Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Sergeant Michael St. Christopher Fuller. Sergeant Fuller was born on the island of Jamaica and immigrated to the United States with the dream of becoming a police officer. That dream became a reality in 1995 when he graduated from the police academy at the age of 33 years old, Over the course of his career, Sergeant Michael S. Fuller served in the following posts and units: The 13th Precinct located in the Southern portion of Midtown Manhattan, the Cabaret Unit which focused on vice crimes, the 94th Precinct located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, The Inspections Unit, The Chief of Patrols Office, Manhattan South Task Force, and Manhattan South Evidence Collection.

On September 11, 2001, Sergeant Fuller was enjoying a day off from work when he received the news about the terror attacks that were occurring across the nation. He immediately changed into his uniform, picked up his children from school, and jumped into a police van to respond to the attacks in Lower Manhattan. His heroic actions of that day and the rescue/recovery mission over the following weeks would prove to be fatal as he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer due to his service on December 31, 2019. Despite being diagnosed with a deadly form of cancer, Sergeant Fuller continued to be positive and was steadfast in his decision to respond to the attacks on September 11, 2001.

In the 90's, Sergeant Fuller received an FBI Commendation for aiding in the rescue of a kidnapped girl by recognizing the vehicle which the girl had last been seen in while he was on duty.

Sergeant Fuller was a decorated law enforcement officer who served proudly for twenty years receiving a ``Good-guy Letter'' upon retirement in 2015. He had never received a command discipline or had disciplinary actions taken against him.

Sergeant Fuller is survived by his loving wife Sunni Beth Fuller, loving son Jesse Ethan Fuller, and loving daughter Becky Cara Fuller. He will always be remembered as a hero, a fantastic father, a man dedicated to his work, and a proud immigrant who lived out his American dream as he was always so proud to call himself an American.

Sergeant Fuller's end of watch has come, but he has served faithfully, proudly, and without hesitation. His family and friends are forever grateful for his love and dedication. May he rest peacefully.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to talk to you about why it is important to me and why it should be important to the American people that we support those in Cuba who are fighting right now for their future, for their freedom, for democracy, for human rights, and for dignity.

I am the daughter of a Cuban refugee. My mother came to this great country in 1959 to escape the oppression of the Castro regime. Sadly, my family had been split apart, and my grandfather had remained in Cuba to stay with his small businesses. He had two gas stations there, and the regime had come in and taken his businesses and his home. Unfortunately, my family never really reconnected.

As we look at what is happening right now in this island that is just 90 miles from our shore, it is incredibly important to note the role that Cuba has played in spreading communism and socialism throughout the Western Hemisphere. They have aligned themselves with the most dangerous nations--our adversaries--across the world from Iran to China to Venezuela to Russia and to North Korea. Mr. Speaker, you see them all right now at this moment propping up this Communist regime.

We, the leader of the free world, must stand with the Cuban people at this moment. We have a moment in history that is very similar to what Ronald Reagan faced in 1987 with the Iron Curtain. This is our Berlin Wall moment. The people in Cuba, my family included, have suffered for six decades under a brutal murderous regime.

Tens of thousands of people have died at the hands of the Castro brothers. Many, many more have been jailed and beaten simply for peacefully protesting communism and wanting to live in freedom.

This regime has also played a very important role, unfortunately, in spreading communism in the Western Hemisphere, as I mentioned. We saw Venezuela, one of the richest nations in South America, be destroyed by Hugo Chavez, Nicolas Maduro, propped up by the Castro regime. We see it going into Nicaragua, Bolivia, and even here in the United States of America.

And I can tell you, firsthand, in New York City, how painful it was to me to see the communist symbol, the hammer and sickle, painted on our government buildings last summer. If we end communism in Cuba, we end its spread in the Western Hemisphere. And that is what we as the American people, freedom-loving Americans, should be doing at this moment in time.

And there is a reason why the Cuban people are marching in the streets right now holding the American flag. It is because we are that symbol of freedom, that beacon of hope and opportunity, and we must rise to the occasion, garner support from our allies,

democracies from all around the world, to put pressure on this illegitimate regime to exit.

One last thing I want to address is the issue of what some of my colleagues say is the embargo. It is unconscionable to me that we would have Members of Congress that would actually blame America for what is occurring in Cuba.

What people need to understand is they do business with nearly every country around the world, yet, nothing has changed in six decades. That is because everything that comes into this island, whether it is food, whether it is medicine, money, the regime takes it, and they use it to weaponize against their people. You either go along with their communist revolution or you get nothing, you starve. And that is the reality. So lifting the embargo will only further prop up this regime.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the President, I urge my colleagues, and there are Democrats and Republicans who do support Cuba at this moment, and especially those of us who are of Cuban descent. Let's have a Berlin moment here. Let's make history together. We need to just do it by encouraging democracies from around the world to join us, and we need our leadership to be extremely strong at this moment.

(English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:)

Live free Cuba. We are with you. We hope to see liberty in Cuba soon.

Viva Cuba libre. Estamos contigo. Espero que vemos libertad pronto.

Madam Speaker, I rise today on the 47th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey's deadly and unprovoked military invasion of Cyprus.

This is a dark time in the history of the Greek Cypriot people and a stark reminder that we must never forget Turkey's ethnic cleansing of 200,000 Greek Cypriot people less than 50 years ago.

The tragedy that is the illegal Turkish occupation of Cyprus that occurred on July 20, 1974, continues to this very day. I speak before you at a time when the Republic of Turkey is actively engaged in an aggressive, illegal, and unilateral reopening of Varosha, a once- bustling Greek Cypriot resort town and international tourist destination in the Famagusta District of the island.

Following the Turkish approach to Varosha in August 1974, the town's native Greek Cypriot population fled for their lives, only to later be denied the right to return by the occupying Turkish Armed Forces. Many of the Varosha refugees are still alive today, yearning to go back to their homes, while President Erdogan has moved to reopen Varosha to tourists.

The suffering in Cyprus is not just limited to Varosha. The Turkish Armed Forces have illegally occupied more than one-third of the island. They have destroyed and converted over 500 Greek Orthodox churches to mosques in the course of their invasion. They stole over 60,000 archaeological treasures, part of Greek civilization's cultural heritage. Their violence led to the disappearance of over 20,000 Christian icons, and even worse, 1,130 people who remain missing since 1974--five of them, American citizens.

Madam Speaker, over the years, the United Nations has taken a stand against Turkey's illegal occupation of Cyprus, going so far as to deploy thousands of U.N. Peacekeepers to prevent further Turkish incursions into the southern half of the island. In addition, the U.N. Security Council gathered in 1984 and 1992 to pass Resolution 550 and Resolution 789, respectively, to draw red lines when it comes to Turkish activity in sensitive areas like Varosha.

Specifically, these resolutions state that the Council ``considers attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible, and calls for the transfer of that area to the administration of the United Nations,'' and that, ``the area at present under the control of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus be extended to include Varosha.''

As we grow one year closer to the 50th anniversary of Turkey's illegal invasion of Cyprus, the United States must take a strong stand at the United Nations and other international fora to address the growing threat posed by Turkey, its increased aggression, and to ensure the eventual return of homes and land to its native Greek Cypriot inhabitants and reunification of this island nation.

If we, as a governing body, truly claim to stand for liberty and justice for all, we must speak in a unified voice on this issue. And it is a bipartisan issue. When he was chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, then-Senator Joe Biden promised the Greek Cypriot refugee community that they would return to their homeland, if he was ever elected President. During our first Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing with Secretary of State Blinken, he committed to me and my colleagues from both sides of the aisle that brought up this concern that the reunification of Cyprus would be a priority for this administration.

Yet, we saw our President meet with President Erdogan, and we don't even believe the issue was brought up, so we will continue to speak out against this. I encourage my colleagues to speak out, call for action, and take a stand for our Greek Cypriot friends who need our support now more than ever.

If we are to see the end of this occupation in our lifetimes, the United States must lead the way.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 50th anniversary of the Fr. Capodanno Lodge. A part of The Order Sons of Italy in America, the oldest and largest Italian American fraternal association in the nation, the Lodge was originally chartered on November 9, 1971. Since 2007, the Lodge has been named after Fr. Capodanno, a Catholic chaplain from Staten Island who died in service in Vietnam. Like its namesake, the lodge has dedicated itself to the community, hosting social events, raising money for charity, and offering scholarships. This September, the anniversary picnic will be celebrated concurrently with the grand opening celebration of the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum in September. I congratulate the Lodge for their fifty years of service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor William J. Castello. Born in 1957, a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis left him spending much of his childhood indoors. One day he found a box of graphite lead sticks and began to faithfully reproduce the cover portraits of LOOK and LIFE magazine on typing paper, beginning his long love of art. Starting with his first public showing at the East Flatbush Public Library at the age of 9, he has been featured at Columbia University, the Newseum, and the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum in Staten Island. After marrying his childhood sweetheart, Maria Loccisano, he went on to work for the Associated Press as an artist. He is now an honorary associate of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a Fourth-degree Knight and Past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and now, the Immediate Past President of the Fr. Capodanno Lodge of the Sons and Daughters of Italy in America. He and Maria have made their home in Staten Island since 1986 and have been an active part of the community since then.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Joseph Fratta, the New York State Trustee for District Ill and an Overseer to the Fr. Vincent Capodanno Lodge. Born in 1948, Joseph was raised in Little Italy, where he worked at his family's floral shop. In 1968, he was drafted to fight in Vietnam, where he was highly decorated. After one skirmish where he was hurt, he turned down his Purple Heart because he did not want to worry his mother about his injuries. While in Vietnam, Joseph sought to build an orphanage for the dozens of orphans in the village he was stationed in. With the help of others, Joseph was able to get the orphanage up and running, where he cared for twenty-five children. In 1999, he joined the Order of the Sons of Italy, quickly rising up the ranks. Joseph is a dedicated member of the Lodge, chairing the Arbitration Committee and Cancer Research on the state level. Joseph now lives in Staten Island where he is a caring husband, father, and grandfather.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to tell the story of Ozzie Fletcher.

Seventy-seven years ago, on D-day, June 6, 1944, 22-year-old Osceola ``Ozzie'' Fletcher was working as an Army crane operator on Omaha Beach when he was hit by a German missile, leaving him with serious wounds on his leg and head.

Despite the injuries he sustained that day, Ozzie was overlooked, in fact, denied a Purple Heart simply because of the color of his skin. At the time, our forces were segregated, where Black soldiers could not serve alongside White soldiers.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff learned of Ozzie's story, sending the Army on a 2-month-long fact-finding mission.

This weekend I was honored to attend the ceremony at Fort Hamilton Army Base in my district in Brooklyn, New York, when an historic wrong was corrected and Ozzie was finally awarded the Purple Heart he earned more than seven decades ago, as the Nation observed Juneteenth. This recognition of Ozzie's service was long overdue.

I have great and profound appreciation for his service during World War II and his acts of bravery on that fateful day that changed the course of our world's history.

After the war, Ozzie served as a sergeant with the NYPD, a community relations officer in the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, and later retired to become a social studies teacher in New York City public schools.

Ozzie has spent his entire life giving back to our country and the residents of New York City, and I am happy to see him finally get the recognition he deserves.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record remarks from the American Hellenic Institute on the Administration's proposed FY2022 foreign aid budget and U.S. interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. In promoting peace and stability in this critical region, Congress must authorize robust, America-first security assistance to our democratic allies in the Eastern Mediterranean--Greece and Cyprus. Any security assistance which counters U.S. interests, to Turkey and UN ``Peacekeeping'' efforts in Cyprus, namely, will only serve to advance instability and ideological expansionism in this region. Greece and Cyprus are key allies of our Nation, and we must continue to support their security for years to come.

Testimony of Nick Larigakis, President, American Hellenic Institute

(AHI), Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Bill, Submitted to the U.S.

House of Representatives

(By Nick Larigakis)

I am pleased to submit testimony to the House on behalf of

the nationwide membership of the American Hellenic Institute

(AHI) on the Administration's proposed FY2022 foreign aid

budget.

The Administration's budget aims to confront 21st century

security challenges. The budget's vision for the United

States is to ensure it ``. . . plays a lead role in defending

democracy, freedom, and the rule of law'' by recommending a

significant increase in resources to: ``strengthen and defend

democracies throughout the world; advance human rights; fight

corruption; and counter authoritarianism.''

In keeping with the best interests of the United States,

AHI opposes: (1) any proposed foreign aid and assistance to

Turkey from the United States; (2) any proposed reduction in

the aid levels for the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.

Further, AHI recommends an FY2022 funding level of $1.5

million for NATO ally Greece's International Military

Education and Training (IMET) program as authorized for

appropriation in The Eastern Mediterranean Security and

Energy Partnership Act. The Act also authorized $500,000 for

the Republic of Cyprus' IMET program for FY2022, which AHI

recommends. In 2020, the U.S. Department of State provided,

for the first time, IMET program funding for the Republic of

Cyprus. AHI welcomed this policy development, and urges that

this policy be continued.

Finally, AHI recommends robust investment for Foreign

Military Financing (FMF) assistance for Greece, in the amount

of at least $10 million, due to its strategic importance to

the United States as the House will see presented in this

testimony. The East Med Act authorized appropriations of $3

million for FMF assistance in FY2020.

U.S. Interests in Southeast Europe and the Eastern

Mediterranean. The U.S. has important interests in southeast

Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. It is in the United

States' best interest for the region to be politically,

economically, and socially stable, and for democratic

principles to flourish, including adherence to the rule of

law. Significant commerce and energy sources pass through the

region. With Greece's centuries of enduring presence, its

close cultural, political, and economic ties to the

Mediterranean countries, including Israel; Western Europe,

the Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Greece is

strategically situated in a vital region to be an ideal

strategic partner for the U.S.

America Values Its Alliance with Greece. Greece is an

immensely valuable link as ``a pillar of stability'' in the

region as several high-level U.S. government officials have

noted. The U.S.-Greece relationship has reached new heights

by virtue of an ongoing Strategic Dialogue, where avenues for

cooperation among many sectors, including: regional

cooperation, defense and security, and trade and investment,

among others, are plotted for implementation. Greece is a

pivotal and dependable NATO ally to advance U.S. interests

and is a frontline state against terrorism. The Mutual

Defense Cooperation Agreement between the United Stales and

Greece illustrates the two allies' commitment to address over

a longer term the security challenges in the region. The

Agreement currently is under revision. After it is upgraded,

it will offer more flexibility to deepen cooperation in the

defense sector, according to Greece's Minister of Defense

Nikos Panagiotopoulos. For its part, Greece further

demonstrates its commitment to the Alliance as a top

contributor to the defense efforts of NATO. Greece is

estimated to spend 2.68% of its GDP on defense expenditures

in 2020 in accordance with NATO standards despite battling

economic challenges. By percentage of GDP, Greece is second

to the U.S.

Greece is also important for the projection of U.S.

strategic interests by being home to the most important U.S.

military facility in the Mediterranean Sea, Souda Bay, Crete.

It is a base from where joint USN/USAF reconnaissance

missions and air refueling support for U.S. and NATO

operations were implemented successfully, and it continues to

be immensely important. In 2020, the United States homeported

the Expeditionary Sea Base ship, the USS Hershel ``Woody''

Williams, at Souda Bay, assisting the U.S. armed forces in

maritime missions and special operations in both Europe and

North Africa. Military installations located at Souda Bay

include the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training

Centre (NMIOTC) and the NATO Missile Firing Installation

(NAMFI). To illustrate Souda Bay's importance, these figures

show the volume of operations conducted there:

In 2020, at least 90 U.S. and 40 NATO (total 130) ships

made a port visit at Souda Bay.

It also has been noted by U.S. government officials how

Souda Bay allows United States Navy vessels--especially

aircraft carriers--the ability to dock, make needed repairs

and maintenance, and resupply, all within a couple of weeks

and without having to return to Naval Station Norfolk.

According to U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, in a

March, 20, 2021 statement: ``Souda Bay is the jewel in the

crown of US-Greece defense cooperation . . . the unique

capacities the

Souda provides to support US presence in the strategically

dynamic East Med.'' To further demonstrate that Greece's

value extends well beyond Souda Bay:

NATO Joint-Command HQ: Thessaloniki hosts a NATO Rapid

Deployment Corps combined with its Third Army Corps for two

years.

Operation Atlantic Resolve: Greece enables a substantial

portion of the U.S. Army's 10th Combat Aviation Brigade to

enter the European theater through the port of Thessaloniki

and to depart through Alexandropoulis. Alexandroupolis is

being recognized as a city with increased geostrategic

importance, which can also contribute to economic development

and energy security.

The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade of the U.S. Army, from

October-November 20, 2020, and from February-Mar 21, 2021,

stationed and trained at Volos and Stefanovikeio.

The U.S. and Greece held a joint military exercise in May

2021 as part of a larger ``DEFENDEREurope'' program, which,

according to the U.S. Army, is ``an annual large-scale U.S.

Army-led, multinational, joint exercise designed to build

readiness and interoperability between U.S., NATO and partner

militaries.'' Greece was one of only four participating

countries whose port was used to deploy equipment into Europe

and to host a ``DEFENDER-Europe 21'' logistical center.

USAF temporarily operated MQ-9 Reaper Drones from Greece's

Larisa Air Force Base.

Increased aircraft and soldier involvement at Stefanovikio

Hellenic Army airbase improves NATO transit capability.

The trilateral naval exercise ``Noble Dina'' between the

U.S., Greece, and Israel is held annually off of the coast of

Souda Bay.

Greece is also an active participant in peacekeeping and

peace-building operations conducted by international

organizations, including the UN, NATO, EU, and OSCE. In sum,

it is evident Greece contributes significantly to U.S.

interests. AHI strongly contends these actions justify a

robust investment by the U.S. in Foreign Military Financing

assistance to Greece.

Regional Instability. The successful projection of U.S.

interests in the Eastern Mediterranean depends heavily on the

region's stability. A key to peace and stability in the

region is for good neighborly relations among NATO members

and respect for the rule of law. Therefore, the U.S. has a

stake in focusing on the problems that are detrimental to

U.S. interests and to call out those who cause instability in

the region. Turkey is the fundamental cause of instability in

the eastern Mediterranean and broader region:

Turkey's unilateral claims against sovereign Greek

territory in the Aegean which are in violation of

international law, and Turkey's refusal to refer its

unilateral claims to binding international arbitration.

Turkey's aggression against Cyprus which includes its

continuing illegal occupation of 37.3 percent of Cyprus.

Turkey's numerous incursions into Cyprus' Exclusive

Economic Zone (EEZ), illegal drilling in Cyprus' EEZ that

were supported by Turkish warships and drones, and

demonstrated ``gunboat diplomacy.''

Turkey's continuing violations of Greece's territorial

waters and airspace, numbering over 7,000 violations in 2020,

which are in violation of international and U.S. law,

including the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). There were

4,605 airspace and 3,215 maritime incidents.

Illegal immigration via Turkey that threatens Greece's

economic development and the peace and stability of Europe.

The Turkey-Libya Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on

maritime borders, which has been resoundingly dismissed by

the international community as illegal.

Turkey's open support for Hamas, and active role in terror

financing.

Turkey's exacerbation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by

encouraging Azerbaijan's aggression against Armenia,

including transiting Syrian mercenaries with ties to jihadist

groups to fight on behalf of Azerbaijan. The threat by Turkey

of casus belli still stands, and Greece continues to register

a considerable number of formal complaints over continued

violations of the Greek airspace and territorial waters by

Turkey. In fact, Greece's Chief of the Hellenic National

Defense General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, called

out Turkey's provocative behavior, stating to an AHI audience

on April 1, 2021, that Turkey threatens ``Greece's sovereign

rights.'' In addition, Ambassador Pyatt has called the

maritime border MoU between Turkey and Libya MoU

``unhelpful'' and ``escalatory'' in nature in previous public

statements. He also affirmed the internationally recognized

legal concept that ``inhabited islands as a matter of

customary international law are entitled to the same

treatment as continental territory.'' These reoccurring acts

by Turkey are egregious, must cease, and unnecessarily cost

the Greek government millions of dollars a year deal with the

provocative actions of a NATO member country.

Further, Turkey's continuing occupation of Cyprus, its

intransigence in solving the Cyprus problem, and its refusal

to recognize the Republic of Cyprus (a prerequisite to

Turkey's E.U. accession process), which is a member of the

European Union; are detrimental to U.S. interests and

contributes to regional instability. To illustrate, Turkey

insists on maintaining troop levels illegally on Cyprus, and

President Erdogan's promotion of a two-state solution for

Cyprus and support for illegally re-opening the beach in

Varosha inflame tensions and are in violation of

international law and United Nations Resolutions.

In addition, Turkey's actions regarding occupied Cyprus are

deeply troubling. Turkey is transforming the former Lefkoniko

Airport, located in occupied Cyprus, into a drone base,

moving Bayraktar-TB2 drones onto the complex. From occupied

Cyprus, these advanced drones are in range of Europe, North

Africa, and the Middle East, posing a threat to regional

security.

Secretary Antony Blinken, during a January 19, 2021 hearing

in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated:

``Turkey is an ally, that in many ways . . . is not acting as

an ally should and this is a very, very significant challenge

for us and we're very clear-eyed about it.''

Turkey. Turkey continues to demonstrate it is not a true

and dependable U.S. and NATO ally. The U.S. government, both

executive and legislative branches, rightly sanctioned Turkey

for its procurement of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense

system under Countering America's Adversaries Through

Sanctions Act (CAATSA) in December 2020. Those penalties

should be expanded. AHI calls for the continued inclusion of

appropriations language that direct the suspension of

delivery or transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey until reports

detailing the impact of Turkey's purchase of the S-400

missile system from Russia on U.S. weapon systems such as the

F-35s are provided to Congress. Further, Turkey's invasion of

northeast Syria and attack upon U.S.-allied Kurds was not in

the United States' best interests and rightfully resulted in

the passage by an overwhelming vote in the U.S. House of

Protect Against Conflict by Turkey (PACT) Act to sanction

Turkey for its actions. In addition, Turkey's support for

Hamas has been evident.

President Erdogan has hosted Hamas' top leadership,

including individuals designated as global terrorists. In

doing so, Turkey is in contravention of the Arms Export

Control Act, which requires that the United States cannot

supply arms to nations that support international terrorism.

Hamas' recent attack against U.S. ally Israel only further

highlights Turkey's role as a malign regional influence.

We oppose any foreign aid for Turkey and any other

assistance programs from the United State. This includes most

favored nation trade benefits including textile quotas and

the transfer of any nuclear related assistance which we

oppose as not in the best interests of the U.S. AHI applauded

the United States' decision to terminate Turkey's designation

as a beneficiary developing country under the Generalized

System of Preferences (GSP) program, which became effective

May 17. 2019. AHI has long argued for this type of action by

the U.S. government, especially in testimony presented to

this House, until the following actions are taken: (1) the

immediate withdrawal of all Turkish troops from Cyprus; (2)

the prompt return to Turkey of the over 180,000 illegal

Turkish settlers in Cyprus; (3) the Turkish government's

safeguarding the Ecumenical Patriarchate, its status,

personnel and property, reopening the Halki Patriarchal

School of Theology, returning church properties illegally

seized, and the reversal of Hagia Sophia's status, returning

it to a UNESCO-designated museum; (4) the cessation of

violations against Greece's territorial integrity in the

Aegean and of its airspace; (5) the cessation of illegal

interference in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the

Republic of Cyprus; (6) Turkey must cease its support and

promotion of a ``two-state'' solution regarding Cyprus, in

violation of United Nations resolutions and the position of

the U.S. government; (7) Turkey must cease its egregious

violations of important United States laws, in particular the

Arms Export Control Act & the Countering America's

Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Of course,

Turkey's ongoing human rights, freedom of speech, and

religious freedom violations are problematic.

Cyprus. The illegal military occupation of the Republic of

Cyprus by 40,000 Turkish troops continues. As long as the

Republic of Cyprus remains under Turkish military occupation,

a strong UN peacekeeping force must be maintained on the

island. Congress can assist the Republic of Cyprus by

reaffirming the United States' position that assistance

appropriated for Cyprus should support measures aimed at

solidifying the reunification of Cyprus and the unified

government in Cyprus. It would provide a settlement, should

it be achieved, with a chance to succeed. Therefore, AHI

recommends the following language from Title III of the

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 be included in the

FY2022 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs

Appropriations bill:

Assistance provided to Cyprus under this Act should

foremost ensure that the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in

Cyprus (UNFICYP) can fully implement its mandate, while

remaining available to also contribute to the creation of a

conducive environment for the settlement talks under the

auspices of the UN Secretary General's Good Offices.

Furthermore, in the event of reunification, further

assistance should be used to contribute towards the cost of

reunification, including towards monitoring provisions,

facilitation for settlement of the property issue, supporting

and underpinning the new federal structures of a reunified

island and assisting with the construction of a strong

unified Cypriot economy able to cope with

the new challenges, and strengthening the contacts between

the two communities as conducive to reunification, in a way

agreed to between the United States and Cyprus.

The last UN-led attempt, which took place in Crans-Montana

in 2017, aimed to achieve a just and viable solution to the

near 47-year division of the Republic of Cyprus, ended

without reaching an agreement because of Turkish

intransigence. Instead of helping to provide stability by

promoting a just settlement supported by both Greek Cypriot

and Turkish Cypriot communities, Turkey continued to insist

on antiquated and obstructive stances, such as its insistence

to maintain the Treaty of Guarantee with a right of future

unilateral Turkish military intervention.

More recently, during the latest 5+1 informal meeting in

Geneva at the end of April 2021, aiming to assess whether

there was sufficient common ground for the resumption of the

negotiations, Turkey fundamentally changed its official

position on the form of settlement of the Cyprus problem,

insisting on a ``two-state-solution'' to solidify its

occupation of the island, contrary to UN Security Council

resolutions and the stated position of the United States

government.

Furthermore, Turkey hinders the humanitarian work of the

Committee on Missing Persons (a previous recipient of USAID

support) by denying access to areas under its occupation,

including Turkish military zones, in order to excavate for

the remains of 996 Cypriots still missing (including four

U.S. citizens) following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in

1974.

Congress should call on Ankara to constructively support

the reunification efforts, in accordance with the UN Security

Council Resolutions calling for a bizonal, bicommunal

federation, as well as for a solution that embodies the full

respect of the principles and laws of the European Union, of

which Cyprus is a member state. The new state of affairs

ought lo safeguard that a reunified Cyprus would have a

single international legal personality, a single sovereignty

and a single citizenship. Finally, AHI welcomed Secretary of

State Antony Blinken's testimony to the House Committee on

Foreign Affairs on March 10, 2021, where he stated ``American

diplomacy will be fully engaged'' on the issue of a Cyprus

settlement.

AHI is also concerned with energy security. AHI contends

the U.S. must continue to support the sovereign rights of the

Republic of Cyprus to explore and develop the resources

within its EEZ free of any third-party interference and to

underscore the importance of avoiding any actions that

escalate tension. As mentioned, Turkey's threats in Cyprus'

EEZ endanger U.S. companies. In addition, Turkey's illegal

actions in Cyprus' EEZ raise tensions and security concerns,

hindering any real chance for the resumption of settlement

talks.

International Military Education & Training (IMET)--Greece

and Cyprus. AHI recommends FY2022 funding for Greece's IMET

program at $1.5 million and the Republic of Cyprus's IMET

program at $500,000. The recommended funding levels are in

line with the authorization of appropriations passed in The

Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act.

For Greece, the country experienced 11 fiscal years (FY2006-

FY2017) of a steady decline of its IMET funding levels. It

resulted in the drastic decrease in the number of Greek

military students participating in the program. An investment

of $1.5 million in FY22 will help address that 11-year

decline in funding, but more investment is needed to make up

for ``lost time.'' For the Republic of Cyprus, which received

its first IMET program funding in FY21, it is critical to

continue this investment in FY22. It will be the next step in

a series of positive developments since the Statement of

Intent that the U.S. and Republic of Cyprus signed in

November 2018. Since then, Cyprus has assigned a defense

attache to the Embassy in Washington, the Cyprus Center for

Land, Open-Seas, and Port Security (CYCLOPS), an innovative

security site that has been partially funded by the U.S., is

scheduled to begin operations in January 2022; and the U.S.

implemented a partial lifting of an arms prohibition on

Cyprus. The U.S. must fully and permanently lift its arms

prohibition on Cyprus and remove Cyprus from the list of

countries to which arms sales are prohibited under

International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and calls

for appropriations language to direct this of the U.S.

Department of State.

The IMET program advances the professional military

education of the Greek and Cypriot Armed Forces. It enhances

interoperability with U.S. forces, and in Greece's case, NATO

forces. Through the training of Greek and Cypriot military

and noncommissioned officers in a multitude of professional

military education and technical courses in the U.S., IMET

offers strong U.S.-Greece and U.S.-Republic of Cyprus mil-to-

mil relations. It is an effective and wise investment toward

a key component of U.S. security assistance. It also helps

the U.S. because it contributes toward the strengthening of

U.S. security interests in an important part of the world by

training and promoting the professionalization of the Greek

and Cypriot Armed Forces.

Thank you for the opportunity to present them in our

written testimony to the House.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National Day of Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. This condition is present in 1 in 3,000 babies a year, which causes many joints of the body to be stiff and crooked at birth. There are over 400 different types of AMC, which is an umbrella diagnosis that derives from many syndromes. This condition is not curable, but it is treatable. A newborn with AMC lacks the range of motion in one of more joints, but with early intervention, therapies can help children achieve their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development goals. New York State has one of the most active AMC awareness organizations with grassroots efforts located in my district, the borough of Staten Island, NY. My constituent, Valerie Pepe, was born with AMC on June 11, 1967. Valerie now hosts the AMC Music Festival which helps raise money and awareness for those affected by AMC. Thank you for allowing me to recognize her efforts and to bring awareness to the families affected by AMC. As a member of the Rare Disease Caucus, it is my hope that Congress will continue to encourage research and medical innovation to treat AMC.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Police Week to thank and show support for our police officers, particularly the New York Police Department, and also warn my colleagues of what happens when politicians think that they know how to do the job in the street better than our cops do because I have seen it happen in New York City. I have seen the quality of life deteriorate, I have seen crime skyrocket, and we must learn from what has happened here to not make this mistake and adopt those very policies on the Federal level.

This past weekend, we saw three innocent bystanders, one of whom was a 4-year-old child, shot in broad daylight in the middle of Times Square. Fortunately, NYPD Officer Alyssa Vogel was there. She sprinted into action to save these individuals' lives. That is what this mother was doing Mother's Day weekend, and we thank her for her heroic efforts.

Sadly, we also lost a police officer, Anastasios Tsakos, who was in Queens directing traffic in the middle of the night after there was a car accident, and he was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver who was under the influence and operating an unlicensed vehicle.

Sadly, this is what our police officers do each and every day, put their lives at risk, sometimes giving up their life to protect the rest of us.

All through the pandemic, we praised them as heroes for working the front line. COVID was the leading cause of death for our police officers in 2020. We lost eight NYPD officers, sadly. Also, as we approach the 20th anniversary of 9/11, let's not forget the sacrifices of our police officers, not only on that day, but in the days since. We continue to lose people to 9/11-related illnesses. In the NYPD's case, they lost seven since January 2020.

Mr. Speaker, in New York City, we have seen policies that have hurt our law enforcement officers. How did we get here? Well, decriminalizing quality-of-life crimes, which was something I warned in 2017 that would lead to crimes skyrocketing. The broken windows theory is real.

Then you add the State legislature's attempts to reform bail, the rush to close Rikers Island, emptying the jails, putting dangerous criminals with lengthy rap sheets back onto our streets.

The Governor's Parole Board has released over 16 cop killers and other murderers and rapists, once again putting people who are dangerous back on our streets; eliminated the NYPD plainclothes unit, tying the hands of our police; and then lastly, cutting $1 billion, one-sixth of the NYPD budget.

As I mentioned, the 4-year-old girl who was shot this weekend, she was just one of 43 individuals shot in the last week, 169 percent increase over the same period last year. There were nine murders last week in New York City, up 350 percent over the same period last year.

But the trend is not just starting now. It is not just the result of defunding the police. It is the other policies, as I have mentioned. Homicides in 2020 soared 45 percent, shootings doubled, with 1,868 people shot in 2020, up from 923 in 2019. This is a result of an abdication of responsibility from my colleagues on the city and State level.

Now they want to take away the qualified immunity from our police officers, something that many of you voted to do here for our Federal law enforcement officers, despite when they already give up their immunity if they are not operating within the NYPD guidelines, or if they violate someone's constitutional rights.

There is no question that the demoralization of law enforcement over the past year has contributed to a sharp rise in departures from the NYPD, which are up 75 percent compared to 2019, with the lowest number of NYPD officers in uniform in over a decade, when we have all this rising crime taking place across our city. It is absolutely disgraceful, Mr. Speaker, and it must end now.

City and State have a responsibility to keep the public safe. Quite frankly, if they are not going to do it, if my mayor and my Governor continue to tie the hands of our police officers and not allow them to do their job, then we need the Federal Government to step in. Send DOJ, ATF, FBI, DEA, and the U.S. Marshals, because we have a responsibility to the citizens of our city and Nation to keep them safe.

Madam Speaker, I am the daughter of immigrants. My mother came to this country as a refugee, and we are speaking about those who are seeking refuge in our country.

When my mother came to this country, there was a process. There was order. I visited the border a couple of weeks ago, and there was just absolute disorder and chaos.

It is shocking that this body refuses to take any action, that the Vice President, after 28 days of being appointed to oversee this issue, refuses to go to the border and see what I saw, hear what I heard.

You need to have a discussion with Customs and Border Protection before taking any action on legislation. They will tell you that they are being overrun by the cartels and the smugglers, who are taking over the border and making half a billion dollars a month doing it.

The action we are taking here today will do nothing to help the 9- year-old girl that we saw in this facility who was gang raped on her journey here. How come nobody cares or has the compassion to do anything about those individuals who are being exploited by the smugglers and cartels? That is what we should be discussing here today.

To go into one of these facilities and see these children, sleeping on top of each other--capacity of 250, and they have 4,000 people jammed in there. No COVID testing. Nobody cares about the public health crisis that is creating.

So you have a humanitarian crisis, a public health crisis, and on top of it a national security crisis. Thousands of criminals being caught at the border and nobody is doing a damn thing about it.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act, to get our kids out from behind screens and back in the classroom.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1 shamefully allows candidates for Congress to use tax dollars to fund campaigns with a $6 match for every $1 raised. Any normal person would call this a form of embezzlement.

Tax dollars are supposed to be used to maintain our transportation infrastructure, fund our schools, and keep the public safe, not to fund campaigns.

As a representative from New York City, which has public financing of campaigns, and as a former candidate for mayor, I can tell you that it does nothing to take big money out of politics, and it does nothing to level the playing field. Bill de Blasio still received big donations bundled by lobbyists and special interests, and I would have still been outspent 4 to 1 with or without matching funds.

Using taxpayer money to fund political campaigns is not only wrong; it is an abuse of taxpayers and has led to more corruption. Multiple candidates and elected officials in New York City were convicted for exploiting the system and developing schemes to illegally pad their campaigns with taxpayer money.

Additionally, at a time when so many Americans question the integrity of our election system and are looking for safeguards to protect their vote, this bill bans States from having voter ID and implements same- day voter registration, which does not give election boards the proper time to ensure individuals' eligibility and further erodes the public trust.

Instead of this ridiculous bill, we should be adopting the Save Democracy Act and restoring the trust and integrity of our election system.

Madam Speaker, as a representative of more than a quarter of NYPD's 36,000 active officers, and thousands more retirees and first responders, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1280 and every piece of legislation that aims to cripple or degrade our law enforcement.

Instead of working with Republicans, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have chosen to push forth yet another partisan bill that will diminish public safety and prevent our law enforcement officers from serving and protecting our communities, all while trying to hold them personally liable. The brave men and women who put on the uniform every day deserve better.

We have offered real solutions to increase transparency, accountability, and performance so our Nation's law enforcement officers can better serve and protect all.

But make no mistake, this bill you are about to pass today defunds the police. The Congressional Budget Office

has confirmed that the unfunded mandates contained in this bill will drain the resources of State and local law enforcement to the tune of several hundred million dollars. This is negligence.

As a resident of New York City who has seen our police department's budget slashed by a billion dollars by politicians who think they know more than the officers doing the job on the street, I can tell you that there are serious ramifications.

Crime has skyrocketed. Last year, shootings increased by 97 percent, and murders increased by 44 percent. We have seen livelihoods and properties destroyed by rioters and looters in cities across America.

Government's number one responsibility to its citizenry is to keep them safe. Defunding law enforcement is an abdication of that responsibility.

Tonight, I call on every Member of this body to cosponsor my Right to Remain Safe Act, which holds local governments responsible should someone become a victim of a crime due to government's negligence.

Madam Speaker, if we adopt the motion to recommit today, we will instruct the Judiciary Committee to consider my amendment to H.R. 1280 to include a simple, straightforward sense of Congress strongly rejecting efforts to defund the police.

Madam Speaker, my colleagues say they don't support defunding the police. Well, here is their chance to show it.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of the amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, this bill is not tailored to the specific needs of our Nation or its citizens. I support helping the unemployed, struggling businesses, and returning money to taxpayers, but you give $1,400 with one hand and it costs $15,000 per American household to pay for it.

Congress thinks it knows how to spend hardworking taxpayers' money better than they do, all while our Nation approaches $30 trillion in debt and $1 trillion from previous relief remains unspent.

Right now, vaccine production and distribution is a top priority, yet less than 1 percent of these funds go to it, showing how bloated this bill is. It spends billions on unrelated projects, from a San Francisco rail line to family planning; and a whopping $3.5 billion for The Global Fund, forcing American taxpayers to pick up 88 percent of this international fund's expenditures, all while our diplomats can't even get the vaccine.

My amendment would have required States receiving billions to commit to not raising taxes on their citizens. The CDC said it would cost $25 billion to reopen America's schools safely. Only in this mismanaged government would things end up costing eight times more than originally estimated. This is an epic fail.