Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on Memorial Day, America honors those who gave their lives to keep this country free and bring the world peace by defending the helpless, promoting democracy throughout the world and protecting the freedoms and liberties we enjoy as Americans. Those who defend this country, after all, are men and women from every town and every walk of life.

These honored dead have not died in vain, as Abraham Lincoln solemnly pledged during the most divisive war this Nation had yet faced. We have a long, proud history of service and sacrifice given by those men and women who quit the safety of everyday life and friends ``to hazard all in freedom's fight.'' Today, we have such men and women deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere around the world, and we hold them and their families in our thoughts and prayers.

The oath to defend the Constitution has been sworn by every soldier, sailor, flyer, and Marine, living and dead. On Memorial Day, we recall those who gave everything to preserve the security and liberty of those they loved and those they never knew. I would hope this day is only one of many on which the living remember and salute those who served our Nation in uniform and now lie at eternal rest.

We have honored their graves and their lives since the end of our own Civil War. In 1866, spontaneous rites of remembrance were held in Carbondale, Illinois, in Columbus, Mississippi, and Waterloo, New York. The families of the men killed in that war came together to place flowers by their gravestones. The veterans joined this practice, honoring their fallen comrades with their own recollections of courage and devotion on battlefields. Ever since then, veterans and their families have led the observance of Memorial Day.

On this day, it is a time for us to remember our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice by visiting the cemeteries where they lie beneath small flags of red, white, and blue. It is also a time to renew our promise to the widows, widowers, and orphans of those lost in war. And it is time to renew our fight for our veterans because those still living deserve the benefits that have been promised to them by a grateful nation.

On Memorial Day 2004, as our young men and women are fighting overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, our country dedicates a World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., finally paying tribute to those who fought over a half century ago. In fact, the 60th Anniversary of

the invasion of Normandy by the Allied forces (known as D-Day) is June 6, 2004. This new Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the United States during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died, and the millions who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the Memorial is a monument to the spirit and sacrifice of the American people. On this day, we honor them and the many others who died in service to our country, and the contributions all of them have made for us.

Service of this country in uniform has been, since the beginning, one of the greatest sources of unity and equality, in our national life. More than half a century ago, President Franklin Roosevelt reminded the American people that, ``Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.'' I hope on this Memorial Day, we as a Nation, and each of us as individuals, will take to heart President Roosevelt's reminder that it is the sacred duty and great privilege of the living to honor and remember those who have died to protect the American ideals of freedom and democracy. The men and women who have died in service to America and to all of us deserve no less.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I call up a privileged resolution (H. Res. 661) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer a personal explanation. On May 20, I was en route to my congressional district for official business during rollcall votes 208 and 209. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote 208 and ``no'' on rollcall vote 209.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Mile Square Day Care Center in celebration of its 25th anniversary. The Mile Square Day Care Center will celebrate with a 25th Anniversary Celebration Reception on Thursday, May 20, 2004, at The Lighthouse in West New York, New Jersey.

In 1977, a group of dedicated community minded people, with the help and guidance of Mayor Steve Cappiello, established a not-for-profit corporation to develop and run programs for young children. And through the hard work of the original board of directors, Hugh Kilmer, James Monaco, Dr. Frank Colon, Dr. Gerard Costa; and Charles A. Tortorella, the Mile Square Day Care Center was established in 1979.

In order to maintain the balance of community and parent involvement, the board of directors, since its inception, has consisted of an equal number of community members and parents. The original board of directors developed an environment that was nurturing and loving to the children. With the wide range of social, economic, and cultural groups, the activities in the Mile Square Day Care Center represented and continue to represent the diversity of its children and the city.

For twenty-five years, the Mile Square Day Care Center has touched the lives of over 3,000 families, providing the first preschool program in the City of Hoboken. Established in 1982 by former Executive Director Rosemary Fuocco, the Mile Square Day Care Center also began providing infant and toddler care for children ages three months to three years, and continues to provide preschool service for children three to five years of age. With a curriculum established with a hands- on approach, each child is given the opportunity to reach his or her intellectual and social potential.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the community leaders and dedicated parents, past and present, of the Mile Square Day Care Center, in recognition of their outstanding contributions and dedication to our children over the last twenty-five years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call the attention of the Congress and the nation to a story of excellence so rare that it deserves the attention of all who believe the human spirit is capable of overcoming even the greatest of odds.

This story is being written at Saint Anthony High School, a small school in downtown Jersey City whose motto is ``to be all that you can be.'' While neither the school nor its students possess great financial resources, they are both blessed with the heart of champions.

The latest chapter of this story culminated when the Saint Anthony High School boys' basketball team won this year's New Jersey state championship with a stunning 67-55 win over Bloomfield Tech to cap a remarkable undefeated (30-0) season. With this victory, Saint Anthony High School tied a national record by winning its 24th state championship.

The team's legendary coach, Bob Hurley, has now produced an undefeated team in each of his four decades of coaching (1974, 1989, 1996, 2004).

Since Saint Anthony High School does not have a gym, the boys' basketball team has been forced to practice at a rented facility. Nevertheless, in 32 years of coaching, Hurley has compiled an amazing 826-92 record against high-caliber competition--winning an incredible 90 percent of his games.

Hurley has coached dozens of players who went on to become NCAA All- Americans and NBA stars. More importantly, he has taken thousands of boys and turned them into champions, both on and off the court. In 32 years, all but one of his players went to college.

Coach Hurley has gone on record about this undefeated 2004 team-- calling them the best defensive team he's ever coached. That, I assure you Mr. Speaker, is saying something.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Coach Bob Hurley and the State Champion 2004 Saint Anthony High School boys' basketball team in recognition of their commitment to excellence both on and off the court and for their continuing inspiration to us all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel John B. O'Dowd for his outstanding work and leadership in the New York District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. His tenure as Chief Engineer has been one of exceptional work and dedication.

Colonel O'Dowd assumed command of the New York District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers in July 2001. Since his appointment, Colonel O'Dowd has brought great leadership, focus, and passion to his position. Responsible for the water resource development, navigation, and regulatory activities in parts of New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, Colonel O'Dowd has led by example and has worked tirelessly to achieve his objective.

Prior to his position with the Army Corps of Engineers, Colonel O'Dowd commanded and served as Executive Officer of the 30th Engineer Battalion at Fort Bragg. He also served as Executive Officer for the Engineer Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea, and was assigned as the Operations Officer for the 20th Engineer Brigade during Operation ``Uphold Democracy'' in Haiti.

For his distinguished work and military service, Colonel O'Dowd has received numerous awards and citations, including the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Master Parachutist Badge.

Colonel O'Dowd received his bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1978 and a Master's Degree from John Hopkins University in Environmental Engineering in 1989. He is also a loving husband to his wife and dedicated father to his three children.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Colonel John B. O'Dowd for his outstanding leadership, courage, and service to this great country. He will be greatly missed as he leaves the New York District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It has been an honor and a pleasure to have worked with him the last three years and I wish him all the best in his new assignment in Afghanistan.

Mr. Speaker, we would not have Members who feel they are oppressed if we had rules that permitted full and free debate in the greatest democracy in the world. We go abroad, sending our troops to promote democracy, but we cannot seem to have a modicum of comity and democracy here in the House of Representatives.

This conference report on the budget was filed this morning at 6:20 a.m., less than 5 hours ago. The Nation's budget, multi-trillion dollar budget filed 5 hours ago, and we do not even have a chance to review it.

Under the Republican leadership, this budget resolution is, and the entire budget process has become, a complete fraud on the American people. Just like the way they have covered up the cost of the Iraq war and the Medicare prescription drug bill, with this budget congressional Republicans are trying to hide not only the true costs of making the tax cuts permanent, but also the huge size of the rapidly exploding deficit.

And instead of giving us an opportunity to debate and vote separately on raising the Nation's debt limit for the third straight year by almost $700 billion this year alone, the Republicans have included that increase under the cover of all of these other shenanigans in this budget resolution.

So let us be clear so when Members come to the floor representing their constituencies, they understand a vote for this budget resolution is a vote to increase the debt ceiling of the United States to over $8 trillion. Yes, I said $8 trillion. Now, this will ensure that our tax dollars go not to shoring up Social Security and Medicare, or investing in our people, in their health care, education, or taking care of our veterans so that their widows do not get taxed, but to simply paying interest on this debt that Republicans continue to raise and just do not seem to care how far they continue to go.

Republicans talk all the time about fiscal responsibility, but by restoring the budget enforcement rules, the rules that say you have to pay for the expenditures of the Nation as you go, they do that for only 1 year, and they do that where? Not in the House. They

impose that upon the Senate. So they continue to spend wildly here in the House, have all of the tax cuts proposals in the world, keep driving us into deficit, but we have no budget enforcement rules here.

Mr. Speaker, these priorities are making the wealthy tax cuts permanent regardless of the damage that will be caused not only to the citizens of this country, but to the Nation's economic well-being. Vote ``no'' against the rule and against the resolution. It is ultimately the last opportunity to preserve America's future and the intergenerational responsibility this Republican majority has forfeited.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to a fiscally irresponsible, unsafe, and discriminatory bill that is only on the House floor due to a back-room deal that was reached late at night to gain passage of the Republican Medicare prescription drug bill. That deal was reached at the expense of Americans of Hispanic descent and of other immigrant groups that are now legal and also U.S. citizens, as well as our Nation's health is disgraceful. We continue to see elements of the xenophobic face of the Republican Party.

What does this bill do? If you are rolled into an emergency room and you do not have insurance, then you are to be asked whether or not you are here legally in the United States. Now, I get rolled into an emergency room, Mr. Menendez, or maybe someone who might even be described as more characteristically Hispanic, or maybe Asian, or some other group, and I do not happen to have insurance, as unfortunately 40 million Americans who are here as U.S. citizens do not have, and I get asked whether or not I am a citizen of the United States. That is shameful. You would not ask any other citizen that. But because I happen to have the misfortune of not having health insurance, you ask me. And of course those of us who look a certain way will for sure be asked.

And then what else do you do? While I am suffering, not only do you want that information, but then we are going to go through an Orwellian process of getting some type of digital electronic identifier of this U.S. citizen who does not have insurance but cannot prove that he is or is not a U.S. citizen lying there in that emergency room. That is what the bill of the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) does. Do not be deceived.

Now, I know he says there are a lot of lies going on about his bill. I guess the hospitals of the Nation are lying as well. Let me tell you what they say. Here is what the American Hospital Association said. It says,

America's hospitals treat everyone who walks through their

doors, and we are opposed to Mr. Rohrabacher's bill because

it is bad policy, bad policy for hospitals, nurses, doctors,

and other health care personnel who work in hospitals, but

most importantly it is bad policy for patients.

Rohrabacher's legislation is bad policy because it takes

hospitals away from what we do best, caring for and healing

our patients. The requirements for reimbursement under the

legislation would turn hospital workers into border patrol

agents. That is not our jobs. We are caregivers, not cops.

And hospital caregivers are already burdened with paperwork

which requires at least 30 minutes, often an hour for every

patient. The additional burden of policing suspected

undocumented immigrants would take health care workers away

from their primary mission of healing and caring.

And not only that, it hurts everyone else waiting in that emergency room for care. Because as we are trying to get all this documentation, for which we give these hospitals no funding to do it, we are also taking away from the care of everyone else there, and we are allowing communicable diseases to spread in communities like that. That is outrageous.

This bill should be defeated. It is shameful that it is even on the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Moshe Dworkin for his years of service and dedication to the Jewish community. Mr. Dworkin passed away on Sunday, April 25, 2004, in Cambridge, Massachusetts at the age of 68.

Mr. Dworkin was raised by a loving family that taught him to take great pride in Jewish culture and his Jewish heritage. He began his professional career as a teacher in the Detroit United Hebrew Schools alongside his mother. Following his graduate studies, Mr. Dworkin became involved at the University of Minnesota's Herzl Camp, where he served as director and touched the lives of Zionist children from across the Midwest.

Mr. Dworkin took great pride in always working, professionally and as a volunteer, on issues relating to Israel and the Jewish community. Founder and president of M. Dworkin & Co., Mr. Dworkin served as a publishing consultant for many major Jewish organizations, including the World Jewish Congress, Jewish National Fund, and the Anti- Defamation League. He also was the founding publisher of Moment Magazine, which today is the largest independent Jewish magazine in America, with a circulation of 65,000.

Mr. Dworkin was not only an active member in the Jewish community, but a leader. He served for several years as president of the National Jewish Book Council, and as president of the UJA-Federation, chairing the Jewish Community Relations Council. Mr. Dworkin was also a long- time member and past vice president of the B'nai Zion, and, along with his wife, was among one of the founding families of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County.

Mr. Dworkin received his bachelor's degree from Wayne State University. He also held a Master's Degree from the University of Minnesota in Political Science. Mr. Dworkin is survived by his wife, Susan, sister, Alezah Weinberg, two sons, Benjamin and Aaron, and daughter, Jenny.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Moshe Dworkin for his dedicated service to the Jewish community. His leadership, countless contributions, and passion will be truly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Jersey City Medical Center on the opening of the new Wilzig Hospital. The extraordinary life of Mr. Siggi B. Wilzig will be honored by Liberty Health on Thursday, May 6, 2004, at the Hyatt Regency on the Hudson in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The life of the late Mr. Wilzig is a story of struggle and triumph. A survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, Mr. Wilzig came to the United States in 1947. Starting out as a bow tie presser, Mr. Wilzig's tireless work soon led to a position as a furniture salesman, and from there to manager of the furniture store. After wisely investing his earning in the Wilshire Oil Company, Mr. Wilzig was elected to their Board of Directors in 1965. He went on to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer. Rising from humble beginnings, Mr. Wilzig is the personification of a self-made man.

Under Mr. Wilzig's strong leadership, the Wilshire Oil Company acquired a large percentage of the Trust Company of New Jersey. In 1971, Mr. Wilzig was elected President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board. He served in that capacity until his passing in 2003. Mr. Wilzig was also an ardent community activist, serving on the National Israel Bond Cabinet and the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. For his outstanding volunteer work, Mr. Wilzig received the Prime Minister's Medal of the State of Israel and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

Mr. Wilzig's life of philanthropy and community activism is being commemorated by naming the Wilzig Hospital at the Jersey City Medical Center in his honor. The Wilzig Hospital will bring to Jersey City modern amenities that have become standard in hospitals, as well as providing the tools necessary for the most updated medical care. One such major technological advance is the new wireless telemetry system, which allows physicians and nurses to monitor every moment of a patient's cardiac activity from a computer.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Siggi B. Wilzig, a survivor, a talented businessman, and a source of inspiration. His legacy will be forever remembered with the opening of the new Wilzig Hospital at the Jersey City Medical Center.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Hispanic Organization of Students in Technology (HOST), the student chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). They were honored at the HOST/SHPE Gala Banquet on Thursday, April 29, 2004, at Ibera Restaurant in Newark, New Jersey. This year's gala banquet featured New Jersey State Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo as the keynote speaker, as well as NJIT President Robert Ailtenkirch and Provost Joel Bloom.

The Hispanic Organization of Students in Technology/Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers represents a group of extremely talented and dedicated students who have shown amazing promise and success. Established in 1991, the objective of the HOST/SHPE was to create an organization to serve as a role model to the Hispanic community. Under the leadership of Student President Cynthia Camacho, HOST/SHPE has continued to excel as one of the premiere HOST organizations in the United States. With the second highest membership of a Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers student chapter nationwide, HOST/SHPE was the recipient of New Jersey Institute of Technology's Newark College of Engineering 2004 Outstanding Student Organization.

Cynthia Camacho has also been acknowledged for her outstanding leadership. At the SHPE Eastern Technical Career Conference in Washington, DC, she received the Pedro Ortiz Student Leadership Award. This award is presented to the student member who has displayed leadership qualities in activities within SHPE and their community. Ms. Camacho has served as a role model for her peers and youth, through her outstanding academic excellence and commitment to her community.

Carlomango Ontaneda, the SHPE chapter advisor at NJIT, has been an integral force in helping students achieve their goals at NJIT and beyond. For his dedication and tireless effort, Mr. Ontaneda was awarded the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers National Technical Career Conference Educator of the Year Award.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the achievements of Cynthia Camacho, Mr. Ontaneda, and the talented students of the Hispanic Organization of Students in Technology/Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Jersey City Hudson City Lions Club in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The Jersey City Hudson City Lions Club (JCHCLC) celebrated with a 50th Anniversary Ball held on Saturday, May 1, 2004, at Puccini's Restaurant in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Since 1954, the Jersey City Hudson City Lions Club has fulfilled the motto of the International Lions Club of ``We Serve,'' and has taken an active role in civic, cultural, and social events. With a membership of dedicated men and women, the JCHCLC has provided exceptional services for our community, promoting a better quality of life for the people it touches.

Working with local churches, hospitals, clinics, summer programs, shelters, and food banks, the Jersey City Hudson City Lions Club has given all its support in gathering necessary supplies and food to help those in need, taking tremendous pride in the positive difference it makes in the lives of the people in its community and around the world.

Jersey City Hudson City Lions Club is renowned for its sight-related programs. Working with St. Joseph's Home of the Blind, the JCHCLC has provided services, including guide dogs, walking canes, vocational training, summer camps, books on tape, spring barbeques and Christmas parties. They also provide vouchers for Lenscrafter, so that children, who would otherwise have no access, can purchase eyeglasses.

At the 50th Anniversary Ball, the Jersey City Hudson City Lions Club honored former JCHCLC President Frank Walsh (1973-1974), who was presented with the ``Lion of the Year Award'' for his outstanding leadership and dedicated service over the years to the JCHCLC.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the members and officers, past and present, of the Jersey City Hudson City Lions Club in recognition of their outstanding contributions and caring dedication to our community over the last 50 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the West New York Leones Cubanos de Hudson in celebration of its 25th anniversary. The West New York Leones Cubanos de Hudson commemorated their 25th anniversary on Saturday, April 24, 2004, at the Landmark in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

West New York Leones Cubanos de Hudson is the largest Lions Club in the State of New Jersey, and the fourth largest in the United States. With a membership of 260 dedicated men and women, the West New York Lions Club has been able to take an active role in civic, cultural, and social events. A non-political and non-sectarian group, the Lions Club is renowned for its sight-related programs, providing services to the blind, including guide dogs, walking canes, and vocational training.

Since 1979, the West New York Leones Cubanos de Hudson has done an exceptional service for its community with the help of dedicated individuals. Working with local churches, hospitals, clinics, summer programs, shelters,

and food banks, the Lions Club has given all its support to promoting a better quality of life to the people it touches. It has also been heavily active in youth development. The Lions-Quest program provides youth with a sense of community, as well as tools and assistance for their success in the future.

With a diverse Hispanic community in West New York, the Lions Club has been active in helping in disaster relief and rebuilding efforts to many areas in the Caribbean and Central and South America impacted by natural disasters. It has been a force in gathering necessary supplies and food to help in times of need, and takes tremendous pride in the positive difference it makes in the lives of the people in its community and around the world.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the members and officers, past and present, of the West New York Leones Cubanos de Hudson in recognition of their outstanding contributions and caring dedication to our community over the last 25 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer a personal explanation. Earlier today, I was unavoidably detained on rollcall votes 147, 148, and 149 due to a prior obligation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall vote 147, ``yea'' on rollcall vote 148, and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 149.

Mr. Speaker, we teach our children that promises matter. And they do. So what kind of message does it send to our children when the President promises to leave no child behind but then breaks that promise by failing to provide our children the resources they need to get a world class education.

The fact is the President's budget cuts education funding by $9.4 billion. That is $9.4 billion less than the President himself said we needed to leave no child behind. So the only standard we are holding the President to is the standards he himself agreed to in his own education bill.

If that is not a broken promise, I do not know what is. Of course, $9.4 billion is just a dollar figure. But to the children who do not and will not get the resources they need, it is much more than that; 2.4 million children will not get the help with math and reading they need; 1.3 million children will not have access to after-school activities, but will instead be sitting at home or out in the street without supervision.

Other children will be denied enrollment in Head Start because the President froze its funding. And tens of thousands of students will lose the grant work studies or loans they need to pay for college. These are the human costs of President Bush's broken promises on education.

He promised to leave no child behind, but then turns around and leaves millions of children behind. What kind of priorities are these?

We Democrats want to do what we all agreed, Democrats and Republicans alike, is the right thing for our children: Investing the resources to raise student achievements in core subjects like reading and math; demanding results and accountability from our schools; making sure our students have up-to-date textbooks and technology; providing after- school programs for every child that needs them; ensuring access to Head Start; increasing financial aid to college students and simplifying the application process and forms; increasing the maximum Pell grant; doubling the HOPE Scholarship and making the HOPE tax credit refundable; expanding assistance to minority-serving institutions.

I know these things are really important because I began my career in public service as a high school student. I did not care for the education I received in my public school. I might have been young, but I knew that was not right. So I fought to change that. I won a seat on the school board and won the funding so that every student who would attend that school would have a quality education.

What we do here makes a difference in the lives of students. I know. The promises we make here matter in the lives of children. I know. And the level of our commitment to education will, in many ways, determine our success as a Nation in the years ahead.

I believe in opportunity, in personal responsibility. But without providing a quality education to our students, we will not have those things. And if America is going to compete in the global marketplace of the jobs and commerce and technology of the future, we need a workforce that receives the best education available, not one taught on a shoestring budget.

Today there are students learning in trailers, in outdated buildings, literally falling apart, with leaky roofs and without adequate heat, using outdated textbooks and crowded schools where teachers have to pay for supplies out of their own salaries. We can do much better than that.

America cannot and should not settle for second or third best when it comes to educating our children. To do so, we need to make the investment now. Unfortunately, President Bush and the Republicans made promises but we are failing to keep them. We Democrats want to make sure all the children in our Nation get the world class education they deserve. If you give us that chance, we will deliver that promise.