During a press briefing at her office on Fulton Avenue in Hempstead, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy updated members of the local media on several pressing issues currently being discussed in Washington. Homeland security, long-term health insurance, gun safety and education, which greatly affect several communities on the island were some items on the agenda.

McCarthy said people must be reminded that the state still needs money to build up the great city and continue to keep it safe.

"I don't mind spending money on anything to keep this country safe," she said. "We must be sure that proper security is on our trains, roads and especially on our planes."

The House of Representatives passed the Homeland Security Act late last month. The bill creates the third largest cabinet department - with 170,000 employees - by consolidating 22 federal agencies into the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

"I support a strong homeland security effort, based on effective organization, a comprehensive national strategy, partnership between public and private sectors and appropriate protections of civil liberties. A new department for the federal government is a huge undertaking and I pledge to you to be vigilant toward further improving the bill that will now be considered in the Senate," she said.

The Homeland Security Act divides the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) into four primary divisions:

* Border and Transportation Security - combines various border control and transportation agencies and gives the DHS responsibility for setting U.S. visa policies and securing U.S. borders and transportation systems.

* Emergency Preparedness and Response - combines Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other functions of other agencies to prepare for, and respond to, terrorist attacks.

* Science and Technology - combines various science and technology programs to develop counter-measures against terrorist threats involving weapons of mass destruction.

* Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection - establishes this division to house the Intelligence Analysis Center, staffed by detailees from U. S. intelligence agencies with the purpose of collecting and reviewing intelligence provided by the CIA, FBI, NSA and other agencies to identify potential terrorist threats.

With Congresswoman McCarthy's vote, the House of Representatives passed corporate reform legislation that creates a strong, independent oversight board and increases civil and criminal penalties for corporate wrongdoers.

The legislation came as a result of the Enron collapse in which 882,000 New York State residents had their New York State Pension Funds affected by the company. "I am fighting to ensure that middle class families who work hard and play by the rules have the opportunity to achieve financial success and stability. It is time to put priorities such as education, the environment, Social Security and prescription drugs ahead of corporate giveaways," McCarthy said.

Also with Congresswoman McCarthy's vote, the House of Representatives passed a long-term health care reform that will provide immediate tax relief and protect consumers from things such as unfair or deceptive sales or enrollment practices.

Through the bill, which overwhelmingly passed in Congress by a 362 to 61 margin, taxpayers can claim deductions on the purchase of long-term health insurance, as well as apply for an additional personal exemption for people to provide long-term care to dependents in their own homes. In 2003, the exemption is $500 and that amount goes up incrementally each year.

In addition, the bill gives Long Islanders consumer protections by promoting the availability of coverage, protecting against unfair sales practices and facilitating flexibility and innovation in the development of long-term care insurance.

"We all know the system needs to change; people are struggling and the forecast is not pretty. Without changes to the way long-term care is planned, it is projected that Medicare and Medicaid will consume nearly 75 percent of all federal revenue by 2030. Individuals need immediate relief in acquiring and maintaining long-term health care for themselves and their families," said McCarthy.

The bill now awaits the Senate.

Congresswoman McCarthy also co-sponsored a bill designed to help hospitals develop strategies to retain nurses and find demonstration models for the best practices in nursing care.

The Nurse Retention Quality of Care Act awards grants from $50,000 to $500,000 for hospitals to attain magnet hospital status. Magnet hospitals are those that have reorganized to be more collaborative and patient-centered and as a result are able to attract more nurses. Magnet hospitals tend to enjoy a low turnover rate. The bill will further promote hospitals that keep their nurses by offering grants that reward better nursing practices.

"As a nurse and a congresswoman, I can tell you this bill will go a long way to solving the nursing crisis. Innovative ways to attract nurses will help turn the retention problem into a retention solution," said McCarthy.

McCarthy announced that her bill, Our Lady of Peace Act, cleared the House Judiciary Committee and will now head to the House floor. The bill is named after a church in Lynbrook where a gunman who was found to have a history of mental illness and violent behavior fatally shot a priest and parishioner.

The bill would make the Instant Check system for background checks on individuals purchasing guns by providing states an incentive to automate and share disqualifying records with the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) database.

According to McCarthy, most states have failed to automate and share many of their records with NICS. The bill contains incentives in the form of grants for states and their courts to automate and share records such as mental health records, domestic violence misdemeanors and court-appointed restraining orders with NICS. The bill further enforces the 1968 Gun Control Act so that guns stay out of the hands of those who may be dangerous.

Congresswoman McCarthy was also proud of the signing into law in January of The Leave No Child Behind Act, which re-authorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA) of 1965, the primary bill funding education. The House Education Committee boosted funding resulting in a $4 billion increase.

Four of McCarthy's priorities passed in the bill including putting a nurse in every school, teacher mentoring, funding after-school programs and creating academic intervention programs for troubled students.

School Nurse Amendment - Allows schools to use federal dollars to hire school nurses for their schools. Previously, funds were not specifically earmarked for this purpose.

Teacher Mentor Amendment - Allows funds to be used for a mentoring program that prepares, trains and recruits quality teachers by pairing new teachers with experienced ones.

After-School Amendment - Increases funding from $846 million in Fiscal Year 2001 to $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2002 for after-school programs, which tend to give parents peace of mind and keeps students safe while preparing them for future studies with additional learning time.

As she moves closer to her bid for re-election in the 4th Congressional District this November, Congresswoman McCarthy cites lowering the cost of prescription drugs, solving the nation's nursing shortage, the safety of the environment and school safety as other issues she will continue to address.