Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to today to honor the boy's basketball team, at John F. Kennedy High School in Kingsbridge, NY. These fine young men, whom critics called the underdogs, won the PSAL tournament in New York, defeating Lincoln High School at Madison Square Garden 62- 57.

It has not been an easy season for the Knights, which makes their victory all the sweeter. Midway through the season, Coach Johnny Mathis nearly had to quit the team. In the past year, Coach Mathis, who has led the team for 18 years, lost three toes to diabetes and underwent three circulatory bypass surgeries on his legs. Yet, this dedicated coach only missed two games all season. He always believed in his team. Mathis called the team's win ``very special'' and said he always believed we were good enough and that the team worked pretty hard and in the team's minds they came in to win the game.

It takes an extraordinary team to beat a three-time champion like Lincoln, but the Kennedy Knights are such a team and did just that. The final game was close--and with the score tied and 5 minutes left, MVP Emilijano Kinaj sank a three-pointer and the Knights were on their way. They worked hard as a team and the results are obvious.

I congratulate the players and Coach John Mathis for their 28-4 season record and for winning the championship.

Mr. Speaker, today, on the front page of the New York Times, there is a story that says ``U.S. Called Ready to See Hezbollah in Lebanon Role. A Sharp Policy Reversal.''

The article states, ``After years of campaigning against Hezbollah, the radical Shiite Muslim party in Lebanon, as a terrorist pariah, the Bush administration is grudgingly going along with efforts by France and the UN to steer the party into the Lebanese political mainstream, administration officials say.''

Administration officials say, what a mistake. What a mistake to deal with terrorists. President Bush has repeatedly said that we should not deal with terrorists. There are no good terrorists. There are no good terrorists. All terrorists are bad. Hezbollah has American blood on its hands. It killed more than 200 U.S. Marines in Beirut in 1983 and is responsible for hundreds and hundreds of killings of Israeli citizens.

Resolution 1559 of the UN Security Council which passed a few months ago, sponsored by the U.S. and France, says that Syria should get out of Lebanon, that all militias, including Hezbollah, should be disarmed.

Why are we changing policy now? We should not deal with terrorists. We should not compromise with terrorists. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. We are moving in this body to pass a resolution calling on the Europeans to label Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, to dry up their funds.

Terrorists should not be dealt with. The administration is making a mistake.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take my Special Order at this time.

Mr. Speaker, for too long Syria has heard yes from the world. It has sponsored terrorism, and the world answered: Yes. It has built up an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, and the world answered: Yes. And it has stolen from Lebanon its sovereignty and political independence, and, once again, the world answered: Yes.

This week, we are here to tell Syria: No. For over a generation, the world stood silently as the occupation set deep roots in Lebanon, while hundreds of people were murdered by Syrian-supported terrorists like Hezbollah all over the world, and a dangerous stockpile of chemical weapons was developed. Anger grew as guerillas entered Iraq from Syria to kill innocent Iraqis and American soldiers, but it was left to the United States Congress to grab the bull by the horns and devise a policy to free Lebanon and confront Syria.

The Syria Accountability Act and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, which I wrote, was signed into law in December 2003 and told Syria that things had changed. Until Syria got out of Lebanon, halted its support for terror, ended weapons of mass destruction programs and stanched the flow of extremists into Iraq, it would face sanctions.

Last fall, the United Nations followed our lead. They demanded in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 that Syria completely leave Lebanon, and Hezbollah be dismantled. But still, Syria remains in Lebanon, and the terror machine operates from the Damascus sanctuary.

It is remarkable, but it has taken the murder of a former prime minister of Lebanon and mass protests by Lebanese aspiring for democracy for the world to take on the Syria challenge. The Cedar Revolution which has been launched by Lebanese people calling for Syria to leave Lebanon is something that really make us proud.

So this week, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and I introduced a new bill. This is the natural follow-up to the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act. The legislation is called LA SYRIA LA, which means in Arabic, No Syria No. It says that until Damascus gets completely out of Lebanon, stops supporting terrorist groups and ends it weapons of mass destruction programs, the Lebanese and Syria Liberation Act, LA SYRIA LA, codifies existing sanctions against Syria and imposes American sanctions on countries and companies which provide destabilizing weapons to Syria. In other words, third countries will have sanctions against them if they provide destabilizing weapons to Syria. It calls for a State Department report to Congress on Syrian activities, provides for American assistance to pro-democracy and human rights groups in Syria and Lebanon and instructs our government to oppose Syrian bids for U.N. leadership positions and international loans to Syria.

So, today, we stand with the Lebanese people who wish to take back their people by saying no to the Syrian occupiers. We stand with the world and the President of the United States, who is saying no to the Syrian occupation, and we align ourselves with the forces of Lebanese democracy which will deliver the ultimate no to Syria through power of the ballot box, not the barrel of the gun.

Now I must say, today, the newspapers reported that in a sharp policy reversal, the Bush administration is now ready to see Hezbollah in a role in Lebanon at the urging of France. I am sorry to hear, that, if it is true, is ill-advised, and I urged the administration to never acquiesce to terrorist organizations like Hezbollah. Hezbollah is in the same category as al Qaeda, and the President has said time and time again that there are no good terrorists, only bad terrorists, and we cannot compromise with terrorism. I hope this is not the fact. We should not deal with Hezbollah. Hezbollah killed 243 Marines, U.S. Marines, 20 some odd years ago in Beirut and has killed countless number of Israeli citizens by being allowed to conduct a proxy off of Syria against Israel in South Lebanon.

Resolution 1559 of the U.N. Security Council which we sponsored says that Hezbollah and all terrorist organizations in Lebanon must be dismantled and that the Syrians must get out of Lebanon. I urge the administration to stick to its guns on that and never recognize Hezbollah as anything more than a terrorist group.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Brigadier General William Terpeluk who completes his term as Deputy Commander for the 77th Regional Readiness Command this month and thank him for his service to our nation. General Terpeluk served in this position from 31 March 2001-30 March 2005. He was Deputy Commander during 9-11 and through the War on Terror. He moves on in his military career later this month.

The 77th Regional Readiness Command is located in Fort Totten, New York. It is headquartered in Bayside, Queens, New York at historic Fort Totten, where the Reserve Command has been since 1968.

Brigadier General Terpeluk is an Infantry Officer who received his commission as a Second Lieutenant through the Reserve Officer Training Corps Program in 1974 from the Virginia Military Institute. After completing the Infantry Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, he served on Active Duty as the Executive Officer, Company E, 3d Battalion, 3d Basic Combat Training Brigade, Fort Dix, NJ.

His next assignment was as the Assistant Brigade S-1, 3d Basic Combat Training Brigade, Fort Dix, NJ. Brigadier General Terpeluk was then assigned to Korea where he functioned as the Executive Officer, HHC, 1st Battalion (M), 31st Infantry and Rifle Platoon Leader, Company B, 1st Battalion (M), 31st Infantry, Camp Casey, as well as Support Platoon Leader, 1st Battalion (M), 31st Infantry, Camp Howze, Korea.

In October of 1978, Brigadier General Terpeluk transitioned to the United States Army Reserve as the Executive Officer, and later as the Commander, of Company B, 1st Battalion (M), 3l5th Infantry, l57th Separate Infantry Brigade (M), Bristol, PA. Between February 1982 to May 86 he served as the Aide-de-Camp and Headquarters Commandant, Hqs, 79th United States Army Reserve Command, Willow Grove, PA. From May 86 to January 1993, Brigadier General Terpeluk served as the Executive Officer and Commander, 4074th Reception Battalion, 76th Division (Training), Willow Grove, PA. From January 1993 to July 94, he served as the Chief of Staff, l57th Separate Infantry Brigade (M), Horsham,

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. I thank my colleague for putting in this amendment.

The gentleman from New York (Mr. Kuhl) used the word ``civility'' and I think that word describes Amo Houghton. If there were 435 Amo Houghtons in Congress, Congress would be enriched by that fact. He knew the spirit of bipartisanship. He knew the spirit of collegiality. I do not think I have met a nicer individual in my entire life than Amo.

Amo was one of the richest men in Congress, if not the richest; and you would never know it. If you did not know it, you would never know it. He was such a humble person. He was such a good person and a kind person and always had a good word, always had a smile, always did what was right. A couple of times I was paired to supposedly debate him on national TV, and both times it really turned into a lovefest because we agreed on so many of the issues and so many of the things, that it almost seemed as if we had staged the event. But indeed because Amo was such a good person, it was so easy to agree with him and so easy to do things for him.

It is very, very nice to have things named after you when you are still around to see them. And I am so happy that we are doing this so Amo understands just a small little bit of how well thought of he is and how much we care about him. I want to thank my colleague from New York (Mr. Kuhl). Anything that is named after Amo, you can count me in to say a few good words because Amo is truly a special person and he deserves this great honor.

Mr. Speaker, on February 27, 2005, we celebrated the 161st anniversary of Dominican independence and the love of liberty that unites the Dominican Republic and the United States and stands as a symbol of freedom worldwide.

The United States is a stronger and better country for the more than one million Dominicans who live here. New York City is even more culturally rich thanks to the more than 650,000 Dominicans who have settled there. I am proud that so many live in my Congressional District.

We, the United States and the Dominican Republic, give each other strength by our mutual support. Americans have always supported Dominican independence and admire the free and fair elections that have helped to make the country a model for emerging democracies. Our friendship inspires us to work towards even greater democratic and economic development.

We in the United States celebrate Dominican independence and the Dominican spirit, a spirit of liberty and courage--a spirit that values family and faith, education and service--the same spirit that has helped to shape America.

Our nations will work together because our futures are bound to one another. Geography makes us neighbors, but our shared values make us friends--a friendship built on common customs and ideals.

The fight for Dominican independence in 1844 continues to inspire us today. It shows that brave and determined people, committed to a noble cause, can do great good. That was true in the Dominican Republic just as it was true for the United States.

We have come a long way together and we shall continue our journey together with respect and understanding, with mutual support, and with customary respect. Long Live the United States and Viva La Republica Dominicana.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my very distinguished friend from California for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution. I think that it is very important that we state that we will not tolerate this kind of violence and that the United States Congress is going to come out squarely in opposition to this kind of violence.

Mr. Speaker, I am the author of the Syria Accountability Act; and I think that it is clear to me, and all the evidence is being gathered, but I suspect that this assassination has some ties to Damascus, to the regime in Damascus. There have been all kinds of allegations, and one thing I know for sure is

that the Syrians have allowed Lebanon to destabilize, and this is part and parcel of the result.

Prime Minister Hariri in recent months had grown more and more critical of the Syrian occupation, and I say occupation because it is, of Lebanon. And in the past months, he objected to Syrian interference in the running of Lebanon's affairs. The bottom line here is that Lebanon needs to be free and independent and make its own decisions and not be held under the yoke of Syria. Syria needs to get out of Lebanon. I have many, many Lebanese American friends with whom I am very close, work with me, the Syria Accountability Act, and all feel strongly that they want their country, their former country and the country to which they have ties, to be free.

Syria now has 15,000 troops in Lebanon. I was pleased to see the United States and France collaborate on Security Council Resolution 1559, which pointedly calls for all foreign troops to leave Lebanon and which clearly says that the Lebanese ought to run their own show. Syria has allowed various terrorist militias to run free. Hezbollah, the southern border of Lebanon, northern border of Israel wreaks havoc with Damascus's blessing.

So at this time, when we pay tribute to Prime Minister Hariri, I also want to call on words of a former prime minister, General Michel Aoun, who came right here to Washington just a year ago, and said, ``You know, in Lebanon Syria likes to play the game they are the arsonist and the fireman.

They start the fire and then they want accolades and credit for putting it out.'' Because General Aoun came here to Washington and testified before Congress, he was indicted in Lebanon and it is virtually impossible for him to go back to his country. This is what we are dealing with.

So in certifying and supporting this resolution today, we recall the life of Prime Minister Hariri, and nothing could be a more fitting tribute to Prime Minister Hariri than having the Syrians leave Lebanon. I will double my efforts to do all I can under the Syria Accountability Act, talking to the President and seeing what we in Congress can continue to do to put pressure on Syria to leave Lebanon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the life of the great Ossie Davis. It a fitting time to pay tribute to this exemplary African American as February is African-American History month. Ossie Davis was a constituent and someone whose counsel I came to value over the past many years. Sadly, he has just passed away.

Just last December I saw Ossie Davis when he was being honored at the Kennedy Center in Washington for his life and career. I made a point of going that night so that I too could honor him. It was a fitting tribute to a man I first saw perform on Broadway when I was a child. Years later, I was thrilled to meet him and be his Representative in Congress.

Ossie Davis made significant contributions to our culture through his talented work in film and his noble involvement in civil rights issues and efforts to promote the cause of African Americans in the entertainment industry. A resident of Mt. Vernon and New Rochelle in New York, he wrote, acted, directed, and produced for the theatre and Hollywood, and was a central figure among black performers of the last five decades.

In 1963, Davis participated in the landmark civil rights demonstration, the March on Washington. Two years later, he delivered a memorable eulogy for his slain friend, civil rights leader Malcolm X. Davis also left behind a vast body of work in film. He starred in such movies as The Joe Louis Story, Slaves, Let's Do It Again, Grumpy Old Men and Dr. Dolittle, as well as Spike Lee's School Daze, Do the Right Thing, and Jungle Fever. As a director, he is probably best remembered for 1970's gritty Cotton Comes to Harlem, a precursor to the blaxploitation films of the decade, and 1973's Gordon's War.

I am also pleased to be a cosponsor of a resolution that honors the great life and work of the great Ossie Davis. Through his talents and dedication, Ossie Davis, like many other African Americans, has left his mark as a positive leader in his community and significant contributor to our culture.

As we reflect on the contributions of innumerable African-Americans during this month, I want to commend his work and his life to my colleagues. I have lost a valued constituent and America has lost a great leader and entertainer.

Mr. Speaker, we must ensure that everyone has the right to vote and every vote is counted.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the fact that too many Americans are being denied the right to vote in a fair, free and open election process. Every American citizen who wants to vote should be allowed to vote, and every vote must count.

Sadly, many voters in this nation believe their right to cast ballots for President, Member of Congress, Governor or countless other leadership positions has been undercut because of this nation's broken electoral system.

Today, the House of Representatives will certify the Electoral College's ballot electing the next President. While my first choice for this important job was Senator John Kerry, I know that President Bush won this election.

This does not change the fact that around the country and particularly in the state of Ohio, many voters felt as if their vote was not properly counted. This feeling was particularly acute in more poor, urban and minority areas. Money, privilege, or geographic location should not make someone's vote count more than anyone else's.

In October 2002, Congress enacted the Help America Vote Act, which addressed many of those weaknesses. It created a new federal agency, the Election Assistance Commission, with election administration responsibilities. It set requirements for voting and voter-registration systems and certain other aspects of election administration, and it provided federal funding; but it did not supplant state and local control over election administration.

Yet, more needs to be done. We cannot have another election where tens of thousands of Americans feel as though their votes did not count or were counted improperly. We must continue to work toward a more perfect system. The Republicans control Congress, and their unwillingness to invest what it takes to correct our national electoral system is a disgrace.

Fixing the voting problems around the country will not be easy and will not be cheap. But a fair and open election is the bedrock of our democracy and what ensures a peaceful transfer of power. How can we ask Americans to respect the laws made in Washington if we cannot ensure them the lawmakers were elected fairly?

Today, American soldiers are being wounded and dying so the United States can spread democracy around the world. It is absolutely shameful that when these soldiers return home, they cannot even be sure their own electoral process is fair and accurate.

I realize that in the case of Ohio, the irregularities would not overturn the results of the election. Even Senator Kerry has conceded that and does not support this congressional motion. I, therefore, will vote against the motion, but feel that it is important today to highlight the very real problems we have with our electoral process-- which must be addressed by this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay honor to Representative Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress and a candidate for the presidency in 1972, and who passed away on Saturday in Florida at the age of 80. Representative Chisholm was elected to Congress in 1968 and served until 1982. During her seven terms, she was an outspoken advocate for women and minorities and a riveting speaker who often called on Congress to be more responsive to the public.

During her first term in Congress, Representative Chisholm hired an all-female staff and spoke out for civil rights, women's rights, the poor, and against the Vietnam War. Throughout her tenure, she was a sought-after public speaker. Representative Chisholm was a cofounder of the National Organization for Women, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the National Women's Political Caucus. She was also the first black person to conduct a large-scale campaign for the presidency within the two-party system. As a candidate for the Democratic nomination in 1972, Representative Chisholm won 152 delegates before withdrawing from the race. When her ideological opposite, George Wallace, was shot, she surprised many by visiting him in the hospital.

Representative Chisholm was born Shirley Hill in New York on November 20, 1924, the oldest of four daughters of a Guyanese father and a Barbadian mother, who scrimped to educate their children. Representative Chisholm lived on her maternal grandmother's farm in Barbados from age 3 to age 11, where she attended a British grammar school and picked up the clipped Caribbean accent that marked her speech. She went on to graduate cum laude from Brooklyn College and earn a master's degree from Columbia University. She began her career as the director of a day care center, then moved on to be an educational consultant for the New York City Bureau of Child Welfare. A long-time political activist, she became involved in Democratic politics and was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1964. During her tenure in the legislature, she proposed a bill to provide State aid to day-care centers and voted to increase funding for schools on a per- pupil basis.

After leaving Congress, Representative Chisholm was named to the Purington Chair at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts and also served as a visiting scholar at Spelman College. She received many honorary degrees, and her awards include Alumna of the Year, Brooklyn College; Key Woman of the Year; Outstanding Work in the Field of Child Welfare; and Woman of Achievement. She is the author of two autobiographical works, Unbought and Unbossed (1970) and The Good Fight (1973). Representative Chisholm was a pioneer in her time and her life should serve as an example of what can be accomplished if we have the courage and the strength to stand and fight for what we believe in. Her wit, wisdom, and leadership will be sorely missed.

Mr. Speaker, an undeniable tenant of any democracy is the rule of law. Sadly, this is not the case in Russia today. That country's legal system is taking on the appearance of Czarist Russia and the Soviet Union, when the legal system and courts were merely instruments of the State. This past year, we have witnessed a series of arbitrary and discriminatory actions, directed by the Kremlin, against select individuals and companies, that are politically motivated and lacking in legal merit, according reputable human rights groups and widely reported in the Western press.

The most notable case is the YUKOS Oil Company, one of Russia's early privatized companies, known for its Western management style and global outlook, that today is under siege by a government clearly intent on destroying or taking control of Russia's largest oil producer. The chairman of YUKOS, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, was arrested and indefinitely detained on charges that are murky and, again, appear to be of a political nature rather than criminal intent.

Our colleagues on the Senate side last year unanimously approved S. Res. 258, which stated, in part, ``the law enforcement and judicial authorities of the Russian Federation should ensure that Mr. Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky is accorded the full measure of his rights under the Russian Constitution to defend himself against any and all charges that may be brought against him, in a fair and transparent process, so that individual justice may be done. . . .''

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Senate spoke out one year ago, and since then the Russian government has levied an $18 billion tax bill on YUKOS, far beyond its earnings, which is apparently intended to pave the way for a government take over of one of the world's largest oil companies. Mr. Khodorkovsky is confined to a cage on his daily trips to the courtroom, where he is denied the customary rights of a defendant and indeed is facing a verdict that may well be pre-ordained by the Kremlin.

Mr. Speaker, I also call to the attention of my colleagues another example of Russia's crude application of a legal system that denies, rather than protects the rights of the accused and clearly violates the norms and standards of decency and respect for human rights.

Mr. Alexei Pichugin, a former white collar security officer for the YUKOS Company, is currently on trial in Moscow on charges, so it is alleged, of murder. This is another case that is being closely monitored by human rights groups and others because of the bizarre series of actions by prosecutors who appear to be using the formal charges to pressure Mr. Pichugin to testify against his former bosses at YUKOS.

I do not presume to know the guilt or innocence of Mr. Pichugin; that is for a properly conducted court trial and unbiased jury to determine. But I am troubled, as are many of my colleagues, about the politicizing of Russia's legal system and the denial of a just and fair trial because the court itself is not truly independent.

Indeed, the Council of Europe's rapporteur, Sabine Leutheusser- Schnarrenberger, has called the allegations reguarding Mr. Pichugin's mistreatment ``very serious.'' She notes: ``I cannot myself help worrying about the possibly illicit investigative methods and pressures that Mr. Pichugin could be subjected to at a prison that remains withdrawn from the normal supervisory procedures by the Ministry of Justice.''

Just yesterday, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe PACE released a report pointing out that Russian authorities continue to violate the principle of equality before the law, based on legal analysis of the facts surrounding the arrests and prosecutions of former YUKOS executives Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Alexei Pichugin and Platon Lebedev.

While the trial of Alexi Pichugin is being conducted in secrecy, the evidence of abuse by the prosecutors and court handling the matter has been widely reported in the press. I, therefore, urge the Administration to refocus its attention on the deterioration of the rule of law in Russia. It would be very unfortunate if while we were striving to establish a democracy in Iraq, one broke down completely in the Russian Federation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1964. I thank the chairs and ranking members of the Committee on Resources who ushered this bill through the process, and I want to thank the author of this bill, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) for his stalwart support.

The Highlands is a vast area of land which stretches from Connecticut to Pennsylvania, and my district is smack in the middle of it in New York. The Highlands run through Rockland County, which is home to some of New York's great history, scenic areas and wildlife, too. In fact, 1.4 million people live within the Highlands area. The Highlands adjoin a metropolitan area with a population of more than 20 million people, and more than 11 million people rely on the Highlands drinking water resources, which serves at least half of New York City's water supply.

More than 14 million people visit the Highlands each year for recreational opportunities as well. Over 240 species of birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles depend on Highlands habitat. More than 160 historical and cultural sites have been identified in the region. Thus, I thank my colleagues for their support in preserving this important resource for our constituents and visitors as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man that has dedicated his life to protecting our country. Colonel Thomas D. Butler, Jr. After 35 years fulfilling vital support functions in the United States Army, Colonel Butler is retiring.

Thomas Butler joined the Army Reserve as a private in 1969 and served at the Engineering and Plans Section of the 411th Engineer Brigade at Fort Tilden, New York until his commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1974, upon which he commanded a platoon at the 306th Engineer Company in Amityville, New York. In July 1977, Butler was assigned to the New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an Assistant Military Area Engineer. In 1987, he returned to the 411th Engineer Brigade and was called to active duty when the Brigade was deployed to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Upon returning to reserve status in 1991, Butler assumed command of the 305th Engineer Detachment. During his command, this unit was awarded the U.S. Army Superior Unit Citation and Butler conducted numerous missions in the Republic of Korea and Germany. In 1995 he joined the 77th Regional Support Command as the chief, Plans Division, in the DCS ENGINEER section. In 2001, Butler became Acting Commander of the 8th Brigade (SROTC), 98th Division, and then Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff-Operations, ADCSOPS- OPS of the 77th RSC. In 2002, Butler was reassigned as Deputy Chief of Staff-engineers, DCS-ENGINEER, and then as the first Deputy Chief of Staff--Army Reserve Installation Management.

Colonel Butler is a highly-decorated soldier. His citations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal with Service Star, the Kuwait Liberation Medal from both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and the New York State Conspicuous Service medal.

In his civilian capacity, Butler is a Senior Project Manager for the Tishman Interiors Construction Corporation and the former Commissioner of Buildings for the City of Mount Vernon, New York. Butler resides in Tarrytown. I would like to join his wife Cheryl and their children Brent, Kimberly, Blake, Ashley, and all his relatives and friends in congratulating him and wishing him well in his retirement.

I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Chairman, on 9/11, 2001, my city was attacked. And then a remarkable thing happened. The 9/11 Commission was formed with five Democrats and five Republicans, and they unanimously made a series of recommendations. That showed true bipartisanship. The other body also showed true bipartisanship when it came up with a bill that was passed again almost unanimously.

But here, unfortunately, we have not seen bipartisanship. Democrats have essentially been shut out of the process once again, something that we have seen too frequently; and this bill before us does not implement most of the 9/11 Commission recommendations. The Menendez substitute before us does implement most of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. Intelligence should not be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, but an American issue.

In the underlying bill, there are some good things in the bill. There are some troubling things in the bill. But on the whole, the Menendez substitute is by far the better bill. It is bipartisan, implementing the 9/11 Commission.

Vote for the Menendez substitute.