Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I join my colleague from Wisconsin in urging the support of H. Con. Res. 182 and at the outset commend our colleague Mr. Deal from Georgia for introducing the resolution.

We all knew and remember Charlie Norwood who served in this House with honor and distinction, and those who knew Charlie Norwood well knew he was a fighter, passionate about his constituents, his belief, and passionate about this country, and many fights he won. But the fight he did not win was when he was diagnosed with a serious lung disorder in 1998 called, shortly, IPF.

He received a single lung transplant but passed away in February of this year and for that we miss him.

IPF is a progressive and generally fatal lung disease. It's marked by debilitating scarring of delicate lung tissue and hinders the lungs' ability to transport oxygen to vital organs. 40,000 people, 40,000 Americans will die this year from IPF, and there's no cure or treatment for this debilitating irreversible disease. Far too many of those with IPF face severe disability or death within a few short years, and we saw that progression here with our colleague Mr. Norwood.

The purpose of this resolution is to bring awareness to the severity of this devastating disease. Additionally, the resolution will support the goals of the National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week and encourage the work being done by the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis and partner organizations in educating the public about IPF.

40,000 people die in a year, Madam Speaker. We should do what we can to bring attention and education and awareness to ensure it doesn't happen.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, let me just in closing commend Mr. Baird for his advocacy. I can only imagine what it meant to him and his family in seeing the passing of his dad from this dreaded illness.

So in his honor and that of Mr. Castle, Mr. Norwood and especially practically 40,000 fellow Americans, it's so important to solve the problem, to acknowledge it exists, and become aware and educated on how to solve it.

Let's not just acknowledge and become more aware, but give the resources and funding and support those who ultimately want to find a cure.

Madam Speaker, with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Let me join my colleague from Wisconsin in supporting H. Res. 524 and also acknowledging again at the outset the work and efforts of my colleague from New York (Mrs. McCarthy).

As was mentioned, the resolution recognizes the elements of the Diamond-Blackfan anemia and the research being done on the disease.

DBA is a blood condition, as mentioned, present at birth which is characterized by failure of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells, and unlike other types of anemia, DBA relates to a bone marrow failure. It's been the result of a genetic mutation and has generally been diagnosed at birth.

The purpose of this resolution is to bring awareness to this disease and the research and education surrounding Diamond-Blackfan anemia. As is always the case, although the word is rare and operative, the point is if somebody is suffering from DBA they're suffering, and just because there may not be tens of thousands a year, the fact is that suffering doesn't go away.

So I would urge the adoption.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, let me again congratulate Mrs. McCarthy for bringing this to the floor, and constantly, not just here but constantly bringing attention to DBA.

Whenever a parent gets bad news on a child and an illness, you know it takes to the heart. And there are so many innovative, wonderful, compassionate health care professionals who try to bring a level of comfort to those families, and I know that here in Congress we do the same and try to bring awareness. And although rare, or rarer

than many illnesses, nevertheless, the pain and suffering remains the same.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise in favor along with my colleague from Wisconsin and support H.R. 970. At the outset, I would also like to thank Mr. Upton of Michigan and Mr. Larsen of Washington for their work on this important legislation. Mr. Upton in particular has been a true champion and is one of the reasons why we are here.

Dextromethorphan, or DXM or DEX as it is sometimes called, is an ingredient found in cough medicine. The ingredient relieves the coughing associated with the cold or flu, which is a positive, and cough medicines containing this drug are common and can be obtained without prescription, as we full know. While the drug is safe and effective, it is also dangerous if too much is taken.

Reports have shown that some segments of the population, particularly young people, will take large amounts of this medicine in an attempt to absorb large amounts of DXM to get high. The abuse of this drug can cause death as well as other serious adverse events, such as brain damage, seizure, loss of consciousness, and irregular heartbeat.

Madam Speaker, at this point, I yield to my colleague and a true champion of this, Mr. Upton, for 4 minutes.

Madam Speaker, let me again commend Mr. Larsen, and of course Mr. Upton and my colleague from Wisconsin, and urge the adoption.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 507, the Vision Care for Kids Act, and join my colleague in asking for its adoption.

And at the outset, let me thank a few individuals for bringing this bill to the floor: of course, Chairman Dingell and Ranking Member Barton. I'd also like to thank Representatives Green, Sullivan, and Engel for their leadership and support in bringing the Vision Care for Kids Act to the floor, and Mr. Pascrell, who's been very, very passionate about this issue for many years. I've had the privilege and pleasure of working with him, and I know how passionate he is, like so many of us, to get quality vision care for kids who need it.

We've been working on this bill for about 6 years; and after countless modifications, negotiations and compromise, I'm proud to say we have a bill that is unanimously supported by the entire vision community.

And my colleague from Wisconsin put it very simply: there are many kids today who have problems with their eyes; who have an inability to see properly; who, if left untreated, obviously, leads to negative consequence in social interaction, not to mention their poor performance in school and academic achievement because of their inability to see, and not to mention the fact that they're not getting the appropriate care that in some cases leads to greater illnesses and in some cases leads to death.

The legislation we hope to pass today represents the kind of quality, sound public policy that can only come about through the bipartisan cooperation and a willingness to compromise by many interested parties.

H.R. 507 represents a responsible and sensible approach to public health. It's well documented that without the adequate access to vision screening and treatment for eye disorders, a child's entire learning and development can be adversely affected. And we say that for children who do not qualify for a public program and did not have health insurance, our assisting in catching potentially eye disorders is critical.

The bill strikes an effective balance with a shared relationship between Federal and State governments. Once States have identified, through the screening mechanism of their choice, that a child may have an eye disorder, this legislation will provide Federal funding for follow-up comprehensive eye exam and the necessary treatment.

By incorporating a three-to-one Federal-State match, we maintain incentives for States to run their programs efficiently, providing additional assurances to taxpayers that we're maximizing the use of each dollar spent.

I'd like to thank the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Vision Council of America, Prevent Blindness

of America, the American Optometric Association for their support of the legislation, that of my colleague, and know full well that if this bill does become law, there will be children who currently don't have access to quality treatment that will get the treatment they deserve and need so that they can live a more full and healthy and happy life.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, let me again, in closing, thank the sponsors, Mr. Green and, of course, Mr. Pascrell for really helping us to get to this point. I failed to mention Ms. Ros-Lehtinen before. She was instrumental as well, and Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Engel. Let me commend and thank my colleague Ms. Baldwin for her eloquence in shepherding all these bills to the floor.

As it relates to this bill, early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment, we know that those are the magical things that have to happen in order for a child to lead a more forward, healthy life. Without the access to the care that a child needs, we know that that life is going to be compromised in some way, shape, or form.

I think that this bill helps to get us to that point. I think it will help a lot of children who currently have no help and no access.

I would also like to thank Ryan McKee from my office, who has worked on this bill for several years in our efforts.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and achievements of Maurice Kenneth Shaw of Middletown, NJ, who died Sunday afternoon in Riverview Hospital in Red Bank, NJ. Maurice, or ``Mo'' as he liked to be called, was born the son of a Coast Guard captain on April 16, 1939, while the family was living in Rockville Centre, on Long Island.

After his family settled on Staten Island, Mo graduated from the former St. John's Preparatory School in Brooklyn. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Lehigh University and a master's degree in business administration from Wagner College.

After college, Mo Shaw joined KeySpan, formerly the Brooklyn Union Gas Company, in 1960. He served in a variety of marketing and financial positions and eventually worked his way up the executive ranks until 1999, when he retired as senior vice president and corporate affairs officer. My hometown paper, the Staten Island Advance described ``that final role with the company, in which he handled urban affairs and public relations, [as] a perfect fit for Mr. Shaw, who enjoyed making connections in the Staten Island community and lending corporate support to projects he knew would strengthen the borough economically and culturally.''

Mo loved the sea, and his accomplishments reflect that passion. Mr. Shaw joined and later became chairman of the board of the Noble Maritime Collection, a museum that showcases the works of maritime artist John Noble. He took on this endeavor in 1998, when the museum had no operating budget or staff, but through his tenacity, commitment, and ingenuity, helped the collection receive regular city funding and contributions from the business community.

Mo was a proud Coast Guard veteran, and he was always eager to support the Coast Guard and the Navy. He served as president of the USS The Sullivans Foundation, which supports the work of the Navy ship that was commissioned in Stapleton, Staten Island in April, 1997. Mo was the driving force behind the commissioning of the USS The Sullivans, which his friends describe as an act of love. Afterwards, he formed a new group, the Sullivans Foundation, in order to help maintain a strong link between the USS The Sullivans and the local community. This past June, he presided over 4 days of celebration in honor of that ship's 10th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to praise the noble life of Maurice Kenneth Shaw. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, Mary Elizabeth, his three daughters, Victoria, Anne, and Elizabeth, and his six grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, last Tuesday was the sixth anniversary of 9/11, and it is time to reaffirm our commitment to ``Never Forget.''

What many here in Washington have forgotten is that a silent killer to this day is still taking the lives of the rescue, recovery, and

clean-up workers and volunteers who were at ground zero. All of them, in addition to those who worked, lived, and went to school in lower Manhattan, breathed the toxic air created by the destruction of the towers, and many of them are suffering tragically from the health effects.

A New York City Health Department study shows an increased incidence of asthma for those who worked the pile, and an Department of Health and Human services study shows that illnesses as a result of exposure to 9/11 toxins are on the rise.

As this problem grows, progress on coming to a solution can be measured only in small steps rather than giant leaps as critical needs continue to be unmet after 6 years.

My colleagues and I have worked across party lines fighting for health monitoring for all who were exposed, adequate funding to treat those who are sick or injured and a comprehensive federal plan to ensure that anyone impacted by 9/11 gets the care he or she deserves.

We have had some successes, such as including $50 million for federally-funded 9/11 health clinics in the Labor HHS appropriations bill to ensure that the unsung heroes of 9/11 have access to the care they need.

This is a step in the right direction, and we need to keep the momentum going. That's why I have worked across party lines with my colleagues, including Congresswoman Maloney, to develop legislation we are offering today to address several key areas to help our heroes who are sick now as well as anyone who falls ill in the future. The 9/11 Health and Compensation Act provides comprehensive medical monitoring and treatment for those who were exposed to Ground Zero toxins and compensation for the sick and injured. The bill goes further than any effort to date by expanding monitoring and treatment to all who were exposed, including responders, residents, workers, and students in the area. It also makes good on our promise to reopen the Victims Compensation Fund to help those who fell ill over the past 3 years.

I applaud the work of my colleagues for coming together to help those whose health is in danger because of exposure to ground zero on that fateful day. I pledge my full support of these efforts as we move forward, because I truly affirm to ``Never Forget.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and I thank her for her efforts to date on being one of the strongest and one of the most vocal advocates for ensuring that the people who, regrettably, either are not known about or too often are forgotten, those are the folks that have been represented so well by Mrs. Maloney and mentioned by Mr. Nadler, people who are suffering today.

There is one thing I know about the American people. If they know that their fellow citizens are suffering, especially those who responded to that tragedy on 9/11, they will be willing to help. So I think it is part of our job, a very important role here is that we continue to inform not just the Congress, but really, by extension, the American people that there are thousands of people who need our help.

As we approach the sixth anniversary of 9/11, it is time to reaffirm our commitment of never forgetting. As was mentioned, we may forget too much here in Washington. All of those who worked, lived and went to school in Lower Manhattan, who breathed in the toxic air created by the destruction of the Towers, many of them are suffering tragically from health effects. A New York City Health Department study shows an increased incidence of asthma for those that worked at the pile. A Department of Health and Human Services study shows that illnesses that are a result of exposure to 9/11 toxins are definitely on the rise. As this problem grows, progress on coming to a solution can be measured only in small steps rather than giant leaps as critical needs continue to be unmet after 6 years. In fairness, in the last 2 years or so, we have had some progress: $125 million from the Federal Government, of which $75 million went for treatment, that was for the first time, working with Mrs. Maloney in particular; getting the creation of a health czar by the name of Dr. John Howard to help coordinate and minister the Federal response.

As was mentioned, there was $50 million in the appropriations bill. But so much more needs to be done, and I think a stronger Federal response is appropriate. We fought across party lines. After all, this is not a Democrat or Republican issue; this is just about people coming together to help our Federal citizens to ensure that an adequate Federal plan is put into place.

We have a step in the right direction, and we need to keep the momentum going. That is why we are working to help draft legislation that addresses several key areas to help our heroes who are sick today, as well as anyone who falls ill in the future. One of the alarming trends that we see is that according to anyone you talk to with knowledge, it is beyond anecdotal. We can all tell stories of individuals who we know, young firefighters who ran a 6-minute mile in their thirties and forties and now have trouble walking up a flight of stairs.

The clinic that deals with the fire department in the City of New York that

sees on a regular basis firefighters has already evaluated more than 14,000 firefighters. That is 14,000 firefighters. That doesn't include the more than 55,000 people on the registry.

As we speak, there are 3,000 firefighters who are seeking mental health counseling and 2,000 who go for regular check-ups for their physical well-being, pulmonary problems, respiratory problems, the World Trade Center cough, asthma. The list goes on, not even to go into the cancer-related illnesses that we think may spring up in the future. I say that because many illnesses will not manifest themselves for another 15 or 20 or 25 years.

Is it the right thing to do for America to turn its back on young men and women who really gave their all on that day, who ran into burning buildings to try to save others, who stayed on the pile week in and week out? Are we really doing the right thing by saying they might not get to see their grandchildren or their kids go to school or to graduations or weddings?

I don't think it is the right thing to do, which is why I think this legislation is so important. When you think about the number of people on the registry, 71,000, maybe not all of them are sick, but let's suppose half of them are. That is larger than many small towns and cities and villages across the United States. They are actively under review for health care problems.

We know the Department of Health and Human Services revealed that 6,500 responders, and I mentioned within the fire department, but in total 6,500 responders are currently being treated for 9/11-related health problems through the federally funded World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program, and another 500 to 1,000 additional responders are signing up each month.

I know we have a wonderful gift in this country to be compassionate, to take care of those in need. I think our roles here, with my colleagues Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Nadler, so many across the New York delegation, I just think it is our role to speak loudly, convincingly, working with the AFL-CIO in New York.

We will be getting together Saturday at Ground Zero to call attention once again and to reaffirm our commitment never to forget.

On a very personal level, I know too many people across Staten Island and Brooklyn who were willing to risk their lives. I know many who risked their lives and gave their lives on September 11. But the untold story, and it will be told for years and years to come, are so many young people who stayed there for the recovery and rescue effort and now need our help. This Federal legislation that we are proposing and soon to be introducing will help them give a degree of certainty.

Finally, we mentioned the new clinic alone on Staten Island that will make it more convenient for firefighters. How important it is for treatment and monitoring to go hand-in-hand. It is one thing to give these individuals a level of assurance that the treatment will be there. Another is the financial implications. It is not unusual for a firefighter to have copayments for prescription medication, not available in generic, of $2,600 a year because of having to respond to Ground Zero after 9/11.

Two thousand six hundred dollars is a lot of money, especially to a firefighter. We should be there to help offset that cost. And the monitoring is important because of the fear and the concern, the fear and the concern that the more debilitating, more severe illnesses will manifest themselves. I talk of leukemia or blood illnesses or cancers.

That is why it is so essential that we get this plan put in place and that the Federal Government and the United States of America not turn its back on the thousands of people who need our help.

Mr. Speaker I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Congressman Paul Gillmor and offer my sincere condolences to his family. My wife and I extend our sympathies to Paul's wife Karen and their 5 children. I know that no words can provide comfort during this difficult time or shine light on this period of darkness, but please know that Paul's family remains in my thoughts and prayers.

I had the pleasure to work closely with Paul as a Member of both the Energy and Commerce Committee and Financial Services Committee for nearly 10 years. I got to see first-hand his passion for public service, his commitment to the people of Ohio and the earnest way in which he approached his job. He truly loved representing his community and making a positive difference in their lives and the lives of all Americans.

The 5th District of Ohio was well served with Paul Gillmor in office and he will be remembered dearly for his many years of public service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute and honor to Robert Ricciardi, a New York City firefighter who's retiring today after many years of service to the city of New York and to the people of New York.

Robert is an exemplary model of what makes the Fire Department of New York the best Fire Department in the world. Like many other firefighters, Robert spent a great deal of his free time volunteering throughout his community on Staten Island. He was an active member of his church and spent much time coaching youth sports. As a matter of fact, I bet tonight Robert will be at the St. Claire's gym for youth basketball tryouts.

Robert has served New York City with distinction as one of New York's bravest. Over the course of his career he's helped save the lives of countless people, risking his own safety to protect others. Like his fellow firefighters and so many throughout the country, Robert rushed into burning buildings as others ran in the opposite direction with a singular mission, to save the lives of the people whose names he did not know, that he never met and might never see again. Robert understood that one of the most important contributions we can make is to help others in need. He's dedicated his life to this principle, and he leaves behind a great legacy of service.

Robert, like so many firefighters across Staten Island and the city also knew many who lost their lives on September 11, as the previous speaker just mentioned, and with that, he carries that with him throughout his life.

We also know that Staten Island and all of New York are better off because of Robert's dedication and decision to be one of New York City's bravest. His service will be clearly missed, but we are fortunate that Robert will continue to be a positive force in our local community. We wish Robert and his wife, Dorine, along with their four children, Robert, Christian, Nicole and Gregory, the best of luck in their future, wherever it may take them.

I'm honored to call Robert a friend, and I'm delighted to have this opportunity to say thank you for all that you've done for New York City.

Good luck, Robert. We wish you well.

I remember after 9/11 how there was a lot of finger pointing as to who made mistakes and who caused it, where was the intelligence community, where were our defenses?

Isn't that what this is all about, trying to put in place mechanisms to ensure and to allow our intelligence community to stop another attack? Isn't this what it's all about to protect the American people and not to have so many police officers and firefighters rush into a burning and collapsing building?

Just remember one thing. On 9/11, aside from a tragedy that occurred that day, about 3,000 kids lost a parent, 450 kids on Staten Island alone. Just think of how many missed birthdays there are, missed weddings, missed graduations, 3,000 kids lost a parent because of what happened on that day.

Shouldn't we be standing united to ensure that not one more kid in this country loses their parents because some terrorist wants to blow up a building in this country? Shouldn't we err on the side of giving our folks the power to stop that?

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Mr. Kingston and Ms. DeLauro. And of course my colleagues, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Weiner, and Mr. Nadler, because despite this being a national problem, as you can imagine, are very specific to New York, and in my case, Staten Island has been under attack by the Asian Longhorned Beetle. The beetles have already killed 8,400 trees. Officials are expected to destroy 10,000 trees to keep the beetle from spreading throughout the U.S.

We know that 35 percent of all urban trees are at risk. Replacement value is $669 billion. The first evidence was found on a silver maple tree on March 22 by USDA tree climbers. This early detection gives hope the threat can be contained before it spreads to the nearby Greenbelt, which is an urban forest comparable to Rock Creek.

The bill before us today provides a little over $20 million to help eradicate the beetle, a far cry from the $48 million the USDA says is needed annually.

This a serious problem for Staten Island and the rest of New York City. I look forward to working with you, Madam Chair, and Mr. Kingston in an effort to provide additional funding in conference. Will you be willing to work with me on this issue?

I thank the gentlewoman.

Let me thank the gentleman for yielding as we continue the debate on ensuring children's health care.

Madam Speaker, let me bring up another point, and that is something that has been debated. Despite all the things we talk about here, there is nothing more important than protecting this country. Regrettably, I lost more people in Staten Island in Brooklyn than any other district in this country on 9/11. We should be doing everything possible to ensure that our intelligence community is preventing terrorist attacks. Right now, Congress, I believe, is abdicating its responsibility. That's why I urge my colleagues to defeat the rule and urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question on the rule.

If the previous question is defeated, we will immediately bring legislation to the floor to solve an intelligence gap. Very simply this, the American people need to know, if there is a foreigner on foreign soil, if there is an area in Afghanistan where the intelligence community knows for a fact that there are terrorists plotting attacks to kill Americans, right now, without a court order, we can't listen to those conversations. That's irresponsible.

If we want to help and protect the American people to the best of our ability, we will allow our intelligence community to listen to foreigners on foreign soils whose sole objective is to kill more Americans and our allies without a court order or obtaining a warrant.

If we have another attack, God forbid, I would like to see Members in this body rush to the floor and explain why they wouldn't allow our intelligence community to listen to foreigners on foreign soil who want to only do one thing, kill us.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Addison Good is an 80 year-old retired cook from Staten Island. He survives on a very limited income of Social Security and a small pension. Through every step of his hip operations, his Medicare Advantage plan paid for the services and drugs that he needed. He switched to a new plan that provides even better benefits at lower cost. He says he does not know how he would get the care he needs without his Medicare Advantage.

Let me say up front, we will consider Mr. Addison Good as we consider the legislation; and I support the SCHIP program, I support its reauthorization, I support expanding access to health care for low- income children.

I do not support this ill-conceived plan that pits parents against their grandchildren. Make no mistake, the bill cuts Medicare by more than $190 billion. In my district alone, it will reduce funds for Medicare Advantage by $58 million for the 38,000 enrollees in just the first year.

The real-world impact of slashing $58 million in Medicare in Staten Island, Brooklyn, for seniors enrolled in this program could result in the following: either denied access to the program altogether, to lose health care benefits like hearing, vision and dental services or have to pay more out of pocket. We should not gut Medicare or punish seniors to achieve a Democratic goal.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I will be as brief as possible. If there is any issue that we all could come together on, despite the many disagreements that exist, is the notion that the American people should be as best protected as possible. I hope that this bill does just that.

At the outset, let me thank the chairman, and, in particular, my good friend, Peter King, for their tireless work in trying to advance this bill. Importantly, I thank the common sense of Peter King and his tenacity and persistence to ensure things like the John Doe provision remain part of this conference report, so I tip my hat.

The first part, a beneficial part of this program, is finally the UASI program has been authorized into law. At $850 million, I believe that this true threat-based funding formula will bring assistance to the first responders in high-threat areas such as New York City that they deserve.

Second, the bill resizes the Homeland Security Advisory System and makes improvements to information sharing between and among local, State and Federal officials, a goal I worked on with several amendments to the intelligence authorization bill for the last 2 years.

However, let me say I continue to be disappointed of the fact that the 9/11 Commission suggestions are not fully implemented here. Reducing the State minimums from .75 percent to .375 percent and then .35 percent is a step in the right direction but falls short of truly realizing the report's recommendation.

Earlier today we passed the farm bill. Farmers get the money. In homeland security, the cities that deserve and have the highest threat and the most vulnerabilities and the consequences should get the money. I think that's common sense. As a reminder, on page 396 of the 9/11 Commission report, states that the ``Homeland Security security assistance should be based strictly on an assessment of risks and vulnerabilities. . . . Federal Homeland Security assistance should not remain a program for general revenue sharing . . . Congress should not use this money as a pork barrel.''

Madam Speaker, I want to extend my congratulations to Dr. Marlene Springer, second president of the College of Staten Island, the City University of New York, on the occasion of her retirement.

Dr. Springer has served CSI as its president from 1994 through August of this year. In these 13 years of leadership, Dr. Springer advanced campus technology, established public-private partnerships, initiated an international distance education program, developed an international high school on campus, increased the College's enrollment to record levels, and strengthened academic standards.

In addition to a variety of other honors and accolades, she was selected as one of only four U.S. delegates to the Annual International Forum of Female Presidents in Higher Education in Beijing, and is also one of seven U.S. college presidents who founded The Oxford Conclave on Global Ethics.

She has made CSI a recognized leader locally, nationally, and internationally; Staten Islanders are proud of her and of ``their college.''

I would like to publicly thank Dr. Springer for her outstanding leadership, and I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.