May 17, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 1057

The GLI is a shining example of current regulatory approaches. It gives maximum flexibility to the States. In 1986, the Governors of all

eight Great Lakes States entered into discussions with the EPA. They literally sat at the

table and drafted model regulations to raise

our water quality standards. On March 13 of

this year, the EPA accepted the Governors’

suggestions and issued a final rule on the

Great Lakes Initiative.

Any efforts to undo all of this hard work

would be inconsistent with the long-term bipartisan effort to provide uniform water quality

standards among Great Lakes States. It will

say that those 9 years of negotiating and careful thought are merely voluntary guidelines.

Under the GLI, a specific numeric criteria

has been set to protect aquatic life, wildlife,

and human health in our region. The GLI sets

limits on PCB’s, dioxin, DDT, benzene, and

chlordane just to name a few. It offers guidance yes, but guidance is useless unless it is

implemented.

People in my State remember, and are suffering even today from PCB’s. Mothers who

ate a lot of fish from the lakes during pregnancy are seeing their infants developing at a

slower rate than others. Higher rates of cancer

have occurred in communities whose drinking

water comes from the Great Lakes. Preliminary research indicates that PCB’s and other

pollutants may be linked with breast cancer in

women. People want their water to be protected from toxins and pollutants.

All the GLI is trying to do is to ensure that

every State in the region has the same water

quality standards. It simply levels the playing

field for all eight States. We don’t want one

state undercutting another and driving our

standards to lower and lower levels. If we

make it voluntary, we undercut the whole purpose of the GLI. We will start the downward

spiral of pollution and toxic contamination of

our lakes all over again. For those of us near

Lake St. Clair, last summer we got a reminder

of what that could be like. We don’t want to go

back.

We are talking about 95 percent of this Nation’s fresh water. We are talking about lakes

that provide 23 million people with their drinking water. We are talking about a multibillion

dollar economic resource. We are talking

about a national treasure.

The American people thought we reached a

consensus—that we should protect our water.

We have made progress. In the Great Lakes

region, the GLI was an important part of that

progress. Let’s not turn back the clock. Let’s

move forward to make our water cleaner and

safer. I urge my colleagues to support clean

water and to support the GLI.

NAMING PS 165 THE EDITH

BERGTRAUM SCHOOL

f

HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 17, 1995

Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to join with my constituents in the Fifth Congressional District of New York and with the

many friends of the Bergtraum family as they

gather on May 19 to honor the memory of the

renowned educator Edith K. Bergtraum, and to

name Public School 165 in her memory.

Edith was both a personal friend and a dedicated member of the community. Her level of

involvement and dedication created a yardstick by which all such activity can be measured.

A long-time activist in the Kew Gardens Hills

and Flushing communities, Edith was a product of the New York City school system as

well as a graduate of Hunter College of the

City University of New York. Her sense of

community brought her beyond the boundaries

of her neighborhood; she quickly assumed

leadership roles in the Kew Gardens Hills

Jewish Center, the Queens County Democratic Committee, and the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women.

Yet it was in the field of education that Edith

had her most significant impact. She began

her educational career when PS 165 opened

and her son entered the first grade in a school

that had 3,000 children but only 1,000 seats.

With the support of her husband, Murry

Bergtraum (a most powerful advocate for the

schools children of New York City who would

later become president of the City’s Board of

Education), Edith quickly and effectively joined

the ongoing fight for the rights and education

of children.

When Murry became the first president of

the PS 165 Parents-Teachers Association,

Edith assumed a seat on the executive board.

Their joint efforts to alleviate the overcrowding

in the school were successful, as three more

elementary schools—PS 200, 201, and 219—

were constructed nearby. When her children

moved onto Junior High School 218 and Forest Hills High School, Edith followed, enriching

these schools with the same dynamism that

she brought to PS 165.

As her involvement grew, so did recognition

of her capabilities. In 1974, Edith was elected

to Community School Board 25, a position she

held for 19 years. During this period, she was

elected president of the local school board.

She also somehow found the time to serve on

citywide educational committees on special

education, personnel and budget. In 1993, she

was named the Queens borough representative on the search committee to select a new

schools chancellor.

Mr. Speaker, as the people of Community

School District 25 and those throughout New

York City gather on May 19 to honor Edith K.

Bergtraum, it is my hope that we will continue

to be inspired and dedicated to the education

of our children by following the most unique

example she has set.

I call on all my colleagues in the House of

Representatives to join me now in expressing

our thanks and congratulations for Edith’s

good works to her family: her son, Howard

Bergtraum, and daughter-in-law, Susan

Bergtraum, and their children, Matthew, Jordan, and Andrea Bergtraum; Edith’s daughter

Judy Bergtraum; and Edith’s daughter Marcia

Bergtraum-Williams, and son-in-law, Dan Williams, and their children, Harel and Marc Williams; Edith’s brother and sister-in-law, Stanley and Bernice Bergtraum; and Edith’s sister

and brother-in-law, Nat and Janice Sommer.

With the dedication of the Edith Bergtraum

School, we ensure that the people of New

York will long remember a dynamic educator,

a compassionate humanitarian, and a special

friend.

ELIMINATE THE MARRIAGE PENALTY FOR THE EXCLUSION OF

GAIN ON THE SALE OF A PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE BY AN INDIVIDUAL OVER 55

HON. RICHARD E. NEAL OF MASSACHUSETTS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 17, 1995

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker,

today, I introduced legislation to correct an inequity in on our current tax system. Under current law, an individual over the age of 55 is allowed a one-time exclusion of capital gain on

the sale of a principal residence. This onetime exclusion invokes a marriage penalty.

This legislation would eliminate the marriage

penalty for the one-time exclusion of gain on

the sale of a principal residence.

For example, two individuals over the age of

55 who decide to marry and sell their homes

would only receive an exclusion of $125,000.

Whereas, if they did not marry and sold their

homes they each would be able to receive an

exclusion for $125,000. This legislation addresses this problem. The legislation eliminates the marriage penalty by disregarding

elections made before the date of marriage or

elections made on homes sold after the date

of marriage, but purchased before the marriage.

Fairness is an important element of tax policy. The current policy on the one-time exclusion assists individuals who are approaching

retirement and it is a valuable exclusion. Our

Tax Code should be fair and not discriminate

against basic values such as marriage. The

decision to marry should not be based on financial reasons.

I urge you to correct this inequity and support this legislation.

5715 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN

fONE ROOM

HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 17, 1995

Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

share with my colleagues news of a special

gathering that will take place on Thursday,

May 18, in Castro Valley, CA. Over 50 senior

citizens, each over 100 years old, will join together at Eden Medical Center for the sixth

annual 100+ celebration. As best I can calculate it, 5715 years of experience and memories will be shared by 56 people at this unique

gathering.

Every one of us has looked to an elder, perhaps a grandparent or great-grandparent, at

different times during our lives for the wise

counsel that only experience can provide.

Their wit and wisdom speak of lessons

learned; their knowing smiles are a reflection

on decades of experience. I know my own

mother, who is just 86 years old, has taught

this incorrigible son an encyclopedia of lessons!

While I cannot be there on Thursday, I want

to join Eden Hospital in honoring our local

centenarians. The most senior of these senior

citizens are 106, including Vera Sherman and

Anna Simons. There are also five 105 year-