Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I submit the following:

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Military Construction, Army Reserve National Guard.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: New York National Guard.

Address of Requesting Entity: 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, NY 12110.

Description of Request: $2.955 million will be used for the establishment of an additional Civil Support Team. This team, located within the New York City metropolitan area, ensures that the top terrorist target in the country, New York City, has an immediate and prepared asset, ready at a moments notice, if a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, high explosive, CBRNE, incident were to occur.

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, it's been suggested that September 11 was a tragic day. Indeed it was. But the reality is there were thousands of individual tragedies that occurred.

Time has given us the perspective to look back and understand what really happened. It has given us the ability to look back and see how individual families have dealt with their loss. Staten Island and Brooklyn alone lost more than 300 people. If you go drive around the streets of Staten Island today, you will see street names with the names of those lost on September 11 as a constant reminder of the extent of the carnage and the damage.

I have been to memorial runs. I've seen scholarships offered in the names of the deceased. I've seen families try to tell their young children, who are probably too young at the time to understand, what it meant when Daddy wasn't coming home anymore, when Mom wasn't coming home. These children are at an age now that they can begin to appreciate that they'll never have a dad again. There were hundreds of them on Staten Island alone and thousands across the country of young children who lost their fathers and lost their mothers.

The role we have here is very simple, I think. That is to protect the American people and to ensure an attack like that never happens again. The most powerful way we can memorialize September 11, and as our own private thoughts and prayers and to offer to extend a helping hand to those in need, but as Members of Congress I think we have a solemn responsibility and duty to stand up against the evil, against our true enemies who want not to just destroy this country but our way of life, and forever may we remember those who paid so dearly with their lives on September 11, 2001.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a constituent who has faithfully served the people of Staten Island for many years, Dr. Ralph Messo.

Born on Staten Island in 1961, Dr. Messo was inspired by the compassion and caring nature of the physicians he encountered as a young boy. After graduating from Wagner College, Dr. Messo pursued and was awarded a degree in Osteopathic Medicine from the University of New England in 1989. Dr. Messo was drawn to osteopathic medicine and its holistic approach to treatment--care that extended beyond the patient to his or her entire family.

After medical school, Dr. Messo returned to New York to care for the residents of Staten Island. Over the years, he has earned the respect and gratitude of my constituents across the Island through his generous spirit, his caring nature and unyielding commitment to health care in the borough. Dr. Messo's gentle demeanor and reassuring tone provide comfort to all his patients--the new mothers and fathers struggling to navigate the sometimes choppy waters of parenthood . . . and seniors who may need extra reassurance and a sympathetic ear.

He is currently the president of the Richmond County Medical Society, serves as councilor to the American College of Physicians, is an attending faculty member at both of Staten Island's medical centers, and sits on the Medical Advisory Board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He served as the assistant director of the Internal Medicine/Pediatric residency program at Staten Island University Hospital from 1993-2007 and was recently appointed Adjunct Clinical professor at Tourocom, a new medical school in Harlem, New York. In addition, Dr. Messo has been given The Consumer's Research Council of America's ``Top Physician'' award, the Peter Barbero Humanitarian Award, and was named ``America's Top Pediatrician'' in 2007 and 2008.

Dr. Messo continues to give back to his profession, lending his years of experience to young medical students and residents--the physicians of tomorrow who work alongside him, share in his knowledge and learn that caring for a patient is as much about listening as it is about treating.

For his decades of service to the Staten Island community, I ask that my colleagues join with me in honoring Dr. Ralph Messo and thanking him for his dedication to health care.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 460, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker. Today marked the 58th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. Five years after the Second World War ended in the Pacific, a new conflict erupted, the first major engagement of the forces of communism and the forces of freedom in the Cold War period.

By the time the armistice was signed almost 3 years later, millions of Koreans had been killed, wounded or displaced from their homes, whole towns and villages had been destroyed, and the entire peninsula was plunged into poverty. More than 36,000 American soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen who served in the Korean War lost their lives.

It has been my privilege to represent hundreds of Korean War veterans who live in my district in Brooklyn and Staten Island. I have come to know personally many of these brave and heroic constituents.

Although many of these Korean War veterans are reaching old age, they live vibrant lives, contributing to our community in countless ways. The sacrifices they made across an ocean helped form their characters, which guided them through college and careers, as they raised their families and built their businesses, indeed, as many of them became political and community leaders themselves.

In the years since the Korean War came to a close, South Korean soldiers have fought alongside Americans not only in Korea but in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In fact, South Korea sent the third- largest contingent of armed forces to Iraq among all the countries that have participated in that conflict.

Korea has often been described as an ``economic miracle.'' Fifty years ago, South Korea was an impoverished, Third World country perceived as having few prospects for survival, much less potential for affluence. Today it has the world's 11th-largest economy, known for its high-technology industries. It is the 7th-largest trading partner of the United States.

It is no wonder, therefore, that almost exactly a year ago, on June 30, 2007, negotiators for the United States and the Republic of Korea concluded a Free Trade Agreement that now awaits approval by Congress and the South Korean National Assembly before it is fully implemented.

In a recent report, the U.S. International Trade Commission has forecast that the elimination of tariffs on U.S. goods under the U.S.- Korea Free Trade Agreement would increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United States by over $10 billion annually. The agreement will also eliminate regulatory and other non-tariff barriers that have historically restricted access by American farmers, manufacturers, and service providers to the South Korean market.

In the past week, the United States and South Korea signed a protocol regarding the importation of U.S.-originating beef to Korean markets. As anyone who reads the newspaper knows, this issue has been politically volatile in South Korea. U.S. and South Korean trade negotiators deserve a great deal of credit for their delicate handling of this situation. It is my understanding that American beef exports to Korea will recommence within the next few days.

While the beef import issue seemed to be an obstacle to approval of the Free Trade Agreement, the overall advantages to both our countries that will ensue from the agreement have prevailed. And this is a good thing, a healthy thing for American workers and American consumers, and for Koreans, too.

With growing uncertainty about the health of our economy, it is critically important that we make every effort to spur U.S. economic growth and create new American jobs through securing access to markets in which U.S. farmers and businesses can compete and succeed. The proposed U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement stands to further increase U.S. exports to Korea and will generate new jobs for Americans.

Madam Speaker, it has been nearly six decades since the outbreak of the Korean War and we must ``never forget'' the sacrifices of our Korean War veterans. As we commemorate this somber occasion, let us look forward to the opportunities the future will bring as the U.S.- Korean friendship and economic partnership is broadened, deepened, and strengthened. The U.S.-Korea relationship deserves to be celebrated, and I ask my colleagues to join in offering their own expressions of support.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great man who has faithfully served the people of Staten Island for many years, Monsignor Joseph Murphy.

Ordained a priest in 1954, Monsignor Murphy then completed three years of graduate work at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. After his completion of studies, he served as a Parochial Vicar at Saint Joseph's Parish in Croton Falls, New York from 1957-1959. Following that, he was assigned to the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese of New York from 1959 to 1985, and was the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of New York from 1968 to 1985. Finally, in 1985 he

was assigned to be the pastor of the Church of Saint Clare on Staten Island, a position he has held to the present day.

Monsignor Murphy has always been inspired to help and to serve. From a young age, he was struck by the compassion and caring of the clergy that he met, and he felt drawn to serve his community in the same way. Even after his upcoming retirement, he still plans on working, continuing to help and to serve his community. He has always felt it important to meet people where they are at, going into the community and serving, not waiting for others to come to him. Monsignor Murphy is of the opinion that true service to others demands an active role, not passively waiting around. It is in respect to his life-long desire to aid his fellow person that he be honored today.

Madam Chairman, today I rise in support of my amendment to the FY2009 Defense Authorization bill (amendment number 27), authorizing free mailing

privileges for the family members of our service men and women deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. This amendment provides a tremendous opportunity for us to increase the morale of our troops overseas, which, as we are all aware, is necessary for having a confident and motivated military.

First, I would like to thank Chairman Skelton, Ranking Member Hunter, Personnel SubCommittee Chairwoman Davis and of course my fellow New York colleague, Ranking Member McHugh for their help in cultivating this amendment. I drafted this amendment in response to concerns expressed to me by many military families that it was becoming too costly to send regular care packages to loved ones overseas. I heard story after story of families, already finding it hard to make ends meet, having to spend as much as $1,500 a year to mail care packages. Each package our men and women in uniform receive arrives with a touch of home. Personal items in these packages, like pictures, cards and school, projects from their children make deployments much more bearable.

Mail from home also serves a second and important purpose providing our military men and women with basic necessities like shampoo, foot powder, phone cards and even the ever essential fly paper.

In my district of Staten Island and Brooklyn, local residents joined together and raised money to help military families send these packages over seas. I was inspired by the outpouring of support for our service men and women in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, where postal service employees raised money to cover the postage for every package sent to our troops. In Staten Island, residents formed Staten Island Project Homefront, Incorporated: a non-profit organization dedicated to serving our deployed troops and their families by sending thousands of care packages to the troops in theater. This month alone, over 200 packages were mailed overseas by this group with a postage cost of over $2,000.

It was these acts of great generosity and patriotism which prompted me to advocate for this essential program in Congress.

This amendment has received the support of organizations such as the VFW, American Legion, and the National Association of Uniformed Services. To quote the VFW, ``letters and packages from home do wonders in boosting the morale of our men and women serving in harms way, and high morale transfers to combat ready and effectiveness.'' Comments such as this, I whole heartedly agree with.

I recently heard from Debbie Parsons from Staten Island; Debbie had two sons in the Marine Corps serving in Iraq; both of whom will return for their second tours in the fall. Six days a week Debbie volunteers her time at Staten Island Project Homefront, packing boxes to send over to our troops. She would hear from her sons regularly and they often request she send supplies such as snacks, Power bars, soft drinks, books and foot powder, among other things. Prior to the donations from Staten Island Project Homefront, the packages she sent to her sons cost hundreds of dollars every month.

It goes without saying our servicemen and women are making enormous sacrifices fighting the War on Terrorism and defending freedom and liberty. They face great challenges under trying circumstances, and often without the benefit of basic necessities like socks and foot powder. It falls upon their families to get them these supplies and to cover the cost of shipping them overseas. This amendment will help make life a little better for our soldiers and ease the financial burden on those supporting them. It is a simple way to bring a touch of home to America's heroes overseas.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and provide our military families an easier path to sending a piece of home to their loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1132, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial Day and to honor more than 900,000 Federal, State and local law enforcement officials who serve this Nation. This year, 358 new names were added to the National Law Enforcement Offices Memorial, representing names of officers who lost their lives over the course of many years. In 2007 alone, 187 officers from across the United States were killed in the line of duty. These heroes were sons and daughters, husbands and wives, sisters, brothers, and true role models for each of us.

Congress passed legislation (PL 87-726) that requested the President to issue proclamations designating May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week in which it falls as National Police Officers Week. National Police Week provides us with an opportunity to honor and thank those who keep us safe, protect our streets each day, and allow us to take advantage of the many freedoms we enjoy today. It also provides us with an opportunity to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Our local police officers, like those throughout Staten Island and Brooklyn, commit their lives to serving and protecting our communities, keeping our neighborhoods safe for our families and loved ones. America's finest police officers across the country remain dedicated to their mission despite the tremendous risks involved with their service. Unfortunately, many of these brave members of our community pay the ultimate sacrifice and leave many families mourning the loss of loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor COL Tracey Nicholson, an American patriot and proud soldier in the United States Army, as she leaves her command at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York, and assumes her new position as the Secretary of the Combined Joint Staff for the Multinational Force Iraq under General Petraeus.

Colonel Nicholson has distinguished herself as both the first African American female to command an installation within the continental United States, and as the first female commander of Fort Hamilton, the 183-year-old historic installation located in southern Brooklyn. Her leadership and driving personality were crucial in the continued improvement of both military and community programs throughout the city.

During the most recent BRAC I had the opportunity to work closely with Colonel Nicholson in preserving Fort Hamilton when it was under consideration for closure and was impressed with her intelligence and commitment to the only active duty military installation in New York City. These traits will serve her well in her next duty assignment.

Madam Speaker, during her tenure Colonel Nicholson has implemented numerous programs that have led to upgrades in both base infrastructure and facilities; improved housing programs and services for those serving at Fort Hamilton; as well as expanding support for veterans and retirees throughout the entire New York City area. The energy she brought to her work each and every day will certainly be missed.

As much as it pains me to bid Colonel Nicholson farewell as she answers the continued call to service, I will sleep easy knowing that we have soldiers of her caliber protecting our Nation. While her presence in our community will be greatly missed, her efforts on the staff of General Petraeus will surely add immeasurably to our Nation's mission in Iraq.

Madam Speaker, I hope our colleagues will join me in offering our best wishes to Colonel Nicholson as she assumes her new position as Secretary of the Combined Joint Staff for the Multinational Force Iraq, and wish her continued success in an already distinguished career.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the State of Israel on the upcoming 60th anniversary of its founding and condemn former President Carter's meetings with the terrorist leaders of Hamas.

It is odd that former President Carter would defend his meeting with this terrorist organization as an opportunity to measure their willingness to accept peace overtures. The founding charter of Hamas calls for the destruction of Israel; this should be answer enough for the former President. By acknowledging these leaders the former President provides legitimacy to the terrorist actions committed against the State of Israel.

For decades Israel and the United States have shared a strategic partnership in developing technologies that save lives both on the battlefield and in our hospitals.

Madam Speaker, for the past 60 years, Israel has been a bastion of democracy in a region dominated by authoritarian regimes. As the only country in the Middle East with free elections, free press, freedom of religion, and the protection of minority rights, Israel continues to uphold the values that make it a true Western-style democracy.

Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate the State of Israel on its upcoming 60th anniversary and I look forward to the continued partnership between our two great nations. I hope our colleagues will join me in offering our best wishes to our ally in the Middle East for 60 more years of prosperity.

Madam Speaker, this week the President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Myung-Bak, arrives in Washington on his first official visit to the United States since his inauguration on February 25. Indeed, this is President Lee's first major overseas trip, underscoring the importance of the long-standing U.S.-Korea alliance.

The partnership between the United States and the Republic of Korea is multilayered; it has political, diplomatic, strategic, cultural, and economic components. It is historic: the friendship between the U.S. and South Korea is more than 125 years old. It is also familial: over the past century, hundreds of thousands of people emigrated from South Korea to settle in the United States, with the result that today comprises a vibrant and dynamic Korean American community with nearly 2 million constituents.

It has been my privilege to serve as cofounder and cochair of the Congressional Korea Caucus, and in that capacity I have had many opportunities to learn about the Republic of Korea and U.S.-Korea relations. I recently stood side by side with South Korean Ambassador Lee Tae-sik at an event in my district commemorating the Korean war. I have met with numerous Korean war veterans--including many who live in Staten Island and Brooklyn--who served our Nation nobly and who lost comrades on the battlefield or who came home wounded with irreversible scars of that conflict. We will never forget their sacrifice and how their service paved the way for South Korea's enduring freedom today.

Madam Speaker, South Korean soldiers have fought alongside Americans not only in their own homeland but in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In fact, South Korea sent the third largest contingent of armed forces to Iraq among all the countries that have participated in that conflict and has pledged over $460 billion in reconstruction efforts.

The Republic of Korea has often been described as an ``economic miracle.'' A little more than 50 years ago, South Korea was an impoverished nation perceived as having few prospects for survival, much less potential for affluence or influence. Today, it has the world's 11th largest economy and is the 7th largest trading partner of the United States.

It is no wonder, therefore, that last year negotiators for the United States and the Republic of Korea concluded a free trade agreement that now awaits approval by this Congress and the South Korean National Assembly before it is implemented.

The U.S. International Trade Commission has forecast that the elimination of tariffs on U.S. goods under the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement would increase the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of the United States by over $10 billion annually. The agreement will also eliminate regulatory and other non-tariff barriers that have historically restricted access by American farmers, manufacturers, and service providers to the South Korean market.

With growing uncertainty about the health of our economy, it is critically important that we make every effort to spur U.S. economic growth and create new American jobs through securing access to markets in which U.S. farmers and businesses can compete and succeed. The proposed U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement stands to further increase U.S. exports to Korea and will generate new jobs for Americans. This agreement will be a win-win-win situation--a win for workers, a win for businesses, and a win for consumers.

The visit of President Lee Myung-Bak to Washington offers an unprecedented opportunity to discuss the important issues that our two countries face, jointly and separately. It gives us a chance to celebrate a long and productive friendship. It provides us with a reason to welcome an ally to our country and our Nation's Capitol.

Madam Speaker, I hope our colleagues will join me in offering our best wishes to President Lee on the occasion of his first official visit to the United States.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I know the underlying legislation is very noble in the sense of its essence of cleaning and maintaining the wonder of our beaches and our coastal areas. And as someone who grew up and still has family in South Beach and Staten Island, New York, I'm very sensitive to the notion that our beaches are our Nation's jewels.

But I'm also very sensitive to the fact that there are terrorists among us who will use any way possible to destroy innocent life. I know all too full well that on September 11, 2001, when almost 300 of my constituents perished at the World Trade Center because of fanatics who flew two planes by now we know into the World Trade Center. So to me still the most important thing that this country can do is to protect innocent people. While we all enjoy the beaches, we know that the greatest threat we face in this country are those who want to kill us and do us harm.

We know that we've debated this FISA bill many times in this House, and the other body has passed, I think, a very effective bipartisan way that will keep this Nation safe. Here we are, another week going by where we bury our heads in the beach sand and not pass the appropriate legislation that will help to keep this Nation safe.

In the underlying legislation, it talks reasonably about monitoring and finding the source of the pathogens. Well, one of the biggest threats that we have, that any intelligence official will tell you, is bioterrorism that has its roots in the pathogens, whether it's waterborne or not. So I believe that the amendment is very germane to the underlying legislation.

Specifically, section 5, subsection A calls for the usage of rapid testing methods in the monitoring programs included in this legislation, which will create a means of assessing pathogen content in coastal waters and alerting the public to the possible health effects.

Additionally, section 2 provides for source tracking and identification programs to assess where these harmful pathogens originated from.

The legislation is concerned with pollution and monitoring of beach water quality, as well it should be, and to that end I am extremely alarmed that waste water treatment and pollution processing plants are becoming attractive targets for possible terrorist attacks.

The environmental damage to both the beaches and water quality of New York City would be catastrophic if such a threat were realized. Preventing such an attack, of course, is the greatest concern to me, and I would hope, all Members of Congress.

The amendment is clearly in order because it provides our Nation's intelligence community the tools to monitor foreign threats to our treatment facilities and prevent planned attacks on our environment.

The irony should not be lost here that today we are considering a bill that concerns beach monitoring and requires prompt Federal, State and local agency notification regarding water quality sampling, when we've yet to pass the long overdue legislation that updates our Nation's ability to indeed conduct foreign intelligence monitoring and requires prompt judicial notification requirements regarding foreign threats.

To that end, I call on the Chair today to recognize my amendment, which contains the bipartisan Senate-passed FISA language. It's time, as I mentioned before, that we stop burying our heads in the beach sand under the guise of doing what we think is noble.

At the end of the day, what we have to come together for in this body, whether it's this end of Pennsylvania Avenue or the other, is to keep this country safe. And as we know, intelligence officials tell us time and time again we're losing precious information that's intelligence that could ultimately lead to a prevention of a terrorist attack. One of those possible terrorist attacks is waterborne pathogens that would be covered under this legislation.

And with that, Mr. Chairman, I ask that you consider this amendment to the bill.

Mr. Chairman, I appeal the ruling of the Chair.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a pillar of community service in my district, Mr. Joseph Delaney. The University of Notre Dame Alumni Association officially recognizes 230 Alumni clubs throughout the world. This includes the University of Notre Dame Alumni Club of Staten Island, located in my Congressional District. For 10 years the Staten Island Club was led by a gentleman I rise to honor today, Mr. Joseph Delaney.

During Joe's leadership, the Alumni Club became one of the most altruistic, charity-oriented organizations on Staten Island. The University of Notre Dame Alumni Association recognized the Staten Island Club with its prestigious Charlie F. Lennon Award, recognizing it as the most outstanding club in the entire network, in both 1999 and 2005. The club was also recognized by the University Alumni Association as the most outstanding club for their size of membership three times, in 1997, 2002, and 2005.

Joe's community service is not restricted solely to his leadership of the Alumni Club. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks Joe arranged for the University of Notre Dame Glee Club to visit Staten Island and headline a fundraiser which raised $11,000 to help the families of police and fire officers who died at the World Trade Center. On two separate occasions Joe has coordinated fundraisers for the benefit of St. Peter's Elementary School raising a total of $17,000 for the school.

While no longer serving as the Club's President, Joe continues to direct their annual Christmas Toy Drive which aides the Salvation Army, The New York Foundling Hospital, and the Seaman's Society. He also coordinates their Annual Thanksgiving Clothes Drive which provides coats to the needy at Project Hospitality. One of Joe's greatest charity successes has been building the annual ``Bread of Life Food Drive.'' Through this drive the Alumni

Club has donated over 800,000 food products to local needy families and individuals. The New York City Council recognized Joe's efforts for the Food Drive and honored him with an award in 1997.

Certainly, Joe Delaney is a giant of the Staten Island community service community and I rise today to join the Notre Dame Alumni Club in honoring Joe for his years of service to our community. The Alumni Club will be honoring Joe at their annual ``Universal Notre Dame Celebration'' on April 18th.

I rise to offer gratitude to Mr. Delaney on behalf of my constituents on Staten Island, and to thank him for his years of community service.

Offered By: Mr. Fossella

Amendment No. 4: Page 2, after line 2 insert the following: