Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to Alex Kankula's dedication and commitment to helping our nation's veterans. Mr. Kankula is a distinguished veteran of both World War II and the Korean War serving in both the United States Navy and Coast Guard.

After his discharge from active duty, Mr. Kankula selflessly dedicated the next thirty years of his life to improving the lives of our nation's veterans. Mr. Kankula has been a volunteer at the Northport VA Medical Center in New York for three decades. Over the years he's been an advocate for homeless veterans by working in halfway houses in four different Long Island towns. Seeing the tremendous need our homeless veterans face every day, he's worked in the community to collect clothing, food, house wares, and furniture for these veterans.

Mr. Kankula's leadership also paved the way for the creation of two new programs at the Northport VA Medical Center. He recognized the need for nursing home patients to have a recreational outlet and established a wheelchair dock-fishing program. The nursing home patients look forward to this excursion and visit local waterways for a fun day of fishing several times a year. Mr. Kankula then went on to create an ``Adopt a Vet'' program to ensure nursing home patients were always remembered on their birthdays and holidays. He connects the veteran patients with community members who send birthday cards, holiday greetings, and letters. The creation of these two programs has raised the morale of countless veterans.

I offer my recognition of Alex Kankula's unwavering dedication to our nation's veterans. His patriotic spirit and selfless devotion has improved the lives of veterans and serves as an example for all Americans.

I thank the gentleman.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition.

I'm not surprised by this bill. In March, they tried to close down the Federal Government over a woman's right to go to Planned Parenthood for health care, and today they are trying to close down a woman's right to lifesaving treatment in our hospitals.

They call this ``protecting life.'' It is the opposite of protecting life, Madam Speaker. This allows hospitals to deny lifesaving treatment to women. It limits essential health care services to women. It denies preventive health care to women. It even hurts the victims of rape and sexual assault who have been hurt enough.

Madam Speaker, the American people want a Republican majority that will help create a climate for small businesses to create jobs, not create a climate of war against women's health care. They want a war on unemployment; they do not want a war on women. They want more jobs and less extremism. This bill is about extremism, and it ought to be defeated.

Mr. Speaker, this year, more than 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. We owe them every opportunity for early detection. Information on breast density can help both doctors and patients better understand a patient's risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. This is why I am so pleased to join Representative DeLauro in introducing this extremely important piece of legislation. Mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers and aunts across America deserve all the information and resources possible when concerning their physical health. When we empower scientists, women and their doctors with knowledge, we take another step towards finding a cure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of our friend and ally, the state of Israel. The Palestinians have asked the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state. President Obama has pledged to veto such a resolution if it is brought before the Security Council, so we know this effort will not succeed. More importantly, the Palestinians know this effort will not result in the recognition of a Palestinian state. This is nothing more than an attempt by Palestinian leaders to isolate Israel.

President Abbas has walked away from the negotiating table, signed an agreement to bring the terrorist organization Hamas into the Palestinian government, and, through this unilateral effort to seek recognition through the U.N., Abbas is turning his back on a negotiated peace with Israel. But, as the President has stated, there are no shortcuts to peace. The only way to realize a lasting peace is through negotiation. This is the real issue. Every time the Palestinians and the Arab world have shown up for negotiations with Israel, Israel has shown up and made painful concessions. Now, sitting across from Israel at the negotiating table is an empty chair.

Palestinian leaders argue that negotiations with Israel won't work and have now run to the United Nations to seek unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. But the Palestinian Authority cannot say that negotiations won't work if they are not willing to show up and try to make them work. So I say to President Abbas, return to the negotiating table. Israel is waiting.

And countries that are considering supporting the Palestinians' efforts at the U.N. should understand that this Congress will not allow them to vote against Israel at the U.N. with one hand and come to Congress to seek taxpayer dollars for military financing with the other hand. That is why I have introduced H.R. 2893, which would cut off Foreign Military Financing to any country that supports the recognition of a Palestinian state at the U.N. in the absence of a negotiated peace with Israel.

Israel is the only real democracy in the Middle East, a strategic ally and a close friend of the United States. Our country's commitment to Israel is unshakeable. I am proud of the strong support for Israel's security that Congress has demonstrated time and time again. And it is important to point out that our support for Israel has historically been and continues to be overwhelmingly bipartisan. Given the threats facing Israel, the long friendship between our two nations, and Israel's strategic importance to the United States, it is critical that the U.S.-Israel relationship remains strong.

I thank my friend from Maryland.

Well, they're right about something. This is cut, cap, and balance. Except that it cuts at the middle class, it caps Medicare, and it balances budgets on the backs of seniors. That is the fundamental difference between them and us, Mr. Speaker.

Look. We agree that our debt is unsustainable, and that we've got to tighten our belts. We've got to reduce spending. We believe that we need to balance our budget through a balanced combination of spending cuts and revenue increases, and we've got to grow our economy.

But here's what this budget says. It says to a constituent of mine living in Deer Park, New York, that if you're a middle class family and you want to send your child to college, to Suffolk Community College, you pay more for your Pell Grant. You pay more for tuition. If you are a worker in Huntington who just lost a job because the corporation that you are working for outsourced your job to China, you watch your unemployment insurance be capped or cut. But if you're a millionaire making over $1 million a year, you get a $100,000 tax cut. That's not cut, cap, and balance. It is an assault on the middle class, and it is an assault on fairness.

Mr. Speaker, the middle class has always been the backbone of our economy, and this legislation is a kick in the stomach to the middle class. They tell us that they want to cut spending. They will not cut spending when it comes to tax loopholes. They will increase it. They will not cut spending when it comes to those $4 billion in oil company subsidies. They will increase it. They will not cut spending when it comes to special interest tax preferences. They will increase it. But when it comes to the middle class, they want them to pay more.

Mr. Speaker, the real cut, cap, and balance should be this: We ought to cut those tax loopholes, we ought to cap those tax subsidies, and we ought to balance this budget through the right and smart kinds of spending reductions and revenue increases that are fair.

I thank the gentleman for his time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. On July 20, 1974, Turkish armed forces invaded Cyprus and for 37 years they have remained on that island nation as an occupying force.

The people of Cyprus deserve to see an end to this occupation and a reunification of the island in a bicommunal and bizonal federation. Negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement are underway. Any resolution to the issue of the current division of Cyprus must be decided by the Cypriots. However, no final status will be possible without the constructive participation of Turkey. The onus is on the Turkish government to play a positive role, which means it should actively and publicly support the process and the reunification of the island. Turkey must also remove its occupying forces.

Mr. Speaker, Cyprus is a long-time friend and ally of the United States. Our two nations are dedicated to democracy, justice, and the international rule of law, and it is my sincere wish that a final agreement for the reunification of Cyprus will be achieved this year.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor of H. Res. 268. This resolution reaffirms the United States' support for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

For those who say the path to peace in the Middle East is easy, let them consider the path I recently had to take just to fly to Israel. In May, I traveled with other members of this body on a bipartisan Congressional delegation to the Middle East. Our trip was scheduled to

take us from the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, across Kuwait and Iraq and into Israel. However, before our plane was able to take off the Kuwaitis denied us overflight rights because our destination was Israel. After lengthy negotiations, our pilots were given permission to fly over Kuwaiti airspace, but as our plane neared the Iraqi border the government of Iraq denied our request to enter their airspace, again because our destination was Israel. We were forced to circle for 90 minutes while we once again negotiated with a government for whom the United States has spilled both blood and treasure. Finally, the Iraqis gave us permission to fly over their country only if we agreed to land in Jordan before flying on to Israel. Our plane landed in Amman, taxied to the end of the runway, and then took off for a seven minute flight to Israel. Apparently, American service members can die in Iraq, American taxpayer dollars can be spent on Iraq, but an American Congressional delegation on a U.S. military aircraft cannot fly over Iraq en route to Israel. So, when Israel's neighbors demand that Israel make difficult concessions as a precursor to peace negotiations, we should keep in mind the behavior of these neighbors and their refusal to accept Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.

Now the Palestinians are threatening to seek a unilateral declaration of statehood through the United Nations. President Obama has already stated that the United States will veto any unilateral declaration at the UN, so the Palestinians' continued push for a UN vote in September is nothing but an attempt to delegitimize the state of Israel. Today, the House of Representatives can reinforce our nation's support for Israel and support for a negotiated peace.

Israel has shown it is ready to take risks for peace. If the Palestinians want a state that is formally recognized by the international community they should sit down with the Israelis and negotiate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the BULB Act. Plain and simple--this bill will hurt our competitive advantage against China.

As my colleagues on the other side of the aisle bring this bill to the floor to take a step backwards & repeal light bulb efficiency, China gets it and they're leaping forward. This year China is spending over a billion dollars to make energy efficient lighting. China knows they can save consumers money while putting their country on track to create the largest LED industry in the world.

With efficiency requirements, we can compete. We can create American jobs making better light bulbs that meet the new standards. More than 2,000 jobs have already been created at factories around the country. In the U.S., there are between 12,000 to 14,000 jobs related to lighting.

I do not want to send those jobs to China by handing over the next generation lighting industry to them. The light bulb has been a symbol of American ingenuity since the late 1800s. When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, it revolutionized our economy and electricity around the world. If America wants to lead, we need to become more efficient. That is the way of the future. Already, the new standards are prompting manufacturers to build new plants and create jobs making more energy efficient lighting here. In my Congressional District, Veeco has done just that. Veeco's employee count on Long Island has doubled from 150- 300 from 2009 to 2011.

Lighting manufacturers have invested millions of dollars to develop new lighting technologies and improve old ones so they're 30 percent more efficient by the end of this year.

Efficiency isn't not about saving energy. It's about saving money and giving consumers a solid return on their investment. The BULB Act does nothing to save our constituents money.

Current standards would save the average American family $100 on their electricity bills. I know my constituents want that $100 in their pockets.

That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill to help save money and energy while supporting U.S. manufacturing.

Mr. Speaker, in May, Representative Tom Cole and I led 34 of our colleagues from the House of Representatives in sending a letter to the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, urging his government to work to discourage the planned flotilla to Gaza. Earlier this month, the Turkish group IHH, one of the major organizers of the flotilla, announced that it was pulling out. This was a major victory, but other flotilla participants have opted to proceed with this provocative and unnecessary act.

The government of Israel has a right and a responsibility to protect the Israeli people. Recent events, such as the seizing of the Victoria, which was carrying more than 50 tons of weapons destined for Hamas militants, clearly demonstrate Israel's legitimate security concerns regarding cargo heading to Gaza.

The flotilla has nothing to do with providing aid to the people of Gaza. There are well-established avenues for getting humanitarian assistance to Gaza, but the flotilla participants' refusal to use those alternatives demonstrates that their true intention is to provoke Israel. I call on them to abandon their confrontational plans and work with Israel in allowing legitimate assistance, but not weapons, to enter Gaza.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend an extraordinary constituent of mine, Rachel Anszelowicz.

Rachel visited my office recently to tell me about how difficult it is to live with type 1 diabetes. She told me about the painful glucose monitors and burdensome insulin pumps that she and other children with juvenile diabetes use to manage their disease. And, she told me about her increased risk as an adult for, among other ailments, kidney failure and heart disease. As a 2011 Children's Congress delegate from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Rachel spoke with a poise and maturity beyond her 13 years.

In her fight with the disease, Rachel is not alone. As many as twenty-six million Americans have diabetes, which ultimately accounts for $174 billion in health care costs in the United States, and twenty- two percent of hospital inpatient days. If we are to bring down this country's rising health care costs, then new cost effective and high quality treatments for chronic diseases like diabetes will be a critical part of that effort.

Research by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and other clinical experts

has indicated that an artificial pancreas could be a potentially transformative tool to manage type 1 diabetes. By automatically controlling blood glucose levels, it would drastically improve the quality of life for those like Rachel Anszelowicz who struggle daily with the disease.

There is currently no ``quick-fix'' or lasting solution for type 1 diabetes. There is no cure. So, for Rachel and my other constituents with juvenile diabetes, I will continue to support the research necessary to translate these and other innovations from lab tested to in daily use by patients.

Mr. Chair, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's homeland security grant programs are dangerously underfunded in the legislation we are considering today. I rise in support of the amendment I have joined my friend and colleague from New York in offering which would restore funding to these critical programs.

When we debate and pass bills that fund the functions of the federal government, we have to make real decisions about what we believe are the priorities of our nation. In this bill, we see where funding for critical homeland security programs fall. In this bill, House Republicans have decided to cut more than $1 billion from current funding from programs that go toward rail security, port security, and the Urban Areas Security Initiative. In this bill, House Republicans cut $420 million for grants to firefighters and first responders.

Mr. Chair, I agree that we have to make tough decisions when it comes to funding the federal government. But balancing the budget on the backs of our nation's firefighters and first responders and at the expense of the security of our communities is irresponsible.

So, what are the Republicans' priorities? They choose to eviscerate funding for critical homeland security programs in order to fund tax cuts for big oil companies. They tell local fire departments that the federal government just can't afford to support them anymore, but then turn around and make sure that oil companies, who could collectively make more than $140 billion in profits this year, are protected from paying their fair share.

Mr. Chair, those might be the priorities of the House Republicans, but they are not the priorities of the American people. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important amendment and letting our nation's firefighters and first responders know that we are standing up for them here in Washington while they are standing up to protect our communities back home.

Mr. Speaker, last year, the House of Representatives approved historic legislation that repealed the Defense Department policy known as ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'' For too long, this discriminatory policy forced many patriotic Americans who wanted to serve their nation to decide against military service, lie about their sexual orientation, or leave the military against their will. It was shameful that Don't Ask, Don't Tell was allowed to continue for so many years, and it gave me tremendous pride to support the policy's repeal last year.

I am very disappointed that H.R. 1540, the Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, included section 533, which would add a further step on the path to final repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It requires that each of the Armed Forces service chiefs approve repeal. While I believe that the input of the military is critical to a smooth transition to open military service, the current process that is already underway to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell includes significant input from the uniformed military personnel and Defense Department leadership. In fact, under current law, the policy only ends 60 days after the President, Secretary of Defense, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff approve a Defense Department report confirming that the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell will not harm military readiness. Section 533 is nothing more than an attempt to delay final repeal.

I supported final passage of H.R. 1540 because I strongly believe that the overwhelming majority of the provisions and policies in the legislation are good for our men and women in uniform and for the national security of the United States. However, I oppose the inclusion of section 533 or any other provision to delay the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in a final conference report on the Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Authorization Act. At a time of global military engagement, we simply cannot afford to tell patriotic men and women that they are unfit to serve because of who they love.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work Erwin D. Jonas has done on Long Island on the occasion of his retirement from Northrop Grumman after 42 years of service.

Erwin has been employed by Northrop Grumman since 1969 in multiple radar engineering capacities, from Development Engineering to Manager of Engineering and Programs. The major focus of Mr. Jonas' work at Northrop Grumman has been the development of shipboard radar programs and automatic detection and tracking systems.

Erwin has been the manager of the Northrop Grumman Ship Self Defense Systems Department since January 1992 and is responsible for all engineering and research operations associated with naval radar and automatic tracking systems.

The contributions Erwin has made to naval research as well as to the research industry on Long Island are significant. I wish him all the best in this next stage of life and, again, thank him for the work he has done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Eva Blasz Egri, a Holocaust survivor whose spirit and strength serve as an inspiration to her family, friends, and her community.

Eva, a longtime friend of my constituent Len Romano, shared with him details of her tragic past in Auschwitz and the loss of her family during World War II. After returning to her home in Hungary after the War, Eva uncovered treasured songs that her father, Hazzan Shmuel Blasz, had given to a non-Jewish neighbor who risked his life to hide the precious music from the Nazis. Hazzan Blasz wrote these songs before the War when he served as chief cantor and musical composer for the Egr Jzr Temple in Hungary.

After uncovering these musical compositions in the basement of her home and keeping them to herself for decades, long after she moved to the United States, she recently decided to share these documents with Len.

I am proud to stand here today to honor Len and the distinguished cantors from the New York area who have worked hard to bring these songs to life by performing them in a concert at Temple Beth Sholom in Smithtown tonight.

Eva's resilience is a lesson to us all to find the hidden beauty in apparent tragedy and commemorate the lives and contributions of those whose lives were lost.

I applaud the efforts of so many in my district who have worked to bring Eva's music to the forefront and hold this special concert called ``Zochrenu Lechim,'' Remember Us Unto Life.

I thank my friend from Maryland for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, every budget is about the bottom line, and here is the Ryan budget bottom line: If you are making over a million dollars, you get a $100,000 tax cut. If you are a senior on Medicare, you get an extra $12,000 medical bill. If you make over a million dollars, you win the lottery. If you are a senior citizen, you lose your Medicare.

Mr. Chairman, they say this is about balancing the budget, but they are trying to balance the budget by giving tax cuts to people earning over a million dollars and taking Medicare away from our seniors. That is no way to balance the budget.