Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was disturbed to read an article in the Hindustan Times saying that Indian police are collecting data on Christians in Gujarat. Gujarat is the site of the massacres of Muslims last March in which 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims were killed. Hasn't Gujarat seen enough trouble?

According to the report, the All-India Christian Council submitted a memorandum to the state police chief detailing the survey. The police are seeking information on family sizes, job profiles, sources of funds, and even whether the person is a first-generation Christian and/ or has converted. At least 25 Christian institutions have been questioned in just a few days. The article quotes Bishop Gregory of Rajkot as saying that he was asked ``about the number of Christians and institutions here.'' Father Cedric Prakash of the United Christian Forum for Human Rights predicts that ``this survey may be a buildup to the anticonversion bill.''

India has already outlawed conversions to any religion but Hinduism in two states. Recently the ruling BJP has begun an effort to make that national.

This is outrageous, Mr. Speaker. It is a major violation of religious freedom, which is one of the main pillars of a democracy. Instead, India is again acting like a Hindu fundamentalist theocracy.

In 1997, a Christian festival on the theme ``Jesus is the answer'' ended when the police fired their guns at it to close it down after they received complaints that the festival was converting people. Missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, ages 8 and 10, were murdered while they slept in their jeep. The murderers surrounded the jeep and chanted ``Victory to Hannuman, `` according to contemporaneous news reports. None of these people has been held accountable. Now an American missionary, Joseph Cooper, has been expelled from India after being severely beaten by Hindu nationalists.

Since 1998, Christian priests have been murdered, nuns have been raped, churches have been burned as they were in the Old South during segregation, Christian schools and prayer halls have been violently attacked. Since India's independence in 1947, its forces have murdered over 200,000 Christians. They have also murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, over 85,000 Kashmiri Muslims since 1988, and tens of thousands of Dalits, Bodos, Assainese, Manipuris, Tamils, and other minorities. Many lowercaste Hindus are converting to Christianity and other religions and now the BJP is passing laws to prohibit this.

Mr. Speaker, these are the acts of a theocratic tyranny, not a real democracy. We must impose the sanctions appropriate for a violator of religious freedom. We must also stop our aid and trade with India until it begins to allow the exercise of basic human and religious rights. And we must support selfdetermination for all the people of South Asia as the best way to bring real freedom, peace, stability, and prosperity to that troubled region.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to place the Hindustan Times article into the Record at this time.

[From the Hindustan Times, Mar. 9, 2003]

Gujarat Christians Allege Survey of Families

(By Rathin Das)

Ahmedabad, March 8.--The Gujarat Police have reportedly

started a discreet survey of Christians in some parts of the

state, seeking information on family sizes, job profiles and

sources of foreign funds. The All-India Christian Council,

which submitted a memorandum to the state police chief on

Friday, is planning to move the High Court over the issue

next week.

State Director General of Police K. Chakravarthy told the

Hindustan Times that no statewide survey had been ordered. He

added, however, that some information might have been sought

from some people on the orders of district police chiefs.

A senior home department official echoed the state police

chief. He told the Hindustan Times that no survey of

Christians had been ordered. ``It may be a survey about

foreign funds and its use, but that is applicable for

institutions of all communities,'' he said.

But despite official denials, community leaders alleged

that policemen came calling at some houses in Ahmedabad,

Sabarkantha, Banaskantha and Kutch districts over the past

few days and asked about the antecedents and assets of

Christian families.

Community leaders also said at least 25 Christian

institutions and families had been questioned over the past

few days. Police personnel who visited Christian

institutions, they said, wanted information on the number of

Christians in the area and other details, like the sources of

their funds. Bishop Gregory of Rajkot, who was questioned by

the police on Friday, said: ``I was asked about the number of

Christians and institutions here.'' The police also asked him

to contact the nearest police station if he needed help,

Bishop Gregory told this correspondent.

The police have also asked some Christians whether they

converted voluntarily or under pressure, and whether they

were first-generation Christians.

``This survey may be a build-up to the anti-conversion bill

the government wants to introduce in the state assembly

during this session,'' said Father Cedric Prakash of the

United Christian Forum for Human Rights.

One church leader in Saurashtra was asked whether

Christians would hold demonstrations if the anti-conversion

bill is introduced in the assembly, sources said.

Individual Christians are scared to speak to the press as

many of them are in government employment. In the wake of the

attack on Christians and the burning of churches in the Dangs

district around Christmas 1998, the state intelligence

department had ordered a similar survey, but abandoned it

after a petition was filed in the Gujarat High Court.

Minority report:

July 1998--Copies of the New Testament burnt in a Rajkot

school;

Oct 1998--Christian congregation attacked in Vadodara;

Dec 1998--Government threatens to stop grants to Christian

schools;

Dec 1998--Churches razed in Dangs district;

Jan 1999--PM visits Dangs, calls for national debate on

conversions;

Feb 1999--Secret survey ordered, first of Christians, later

of Muslims;

Jan 2000--Government lifts ban on employees joining RSS.

Mr. Speaker, Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar is about to be put to death in India for a crime even India admitted he didn't commit.

I thank my friend Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, for bringing this shameful case to my attention. The Council of Khalistan put out a very informative press release on the case.

The chief judge of a three-judge panel from India's Supreme Court found Mr. Bhullar not guilty of the crime of which he was accused, involvement in a bombing. The judge ordered Mr. Bhullar's release. Instead, the Indian government tortured Mr. Bhullar until he signed a fake confession. Now they are trying to put him to death.

Unfortunately, this is just the latest episode in India's abuse of minorities, which has been well documented in Congress by many of my colleagues and me. This brutal atrocity against justice must be stopped.

The Bush Administration should demand Mr. Bhullar's release, or at least a new trial. In addition, they should impose sanctions on India, cut off its aid and trade, and put this Congress on record in support of self-determination for the Sikh Nation of Khalistan and the other 16 minority nations seeking their freedom from India. This should be done in the democratic way, through a free and fair plebiscite. It is time for India to start acting like a democracy, and it can start by sparing the life of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter the Council of Khalistan's press release on Bhullar into the Record at this time for the information of my colleagues and the public.

[Council of Khalistan--Press Release, Feb. 25, 2003]

Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar's Life Must Be Spared

Indian Constitution Only Protects Majority Hindus Minorities

Eliminated, Directly or by Courts

Washington, D.C.--The impending execution of Devinder Pal

Singh Bhullar shows that the Constitution of India only

protects the majority Hindu population, according to Dr.

Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan,

which leads the Sikh struggle for independence from India.

Dr. Aulakh called on the President of India to stop the

execution. Bhullar was accused of a 1993 bomb blast near the

Youth Congress office in Delhi in which 20 people were

killed. Congress leader M.S. Bitta lost a leg in that attack.

The presiding Judge of a three-Judge bench in the Supreme

Court of India found Professor Bhullar, a political activist,

`Not Guilty' and directed that he be released. However,

Professor Bhullar was convicted based on a forced confession

obtained through torture, which was retracted. On that basis

India wants to impose capital punishment on Professor

Bhullar. Sajjan Kumar and H.K.L. Bhagat, who personally

incited the murder of thousands of Sikhs in Delhi, got off

scot-free without any punishment. Even by Indian standards,

this is an outrageous miscarriage of justice.

``The Bhullar case is merely the latest example of how

India eliminates minorities,'' said Dr. Aulakh. Indian police

arrested human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra after he

exposed their policy of mass cremation of Sikhs, in which

over 50,000 Sikhs have been picked up, tortured, and killed,

then their bodies are declared unidentified and secretly

cremated. Then Mr. Khalra was murdered in police custody. His

body was not given to his family. Similarly, the police

murdered former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Gurdev Singh

Kaunke. His body was not handed over to his family.

Last spring the Indian police stood aside under orders

while militant Hindus murdered 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in

Gujarat. Australian missionary Graham Staines was murdered a

few years ago by VHP activists. Staines and his two young

sons were burned to death while they slept in their jeep.

Their killers surrounded the jeep and chanted ``Victory to

Hannuman,'' a Hindu god. After the murder, Staines's widow,

who was working with lepers, was expelled from India. No one

is ever punished for these atrocities. Nuns have been raped,

priests have been murdered, and Christian churches have been

burned by the fanatic, fundamentalist Hindu nationalist

militants.

``It is clear from these actions that India is not the

democracy it claims to be,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``Instead it is

a tyrannical Hindu theocracy where minorities die or

disappear,'' he said. ``There is a consistent pattern of

Indian government efforts to protect its tyrannical rule over

the minorities of South Asia.''

The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since

1984, more than 200,000 Christians since 1948, over 85,000

Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands of

Tamils, Assamese, Manipuris, Dalits (the aboriginal people of

the subcontinent), and others. More than 52,000 Sikhs are

being held as political prisoners. The Indian Supreme Court

called the Indian government's murders of Sikhs ``worse than

a genocide.'' On October 7, 1987, the Sikh Nation declared

the independence of its homeland, Punjab, Khalistan. No Sikh

representative has ever signed the Indian constitution. The

Council of Khalistan is the government pro tempore of

Khalistan, the Sikh homeland. The Sikh Nation demands freedom

for its homeland, Khalistan.

``Only in a free and sovereign Khalistan will the Sikh

Nation prosper. In a democracy, the right to self-

determination is the sinc qua non and India should allow a

plebiscite for the freedom of the Sikh Nation and all the

nations of South Asia,'' Dr. Aulakh said.

Mr. Speaker, we really appreciate the gentleman taking the time to inform the people of how important this situation is and that we should not move forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong concerns about the movement of this country towards war with Iraq. I challenge anybody to say, ED, you are unpatriotic because you are opposing the war.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: I support our troops. I served in the military. When my country called, I answered. So I stand here as someone who understands the duty of military service and the willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and it is precisely because I do support our troops and their families that I cannot understand the unwillingness to send them into harm's way without a clear and present danger to the people of the United States of America.

It is for that reason that in October 2002 I voted against the authorization to allow the President to use United States Armed Forces in Iraq without prior congressional approval. Nothing has happened since that time which would cause me to change my position.

Some people would say, well, what about the weapons of mass destruction? Well, there are a lot of weapons of mass destruction. When I look at the fact that we have an educational system that is in shambles, to me that is a weapon of mass destruction. When we have 41 million people with no health insurance in the United States of America, to me that is a weapon of mass destruction. When we have people that have no jobs and no way of getting jobs, to me that is a weapon of mass destruction. When we have no prescription drug program for our senior citizens in this Nation, that is a weapon of mass destruction.

So I come tonight to make an appeal, knowing that time is running out. But I hope that we will be able to continue to have some dialogue and that we will be able to bring our troops home.

Yes, I am in support of the troops. Yes, I am in support of the troops' families. And I am hoping we can bring them home without any further delay. We need to continue to discuss this. We need to continue to talk.

I am not convinced that the United States of America is in harm's way. When I listened to experts on terrorism, Tom Ridge, who heads Homeland Security, whom I have tremendous respect for, has indicated that we will place the people of the United States of America in jeopardy because of terrorism if we attack. I think that when we hear the cry coming from experts around the Nation who are pointing this out, and have pointed it out so clearly, we should listen to those experts and to go another way.

So I am hoping and praying that, some way or another, that this situation can be diverted, and that we will not send our people into harm's way.

So as I conclude tonight, Mr. Speaker, I am not willing to risk the lives of Americans at home and abroad to fight a war without clear rationale, a clear purpose and a definite end game. The administration has not made this

clear, and I pray the leadership of this Nation will consider and do what is right by bringing our soldiers home.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

The internationally renowned Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir was founded in 1973. As part of the ministry of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church in Brooklyn, New York, the 250-voice choir is recognized worldwide for the magnitude of its sound and the soul-filled inspiration of its music. Since its formation three decades ago, the choir has emerged as a major influence within the Christian/gospel music industry.

With a multi-ethnic and economically diverse membership, the choir truly represents the best of New York and America. Some members have been singing with the choir for more than 25 years. Despite their differing backgrounds, the entire choir operates like a close knit family. This level of cooperation is possible because of the individual commitment of the members and the inspired leadership of its director, Carol Cymbala. I want to commend the choir on its ability to apply the harmony of music to the ministry of life.

On February 23, 2003, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus for its album ``Be Glad''. With this most recent recognition, the group has become one of a few choirs which has attained the acknowledgment of both the popular music business and the Christian music industry. As a five-time winner of the Grammy Award and two-time winner of the Dove Award, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has performed in some of the most celebrated venues in New York City, including Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and the Paramount Theater. In a rare testament to the power of its music, the choir has played to a sold-out audience at Madison Square Garden. With New York City and Brooklyn as its home, the choir continues to greatly impact the local community, including my district, the 10th Congressional District of New York.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend this choir not only on its most recent Grammy Award but on its 30 years of dedicated music ministry. In these difficult and uncertain times, I sincerely hope that the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir continues to use music to bring a message of good news and hope to Brooklyn and the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Yolanda J. Martin in recognition of her dedication to helping those in need.

Yolanda was born in the town of Puerto Armuelles in the Republic of Panama. However, she spent her formative years of elementary and high school in the city of Colon.

She immigrated to the United States in 1981 and has been a resident of Brooklyn ever since that time. Yolanda has a strong desire to improve her community by assisting the less fortunate. She believes that we must provide children and adults with the necessary resources to become educated and gain financial independence. Through education and financial development, she feels communities can empower themselves. She has shown a consistent dedication to these ideals through both her professional and personal life.

At fourteen, Yolanda joined the Boy Scouts Explorer unit where she was exposed to Emergency Medical rescue trainings. This experience cultivated her fascination with the medical field. Yolanda has become a State certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Nurses Assistant, C.P.R. and First Aid Instructor, and HIV/AIDS Educational Instructor. As a way of giving back to the community, she worked as an EMT from 1990 to 1995, responding to 911 calls with a volunteer ambulance service. She volunteered an average of 20 to 30 hours a week.

Yolanda began her professional career in the United States working with mentally disabled people for the State of New York State from 1982 to 1985. For the next three years, she worked at the New York State Division for Youth. Yolanda followed this experience by working for the Board of Education as a bilingual Paraprofessional in Special Education.

More recently, she has founded three childcare services: Parents United for a Better Society Inc., child care center number one and child care center number two, and Minnie's Family Group Day Care, where she serves as the Executive Director and CEO.

The center offers the community 95 slots for day care, after school programs, summer programs, and universal pre-kindergarten for children up to 13 years old. Adult training and parenting classes are provided to the parents and others in the community as well. Yolanda is presently working on creating an additional day care center that will provide 178 childcare

slots and a senior citizen day care program in the East New York area of Brooklyn.

Yolanda participates in a wide array of community activities. She helps distribute food to disadvantaged families in the community and assists undocumented residents with referrals to the appropriate agencies that can address their needs. Yolanda is the President and founder of a women's support group called Innovation and serves on the Board of Directors for the New York Lions Club. She is also a member of the Panamanian Black Chambers of Commerce, the Prospect Park Alliance group, the Interfaith Medical Center Auxiliary, and the PNM group of North America.

When Yolanda is not working with others in the community, she spends time with her children and family. She has three children, Ronald, Kendra, and Courtney. Yolanda is known for her excellent cooking as well as her interior decorating ability. She also enjoys the performing arts, horseback riding, and grooming horses.

Mr. Speaker, Yolanda is devoted to improving her community. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Evelyn Medora Moss in recognition of her commitment to her community.

Born in the Republic of Panama to George Leopole and the late Imogene Elisa Ashley, Evelyn came to the United States in the early 1960s. She is truly one of Panama's and America's success stories. Realizing early on that education was a key for a successful future, Evelyn attended the University of Panama and received a degree in Home Economics in 1959. After graduating, she took a job

as a home economics teacher for Christ Church Episcopal School in Colon, Republic of Panama.

In the early 1960s, when she moved to the United States, Evelyn used her aptitude for numbers to start a new career. In 1962, she obtained a job as an Assistant Bookkeeper for White Mark Stores in New York City. She continued there until 1968 when she took a job at Ebasco Services where she worked for the next 25 years. She began as a Lead Accounting Clerk and would work her way up to Corporate Manager of Accounts Payable. In 1994 Evelyn joined Raytheon Engineers and Constructors as an Accounting Supervisor. Currently, she works for Washington Infrastructure Services as an Assistant Accountant. Never losing sight of the importance of education, Evelyn attended Brooklyn College during this time, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1977 and her Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1978. Later, she completed courses at the Businesswomen's Training Institute, focusing on leadership issues. She also participated in the Institute's Advanced Studies' program.

Evelyn has also become a member of several professional organizations including the National Association of Black Accountants, the National Association of Female Executives, the National Association of University Women (NAUW), Harry S. Truman New Way Democratic Club in Brooklyn, the National Political Congress of Black Women, Brooklyn College Alumni Association, and the Women's Empowerment Movement.

She has been honored with several awards and distinctions for her accomplishments. The list includes: NAUW's 1987 Women of the Year Award, Women's Empowerment Movement's 2001 Outstanding Member of the Year, and NAUW's 2002 Distinguished Member award. She has also been listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Finance, Who's Who in the World, and Two Thousand Notable American Women. Evelyn notes that her most important achievement is her son Marc Anthony.

The other important aspect of her life is her role as an active member of Trinity Church on Wall Street in New York City. She served for three years as Vice-President of the Congregation Council and is currently President. She has also performed several other functions including layperson, head usher, and congregation representative to the vestry.

Mr. Speaker, with her numerous awards and professional memberships, Evelyn Medora Moss has shown that she is clearly dedicated her community. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Gloria Miller in recognition of her dedication to improving the health of her community and uplifting those in need.

Born in Jamaica, W.I., Gloria at the age of 16 traveled to London England to study and begin a career in nursing. Her commitment and strong desire, then as it is now, was to educate, inform, and help others in the community. She immigrated to the United States in March 1968 and began working at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. While working at the hospital, Gloria attended Lincoln Hospital School in the Bronx. After graduating, she was elevated to the position of Head Nurse. She furthered her education at St. Francis College where she earned a degree in both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Next, Gloria took administrative courses in Long Term Care at the New York City Technical College in Brooklyn. Eventually, she received a Master of Public Administration from New York University with distinction. She accomplished all of this while working full time, caring for her two children, and planning numerous health fairs for St. Gabriel's Church.

In 1980, Gloria, now an Administrative Supervisor at Kings County Hospital, focused her energy on improving treatment for the drug

dependent community, instituting a program to closely monitor dosage of medication and evaluation of patient progress. As part of the program, she also upgraded the hospital's system for documenting or recording nurses' interventions or admissions notes. She also encouraged greater participation in the hospital's drug addiction classes by holding teaching sessions in the hospital's lobby. Special emphasis was placed on intervention for drug addicts and alcohol dependent clients who were pregnant.

In 1989, Gloria moved to Coney Island Hospital where she focused on the facility's ``Drug Free Clientele Program.'' As a clinical therapist, she identified clients with drug and alcohol problems and referred them to an in-house drug free program. She shared her work with the March of Dimes Foundation, which used some of the information as part of a paper on birth defects. In the late 1990s when Gloria retired, her main focus became helping her daughter who is following in her mother's footsteps by working as a nurse at Coney Island Hospital.

However, Gloria continues to be an asset to her community through her volunteer work. She volunteers at Samuel J. Tilden High School, where she conducts conflict management intervention groups and sessions on alternative ways of dealing with angry students. She also helped establish a scholarship fund for two consecutive years for four students entering the health administration field of study from Tilden. Gloria's volunteer service also extends to several other community- based organizations such as the Caribbean Women United for Social and Political Action (CWUSPA) and the Caribbean Women's Association. Additionally, she has served as Secretary and Chairperson for the Social Service Committee on Community Board 17. Gloria holds the position of 1st Vice-President at Dr. Susan McKinney Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Auxiliary and has been the Chairperson of the Community Advisory Board for the past three years. As Chairperson, she served as a member of the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation Council of Community Advisory Board.

She is an active member of the St. Augustine's Episcopal Church and is one of the founding members and the first president of the Health Guild. During her presidency, she raised $23,000 for the church. She also holds a certificate from the New York Theological Seminary for assisting her priest with his Doctorate of Divinity Degree. Currently, she assists the priest-in-charge in coordinating annual services to honor the 67th precinct with the goal of fostering a better relationship between the police and community.

Mr. Speaker, Gloria Miller has dedicated her life to helping her fellow community members. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Roxanne Persaud in recognition of her commitment to her community.

Roxanne was born in Georgetown, Guyana. The eldest child of Kenrick and Yvonne Persaud, she immigrated to the United States after graduating from high school. Upon arriving in the United States, she immediately enrolled in an adult after school program. Currently, she holds degrees in Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Education. Roxanne is in the process of completing her Master of Science Degree in Information Systems.

In August 1984, Roxanne began a part-time job at Pace University's Undergraduate Registrar's office. With no previous background in this area, she set out to learn all of the functions and task of the office. Today, she is the Senior Degree Audit Coordinator.

Roxanne is the Treasurer of the Organization for Social and Health Advancement in Guyana (OSHAG), a member of the 69th Precinct Community Council in Canarsie, Brooklyn, and an advisor for the Caribbean Students Association at Pace University, New York City campus. In addition, she is a member of the Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club.

In November 2002, Roxanne and members of OSHAG visited Guyana with a team of doctors representing Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. Representatives from the American Cancer Society as well as HIV/AIDS specialists from representing Young Adult Institute were on the team. While in South America, the doctors conducted a medical workshop for Guyananese doctors on current cancer treatments and hosted a two-day conference for health care professionals, university students, and other members of the public. Throughout the trip, team members also provided other outreach services to the public as needed. Finally, the group cosponsored a cancer walk in collaboration with the Guyana Cancer Society. The team will be returning to Guyana again in 2003 to continue this mission.

On March 30, 2003, Roxanne and the members of OSHAG in collaboration with a Volunteer Youth Corp in Guyana will be launching a Big Brother/ Big Sister mentoring initiative in Guyana. This will be the first of its kind in the South America region.

In addition to volunteering, Roxanne enjoys traveling and reading when she finds the time. She is thankful for her parents, siblings, colleagues, and Henry and Josephine Bolus' support, which has been essential in helping her accomplish so much.

Mr. Speaker, Roxanne Persaud is committed to community service and improving the lives of those in her own community and abroad. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Mary Ann Benton in recognition for her dedication to her community and her commitment to improving the lives of our senior citizens.

Mary Ann is a native New Yorker. She was born in Queens, New York and raised by her maternal grandparents, the late Enrico and Victoria Guigliano. After graduating from John Adams High School in Queens, she attended St. John's College majoring in Accounting, and later transferred to St. Joseph's College where she studied Human Resources Management.

Traveling from Queens to Manhattan to work for more than eight years led Mary Ann to find employment closer to home and a job that she truly loves. In early 1980, Mary Ann joined the Wartburg Lutheran Home for the Aging as a receptionist. At Wartburg, Mary Ann approaches her work with compassion and enthusiasm. In 1982, she was transferred to the Fiscal Department as a Bookkeeper and later that year was promoted to Fiscal Coordinator. Continuing to grow within the Wartburg ministry, in 1987, she became the Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer. Next, she became the Human Resources Assistant, and in 1993, Mary Ann was promoted to the Director of Human Resources where she continues to excel.

Mary Ann is active with the Society for Human Resources Management, the Council for Human Resources Management, and the Association for Healthcare Human Resources Administrators. Her colleagues and peers in her profession recognize her hard work and dedication.

She believes that working with the elderly is a calling from God. She feels blessed to be working in a field and in an organization where she can serve the elderly, support her colleagues, and promote hospitality to the community. She stands as an example of Wartburg's mission and ministry of healing, hospitality, and community through partnership in caring.

Mary Ann enjoys reading, bowling, dancing, and meeting new people. She also continues to worship at the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church where she volunteers her time and talents.

Mr. Speaker, Mary Ann Benton has devoted her life to serving her community. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today. I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Lynn Henderson-Hornes in recognition for her tireless energy and passionate commitment to her community.

Lynn has been improving the lives of Fort Greene families for nearly twenty years. As Program Director for Project Teen Aid Family Services, she has helped hundreds of pregnant teens and teen parents raise healthy children and continue their own education. Her deep religious beliefs, passed on to her from her grandparents and parents, permeate every aspect of her life, and have helped provide the energy and commitment needed for this challenging task.

She is an active member of the House of David Church, serving as a Sunday school teacher, church clerk, choir member, and president of the Pastor's Aide Auxiliary. She also serves as Treasurer for the church's Center for Community Empowerment. Her service, however, is never limited to her own congregation but is extended to people of all beliefs.

A second aspect of Lynn's life involves her love of learning. Throughout her adult life, she has sought out specific training that would help her professionally. She is certified as an Adolescent Counselor and a Human Sexuality and Family Development Trainer. As an advocate for young, low-income families, Lynn realized as soon as she came to Fort Greene that it was important to know the community. She became involved in the Brooklyn Perinatal Network and was a member of the board from 1987 until 2000, serving as Chairperson for the organization's Finance Committee for four years. Additionally, she was appointed by Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden to the Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Advisory Board where she has served as Chairperson since 1999. Lynn was also recently elected chairperson of the New York City Health and Hospitals City-Wide Council of Community Advisory Boards.

However, the most important recipients of Lynn's gifts and generosity are her three sons: Michael, Jason and Jonathon and her precious granddaughter Arieanna.

Mr. Speaker, Lynn Henderson-Hornes has tireless energy, and sincere concern for the well-being of the community and its residents. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Cynthia Y. Gaskin-Johnson in recognition of her contribution to her family and her community.

Cynthia is the youngest of four children born to the late Mr. and Mrs. Ethan Law Gaskin in Colon, Republic of Panama. She graduated with honors as a seamstress from Colegio Abel Bravo and was offered the position of Personal Seamstress for the Director's wife. However, she was unable to accept the job since she immigrated to the United States six months after graduation.

Upon arriving in the United States, she was immediately employed by the Bezozi Baby Bonnet Company and remained there for approximately five years. In 1966 she married Rupert (Doc) Johnson, a well-known, and talented musician. Their marriage brought forth a daughter, Deborah, lovingly called Debbie, who has blessed Cynthia with two granddaughters: Natasha and Gabrielle. Cynthia also has two loving children from her husband's previous marriage.

In February 1969, Cynthia obtained a job with The Bank of New York where she was employed for 31 years. She began as a Customer Service Telephone Representative and was promoted to Mutual Funds Legal Administrator. Later, she became the Supervisor for the Mutual Funds Redemption area. During her career at the Bank of New York, Cynthia attended the American Institute of Banking (AIB), receiving a certificate in banking. Eventually, Cynthia became a Mutual Funds Account Administrator until her retirement on March 31, 2000. Her retirement was short-lived as she was rehired less than a year later to work part-time for The Bank of New York as a Consultant for the Mutual Funds Custody Department.

Cynthia has a deep and personal relationship with God that flourished at the age of 16 when she accepted Jesus Christ as her savior. She is a member of the Mt. Zion Tabernacle Christian Mission of Panama. She serves on the Executive Board as the Executive Recording, Secretary and on the Usher Board as the Treasurer of the Missionary Department. On a monthly basis, the Missionary Department provides food and clothing for homeless people in the Brooklyn community. Cynthia is also an active member of the Sunday School Department and a member of the Church Choir. She enjoys performing in the yearly Easter Drama Cantata.

Mr. Speaker, Cynthia Y. Gaskin-Johnson is devoted to serving her community. She enjoys helping those in need and assisting anyone seeking a helping hand. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition. I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Priscilla Incorvaia in recognition for her tireless energy and dedication to her community.

Priscilla grew up on Long Island and attended C.W. Post College where she studied Elementary Education and Training Development. After an internship at Republic National Bank, she was offered a job in their management-training program. During the next fifteen years, Priscilla rapidly moved up the ranks and presently is the Branch Manager of the Starrett City Office in Brooklyn.

As far back as Priscilla can remember, she has been involved in various community organizations. She feels that it is important to be involved in organizations at the grass roots level, especially those related to children. She is a firm believer in getting involved in the community where she works and is well known in the various boroughs, especially Brooklyn.

Priscilla sits on many advisory boards, including Junior Achievement, the YWCA, the Queens Botanical Gardens, and The Noel Pointer Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides music lessons for gifted underprivileged children where she served as treasurer. She has been awarded the Bronze Leadership Award for Leadership and Support and the Above and Beyond Service Award for her work in Junior Achievement.

Priscilla attributes her team spirit to her husband Angelo, a former New York Giants lineman.

Mr. Speaker, Priscilla Incorvaia is devoted to serving her community. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, today, we will commemorate the 140th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation with the passage of H. Con. Res. 36. In recognition of today's action, Mr. Speaker, I also want to honor the memory of Annie Lee Pinchback, a matriarch of one of America's historic Black families.

Annie Lee Pinchback was born to the late James Lucius and Elizabeth Booker on November 7, 1911. Known as Mama to all, Annie Lee was educated in the Danville Virginia School System, graduating from West Mollen High School in Danville, Virginia. At an early age, she married the late Mr. William T. Pinchback, a direct descendent of the nation's first African-American Governor, P.B.S. Pinchback. Five children were born out of their union: Mrs. Elizabeth Crosland, Mrs. Gloria Tucker, Mr. James Lucius Pinchback, Mrs. Canzada Allaway and Mr. Harry T. Pinchback. She and her husband relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to live with her aunt. In later years, she moved to Brooklyn, New York.

For forty years, Annie Lee worked as a seamstress at Admiral Embroidery in the New York City Garment Center. In 1936, she made Mount Lebanon Baptist Church on the Hill on Howard Avenue and Herkimer Street, her church home. Annie Lee served there as an usher; was a member of the Helping Hand Club; and served as Treasurer of the All- State Club. She also sang in the R.A. Laws Ensemble Choir and the Sanctuary Choir until her health failed her. In 1962, she met the late Worthy Matron, Sister Fannie Johnson and joined the Order of Eastern Star, Maria Chapter #18 O.E.S. of Brooklyn, New York.

While Annie Lee departed this life on November 26, 2002, her memory will live on through her brother and sister as well as her five children, her eighteen grandchildren, forty-six great-grandchildren, and thirteen great-great-grandchildren. I would urge my colleagues to take note of the great life and work of the great woman, Annie Lee Pinchback who is more than worthy of the recognition that we will bestow her today.

Mr. Speaker, recently, the Canadian courts accepted a plea bargain from Inderjit Singh Reyat in a case related to the bombing of an Air India jet in 1985 that killed 329 people. The plea covers up the clear and strong evidence that the Indian government itself blew up the airplane.

The book Soft Target, written by Canadian journalists Zuhair Kashmeri of the Toronto Globe and Mail and Brian McAndrew of the Toronto Star, shows that the story agreed to by Mr. Reyat matches a story first suggested in 1985 by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). A Sikh named Lal Singh reported that he was offered ``two million dollars and settlement in a nice country'' for false testimony in the case. He turned down that offer. There are some questions about whether the evidence in Reyat's first trial was valid, according to the National Post.

Canadian Member of Parliament David Kilgour wrote a book called Betrayal: The Spy Canada Abandoned about a Polish-Canadian double agent who was approached by the Indian government to carry out a second bombing. Soft Target shows that the Indian Consul General in Toronto knew more than the RCMP and the Canadian Security Investigative Service (CSIS) in the early hours of the investigation. Why did his daughter and wife, a friend of his who was an auto dealer, and the director of North American operations for the Indian government all cancel their reservations on the doomed flight at the last minute, Mr. Speaker?

Even if the Indian government's story that a Sikh carried the bomb onto the plane is true, it implicates them. The person they have identified is associated with a Sikh activist named Dr. Jagjit Singh Chohan, who was identified in the book Chakravyuh: Web of Indian Secularism as someone who has been supported by the Indian government and has worked at its behest, including cooperating with them on the attack on the Golden Temple in Amritsar in June 1984. Thus, even the Indian government's own version of the story places the blame squarely on the Indian government.

Back on July 26, 1992, the, India Monitor reported the arrest in Bombay of a Sikh named Manjit Singh in connection with the Air India case. The RCMP, however, said it knew of no Manjit Singh and he was not a suspect. The Indian government has been desperately trying to pin its crime on the Sikhs for years.

The Council of Khalistan has issued an excellent press release on the Reyat case. I would like to place it in the Record at this time, Mr. Speaker.

Canadian Courts Cover Up Indian Complicity in Bombing

Reyat Plea Matches RCMP Story Suggested in 1985 Questioning

Washington, DC., Feb. 12, 2003.--The recent plea bargain by

Inderjit Singh Reyat in the 1985 Air India crash is the

result of a concerted Indo-Canadian effort to cover up the

Indian government's own responsibility for this atrocity that

killed 329 innocent people, said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh,

President of the Council of Khalistan, which leads the Sikh

Nation's struggle for independence.

The book Soft Target, written by respected Canadian

journalists Zuhair Kashmeri of the Toronto Globe and Mail and

Brian McAndrew of the Toronto Star, clearly established that

the lndian government is responsible for the bombing. The

book quotes an investigator from the Canadian Security

Investigative Service (CSIS) who said, ``If you really want

to clear up the incidents quickly, take vans down to the

Indian High Commission and the consulates in Toronto and

Vancouver, load up everybody and take them down for

questioning. We know it and they know it that they are

involved.''

Mere hours after the incident, while the CSIS and the Royal

Canadian Mounted Police were still retrieving the passenger

list stored in the Air India computer, Indian Consul General

Surinder Malik called the Globe and Mail to tell them to look

for an ``L. Singh'' on the passenger manifest. How could

Malik have known this? ``L. Singh'' turned out to be a Sikh

named Lal Singh. Lal Singh told an Indian newspaper that he

was offered ``$2 million and settlement in a nice country''

to testify falsely against the three individuals that Canada

has charged with the bombing, an offer he refused. Curiously,

Consul General Malik knew more details about the case than

the police did.

Malik had pulled his wife and daughter off the flight

suddenly, claiming that his daughter had a paper to write for

school. A Canadian auto dealer who was a friend of Malik's

cancelled his reservation on the flight at the last minute,

as well. So did Siddhartha Singh, head of North American

Affairs for external relations in New Delhi. In addition the

sister-in-law of the head of the Canadian wing of Dal Khalsa

cancelled her reservations. Dal Khalsa is a political party

formed by Zail Singh, who was President of India when Indira

Gandhi was Prime Minister. How did all these people

affiliated with the Indian government come to cancel their

reservations at the last minute?

The story told in court in connection with Inderjit Singh

Reyat's plea bargain matches in significant detail the story

pressed upon him at the time of his initial arrest in

November 1985, which he denied. An RCMP agent named Glen

Rockwell told Reyat that he could get off the hook if he said

that others hatched the bombing plot and sought his

assistance and that he didn't know what he was doing. Reyat

replied ``I didn't help killing those people. No way.'' He

said that Talwinder Singh Parmar, who has since been murdered

by the Indian police, wanted to send some kind of explosive

device to India. These details match the ``statement of

facts'' at Reyat's trial.

The Indian Consul General planted a story in the Globe and

Mail claiming that Reyat was given a parcel to carry onto the

flight by Jagdev Nijjar, whose brother was in the inner

circle of Jagjit Singh Chohan, who claims to be a Khalistani

leader, but who was exposed in the book Chakravyuh: Web of

Indian Secularism by Professor Gurtej Singh IAS in letters

showing that he connived with the Indian government in

planning the attack on the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Chohan is also tied to Dal Khalsa. If the Indian government

really believes that Chohan's followers were involved in the

incident, then why wasn't Chohan arrested when he returned to

India last year?

A Member of the Canadian Parliament, David Kilgour,

confirms the Indian government's involvement. In his book

Betrayal: The Spy That Canada Forgot, he writes about a

Canadian-Polish double agent who was introduced to Indian

government agents. They asked him to join in their plot to

carry out a second bombing of an Air India jet, telling him

that ``the first one worked so well.''

The evidence clearly continues to show that the Indian

regime blew up its own airliner to damage the Sikh freedom

movement,'' said Dr. Aulakh. ``This is consistent with the

pattern of Indian government efforts to protect its

tyrannical rule over the minorities of South Asia''

The government of India has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs

since 1984, more than 200,000 Christians since 1948, over

85,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands

of Tamils, Assamese, Manipuris, Dalits (the aboriginal people

of the subcontinent), and others. Last March, the Indian

government murdered 2,000 to 5,000 Muslims in Gujarat,

according to the newspaper The Hindu. Over 52,000 Sikhs are

being held as political prisoners. The Indian Supreme Court

called the Indian government murders of Sikhs ``worse than a

genocide.'' On October 7, 1987, the Sikh Nation declared the

independence of its homeland, Punjab, Khalistan. No Sikh

representative has ever signed the Indian constitution. The

Sikh Nation demands freedom for its homeland, Khalistan.

``Only in a free and sovereign Khalistan will the Sikh

Nation prosper. In a democracy, the right to self-

determination is the sine qua non and India should allow a

plebiscite for the freedom of the Sikh Nation and all the

nations of South Asia,'' Dr. Aulakh said.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to Mrs. Clementine Wrenn Odom is often referred to as ``The Tax Lady,'' because in the late 1940's she began to help farmers with their income tax filings and soon found herself in the tax business. For her services, a farmer would often give her ham, bacon, vegetables or other perishable items. She received so much that she purchased a freezer! When asked what she charged, her reply was usually ``whatever you can afford to give me'' and to this day she has served four generations of families.

She was born February 15, 1916 in Smithfield, Virginia to Fred Douglas and Norma Whitehead Wrenn. Although formal education for African-Americans ended after 6th grade, she attended boarding school in North Carolina and then went on to attend Virginia Union University and graduated from Virginia State College. Her teaching career came to an end when she married Mr. Woodrow Odom, a Hampton Institute graduate who came to Isle of Wight County as an agricultural extension agent. In 1960, Mrs. Odom accompanied her husband to Ghana, West Africa where he was Extension Advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture.

She established the first Head Start Center in Isle of Wight County, Virginia and neighboring counties. She taught in a one-room school for 12 years in Surry County, Virginia until 1937 and never let a child's need go unmet. When the African-American students at the school wanted to form a band, she went to the music director at Virginia State College for guidance and organized the fundraisers and got several of the instruments donated.

Mrs. Odom is an accomplished musician and mastered the piano and pipe organ at an early age. She taught piano lessons in her home and was organist and director of music at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. She is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations, including Woman of the Year (twice) and the ``Pinnacle of Success'' award; but she still considers her family her greatest achievement.

She has three daughters and a son, ten grandchildren (one deceased) and one great-granddaughter. Her children and eight of the nine grandchildren are college graduates, several with advanced degrees.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that all my colleagues today will join me in paying special tribute to not only an everyday ordinary woman, but also a woman who has done extraordinary things in her time! I yield back the balance of my time.