E 1010 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 11, 1995

adage that success has many fathers while

failure is an orphan is accurate, than the father of this excellent proposal is my cosponsor

and learned friend from Virginia, Mr. BOUCHER.

We have cosponsored several bills in the past

and each of these bills has done well in the

legislative process. It is a pleasure to join him

again in offering this legislation.

We urge every member of this House to join

us in cosponsoring H.R. 1616, the Superfund

Liability Allocation Act of 1995, and ask that

they call David Luken of my staff (ext. 53761)

or Andrew Wright of Mr. Boucher’s staff (ext.

53861) to do so.

RABBI AND REBBETZEN RYBAK

fHONORED

HON. WILLIAM J. MARTINI OF NEW JERSEY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 11, 1995

Mr. MARTINI. Mr. Speaker, on Sunday

night, May 14, 1995, Rabbi Dr. Solomon

Rybak and Rebbetzen Dr. Shoshana Rybak

will observe the completion of 10 years affiliation with the congregation and service to the

Passaic and Clifton communities at Congregation Adas Israel in Passaic, New Jersey. I congratulate them and wish them all the best as

they celebrate this truly special occasion.

Rabbi and Rebbetzen Rybak have been

recognized as exceptional personalities in the

Passaic-Clifton area as well as in the larger

metropolitan New York-New Jersey educational community. Both have attained significant achievements in furthering Jewish education and values. Upon completing his studies at Yeshiva University and receiving rabbinical ordination from the late, renowned

torah giant Rabbi Dr. Joseph Soleveitchik,

Rabbi Rybak served as Rabbi Soleveitchik’s

research assistant in the Rogosin Institute of

Ethics. Rabbi Rybak was appointed by Dr.

Samuel Belkin, President of Yeshiva University, to the position of Rosh Yeshiva at the Yeshiva University High School and held that position for 27 years. Rabbi Rybak earned his

Ph.D. in Semitic languages from the Bernard

Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University

and has lectured and published on educational

and Halachic topics. In addition to his duties

as spiritual leader of Congregation Adas Israel, Rabbi Rybak is a Professor of Jewish

Studies at Touro college, serves as the editor

of CHAVRUSA, the professional publication of

the Yeshiva University Rabbinical Alumni and

is a member of the executive board of the

Rabbinical Council of America.

Equally accomplished, Rebbetzen Rybak

has balanced the dual role of a Rebbetzin and

a professional in her daily routine. Rebbetzen

Rybak was educated in both Israel and in New

York and holds a Jewish Teacher’s Diploma

from Beth Jacob Seminary and a Doctorate in

school and clinical psychology from Pace University. Rebbetzin Rybak has been involved in

many of the congregation’s programs, concentrating on the youth Yom Tov celebrations

and the congregation’s Simchat Torah, Purim,

and Yom Haatzmaut festivals. As a therapist

and licensed psychologist, Dr. Rybak has

been involved with several groups of exceptional children including the handicapped, the

developmentally disabled and the gifted. She

is currently the clinical coordinator at the Hebrew Academy for Special Children [HASC] in

Brooklyn and is a member of several professional organizations including the American

Psychological Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the Council for Exceptional Children.

Upon their arrival in Passaic in 1984, Rabbi

and Rebbetzen Rybak found a diversified

community representing the full spectrum of

modern Jewish society. In a quiet and unassuming manner Rabbi and Rebbetzen Rybak

began actively participating in the ongoing revitalization of the Passaic-Clifton community.

The contributions of Rabbi and Rebbetzen

Rybak over the past 10 years have been instrumental in continuing to make Passaic and

Clifton attractive to young Jewish couples

looking for a vibrant area in which to establish

their home. Their dedication to community

service and education serves as a role model

and inspiration to all. I salute these two fine individuals, and can only say that I am proud to

call them members of the Eighth Congressional District of New Jersey.

COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION

ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1996

fSPEECH OF

HON. C.W. BILL YOUNG OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, May 9, 1995

The House in Committee of the Whole

House on the State of the Union had under

consideration the bill (H.R. 1361) to authorize

appropriations for fiscal year 1996 for the

Coast Guard, and for other purposes:

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise

in strong support of H.R. 1361, the Coast

Guard Authorization Act.

The men and women of the Coast Guard

are life savers, they protect our national security, they fight crime, and they protect our environment.

The people of Florida have a special appreciation for the work of the Coast Guard. As the

chairman of the Florida congressional delegation, I in particular pay tribute to the 7th District which serves Florida, the busiest Coast

Guard district in our Nation.

It is a privilege for me to represent Pinellas

County, FL, which is home to three Coast

Guard stations including Group St. Petersburg,

which is responsible for protecting Florida’s

west coast down through the Carribbean, the

Clearwater Air Station, the largest Coast

Guard Air Station in the United States, and the

Sand Key Station, which responds regularly to

emergencies at sea and in our inland waters.

Because the Coast Guard has consistently

responded to untraditional challenges to our

Nation with determination, creativity, and effectiveness, the Congress has seen fit year

after year to add to its long list of multifaceted

responsibilities. In the early 1980’s, when the

flow of illegal narcotics through the Carribbean

threatened the nationality security of the United States, the U.S. Coast Guard was charged

with slamming the door on this drug trade.

The vigilance with which the Coast Guard undertook this mission forced drug smugglers to

abandon Florida as a primary point of entry

into the United States. Those who persist in

trying to bring drugs into our Nation through

Florida have been met with the firm response,

such as last year when the St. Petersburg

based Coast Guard Cutter Point Countess

intercepted the freighter Inge Frank near the

Sunshine Skyway bridge at the entrance to

Tampa Bay, escorted it to its mooring, and

joined the DEA and Customs Service in a raid

that seized more than 6,000 pounds of cocaine, preventing $272 million in illegal drugs

from reaching our streets.

Most recently, when our Nation was faced

with an exodus of tens of thousands of Cuban

and Haitian refugees, the Coast Guard responded. The 7th District rescued more than

23,000 Haitians at sea in unsafe vessels last

Spring, and expanded its operations last Summer, pulling more than 35,000 Cubans from

the waters of the Florida Straits. Aircraft from

the Clearwater Air Station flew 3,200 flying

hours in support of these missions, and delivered over 600 tons of cargo to the U.S. forces

implementing our immigration policies on

shore.

It is the Coast Guard which is responsible

for enforcing all United States laws at sea,

whether they be immigration, narcotics, environmental, fishery, or safety-related.

It is the Coast Guard which is responsible

for its well known search and rescue missions

at sea. This mission not only saves lives just

about every day of the year, but also saves

significant amount of public and private property. Recently the Florida pilot of a small plane

learned this lesson the hard way, when, far

from land, he radioed a mayday, saying he

had only 15 minutes of fuel left. His plane hit

the water 70 miles west of Tampa Bay, and

sank within 60 seconds. A nearby Coast

Guard Falcon Fanjet used direction-finding

equipment to locate the plane, witnessed it hit

the water, and dropped a life-raft and emergency locating transmitter which enabled the

pilot to be rescued later. Similar air rescues

have saved 188 lives off the coasts of Florida

alone since last April, and will continue to provide Americans with a level of safety at sea.

It is also the Coast Guard which is responsible for the less glamorous, but vitally important responsibility of maintaining vital aids to

navigation that keep ships and boats out of

jeopardy. Though some take channel markers,

ocean buoys, loran stations, and other necessary navigational aids for granted, they are

the critical signposts that allow for the safe

passage of boaters on our waterways.

The Coast Guard receives invaluable help in

fulfilling many of these diverse responsibilities

from the volunteers of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The 572 active members of Auxiliary Division 8, who provide support to Group St. Petersburg, make up the largest auxiliary unit in

the Nation. Auxiliary members are very active

in educating the public about boating safety issues, providing free boating safety classes

and dockside courtesy marine examinations.

Last year alone, in addition to training 1,330

students and conducting 8,104 courtesy marine examinations, Division 8 also conducted

1,364 support missions, logged over 14,607

underway hours, saved five lives, assisted 393

boaters, and saved more than $2.6 million in

property.

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the least known and

understood of the Coast Guard’s mission is

one for which I have funding and oversight responsibility: defense readiness. When activated by the President, the Coast Guard assists the U.S. Navy in time of conflict, guarding the foreign and domestic ports we use to
May 11, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 1011

deliver troops and vital supplies in support of

operations such as Desert Shield/Desert

Storm, Grenada, and most recently in Haiti. In

recognition of these readiness and port security missions, the Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, which I chair, has

consistently provided funding support for the

Coast Guard. In addition, I have worked to ensure that we better link our military intelligence

assets with the Coast Guard to provide greater assistance in its drug-interdiction and security-related efforts. Such intelligence and detection capabilities dramatically improve the

Coast Guard’s ability to do its job, and I look

forward to promoting more effective cooperation between the services in the future.

While the duties and expectations of the

Coast Guard continue to grow, the funding

necessary to fully meet them has not. Over

the years, the Coast Guard has worked to find

cost-effective ways to meet the demands

placed upon it within an extremely tight budget, and I commend them. It is difficult to find

another part of Government that does so

much, so well, with so little. The last 2 years

serve as the greatest example of this conflict

between goals and resources. This administration has recommended sharp reductions in

funding for drug interdiction, and as a result

reports now indicate Caribbean trafficking may

again be rising.

Changing administration policies with regard

to Haiti and Cuba have encouraged greater

and greater numbers of refugees to take to

the water, forcing the Coast Guard to shift assets from other important areas to tackle this

overwhelming burden. In each of these instances, the Coast Guard has become our

Nation’s last line of defense, and the line is

being stretched thinner and thinner.

If past performance is any guide, the men

and women of the Coast Guard will continue

to meet the new threats to America’s national

and economic security with creativity, perseverance, and professionalism. Mr. Speaker, I

salute them and their important mission and

rise in support of this legislation to give them

the tools to continue to undertake their important work which saves lives and protects our

coastline.

SCRIPTWRITING CONTEST WINNER

RACHEL D. KILLIAN,

f

HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR. OF TENNESSEE

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 11, 1995

Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, each year the

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States

and its ladies auxiliary conduct the Voice of

Democracy broadcast scriptwriting contest.

This past year, more then 126,000 secondary

school students participated in the contest

competing for the 54 national scholarships totaling more than $109,000.

This year’s Tennessee winner is Rachel D.

Killian, a junior at South-Doyle High School.

Miss Killian is an active member of her student council, enjoys reading and drama, and

belongs to Knoxville Youth in Government.

She plans a career in television and radio

journalism-communications. Miss Killian was

sponsored by VEW Post 1733 and its ladies

auxiliary in Knoxville, TN.

I would ask that Miss Killian’s essay, ‘‘My

Vision for America’’ be entered into the

RECORD. I believe we can all benefit from her

insightful, patriotic remarks:

MY VISION FOR AMERICA

This country was founded by people of

great vision. Although they came from different countries and backgrounds, they had a

common dream which brought them together—the dream of a land where they

could have better lives. By working together,

these strong pioneers made this dream of

freedom and opportunity a fantastic reality

we call ‘‘America.’’

During the past two hundred years, this vision of freedom has appealed to many

trapped under oppressive governments.

Thousands found their way to America each

year, escaping from wars, hunger, political

unrest and religious persecution. They found

a haven in America. These immigrants are

our ancestors. They are our relatives not

necessarily by blood, but by a common heritage. They endured many pains and sacrifices

to arrive here. Many had noting to hang on

to but a dream.

These early Americans were genuinely

grateful for every opportunity they were

given. They respected the government for all

it provided and gladly participated in the duties of citizenship. Unlike the grateful citizens of the past, many Americans today insult the government and blame the system

for every problem. They demand benefits,

such as military protections, without accepting the burden of paying taxes. They often

believe they are entitled to certain rights

over others and have forgotten what it

means to be tolerant of others’ beliefs. Worst

of all, they display a loss of confidence in the

future of America and the capability of

American leaders. These unpatriotic feelings

are destroying the optimism, the honor and

the pride we should have in America. Because there are people burning with anger instead of burning with pride, we have lost the

sense of brotherhood which once flowed from

sea to shining sea and united this country.

My vision of America calls for a change in

every American heart. We must remember

the dreams of our immigrant ancestors and

imitate some of their patriotic values such

as love for each other, for our community

and for our government. The men and women

who created our nation did not expect others

to rescue them from hardships. They were

not complainers, but achievers, and their

hard work brought America prosperity.

In my dream we are more like our ancestors. We are people of vision pushing for

what we know is right. We display tolerance

and patience for other individuals, and we

emphasize our similarities rather then our

differences. We look at our collective ancestors and say, ‘‘We are one, with one spirit.

We are an American Family.’’

In my vision, I see a ‘‘new’’ America with

patriotic citizens who know and appreciate

all the lyrics to the ‘‘Star-Spangled Banner.’’

I see citizens who talk about what’s right

with the country instead of what’s wrong,

where Uncle Sam is welcome at every dinner

table and where citizens are proud to show

they are Americans at times other than during the Olympics. I see a country that shares

dreams and reaches for goals that will benefits everyone, not just a select few. I see

Americans with changed attitudes toward

each other and a land where every worker

has a respected place and purpose—where

every single person feels like an important

part of one united spirit.

There are ways that my vision for America

could be achieved. First, American

newpapers need to print more positive articles to improve the public morale. Second, to

remind citizens of their many blessings, everyone needs to be informed of the lack of

human rights in other countries. It is so easy

to forget how lucky we are to be living in the

United States. Finally, Americans must stop

dividing into so many groups. Instead of

being Democrat or Republican, upper class

or blue collar, black or white, we should be

American. If we are going to be strong as a

country, and supportive of each other, then

we must be united as a people.

My vision for America in not a new one.

Our ancestors held the same hopes for this

country, but over the years their visions

have been forgotten. If we could remember

one thing from their success, then it should

be that we must never stop believing in our

visions for America. History has taught us

that there are dreams that can come true.

VISION FOR AMERICA

fHON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 11, 1995

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, each year the

Veterans of Foreign Wars and its ladies auxiliary conduct the Voice of Democracy broadcast scriptwriting contest. This year more than

126,000 secondary school students participated in the contest, competing for the 54 national scholarships totaling more than

$109,000. The contest theme for this year was

‘‘My Vision For America.’’

I am proud to announce that one of my constituents, Stephen Jensen, won fourth place

honors and a $6,000 scholarship in the Voice

of Democracy contest. Stephen is a junior at

Tarpon Springs High School and hopes to pursue a career in entertainment or public relations.

In his speech, Stephen reminds us all of

what can be accomplished when people are

united by a common objective. I would like to

share Stephen’s speech with you.

What a vision we must have been.

Drenched in sweat, caked with mud, and surrounded by the foul stench of rotting vegetation and debris, over six thousand volunteers

toiled in Albany, Georgia this past summer

under the blazing July sun to help the people

whose lives were devastated by the worst

floods in recent history. Side by side we gutted out homes and churches sodden by the

floods and stripped the buildings down to

their foundations. Sharing in this service

gave me a vision of what an American community can accomplish when people are

united by a common purpose.

There are those in this country who are

overwhelmed by another flood sweeping

through the streets of our land. The surge of

violence and crime, drug abuse, loss of private and public virtue and the erosion of the

family are but some of the storm-waters

surging over the banks in our country today.

Our first reaction is to view these problems

with bitterness and despair, but if we can

truly hold on to a positive vision, we will not

lose hope. Let us share in the view expressed

by American poet, Carl Sandburg when he

wrote, ‘‘I see America not in the setting sun

of a black night of despair ahead of us. I see

America in the crimson light of a rising sun,

fresh from the burning, creative hand of God.

I see great days ahead, great days possible to

men and women of will and vision.’’

Experiencing great opposition is not

unique to Americans today. Are the challenges we face any more difficult than those

faced by previous generations? Early colonists struggled with disease, famine, and the