cosponsors and bring this to the floor.

What I was trying to explain to you, it is not that we are giving up our power from here to the Senate. The Senate will not accept everything as a package because they have to change all their language, and that is not going to happen.

They will send back here a stand-alone bill, probably pass the other package--that is fine--but they are not going to change or open it up. That is what I meant to tell you, that you have to understand how the Senate works, and the House is totally different. That is all I am saying, and that is why this bill might die, unfortunately, over in the Senate, because they are not going to get to it because, let's face it, we have too much to do between now and when we come back for a lameduck session.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent during the week of July 7, 2014. If I were present, I would have voted on the following:

Wednesday, July 9, 2014: H.R. 4923--Energy and Water Development and related agencies Appropriations Act 2015 Amendments: rollcall No. 371-- McAllister Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 372--Hahn Amendment ``aye''; rollcall No. 373--Gosar Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 374--Wenstrup Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 375--Swalwell Amendment ``aye''; rollcall No. 376--Byrne Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 377--McClintock Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 378--On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Concur in the Senate Amendments ``aye.''

Thursday, July 10, 2014: rollcall No. 379--McClintock Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 380--Bonamici Amendment ``aye''; rollcall No. 381--Speier Amendment ``aye''; rollcall No. 382--Titus Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 383--Schiff Amendment ``aye''; rollcall No. 384-- Quigley Amendment ``aye''; rollcall No. 385--Chabot Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 386--Titus Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 387--DeLauro Amendment ``aye''; rollcall No. 388--King Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 389--Lankford Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 390--Cassidy Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 391--Providing for consideration of H.R. 5016 ``aye''; rollcall No. 392--Providing for consideration of H.R. 5016 ``nay''; rollcall No. 393--Burgess Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 394--LaMalfa Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 395--Stockman Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 396--Stockman Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 397--McKinley Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 398-- Blackburn Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 399--Gosar Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 400--Hudson Amendment ``nay''; rollcall No. 401--On Motion to Recommit with Instructions ``aye''; rollcall No. 402--On Passage ``nay.''

Friday, July 11, 2014: H.R. 4718--rollcall No. 403--On Motion to Recommit with Instructions ``aye''; rollcall No. 404--On Passage ``nay.''

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent on June 24, 2014. If I were present, I would have voted on the following: rollcall No. 349: H.R. 4413, ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent the week of May 27, 2014. If I were present, I would have voted on the following: rollcall vote No. 241: H. Res. 599--``yea''; rollcall vote No. 242: H.R. 503--``yea''; rollcall vote No. 243: Pompeo Amendment-- ``no''; rollcall vote No. 244: McNerney Amendment--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 245: Bridenstine Amendment--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 246: King (IA) Amendment--``no''; rollcall vote No. 247: Cohen Amendment No. 1--``no''; rollcall vote No. 248: Cohen Amendment No. 2--``no''; rollcall vote No. 249: Thompson (CA) Amendment--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 250: Polis Amendment--``no.''

Rollcall vote No. 251: Cicilline Amendment--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 252: Smith (TX) Amendment--``no''; rollcall vote No. 253: Austin Scott Amendment--``no''; rollcall vote No. 254: Moran Amendment-- ``yes''; rollcall vote No. 255: Blackburn Amendment No. 14--``no''; rollcall vote No. 256: Blackburn Amendment No. 15--``no''; rollcall vote No. 257: Bonamici Amendment--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 258: Rohrabacher Amendment--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 259: Holding Amendment--``no''; rollcall vote No. 260: Massie Amendment--``aye.''

Rollcall vote No. 261: Southerland Amendment--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 262: Ellison Amendment--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 263: Grayson Amendment--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 264: Duffy Amendment--``no''; rollcall vote No. 265: Garrett Amendment--``no''; rollcall vote No. 266: King (IA) Amendment--``no''; rollcall vote No. 267: Meadows Amendment--``no''; rollcall vote No. 268: Democratic Motion to Recommit H.R. 4660--``aye''; rollcall vote No. 269: Final Passage of H.R. 4660-- ``yea''; rollcall vote No. 270: Democratic Motion to Recommit H.R. 4681--``yea''; rollcall vote No. 271: Passage of H.R. 4681--``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and commend two schools in my district--Grand Avenue Elementary School in North Baldwin, NY and Smith Street School in Uniondale, NY--for being honored during the National Schools of Character recognition ceremony in Washington, DC, on Thursday, May 15, 2014.

In February, 48 schools and districts across 14 states were named as ``State Schools of Character for 2014'' by the Character Education Partnership. Grand Avenue Elementary School and Smith Street School were two out of six schools recognized from the state of New York for their outstanding achievement in character development. By imbedding values and character at all levels of learning, these schools are ensuring our students are successful at all aspects of life.

As a senior member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, I have advocated for new and innovative ways to educate our students and help them become more engaged and productive members of society. Our future depends on their success, both in and out of the classroom. Schools like Grand Avenue Elementary and Smith Street School are shining examples of this creative and well-rounded approach to learning, and I could not be more proud of the recognition they are receiving because of it. I commend the principals, administrators, teachers and parents on receiving this honor and for their ongoing commitment to preparing our students for success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, it is always an honor to take note of a public servant who goes above and beyond the official description of their job. One such person is a constituent of mine, Michael Dougherty. Officer Dougherty and a colleague came to the aid of a man suffering a seizure and they acted to save his life.

Michael Dougherty and his colleague Paul Markowski are Behavior Detection Officers at La Guardia Airport in Queens, NY. They were headed across the parking lot on April 13th after their shifts when they saw a man signaling for help. The two Officers took charge of the situation, got the man in a stable position and made sure he did not fall and injure himself. After stabilizing the man, the two officers, now assisted by others, quickly called for an ambulance and the man was taken to a hospital for treatment. These prompt and heroic actions likely saved a life.

As a former nurse, I know that all public service workers pledge to do their best to serve and protect the public, but it is altogether fitting that from time to time we stop to

honor those who personify service. I commend Michael Dougherty and Paul Markowski for their actions and wish them many more years of service.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ranking Member Miller for allowing me to speak in support of this important bipartisan legislation.

First, I want to take a moment and also thank my good friend, Mr. Rokita, for his great work and leadership on behalf of our students and the educational system. It has been a pleasure working with you, sir.

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4366, the Strengthening Education Through Research Act. Now, I firmly believe that, in order to successfully prepare our students for the workforce, our Nation's educators must be able to identify and have access to successful and proven techniques.

In 2002, I proudly supported the passage of the Education Sciences Reform Act which, among other things, ensured that education research be conducted free of political bias and focus on improving student achievement.

Last year, the Government Accountability Office released a report highlighting the successes of the law, but also detailed several areas that could be improved to better impact outcomes for our students.

Today, along with Mr. Rokita, we have built upon the success of that bill through H.R. 4366. The Strengthening Education Through Research Act is a perfect example of what bipartisanship and a commitment to good government can yield, and I am proud to support this legislation today.

The bill improves, among other things, the quality of education research by enhancing the timeless and relevancy of research, limiting duplication and overlap, improving accountability, and refocusing our commitment to equity in education for our most vulnerable student populations.

The bill also provides critical funding to strengthen special education research, which has been unfairly cut in recent years.

Moreover, the bill meets one of my top priorities by reaffirming a Federal commitment to States and localities to provide teachers, principals, and educational leaders with the latest research products to improve educational equity and effectiveness for students without bias.

Especially under difficult budgetary circumstances, this Congress has an obligation to explore opportunities that will most effectively deliver results for our students and our taxpayers, and this bill does just that.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4366, as it represents another strong step toward improving our Nation's educational landscape and preparing our students with the necessary skills to compete in the global economy.

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity on Holocaust Remembrance Day to pay a solemn tribute to the six million Jewish victims and millions of other victims who perished during the Holocaust. As we pledge to ``never forget'' the Holocaust, we must also pledge to do more to ensure that the world never again allows the conditions to arise that contributed to this horrific era in history. As the representative of a Congressional District in the New York City area, I have heard the stories of those lost in the Holocaust and I have also heard stories of survival and heroism. Holocaust Remembrance Day is a time to stop and remember those lost and salute those who stood up to the Nazis. I thank my colleague from Illinois, Brad Schneider, for taking this Special Order for Members of Congress to make official statements on this important day.

There are those who deny the facts and the lessons of the Holocaust. The nations of the world and the people of those nations must continue to keep the memory of those dark days alive. Unfortunately, genocide did not end in 1945 and we have seen many examples of crimes against humanity in the years since the end of World War II. Tolerance is a

value that must be learned by each generation. The United States must continually commit itself to leading the world in the fight against intolerance and oppression of people because of their religious beliefs, their ethnic heritage, of their race.

Today the Holocaust will be remembers throughout this country with events at schools, workplaces, churches, synagogues, and museums. In Israel, where many Holocaust survivors settled after the war, Yom Hashoah is noted with a two-minute sounding of sirens, religious services, and flags flown at half-staff in tribute to those who were murdered by the Nazis.

Mr. Speaker, although the horrors of the Holocaust are slipping from current memory, the lessons are clearer than ever. I am hopeful that with teaching through our schools, churches, synagogues, and museums, we can prevent future genocides and ingrain tolerance in our culture and around the world. Teaching the lessons of the Holocaust is a task we take on to honor the millions killed during World War II. ``Never forget'' and ``never again'' are not just words, but a solemn vow to do all we can to educate our children about the horrors of the Holocaust. I urge all Americans to take a moment on this Holocaust Remembrance Day to honor the victims of the Holocaust.