EXTENSIONS of REMARKS Aprillo, 1987 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS
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9004 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS AprillO, 1987 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF DO because we are greatly honored by its out and Senator HARKIN. In 1977, Senator HAT MINICAN COMMERCIAL HIGH standing achievements. I call now on all of my FIELD introduced the first U.S. Peace Tax SCHOOL colleagues in the House of Representatives to Fund bill demonstrating, once again, his long join with me in paying tribute to Sister Eliza standing commitment to peace. It is with a HON.GARYL.AC~ beth Stringer, and to all the outstanding stu deep sense of pride that I stand together with OF NEW YORK dents and faculty of Dominican Commercial Senator HATFIELD and my colleagues in both High School upon the momentous occasion of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the House and the Senate to introduce this its 50th anniversary, and in extending to the bill that protects the rights and beliefs of Thursday, April9, 1987 school, its students, faculty, administration, those who are conscientiously opposed to Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today and alumnae our best wishes as it embarks war. to commend and congratulate Dominican on another 50 years of success. I urge my colleagues to join us and support Commercial High School of Jamaica, Queens the establishment of a U.S. Peace Tax Fund. I County, NY, on the occasion of its 50th anni UNITED STATES PEACE TAX encourage them to use their power and exper versary, which will be celebrated on May 2, FUND ACT tise to work toward the peaceful resolution of 1987. any future international disputes. Dominican Commercial High School is truly Bill summary <to be included in the CoN unique. It offers some 900 female students in HON. DON BONKER GRESSIONAL RECORD with Congressman DON OF WASHINGTON the 9th to the 12th grades a special educa BaNKER's statement>. tional combination of religious and secular IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES U.S. PEACE TAX FuND ACT subjects. Thursday, April 9, 1987 April 9, 1987 In addition to scholastics, students at Do Mr. BONKER. Mr. Speaker, today I am Introduced by Congressman Don Bonker, minican Commercial participate in a wide pleased to join Congressman T AUKE in intro Congressman Tom Tauke, and others. range of extracurricular activities, including ducing H.R. 2041, legislation to create a U.S. PURPOSES OF BILL Student Council, National Honors Society, and Peace Tax Fund. This bill would enable tax the National Business Honors Society. There The bill establishes the United States payers who are conscientiously opposed to Peace Tax Fund as a special trust fund is also a wide range of athletic teams in such participation in war to elect to have their taxes within the U.S. Treasury. Eligible taxpayers diverse sports as volleyball, swimming, and directed to nonmilitary, peaceful purposes. may designate payment of their federal basketball. Last year, the outstanding skill of Currently, conscientious objectors, because taxes into this Fund. the Dominican Commercial junior varsity bas of their sincere moral, ethical, or religious be Recognizing that for a significant minori ketball team enabled it to win a New York City liefs, often do not pay some or all of their ty of U.S. citizens, sincere conscientious ob championship. taxes, to avoid funding military activities, and jection to participation in war in any form ·Mr. Speaker, Dominican Commercial High are subject to prosecution. The act would re means that they cannot in conscience pay School undertakes many special projects that solve this conflict between conscience and the portion of their taxes that would sup port military expenditures, the bill has as enable its students to participate in programs the law by permitting qualified taxpayers to its purposes: to which they would not usually have access. have the military portion of their taxes diverted <a> to allow conscientious objectors to pay Each spring, outstanding students are chosen to a trust fund. This would be administered by their full tax liability without violating to come to the Nation's Capital and partici an 11-member board appointed by the Presi their moral, ethical, and religious beliefs; pate in the Washington Seminar, which con dent, the President pro tempore of the <b> to reduce the present administrative sists of 1 week of special congressional work Senate, and the Speaker of the House. Dis and judicial burden created by conscientious shops. There is also a mootcourt team, which bursements would be directed to the improve objectors who violate tax laws rather than participated in the district attorney's mock trial ment of international health, education and violate their consciences; <c> to recognize conscientious objector competition in New York City last year. Such welfare, international exchanges for peaceful status with regard to the payment of taxes are just a sampling of programs that the out purposes, and special projects of the U.S. In for military purposes; and standing faculty and administrators have en stitute of Peace. <d> to provide a mechanism for congres couraged at Dominican Commercial. Conscientious objection to compulsory mili sional appropriations of such funds for non These experiences are savored by the tary service is a long-recognized tradition in military purposes. young scholars as they embark upon their the United States dating back to the Revolu ELIGIBniTY tionary War. The first amendment of the Con adult lives. Sixty-five percent of the school's An eligible individual is a person who is graduates continue on to colleges and univer stitution guarantees all Americans the free conscientiously opposed to participation in sities. Many become lawyers, doctors, and dom to conduct their lives within the frame war in any form, and who either <1 > has other professionals, and remain active in the work of their religious beliefs. been exempted or discharged from combat Dominican Commercial alumnae association. This Congress is not alone in its efforts to ant service and training in the armed forces The school also boasts a fine executive address the moral dilemma faced by taxpay as a conscientious objector under the draft board, which functions as a student govern ers who are opposed to war. Last fall, the laws, or (2) certifies to the IRS that he or ment. The board is composed of four officers First International Conference of Peace Tax she is a conscientious objector within the meaning of the C.O. section of the Military with equal responsibility: Jody Rose, Evelyn Campaigns was held in Turbingen, Germany. Selective Service Act and its caselaw. "Con Rivera, Diane Whitecavage, and Olympia Representatives of 15 countries, including the scientious objection" is a precisely defined l'liou. Three chief faculty advisers act as mod United States, met to discuss peace tax initia category: "anyone who by reason of reli erators of the board: Barbara Canning, Joan tives worldwide. gious training and belief is opposed to par Cadette, and Delia Giunta. Mr. Speaker, the United States leads the ticipation in war in any form," or whose op Dominican Commercial High School will cel world in the protection of human and religious position is based on moral and ethical be ebrate its 50th anniversary with a liturgy under rights. Establishing a Peace Tax Fund is a fur liefs deep enough to take the place of reli the direction of its excellent principal, Sister ther expression of this commitment to protect gion in his life or her life. An individual qualifies under <2> above by Elizabeth Stringer. This memorable ceremony ing those rights. filing during each taxable year with the IRS will take place at Alumni Hall, on the campus I am especially pleased to be joining my a form claiming C.O. status for that taxable of St. John's University in Jamaica, NY. dear friend and colleague, Senator HATFIELD year. The form thus must be filed well in Mr. Speaker, we in Queens County are who will be introducing the U.S. Peace Tax advance of the tax form. The form will con proud of Dominican Commercial High School Fund bill in the Senate with Senator WEICKER tain questions to certify the individual's be- e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. April 10, 1987 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 9005 llefs about participation in war, the source directed toward developing and evaluating order), a small, symbolic sword (to represent or genesis of such beliefs, and 'how the be nonmilitary and nonviolent solutions to all-powerful God), a small wooden comb (to liefs affect the taxpayer's life. The IRS international conflict, <3> disarmament ef signify cleanliness), an iron bracelet worn on sends a receipt in return to verify such forts; <4> special projects of the United filing, and the receipt is then attached to States Institute of Peace; (5) international the right wrist (to signify complete faith in and the individual's income tax return. The IRS exchanges for peaceful purposes; (6) im surrender of the will), and a special type of will include in its publications of income tax provement of international health, educa underwear I drawers (to symbolize a chaste instructions information about the exist tion, and welfare; and <7> programs for pro and pure life). ence of the Fund, criteria for eligtb111ty, and viding public information and education Sikhs are a hard-working and industrious an explanation of the claim-filing process. about the above activities. people. Making up only 2 percent of the popu The Secretary of the Treasury may re The Board will publish regulations for quire the taxpayer to further justify his or submission of applications to the Fund, and lation of India, they account for 73 percent of her C.O.