Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Byron J. Gross for his exceptional military service to the United States during World War II. On May 25th, 2011, the Honor Flight program will recognize Dr. Gross along with other World War II veterans at the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC for answering the call of service to our country in a time of dire peril.

In 1942, when his country needed him, Dr. Gross did not hesitate--he left his private dental practice and immediately joined the Army medical corps. In the service, he went above and beyond his assigned duties, demonstrating extraordinary patriotism and a tireless commitment to service. He was recognized for his outstanding achievements and promoted to Captain before his honorable discharge in 1946.

Dr. Gross was initially stationed stateside in Wyoming at Ft. Francis E. Warren. He then transferred to Camp Phillips in Salina, Kansas where, in addition to his regular duties in the dental clinic, he was a bivouac officer. In 1943, Dr. Gross was sent overseas to treat enlisted personnel and officers, as well as supervise the set-up, personnel, and day-to-day operations of dental laboratories based in England, France, and Germany.

Once stationed in England, Dr. Gross witnessed the devastating blitzkrieg of London which literally shook the Cumberland hotel where he was billeted with other military personnel. He vividly recalls witnessing, on D-Day, the swarms of American planes flying over Grimm's Ditch near Stonehenge in route to Germany. He remembers the sky appearing black as a seemingly never-ending wave of warplanes and airplanes towing gliders headed toward their appointed bombing mission.

The momentousness of the events in which Dr. Gross and the other servicemen and women took place cannot be overstated. Quite simply, they saved the world. We owe them a debt that can never be repaid.

Dr. Gross completed his tour of duty in 1946 and returned to the United States, where he resumed his private practice until he retired in 1990 at age 75. He is currently living in St. Louis and will turn 97 on this July 4th--a date which uniquely symbolizes his enduring love for his country.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Dr. Gross for his tremendous patriotism and courage during such an important moment in history. I ask my colleagues to join me now in thanking him for his service to his country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to seek Congressional recognition of the exceptional achievements and outstanding career of Gerard Tully. On May 25th, 2011, Mr. Tully will be recognized by the President, Chairman of the Board, and Board of Directors of the Flushing Savings Bank for his 44 years of tireless and dedicated service to the Bank and the Flushing Community.

After graduating from Hofstra College in 1950, Mr. Tully set to work in the construction industry, working for numerous businesses and creating countless jobs in the Queens and Long Island communities. In 1967, he joined the Flushing Savings Bank as a trustee. From 1981 through 1989, he served as the chief executive officer, and from 1980 until 2011, he was chairman of the board. His retirement as chairman on February 15th marks the end of an era for the Flushing bank. His decades of experience and wealth of knowledge have made him an invaluable asset for the bank and the customers it serves. Moving forward, he will continue his distinguished service as a member of the board.

Mr. Tully's success was not just confined to the realm of the business. For decades, he has been an active participant in a diverse group of community organizations. His support of Catholic Charities and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation deserves special recognition. Mr. Tully's active participation and skilled leadership in a variety of charitable endeavors has changed countless lives for the better. Mr. Tully's legacy of selfless devotion to community service is something in which his wife, Frances, and their 17 grandchildren and five great grandchildren can take great pride.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to count Mr. Tully among my constituents in the 5th Congressional District of New York. He has stepped down as the Chairman of the Board of the Flushing Savings Bank after having contributed immeasurably his community. I am proud to recognize Mr. Tully and I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking him for a lifetime of selfless dedication to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Chabad of Port Washington for 20 years of exceptional spiritual leadership and community, the Chabad has been an anchor of welcoming faith--a constant source of spiritual support for anyone who seeks it.

An ``unorthodox Orthodox Synagogue,'' the Chabad of Port Washington's membership is a conglomeration of Jews from a wide array of ages, backgrounds, and levels of observance. This diverse membership creates a welcoming atmosphere rich in culture and accessible to every corner of the Jewish community. The Chabad's unrivaled religious and educational experiences provide a forum for individuals of disparate backgrounds to come together as a single, unified congregation.

The Chabad's mission focuses on bringing to life traditional Jewish values to promote spiritual growth in a way that is both enjoyable and easy to understand. It is dedicated to promoting wisdom, comprehension, and knowledge of Judaism to both the membership and the broader community. The Chabad provides not only classes focused on a deep and comprehensive understanding of the Torah, but educational opportunities for young Jews experiencing their first exposure to the joys of Hebrew School. This approach to education allows the Chabad to reach out to a broad swatch of Jews and create the best opportunities for spiritual growth.

Tonight, the Chabad celebrates its 20 years of good works and pays special tribute to some of the individuals who have made it possible. Adam Katz, the President of the Chabad's board of directors, will have a new athletic center dedicated in his honor. The celebration also will recognize John Maura, Jr. with the Community Service Award; Chaim (Bryan) Sherman and Dr. Orly Calderon-Sherman with the Community Builders Award; and Alan Schoenfeld with the Chesed Award. Without the contributions of these extraordinary individuals, as well as many others, the exceptional achievements of the Chabad would not be possible.

Mr. Speaker, since 1991, the Chabad of Port Washington has been working tirelessly to educate, enlighten, and support its local community. I am proud to recognize the extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of the Chabad and I ask my colleagues join me in thanks and gratitude for its two decades of tremendous work supporting the community and promoting Jewish faith.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to seek Congressional recognition of the exceptional achievements and outstanding career of Susan Bender. Over the course of her almost 40-year professional career with Jewish Community Centers (JCC) in New York City and Long Island, Susan worked tirelessly to ensure that families and individuals living in New York City and Long Island had access to mental-health and social-service programs. She has not only been an innovative leader and unyielding advocate for individuals with disabilities, but also a dedicated leader in her community.

After graduating from Brooklyn College with a degree in speech pathology, Susan began working at JCCs with distinction. She started her career at the Staten Island Jewish Community Center as the Director of Early Childhood Development. In 1988, she moved to be the Executive Director at the Young Men's--Young Women's Hebrew Association in Westchester, New York. Then, in 1992, Susan became the Executive Director of the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center in East Hills, New York, in my congressional district.

Under Susan's enthusiastic direction, Sid Jacobson has flourished. The Center dramatically expanded its facility in East Hills and also added the Bernice Jacobson Day School and Camp in Old Westbury, New York. Susan developed the Center's noted innovative programs for autistic children, single parents, and the bereaved. She helped found a first-of-its-kind program for adults with early-onset Alzheimer's and their families.

Today, the Center has a staff of over 250, an annual budget of $12 million, and offers an extensive catalog of dynamic programs for people of all ages and abilities. The success of the Center is a direct testament to the strength of Susan's leadership and her dedication to providing community members with the best possible services.

In addition to her work at Sid Jacobson, Susan has applied her energy and vision in a variety of leadership roles in the national JCC movement. She served as a member of the Jewish Community Center Association's board of directors, was president of the Association of Jewish Center Professionals (AJCP) for the Eastern Region, and, in 2002, was named the national president of the AJCP.

Mr. Speaker, this year Susan Bender will retire having contributed immeasurably to her community. I am proud to recognize Susan and I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking her for her lifetime of tremendous work for others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to seek Congressional recognition of the exceptional achievements and outstanding career of Susan Bender. Over the course of her almost 40-year professional career with Jewish Community Centers (JCC) in New York City and Long Island, Susan worked tirelessly to ensure that families and individuals living in New York City and Long Island had access to mental-health and social-service programs. She has not only been an innovative leader and unyielding advocate for individuals with disabilities, but also a dedicated leader in her community.

After graduating from Brooklyn College with a degree in speech pathology, Susan began working at JCCs with distinction. She started her career at the Staten Island Jewish Community Center as the Director of Early Childhood Development. In 1988, she moved to be the Executive Director at the Young Men's-Young Women's Hebrew Association in Westchester, New York. Then, in 1992, Susan became the Executive Director of the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center in East Hills, New York, in my congressional district.

Under Susan's enthusiastic direction, Sid Jacobson has flourished. The Center dramatically expanded its facility in East Hills and also added the Bernice Jacobson Day School and Camp in Old Westbury, New York. Susan developed the Center's noted innovative programs for autistic children, single parents, and the bereaved. She helped found a first-of-its-kind program for adults with early-onset Alzheimer's and their families.

Today, the Center has a staff of over 250, an annual budget of $12 million, and offers an extensive catalog of dynamic programs for people of all ages and abilities. The success of the Center is a direct testament to the strength of Susan's leadership and her dedication to providing community members with the best possible services.

In addition to her work at Sid Jacobson, Susan has applied her energy and vision in a variety of leadership roles in the national JCC movement. She served as a member of the Jewish Community Center Association's board of directors, was president of the Association of Jewish Center Professionals (AJCP) for the Eastern Region, and, in 2002, was named the national president of the AJCP.

Mr. Speaker, this year Susan Bender will retire having contributed immeasurably to her community. I am proud to recognize Susan and I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking her for her lifetime of tremendous work for others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to seek Congressional recognition of the vital mission and achievements of the Bevin Kalathil Varughese Memorial Foundation (BKV). The BKV Memorial Foundation has been instrumental in raising awareness and resources for individuals battling leukemia. The Foundation's creation was inspired by the remarkable life of one of my constituents, Bevin Kalathil Varughese--a life which was tragically cut short following an unsuccessful bout with this terrible disease.

Born in Manhasset, New York, Bevin Kalathil Varughese was an affectionate individual and a cherished son, brother, nephew, cousin, and uncle. An extraordinarily motivated young man, Bevin graduated from Herricks High School in New York and went on to earn his Bachelor's Degree in Finance and Real Estate from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His cheerfulness, generosity, and love of life were evident to all who knew him; his personality touched all who were close to him.

Bevin's drive and good-nature were unwavering--even when he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in January 2004 at the age of 24. Although Bevin fluctuated between relapse and remission for four years, he refused to let the disease dampen his spirits or weaken his will. Instead, Bevin focused his energy on researching the disease and the resources available to those it afflicts. By working with his family and friends, he created the South Asian Cancer Foundation (SACF) which advocates for leukemia awareness, particularly within the South Asian-American community. Bevin was also involved in a variety of other organizations dealing with the disease and those affected by it--he hosted fundraisers to benefit both the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the SACF, took part in the LLS Light the Night Walk, and organized numerous blood and bone marrow drives.

Although Bevin eventually lost his battle with leukemia on February 7th, 2008 at the all-too-young age of 28, his passion and legacy live on through the Bevin Kalathil Varughese Memorial Foundation. The BKV Memorial Foundation was created in 2008 to both preserve Bevin's memory and to continue his work with the South Asian Cancer Foundation. The Foundation's mission is to raise awareness about acute lymphoblastic leukemia and other blood-related diseases. This non-profit organization provides resources to those suffering from leukemia and to their families. The assistance comes in the form of support for leukemia patients, financial aid for those who cannot afford treatment, and donations for research to find a cure for the disease. The BKV Foundation works tirelessly to raise funding through countless charity events and organizations. It has also reached out to the greater community by encouraging individuals to register with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize the achievements and dedication of the Bevin Kalathil Varughese Memorial Foundation. Through its attempts to preserve and honor Bevin's memory, this Foundation is making a positive and lasting impact on countless lives. I ask that my colleagues in the House join me in recognition of the achievements of the Bevin Kalathil Varughese Memorial Foundation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life and service of Eugene Aaron Bonacci, a decorated veteran of the United States Navy, loving son, brother, partner, and friend to many. Tragically, Eugene passed away unexpectedly last month at the all too early age of 33.

Eugene devoted his too short life to his family and country. After graduating from Roslyn High School in 1996, he enlisted in the United States Navy. The military proved an ideal career choice. His intelligence, patriotism, selflessness, and drive to succeed in all he endeavored were a perfect fit for the Navy. It was no surprise to those who knew Eugene best that he would be highly decorated for his service. Eugene earned the Navy Achievement Medal, Blue Jacket Award, National Defense Service Medal, Joint Services Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Navy Pistol Expert Medal, and Rifleman Marksmanship Ribbon.

Following his time in the Navy, Eugene enrolled at Pennsylvania State University, where he studied security and risk analysis. It was Eugene's difficulty obtaining full-tuition benefits for his education under the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill that inspired him and his mother, Leslie Blei, to become tireless advocates of the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill Improvements Act. When the bill passed and was signed into law by President Obama, Eugene, selfless as always, cited his mother's advocacy as a factor for passage of the bill.

Eugene's professional accomplishments were numerous. His personal attributes were the most significant though. Eugene was loved by his family and loved them in return, including his partner Elizabeth Rockey. His large extended family was the source of his strength.

Eugene's life was cut short, but as his father Eugene Bonacci II says, Eugene was blessed with a meaningful life. In a final act of compassion that embodied Eugene's selflessness, he donated his organs, which doctors estimated could save and improve the lives of numerous people.

For his service to country, advocacy for veterans, and devotion to his family and friends, I ask all of my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Eugene Aaron Bonacci.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th birthday of Beatrice Isabel Cohen, the pride of New York State.

Born on February 24, 1911, in Bronx, New York, Bee grew up with a deep love and appreciation for her family, community and country. Forced to obtain employment as a teenager due to the loss of her father, she secured a job with a women's coat manufacturer at the age of 16 to help support her family, while also excelling as a champion amateur handball player. Five years later, she married her boss, Max Cohen, and continued to work by his side for more than 50 years. Bee and Max raised two sons, Joseph and Ronald.

Friends and family of Bee would tell you that she always looks at the good in people. Her uplifting attitude is contagious, and has spread to her family, friends and neighbors--many of whom, and their parents, were not even born when Bee moved into her current apartment on the West Side of Manhattan shortly after World War II.

In Bee's 100 years, she has lived through some of the most precariously challenging, exultant and remarkable eras. Yet, she has always kept up with the culture of the times. As a child, she listened to a crystal radio; today she views international programming on a plasma television with stereo sound. She has been a pillar of reliability to her entire family by showing love, warmth and guidance to her two sons, two grandsons and their wives, five great- grandchildren, and her many nieces and nephews.

For her devotion to her family and her country, I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to please rise and join me in honoring Beatrice Isabel Cohen on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

Madam Speaker, I am opposed to this bill for one simple reason: It's not a smart thing to do. It recklessly jeopardizes the security and safety of the people of New York City, and it does so for no reason.

This is a national security issue. It will irresponsibly and indefinitely delay the vital security improvements to the perimeter of the U.N. campus in the city that the State Department wants to undertake and has the resources to commit. Why do this? Only a radical, wild-eyed obsession with taking a pound of flesh out of the U.N., which at times deserves it, and to do so no matter what the cost to our national security.

Where is the common sense in clawing back money that is going to be used for desperately needed, long overdue security upgrades that we have the money for anyway and have the responsibility to do anyway? Where's the benefit to the taxpayer for maintaining the vulnerability of the most prominent international target which happens to be in al Qaeda's most highly targeted city?

I can see how the terrorists benefit from reduced security. But I'm having a terribly hard time seeing how New Yorkers or Americans or the 1 million tourists to the building or even the multitudes of international representatives at the United Nations, whom we have undertaken to keep safe, will benefit. The U.N.'s Capital Master Plan calls for $100 million in security upgrades.

As the host nation, that's something about which we should be proud. We are the guarantors of the U.N.'s physical security. We have the money in the Tax Equalization Fund that we can use for the security upgrades. The State Department has already committed to do it. The U.N. wants us to do it. New York City needs us to do it. The New York City Police Department is literally on its knees begging us to do it. We have the money. We don't need further appropriations. All we need to do is to stop this bizarre and radical effort to derail the whole effort.

And you want to eliminate $100 million in jobs? Why?

Security in New York is something I take very seriously. I think most Members do. But as this bill shows, some clearly don't. They are all too happy to rush to the floor every September 11 and boast about the amazing heroism of our police, our firefighters, our first responders. One day a year, they think New York City is part of America.

The rhetoric is all patriotism and bombast, full of promises to do ``whatever it takes.'' And then comes the time to start paying for it. And then, Madam Speaker, some Members have a change of heart. Proudly remembering 9/11 heroism for some Members was no impediment to telling workers deathly ill from their time on ``the pile'' to go ahead and die. Congress didn't have any money for them--at least not until the story got out.

Those of us from New York haven't forgotten all the so-called ``patriots'' who fought tooth and nail to stop the passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. So now, instead of fighting to get Congress to do the minimally decent thing, we find ourselves on the floor of the House fighting to prevent Congress from doing the maximally stupid thing. I'm not sure this constitutes progress. Taking money from vital security upgrades is radical, irresponsible, and reckless. It's stupid.

Vote ``no'' on stupid.

I rise in strong opposition to repealing the Patients' Bill of Rights.

Today, the House will vote to take away new health-care freedoms from my constituents and give that power right back to the big health- insurance companies. Repeal of the health-care law puts insurance companies right back into the driver's seat of rationing health-care decisions for the rest of us. Repeal means they get to decide who is denied health coverage because of a pre-existing condition in my district; which young adults in my district can and cannot remain on their parents' plans; and which constituents who are sick in my district would have their plans rescinded just because they got sick in the first place. And the list of lost health-care freedoms goes on and on and on.

Mr. Speaker, what specifically does repealing the health-care law mean for the 5th congressional district of New York? Repeal would mean as many as 311,000 people could be denied health coverage, including up to 37,000 children, because of a pre-existing condition. Repeal would mean that 2,400 young adults up to age 26 in my district would no longer be able to choose to stay on their parents' plans until they get that first job with health insurance. And repeal would mean that 335,000 constituents in my district would lose the most vital consumer freedoms, such as protection from unreasonable policy rescissions and the prohibition of annual and lifetime spending limits.

Already, my constituents and millions of others across the country are benefiting from the new health care law. Seniors in the Medicare prescription-drug ``donut hole'' received a $250 payment last year and are scheduled to receive a 50 percent discount on their drugs this year; children are now no longer being denied health coverage because of pre-existing conditions, repeal and they will be denied again; and young adults have been able to keep coverage thorough their parents' plans. Turning back the clock, to repeal the new law, as if it never happened is not only harmful, but costly: according to the independent and non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, repeal would add $230 billion to the deficit.

Last year, on this very floor, upon passing the Affordable Care Act, I said that we were acknowledging the moral and economic costs we pay every day for our failure to make health coverage affordable and accessible to everyone; that we were recognizing that having more people with quality coverage saves both lives and costs; that we were unequivocally stating that people in this country shouldn't have to go bankrupt to pay their medical bills; and that no one, no one, should ever have to go to an emergency room just to receive routine medical care. Let us not undo the good we have done.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support access for all Americans to health care and to oppose this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise yet again in the strongest possible support of the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, H.R. 847.

Today, we must show the American people that their representatives can put away their differences and work together to pass this bill. Over the past few weeks, this clearly was not the case. Some Members of Congress have played political games with this legislation, delaying its passage for dubious reasons and causing the measure to be watered down. The sick and injured don't care about offsets and they don't care whether this is a $6 billion bill or a $7 billion bill. They just care about getting the medical care they need, the medical care they rightly deserve.

So Madam Speaker, we are here for the third and I hope final time on the floor of the House to consider doing the decent thing: helping the living victims of 9/11 who continue to suffer the terrible effects of that day. The Federal Government has not stepped up enough to help the responders, volunteers, workers and residents that went to Ground Zero during and after the horrific 9/11 attack. This Congress has not acted to help these victims on a permanent basis--we have the opportunity to do that today. Tragically, some of the very people that we want to help with this legislation have already died. Thousands of Americans who responded need medical treatment now. Thousands more will need treatment in the future.

So, Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act so that all the victims of 9/11 will receive the medical care and help they need and deserve. Let's pass this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Representative Frank Wolf be removed as a cosponsor of House Resolution 1762.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4853, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010.

It is fundamentally wrong to hold for ransom unemployment benefits to the most vulnerable individuals among us for tax cuts to billionaires. That's what happened here: 99.7 percent of us will not be affected by the estate tax, yet a $23 billion bribe to just 6,600 families across the entire country was needed to get those unemployment benefits in the bill. And, we then add the entire cost of the bill, all $860 billion, straight to the deficit.

Surely, there are worthwhile provisions in this bill. However, these worthwhile provisions should not be held ransom for tax cuts to the richest taxpayers--$60 billion in tax cuts for them--some $24 billion more than the struggling middle class who've been the hardest hit by the economic downturn. I fully support extending such low and middle- class tax relief such as the child tax credit, marriage penalty relief, the dependent care credit, the earned income tax credit, the student loan interest deduction, and Alternative Minimum Tax relief, among others. But don't tell me I have to vote

for giving tax cuts to billionaires for two years when we can't even give our seniors on Social Security $250 for one.

Speaking of Social Security, this bill represents the single greatest threat to the program since President Bush wanted to privatize it. This bill requires a $111 billion infusion from general funds into the Social Security Trust Fund to make up the difference for cutting two percent from the employee payroll tax. Next year, if the economy hasn't recovered sufficiently, Congress will not have the stomach to let the tax holiday expire--no Member of Congress will want to ``raise'' payroll taxes by two percent. Any future extension of this tax holiday necessarily means that Social Security will compete with other federal programs, such as veterans, medical research, and defense, for its funding. This dangerous precedent means that Social Security's dedicated funding, payroll taxes, is under attack. This opens the door to means testing and benefit cuts for beneficiaries. Make no mistake, Social Security's opponents will be enticed to move in for the kill by moving to privatize the program.

I don't oppose extending the middle-class tax cuts for 98 percent or 99 percent of taxpayers. In fact, before this compromise was struck, I supported raising the threshold from $250,000 to something more reasonable, such as $400,000, because where my constituents live there is a much higher cost of living than in other parts of the country. However, to hold extending those middle-class tax cuts hostage to pass a bill that will cost more than TARP, more than the stimulus, and add $860 billion to the national debt, is not acceptable.

Mr. Chair, it's hard to climb the ladder of prosperity if the middle rungs are missing. This bill does nothing to restore those middle rungs; instead, by giving the most to those who need it the least, it perpetuates the failed thinking that somehow the rest of us will benefit. I for one won't pay this ransom--my vote--for a few crumbs when we should be getting what's fair for our constituents. I will vote no on the underlying bill and I ask my colleagues to do so as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of repealing the Department of Defense's misguided, discriminatory ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' (DADT) policy.

For 16 years, ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' has placed an unthinkable and immoral burden on gay and lesbian servicemen and women, who, under United States law and unlike their heterosexual counterparts, must hide their sexual orientation from the military. If our Nation is truly to be the land of the free, home of the brave, we must continue to make progress towards equality. Repealing ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' is a crucial step forward.

Mr. Speaker, I was contacted by a gay soldier from Long Island who despite serving his country for more than 20 years, despite volunteering to serve in a combat zone to defend America's principles of freedom from tyranny and from persecution, and despite receiving two Bronze Stars for meritorious service to his country, is required by law to lie about who he is or face being discharged from the military. In his letter, he pleads for a repeal of ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'' In reality, he is asking nothing more than to be treated exactly the same as other servicemen and women.

It is reprehensible that his Nation responds to his service by telling him he needs to ``shut up'' about who he is. Upon disclosing his sexual orientation, would his past 20 years of service be worth less? Would he suddenly be of no value to the military? Is he suddenly no longer a war hero? Is his 20 plus years of service suddenly an embarrassment? The answer of course, is absolutely not. Yet, our Nation's policy tells this soldier he's not desirable as is.

Mr. Speaker, it's a contradiction in the first degree. Our military, including this soldier who contacted me, puts their lives on the line to defend American principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, those who defend these principles are themselves discriminated against because of who they are.

This is also a self-defeating policy. Since ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' was implemented in 1994, more than 13,000 gay and lesbian service members have been discharged for no other reason than their sexual orientation. As the United States has fought wars in Afghanistan and in Iraq, hundreds of mission-critical troops, including crucial Arabic, Farsi, and other linguists, have been discharged because the Department of Defense believed they were gay. At the same time, the military has increasingly granted moral waivers to recruits with criminal backgrounds.

Mr. Speaker, the case is clear. There is no sound argument for maintaining this discriminatory policy. For the thousands of gay servicemen and women who so bravely serve our country every day but who live in constant fear of being discovered for who they are, for the principles of freedom and equality upon which the United States of America was founded, and in the interest of righting a wrong that has persisted for far too long, I rise in strong support of the bill before us and urge my colleagues to join me in honoring all American servicemen and women, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution is absolutely vital. It should be called the Peace Process Preservation Act because that is exactly what it is all about.

I understand that to many Israelis and many Palestinians, there is enormous frustration and disappointment and impatience with the peace process, but there is absolutely no acceptable alternative to it. Only negotiations can promise a real and durable peace, a peace with security for Israel, as a Jewish and democratic state, and independence for a sovereign and viable Palestinian state. There is no magic wand. There is no shortcut. The only way to peace is negotiating in good faith and making the hard choices that it demands.

Israel has shown time and again that it is ready. In the year 2000, Israel made a serious and generous offer to the Palestinians at Camp David, and then offered even more at Taba. Israel offered the Palestinians still more in 2008. And last year, Prime Minister Netanyahu, without getting any credit, came out in favor of a two-state solution and has been waiting ever since for the Palestinians to join him at the table.

It is time for Abu Mazen to stop jetting around the looking for alternatives to dealing directly with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Palestinians can't, on the one hand, complain that Israeli settlements prejudge final status issues and then run around calling on other nations to try to impose a solution from the outside.

Personally, I think that the Palestinians' complaints about settlements are overwrought. Prime Minister Netanyahu froze settlement building for 10 months and got only Palestinian scorn for his efforts. Moreover, for peace, or to promote it, Israel has withdrawn completely from Sinai, Lebanon, and Gaza. So the Israeli track record on land for peace is very clear.

But what some Palestinians can't seem to understand is that their legitimate aspirations not only can't be achieved by violence, but are equally unobtainable through unilateral or external declarations. A just and lasting settlement is only possible through a political process, one where both sides make concessions.

Any nation that is truly committed to peace, or sees itself as a friend of the Israelis or the Palestinians, has to recognize that trying to dictate a solution is a recipe for catastrophe. Instead of producing peace, efforts to impose one from the outside will transform a difficult but resolvable conflict between two peoples into a horrific war between two religions.

So if you think the time to resolve this conflict is now, and I do, and if you think both Israelis and Palestinians are entitled to govern themselves, and I do, then you need to support this resolution in favor of negotiations and peace and against imposed or unilateral solutions.