Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month and in commemoration of the over five hundred years that America has been enriched by Hispanic culture. This year, from September 15th to October 15th, we have the opportunity to honor the myriad contributions the 37 million people of Hispanic origin currently living in the United States have made to our great country, and we have the responsibility and pleasure of recognizing and remembering the many gifts of Hispanic Americans.

An exemplar of the contributions to the culture of our society made by Hispanic Americans is Celia Cruz, the ``Queen of Salsa'' who passed away this July in her home in Fort Lee, New Jersey which is located in my Congressional District. Born in Havana, Cuba, Celia Cruz fled to the United States to free herself from the brutal dictatorship of Fidel Castro. With a genuine love of life and passion for family and friends, Celia Cruz represented the true spirit of Hispanic Americans through her music.

Hispanic Americans comprise 14 percent of the total U.S. population and have contributed

to American society in innumerable ways. From literature and art to business, science, academia and government, Hispanic Americans have significantly and so positively impacted American culture. Among other great examples are Carlos Gutierrez, Chairman and CEO of the Kellogg Company since 2000, NASA Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, and former Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson. Each of these men and women has touched the lives of countless people of all races, religions, and ethnicities across the United States. It is with honor and gratitude, Mr. Speaker, that I ask all my colleagues to join me in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to an issue of serious concern to my constituents in northern New Jersey, as well as to consumers and local governments throughout the Northeast: rising gas prices. Following the historic Northeast blackout, gas prices increased twelve cents on average during the last week of August, raising the national average to $1.75 per gallon--an all-time high. In some places the spike was more severe--in New Jersey, for example, gas prices at the pump rose by more than 30 cents per gallon.

Local governments are particularly negatively affected by unforeseen spikes in gas prices. Municipalities budget more than a year in advance for gas purchases for police cars, public works trucks and for heating oil for municipal buildings. Similarly, consumers and families have to budget for gasoline purchases every week, and for the upcoming home heating, based on increasingly high prices.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that policymakers at all levels of government take action to combat price spikes induced by firms that manipulate market fluctuations to gouge consumers and governments. I am pleased to report that the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders acted quickly to do just that, passing a resolution sponsored by two members who are also local mayors, Mayor David L. Ganz of my hometown of Fair Lawn, and Mayor Jim Carroll of Demerest.

On September 17, 2003, Bergen County Freeholders voted unanimously to ask the New Jersey state legislature to investigate oil companies that deliberately gouge the public with high gasoline prices at the pump. The Board also called on President Bush to consider releasing oil from the 22 billion barrel strategic petroleum reserve to give consumers immediate relief. Mayors Ganz and Carroll cited high gas prices that were playing havoc with municipal budgets, especially for law and public safety departments of the county and their own municipalities.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the Bergen County Freeholders, particularly Mayors Ganz and Carroll, for taking swift action on behalf of their constituents and New Jersey consumers. I wish to add my voice to their efforts by urging Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham to expeditiously conclude the ongoing joint Energy Information Administration-Federal Trade Commission investigation of the record August gas price spike. If firms are indeed found to have manipulated market conditions to gouge consumers and local governments, I call on the Department of Justice and the Bush Administration to prosecute all wrongdoing to the fullest extent of the law.

Mr. Speaker, urge that every Member of Congress pay attention to the severe problem of gas price spikes now so that our communities do not face this problem in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank Chairman Istook and Ranking Member Olver for their fine work on this bill. I am proud to be a member of this Subcommittee, under their leadership. I rise today in opposition to the Flake amendment to lift the ban on travel to Cuba. There are many reasons to support the ban on travel to Cuba.

Number one, we must remember that Cuba is considered a state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. government, as are Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, and until recently, Iraq under Saddam Hussein's regime. Number two, thousands of Americans traveling to Cuba will not change the Castro regime. Today, Canadians and Europeans travel to Cuba on a regular basis, and the lives of average Cubans have not improved. The average Cuban has not had contact with foreigners and has not benefited from the tourism revenue because the money flows directly to Castro. Instead of enlightening the Castro regime to respect human rights and support democracy, we have seen no improvement as a result of increased travel to Cuba.

Number three, on March 18, 2003, Castro's regime instituted a massive crackdown on independent journalists and democracy activists. Seventy- five activists were arrested, subjected to summary trials and prosecutions, and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 6 to 28 years. Amnesty International has termed it ``the most severe crackdown on the dissident movement since the years following the Cuban revolution.'' Castro's regime also executed three men in April who had hijacked a ferry in Havana in an attempt to reach the United States. The men were executed by firing squads after summary trials that were held behind closed doors; four other ferry hijackers received life sentences while another received 30 years in prison.

Number four, the Castro government continues to provide sanctuary for American fugitives from justice. For example, take the case of Joanne Chesimard, a convicted cop killer who took the life of a New Jersey State Trooper. On May 2, 1973, New Jersey State troopers Werner Foerster and James Harper pulled over Joanne Chesimard and two of her companions in a routine traffic stop. A shoot-out transpired, and Trooper Foerster, who had served on the force for less than three years, was shot and killed. Trooper Harper was wounded. A jury in the United States found that Trooper Foerster had been shot in the back of his head, execution style, at point-blank range. The jury convicted Joanne Chesimard of murder and sentenced her to life in prison. But, Chesimard escaped from prison in 1979, lived underground in America for a few years, and soon found sanctuary in Castro's Cuba. Chesimard continues to live in Cuba, free from justice. Castro has refused to turn Chesimard over to the United States.

In addition to Joanne Chesimard, there are 73 other fugitives from U.S. law living under Castro's protection in Cuba, including a member of the FBI's 10 most wanted list.

Mr. Speaker, the United States of America should not allow Fidel Castro, a state sponsor of terrorism, egregious abuser of human rights, and protector of U.S. cop killers, to enjoy the financial benefits of American tourism. He must return Joanne Chesimard and the other fugitives from American justice, cease support for terrorism, end the gross human rights violations within his country, and embrace democracy before we can welcome Castro among the nations of the world.

The Flake amendment will not create the changes we all hope for in Cuba. The amendment will only make Castro and his family richer, and send a horrible message to dictators across the world. Oppose the Flake amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the EPA's recent decision to gut the Clean Air Act--landmark legislation that protects the public from deadly air toxins.

With one swift blow the Bush Administration has rolled back three decades of environmental protection by allowing some 20,000 of the oldest and dirtiest power plants, oil refineries, incinerators, chemical plants and industrial facilities that were exempted from the Clean Air Act to avoid installing the newest and best available pollution control technologies when they upgrade and modernize their facilities. It is a reckless act that will shower thousands of additional tons of smog and soot from dirty Midwest power plants onto the people and communities of New Jersey, endangering the public health most severely in densely-populated urban areas--such as those in my district--that already suffer the ill-effects of downwind industrial pollution.

The New Source Review program had been the linchpin of our nation's clean air laws. Since the late 1980's--during successive Republican and Democratic Administrations--the EPA and the Department of Justice teamed up to investigate and sue polluters who refused to install ``best-available'' pollution control technologies when they modernized their plants and increased emissions.

Some 540 ``grandfathered'' coal-fired power plants nationwide cause 98 percent of the soot emissions that lead to 30,000 premature deaths and 170,000 asthma attacks each year. Through the new source review process, DOJ has filed suit against 53 of these plants that are in violation of the Clean Air Act. Five of the 53 admitted wrongdoing and settled with the federal government--settlements that will result in 393,000 less tons of sulfur dioxide, 175,000 less tons of nitrogen dioxide, and 10.7 million less tons of carbon dioxide being released into the air we breathe each year. Despite this success, in issuing this new rule, the Administration has cast doubt on the pending cases while announcing that it will no longer pursue those polluters who have broken the law for years.

As a downwind state, New Jersey suffers disproportionately from power plants that refuse to clean up their act. New Jersey is hit by increased emissions in the form of acid rain and increased respiratory disorders. In fact, because of these out-of-state polluters, New Jersey has the worst air pollution and the sixth highest rate of asthma in the nation. The societal and economic costs of air pollution come in the form of missed school and work days, more emergency room visits, more heart attacks and strokes.

Unfortunately, this Administration has turned a blind eye to environmental science, the written comments of over 300,000 Americans who opposed the New Source Review rule, and the enforcement successes of the NSR program in favor of its corporate polluter friends. This is a travesty. And at the same time that the Administration is rewriting the Clean Air Act, it has set about dismantling the EPA's criminal enforcement division. The President's current EPA budget proposal would eliminate 126 EPA enforcement positions over the last three years--a 60 percent decline in civil enforcement and compliance monitoring. Further, a recent GAO report stated that EPA relied heavily on anecdotal evidence to build a case for the New Source Review rule-- something Jeffrey Holmstead, Assistant EPA Administrator for Air and Radiation, all but admitted in newspaper reports when he stated that the EPA ``wished it had better data.'' This perhaps explains why EPA tried to catch the American people off guard by signing the final rule two days before the traditional Labor Day holiday when many Americans were enjoying their last few days of summer rest with their families.

Mr. Speaker, I share the view of countless Americans and over 350 newspapers nationwide in calling the Bush Administration's actions an outrage and a devastating blow to public health. I urge all my colleagues in Congress--Republican and Democrat--to disapprove this rule and come together to craft new legislation that sets tough new standards for the dangerous toxic pollutants that will now cloud our air.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague, the ranking member of the Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), who is a mentor to so many of us in this Congress and an example of what a Member of Congress can achieve not only in the Congress, but around the world with regard to human rights and so many other important issues.

While I have left the Committee on International Relations, I have not left the field, so to speak. I join many distinguished friends and colleagues on the Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations.

Mr. Speaker, I would like acknowledge the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) for his work on the issues of human rights; and of course my cherished friend, the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) for all of his courtesies and leadership he has extended throughout the years. I would also like to thank the majority leader and our Democratic leader, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) whose eloquent remarks speak for themselves as to her long commitment to this issue of freedom for Tibet and the Tibetan people.

Mr. Speaker, the issue of Tibet is not a new one to this House, as the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and so many other Members have eloquently stated. Congress has been on record throughout these many, many years in support of the people of Tibet speaking out against the persecution of Tibetans, opposing the destruction of the 6,000 monasteries in Tibet. Congress is on record condemning the torture and abuse of Tibetan monks and nuns. Congress is on record bringing the world's attention to the economic marginalization and impoverishment of Tibetans in their own land.

We as a Congress have also provided support for the Tibetan refugees who have made the difficult journey and decision to leave Tibet and seek refuge from persecution in foreign lands. I am proud to add my voice as the sponsor of this resolution in support of the Tibetan people, led, of course, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. That is because I believe that it is not only our obligation as freedom-loving Americans who believe in the value of each individual's human rights and dignity but because it is our moral duty, I believe, as human beings to speak out for the voiceless, the powerless, and the victims in the world.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 359 welcomes His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the United States and recognizes the Dalai Lama for his efforts to peacefully resolve the Tibetan issue. The measure encourages dialogue between the relevant parties, China and Tibet, in order to achieve genuine autonomy and respect for the human rights and religious freedoms of the people of Tibet.

Since 1959 when His Holiness the Dalai Lama was forced to flee his homeland of Tibet and seek refuge in India, he has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Tibetans both inside and outside of Tibet and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict so that his fellow Tibetans can return to their homeland. The Dalai Lama has promoted a democratically elected government for Tibetans in exile located in Dharamsala, India; and he remains the head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. But His Holiness has indicated that should a negotiated settlement be reached on the issue of Tibet, he would not play any role in a future Tibetan government or seek the Dalai Lama's traditional political responsibilities. The Dalai Lama has also actively worked to sustain the distinct cultural and religious identity of Tibetans, which can be seen in Tibetan communities in India, Nepal, and in so many places around the world.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has taken the courageous step of promoting his middle path, the middle-way approach, which provides genuine autonomy for Tibetans but does not call for independence or separation of Tibet. For over 40 years, His Holiness has been a leader in promoting nonviolent solutions for conflicts across the globe and has been a vocal supporter of human rights for all people, including the freedom of religion. He was, as we know, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for these efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to support House Resolution 359 and ask for them to continue to speak out so that one day Tibetans will be afforded the basic human rights that every single human being on this planet deserves.

Mr. Chairman, I thank my distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver) the very kind and distinguished ranking member, for yielding me this time. I also want to thank my chairman for all of his cooperation and friendship and going out of his way to help me and the people of my district on a number of different issues, along with, of course, my ranking member, the staffs of my chairman and the ranking member. By the way, I have so many things to talk about, but I am only using 2 minutes in the interest of the group; so I will cut to the chase.

There was an issue involved in a one-size-fits-all FAA regulation that would have had a devastating effect on the people of northern New Jersey. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a bipartisan agency, the bipartisan elected officials in New Jersey and all the people of my region were adamant that Washington should not force a solution that was wrong for us on them, and the chairman and his staff bent over backwards along with the ranking member to accommodate a reasonable commonsense solution to that problem, and I am extremely grateful to the chairman and the ranking member for accommodating the interests of the hundreds of thousands of people who would otherwise have been negatively affected.

I intend to support this bill. It is not perfect. I hope Amtrak gets plussed-up in the conference, but by and large this is a bill that we can all be proud of, and I thank my chairman again and my ranking member for all their kindness and courtesies.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of the 29th Anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus and to commemorate this tragedy for the Greek Cypriot people.

On the 29th Anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus, we solemnly remember the victims of the invasion. The invasion claimed 5,000 Cypriot lives, displaced 200,000 Greek Cypriots from their homes, and has created one of the most militarized areas in the world, with 40,000 Turkish troops continuing to occupy the island. The invasion also created hatred between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots that poisoned the way they thought of each other for years.

While we mourn the tragic losses of the past 29 years, we are also able to celebrate the future of a Cyprus integrated into the European Union. This is an historic year for Cyprus, and I would like to commend Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot people for their commitment and determination in reaching a settlement on the reunification of the island and especially membership in the European Union. On April 16, 2003, Cyprus signed the Accession Treaty to the European Union and will now have a host of new opportunities open to its people. Just this week, the Wall Street Journal ran an article describing the emotional meetings of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots going back to their former villages, and their realization that the hatred melted away once they met and spoke with people on the other side. If this is truly the case, then there is hope for a peaceful future.

Nevertheless, it is the obligation of the U.S. Congress to condemn the violence that separated the island nation of Cyprus, and to encourage Turkish Cypriot leaders as needed to negotiate in good faith with their Greek Cypriot counterparts to settle this dispute. The reunification of the island nation is a priority for this Congress and the international community. On this anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, we mourn the deaths of those killed in the invasion and the lost opportunities over the years, and we look forward to a future of a reunited Cyprus in the European Union.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to pay tribute to the ``Queen of Salsa,'' Celia Cruz. Ms. Cruz passed away yesterday at her home in Fort Lee, New Jersey, which is located in my Congressional District. She is survived by her husband Pedro Knight.

Born in Havana, Cuba, Celia Cruz fled to the United States to free herself of the brutal dictatorship of Fidel Castro. She became a United States citizen in 1961, and refused to return to her homeland as long as Castro remained in power. She did, however, attempt to return to Cuba for her father's funeral, but Castro refused to give her permission to attend.

Celia Cruz is widely considered to be a pioneer of salsa--reinventing and bringing Latin music to its now more familiar sound of upbeat vigorous dance rhythms and rich musical flavors. She was a true performer. Her powerful alto voice carried her concerts, which were accompanied by sensational dancing that always seemed to lift audience members from their seats as they joined along.

With a genuine love of life and passion for family and friends, Celia Cruz represented the true spirit of the Latin people through her music. Her music spread across the world. From Latin America to Asia, the music of Celia Cruz touched the lives of countless people of all races, religions, and ethnicities.

Throughout her six decade-long career, in which she recorded more than 70 albums and performed in 10 movies, Celia Cruz received many great honors, including a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, five Grammy Awards, two Latin Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Medal of Arts, which President Clinton awarded her in 1994. Celia Cruz also received honorary doctorates from Yale University, the University of Miami, and Florida International University. Additionally, streets in Costa Rica, Mexico, Miami, and New York bear her name.

The world has suffered a great loss with the passing of Celia Cruz. But the world is a much richer place thanks to the timeless music that she gave all of us, which will surely be passed on from generation to generation. To all of her fans from around and the world, and to Celia Cruz herself who is still with us in spirit and looking down upon us from heaven, I say, Azucar!

Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding me this time, and I would like to address my remarks to the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to discuss an important issue regarding the Fish and Wildlife Service's ongoing work in the Hackensack Meadowlands area of New Jersey. The Fish and Wildlife Service has termed the 8,400-acre Hackensack Meadowlands an ``aquatic resource of national importance,'' an area 10 times the size of Central Park in New York City, located in the most densely populated area of the most densely populated State in the Nation, New Jersey, just a handful of miles from the Empire State Building. The Meadowlands is home to 65 species of nesting birds and 50 species of fish and shellfish.

During the last 2 fiscal years, Mr. Chairman, Congress has directed the service to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in its ongoing feasibility study of preparing alternative approaches to preserving the meadowlands. In fiscal year 2003, the committee provided $180,000 for the service's New Jersey field office for such purposes. I want to thank both Chairman Taylor and Ranking Member Dicks for their past and continuing support of this important project.

To continue the service's coordination with the Army Corps as well as its development of a comprehensive restoration plan that will recommend long-term management options for the Hackensack Meadowlands, an additional $50,000 is needed in fiscal year 2004 so that the New Jersey field office can complete the hiring of a field biologist and an environmental toxicologist.

As the interior bill moves to conference with the Senate, I ask that the distinguished chairman consider the funding requirement for this important effort.

I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina.

Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Taylor) and my distinguished ranking member for all their help on this issue and look forward to their continuing support on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Elise Cogorno, who after devoting 34 years of her life to teaching and inspiring public school students in New Jersey, is retiring this month. Whether in her role as one of the Nation's most esteemed Spanish teachers, or as an active leader in extracurricular activities for students, or as a volunteer in community programs, Elise Cogorno has been a remarkable and committed role model to thousands of children.

Born Elise Braunschweiger in 1946, her childhood was spent in Hillside, New Jersey. She and her family then moved to Morristown, New Jersey, where she attended high school. After receiving her education from Montclair State University, Elise Cogorno spent her entire 34 years of teaching in Teaneck, New Jersey--first in Thomas Jefferson Junior High School, and later at Teaneck High School. As an extraordinarily gifted teacher, Elise Cogorno motivated her students through creativity, humor, and enthusiasm. Her love for teaching generated a love for learning among her students.

I urge my colleagues to join me in saluting one of our Nation's finest teachers, Elise Cogorno, whose outstanding teaching abilities helped and inspired thousands of New Jersey students. Elise Cogorno's successful teaching career has proved invaluable for countless New Jersey students. She truly represents the best of New Jersey.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Creative Arts Therapies Week, which began on June 1 and continues through June 7.

Creative Arts Therapies are an increasingly important tool for healing both physical and mental health needs. There are currently more than 15,000 Creative Arts Therapists practicing in the United States and around the world--all working to address major societal issues including school violence, substance abuse, breast cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and domestic violence.

Since its first application over 50 years ago, Creative Arts Therapists have provided individual and group art experiences for people in need of care and treatment to address and overcome great personal challenges. Using art, dance, movement, drama, music, and poetry, therapists are able to achieve remarkable results.

I commend Creative Arts therapists and the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies for their tireless work to improve health, communication, and expression, to enhance self-awareness, and to facilitate positive change in human experience and behavior.

Mr. Speaker, I have had the great privilege of representing the district that is the home to Reverend Gregory Jerome Jackson, the wonderful man who just gave the invocation.

Reverend Greg Jackson is a man of great ability, integrity, and compassion who has committed his life to helping others and in strengthening the bonds of family and community.

He started his life as the grandson of sharecroppers in South Carolina. He made his way at the age of 16, no doubt with divine guidance, to the promised land of New Jersey, where he went on to graduate from St. Peter's College and the Colgate Rochester Divinity School. He even served 2 years here as an intern to Congressman Cornelias Gallagher.

Whether it is in his role as pastor of the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Hackensack, New Jersey, whose membership has risen with 1,000 new members under his leadership since 1984, or as an executive board member of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention, which seeks to prevent HIV-AIDS and provide comfort and counsel to those who have been affected by the disease in Africa and the Caribbean, or as a leader of countless other civic and community organizations, or as the loving husband of Barbara and father of Michael and Monique, Reverend Greg Jackson has used his unique gifts as a pastor and community leader to improve the lives of those around him.

Mr. Speaker, everyone who has ever met Greg Jackson knows that he is a true humanist, a man of great warmth, conviction, and character, who has literally improved the lives of tens of thousands of my constituents over his nearly 20-year career at Mt. Olive, and who has traveled the world saving lives and bringing his deep faith in service to millions more.

I am delighted and proud to be the Congressman for my dear friend, the honorable Reverend Gregory Jerome Jackson, and so proud, Mr. Speaker, that this institution saw fit to allow him to make the invocation this morning.

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to enter into the Record an article that appears in the April 29th issue of the Numismatic News entitled ``September 11 deserves commemoration on coin.'' This article was written by my friend, mayor of my hometown of Fair Lawn, and a Bergen County Freeholder in the State of New Jersey, David Ganz. I commend it to the attention of every Member of Congress.

[From the Numismatic News, Apr. 29, 2003]

Sept. 11 Deserves Commemoration on Coin

(By David L. Ganz)

Liberty, Freedom, Justice, Intellect, Ingenuity, Challenge,

Capitalism, Success, Glory, Might, Power, America.

The twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City

connoted all of these things--the very reason that the

building was a primary target for the extremists and

terrorists who murdered thousands of innocents Sept. 11,

2001.

America has avenged the events of that day, when the towers

came under attack along with at least two other locations.

Without taking anything away from the victims on Flight 93,

or those who were at the Pentagon, the aim of Osama Bin Laden

and his terrorist crew was the rich symbolism of the World

Trade Center--what it stood for.

In any generation, there may be one or two events that are

seminal, that define the generation. The bombing of the World

Trade Center, the Pentagon and the Flight 93 attack are

defining for the United States, for it marks the end of an

age of innocence and, perhaps, of a new era of American

military might.

The war that we fought in Iraq, now moving toward a

complete cessation of hostilities, is a direct outgrowth of

the World Trade Center attack and the subsequent nearly

futile search for its progenitor, Osama Bin Laden.

H.R. 298 was introduced by Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., Chair

of the House coinage subcommittee, on Jan. 8, ``To

posthumously award congressional gold medals to government

workers and others who responded to the attacks on the World

Trade Center and the Pentagon and perished and to people

aboard United Airlines Flight 93 who helped resist the

hijackers and caused the plane to crash, to require the

Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of

the Spirit of America, recognizing the tragic events of

September 11, 2001, and for other purposes.'' Co-sponsor:

Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.

On Feb. 27 it was referred to King's Unit, the Subcommittee

on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and

Technology. Nothing further has been heard from it.

A little more than a year earlier, Rep. Steve Rothman, D-

N.J., introduced H.R. 3980 to authorize commemoration of

``Events of cataclysmic proportion, as well as epic

struggles, [which] have long been commemorated on the coinage

of various countries.''

Congress has yet to take action on any measure, but it

should. It should be more than a national medal that honors

those who perished. It should celebrate the majesty of the

buildings where they once stood and of what they stood for:

above all, Liberty and Freedom, that which its enemies could

never destroy.

There are those who believe--some congressional staff

members among them--that the events of Sept. 11 should not be

commemorated at all, and that we should forget America's

darkest hour. Commemoration, their view is, should be

reserved for triumphs, not tragedies.

World history and the practices of other nations offers a

different perspective. Canada's tombac nickel, for example,

issued in 1943, featured a new reverse from the famous

Churchill ``V'' for victory over the Nazi Axis war machine.

It came at a dark moment of the war after battles had been

lost and when D-Day was more than a year away.

It's more than me, alone, being a cheerleader. Coinstar,

who changed the way people dealt with cashing in coins, did a

survey last summer which concluded that ``more than half (52

percent) of Americans revealed they would prefer to see

scenes of the flag raising by firemen at the World Trade

Center/Ground Zero over the U.S. Military at Iwo Jima (37

percent).''

More surprising: with younger Americans (18-34) popularity

is even stronger, at 63 percent. However, for Americans age

65 and over prefer the U.S. Military at Iwo Jima (50 percent)

over World Trade Center (32 percent). The poll, compiled from

telephone research among more than 1,000 randomly selected

American adults, was conducted by an independent market

research firm. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1

percent.

Private enterprise has stepped in where the Congress and

the Executive Branch fear to tread. Already, there are

colorized versions of the World Trade Center being placed on

silver Eagles as well as other coins. The U.S. Mint official

position: ``The United States Mint does not comment on coin-

grading issues or on a colorized coin's current or future

value as a collectible item. If you like a colorized coin

because of the way it looks, then you may want to add it to

your collection. However, if you are primarily concerned

about the long-term investment value of a colorized coin, you

should contact a reputable coin dealer or coin grading

service before you purchase the coin.''

What is it that is magical about the twin towers World

Trade Center, which at 110 stories tall each were an

arresting scene of American power and might in the skyscraper

silhouette of New York City's downtown?

The World Trade Center had consisted of seven buildings,

one of which was briefly the tallest building on the planet

(the towers were not exactly the same height). The twin

towers were endless subject of New York skyline scenes that

appeared in newspapers, on medals and almost on the New York

state quarter.

Designed by Minoru Yamasakui and Emery Roth, the twin

towers were part of a complex built in lower Manhattan island

that actually constituted the world's largest building

complex. Two rectangular twin towers were the most prominent

part.

Each 110 stories tall (one also contained a television

antennae used by major networks, the building known as 1 WTC

was home to the elegant ``Windows on the World'' restaurant

and the antennae, while 2 WTC contained an observation deck

that offered an unparalleled view from more than a quarter of

a mile up in the air.

One tower was 1,362 feet, the other 1,368 feet in height.

Both was completed in 1973 at a cost of more than $750

million and were owned by the Port Authority of New York and

New Jersey.

Wrapped in stainless steel bodies lined with tall, narrow

windows, the skyscrapers were state-of-the-art buildings. The

Vista hotel complex, part of the center, was the host of

numerous New York International coin shows.

Built on a 16-acre site, and going seven stories into the

ground (or more than 70 feet into Manhattan bedrock), the

twin towers dominated the New York skyline for more than 30

years. That 70-foot drilling was surrounded by a giant

bathrub-like structure that kept out the nearby Hudson River.

In June 2002, just about nine months after the horrific

events of Sept. 11, I traveled into Manhattan to go to Ground

Zero. As mayor of my municipality (Fair Lawn, N.J.), I was

able to travel with the head of our Emergency Management

Office, Tom Metzler, and the other members of our Borough

Council.

The ostensive reason was to see what terroristic damage

could occur, how it could be prevented and to help plan the

future. The other reason, more personal, was to stand in the

pit of Ground Zero, seven or eight stories beneath sea level,

and pay tribute to those who died that freedom might live.

The nearest-height building was the Empire State Building

with 102 stories, located several times uptown to the north,

and then the Chrysler Building, at 67 stories.

One view of the twin towers is depicted on a drawing

presented to the Fine Arts Commission as a possible final

design choice for

the New York quarter. Instead, a view featuring the Statute

of Liberty superimposed on a New York state map was selected.

Relegated to a third place finish, the towers design shows

the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor, the twin towers

(including the aerial), misplaced bridges and a too-close

proximity of what appears to be a taller Empire state

building. The real twin towers always seemed larger than

life.

My own memories of the twin towers are long, and varied. By

day, Windows on the World was a private restaurant known as

the Club at the World Trade Center. I was a member there for

about 25 years, joining right after law school. (In fact,

right after I was admitted to the bar across the river in

Brooklyn, I took my parents, wife and in-laws to a

celebratory luncheon at Windows).

At Windows, Kevin Zraley was first the sommelier, and later

the Inhilco director of beverages corporate-wide. He taught a

fabulous wine course over a period of a dozen weeks, and I

took it. It gave me an appreciation of wine that has lasted a

lifetime.

On becoming a club member, I had the privilege of buying

wine from them at Cellar cost, and storing it there. I went

mostly for older Bordeaux, and had some 1950 Haut Brion as

well as 1966 Chateau Gruaud Arose, and some Louis Jadot

burgundies--which were carefully stored in the basement of

the center.

That came to a crashing end 10 years ago in 1993 when a car

bomb that tried to topple the edifice blew up, destroying

portions of the underground parking garage and causing $300

million in damages, not counting my wine.

When I became president of the American Numismatic

Association, I sponsored a board dinner at Windows on the

World that allowed me to show off the restored cellar

following the explosion. The wine served that night came

exclusively from my private reserve, and as best I recall,

nine members of the board, their spouses or guests and the

professional staff went through three cases of wine, retail

value $2,500. (OK, they did buy the meals from their per

diem, but all of the wine was on me.)

Through the years, Windows remained my favorite place to

take an overseas client; the food was excellent so long as

you stuck to simple dishes like a grilled prime steak or veal

chop, less successful with, say, a sauced dish like lobster

thermidor. Though never on the menu, except when I first

started going there around 1976, their fried zucchini sticks

were always available, served in a white cloth napkin

designed to gently blot the oil, but not the flavor.

Just a year before Sept. 11, my wife, Kathy, and I took our

first cruise, going from Manhattan to Nova Scotia and back

again. We left on the Carnival Line (the Victory) and went

down the Hudson River towards the Verrazano Narrows bridge,

the Ocean, and the voyage. As we were piloted down, we passed

the magnificient structures and Kathy took postcard-like

photos showing not only the height of the buildings, but the

indelible place that they held in the New York skyline.

It forms the basis for the proposed coin design photograph

that accompanies this article--which is done with the

assistance of a computerized program that gives the

appearance of a raised surface similar to that of a coin.

The Sept. 11 destruction was incredible to watch--and

millions saw it happen on television. The rich numismatic

connection makes it a story likely to be remembered for years

to come. It should be a story that ends with a commemorative

coin being struck to honor the American dream that continues

to tower, even without those twin buildings.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend of mine and of the Bergen County community, Robert B. Hille, who is about to become the 105th President of the Bergen County Bar Association. Robert Hille and I began our careers together as young lawyers in the Bergen County Bar Association. It was there that I got to see firsthand what a remarkable person Robert Hille is. He has been and continues to be an extraordinarily gifted attorney and loving husband of Leslie and father of Erin and Tara.

Throughout the course of his career, Robert Hille has handled himself in a highly professional and dignified manner that has won him the great admiration and respect of his peers. His election as the 105th Bergen County Bar Association President is a reflection of the high esteem that not only I have for him, but that everyone in the Bergen County legal community has for him.

Robert Hille is a man who strives to do what is right and just in his profession. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to him and his family on his election as President of this most prestigious organization, I wish him the very best.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, under current Transportation Security Administration restrictions, no general aviation aircraft can fly within 15 miles of the Washington Monument. So why, then, does New York City, the other target of the worst terrorist attack in the history of the United States, not have the very same safeguard being provided to it by the Transportation Security Administration against general aviation aircraft within 15 miles of New York City?

Before I continue, I want to make it clear to my colleagues that I am not talking about commercial aircraft, the 737s, 767s, and so forth that so many Americans depend on each day for travel into our Nation's major airports. What I am talking about are the smaller private aircraft that primarily operate out of smaller, general aviation airports such as Teterboro Airport in my congressional district in New Jersey. Those airports do not have the same Transportation Security Administration security procedures that the major airports have.

While these general aviation aircraft by themselves, because of their size, may not seem to be able to inflict a great deal of damage even if they were diverted into a building, if they were filled with chemical or biological agents they could potentially cause a tragedy greater than the one we had on September 11.

The restrictions that I am calling for, which would be the same restrictions that are now in place for Washington, D.C., would keep general aviation aircraft from flying within 15 miles of New York City, the other major target of al Qaeda. That would mean that no general aviation aircraft would be able to fly over Times Square, fly over the Empire State Building, over Giants Stadium in New Jersey, or over the Continental Arena.

There would be exemptions provided, and if one was provided to a general aviation aircraft, that aircraft, and by the way, these exemptions are available here in Washington, D.C., it simply requires those general aviation aircraft first to fly into what is called a gateway airport outside of the 15-mile restricted zone. There, the plane, pilot, passengers, and luggage would be inspected by Transportation Security Administration officials before these general aviation aircraft would be allowed to continue on to Teterboro or these other airports within 15 miles of Manhattan, such as JFK or LaGuardia. Again, these same restrictions are now in place for Washington, D.C., but not New York City.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to stand with me and support my call for Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and the Bush administration to immediately put into effect these new restrictions and protect the people of the New York metropolitan area, just as they have chosen to protect the people of Washington, D.C.

Government's number one responsibility is to protect the people. Security is the reason why general aviation aircraft are restricted in coming into airports within 15 miles of Washington, D.C. My amendment would seek the same restriction for general aviation aircraft which would seek to fly in without first being inspected outside the 15-mile zone flying into New York City.

Mr. Chairman, I regret that the Chair will rule that this amendment is not in order to be voted on tonight, so I will, for this evening, be withdrawing my amendment. But let it be clear, Mr. Chairman, I will continue to press my case and to press for the Transportation Security Administration and the Bush administration and the Department of Transportation to protect the people of the New York metropolitan area by enacting the same restrictions that they have deemed necessary over Washington, D.C.

Point of Order

As the Chair and my distinguished chairman may have heard earlier that I have withdrawn my amendment on the basis that the gentleman may very well be correct on that point of order, and I simply wanted to restate my intention to pursue this issue notwithstanding its order this evening.

Mr. Chairman, I withdraw the amendment.