FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com november 26, 2015 • The Queens Courier 3 Congressman Israel breaks from Queens delegation on Syrian refugee bill BY RO BER T POZARYCKI rpozarycki@queenscourier.com @robbpoz All but one of the seven members of Congress representing Queens County voted on Nov. 19 against a controversial bill regarding the processing of refugees escaping from war-torn areas of Syria and Iraq. Congressman Steve Israel — whose district includes all or parts of Bay Terrace, Bellerose, Douglaston, Floral Park, Glen Oaks, Little Neck and Whitestone — voted in favor of the American SAFE Act of 2015. He was one of 46 Democrats who crossed the aisle and sided with 243 Republicans on the measure. The legislation, drafted in the wake of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, intends to increase the federal government’s review process for refugees coming to the U.S. from parts of Syria and Iraq under control of the terrorist group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The bill would grant refugee entry into the U.S. only after the FBI and Department of Homeland Security separately certified that the refugee passed a background investigation and does not pose a threat to national security. Supporters claim the increased provisions are necessary to guard against potential terrorists posing as refugees from sneaking into the country. According to French authorities, eight individuals deemed responsible for the Paris attacks were all citizens or residents of France and Belgium. A Syrian passport found in the belongings of one of the attackers was believed to have been planted, according to published reports. In a statement, Israel acknowledged that the American SAFE Act was “far from perfect,” but that “it simply puts additional safeguards in place on an already rigorous process.” “First and foremost, we must have an ironclad process that thoroughly screens Syrian and Iraqi refugees,” Israel said. “But I also believe we must have a plan in place to allow a Syrian mother, who is trying to save her children from radicalization or murder at the hands of ISIS, to find a safe haven. This legislation does not shut the door on innocent women and children who can be certified as seeking refuge from ISIS.” Queens’ other members of Congress — Joe Crowley, Hakeem Jeffries, Carolyn Maloney, Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng and Nydia Velazquez, all Democrats — voted against the bill. Congressman Crowley said in a statement that he believed the legislation doesn’t sufficiently increase national security and risks keeping out a vast number of refugees. “I opposed this legislation because its sole outcome would be to substantially delay or even end the admission of women and children fleeing Syria and Iraq into the U.S. These are innocent people File Photos who have been brutalized by both their own government as well as Daesh (ISIS),” Crowley noted. “Protecting the American people from terrorism and providing protection to thoroughly vetted refugees are not mutually exclusive. The U.S. has long stood with those fleeing violence and persecution, and I believe we can – and must – stay true to our values while ensuring our national security.” Hunters Point library construction on schedule, changes in design plan BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@queenscourier.com/@AngelaMatua Representatives from the Queens Library and Department of Design and Construction (DDC) gathered at the New York Irish Center in Long Island City on Wednesday night to update residents on the construction of the new 22,000-square-foot library at Hunters Point. Located at Center Boulevard and 48th Avenue, right next to Gantry Plaza State Park, the library is set to be completed in winter 2017. Larry Lafargue, external affairs representative at the DDC, said the agency has been working “expeditiously” to complete the project and, barring any bad weather, DDC will adhere to its timeline. “We certainly feel very confident that we will be able to hit that target date,” Lafargue said. “However, we also have to keep in mind, too, that mother nature at times can bring us some things that we do not expect and so that certainly plays a role as well.” Tood Alexander, senior project manager, said that all the underground utility wiring has been installed and the first-floor walls will be erected in December. The $29,690,346 project will include 5 1/2 floors that will resemble individual terraces, a community room on the first floor that holds around 120 people, a computer floor and a cafe, as well as a small rooftop reading garden. Library patrons will also be able to take out and return books through a self-check-in and checkout system on the first floor. The most significant change in the plan is the exclusion of the reflecting pool at the courtyard near Gantry Plaza State Park. Instead, the space will be filled with small tables and chairs. The floor will be constructed from pieces of cobblestone and pavement with varying heights and shapes, according to Alexander. Mark Christie, president of Friends of Hunters Point Library, noted that it was important that the building have a skateboard deterrent. The cobblestone will make it impossible for skaters to use the area, Alexander said. “We see these big men jumping all over strange places,” Christie said. “They use public spaces as a ramp. We never know what they could use.” The original design also included side doors for the community to have access to the meeting room after-hours but that was scrapped from the plan. Larry Gallegos, community affairs manager for the Queens Library, said he will work with the community on a case-by-case basis to keep the library open for meetings. Gallegos said other libraries have kept their doors open as late as 10 p.m. for certain meetings. Debra Miller, a Long Island City resident who lives on Center Boulevard, said she is excited for the opening of the library and noted the increasing demand for the space. The closest library is the Queens Library at Court Square at 25-01 Jackson Ave. “As a relatively new member of the community and having been involved with the Friends of Hunters Point Library this summer with the popup library, a lot of people in the community are ecstatic there is such a demand for it,” Miller said. “There were so many people coming to that popup library we had this summer on Saturdays for a few hours.” Rendering courtesy of the Queens Library Construction for the Hunters Point library is scheduled to be completed in winter 2017.
QC11262015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above