Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize February as National Marfan Awareness Month with the hope that increased awareness of Marfan syndrome and related heritable connective tissue disorders will save lives.

Raising awareness of Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic condition affecting 1 in 5,000 Americans, is imperative to finding and funding effective treatment. This debilitating condition affects individuals both externally and internally.

Connective tissue, as a result of the overproduction of a protein called transforming growth factor beta (TGFB), is affected and therefore symptoms manifest throughout the entire body, causing disproportionately long limbs, a protruding or indented chest bone, curved spine, and loose joints.

Understanding the signs and features of Marfan syndrome are important and can save lives. This condition can affect all aspects of a person's internal structures, most notably their cardiovascular system. Often times, the aorta, the larger artery that carries blood away from the heart, is weakened and prone to enlargement and potential rupture. Because of the excess TGFB, Marfan patients are also at risk of aortic aneurysm.

However, early diagnosis and treatment can help to prevent cardiac events. For this reason, I believe States should consider developing programs to include Marfan syndrome testing in their sports screening criteria for at-risk young athletes.

I am proud to represent the Marfan Foundation, the leading organization working to support the Marfan community, based in Port Washington, New York. Since the group's inception, the Foundation has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those affected by this condition through advancing research, raising awareness, and providing support over the past two decades. Through their efforts, patient care has improved and lives have been saved.

I urge my colleagues to stand with me to recognize National Marfan Awareness Month and reflect on the progress that has been made as well as the work that remains in order to ensure that those suffering from rare conditions can expect to see improvements in their health and healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by reading a quote from today's Politico:

A faction of House and Senate conservatives is pushing

Republican leaders to take the battle over the Homeland

Security Department to the brink, arguing the party would win

the public relations war with Democrats if a standoff over

immigration led to a shutdown of the agency.

A public relations war. This is about the war on terror. In 16 days, the people who protect us from that war will lose their jobs or have to work without pay. We are 16 days away from a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and instead of planning how to protect us from our enemies, DHS is preparing contingency budgets in case this Republican Congress decides to shut them down.

To protect themselves from their political base in a fight on immigration, Republicans are willing to disrupt the protection of the American people in our communities, at our airports, our ports, and our borders.

Mr. Speaker, the bad guys have to be watching this and saying: Are you serious?

We should be serious about our homeland security and our economic security.

Mr. Speaker, this month, in a very short period of time, the Department of Homeland Security is going to run out of money. Our enemies, they plot, they plan to do us harm, and this Republican majority in this Congress refuses to give the Department of Homeland Security the full funding they need to keep us safe. What we will do this week is the 56th repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Mr. Speaker, some in this Chamber may be willing to cater to their base for political reasons, but catering to our enemies in order to cater to the base is unacceptable.

Making it easier for our enemies to attack and do us harm by refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security so you can score points with your base over a difference you may have with the President on an executive order is not what the American people want, expect, or deserve.

The contrast could not be more clear, Mr. Speaker. There is one party in this House that is willing to undermine our homeland security and to undermine the middle class' economic security. There is another that wants to strengthen both.

Mr. Speaker, the three most important topics in the President's State of the Union last night were, in order of importance: middle class, middle class, and middle class.

Now, some have called the President's desire to strengthen the middle class with a tax cut class warfare. Well, I have got to tell you, if you have been in the middle class, you feel like you have survived a war over the past many years.

There was the Great Recession, which was created by bad economic policies between 2000 and 2008. You lost your home values. You lost your 401(k). You watched your paychecks shrink.

Now you have gone through a recovery where the statistics tell you that things are going well: the economy has improved 12 percent; that is good news. Corporate profits are up 46 percent; that is good news. The stock market is up 92 percent; that is good news. But you look at your pay stub and say: Where is my good news? I am not keeping pace with everybody else.

In 1992, Jim Carville famously said, ``It's the economy, stupid.'' In 2015, it is my paycheck, stupid. It is paramount that this Congress, Democrats and Republicans, find ways to provide tax cuts to provide the break that the great middle class deserves and the break that has eluded them for too long.

This is not class warfare, Mr. Speaker. This is growing the great and strong middle class of this country.

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

I am in its current form.

Madam Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill. It will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended.

Madam Speaker, last week terrorists struck France, reminding us every day

that we must be vigilant and every day we must be prepared. Madam Speaker, I represent Long Island, New York. Hundreds of my constituents were killed on 9/11. Almost every day, another recovery worker from Ground Zero is losing his or her life all these years later.

On that day, on 9/11, those of us who were in this body, as the sun set over Washington, we took to the steps. We held hands and we sang ``God Bless America.'' We committed ourselves to working together to strengthen our homeland security, not as Republicans, not as Democrats, but as Members of Congress whose constituents expect us to keep them safe--whose constituents expect us to put aside whatever disagreements we have on whatever other issues there may be and at least agree on their fundamental right to be safe. That is the expectation.

And now, Madam Speaker, we have a bill that should not be controversial, that should fund our homeland security, but it has been turned into a divisive political strategy on immigration.

Madam Speaker, let's face it. This bill is not about homeland security; this bill is about Republican political security. It is an injustice to those who suffered on 9/11 and still remember that.

Members are entitled to whatever view they may have on the President's executive order. They are entitled to whatever view they may have on immigration. They are entitled to votes on those issues.

But to force those views on a bill that funds grants to first responders, that helps those first responders hire additional personnel and purchase protective equipment, that assists our State and local governments in preventing and responding to terrorist attacks and other disasters, that secures essential cyber networks, that simply puts ugly politics ahead of the safety of the American people.

This bill goes too far. For the first time in history, they are holding our security hostage to the politics of immigration.

My motion gives every Member here a fundamental choice. It allows you to pursue whatever agenda you may have on immigration without undermining our homeland security. It would ensure passage of a clean Homeland Security bill, with an additional $3 million for fusion centers.

Madam Speaker, this is The 9/11 Commission Report, the report that every Member of Congress said that we would heed and pay attention to, that we would not allow politics to be injected into. This report calls for fusion centers, which are located in every State, to gather, receive, analyze, and share threat information among Federal, State, and tribal law enforcement and other public safety partners.

Unity of effort and information sharing, this report says, is a key necessity in protecting our homeland; and our fusion center networks are critical in our response to that recommendation.

This motion to recommit makes a further investment in these fusion centers, so that we don't have a repeat of what happened in France a week ago.

This is the choice, Madam Speaker. It is clear, and it is stark. You can vote ``yes'' on this motion to recommit and strengthen fusion centers, or you can vote ``no'' and have weakened them. How will you explain your vote ``no'' if a disaster occurs?

You can vote ``yes'' and stand for full and immediate funding of DHS without Washington politics, or you can vote ``no'' and tell your constituents that being against immigration is more important to you than being for their homeland security. How will you explain that ``no'' vote to them if disaster occurs again?

Republicans are saying that anti-immigration riders on this bill are part of a political compromise. Madam Speaker, we all understand compromise, we all support compromise, but homeland security is the last thing in this body that should be subject to a political compromise--not after the attacks on France, not after 9/11 when we pledged to keep the American people safe, not after we stood on the steps of this building committing ourselves to bipartisan cooperation and to do the right thing for our homeland security.

Do the right thing, my colleagues, and vote for this motion to recommit and take the politics, the ugly politics, out of keeping the American people safe.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a true New York legend, Mario Matthew Cuomo, and to thank him for his service to the people of New York and this country. Mario Cuomo was not only one of the greatest governors in the history of New York and an orator whose skill rivals legends throughout history; he was a man of great principal and humility. At a time when New York needed a bold leader, Mario Cuomo stepped up and led the state in a truly unique and inspiring fashion.

Something that was so telling is when I visited the Cuomo family during Mario's wake. For our current Governor Andrew Cuomo and his sisters and brother, the day was about beginning the process of saying goodbye to their father. But for the long lines of people waiting outside to pay their respects, Mario Cuomo was a man who understood their struggles and worked every single day to make their lives better.

Governor Cuomo was a man of deeply held convictions, who used his time in office to make a difference in peoples' lives. He constantly strived to make progress in economic, environmental, and social justice, putting a face to what true progressivism looks like in the modern era. Even when his choices were not popular in the short term, Governor Cuomo had the foresight to understand that history would marvel at his wisdom for decades to come.

The list of accomplishments to Governor Cuomo's name is extensive and will serve as a high bar to future governors across our great country. A deeply caring family man, Governor Cuomo worked to better the life of children by implementing health care and education programs. A student of history, the Governor knew that we needed to increase our investment in infrastructure to rebuild roads and bridges across the state to boost our economy and put people to work. And the Governor was decades ahead of his time in aggressively advocating for environmental protection, understanding that leaving a more beautiful and healthy New York for the next generation was of the utmost importance.

The passing of Governor Cuomo reminds us all that we should be doing our best every single day to advocate for our constituents and give a voice to the voiceless. We need to be both practical and bold in our thinking, something the Governor mastered. Living up to the example left by Governor Cuomo is an enormous challenge, but one that will leave this country in a much better place.

May Governor Cuomo rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, the tragedy in France has put us all on notice that the threat of terror is strong and we must be prepared. We need to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is ready, willing, and able to detect and stop what happened in France from happening here.

Shockingly, this week, Republicans, rather than taking steps to strengthen the DHS, will take steps to actually weaken it. They will do so by holding the Department hostage to their politics on immigration.

They will offer five amendments to politicize the DHS at a time when we need it to be its professional best. They have placed their ideological agenda ahead of paychecks. Now, they are placing their ideological agenda ahead of our protection.

Mr. Speaker, if they want to pass an immigration bill, pass one. If they want to politicize issues, do it on another issue, but not the Department of Homeland Security. Do not jeopardize the safety of the American people with a political stunt and not this week, after terrorists murdered innocent civilians in France. Do not hold the DHS hostage to a political agenda.

They are saying that this is a political compromise. I understand political compromise, but the homeland security of my constituents and the American people should never be the subject of a political compromise.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from New York, the distinguished ranking member.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate all of my colleagues on our swearing in. I just hope that it doesn't trigger 2 years of swearing at. It really does not have to be that way, Mr. Speaker. Democrats in this House will work with the majority to find commonsense solutions to ease the squeeze, to support paycheck growth for the middle class.

What better middle ground than the middle class, Mr. Speaker. The problem with this rules package is it is stacked against the middle class, it is stacked against tax cuts for the middle class, it is stacked against paycheck growth for the middle class.

In contrast, Mr. Speaker, here is what House Democrats are proposing. It is very simple.

Number one, bigger paychecks for the middle class. Under the current rules that the majority supports, Mr. Speaker, a CEO can get a million- dollar bonus and deduct that million dollars from taxes. That shifts that tax burden to an underpaid worker for that CEO. Now, how is that fair? How is that fair? It is not.

It is bad enough that middle class workers' paychecks are squeezed, but sticking the middle class worker with a bill for the CEO's taxes as a result of that million dollar bonus is unconscionable. We have a better way, a better contrast, something that will grow paychecks for the middle class.

Second, under the rules, in the stacked deck that the majority supports, a big corporation can ship jobs overseas. With those jobs overseas go bigger bridges, better roads, better airports, and faster airplanes. Meanwhile, in my district on Long Island, Mr. Speaker, the average middle class worker has to drive through potholes, has longer delays, slower trains, antiquated transportation systems, and delayed airplanes because all of the infrastructure is being built abroad.

It is bad enough that corporations are given incentives to ship jobs overseas. It is unconscionable that under these rules those corporations are able to build infrastructure in those foreign places while America decays.

Under our contrast, Mr. Speaker, we will invest in America, we will rebuild America, we will create new jobs in America, improving our infrastructure.

It is bad enough to be underpaid, Mr. Speaker, but to be underpaid and have to drive through potholes, that is even worse.

Mr. Speaker, on this first day of this new Congress until the very last day of this new Congress, the American people are going to want to know whose side we are on. With these two votes we clearly demonstrate and clearly establish who is on whose side.

I urge my colleagues in this majority on this first day to establish for the American people whose backs they have: the special interests, tax deductions for million-dollar bonuses, foreign corporations; or rebuilding America and rebuilding American jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the career of Harry Chapin, and to urge the Songwriters Hall of Fame to nominate him for induction. Harry Chapin is known not only for his powerful songwriting but also for his philanthropy and activism, as he spent his life fighting hunger and poverty in his Long Island community and around the world. His eminence as a songwriter and as an activist proves that he is deserving of this honor. I am also submitting for the record my letter to the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as a letter from Sandy Chapin, Harry's wife.

Though his musical career lasted only a decade, Harry Chapin's talent lives on through his timeless songs and powerful storytelling. He wrote over 400 songs in that time, including classic songs like ``Taxi'' and ``Cat's in the Cradle;'' released nine albums; and wrote a Broadway musical, ``The Night That Made America Famous.'' He also wrote songs for television and film. He was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

Furthermore, Harry's humanitarian work serving the people of Long Island deserves to be remembered and honored. He donated half of his concert revenue to charity and founded various organizations that continue to fight hunger and poverty on Long Island and around the world. Harry co-founded WhyHunger, a grassroots organization that supports over 8,000 community groups nationwide in their efforts to develop innovative programs to eliminate hunger and provide sustainable, health food sources. He founded New York City's Hunger Hotline and Long Island's first food bank, Long Island Cares, which today distributes more than six million pounds of food every year. Long Island Cares also provides community members with nutrition education, job training, and veterans' services, because Harry understood that ending hunger requires addressing the root causes of poverty. In 1977, he lobbied Congress and President Carter to establish a Presidential Commission on World Hunger, on which he served as an active member. For all of his humanitarian work, Harry posthumously received a Congressional Gold Medal in 1987. His legacy lives on with the Harry Chapin Foundation, which continues to support charities that fight hunger and poverty, as well as organizations that support arts education.

Harry Chapin's contributions to music and to the world should not be forgotten, and again I encourage his nomination to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Steve Israel,

House of Representatives,

December 16, 2014.

Board Members,

Songwriters Hall of Fame, New York, NY.

To the Board Members of the Songwriters Hall of Fame: I

write today to ask for full and fair consideration for Harry

Chapin, a Long Island treasure, as a nominee for induction

into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In his life, Harry Chapin

was known not only for writing songs that resonated but also

for his philanthropic efforts and activism to combat hunger

and poverty both in his Long Island community and around the

world. His eminence as a songwriter and as a leader in the

fight against poverty and hunger proves him truly deserving

of this honor.

Though his musical career lasted only a decade, Harry

Chapin's enduring legacy ensures that his talent will live on

through his timeless songs that reverberate across

generations. During that brief period, Harry wrote over 400

songs, including classics like ``Taxi'' and ``Cat's in the

Cradle;'' released nine albums; and wrote a Broadway musical,

``The Night That Made America Famous.'' He also wrote songs

for television and film. He was inducted into the Long Island

Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

Harry's unparalleled humanitarian work serving the people

of Long Island also deserves recognition. Along with donating

half of his concert revenue to charity and founding various

organizations to fight hunger and poverty on Long Island and

around the world, Harry also served as a powerful voice

lobbying Congress and President Carter to establish a

Presidential Commission on World Hunger, on which he served

as an active member. For all of his humanitarian work, Harry

posthumously received a Congressional Gold Medal in 1987. His

legacy lives on with the Harry Chapin Foundation, which

continues to support charities that fight hunger and poverty,

such as Long Island Cares, as well as organizations that

support arts education.

Today, I'm proud to give much deserved recognition to Harry

Chapin's contributions to music and to the world in the House

of Representatives. Harry's legacy is timeless and should not

be forgotten. I once again ask for full and fair

consideration for his nomination to the Songwriters Hall of

Fame.

Sincerely,

Steve Israel,

Member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw your attention to a speech given last week by Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor. Ambassador Prosor spoke passionately before the U.N. General Assembly about the U.N.'s persistent anti-Israel agenda, which continues to manifest itself in many forms such as special sessions, formal inquiries, and one-sided resolutions that single out Israel. I am proud of my steadfast support for the State of Israel and will continue my work to combat the U.N.'s bias against our greatest ally. I found Ambassador Prosor's words enlightening, and applaud him for speaking the truth. I would now like to submit Ambassador Prosor's speech.

Ambassador Ron Prosor at the United Nations General Assembly on

November 24, 2014

Ambassador Ron Prosor

``Mr. President,

I stand before the world as a proud representative of the

State of Israel and the Jewish people. I stand tall before

you knowing that truth and morality are on my side. And yet,

I stand here knowing that today in this Assembly, truth will

be turned on its head and morality cast aside.

The fact of the matter is that when members of the

international community speak about the Israeli-Palestinian

conflict, a fog descends to cloud all logic and moral

clarity. The result isn't realpolitik, it's surrealpolitik.

The world's unrelenting focus on the Israeli-Palestinian

conflict is an injustice to tens of millions of victims of

tyranny and terrorism in the Middle East. As we speak,

Yazidis, Bahai, Kurds, Christians and Muslims are being

executed and expelled by radical extremists at a rate of

1,000 people per month.

How many resolutions did you pass last week to address this

crisis? And how many special sessions did you call for? The

answer is zero. What does this say about international

concern for human life? Not much, but it speaks volumes about

the hypocrisy of the international community.

I stand before you to speak the truth. Of the 300 million

Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, less than half a

percent are truly free--and they are all citizens of Israel.

Israeli Arabs are some of the most educated Arabs in the

world. They are our leading physicians and surgeons, they are

elected to our parliament, and they serve as judges on our

Supreme Court. Millions of men and women in the Middle East

would welcome these opportunities and freedoms.

Nonetheless, nation after nation, will stand at this podium

today and criticize Israel--the small island of democracy in

a region plagued by tyranny and oppression.

Mr. President,

Our conflict has never been about the establishment of a

Palestinian state. It has always been about the existence of

the Jewish state.

Sixty seven years ago this week, on November 29, 1947, the

United Nations voted to partition the land into a Jewish

state and an Arab state. Simple. The Jews said yes. The Arabs

said no. But they didn't just say no. Egypt, Jordan, Syria,

Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon launched a war of annihilation

against our newborn state.

This is the historical truth that the Arabs are trying to

distort. The Arabs' historic mistake continues to be felt--in

lives lost in war, lives lost to terrorism, and lives scarred

by the Arabs' narrow political interests.

According to the United Nations, about 700,000 Palestinians

were displaced in the war initiated by the Arabs themselves.

At the same time, some 850,000 Jews were forced to flee from

Arab countries.

Why is it, that 67 years later, the displacement of the

Jews has been completely forgotten by this institution while

the displacement of the Palestinians is the subject of an

annual debate?

The difference is that Israel did its utmost to integrate

the Jewish refugees into society. The Arabs did just the

opposite.

The worst oppression of the Palestinian people takes place

in Arab nations. In most of the Arab world, Palestinians are

denied citizenship and are aggressively discriminated

against. They are barred from owning land and prevented from

entering certain professions.

And yet none--not one--of these crimes are mentioned in the

resolutions before you.

If you were truly concerned about the plight of the

Palestinian people there would be one, just one, resolution

to address the thousands of Palestinians killed in Syria. And

if you were so truly concerned about the Palestinians there

would be at least one resolution to denounce the treatment of

Palestinians in Lebanese refugee camps.

But there isn't. The reason is that today's debate is not

about speaking for peace or speaking for the Palestinian

people--it is about speaking against Israel. It is nothing

but a hate and bashing festival against Israel.

Mr. President,

The European nations claim to stand for Liberte, Egalite,

Fraternite--freedom, equality, and brotherhood--but nothing

could be farther from the truth.

I often hear European leaders proclaim that Israel has the

right to exist in secure borders. That's very nice. But I

have to say--it makes about as much sense as me standing here

and proclaiming Sweden's right to exist in secure borders.

When it comes to matters of security, Israel learned the

hard way that we cannot rely on others--certainly not Europe.

In 1973, on Yom Kippur--the holiest day on the Jewish

calendar--the surrounding Arab nations launched an attack

against Israel. In the hours before the war began, Golda

Meir, our Prime Minister then, made the difficult decision

not to launch a preemptive strike. The Israeli Government

understood that if we launched a preemptive strike, we would

lose the support of the international community.

As the Arab armies advanced on every front, the situation

in Israel grew dire. Our casualty count was growing and we

were running dangerously low on weapons and ammunition. In

this, our hour of need, President Nixon and Secretary of

State Henry Kissinger, agreed to send Galaxy planes loaded

with tanks and ammunition to resupply our troops. The only

problem was that the Galaxy planes needed to refuel on route

to Israel.

The Arab States were closing in and our very existence was

threatened--and yet, Europe was not even willing to let the

planes refuel. The U.S. stepped in once again and negotiated

that the planes be allowed to refuel in the Azores. The

government and people of Israel will never forget that when

our very existence was at stake, only one country came to our

aid--the United States of America.

Israel is tired of hollow promises from European leaders.

The Jewish people have a long memory. We will never ever

forget that you failed us in the 1940s. You failed us in

1973. And you are failing us again today.

Every European parliament that voted to prematurely and

unilaterally recognize a

Palestinian state is giving the Palestinians exactly what

they want--statehood without peace. By handing them a state

on a silver platter, you are rewarding unilateral actions and

taking away any incentive for the Palestinians to negotiate

or compromise or renounce violence. You are sending the

message that the Palestinian Authority can sit in a

government with terrorists and incite violence against Israel

without paying any price.

The first E.U. member to officially recognize a Palestinian

state was Sweden. One has to wonder why the Swedish

Government was so anxious to take this step. When it comes to

other conflicts in our region, the Swedish Government calls

for direct negotiations between the parties--but for the

Palestinians, surprise, surprise, they roll out the red

carpet.

State Secretary Soder may think she is here to celebrate

her government's so-called historic recognition, when in

reality it's nothing more than a historic mistake.

The Swedish Government may host the Nobel Prize ceremony,

but there is nothing noble about their cynical political

campaign to appease the Arabs in order to get a seat on the

Security Council. Nations on the Security Council should have

sense, sensitivity, and sensibility. Well, the Swedish

Government has shown no sense, no sensitivity and no

sensibility. Just nonsense.

Israel learned the hard way that listening to the

international community can bring about devastating

consequences. In 2005, we unilaterally dismantled every

settlement and removed every citizen from the Gaza Strip. Did

this bring us any closer to peace? Not at all. It paved the

way for Iran to send its terrorist proxies to establish a

terror stronghold on our doorstep.

I can assure you that we won't make the same mistake again.

When it comes to our security, we cannot and will not rely on

others--Israel must be able to defend itself by itself.

Mr. President,

The State of Israel is the land of our forefathers--

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is the land where Moses led the

Jewish people, where David built his palace, where Solomon

built the Jewish Temple, and where Isaiah saw a vision of

eternal peace.

For thousands of years, Jews have lived continuously in the

land of Israel. We endured through the rise and fall of the

Assyrian, Babylonian, Greek and Roman Empires. And we endured

through thousands of years of persecution, expulsions and

crusades. The bond between the Jewish people and the Jewish

land is unbreakable.

Nothing can change one simple truth--Israel is our home and

Jerusalem is our eternal capital.

At the same time, we recognize that Jerusalem has special

meaning for other faiths. Under Israeli sovereignty, all

people--and I will repeat that, all people--regardless of

religion and nationality can visit the city's holy sites. And

we intend to keep it this way. The only ones trying to change

the status quo on the Temple Mount are Palestinian leaders.

President Abbas is telling his people that Jews are

contaminating the Temple Mount. He has called for days of

rage and urged Palestinians to prevent Jews from visiting the

Temple Mount using (quote) ``all means'' necessary. These

words are as irresponsible as they are unacceptable.

You don't have to be Catholic to visit the Vatican, you

don't have to be Jewish to visit the Western Wall, but some

Palestinians would like to see the day when only Muslims can

visit the Temple Mount.

You, the international community, are lending a hand to

extremists and fanatics. You, who preach tolerance and

religious freedom, should be ashamed. Israel will never let

this happen. We will make sure that the holy places remain

open to all people of all faiths for all time.

Mr. President,

No one wants peace more than Israel. No one needs to

explain the importance of peace to parents who have sent

their child to defend our homeland. No one knows the stakes

of success or failure better than we Israelis do. The people

of Israel have shed too many tears and buried too many sons

and daughters.

We are ready for peace, but we are not naive. Israel's

security is paramount. Only a strong and secure Israel can

achieve a comprehensive peace.

The past month should make it clear to anyone that Israel

has immediate and pressing security needs. In recent weeks,

Palestinian terrorists have shot and stabbed our citizens and

twice driven their cars into crowds of pedestrians. Just a

few days ago, terrorists armed with axes and a gun savagely

attacked Jewish worshipers during morning prayers. We have

reached the point when Israelis can't even find sanctuary

from terrorism in the sanctuary of a synagogue.

These attacks didn't emerge out of a vacuum. They are the

results of years of indoctrination and incitement. A Jewish

proverb teaches: ``The instruments of both death and life are

in the power of the tongue.''

As a Jew and as an Israeli, I know with utter certainty

that when our enemies say they want to attack us, they mean

it.

Hamas's genocidal charter calls for the destruction of

Israel and the murder of Jews worldwide. For years, Hamas and

other terrorist groups have sent suicide bombers into our

cities, launched rockets into our towns, and sent terrorists

to kidnap and murder our citizens.

And what about the Palestinian Authority? It is leading a

systemic campaign of incitement. In schools, children are

being taught that `Palestine' will stretch from the Jordan

River to the Mediterranean Sea. In mosques, religious leaders

are spreading vicious libels accusing Jews of destroying

Muslim holy sites. In sports stadiums, teams are named after

terrorists. And in newspapers, cartoons urge Palestinians to

commit terror attacks against Israelis.

Children in most of the world grow up watching cartoons of

Mickey Mouse singing and dancing. Palestinian children also

grow up watching Mickey Mouse, but on Palestinians national

television, a twisted figure dressed as Mickey Mouse dances

in an explosive belt and chants ``Death to America and death

to the Jews.''

I challenge you to stand up here today and do something

constructive for a change. Publically denounce the violence,

denounce the incitement, and denounce the culture of hate.

Most people believe that at its core, the conflict is a

battle between Jews and Arabs or Israelis and Palestinians.

They are wrong. The battle that we are witnessing is a battle

between those who sanctify life and those who celebrate

death.

Following the savage attack in a Jerusalem synagogue,

celebrations erupted in Palestinian towns and villages.

People were dancing in the street and distributing candy.

Young men posed with axes, loudspeakers at mosques called out

congratulations, and the terrorists were hailed as

``martyrs'' and ``heroes.''

This isn't the first time that we saw the Palestinians

celebrate the murder of innocent civilians. We saw them

rejoice after every terrorist attack on Israeli civilians and

they even took to the streets to celebrate the September 11

attack on the World Trade Center right here in New York City.

Imagine the type of state this society would produce. Does

the Middle East really need another terror-ocracy? Some

members of the international community are aiding and

abetting its creation.

Mr. President,

As we came into the United Nations, we passed the flags of

all 193 member States. If you take the time to count, you

will discover that there are 15 flags with a crescent and 25

flags with a cross. And then there is one flag with a Jewish

Star of David. Amidst all the nations of the world there is

one state--just one small nation state for the Jewish people.

And for some people, that is one too many.

As I stand before you today I am reminded of all the years

when Jewish people paid for the world's ignorance and

indifference in blood. Those days are no more.

We will never apologize for being a free and independent

people in our sovereign state. And we will never apologize

for defending ourselves.

To the nations that continue to allow prejudice to prevail

over truth, I say ``J'accuse.''

I accuse you of hypocrisy. I accuse you of duplicity.

I accuse you of lending legitimacy to those who seek to

destroy our State.

I accuse you of speaking about Israel's right of self-

defense in theory, but denying it in practice.

And I accuse you of demanding concessions from Israel, but

asking nothing of the Palestinians.

In the face of these offenses, the verdict is clear. You

are not for peace and you are not for the Palestinian people.

You are simply against Israel.

Members of the international community have a choice to

make.

You can recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish

people, or permit the Palestinian leadership to deny our

history without consequence.

You can publically proclaim that the so-called ``claim of

return'' is a non-starter, or you can allow this claim to

remain the major obstacle to any peace agreement.

You can work to end Palestinian incitement, or stand by as

hatred and extremism take root for generations to come.

You can prematurely recognize a Palestinian state, or you

can encourage the Palestinian Authority to break its pact

with Hamas and return to direct negotiations.

The choice is yours. You can continue to steer the

Palestinians off course or pave the way to real and lasting

peace.

Thank you, Mr. President.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, to draw your attention to a speech given by one of my constituents, Helma Adde of Huntington, NY, when I visited St. Peter's Syriac Orthodox Church. Ms. Adde offered me a warm welcome and introduction to the community and I would like to share her words.

Congressman Israel, let me start with our customary

greeting. Shlomo, which in the Aramaic language literally

means peace. We are very happy to have you here in our home

today, so that we may get to know you better, as our

Congressman and man chosen to be our voice in government. And

we are also excited for the opportunity to introduce

ourselves to you, so that you may know who we, your

constituents are, and so that you may understand our concerns

as members of this community and participants in this

democracy. I hope this brief history I will share with you

helps you connect with us.

So who are the members of this congregation? The Syriac

Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient Christian Churches

tracing its roots to the Church of Antioch where Jesus'

disciples were first called Christians, and Apostle Peter is

believed to have established the first church. Ethnically and

historically, we are indigenous to northern Iraq, southeast

Turkey, northwest Iran, and northeast Syria, a region

encompassing what was in ancient times known as the Assyrian

empire and is often referred to as Mesopotamia, or the land

between the two rivers, and we are proud to say that we speak

a dialect of Aramaic, the language spoken by

Abraham and his sons, and Jesus Christ. Due to the effects

and obstacles brought on by population growth, political

shifts and religious fanaticism, our community has evolved

like many others and today we have come to be known as the

Syriac, Assyrian, Chaldean people.

As modern day Assyrians/Syriac Chaldean people, we do not

have our own country, and those of our people that have

managed to stay in the homeland, today find themselves

referred to as minorities in the land of their forefathers.

Our people are known to be a God fearing, peace loving

people, and have contributed to Middle Eastern society in a

positive way over the years. But, after years of being the

target of religious fanaticism, many have fled the ancient

homeland, and sought refuge in the diaspora in the hopes of

providing safety and stability to their children and their

families.

Today, The United States constitutes the largest population

of Assyrian Christians in the diaspora. Our people first

started arriving in Western New York in the late 19th

century, after the Christian massacre in Diyarbakir, Turkey.

We witnessed another large influx of immigrants after the

Christian genocide in 1915 under the sword of the Ottoman

Turks, during which nearly 1 million Armenians and about

500,000 Assyrians were killed. As a result, many of our

people left Mardin, Midyat and other cities in Turkey and

eventually settled in parts of New York and New Jersey. But

after visiting Long Island, it was hard to resist its

beautiful green pastures, and its relaxing beaches.

Eventually, a small group made their way out and settled

there, mainly in parts of Queens, and then later to Nassau

County. These immigrants worked hard, and became prominent

entrepreneurs mainly in the jewelry and garment industry,

trades brought with them from the old country, back in the

early 70s. They built homes, grew families and raised

children who became lawyers, doctors, teachers, business

owners, and upstanding members in the community. Eventually,

in 1985, this growing community, now comprised of immigrants

from Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan, became large enough to

establish a church where they could all congregate and meet

regularly with other Assyrian Americans to preserve their

ancient culture and practice their sacred religion. That

church was named St. Peter's Syriac Orthodox Church. The

community thrived and grew and after years of careful

planning an opportunity arose that allowed them to finally

purchase their own church. And in 2001, with the purchase of

this church in Hicksville that we are gathered in today, we

became permanent members of the Long Island community.

Over the years, our American born generation has begun to

assimilate into American society and is proud of its American

nationality. But this generation is also proud of its

ancestral roots and works hard to maintain a balance between

its nationality and ethnic heritage. We have always been

grateful to our brave people living in our homeland knowing

that we rely on them to preserve our ancient culture and

language; they are the true torch bearers so to speak. God

has somehow given them the strength and courage to stay

rooted in their homeland, a feat many of us here could not

achieve. And we have always feared that without them, our

dwindling culture would undoubtedly face extinction, and our

name and language that have survived for centuries would

merely be something people hear about in history books. For

centuries, it is our ethnic heritage and religion that have

made us seem like a threat to governments in the Middle East.

Some have forced us to stop speaking Aramaic in our homes

with our children, forced us to hide our crosses, and even

forced us to change our names to assimilate into their

societies and forget where we came from. They have even

turned our century old churches to mosques, and some have

even become ashes, along with our ancient archaeological

sites. This cycle has been hammering away at our people to

the point where they have realized the need for a safe haven,

a place in their ancestral homeland that they can call their

own again, where they can feel safe and protected, and be who

they are. But their voices in the Middle East are being

stifled, so we, their American brothers and sisters must be

their voice.

We have undertaken this duty to be their voice, not only as

Christians and members of this church, but also as human

beings and defenders of human, God given rights. Congressman,

we attempted to voice our concerns for our persecuted people

outside the UN where we rallied for our people back in

August. We also voiced our concerns when we wrote to your

office pleading for humanitarian aid and help in stopping the

barbaric acts of terrorism. And we were so grateful when you

replied both to our invitation to the UN rally and reached

out to meet with us here at our church today. And now that

you are here, and willing to build a relationship with us, we

want you to know that our people need help, they are asking

for their home back. We need a safe haven for them, in our

ancient ancestral land, the Nineveh plains, under the

protection of the United Nations so that we can break the

cycle of constant persecution threatening our existence for

too long. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to acquaint

you with our community today. It is our sincere hope that our

voices will be heard on behalf of our persecuted community,

namely the hundreds of thousands of displaced men, women, and

children suffering at the hands of ISIS today.

Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share a speech given by one of my constituents, Robert Ghazool of Huntington, NY, when he introduced me during my visit to St. Peter's Syriac Orthodox Church. It was a pleasure working with Mr. Ghazool in setting up my visit to the church.

``The persecution of Christians and other religious

minorities in the Middle East is an affront to human rights

and cannot be allowed to endure. We must stand with this

community and stand up against this violence''.

This quote was sent to me by Congressman Israel and read

during our rally for our brethren in front of the United

Nations.

Congressman, as in the rally in front of the United

Nations, our church has been at the center of a movement that

has taken on life both here and abroad. Genocide is occurring

and many Christians of the world can no longer be on the

sidelines of history and see it happen. As we all know this

genocide did not begin in June and July as the ISIS thugs

poured in from neighboring Syria. This was the culmination, a

last straw if you will, in what has been happening to the

Christians in Iraq since 2003. For the sake of time, instead

of giving you an exact timeline here is an overview of what

our brethren have endured.

They have endured over 60 church bombings, countless

kidnappings and executions, our priests being killed, the

massacre of the church of Sayidat Al Najat, the ethnic

cleansing in Dora, which was once called the Vatican of

Baghdad for the amount of churches and Christians that lived

there, our Archbishops being killed in Iraq and taken hostage

in Syria. Due to all this most of the Christians of Iraq have

fled the persecution they endured, and what was once a

population of 1.5 million is now estimated to be 500,000.

In the last few years, the perils of the Christians of Iraq

are now being faced by our brethren in Syria. The Christians

of the Middle East are now in a precarious situation of

failed nation states that cannot or will not come to the aide

of the minorities being persecuted, democratic elections

being held only to see Islamists coming into power as we saw

with Hamas in Gaza and the Islamic Brotherhood in Egypt. The

void left by lack of strong central governments has

unfortunately been filled by groups like Al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra,

ISIS, and Khorasan just to name a few.

Now we come to the events that have brought us here today.

ISIS came in with their black flag of hate and ignorance into

Mosul and the Nineveh plains in late June. The ultimatum was

clear--leave, convert or the only thing left for you is death

by the sword. The conclusion for ISIS was simple; these

people would simply lie over and convert to their brand of

Satanic Islam. This would show the world how weak

Christianity is and how powerful the Islamic State has

become. I am so proud to tell you how wrong they were.

Even after the thugs of ISIS branded the homes of the

Christians with the Arabic N which means Nazarene, none

converted and after vicious threats and attacks and with

minutes numbered they fled north to first the Nineveh Plains

and then farther north with nothing more than the clothes on

their back. Everything was confiscated, deeds to their houses

taken, IDs burnt, anything of value even down to a mere

wedding band taken. Some walked countless miles when their

cars were taken on the border of Mosul, others were beaten

and unfortunately many were killed.

All of them no matter what the circumstance said with one

voice NO. NO, we will not convert, no we will not pay a

Jizya, and if you kill us, we will be with a full heart

knowing that we died for our Lord and Savior. You see my

brethren these last souls were and are the bravest of our

brave. They were the ones that no matter what the

circumstance stayed to preserve our heritage, our language,

our culture, and my God probably the last chance of civility

in a land that frankly has little of it. Our Savior told us

to leave everything and follow him. Our brethren in Nineveh

have reminded us all what it is to be a true Christian. They

are the modern day bearers of the cross, like our forefathers

who themselves carried the cross as in 1890 Dierbekkar and

the Christian Genocide of 1915. We cannot let their sacrifice

go in vain. For if we do, we lose the voice of moderation

that the Christians have always had in that region. We lose

the teachers that taught literacy to the people that came

after us. We lose a part of Judea-Christian History that once

lost will be difficult to find once again. Today for the

first time in over 1600 years no Christians are in Mosul. The

sounds of the church bells are replaced by the sounds of war,

our crosses, statues and signs of peace and love in the 45

Church facilities taken over by ISIS, now replaced by their

black flag of hate, death and destruction. We are the

indigenous people of that land and we deserve and want

better.

Congressman Israel you have been a leader in Congress when

it comes to issues of human rights and religious equality.

You were influential in the response and letters about

Darfur. You sit on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, and

were quick to stand with us and acknowledge what was

transpiring to the minorities of Iraq and Syria as was

evident in your statement that was read in front of the UN.

You have visited Iraq and Afghanistan nine times which puts

you in a unique position to be our voice in Congress. Our

people are in harm's way, they have endured more than any

people should and we need your help.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the great sacrifice

that our Armed Forces are enduring to bring the fight to

ISIS. Their heroism makes us all proud to be Americans. Our

thoughts and prayers are with them and for the families of

the four American and British citizens that have been

beheaded by theses cowardice vultures.

Without further ado, on behalf of Reverend FR. Gabriel

Adde, the board of trustees, and the congregation of St.

Peter's Church please help me in welcoming the Honorable

Congressman Steve Israel.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support and congratulations for the people of Taiwan, who celebrated their National Day on October 10, 2014.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the enduring value of Taiwan's friendship with the United States, and to reaffirm our commitment in Congress to strengthening our nations' ties.

Taiwan stands as an example in the Pacific of what economic and political freedom can bring to a country and its people. Since its founding 103 years ago, Taiwan has established itself as a country dedicated to citizen government and the free exchange of goods and ideas that forms the foundation of any modern and prosperous society. Taiwan has also made significant economic and cultural contributions to the global community, and to peace and stability in the region.

Again I would like to offer my congratulations to the people of Taiwan on their 103rd National Day.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Colonel Cathleen Harms of Great Neck, New York, who on July 31, 2014 ended 38 years of military service, including 31 years of commissioned service and rejoins the Retired Reserves. Colonel Harms is also a retired Lieutenant in the New York City Police Department.

Colonel Harms began her military career as a dental hygienist. Her enlisted career with the Army National Guard spanned from March 12, 1976 until May 18, 1983. She began her career in the New York Army National Guard in 1976 when she received her Associate of Applied Science degree from the State University of New York at Farmingdale. In addition to serving as a dental hygienist she also served as a Platoon Sergeant in the 824th Medical Detachment.

She then earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Public Health from Saint Joseph's College, Brooklyn, NY and Saint John's University, Jamaica, NY, being cross-enrolled in both schools for ROTC purposes. She was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve on May 19, 1983, earning the honor of Distinguished Military Graduate.

After commissioning, Colonel Harms completed the Army Medical Department Officer Basic Course. Her first assignment in the Medical Service Corps was as Administrative Officer, 824th Medical Detachment, New York Army National Guard, from May 1983 until May 1989. During this tour she attended the Army Medical Department Theater Medical Operation Course in 1985, was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant on May 18, 1986, and promoted again to the rank of Captain on May 19, 1987. Her next assignment was as the Medical Regulating Officer, for the 244th Medical Group, New York Army National Guard from 1990 until 1993. During this time she served in both a National Guard Status and a Title 10 Active Duty Status and attended the Army Medical Department Officer Advanced Course and the Command and General Staff College Mobilization and Deployment Planning Course.

Colonel Harms' next assignment was as the Personnel Officer for the 244th Medical Group of the New York Army National Guard from September 1993 until June 1994, during which time she completed the Patient Administration Course as the Honor Graduate. She then served in the 244th as Patient Administration Officer from July 1994 until July 1997, and graduated from the Command and General Staff Course in 1995. In 1997 she completed the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute's (DEOMI) Equal Opportunity Advisor's Course in which she made the Commandant's list for academic achievement.

Her next assignment was as Detachment Commander, 53rd Troop Command New York Army National Guard from August 1997 until December 2000. She was promoted to Major, Army National Guard in October 6, 1997. During this period of command she also completed the National Guard Bureau Military Discrimination Complaint Investigator Course in 1998.

Colonel Harms' following assignment was as Equal Opportunity Advisor, 53rd Troop Command, New York Army National Guard, from January 2000 until August 2004. In 2001 she completed the DEOMI Mediation Course and in 2004 she completed the Army National Guard Facilitator Course. She was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard on April 8, 2003.

Colonel Harms returned to Active Duty in Title 10 status in August 2004 to the Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants, Guantanamo Bay and Washington, D.C. She served in multiple billets including: Lead Recorder, Chief of Staff, Deputy Branch Chief, Tiger Team, Operations Officer, Special Liaison to Department of State, and Guantanamo Review Task Force Member. She was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the Army National Guard on May 12, 2008. During this assignment, in 2008, she also completed a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.

She next served at the Periodic Review Secretariat in Arlington, Virginia beginning in April 2012, where she served as the Deputy Director for Operations. She entered the Retired Reserves on July 31, 2013, but continued to serve on Retiree Recall orders until May 2014.

Colonel Harms' final uniformed assignment was at the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Belvoir, VA, from June 2014 until July 2014.

Cathleen Harms also had a distinguished career in public service as a New York City Police Officer. She retired as a Lieutenant in the New York City Police Department. During her NYPD career, she held the ranks of Police Officer, Detective, Sergeant and Lieutenant. Her positions included Patrol Officer, Patrol Supervisor, Detective Investigator, Supervisor of Narcotics Investigations and Operations, Platoon Commander, and Integrity Control Lieutenant. She was trained and experienced in performing internal and external investigations, conducting interviews and interrogations, preparing and reviewing reports and investigative findings, conducting and supervising search warrants, developing and managing confidential informants, and reviewing and managing overtime budgets.

The distinctive accomplishments of Colonel Harms culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of her community and country and reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.

Her Defense Superior Service Medal citation is attached to this submission.

Defense Superior Service Medal to Colonel Cathleen A. Harms

Colonel Cathleen A. Harms, United States Army,

distinguished herself by exceptionally superior service while

serving in various positions of increased responsibility,

culminating as Deputy Director for Operations, Periodic

Review Secretariat (PRS), Arlington, VA, from August 2004

through May 2013. Under her expert guidance, over 1,150 cases

were prepared for processes that determined enemy combatant

status, the transfer, continued detention or release of

detainees held at U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She

managed the sensitive interface with foreign governments on

their nationals' status and handled numerous requests from

Congress, non-governmental organizations and the media.

Colonel Harms participated in the Presidential Task Force

under Executive Order 13492, which comprehensively reviewed

240 detainee cases. She was vital in the planning and

execution of the transition from the Office for

Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants to

the PRS per Executive Order 13567. Her outstanding leadership

resulted in major contributions to national security and the

success of the PRS and OARDEC missions in support of

Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. The distinctive accomplishments

of Colonel Harms culminated a long and distinguished

career in the service of her country and reflect great credit

upon herself, the United States Army, and the Department of

Defense.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my grave concern for Turkey's actions, or should I say lack thereof, vis-a-vis regional security in the Middle East.

As ISIS sweeps across Iraq and Syria, we know many foreign fighters have joined their ranks. But what I find incredibly disturbing is that Turkey, a NATO ally, is one of the most active recruitment sources for ISIS. According to reports, as many as 1,000 Turks have joined the ranks of ISIS.

Turkey must do more to stop its citizens from joining ISIS, and a good starting point would be to shut down the recruitment operation that has thus far been ignored.

Also problematic are the dozens of oil fields and refineries that ISIS now controls across Iraq and Syria. Control of this oil has given ISIS a steady flow of funds placed around $1-$2 million per day on the black market. Turkey again needs to step up and do more to curb the flow of this oil through its territory and put a stop to ISIS's smuggling network.

I would also like to express my concern for the erosion of civil liberties and rule of law in Turkey. Intimidation of the press, private businesses, and other civil society actors has been reported. This, along with abuses of religious freedom and surface-level reforms, has made clear that Turkey's democracy is not moving in the right direction.

It's time for the Turkish government to take a stand. It's time to lift restrictions on the media and religion, among other key sectors of society. And it's time to put a stop to ISIS's financial and personnel networks that flow through Turkey.