July 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1447 The veterans of America are the men and but we could not withstand Hurricane airline numbing pain they faced in the minutes and women deeply responsible for the great Nation tax. days after news of their loss reached them. In we live in. The bravery, honor and dignity in f the months that followed leading up to this an- which they bestowed their service in the hope niversary, some have thankfully found healing of preserving democracy puts all Americans HONORING ELIZABETH H. ‘‘BETTY’’ grace they need in the personal bonds forged forever in their debt. From the Revolutionary NORWORTH ON HER FIFTIETH with the other surviving families. ANNIVERSARY WITH THE FBI War to Desert Storm, our Nation has relied on We all grieve for their loss, but perhaps our soldiers to keep peace and promote free- what still weighs most heavily on our hearts is dom. HON. ED BRYANT that even after a year, there is still no clear I am privileged to honor two of these heroes OF TENNESSEE answer as to what caused TWA flight 800 to today before this Congress and the American IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES explode in mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean. people. Thursday, July 17, 1997 Since that fateful July evening, there have Today, Col. Mitchell Paige is retired in the been several studies conducted and rec- great State of California, but in October of Mr. BRYANT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ommendations made about the ways we can 1942 he fought valiantly to stop the Japanese take the time to honor Mrs. Elizabeth H. make airline travel safer. Today, there is attacks on the Matanikau River during World Norworth, or ``Betty,'' as she is known by me something that we, as a compassionate Con- War II. Col. Paige was rewarded for his heroic and all of her friends. For the past 50 years gress, can do to spare the families any further action with the Medal of Honor. This Marine she has served as an asset to the FBI's Mem- pain. We can move quickly to approve the bill was acknowledged in several papers as single phis office. offered by our esteemed colleague from Penn- handedly securing the perimeter and preserv- Betty began her service with the FBI on sylvania, Mr. MCDADE, a bill that corrects an September 8, 1947 as a stenographer in ing the lives of many Americans. egregious injustice that prevents the survivors Col. Frederick Flo is also an American Memphis, where she earned a $2,168.28 per of this or any plane crash over international champion. In World War II he was deployed year salary. In 1951, she was promoted to waters to seek compensation for the pain, suf- with the Army to the front lines. Colonel Flo stenographic supervisor. That same year, she fering and loss of a loved one, as the family volunteered to lead a patrol on a 125-mile re- married Ned Norworth, who remains her hus- of other airline disasters may do. This is a connaissance behind Japanese lines with only band. Her steadfast dedication and perform- simple matter of fairness and small measure 13 men in his company. His successful mis- ance led to a series of promotions including of justice that we can provide, in the memory sion provided important information for his su- the position of secretary for the special agent of those who died aboard TWA flight 800. perior, General Vandergift, that may well have in charge, a job she has masterfully handled saved the lives of many Americans. since 1960. Through the last 16 special Though the headlines tell us that 230 Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the American agents in charge and the past 37 years, she human beings lost their lives in this crash, people and this Congress, I would like to for- has perfected her position and learned just they are more than just numbers. Each one of mally congratulate these two men. They are about everything that there is to know about those 230 were someone's son or daughter, genuine American heroes and deserve our the FBI. According to John Hancock, the cur- wife or husband, brother, sister, and friend. recognition and faithful appreciation. I am hon- rent special agent in charge of the FBI's Mem- And each of those abroad TWA flight 800 has ored to have had the opportunity to recognize phis office, Betty has basically been the sole a story. I would like to tell you about a few of these two patriots today. trainer of all of the last 16 special agents in my Long Island neighbors who perished f charge of the FBI's Memphis office. One of abroad TWA flight 800. Such as Eric and Virginia Holst, of ‘‘REVERSE ROBIN HOOD BILL’’ those she trained and worked under was Clar- ence M. Kelly, the former Director of the FBI. Manorville. Just a few days away from their Mr. Speaker, I know Betty. We worked in own sixth wedding anniversary they were on HON. DONNA M. CHRISTIAN-GREEN the same office building when I was U.S. at- their way to Eric's brother Troy's Paris wed- OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS torney, so I know how dedicated she has been ding. Eric was a dentist with a practice in the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and continues to be and what an asset she is, town of Center Moriches, just a few miles from Thursday, July 17, 1997 not only to the FBI, but to this great Nation. I the crash site. With special talent for easing Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. Mr. Speaker and am proud to recognize her here today. the anxiety of a child's first trip to the dentist, my colleagues, the Republican tax bill can f Eric Holst decorated his office with the cards only be viewed as a ``reverse Robin Hood'' and greetings from his youngest patients, who THE EXPLOSION OF TWA FLIGHT bill, because it would hurt hard-working fami- adoring called him ``Dr. Eric.'' His parents, 800; REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS lies, aspiring students, and the people of the John and Joan Holst live in nearly St. James. AND FAMILY, PAYING TRIBUTE territories of the United States. Virginia Holst was a partner with her moth- TO OUR COURAGEOUS AND CAR- Why is it that the deficit must only be re- er, Luz Mari Pelaez, in a skin-care and nutri- ING VOLUNTEERS ON LONG IS- duced on the backs of those of us who are tional products business that she operated out LAND struggling everyday to survive, while those of her home. After having already bravely who could best afford to contribute more not overcome thyroid cancer, Virginia, in the only get away scot-free, but actually get more. HON. MICHAEL P. FORBES words of her mother,``got so strong, so full of Mr. Speaker, the people whom I'm privi- OF NEW YORK energy and life, it was amazing. She had leged to represent are among the 15 million IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES fought that war, and she won.'' who are cut out of the Republican led tax bill. Thursday, July 17, 1997 Or the story of Beverly and Tracy Anne Then, as if to add insult to injury, the tax bill Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Hammer. Having just recently passed her further threatens to kill my district's struggling stockbroker's exam, Beverly overcame her tourism industry which provides our economic ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Rep- resentatives to join me in prayerful remem- fear of flying to join her daughter Tracy Anne base and on which many Virgin Islanders and in Paris, where the veterinary student was to residents of other territories depend for a liveli- brance of the 230 people who lost their lives when TWA flight 800 crashed off the south deliver a research paper. Richard Hammer did hood. not join his wife and daughter so that they On behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands shore of Long Island, near the small town of could spend time together on a once-in-a-life- and the majority of Americans, I plead with the East Moriches, 1 year ago today. time vacation in Europe. Today, he lives in conference committee, to uphold the commit- I also ask that all Americans join us as we East Hampton, Long Island. ment of the budget agreement, to reject the pray for the families and friends of the pas- tax on the domestic portion of international sengers and crew members who perished in At age 37, Donna Griffith had just begun a flights, and freeze the departure tax for the the crash, that they might gain some measure new life for herself. The Westhampton Beach smaller members of the American family at the of solace and understanding about their pro- native decided to celebrate her recent college present level so that we can continue to be a found and so very public loss. graduation by taking her first trip to Europe. refuge for many of those same hard-working In one tragic moment on an otherwise ordi- The Brooklyn resident was to start classes at Americans who visit us for a well-deserved va- nary summer evening, the lives of the surviv- New York University's graduate school after cation. ing families and friends were plunged into a her return. My colleagues, the people of the Virgin Is- tumult of grief and confusion. We cannot Rico Puhlmann was an internationally re- lands survived Hurricanes Hugo and Marilyn, imagine the soul-wrenching heartache and nowned fashion photographer who split his E1448 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks July 17, 1997 time between the bright lights of Manhattan unteers can be found, comforting the stricken At Soldiers and Sailors Park in East and the quiet countryside of Water Mill, Long while giving aid to the rescuers. From the Moriches, more than 400 people gathered to Island. A child film star in his native Germany, early moments of this tragedy, Red Cross vol- pay their final respects to those 230 pas- his oeuvre included 125 cover photographs for unteers from across the New York metropoli- sengers and crew members, including their Harper's Bazaar and countless other covers tan region were on the scene, delivering food neighbors Eric and Virginia Holst. The feelings for Gentlemen's Quarterly, Glamour, and and drink, medical care, cots, blankets, and of grief and loss were palpable among the Vogue. tents. In the first week after the crash, the Red mourners, but as Rev. James McDonald, who In these tragic moments that TWA Flight Cross served more than 19,000 meals to married Eric and Virginia 6 years ago, ex- 800 fell out of the sky, the communities of emergency workers, the media and others at plained, despair will not vanquish their faith East Moriches and Montoursville, PA were in- the scene. Throughout this ordeal, these Red and love. As Reverend McDonald said: ``Noth- extricably linked. Aboard the flight were 16 Cross volunteers showed once again why they ing can separate us from the life of Christ, not high school students and five adult chaperons are truly angels of mercy. even a broken heart. Are we hurting? Yes. from the French club at Montoursville High Red Cross grief counselors comforted the Broken? Yes. Destroyed? Never.'' School. Just minutes earlier, the students had victim's family dealing with the sudden, tragic At JFK, more than 2,000 mourners, many of embarked on the trip of their young lives as loss of a loved one. They arranged to have them family and friends awaiting news of they headed off to Paris to test their hard- needed prescriptions delivered to where the loved ones, gathered in a sad, gray airplane earned mastery of the French language and families stayed, brought coloring books and hangar to say their goodbyes. One by one, the taste the rich French culture. Sadly, for the games for the children and even provided names of the 230 dead were read aloud as parents, family, and friends who said goodbye notebooks for family members who wanted to family and friends reached out to console to them just a few minutes earlier, they never express their feelings by keeping a journal. each other in French, Hebrew, Italian, and returned. Volunteers also traveled with the families as English. As Rabbi Joseph Potasnik of the New Though we can never forget those we lost they attended memorial services at Suffolk York Board of Rabbis so eloquently put it: aboard TWA flight 800, we can be proud of County's Smith Point Park and at JFK Airport. ``We may be of different bodies, but in this the many shining examples of humanity There are so many others who deserve rec- community today, we are of one soul.'' amidst this calamitous occurrence. The many ognition for their tireless efforts in response to Mr. Speaker, as we stand here today a full local efforts on behalf of the search and res- this tragic event. They include the New York year later, let us keep in our prayers the 230 cue mission demonstrated to the entire world City and State Police departments, Red Cross lives that were lost on July 17, 1996. Just as how Long Islanders respond in difficult times. volunteers from throughout the New York importantly, let us remember the family, It's sad that it takes these tragic events for metro region, the Suffolk County medicial ex- friends, and spouses that were left behind to use to see how selfless and enduring the aminers office, the Brookhaven Ambulance cope with this senseless tragedy. May God human spirit can be. Corps, and many local churches and organiza- bless every one of them. tions, too numerous to mention. From the moment the first calls came in f from South Shore residents who witnessed the The tremendous outpouring of love and sup- fiery explosion, hundreds of emergency serv- port these great Americans showed in this JUVENILE CRIME CONTROL AND desperate time of need provide us with one of ice workers, Suffolk County police officers, DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT the few measures of solace that we can take firefighters, ambulance workers, Coast Guard OF 1997 from this tragedy. All of us on Long Island personnel and units from the 106th New York should take special pride in the efforts shown SPEECH OF Air National Guard unit in Westhampton by our local disaster officials and emergency Beach rushed to the scene in East Moriches, personnel and the hundreds who volunteered HON. LOUIS STOKES in a desperate search for survivors. Sadly, their time to help find survivors and collect de- OF OHIO there were none. bris. Though our hearts break with the sorrow IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Once the place crash had been confirmed, we feel for the victims and their grieving loved Tuesday, July 15, 1997 Suffolk County officials immediately went to a ones, we can be proud of these wonderful dis- level two alert, notifying hospitals and public Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express plays of humanity. my support for H.R. 1818, the Juvenile Crime safety agencies. In the course of responding All of those emergency workers and caring Control and Delinquency Prevention Act. This to the crash, Suffolk County and the towns of volunteers responded to this tragedy in dif- important bipartisan effort would reauthorize Brookhaven and Southampton incurred nearly ferent ways, each with something special to the Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Preven- $6 million in equipment and overtime ex- offer. Some came to aid the recovery of vic- tion Act of 1974 [Public Law 93±415]. H.R. penses. Though these huge costs drained the tims or gather pieces of the wreckage, while 1818 represents a balanced approach to re- small budgets of these local governments, others came to support those rescue workers ducing juvenile crime. County Executive Robert Gaffney and Town with food and equipment. At the Coast Guard The prevalence of violent crime among our Supervisors Felix Grucci and Vincent station, mental health professionals provided Nation's youth is entirely too high. According Cannuscio never hesitated to commit their offi- around the clock trauma counseling to help to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, young peo- cial resources to the rescue and recovery ef- the crash-site personnel cope with the difficult ple are committing violent crimes at a rate fort. task of recovering victims from the wreckage. We can be most proud of the hundreds of So many wanted to come to the scene in similar to 10 years agoÐhowever, the vio- volunteers of all stripes who left their homes in East Moriches and offer their help. But the lence has intensified and is causing more the dark of night to lend a hand to the effort. only thing for them to do was to pray for the deaths. In fact, between 1991 and 1995, the They included ambulance companies from 15 victims and their grieving loved ones. Ulti- number of juveniles arrested for violent crimes communities, volunteer firefighters from a mately, prayer was the most important thing increased by 12 percent, yet violent crime ar- dozen fire departments and even local resi- they could offer. Gathering at several memo- rests for all ages increased by 2.5 percent. dents in their own pleasure boats who pitched rial services, our friends and neighbors on And, between 1985 and 1994, the number of in to assist the fruitless search for survivors Long Island came to pray for those 230 vic- juveniles arrested for weapon violations, spe- and recovery of plane parts. tims and for their loved ones, who desperately cifically related to increases in firearm usage I would also like to give notice to the men needed time and God's healing power to over- in violent crimes, rose by 113 percent. Equally and women of the Coast Guard Group come their deep sorrow and devastating loss. disturbing is the fact while African-Americans Moriches, at East Moriches. Led by Comdr. The first memorial service was held in represent 12 percent of the United States' Elmo Peters, these Coast Guard personnel Montoursville just after the crash, as the citi- population, African-American youth are nearly performed with the utmost professionalism and zens of this small Pennsylvania town said 28 percent of all juvenile arrests. courage in handling the extensive search and goodbye to their sons and daughters, their Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1818 focuses in reducing rescue operations, and they deserve our classmates, friends, and neighbors. the number of children and youth who commit thanks and prayers as well. Incredibly, just a The Sunday following the crash, there were criminal acts of violence. As such, it ensures few months earlier there was a proposal to simultaneous memorial services held in East that juvenile crime prevention efforts are tar- eliminate the Coast Guard Rescue Unit at Moriches and at John F. Kennedy Airport in geted at communities experiencing a dis- East Moriches, a plan that thankfully was Queens, along with the thousands of people proportionate representation of minorities in never approved. across the country who gathered in their own the juvenile justice system. It is well docu- As we have come to expect when calamity houses of worship to remember those who mented that programs that provide: Treatment strikes any corner of the world, Red Cross vol- died in the sudden, furious explosion. to victims of child abuse or neglect, mentoring,