Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, although I have deep misgivings about the Bush Administration's handling of the first $350 billion tranche of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, I rise in opposition to the resolution of disapproval.

When Congress passed the rescue package, it was with the understanding that doing so would prevent the stock market from collapsing, inject enough cash into the market to facilitate the flow of credit, and give the Department of Treasury the authority to require mortgage holders to renegotiate troubled mortgages. While stock indexes have lost value, the rescue package restored enough investor confidence to stabilize markets, avoiding the economic calamity predicted by many.

However, the Bush Administration did too little to ensure that the funds were used to achieve the other two goals. For example, many small business owners in my district can no longer access loans with reasonable terms. Even some with good credit must rely on credit cards with interest rates that can range from 20 to 35%. Banks receiving federal assistance should be compelled to continue to lend.

With regard to homeownership, I also have not seen adequate progress. Treasury claims it is helping more than 200,000 homeowners avoid foreclosure each month, but I have yet to hear from a constituent who has received assistance. The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) gave Treasury the authority to require lenders to renegotiate troubled mortgages, a process that can benefit all parties, but President Bush did not use that authority.

Independent TARP overseers have found numerous problems in every report. From changing the central strategy of the program to providing inadequate justification for decisions, the Bush Administration did not meet its responsibilities. However, we cannot use the Bush Administration's failures as an excuse to deny these funds which continue to be needed. That is why yesterday, the House passed legislation, H.R. 384, to set stringent conditions on the remaining $350 billion.

Fortunately, President Obama has made assurances that he will implement tough reforms including directing at least $50 billion toward foreclosure mitigation, using his full arsenal of tools to get credit flowing to American families and small businesses, increasing transparency in the financial system, and creating stronger reporting requirements for firms receiving funds. These conditions were included in H.R. 384.

I oppose the resolution because the reforms included in the House bill and proposed by President Obama, along with a recovery package, an end to abusive credit card practices, and regulatory reform, will help aid American families, save small businesses, and revitalize our economy.

Madam Speaker, I rise, with great admiration for a leader of unparalleled strength of conviction and with personal sadness at the loss of a good friend, to pay tribute to the life, achievements, and memory of M. Paul Redd.

Paul Redd's record of civic accomplishment is well-known: his tireless stewardship of the Westchester County Press, his founding of the Westchester Chapter of the N.A.A.C.P., his leadership of Westchester/Putnam Affirmative Action, his deep engagement in the work of government and the challenge of politics. These roles and duties have been rightly noted and extolled in the days since Paul's passing, yet they alone do not capture the essence of the man.

It was Paul Redd's fearless character, a trait that infused and informed all of his deeds, that shines most brightly in memory.

Paul Redd moved easily in the corridors of power and counted among his friends men and women of great influence, but Paul was never an insider, because he understood at every moment that he spoke for those on the outside--those who were denied opportunities to achieve their potential, exercise their rights, and enjoy the full fruits of a free and decent society. And if Paul's voice was sometimes loud, it is because so often he gave voice to those without one of their own.

Paul Redd was not interested in making anyone comfortable, nor in employing the empty pleasantries that too often conceal injustice. He understood that wrongs are best addressed directly and forcefully, in the full light of day. And he was willing to confront anyone, big or small, friend or foe, when the duties of conscience demanded it.

It is no wonder, therefore, that his column ``M. Paul Tells All'' was so unique in its incisive commentary and in the attention it commanded among public officials and citizens alike. It is no wonder that Paul Redd was at the forefront of protests and demonstrations to achieve equal opportunity in housing and employment. It is no wonder that Paul Redd left a lasting mark in law and administration, an edifice of public policy that will outlive us all.

Paul Redd's vocal public leadership was matched by a quiet, dutiful, and often thankless private acceptance of heavy responsibility. Nowhere is this more evident than in the survival and success of the Westchester County Press, sustained almost as an act of will by Paul Redd. He worked often late into the night and then on into the morning to ensure that it never missed an issue, enlisting friends and colleagues in his labors, and ensuring that the paper of record of Westchester's African-American community would not be silenced.

It goes without saying that Paul was utterly devoted to and fully supported by his loving family, beginning with his partner and dear wife of so many years, Orial Redd, and continuing with two children who are accomplished in and devoted to service, Paula Redd Zeman and M. Paul Redd, Jr.

Paul Redd surely drew great satisfaction and hope from the progress he witnessed--and often led--over the span of decades. He was proud of the many African-Americans who achieved public office in our county, encouraged by the breaking of barriers that opened the doors of public and private sector leadership to all Americans, and elated by the election of our nation's first African-American President. But Paul Redd never confused movement towards a goal with final attainment of a goal. His eyes were always forward, fixed on the unmet challenge and determined to meet it. Paul knew what our community and nation could and should be and, in life, was unwilling to rest so long as this vision remained distant.

Like Dr. King, whom he revered, Paul Redd was destined to see the promised land, more clearly than most, but not to set foot within it. It must be the mission now of those who knew and loved him to finish the work for which Paul Redd gave every measure of his devotion.

Madam Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor and strong supporter of H. Res. 34, a Resolution ``Recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the U.S.'s strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli- Palestinian peace process.''

I believe unequivocally that Israel has the right and responsibility to defend itself and its citizens. I stand in support and solidarity with Israel's efforts to end Hamas' campaign of terror. For years, Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Israel, murdering Israeli civilians and terrorizing peaceful communities. Earlier this year I traveled to the Western Negev and saw first-hand the trauma suffered by women and children who faced nearly daily rocket attacks from Gaza. While war is never a preferred option, after repeated calls to Hamas to end rocket attacks, Israel had no choice but to respond militarily to Hamas' breaking of the cease-fire.

During its operation in Gaza, Israel has taken extraordinary steps to prevent civilian casualties, including providing advanced warning to civilians about pending attacks of Hamas targets. I am dismayed and disgusted with Hamas' tactics of co-locating their terrorist infrastructure amongst the civilian population. My heart goes out to the families of the innocent civilians killed and wounded on both sides of the conflict; however, Hamas bears the responsibility for the loss of life and the humanitarian situation of residents of Gaza.

Hamas, which continues to deny Israel's right to exist, will stop at nothing to deny peace to the region, including exploiting and endangering Gaza civilians. I believe that Israel's operation to dismantle Hamas's terrorist infrastructure will provide space to reinvigorate support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. It is my hope that the Israeli operation will make it clear to Hamas that its attacks on Israeli communities must end so that negotiations toward a peaceful coexistence in the region can continue.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize M. Paul Redd and the 80th anniversary of the Westchester County Press and

its contributions to the community. The Westchester County Press has published news about politics, religion, and social events in our district.

While the Westchester County Press targeted a broad audience when it was founded in 1928, it eventually focused more exclusively on religious and social news in the African-American community. In 1950, Dr. Alger L. Adams bought the newspaper and transformed it into a publication for black audiences to give voice to their contributions to the fabric of our society. Decades later, the Press is still thriving.

In 1961, Paul Redd was hired as a columnist for the Westchester County Press. In 1986, Mr. Redd purchased the paper, for which he now serves as president and publisher. For 47 years, Redd has written a column, ``M. Paul Tells All,'' which informs his readers about politics and opportunities to get involved in the political process.

As a life-long advocate, Paul Redd's interests have included employment training for the disenfranchised, voter registration, education, and civic participation. Redd served as president and chief operating officer of the Westchester-Putnam Affirmative Action Program, Inc., for over 25 years. The agency's employment and training activities have resulted in over 5,000 job placements for local residents.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize my good friend M. Paul Redd for his unparalleled contributions to the community through the Westchester County Press and other organizations, and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring his tremendous accomplishments on the 80th anniversary of the Westchester County Press.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my continued deep frustration and concern about the injustice suffered by one of my constituents, Martha Nierenberg, an American citizen and Holocaust survivor whose family's artwork was stolen by the Nazis and now is in the hands of the Hungarian government. Mrs. Nierenberg has fought tirelessly to regain her family's legacy, yet the Hungarian government has failed to take morally appropriate steps to set historic wrongs right by returning Mrs. Nierenberg's artwork.

Mrs. Nierenberg grew up in Budapest, surrounded by the paintings collected by her grandfather, Mor Lipot Herzog, an avid art collector who amassed one of the largest private collections of art in Hungary. When Hitler's troops invaded and occupied Hungary in March 1944, the Hungarian police and the Nazi SS stole the Herzog family art collection as part of the Nazi genocidal efforts to strip Jews of their lives and property. A young Mrs. Nierenberg escaped Hungary and eventually became an American citizen.

After WWII, Hungary, under control of a totalitarian government, came into possession of paintings that had been part of the Herzog Collection. Some of these paintings were even displayed in state-owned museums in Budapest and were described as belonging to the Herzog Collection. Despite agreeing to the 1998 Washington Conference on Holocaust Era-Assets, the government of Hungry has still not returned all of the Nierenberg family's art.

Under the Washington Principles, which the government endorsed, Hungary is required to try to come to a just and fair resolution of claims to Holocaust looted property. Today, I call on President Solyom and Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany to take a moral stand, rectify past wrongs, and return the Herzog collection to its rightful heir, Martha Nierenberg. This injustice has gone on for far too long and must be put right immediately.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1157, the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act. The bill is the product of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations, and in my judgment truly represents a fair compromise that will lead to meaningful changes in how breast cancer research is conducted throughout the Federal Government.

The bill passed by voice vote in the Energy and Commerce Committee. It will improve the caliber of breast cancer research, improve transparency for breast cancer research dollars and vastly increase the role of advocates in determining research priorities.

I would like to thank a few key individuals who have been an integral part of advancing this legislation. First of all, my partner on this bill, Congresswoman Sue Myrick. She has done a yeoman job, and we have worked together for a very, very long time. Congratulations. Of course, her staff, Sarah Hale; the Senate sponsor of this bill, Majority Leader Harry Reid and his staff, Carolyn Gluck; Ranking Member Barton and his staff, Ryan Long; Minority Whip Roy Blunt and his staff, Cheryl Jaeger; Health Subcommittee Chairman, my good friend Congressman Pallone, we came to the Congress together, and his staff, Bobby Clark; and, of course, Chairman Dingell and his staff, in particular Jessica McNiece and Greg Rothschild, who have spent countless hours on this bill. Without their commitment to advancing a bipartisan product, frankly, we wouldn't be here today.

The bill is a really good one, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, on August 16, 2007, the U.S. Government signed a new Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with Israel to establish the security assistance framework for $30 billion in U.S. military assistance to Israel over the next decade. This agreement reflects the unshakable U.S. commitment to maintaining Israel's qualitative military edge in the region and increases assistance to help Israel meet its security needs in the face of growing threats in the region. I am a staunch supporter of this agreement which continues the strategic relationship between the U.S. and Israel and will help guarantee the security of both Israel and the United States.

Today, with the passage of the Continuing Resolution, Congress has declared its support for meeting our obligation for the first year of the MOU by approving a total of $2.55 billion in FY 2009 for Israel in Foreign Military Financing. The $2.55 billion in FMF funding includes $170 million in the FY 09 ``bridge-funding'' in the FY08 supplemental (P.L. 110-161) and the FY 2008 funding level of $2.38 billion. The Continuing Resolution also adjusts the funding level for Israeli Offshore Procurement to reflect the current percentage of Israel's FMF at $670,650,000, a longstanding provision that has proven critical to ensuring Israel's qualitative military edge. The congressional support for this agreement and the security of Israel is clear and unequivocal.

And I want to thank the gentlewoman from New York and the gentleman from North Carolina. While most credit card holders know it is difficult to pay off the balance while only making the minimum payment, they do not know the actual cost. Consumers have a right to know the true cost of making minimum payments, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to implement these important changes.

And I want to thank you, my friend from New York, for organizing this Special Order.

I think, frankly, it would have been more appropriate if we had organized it in the Chinese restaurant down the street because I know that there have been many special hours where Mr. Ackerman and Mr. McNulty and those of us that were lucky to join you really had wonderful evenings together, talking about the Congress, talking about life in general, and families.

I want to rise today, Mr. Speaker, to recognize the accomplishments of my good friend, Representative Mike McNulty.

I didn't know you for all the 39 years of dedicated public service, but since you've been here, we've worked closely together, and I consider you a really good friend. Mike's exemplary commitment has earned the admiration of constituents and colleagues alike.

And Mike and I had a very special relationship. I do remember when it came time to get committees--and in those days, Mike McNulty and I were fortunate to be asked to be on both Ways and Means and Appropriations. And the gentleman that Mike was knew that appropriations was my first choice. And Mike was generous enough--and perhaps wise enough--to choose the outstanding Ways and Means Committee. But I do remember those discussions, and I remember how gracious and elegant you were.

I also remember, Mike McNulty, the time when I was exploring running for the Senate. And I had traveled a bit around New York and I met quite a few people. And no matter what, and no matter who was the opposition, every time I would come to the floor Mike said, ``I'm with you. I'm with you.'' Mike is the kind of friend who, when he's with you, he's with you, and you can always count on Mike McNulty.

I also remember--and perhaps I won't discuss it on the floor today-- that Mike McNulty and my husband have had a very special relationship. We've had some good times together. And Mike would always say, ``So, where's Steve? Where's Steve? We have some business to do today.'' And I'll remember those times, and I do hope we get to share many more.

Mike, I also remember what a special experience it was for us both to get blessed by the Pope. And I remember very clearly Mike McNulty and others who have had that experience before said, fill your pockets, fill your pockets with rosary beads. And boy, I filled my pockets so that I still have draws of them left, Mike McNulty. So if there's anyone special that needs a little bit of blessing from our special trip with the Pope, I would be very happy to share it with you.

Now, when I look back at Michael's background--a graduate of the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., Mike began his career by serving as the youngest town supervisor in New York.

It's hard to believe that after 8 short years as town supervisor you were elected mayor of the Village of Green Island, New York, that you served until 1977 when you were elected to represent New York's 106th Assembly District, that in the New York legislature you served as the chairman of the assembly's Democratic study group, and that you chaired the subcommittees on alcoholism and corrections and transportation capital improvements. Later, you were appointed to the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, an administrative review commission. In 1988, the same year I was elected, you were elected to represent New York's 23rd Congressional District in the United States Congress. In 1992, you were elected to represent New York's 21st Congressional District, which includes Albany, Montgomery, Schenectady, and Schoharie Counties with almost 80 percent of the vote.

I don't know how you did that. I've never gotten 80 percent of the vote, Michael.

You were reelected for your 10th term in the United States House of Representatives in 2006, serving on the Armed Services Committee, the Small Business Committee, the International Relations Committee, the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service. You're currently serving on the Ways and Means Committee for the 15th year on which you chair the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Again, you've been such a tireless advocate for seniors. You championed the needs of hardworking families as a member of the Labor and Working Families Caucus, and you've really balanced your distinguished career with an equally impressive family life.

We've talked about your wife of 37 years. Now I've been married 47 years, Michael, so I wish you good luck and success for the future when you'll be spending a lot more time with family--with Nancy and your four daughters: Michele, Angela, Nancy, and Maria, and with your five grandchildren. I have eight, so they can continue to work on that. They are Lola, Daniel, Teigin, Elijah, and Morgyn.

We've had such wonderful times together. I have such enormous respect for you. You're a real gentleman. You're a hard worker. You're the kind of person who I am proud to have as a friend and who I am proud to serve with in this Congress.

I want to congratulate you on your very successful career in public service and on your unparalleled devotion to your constituents. There is a lot more work to be done, so even though you're going home to be with family and friends, I know that all of the many challenges that we all face together will continue to attract you and will compel you to continue your great career in public service.

So thank you, my friend. I look forward to continuing to work with you and to keeping in touch with you. You're very, very special, and we all love you.

Thank you.

Madam Speaker, today is a solemn day for New Yorkers and all Americans as we remember the men, women, children who lost their lives 7 years ago on September 11, 2001. For many of us the wounds of that terrible day are still raw, as are the reminders that are now woven into our daily lives. The pain associated with the loss of loved ones, the still incomplete skyline of Manhattan, the terror alerts, the checkpoints, the baggage searches and the war.

The attacks of September 11 were intended to strike at the heart of our country, our values, and our way of life. In spite of this incredible act of hatred and violence, however, Americans remain united not only in our resolve to defeat those who want to do us harm but in our unwavering support for our Armed Forces, first responders, and the intelligence community who have answered the call to protect us at home and abroad. It is in this spirit that we remain committed to honoring the memories of all who lost their lives on that horrible day and commending those who continue to risk their lives since then to bolster our homeland security, protect our ideals and values, keep our communities safe, and ensure that America never again experiences such an evil act of violence on our soil.

Thank you, Mr. Ackerman, for sponsoring this resolution, and God bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to mourn the loss of my friend and colleague Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

Stephanie Tubbs Jones was a kind and caring friend, a hard-working and diligent colleague, and a committed representative. She was also a trailblazer--she was the first African-American and the first female prosecutor in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, the first African-American woman to be elected to serve Ohio in the House of Representatives, and the first African-American woman to serve on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

Stephanie Tubbs Jones was an inspiration to me and to others who aspire to represent their constituents with passion, dedication, and integrity. A champion of voting rights, she stood up for those who lacked a voice to ensure that they are not denied the most fundamental right of our democracy--the right to vote.

In her role as Chair of the House Ethics Committee, she led the House of Representatives in ensuring that Members of Congress live up to high standards. She understood that increasing Americans' confidence in their government requires honest and ethical behavior by their leaders.

All those who loved Stephanie Tubbs Jones, including her son Melvyn Leroy Jones II, and her sister Barbara Walker, are in my thoughts and prayers.

As we mourn the passing of this intelligent, hard-working, and caring representative, we celebrate her accomplishments. We are reminded that despite the tragedy of her passing, her life was a blessing for her colleagues, her friends, her family, her constituents, and so many who needed a champion.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to express my appreciation to my good friend and colleague, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and I want to thank Chairman Oberstar for his support of this bill and for his help bringing it to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, which would designate the Federal building and United States Courthouse in White Plains, New York, as the ``Charles L. Brieant, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse.''

Federal Judge Charles Brieant, Jr., a graduate of Columbia University and Columbia Law School, served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. Appointed to the Federal judiciary by President Nixon in 1971, Judge Brieant rose to the high-profile post of Chief Judge of the influential U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, a court well regarded for its legal prowess and well- reasoned decisions. His thoughtful interpretation of the law often earned great praise, and the United States Supreme Court agreed with Judge Brieant's rulings six times.

Additionally, Judge Brieant received many awards and honors, including the Servant of Justice Award from the Guild of St. Ives in 1998 and the Edward Weinfeld Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Administration of Justice in 2006.

Mr. Speaker, Judge Brieant can lay claim to hundreds of court decisions, many of which have impacted the lives of ordinary New Yorkers in extraordinary ways.

Judge Brieant is survived by his wife Virginia, their four children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Judge Brieant deserves our admiration and recognition for his selfless commitment to the law and public service. In fact, beyond the bench, Judge Brieant was instrumental in the construction of the very building we seek to name in his honor.

I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this great American by passing this legislation.

Madam Speaker, today, we sadly commemorate the 34th anniversary of the Turkish occupation of Cyprus. Over a third of a century ago, more than 200,000 Cypriots were driven from their homes and forced to live under foreign occupation. The legacy of this occupation still weighs heavily on the northern third of the island, which remains occupied by Turkish troops. In fact, the Turkish-Cypriot Administered North Cyprus has the dubious distinction of being one of the most militarized areas in the world, with nearly one Turkish soldier for every two Turkish Cypriot.

A devastating consequence of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus is the tragic humanitarian problem of missing persons. Today, there are more than 1,400 Greek Cypriots still missing as well as four missing Americans. A series of UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions condemn Turkey's invasion and call for the tracing of missing persons. As we mark the 34th year of Turkey's invasion of Cyprus, I encourage all governments involved to adhere to humanitarian principles and international practices regarding the effective investigation of the whereabouts of missing persons.

While we commemorate the past and our hearts go out to those suffering continuing hardship due to missing loved ones. Positive steps underway could lead to a brighter future for all Cypriots. We are encouraged that, for the first time in five years, both sides are engaging in constructive dialogue. Since March, leaders from the South and North have taken positive steps towards reunification and have met three times. I urge both sides to continue this positive discourse including at a meeting this Friday. I sincerely hope a solution to the Cyprus issue will soon be reached to reuniting the island under a government that safeguards human rights, completes the investigation into the whereabouts of missing persons, and respects the fundamental freedoms of the people as a whole.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Timothy Russert by submitting for the record a tribute to him by the Buffalo, New York native, William O'Shaughnessy on June 16, 2008. ``A Death in the Family'' was broadcast on WVOX and WVIP in New York.

A Death in the Family

And although we were in the care and keeping of the German

Jesuits some ten years apart, Russert and I both got whacked

upside the head by the same worn old leather prayer book

belonging to the Reverend John

Sturm, SJ., who took most seriously his title and high

estate: Prefect of Discipline.

Father John was built like a fireplug. And although an

equal opportunity disciplinarian, he made Timmy Russert his

favorite charge almost from the minute he first encountered

the personable Irish youngster from South Buffalo with the

bright eyes and easy smile. That was back in the 60's and

they have been friends ever since. Canisius has turned out

federal judges named Crotty and Arcara, political power

brokers like Joe Crangle, big car dealers, stellar athletes

including a few Holy Cross and Notre Dame quarterbacks, and

doctors and lawyers of great renown. The Jesuits spotted

Russert's beguiling potential early on. Even then they knew.

He would go back to Buffalo over the years to see his

father and during summers better than this one Tim Russert

would sit at Cole's bar in the Elmwood section to talk sports

over a beer and a ``beef on a weck,'' Buffalo's legendary

version of roast beef, a steamship round of which was

personally carved by the bartender and then piled on a

Kimmelweck roll covered with salt to be dipped in Heinz

Ketchup. The music in the air on those nights was provided by

ancient tapes of Fred Klestine's old radio programs from the

50's and 60's which survive to this day at Cole's.

They would order another Simon Pure beer or a Carling's ale

and talk about the rich girls who went to ``The Mount,'' a

boarding school, and about Johnny Barnes, the old Canisius

High football coach and sometimes about Cornelius

MacGillicudy, a favorite teacher who owned a bar in the

Parkside section over near Delaware Park.

He never lost touch with the Jesuits. And just a few weeks

ago, Father Sturm, now in his 90's, sent out invitations to a

scholarship luncheon in his own honor with the obligatory

picture of his protege Tim Russert on the cover.

Before his dazzling work on television which made him

famous, Tim labored in the service of the two brightest minds

in public life during our time: Daniel Patrick Moynihan and

the estimable Mario M. Cuomo.

Someone said yesterday on television: ``He wasn't exactly a

pretty boy.'' With his cheeks and jowls, Russert was the

complete antithesis of all the hyper, vacuous ``talking

heads'' and all the bimbos--male as well as female--who sit

each day in those anchor chairs praying the teleprompter

doesn't fail lest they be forced to utter something more

profound than ``absolutely!''

Only Chris Matthews was his equal in terms of depth and

intelligence. And maybe Jon Meacham or Lawrence O'Donnell or

Peggy Noonan. George Stephanopoulos can hold his own in front

of a camera (and in front of George Will). And classy Deborah

Norville has a brain. While among the youngsters coming up--

William ``Billy'' Bush and Chris Cuomo are bursting with

intelligence and promise. Ditto Bill Geist's kid Willy. And

David Gregory and Tucker Carlson are easy to take. Barbara

Walters and Diane Sawyer are class acts in any season.

We've always liked Bob Scheiffer and Judy Woodruff. And how

can you not like Mike Barnicle and Joe Scarborough (but not

the girl with him, the one with the famous father, who talks

over everybody). And I hope Larry King, like Paul Harvey on

the radio, goes on forever. Plus I still take pleasure in our

infrequent sightings of Rather and Brokaw.

Russert, however, operated on a level far beyond most of

them. And he didn't need high tech production values or fancy

overhead lighting in an ultra-modern studio to enhance and

amplify his unique genius. He was to network news what Mario

Cuomo is to public discourse. And as the great Cuomo himself

reminded us, ``Tim never forgot where he came from and he

never let us forget it either . . . and we loved him for

it.''

He would summer on Nantucket and go to parties at Sally

Quinn's in Washington. But Russert never denied his roots in

Buffalo. There was a realness about him, a genuineness, on

and off the air.

A few summers ago, Russert was the main speaker at an

important conference of the New York State Broadcasters

Association up at Bolton Landing on Lake George. After his

talk he was persuaded by our mutual friend Joe Reilly, the

head of the broadcasters in the Empire State, to linger and

give out the Association's Awards for Excellence . . . even

as an NBC plane waited on the tarmac at the nearby Glens

Falls airport to rush him back to Washington.

There were many awards and citations in every category. But

Russert was his usual generous self and so he stayed late

into the night as the awards presentations wore on. And when

it was announced that your own WVOX had won the designation

for ``Best Editorials in New York State'' (which we clearly

did not deserve), Russert arched his eyebrows and the Irish

eyes twinkled as my son David and I advanced to the front of

the ballroom to receive our award.

As we posed for the cameras and the flashbulbs popped, Tim

asked, sotto voce, ``How's Mario? . . . how's Nancy? . . .

how are the kids? . . . how's the station?'' And now as my

mind drifts back on this weekend after he died, I wonder if I

remembered to inquire about his own welfare? I hope so, but I

doubt it, given that heady moment in the spotlights. But he

remembered.

Russert then thoughtfully pulled away my son David for a

shot with just the two of them . . . and said, again on the

QT, while still smiling for the cameras, ``How the hell did

your old man win this damn thing . . . it must have been by

shear guile! Or did Cuomo write it for him?'' As the two of

them cracked up with laughter, no one in the audience of more

than 500 had a clue what they were chuckling about.

James O'Shea, who owns The West Street Grill, a high class

saloon in Litchfield, Connecticut (he much prefers the

designation ``fine dining establishment'') called while I was

thinking about all this. According to O'Shea, ``Russert

possessed the genius of the Irish. Just say he was Irish.

People will know what that means. He was Irish!'' As O'Shea

provides libation and sustenance for the likes of Philip

Roth, Rex Reed, Jim Hoge, Bill vandenHeuvel, Rose Styron,

George Clooney, Peter Duchin and Brooke Hayward . . . I will

bow to his wisdom. Russert did indeed have the genius of the

Irish.

Nancy and I would see him around town of an evening, when

he would come up from Washington to do some business at the

NBC Universal mother ship at Rockefeller Center or if one of

us had to emcee a dinner. And no matter how late the hour or

how tired and rumpled he appeared, it was always the same:

``How are the kids? . . . how are the stations doing? . . .

how's the gov?''

NBC delayed the news of his passing and actually got

scooped by the New York Post and the Times until someone from

their shop was retrieved to go and inform his wife Maureen

Orth, their son Luke, and his beloved father Big Russ. But

who, I wonder, had to knock on the door of the old priest in

the Jesuit retirement house on Washington Street up in

Buffalo to tell Father John Sturm, S.J. Timmy Russert was

gone?

I always thought Russert would have made a wonderful

politician himself or a great teacher. Or even a priest. And

with his sudden, untimely departure at 58, he probably taught

us one more lesson learned from the old Jesuits: ``You know

not the hour . . . or the moment.''

The newsman-journalist known as Tim Russert has been

mourned by millions and eulogized in all the journals and

periodicals in the land. But the most exquisite tribute, and

probably the one he would have liked the most came from

Michelle Spuck, a waitress at Bantam Pizza in the Litchfield

hills, who told a customer over the weekend, ``I'm so sad

about this . . . I never met him . . . but I knew him.''

He died in front of a microphone.

This is Bill O'Shaughnessy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Mr. Sy Sternberg and to congratulate him on his retirement as the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of New York Life Insurance Company, the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States and one of the largest life insurers in the world.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Sternberg earned a bachelor of electrical engineering degree from the City College of New York in 1965 and an M.S.E.E. degree from Northeastern University in 1968.

Before joining New York Life in 1989, Mr. Sternberg spent 13 years at the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, where he was most recently senior executive vice president.

Mr. Sternberg is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Business Roundtable and serves on its Task Forces on International Trade and Investment, Security and Fiscal Policy and the Leadership Committee of the Lincoln Center Consolidated Corporate Fund. Mr. Sternberg is also a Board of Trustees member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Northeastern University and the Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY.

In 1999, Mr. Sternberg was appointed by President Clinton and served through 2002 as one of three United States representatives to the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC). In January of this year, Mayor Bloomberg of New York City appointed Mr. Sternberg as co-chair, along with former Mayor Dinkins, of the Mayor's task force on Career and Technical Education Innovation.

Mr. Sternberg is most importantly the proud father of two grown daughters, Jodi and Donna, and resides in Purchase, NY, with his wife, Laurie, and their son, Matthew.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize my good friend Mr. Sy Sternberg for a successful career in finance and unparalleled devotion to charitable causes. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring his tremendous accomplishments.