Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am not recorded on rollcall numbers 315, 316 and 317. I was unavoidably detained and was not present to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted yes on rollcall numbers 315, 316 and 317.

I ask unanimous consent that this statement be printed in the appropriate part of the Congressional Record.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. Chairman, in spite of the wonderful exchange, I rise in support of the amendment, and I have great respect for the Members here on both sides and what they go through in this process. It is a difficult one to question and constantly evaluating and balancing priorities.

My number one priority, as far as I am concerned, is to protect the American people. I think everybody in this Chamber supports that proposition. The question is how you would do that

the best way? We could do it in a lot of different ways. We can root out the terrorists overseas as our great brave men and women are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the globe. That is one way. We have great local police departments and Federal law enforcement officials, intelligence officials who try to root out evil before it pops its head, and we can allocate funding to the places that need it the most. And I know there may be a fundamental difference as to where that money should go, and that is okay. But if the Members asked me how I stand up here and proclaim that not just New York City but those areas that we have defined as high-threat areas should get a disproportionate amount of this money, Exhibit A is September 11. Exhibit A demonstrates that the terrorists sought out places like New York City. Why? Because it is the capital of finance, the capital of the world in some people's minds, and, indeed, as we hope and pray they are not, but, indeed, they are out there trying to do the same thing right now. So if the Members ask me why we are here to try to shift the money to what we think is a priority, I think I would say I do not ever want to see something like September 11 happen again. And with all due respect to the towns and villages around the country that wrestle with this problem every day, I think it is common sense to suggest that some areas could be more targeted than others. I do not think there is an American who would not say every town is equal in that respect. So I would hope, and I take the chairman at his word because I have immense respect for him, for the people who he has around him, to work with us to ensure that not just New York City, but those urban areas full of American citizens get that funding they need.

It has been brought up before what Secretary Ridge says. I am not going to rehash it. I will submit it for the Record. New York City, counterterrorism, intelligence and public safety, $200 million; training for first responders, police, fire, $99 million; security enhancement for facilities, $187 million; emergency preparation response equipment, $189 million; communications and information technology, $223 million. Total loan, $900 million.

The gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady), who offered this, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), and I know the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) has worked hard. He mentioned the Brooklyn Bridge. Go to any bridge in New York City, any tunnel, 24 hours a day, people scanning cars, checking cars, checking trucks. Why? So that anybody coming into the city can feel more free and secure. That is what this debate is about. And I am hopeful that the good chairman once again, and I believe him, will follow through and use all existing systems to ensure that these cities and urban areas get what they deserve and get what they need.

Tom Ridge. Well first of all, I share both the Governor's

and the Mayor's concern to reduce distributing those dollars.

According to the old formula, I don't believe we would be at

maximum security with the dollars that are being expended at

the federal level. We are going to work to get that number as

high as possible. Having been a member of Congress for twelve

years, that's the beginning of the process. The House has had

a number in mind. They've passed that and we'll be working

with the Senate. There's still a long way to go, but I would

like to see the number risen, significantly higher than the

$500 million.

Reporter. Mr. Secretary, have you given the Governor and

the Mayor a specific limit, a specific amount of money?

Tom Ridge. No, I think we are all in agreement that it

would have been a nice place to start with the 750. If we can

get the Congress to restore that quarter of a billion

dollars, that would be a great place to start. To finish

there, that would be at least preserving the status quo. As

for the supplemental, we got about $700 million and I think

at least preserving what we are able to distribute before. At

the end of the day ladies and gentlemen, if you take a look

at the population, the density of the population, the

equivocal infrastructure and the threat, there is one city

that no matter how you move those factors around and weigh

those factors it ends up at the top of the list and its New

York City. I think every state should be given a certain

amount of money and they build up a capacity to protect the

infrastructure, and the capacity to respond, and the capacity

to prevent a terrorist attack. But at the end of the day, I

do believe there are some communities and regions that need

more money because of the multitude of factors, not just

population.

Mr. Speaker, I am not recorded on rollcall Nos. 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263 and 264. I was unavoidably detained and was not present to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes,'' on rollcall Nos. 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263 and 264.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week New York City suffered a blow with the untimely death of Mike Handy. He leaves behind his wife, Edna Wells-Handy, and four daughters. He was 55.

Mike served as Director of Veterans Affairs for New York City, a position he held under Mayors Ed Koch, David Dinkins, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg. Professionally he had earned a great deal of respect, but it was his personal dealings with veterans, colleagues and friends that had earned him so much love. He will be very much missed.

A veteran of Vietnam, he served as a ``Quick Reaction Team'' leader (with a rank of E-5) and was a .50 Caliber Machine Gun Instructor at Phu Cat.

He was active in veterans affairs for nearly 30 years, acquiring more than 50 honors and awards from city, State and Federal levels. He was a member of the American Legion, the Catholic War Veterans, the Navy League, an honorary member of the New York Society of Military & Naval Officers, and a member of the Veteran Corps of Artillery.

Mike led New York City's fight to save the Times Square Recruiting Station and then chaired a City/Army Corps of Engineers Task Force to facilitate its renovation.

In 1991, he was appointed to the Operation Welcome Home Commission, which organized what was at the time the largest Ticker Tape Parade in the city's history. In 1995, he was the Mayor's representative for the ``Nation's Parade'' NYC tribute to the 50th anniversary of World War II. He was the Mayor's representative for seven of thirteen ``Fleet Week'' celebrations in New York City.

Without fanfare, Mike helped thousands of veterans. He did this not for credit but to help his comrades-in-arms who were in need. His is a loss not only for New York, but for the Nation as well. He will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take this opportunity to mention an exemplary Staten Islander, Mr. Gustavus Evansen. He embodies the hard work and determination that characterizes the American Dream.

In 1923, at the age of 17, Gus Evansen emigrated to the United States, along with the rest of his family. They joined his father, Jorgen, who had traveled here to lay the foundations of a stable life for the family in 1917. He automatically began to work alongside his father at the Electric Launch Company, or Elco, in Bayonne, New Jersey, practicing the same shipbuilding trade his father had practiced in their homeland of Denmark. He and his father worked out of their own garage on nights and weekends to make ends meet during the Depression.

Mr. Evansen was promoted to foreman of the hull-building department in 1939, and continued to work for the next 6 years on the 399 PT-boats that Elco made for our government's use in the Second World War. After the war, as the Elco Company scrambled for work while the government contracts waned, Mr. Evansen lost his job when Elco closed down for good in 1949. He wasted no time in beginning a new career with the U.S. Coast Guard. At the age of 70, after 25 years building workboats on Governor's Island, and after rising from the rank of third-class boatbuilder to assistant foreman, Gus Evansen finally retired.

In 1930, he had married his childhood sweetheart, Bergit Knutsen who, with her family, had also emigrated from Denmark. They were together for 71 years until her death. Gus is currently 96 years old, and is enjoying his hard-earned retirement in Staten Island, New York. He has two daughters, five grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. Mr. Evansen has led the life of a model citizen, has worked hard to make a life for his family, and is the true embodiment of the American Dream.

Mr. Evansen, thank you for being a model citizen, and a proud Staten Islander.

Madam Speaker, I want to take a minute to discuss an issue that is very important to many men and women in my district and to the men and women working in the telecommunications industry.

The FCC is preparing for a release of their Triennial Review of the UNE-P and I want to weigh in with my colleagues as to the fundamentals of how the UNE-P pricing model works, or as I see it, doesn't work.

Suppose you, an entrepreneur, go in to manufacture candy bars and you invest significant capital to create this wonderful factory and generate candy bars. You operate for 30 years, during which you must buy new equipment, and maintain that equipment. The bottom line of your costs is say, $.75. You determine to sell them in the retail market for $1. Then you discover that there is a regulatory body empowered by the Congress that regulates candy bars and one of their missions is to promote competition. One day, these regulators come to you and they say, ``You know what? We think since you're the largest candy bar manufacturer, you should have a competitor. And we have someone that we want to be your competitor.'' Then the regulators tell you one way in which they've determined to promote competition is for you to allow this competitor to sell your product from your machinery and buildings at $0.75 or in some cases less than $0.75, so they in turn can resell it in the market for a profit to them, and a loss to your company.

All the money you just spent to build a building which stores the machinery you use to make your product, package your product, distribute you're product, and maintain all of this, is used to provide a product to your competitor for the same price or less of a price that is costs you, only they don't have any risk.

I pose the question to the regulators and my colleagues. What would you do as CEO of this candy bar company, what do you feel is the right thing to do? I see it to be wrong and think the regulators should take steps to mitigate this wrong or change it while they still have a chance.

Mr. Speaker, this week, my district in Staten Island is honored to host the Vietnam Wall Experience. I would like to take this opportunity to talk about the heroism of the fathers, sons, sisters and daughters that gave their lives during that conflict.

These men and women traveled around the world to serve their country. They joined the military for different reasons and with different backgrounds, but were united in purpose to serve the cause of freedom.

Matthew Bono, at 25, was six years older than the average draftee. He became a father-figure to his fellow soldiers, as beloved there as he was throughout his home neighborhood. He did not survive Khe Sanh. Vincent James Caravello enlisted just before his 18th birthday, right out of high school. He was killed in Thua Thien five months after he arrived in Vietnam.

The Grunt Padre, Father Vincent Capodanno, died trying to rescue men while under fire. He was known for his devotion to ``his'' Marines and put himself in harm's way for them again and again.

Other men were never fully accounted for after they disappeared. Lt. Kevin O'Brien served as a spotter in a U.S. Army Bird Dog 01-G craft. He is believed to have crashed over Khe Sanh in South Vietnam during bad weather on January 9, 1969. Air Force Major Gerald Crosson, Jr., was declared missing on May 16, 1968 after his plane did not return from a night reconnaissance mission.

America lost fifty-eight thousand in Vietnam, including 84 from Staten Island. And then there are the wounded, POW-MIA and other veterans, all of whom deserve our deepest thanks. Today on Staten Island, nearly twelve thousand Vietnam veterans still make their homes.

There is no truly adequate way to put into words our appreciation for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. I believe it was wise to have the memorial be simply a wall, bearing the names for us to remember.

However, that does not relieve us of the responsibility to find a way to express to our children and theirs why it is that we have such love for the ones who gave their lives.

They knew the danger when they went in, and ultimately they were fighting for us. America is stronger today because of the example they set. We must teach our children to study what these men did and why it was a noble cause. We are grateful to the Vietnam Wall Experience for helping make that job a little easier.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 181, I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, as the President of the United States has indicated, the war against terror is far from over. The battle may be won but it is far from over. Therefore, I think it is important that the United Nations step up to the plate and reflect reality and serve in the positive role that it can. That is why I think H.R. 800 is a needed step toward reform at the United Nations. It reduces U.S. funding for United Nations commissions like the Commission on Human Rights which have been hijacked by terrorist nations. The latest outrage is Cuba. The dictatorship is in the midst of a brutal crackdown, having executed three men for trying to escape Cuba and imprisoned dozens of others for daring to speak out. The U.N. said nothing about the crackdown but elected Cuba to another term on the human rights panel. The current chair of that panel is Libya, that beacon of human rights. At the beginning of the year, Iraq was going to head the Conference on Disarmament. Iraq did not take over but remained on the commission. Iran chairs that conference. North Korea and Cuba also sit on the Disarmament Committee. This is all symptomatic of a culture of carelessness at the U.N. It would not be as grave if not for the fact that the United States pays 22 percent of the United Nations' operating budget. Diplomacy and dialogue are important, but sometimes dollars are the only thing that makes sense.

Mr. Speaker, I am not recorded on rollcall Nos. 146, 147, and 148. I was unavoidably detained and was not present to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall Nos. 146, 147, and 148.

Mr. Speaker, It is my great pleasure to take a moment to speak about the Blue Star Banner and the Gold Star.

As we continue to battle the enemy of freedom, each day many Americans bid farewell to a loved one that is a member of our Armed Forces, not knowing where they will go or when they will return, these families only have symbols of their loved ones.

These brave men and women who proudly wear our military's uniforms leave behind equally brave friends and relations who look for some way to remain connected to their loved ones abroad. Those on the homefront are eager to show their support for our troops, their hope for a safe return, and their pride in the actions and bravery of their loved ones. The Blue an Gold Star Banner emphasizes the special and difficult role of the family left behind in time of war.

Recognizing this desire to show support and pride for our family members who are off to battle, Army Captain Robert L. Queissner designed the Blue Star Banner in 1917, initially in support of his two sons who were serving on the front lines in World War I. The popularity of this banner spread quickly among those whose family members were also fighting in the War, and continued through many years and many battles to be displayed by families nationwide who anxiously awaited their loved ones' return.

The families of those who did not make it back home displayed a Gold Star over the Blue Star Banner, to symbolize the honor with which their loved ones perished in the name of freedom. This practice continues today, as a way for families to show their pride in the valiant actions of their loved ones in service to our country, who have made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

I therefore encourage the families of all American servicemembers to display the Blue Star Banner and, as necessary, the Gold Star, in show of unconditional support for and pride in our nation's Armed Forces.

Mr. Speaker, today we are gathered to recognize the Greek in their 182nd year of independence. It was the ancient Greeks who coined the ideas of freedom and justice that we founded our country on. And March 25th celebrates the freedom that Greeks enjoy since their war of independence.

In 1821, Greeks forcefully rose up against the oppressive Ottoman Empire, which had occupied Greece for nearly 400 years, embarking on the ultimately successful war of independence. This war was to the same likes that the United States engaged in nearly half a century earlier during the American Revolution. Fighting side by side through two World Wars, Greece and the United States remain committed allies in maintaining and strengthening freedom throughout the World.

My district of Staten Island and Brooklyn celebrates the Greek heritage as an important part of our community, providing diversity and culture to our schools and neighborhoods.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to congratulate the Greek people for 182 years of independence and thank them for their contributions to American life.

Mr. Speaker, I am not recorded on rollcall numbers 65, 66 and 67. I was unavoidably detained and was not present to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall numbers 65, 66 and 67.

Mr. Speaker, we wake up every morning to our newspapers filled with stories of possible war, of tragic loss of our astronauts, of heightened warnings of terrorist attacks and of dangerous international dictators. In all, Americans are finding it a difficult time to be confronted every day with these tragedies, uncertainties and fears.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, during times like these, it is all the more vital to our national spirit to tell Americans about uplifting and comforting stories. We need to remind ourselves of our national qualities for which we are so unique--patriotism, courage and generosity for our fellow man.

The story I tell you today, you will not have read about in your local paper, nor watched on TV, because this is the story of an unsung hero, a man who showed unwavering bravery during the terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001.

I rise today to honor one of my constituents, James Parese, who is the Captain of the Staten Island Ferry, ``Samuel I Newhouse''. On that terrible morning on September 11, Captain Parese was one of the countless private citizens on maritime vessels around Manhattan who immediately responded to an emergency message. Cackling across marine radios in New York's harbor--the Coast Guard summoned all boats and their crews to abandon their usual duties and respond to extraordinary needs in the New York waterways.

Captain Parese explains that day himself best when he said, quote, The subways were down, and they closed the bridges. We were basically the only way out. Us and the smaller ferries, the police boats and the tugs. I couldn't believe the amount of tugs; there were a sea of tugboats coming from Staten Island heading for Manhattan.

Since September 11th, we have heard so many human stories of tragedy, heroism, loss and miracles. We've heard the brave deeds of the New York firefighters and police officers. We will forever owe them our deepest gratitude.

And today we honor one of America's maritime heroes--one of hundreds of private men and women who selflessly and quietly answered the call from the Coast Guard for ``all available boats''. The miraculous rescue and response effort by water has also permanently altered our nation's official approach to defending our homeland security along our coastline.

The South Street Seaport Museum in New York City put together an exhibit to bring to light the historic maritime evacuation of Manhattan on September 11. I learned of these

sailors from the book, All Available Boats. The book was put together and edited by Dr. Mike Magee, a doctor who happened to see the museum exhibit and felt strongly that these heroic stories deserved to be heard by the American people.

Hundreds of non-military ship captains of all kinds of vessels--from ferries like Captain Parese to tugboats and from private vessels to even historic ships--answered the Coast Guard's call and sailed directly into Ground Zero.

In the end, they evacuated over 300,000 people from Manhattan. It was the largest maritime evacuation since the battle of Dunkirk in 1940. Remarkable.

After hearing the radio call on September 11, Captain Parese unloaded his ferry's passengers back onto Staten Island, turned around and steered his ferry directly into the Staten Island Ferry Loading Dock on Manhattan. There, thousands of people were pouring onto his boat to find a way to escape the terrorism on the island. People were literally jumping off the docks to try to hit the ferry's decks. One man said he was, quote, jumping for my life.

Captain Parese's ferry, already covered in ash, began to fill with smoke. Despite his eyes and lungs burning from the smoke, Parese stayed and loaded over 6,000 scared and desperate passengers onto his ferry. Because of the thick smoke, he was forced to use radar to steer the boat southbound. On reaching Staten Island, Parese unloaded his passengers. He immediately then turned his empty ferry around and headed straight back to Manhattan.

Parese then rejoined the other ships' captains in their massive evacuation of Manhattan. Yet, during one of the most frightening days in our nation's history, we now have learned that our fellow citizens were not just rescued by these boats, they were shown kindness and comfort by these captains and their crewmates.

Every man, woman and child who Captain Parese rescued from Manhattan is grateful to him for giving them an escape route, for his kind spirit and for his dedication to duty.

On a different Staten Island Ferry than Parese's that day--was a boy, Tim Steto, a student at the Leadership High School in Manhattan. Tim and some other students caught the very last ferry from Battery City Park before it closed.

After stumbling through the streets around Ground Zero in terror and confusion, Tim said that once the ferry took off from Manhattan-- quote--there was a visible difference in the air quality. We looked back at this horrible scene then looked forward to see this clear, beautiful view of Staten Island. No clouds or smoke. And this young high school student said that--quote--the thought of being taken to safety kept me calm.

After evacuating those three hundred thousand people from the Manhattan island, Parese and the other captains returned again to Ground Zero to volunteer to help with other vital tasks. They pumped water from the harbor to feed the fire hoses and brought in needed supplies.

Also, with the bridges and tunnels closed, these boats became the necessary transportation for bringing firefighters, police and other emergency workers to Ground Zero from New Jersey and beyond.

In one account after another of these stories, the captains and their shipmates worked without break, without fear and without instructions.

September 11, 2001 was a day when average American men and women became heroes for their fellow Americans and for our nation. Those enemies of freedom around the world have always underestimated the determination, bravery, love of country and freedom of the American people.

Captain Parese and the other brave patriot sailors that day are the finest example that the evil enemies of freedom can tear down our walls and tragically kill our citizens, but they will never quench the American spirit.

I admire the bravery of my constituent, James Parese, as much as I admire his humility. He takes no special credit for his brave and tireless actions that day. He very simply says that--quote ``everyone pretty much did what they had to do''.

James Parese, thank you from all of us in the United States House of Representatives for your brave and heroic acts that will never be forgotten by the thousands of people you brought to safety on September 11. And thank you for continuing to go out every day to ferry the Staten Island citizens to Manhattan for work.

Finally, we recognize and applaud all the hundreds of patriot sailors that tragic day who fearlessly answered our Coast Guard's call for ``all available boats''. Their actions make all of us proud to be Americans and we salute their courage.

God bless these unsung heroes and God always bless this great freedom-loving nation of the United States of America.