Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Yonkers Guardians Association, an organization in the Yonkers community dedicated to promoting equal opportunities within the Yonkers Police Department.

The Yonkers Guardians Association, incorporated in 1988 under the leadership of first president, Lieutenant Lorenzo Paul, is a fraternal organization comprised of African American Police and Detention Officers. Dedicated to promoting equal opportunities of appointment, assignment and promotion for members of the Yonkers Police Department, and to devising and executing plans to assist its members morally, financially, educationally and culturally. The association's mission is to encourage community members to be conscience of the criminal justice system and to enhance the quality of life in the African American community. Moreover, the Organization's goal is to foster an indispensable alliance with the community by creating partnerships, programs and building relationships with community based organizations that share the ideals and common principles of the Guardians Association.

In addition to working to increase the number of African American Police Officers the Guardians have honored outstanding women in our community through its ``Mother's Day Award Dinner''. Using the motto ``Protecting our Future today'' the Guardians have also made a commitment to programs that help our local youth partnering with the My Brother's Keeper initiative to mentor our local youth. The Guardians had also formed alliances with the National Association of Black Law Enforcement (NABLEO), the Westchester/Rockland Guardians Association, the Nepperhan Community Center, Compact for Learning in the 21st Century, the Cluster Westchester Mediation Center, the Yonkers Department of Parks and Recreation, the Yonkers Drug Court, the Westchester Coalition Against Bigotry, the Yonkers NAACP, the Yonkers Public Schools, the Municipal Housing Authority and the Salvation Army. Under the leadership of past presidents Lieutenant Lorenzo Paul, Detective Charles Morton, Detective Donald Wilson, Detective Stuart Barksdale, Police Officer Joseph Lecoq, Detective Vincent Tilson and current President Sergeant Charles Walker the Guardians seek to bridge relationships between Law Enforcement and the Minority Community, to be a voice against injustice and work to create opportunities for the members of the community which we are a part of. They have done a tremendous job with that, and I congratulate them on all they've accomplished.

Today, I rise for Dr. Erica of New York. This is her story.

Dr. Erica's patient was raped by an unknown assailant. The patient's emotions surrounding the pregnancy were extremely complex. She desperately wanted to have a child but felt guilt, shame, and isolation after being raped.

She ultimately decided to continue the pregnancy. She believed it would help her grieve and grasp onto something positive after such a traumatic experience.

But then the patient went in for a scan at 20 weeks and was devastated to learn that the fetus had multiple lethal anomalies. This patient had to face yet another agonizing decision. Ultimately, she decided to end the pregnancy.

Thankfully, Dr. Erica was able to help this patient through the most difficult time in her life. I want to share her words: ``As a physician, it is my job to guide the patient through the risks, benefits, and alternatives of all options available to her. It is not my job to place judgment on patients that only serve to punish women who are already suffering, and it certainly is not the job of the legislature to interfere with the patient-physician relationship.''

On behalf of Dr. Erica and the women she helps, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' We must support every woman's right to make reproduction choices for herself.

Mr. Speaker, when will it end? When will the carnage end? How

many more times are we going to have to turn on our televisions or our phones or get a text message to talk about some other mass shooting in America?

We have got to do something to stop this now.

There is no reason that someone like the killer should have automatic weapons or semiautomatic weapons.

I believe people have legitimate reasons to have guns, but not legitimate reasons to have automatic weapons to mow down so many innocent people. And it will happen again and again and again, because we refuse to do anything to have sensible gun control in this country.

My heart goes out to the families, but thoughts and prayers are not enough. A moment of silence in the House is not enough. We need to do something now to have sensible gun control laws; otherwise, these words ring hollow.

This country is hurting, and guns are doing it, guns in the hands of wrong people.

Again, guns for hunters, guns to keep people safe, I am not opposed to that, but I certainly am opposed to automatic weapons. Nobody needs automatic weapons. They are weapons of war, and they should not be in the hands of anybody who is unstable.

Mr. Speaker, the people of Puerto Rico are crying out for help, and these American citizens need America's help. Whenever there is a disaster anywhere in the country, we need to move fast. We moved fast when there was a disaster in Texas recently, which we unanimously supported.

We cannot afford to wait. People are dying. Every day it gets worse. There is lack of food, lack of water, lack of safety, and lack of electricity. These are American citizens. We cannot just allow this to continue to happen.

We must help the people of Puerto Rico and help the people in the U.S. Virgin Islands, who are also American citizens, as well as people in all of the islands.

It is just a crisis of tremendous proportion, and we have to help-- not tomorrow, not next week, but immediately. These people need our help. We need to save Puerto Rico, save the U.S. Virgin Islands, and help and save the islands of the Caribbean, as we have done so many times around the world.

Let's do it now. Let's do it quickly. People are waiting for us. We don't want to wait until people are dying.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure.

First, I thank our chairman, who always conducts himself in such a bipartisan fashion. I thank him for including everyone and thank him for the work that he does.

I also thank the bill's author, our former chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen from Florida. I am pleased to join her as the Democratic cosponsor of this legislation. She authored an earlier version of this bill, which is a testament to how long she has been working to shine a light on the daily horror of so many living in North Korea and to bring American leadership to bear, to ease their suffering.

We have been focused on North Korea a great deal lately because of the Kim regime's increasingly provocative behavior and our own administration's inconsistent and irresponsible rhetoric.

North Korea poses a great threat to our national security and the security of our friends and allies. We need a smart, coherent approach that combines diplomacy, pressure, and deterrence to halt North Korea's progress in developing nuclear weapons.

At the same time, we cannot lose sight over what the North Korean people are enduring. This is a country where people don't have rights, and anyone who dares speak his or her mind may find themselves subjected to beatings, torture, brutal imprisonment, or even death.

The United States Commission of Inquiry found that Kim Jong-un's regime is very likely committing crimes against humanity.

Mr. Speaker, I visited North Korea twice. When I was there with a few of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, our North Korean minders were very careful to make sure we only saw what we were supposed to see.

But we could sense that beneath the surface, something was terribly, terribly wrong. First of all, they wouldn't let us go out of Pyongyang; that just out of sight, it was amazing that there were so many people living under the most brutal conditions imaginable and that no one dared shatter the illusion that the North Korean authorities had just created.

When you go into North Korea, it feels like you are stepping back into 1953 Berlin. Everything was gray and dark and drab, and you could just see something was wrong.

We know better. We have seen year after year of disturbing reports and stories from defectors who have told us exactly what life is like for most North Koreans, and we haven't forgotten them.

The law that we are reauthorizing today first became law in 2004. This legislation will preserve funding for American assistance to North Korean refugees, for humanitarian assistance inside the country, as well as information efforts by our government, and to try every means possible to get the message out to regular North Korean people that we are not their enemy.

I will say that I am greatly concerned that the latest iteration of the President's travel ban, which now includes North Korea, sends exactly the wrong message to defectors from that country. By closing our door to them, we reinforce the paranoia that the regime perpetrates. We have to be careful not to get caught in the middle of that.

An earlier version of this law created a senior State Department position to focus on human rights in North Korea. It is a big job, Mr. Speaker, and in recent years, there has been someone to do this important work full time, but it has been reported that the administration plans to combine this position with the Under Secretary for Democracy. I think that would be a mistake.

The Under Secretary position already oversees the bureaus and offices that deal with a huge range of issues from counterterrorism, to refugees, to narcotics, to human trafficking. It is a pretty full agenda, yet the administration on the one hand says North Korean human rights should be combined with that job, and on the other hand has not yet nominated anyone to fill the position.

So I think there is a lot of work to be done on both sides, and that is what we are doing on the Foreign Affairs Committee. We are working together.

This reauthorization reaffirms Congress' view that we should have a senior full-time diplomat dealing with North Korean human rights. I ask that this provision be included once again. I am grateful to Chairman Royce and Chairman Emeritus Ros-Lehtinen that Congress will continue to speak out on the importance of this role.

It is also my view that we need to stop neglecting our diplomacy and get these positions filled. We cannot expect the State Department to deal with these challenges--whether North Korea's nuclear program or North Korea's human rights record--without leadership in place, but I am glad that Congress is continuing to do its job in helping to promote human rights for the North Koreans.

I am, again, grateful to my friend from Florida and the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the Kim regime poses a grave threat to global security, and it is critical that the United States move ahead with a coherent strategy to help meet this challenge.

At the same time, the Kim regime's treatment of its own people represents one of the worst human rights situations in the entire world. We cannot lose sight of that human suffering that is going on every day.

For years, the United States has made it a priority to do what we can to help those living under this brutal dictatorship and to assist those who have escaped it. This legislation will ensure that the United States continues this important work in the years ahead.

I want to say that Chairman Royce has made it a mark of his to travel the region, to speak with South Korea, to speak with the leaders in Asia. I am pleased that we are well represented when he goes there and lets the regimes know that we in Congress have a lot of things to say and that we want to stand by our allies and let North

Korea understand that they cannot push anybody around.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for having visited Korea with him and for all the things he does in Asia. I think the committee is united in supporting this legislation. We have to speak out. We have to protect the North Korean people who have no protection from a brutal dictator and a regime that treats them like they are worthless.

I urge Members to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume, and I rise in support of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking the authors of this resolution, two valued members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Castro from Texas and Mrs. Wagner from Missouri.

In addition to bringing this legislation forward, these two lawmakers established the first ever Congressional ASEAN Caucus. I am grateful for their leadership helping to advance American interests in the Asia Pacific.

Part of ensuring America's strong role in that region is our work with ASEAN, the Association of South East Asian Nations. This organization has worked to promote stability, prosperity, and peace among the countries of Southeast Asia. It is in our own strategic interest to see stronger countries, closer partnership, healthier economies, so our own success in Asia is closely tied to the success of ASEAN and its members.

This resolution underscores the accomplishments of ASEAN as it marks its 50th anniversary. It sends a signal to our partners and friends in Southeast Asia that the United States is committed to peace and prosperity in the region, and it puts Congress on record saying that, in this challenging time, the United States must remain engaged around the world, particularly in the Asia Pacific.

The administration's budget proposed a 46 percent cut to assistance in East Asia and the Pacific. I think this would be a grave mistake. What kind of impact would that have on American-backed initiatives that are having a positive impact? What message does it send to the countries that we depend on as partners?

Rather than drawing back, America should be even more engaged in the Asia Pacific. This measure reaffirms our commitment to America's leadership in the region.

I want to end by thanking the authors, and I want to compliment Chairman Royce, who knows more about this region of the world than virtually anybody in Congress, and has been to that part of the world-- I have gone with him many times--and the United States Congress has shown the ability to work with countries for the betterment of their people, for the betterment of our relationship with them.

Mr. Speaker, this measure reaffirms our commitment to America's leadership in the region. I thank the authors, I thank Chairman Royce, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro), who is the author of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

The Asia Pacific presents the perfect case of what might happen if the United States withdraws from the world. In recent years, our focus there, especially working with ASEAN and its members, has really helped to promote growth and stability in that region of the world, to enhance human rights, and the rule of law.

It is important for us to stay engaged. If we draw back, it is pretty clear that China would be happy to fill the void, and I guarantee the values we consider critical to foreign policy, democracy, justice, and equality would not be part of the agenda in Beijing. We need to stay engaged in Asia and around the world. We need to demonstrate that American leadership is a sure thing.

The resolution before us today will provide much needed reassurance to our partners and friends in Southeast Asia. Even Vietnam works with us. I remember, and others here remember, when we had the Vietnam war. Now we have so many Vietnam Americans in our country, and they help to really be good citizens and really help to show why it is important for us to keep engaged in that part of the world.

We will underscore the important role ASEAN stands to play, just as it has in the last 50 years. Again, it is important to reassure our partners and friends in Southeast Asia--I mentioned Vietnam, but all the other countries that belong to ASEAN.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this measure. I thank Chairman Royce, I urge all Members to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of this measure, and I am glad we are taking up this bill from our colleagues in the other body, Senators Shaheen and Capito, and I want to thank our colleagues who have worked so hard on the House version of this bill, Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Representative Noem.

Jan Schakowsky has brought forward a version of this bill for the last few Congresses. The House passed a version of this bill last year, and I am glad we are finally moving a version of it forward.

One of the hallmarks of the Obama administration foreign policy was the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. It was based on a wealth of research that showed very clearly, as the chairman said, getting women involved in conflict prevention and resolution leads to more successful outcomes.

Since the launch of this plan, the United States has promoted efforts to enhance the physical and economic security of women around the world. We have sought to break through the barriers that have stopped women from being full participants in peace processes.

This bill would make these policies permanent. It would build on the Obama administration's achievements, making sure State Department, USAID, and Pentagon personnel fully understand just how important it is to get women involved in conflict prevention and resolution. It would also require annual reporting so Congress can stay apprised of these efforts.

Now, we have been working a few years to get this legislation across the finish line, and, frankly, I don't think we can wait another moment. The administration's budget proposal would slash funding for diplomacy and development to dangerous levels, and a current redesign effort at the State Department might strip out initiatives like Women, Peace, and Security. I hope that won't happen. I got assurances today that that won't happen. I hope that is right, but we have to still fight for this.

Congress has a role to play in foreign policy and, by passing this bill, it will be clear that we support efforts to expand opportunity and participation for women around the world.

I am pleased to support this measure. As always, Chairman Royce has been a bulwark of helping to push this through. I thank the Members who have worked so hard on it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), a leader on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will close now since there are no further speakers on either side.

I want to start again by thanking Chairman Ed Royce for all of his work and for all of his collaboration working together with us; as well as Representatives Schakowsky and Noem, who worked very closely together, for their really hard work and really good work.

Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons I always support a strong investment in development and diplomacy is that we get such a good bang for our buck. Diplomacy and development efforts help to build stability. They defuse crises, they prevent conflicts, they help lay the groundwork for a more secure and more prosperous world.

History and research have shown us that when women are involved in these processes, they work even better. So it is smart policy. It is not a matter of being condescending. It is a matter of smart policy.

Think about the alternatives, about when we don't have diplomacy to help spread peace. Conflicts grow into wars--sometimes wars that American men and women will be required to fight. Populations are driven from their homes, triggering humanitarian crises. And the cost of dealing with these problems down the road is far higher than the cost of investing in diplomacy and development right now.

So this legislation is a piece of that puzzle. It isn't the whole thing, but it is an important piece. It is an important part of making sure American diplomacy can succeed, and I am glad to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote. I thank Chairman Royce for his hard

work, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, communities thrive when hard work, dedication, and sacrifice are set by the example of its residents. In Yonkers, no one has set that example better than Mary ``Edith'' Lockard.

Edith was born in Yonkers in 1924 to Andrew and Mary Lena Deloatch. She was the youngest of 6 and the only girl. After graduating from Yonkers High School, Edith earned her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Development from Pace University.

Edith has been the life-blood of Messiah Baptist Church for over 76 years. In April of 1940 she was baptized on Easter Sunday at the church, and has remained an active member serving the parish in any capacity needed.

Following high school, Edith focused on raising her family with her husband, Wilfred Lockard. She got involved volunteering in the Yonkers school district and eventually served as the Vice President of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA). She also served at the South Yonkers Youth Council, an organization dedicated to fostering growth and development for the youth in the community through after school care and activities. They also held summer day camps which exposed the youth to cultural and sporting events, positive role models, and educational opportunities.

After her beloved husband Wilfred passed away, Edith began volunteering at St. John's Hospital. She faithfully served in the mailroom on Thursdays from 1995 to 2001. In 1995 she also became a member of the Nepperhan Senior Center--Senior Group No. 15--located on Warburton Avenue. For over a decade, Edith has faithfully worked for the Yonkers Parks and Recreation.

For as active as Edith is in the community, her true passion has always been her family. She is the proud mother of her four children: Juanita, Tyrone, Lindsay, and Lila, she has eight grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and, remarkably, 9 great-great grandchildren.

Edith's commitment to helping others has been an inspiration to those in her community and beyond. I want to congratulate Edith for all of her hard, selfless work, and I want to wish her a very happy 93rd birthday on September 9, 2017.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend and former colleague in government, Angelo R. Martinelli, who has done so much to strengthen and promote the Yonkers community and beyond.

Though known as a Yonkers staple, Angelo was actually born in the Bronx and grew up in Mt. Vernon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army and was honorably discharged in 1946 with the rank of Sergeant.

Upon returning home, Angelo worked in the family business, The Yonkers Daily Times, and in 1948 he bought the Gazette Press, the oldest printing firm in Westchester County.

In 1973, Angelo was elected Mayor of the City of Yonkers. He served from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1982 to 1987, making him the longest- tenured mayor of Yonkers. During his career, Angelo held a number of other offices and positions in national and state organizations, which earned him a reputation as an effective and forceful advocate for municipal government interests, especially in the areas of senior- citizen and anti-crime programs.

In addition, Angelo has served on the Board of Directors of the Yonkers Police Athletic League since 1991 and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce for 22 years. In 1976, he was one of the founding members of the Untermyer Performing Arts Council. He previously served on the Board of St. Joseph's Medical Center and was Chairman of the Advisory Board of St. Patrick's Home for the Aged and Infirm. He was also the President of the Queen's Daughters Day Care Center, and, in January 1984, Mercy College conferred upon him an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

Angelo has always been a passionate man when it comes to public service, but his greatest passion and love always belonged to his family. He was married to his beloved late wife, Carol, for 65 years. Together their family grew to include their six sons, five daughters- in-law, twelve grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. In 2016, Angelo once again demonstrated his commitment and love for the City of Yonkers, by donating the funds to restore the Temple of Love at the historic Untermyer Gardens in memory of his late wife, Carol. The donation served as a beautiful tribute to both his city and the amazing woman he loved.

It is truly an honor to have a friend like Angelo, just as it is an honor for me to recognize him here today. I thank Angelo for his years of service to our community. Yonkers is surely a better place for all he has done on its behalf

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call out the horrendous postal service my constituents in Westchester County, New York, are suffering.

My constituents are missing paychecks, and have had their mail thrown away. This is disgraceful, and I am appalled.

I have requested several meetings with Postmaster General Megan Brennan, which have been ignored. Their actions are unacceptable and are bordering on incompetence. As a Member of Congress, I demand the Postmaster General take responsibility and correct the problems my constituents are facing.

Although the House is in session today, I am here to join my colleague, Senator Schumer, who is in my district today, calling for an investigation. Together, we will continue to push for greater oversight of the post offices in Westchester, New York, until these matters are resolved.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment, unfortunately, would harm American leadership on the global stage, cutting our investment in the international organizations account by $10 million.

Mr. Chairman, this bill already underfunds diplomacy and development when we should be investing more in these critical components of our national security. Cutting resources for our work in international organizations would take us further in the wrong direction.

Just so we are clear about which international organizations we are talking about, they are NATO, the World Health Organization, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Do we really want to damage the effectiveness of these organizations and our ability to lead from within them?

Congress just passed critical sanctions on Russia. NATO is the main organization defending Europe against Vladimir Putin's aggression. But instead of bolstering the NATO alliance, this amendment would only reinforce the reluctance to support the North Atlantic Alliance by some in the administration. This should worry lawmakers on both sides of the aisle as well as Americans at home following the debate.

How about the World Health Organization? The last time I looked, the World Health Organization was fighting the Zika and Ebola outbreaks. Do

we now want to slash its funding and undermine its role of responding to the next major pandemic? I can assure you that the diseases we don't combat abroad today eventually will reach our shores.

North Korea is threatening the globe with nuclear weapons. Iran remains not far behind. So I cannot fathom why we would want to cut funding for the IAEA, given its crucial role in monitoring nuclear safety around the world.

Of course, this amendment would also reduce our support for the U.N. regular budget. Withholding this funding could cause the United States to fall behind at the U.N., further diminishing our standing in the world, calling into question our commitment as a global leader, and ceding ground to Vladimir Putin and others who are happy to expand their reach but who do not share our values.

In fact, even a senior administration official, our own Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has said on many occasions that while she supports efforts to reform the U.N., she does not support a ``slash and burn'' approach.

This amendment, unfortunately, is a ``slash and burn'' approach, Mr. Chairman, and I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing it.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), my esteemed colleague who is the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee and a fellow New Yorker.

Mr. Chairman, I think the gentleman is trying to put money in place for something with which I agree. It is not that I disagree with it, but I disagree with where he is taking the money from. I think that is the problem with it.

Hopefully, we can, when it comes time for a final budget, include both of these. But to borrow from Peter to pay Paul, I think is not a good idea.

Mr. Chairman, I oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend for yielding to me.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. To completely eliminate funding for the United States Institute of Peace would be a serious mistake.

Let me thank Mrs. Lowey for the wonderful work she is doing here and John Lewis for his leadership. John is an American hero. I think we should listen to what John has to say.

For anyone who doesn't know what the USIP does, it saves lives, lives of U.S. servicemembers, military personnel, and civilians around the world.

The United States Institute of Peace stops conflicts before they start and works to defuse crises. The Institute provides conflict resolution teams and skills that are vital to our diplomats and our military forces serving in conflict zones abroad. They are often quiet successes, rarely grabbing headlines. After all, a war that doesn't happen won't draw near the attention of a raging conflict.

Military leaders agree. On September 1, a distinguished group of retired three- and four-star flag officers who have served our country valiantly during some of its most challenging conflicts wrote to Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi expressing deep concerns about efforts here in the House to eliminate funding for USIP.

Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record the letter.

September 1, 2017.

Hon. Paul Ryan,

Speaker of the House,

House of Representatives.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Minority Leader,

House of Representatives.

Dear Speaker Ryan and Minority Leader Pelosi: As retired

three and four star flag officers who have served our country

during some of its most challenging conflicts, from Vietnam

to Iraq and Afghanistan, we are writing to express our deep

concern over proposed amendments to the current FY 2018

appropriations bill now before the House of Representatives

that would eliminate funding for the U.S. Institute of Peace.

We serve on the Institute's Senior Military Advisory Group

which, in addition to advising USIP's leadership on current

and future conflicts, also guides Institute efforts to

partner effectively with our military in conflict zones. USIP

has a long and robust record of working closely with its

federal partners--including the Department of Defense--to

focus on national security priority areas where it brings

distinctive capabilities to bear.

USIP works on the ground with local partners on the root

causes of conflict that all too frequently result in

America's military gains or diplomatic and development

investments going to waste. For example, in Iraq,

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tunisia, Nigeria, and across the Sahel

in Africa, USIP engages at a local level to thwart ISIS'

ability to recruit and destabilize America's most important

allies in the struggle against extremism USIP's high impact

approach gives people the tools to help solve their own

problems so America is not drawn into these conflicts.

No other agency provides these services, and USIP's

approach is highly cost effective. In Mahmoudiya, Iraq, for

example--a region so violent it was known as the ``Triangle

of Death''--USIP partnered with the Army's 10th Mountain

Division in 2007 to forge a tribal accord that halted attacks

on U.S. and Iraqi forces and drastically reduced casualties.

The Army was able to withdraw more than 2,800 troops--80

percent of its deployment in the region--thus saving more

than $150 million per month. That initiative cost USIP

approximately $1 million. A decade later, despite pressure

from ISIS, Mahmoudiya remains relatively calm, largely on the

basis of that peace accord.

As citizens and former soldiers, we believe deeply in the

mission of the U.S. Institute of Peace as an essential

element of our national

security architecture. Please ensure that it remains fully

funded and capable of continuing its critical work to further

U.S. interests and save lives in the world's most challenging

conflict zones.

Sincerely,

General George W. Casey, Jr., USA (Ret.),

Chief of Staff of the United States Army ('07-'11).

Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry, LT General, USA (Ret.),

U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan ('09-'11), Deputy Chairman,

NATO Military Committee ('07-'09), Commander, Combined Forces

Command-Afghanistan ('05-'07).

General Carter Ham, USA (Ret.),

Commander, U.S. Africa Command ('11-'13), Commander, U.S.

Army, Europe ('08-'11).

Ambassador Douglas Lute, LT General, USA (Ret.),

United States Permanent Representative to NATO ('13-'17),

National Security Council, The White House ('07-'10).

General Gregory S. Martin, USAF (Ret.),

Commander, Air Material Command ('03-'05), Commander, U.S.

Air Forces in Europe ('00-'03).

General Raymond T. Odierno, USA (Ret.),

Chief of Staff of the United States Army ('11-'15),

Commander, United States Joint Forces Command ('10-'11),

Commander, United States Forces-Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom

('10).

General Charles F. Wald, USAF (Ret.),

Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command ('02-'06).

Mr. Chairman, USIP is neither a Republican nor a Democratic institution. The Institution was created in 1984 by bipartisan legislation signed into law by President Reagan. Since then, USIP has saved the United States billions of dollars by investing in peace. Let me share just one short example of the incredible work that USIP has done.

After 52 years of war and more than a quarter million lives lost, Colombia's armed conflict ended with the signing of a peace agreement last year in Cartagena. The peace agreement was reached, in no small part, thanks to the incredible work of the United States Institute of Peace and its chief of operations in Colombia, Ginny Bouvier. Under her leadership, USIP trained female mediators, religious organizations, Afro-Colombian leaders, and many others in methods to support peaceful resolution of conflict.

Ginny recently passed away, far too young, at the age of 58, but I would like to believe that her legacy of peacebuilding in Colombia can live on through continued congressional support for USIP.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in rejecting this harmful amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, let me start by thanking my colleagues and fellow co-chairs of the House Tuberculosis Elimination Caucus, Mr. Young of Alaska and Mr. Gene Green of Texas. I am grateful for their support of this measure and for their work to combat tuberculosis around the world. This bipartisan amendment would help move that work forward.

Mr. Chairman, America's investments in global health are not handouts. Combating disease around the world isn't just some pet project to make us feel good about ourselves. When we invest in global health, we are investing in our own security and leadership on the global stage. After all, infectious diseases don't respect borders, and when we fail to fight a dangerous illness or respond to a pandemic overseas, we risk having to respond once it reaches our shores.

At the same time, healthier communities are more protective, more stable communities. Healthier countries are stronger partners on the world stage. And when the United States helps to advance those conditions, we are showing the world what kind of country we are, what American values demand of us.

The reality is we should be investing more in these efforts. One area where we need a lot more support is in the fight against tuberculosis.

TB kills more people worldwide than any other infectious disease. This is especially heartbreaking, Mr. Chairman, because we know how to prevent TB, and we know how to cure it. We know how to cure it, and people are still dying. That is just unfathomable.

Yet, in 2015, 1.8 million people died from this disease, 10.5 million more became infected. One in ten TB patients is also HIV positive, making tuberculosis the top killer of people living with HIV. Countries with a high prevalence of TB can see their GDP shrink by 4 to 7 percent.

The World Health Organization tells us we need an additional $2 billion every year to control tuberculosis. My amendment would help to make up part of that shortfall, ramping up USAID's global health programs by $209 million. That would bring our investment in TB assistance to $450 million.

These efforts have a proven track record, Mr. Chairman. In the countries where we are working on the problem, incidence of TB has dropped by nearly one-fifth since 2000, more than twice as fast as countries where we haven't been involved. That is tens of thousands of precious lives saved, and we played a major role in that.

My amendment won't wipe out this disease, Mr. Chairman, but it will save lives, it will build on past successes and move us in the direction of putting a stop to this killer once and for all.

I ask all Members to support this bipartisan amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, let me just say that I hear what the chairman is saying. I certainly am a strong supporter of international narcotics funding, but the question is: Where do you put the money?

The International Narcotics funding account is well funded and even has money in the pipeline from previous years. Meanwhile, TB control is hugely underfunded and continues to kill more people worldwide than any other disease. That is why the funding is necessary. So by passing my amendment, we can save thousands of lives from this preventable, curable disease.

Mr. Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey).

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me, and I want to pick up where Mr. Crowley left off.

I am for this aid. I am for this aid 100 percent. We should help these people. As Americans, we should help people all over our country. But it really hurts that those of us in New York and New Jersey, when Superstorm Sandy came and we were begging for help, we had to wait 2 months for help, and our friends in Texas on the Republican side of the aisle, except for one, voted against aid for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

And now they are asking for aid for Texas, which I support. But it just goes to show, we never know where these disasters are going to fall. It is incumbent on all of us that we support our fellow Americans no matter where they are.

So I say to the people of Texas, my heart goes out for you. My vote will be there. As much money as you need, you will have.

Mr. Speaker, but I wanted to say to my Republican friends from Texas: What you did to us during Superstorm Sandy should not stand, should not be done to any other people, anyplace in the country. We are one country. We are Americans. We need to help those that need help. I am for this 100 percent.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor an attorney whose distinguished career and accomplishments both personally and professionally have earned her great esteem, Ms. Kathlyn Card-Beckles.

Kathy, as she is best known, serves as the General Counsel for Card Services at JPMorgan Chase, which issues one of the largest credit card portfolios in the world. She leads teams responsible for all legal issues relating to credit cards, payments, digital and Chase merchant services. Prior to this, she led the global intellectual property team that oversaw patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets as they relate to JPMorgan.

Kathy holds a law degree from George Washington University, where she graduated with honors, in addition to a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Delaware. In fact, before beginning her legal career, she held positions in analytical chemistry at Cytec Engineered Materials and process engineering at Frito Lay.

Upon deciding to pursue the field of law full-time, she joined the law firm of Kenyon & Kenyon, followed by stints at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Chambers of the Hon. Edward Darnich of the Court of Federal Claims. Kathy has also previously served as counsel for Tech for Social Good, a technology based philanthropy group.

In her personal life, Kathy is a board member and co-founder of the TEHEKA scholarship, which supports women studying engineering, and is a past board member of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, a steering committee member of the JPMC Corporate Sector Women's group, a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and even finds time to teach Sunday School at Abyssinian Baptist Church. In 2014, Kathy was awarded the Trailblazer Under 40 Award by the National Bar Association; in 2015 she was honored as a Black Achiever in Industry by the Harlem YMCA; and in 2016 she was honored with the Metropolitan Black Bar Association's Corporate Counsel of the Year Award.

Of course for all of her tremendous success, Kathy's true passion is family. She and her husband live with their 3 wonderful and energetic children together in Harlem. They are the apple of her eye.

This year, the Westchester Black Bar Association is honoring Kathy at their 2017 Spring Gala. They have chosen an excellent honoree for the occasion. Congratulations to Kathy on receiving this well-deserved recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor two individuals who have become pillars of the Riverdale community. As active members Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, Sheila Reinhold and Richard Sacks have helped CSAIR grow by leaps and bounds for over 20 years. It's no wonder why CSAIR has chosen to honor them with the Hazon Award at this year's Spring Gala.

Sheila and Richard moved to Riverdale in 1991 with their children Eli, Rachel and Deborah. They took different paths to CSAIR involvement. Sheila grew up in Manhattan in a Modern Orthodox home with Holocaust survivor parents from Belgium. A natural violinist, at age 15 she went to Los Angeles to study with world-famous violinist Jascha Heifetz, with whom she worked--and had all her Seders--for five years while living with a non-Jewish host family. She then moved to Cambridge and was a Resident Musician at Harvard, where she had the opportunities to re-immerse herself in Judaism, and where she met Richard whose Jewish trajectory had been rather different.

Richard grew up in Albany in a secular family, never had a bar mitzvah ceremony, and never attended a Shabbat service from the age of 14 through graduate school--even when he and Sheila were dating, though he used to walk her to Shabbat services. They were married in 1977, and moved to NYC in 1978 when Richard finished his PhD and began teaching at Columbia, where he specializes in ancient myth and literature. He also regularly teaches Columbia's core great books course for first- year students, and it was this course that gave him his first experience of the joys of teaching biblical texts. Couple that with Sheila and all three children loving both CSAIR and talking Torah, and Richard's fate was sealed.

At CSAIR, their shared passion has been the quiet mitzvah of helping with shiva needs and logistics. They both have served on various committees as well. Sheila frequently plays violin at CSAIR's Yom Hashoah observance, and she has brought her performing career to CSAIR as founder and music director of Intimate Voices. Richard served a term as CSAIR's Treasurer and loves giving divrei Torah. CSAIR is fortunate to have two such devoted members. Congratulations to them on this great honor.