Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss reforming the health care insurance market in this country. It is really time to put health insurance back on the side of the people back home. To me this issue has never been about politics; it's about people. It's about North Carolina families and small businesses. I have heard from thousands of North Carolinians from all perspectives. And I want to share some of their stories because my phones are still ringing. These are the stories of real people on North Carolina's Main Streets and country roads.

I talked the other day to a farmer in Johnston County in North Carolina, the county where I grew up in a family of tenant farmers. This farmer has health insurance that costs him over $20,000 a year. He told me, We've got to fix this broken system that leaves too many families out in the cold.

A woman from Raleigh, North Carolina, our State's capital city, fears she will suffer the same fate as her sister who died from asthma because she could not get coverage. There's a lot of fear out there right now. Her fear is real. It is the fear of the consequences of a health care system that's not working for everyone.

She wrote me and said, Like many Americans, I take health care reform very seriously, and I feel that this is no time to bow to petty bickering or false arguments. This issue is also very personal to me. You see, my 33-year-old sister died just last December of asthma, a perfectly livable condition if only she had the right treatment. She didn't. She simply couldn't afford her medication, even with family help.

I also suffer from the same condition as my sister, and I have to say, it scares me to think that if it weren't for

my husband's job, I could end up like my sister. He's been at his company for less than a year now, and I pray he doesn't lose his job or his coverage. So as you see, Congressman Etheridge, health care reform is a deeply personal issue for me, and it is one that I hope will finally be resolved this year. It's too late for my sister, but I'm hoping this gets done soon, especially before her daughter gets out on her own. I don't want her ever to have to deal with what her mother and I are dealing with under this ghastly system.

And a nurse from Sanford, North Carolina, recently wrote me in favor of health reform, and she said, Insurance premiums are too high. How can we wrestle the high cost of health insurance from the companies? When they tell a physician how much he can charge for a procedure or what medications he can prescribe, we are allowing untrained, uneducated individuals to dictate health care to our system in this country.

And a woman in Louisburg, North Carolina, says, Please vote ``yes'' on health care reform. I have a very successful new business that my son would like to join me in, but he can't afford to leave his current employer's health plan because he has a child with autism. No private plan will provide coverage for him, even though he has never filed a claim for his treatment of autism. We are not looking for a handout, just a fair playing field. Everyone should be able to get insurance.

And a young man from Raleigh wrote and said, I want to thank you very much for the work you have been doing in my district and urge you to vote for the health care reform bill. Despite the misinformation and outright lies that are being spread about the bill, I hope the House acts to pass comprehensive reform to our broken system.

My girlfriend, whom I love very much, has a disease which prevents her from getting coverage. In fact, the insurance company dropped her when they found out she had it. This disease will very possibly lead to her death. While it is too late for this bill to help her, I do not want any other American to have to worry about how they will get treatment for any disease that they may have. I urge you to vote for the bill.

Another woman from Clayton, North Carolina, tells me she has a brain tumor, and as of December of this past year, the insurance company dropped her coverage. She is talking now to an attorney and plans to file bankruptcy. And this is a tragedy. These are examples of why we need reform.

Mr. Speaker, I'm listening to North Carolinians from all perspectives and a wide range of points of view about this system. We need reform that cuts costs, assures quality of care, patient choice and prohibits denials for preexisting conditions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution.

As a proud veteran of the United States Army, I have always worked to serve our men and women in uniform, our veterans, military families and their communities. In the U.S. House, I have the honor of representing Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base.

I recently traveled to Afghanistan to visit our troops and get a firsthand view of the situation on the ground. I met with 82nd Airborne troops as well as those from the North Carolina National Guard. They are doing a great job under the most trying of circumstances, and they make us all proud.

After the end of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the United States simply walked away from a failed state. We know the impact that that decision has had on our history. We cannot simply walk away again. We must empower the Afghan army, security forces and the Afghan people themselves to tend to their security needs and build functioning civil institutions. We must not allow the Taliban to return to power in Afghanistan and once again use that country to become a staging ground for Al Qaeda terrorists targeting America and our allies. And we must stabilize this fragile region that includes the nuclear armed republic in next door Pakistan. These are daunting challenges, but our military men and women and their civilian counterparts are making progress and deserve our support.

Mr. Speaker, we should give our troops all of the resources they need, and make sure that we keep them in our prayers and appreciation. I am sure that my colleagues will join me in expressing our thanks. I thank first and foremost the Americans serving in Afghanistan. I thank their families for their tremendous sacrifice at home. I thank our allies, who would be left with an overwhelming task should we neglect our national commitments and suddenly depart. I thank the vast majority of the Afghanis, who are working with us for their own futures in a functioning state. It is for their efforts, and all of their reasons for continuing to work tomorrow, that we should reject this resolution.

I urge my colleagues to join me in support of our troops and in opposition to this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on the United States Senate to follow the House's lead and pass the jobs bill. The House passed the HIRE Act last week, and now the Senate needs to send it to the President for his signature. Americans need jobs and we need them now.

My constituents tell me they want Congress to quit the bickering and the partisan posturing and get to work and fix the economy. Wall Street may be doing well enough for the bankers to reward themselves with big bonuses, but folks on Main Street are still hurting.

North Carolina's unemployment rate has been above 11 percent for too long, and some counties in my congressional district are experiencing unemployment as high as 14.6 percent. More than half a million North Carolina workers are unemployed according to the new figures released by the Employment Security Commission.

I've said before and I'll say it again, my top priorities of what we need to be doing are jobs, jobs, jobs. The jobs bill will provide the incentive companies need to put people to work today, giving employers a tax credit for every new worker they hire.

I recently visited with local business leaders at the Erwin Chamber of Commerce as well as the Benson Chamber of Commerce, and they told me that this is the kind of Federal assistance that they need to help jump-start hiring in their communities. I think that's true not only in North Carolina, but across the country, and Congress needs to take action on jobs now.

The centerpiece of the jobs bill that the House passed last week is a hiring tax credit, similar to the one I proposed in my HIRING Act of H.R. 4437. The bill would encourage business to invest by putting labor on sale for a limited time, helping small businesses expand and grow.

The bill provides a payroll tax holiday to businesses that hire unemployed workers that is estimated to support roughly 300,000 jobs and encourage employers to keep those workers longer term so they will receive a tax credit of $1,000 if they retain them.

The jobs bill we passed last week also included another proposal of mine--to support local school construction building by providing a tax credit for Qualified School Construction Bonds that were included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act last year. It will allow the issuers of Qualified School Construction Bonds to receive a direct payment from the Federal Government equal to the amount of the Federal tax credit.

This modification will help North Carolina schools access nearly $500 million in school construction bonds to address our students' needs and support more than 15,000 jobs just in North Carolina. You can imagine what it would do for the rest of the country.

Last week I visited a school in Franklin County that was being built in my district from the first piece of these School Construction Bonds, and it's amazing to see what it does for a community and how it gives them an uplift.

This provision will create jobs now, building the schools of the future. It's a win-win that makes sense, and I urge the Senate to pass the HIRE Act now. It'll be like CPR for our economy, and I hope the Senate will join the House in getting it done.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1137, I call up the bill (H.R. 2847) making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

I have a motion at the desk.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for the purpose of making a unanimous consent request.

(Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I ask that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials into the Record.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 2847, the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act. The HIRE Act is about our three most important priorities in this Congress: jobs, jobs, and jobs. The HIRE Act builds on legislation that the Senate passed last week, including direct hiring tax incentives for business, support for Recovery Act bond incentives that put local dollars to work creating jobs all across this country, and transportation funding that improves our communities, builds infrastructure, and supports local businesses. All told, more than 1 million jobs will be created by this legislation.

This bill really is help for small businesses on Main Street and millions of Americans who are ready to see the benefits of a growing economy. Across this great country, our economy is showing signs of recovery. But consumers need more confidence, and employers need incentives to hire workers. Today, we give business direct incentives to hire new workers. I am pleased that the HIRE Act accomplishes this in a responsible manner.

Not only does it fully pay for all of the important investments in job creation, but it actually contributes to reduce our deficit by nearly $1 billion. Let me repeat that again, reduce the deficit by $1 billion. The bill is a good step to rebuild our job market, but we still have a ways to go. I expect that this will just be a downpayment on our continuing work to create jobs and restore our economy.

This bill includes, as you have already heard, about $77.15 billion of investment in surface transportation projects. It also reauthorizes Federal highway public transit initiatives and highway safety funding that is needed all across America. When extensions were blocked last week in the Senate, transportation projects across this country were held up and almost 2,000 employees were furloughed. Today, we are going to take action not only to make sure that doesn't happen again, but that we create jobs by investing in local priorities across this country, not only transportation projects that need to be moving in our communities, building on infrastructure and providing jobs for America, but also the HIRE Act that creates tax credits for local businesses.

Representative Steve Kagen and myself introduced a bill back in January for tax credits to hire new employees. This bill builds on that. It is a little different than what we had, but it makes a difference. Despite some economic growth in recent months, the unemployment rate around the country remains high. Too many Americans are unemployed. In my State, it is above the national average, almost 11.2 percent. Just this past week, I visited an employment office where people were saying all we need is a hand up, not a handout; give us an opportunity to go to work.

In addition to that, we are providing funds for making sure that our qualified school construction bonds in the Recovery Act that we passed last year will work. This bill really is about jobs. I can say to you when we are talking about jobs, we are talking about education. I happen to believe education is the one thing that levels the playing field for everyone. Today we are going to have the opportunity to put our stamp on and vote for a piece of legislation that will provide good places for teachers to teach and children to learn.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would remind the gentleman that I was a small businessman in the 1970s when this tax credit was in before. Not only did we use it and create jobs; we had tremendous growth in this country.

I talked to two chambers of commerce in the last month. They are tickled to death that somebody is willing to help them instead of doing the very thing the Senate did last week and hold everything up. It's time we moved on and got something done.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman, Mr. Oberstar, who knows something about infrastructure.

I yield the gentleman another 30 seconds.

Madam Speaker, I yield another 15 seconds to the gentleman.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the acting chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin).

(Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the Speaker of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Will the gentleman yield?

I thank the gentleman for his willingness to help, but the rule does not provide for that.

It is your time.

No. The rule does not provide for it.

What was the gentleman's request?

The gentleman is doing the same thing that happened in the other body. We are just trying to slow down a piece of legislation that needs to move to get to the President's desk so it can be signed so we can help the American people.

The rules do not provide for that. You would need a unanimous consent request to do that.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).

(Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield myself 10 seconds to remind the gentleman that how we got here was the American people lost somewhere in the neighborhood of $15-plus trillion in value of their homes and assets over the 18 months through July of last year until we passed something and started to turn it around. Since then, they've gained about $5 trillion back in, but we've got a ways to go.

I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Chandler).

I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.

I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, today we have an opportunity to start the process of putting people back to work, and I would encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this piece of legislation. The

piece that some of my colleagues on the other side have complained about on the tax credits for small businesses will be used to put people to work. And I would remind them that there were nine Republican Senators on the other side who joined as cosponsors in this piece of legislation. So it was bipartisan on the Senate side.

The HIRE Act really does four key things. Let me remind my colleagues, in closing: First, it will give direct tax incentives to businesses to hire new workers with provisions similar to the bill that I introduced earlier this year. It also restores full value of direct payment options for certain tax credit bond programs, including a program that has been supported in previous Congresses.

Let me speak on that for just a minute because it goes to the heart of the problem we're about. If we really believe and say we're for children, if we really say we're for jobs, there are $22 billion worth of zero interest school bonds, tax exempt bonds, in this bill. And this bill fixes the problem so they can go directly to Treasury and get the credit. Those job bonds can be sold and we can put people to work across this country building schools and other infrastructure. That's in addition to the highway dollars we've just been talking about.

Finally, Madam Speaker, it would give a small business tax incentive to buy new equipment and to grow. That is an important piece. If we truly believe we are for small businesses, today is the day we get a chance to put a vote on the board: Are we for them or are we against them? They can tell very quickly because this bill will go to the Senate, and then it's going to the President of the United States for signing.

Finally, it would give our State and local governments greater certainty on funding for highway projects that we just heard about. I have long believed that if we invest in schools now, it will save money in the long term and make our economy stronger and make a difference in the future. I served for 8 years as State superintendent of the schools in my home State. I coauthored the provision that we're talking about here. We can now fix that problem.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this piece of legislation for jobs for the American people, schools for our children, and a chance to help heal and help those who do not now have work.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4626, Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act. This legislation is another step in Congress' work to reform health care to bring down costs and expand choices for all Americans. Last year, we worked to make sure seniors could keep their doctors by reforming the Medicare payment system. This bill cracks down on insurance companies that are taking advantage of obsolete laws to manipulate premiums. The next step will be to protect North Carolina families from additional insurance company abuses, bring down health care costs and turn around the crushing effects of skyrocketing health care costs on our national debt.

H.R. 4626 will restore competition and transparency to the health insurance market. Competition is the engine that drives our economy, spurs innovation, and ensures that the American consumer receives a fair deal on goods and services. But for far too long, the health insurance industry has played by a different set of rules. Since 1945, the McCarran-Ferguson Act has exempted the business of insurance from federal antitrust laws. This bill repeals that blanket antitrust exemption afforded to health insurance companies. Under H.R. 4926, health insurers will no longer be shielded from legal accountability for price fixing, dividing up territories among themselves, sabotaging their competitors in order to gain monopoly power, and other such anti- competitive practices.

When NC families are hurting, doing nothing really isn't an option for me. I've heard from thousands of neighbors in my district who are suffering under the current system. I receive calls, letters and emails on health care literally every day.

Sheila is a woman from Raleigh who fears she will suffer the same fate as her sister who died from asthma because she couldn't get coverage. Linda from Sanford is a nurse who's tired of insurance industry bureaucrats interfering with patient care. Nancy from Louisburg says she's not looking for a handout, just a fair playing field because everyone should be able to get insurance. Dan is a young man from Raleigh whose fiance's coverage was denied when she got sick. Peggy from Rocky Mount wants affordable coverage for small business workers and the self-employed who pleads, ``please don't let the insurance companies win this time.'' These are the voices of regular folks on North Carolina's Main Streets and country roads.

Mr. Speaker, making sure every American has access to affordable health insurance and high-quality health care is one of the most important challenges of our time. The health reform debate is about saving money and saving lives. At its core, health reform is all about ensuring that American families and businesses have more choices, benefit from more competition, and have greater control over their own health care. Repealing this exemption is an important part of that effort. I urge my colleagues to join me in taking a stand for the American people.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 2701 the Fiscal Year 2010 Intelligence Authorization Act. This bill will make our nation safer by improving federal intelligence operations and supporting a national defense strategy that is both strong and smart.

I am proud to represent Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base. For many years I was the only member from North Carolina on the Homeland Security Committee. I am also a veteran of the United States Army. All these experiences make me particularly mindful of the importance of intelligence. Successful intelligence makes our men and women in the military safer. This is the least we can do for those who voluntarily put themselves in harm's way.

I am also aware of the cost of intelligence failures, where either oversight or intelligence falls short. H.R. 2701 is an important bill that both provides necessary investments in intelligence, and implements the democratic controls needed to be certain that those investments are well managed.

This bill will ensure that Congress fully understands own responses to terror. Complete review of the recent, failed attempt at an attack on Northwest Airlines flight 253 can make future attempts more likely to fail as well. Similarly, the mandated report on the anthrax attacks of nine years ago will publicize lessons learned about emerging threats, helping us to deal with similar threats more effectively in the future.

Madam Chair, I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 2701.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the House unanimously passed House Resolution 1066, recognizing the bravery and efforts of the United States Armed Forces, local first responders, and other members of Operation Unified Response for their swift and coordinated action in light of the devastation wrought upon the nation of Haiti after a horrific 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Port-au-Prince and surrounding cities on the 12th of January, 2010.

I have the unique honor of representing both Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base. Men and women from the base were critical to the Haitian relief effort, and soldiers were involved in rescue and recovery operations as well as in humanitarian relief--passing out food and water to victims of this terrible disaster.

I would like to thank all of the military and civilian personnel who responded so effectively and quickly to this disaster, serving honorably under less than ideal conditions.

The 2nd Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division and the 18th Airborne Corps were among the first responders, with hundreds of people on the ground within days of the disaster and thousands within a week.

The 2nd of the 319th Airborne soon joined them. The entire United States Army Garrison Fort Bragg came together and deployed units from the 82nd Airborne and 18th Corps in their support for our neighbors to the south.

In times of disaster, restoring and supporting the most basic requirements of life becomes a challenge. The 43rd and the 440th Maintenance Operations Squadrons and the 43rd Logistics Readiness Squadron provided the support for the fundamental requirements desperately needed by the Haitians: water, meals, and basic shelter. Of course, even the most needed supplies are useless on a tarmac. The 3rd Aerial Port Squadron, the 43rd Missions Support Squadron, the 440th Air Wing, and the 2nd Airlift Squadron got the materials where they were needed. The 145th Air Wing of the North Carolina National Guard worked with Pope Air Force personnel to make these deliveries happen. Matching the supplies and the need is no small task. The 43rd Operations Support Squadron and the 43rd Communication Squadron brought it all together under the able direction of the 43rd OG Command Post and assistance of the 43rd Security Forces.

The devastation of the nation of Haiti was tremendous. The infrastructure we take most for granted was destroyed. Roads, airports, and water infrastructure were made useless in an instant. The 43rd Civil Engineering Squadron arrived to put out fires and stayed to rebuild these fundamental needs.

The military personnel were not the only ones from North Carolina who responded to the crisis. Civilians, first responders, individual volunteers, and generous donors all helped make a difference to the people of Haiti. Communities of faith across the State moved

to help all Haitians, many building upon decades of commitment to that island nation. Churches of every denomination and members of all faiths worked together in acts of charity. As the Gospel tells us to do, they fed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty, sent shelter to strangers, provided clothing to the suddenly destitute, offered comfort and medical care, and, in the saddest charity of all, some helped to bury the dead. In addition to the efforts of the churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of prayer, the Lions, the Masons, and the Daughters of the American Revolution all pulled out the stops to reach across the ocean.

Mr. Speaker, the military support, the people of faith, and the civilian first responders are not three groups; they are all one community. These groups are interwoven threads that came together to weave a safety net of volunteers, food, comfort, and shelter for the suffering in Haiti. I am proud of their efforts as they've worked to support the needs in Haiti. I am proud to represent such an amazing tapestry of generosity and talent in the 2nd District of North Carolina. And I was proud to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, let me say tonight to all Americans: I thank them for their help to these people in their hour of need.

Mr. Speaker, America needs jobs, and we need them now. My constituents tell me they want Congress to quit the bickering and partisan posturing and get to working on fixing the economy. Wall Street may be doing well enough for the bankers to reward themselves with big bonuses, but folks on Main Street and on country roads are hurting.

North Carolina's unemployment rate hit its high for 2009 in December, an incredible 11.2 percent. Our top priorities must be: jobs, jobs, jobs. My HIRING Act will provide the incentive for companies to put people to work today, giving employers up to $7,500 per new worker they hire.

Congress needs to take action on this bill today and put people to work. Passing the HIRING Act would be like CPR for our economy, and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting that legislation.

Madam Speaker, I regret that yesterday a prior engagement prevented my timely return to Washington. I was, therefore, unable to cast a vote on a number of rollcall votes.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 4425, designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2-116th Street in North Troy, New York, as the ``Martin G. `Marty' Mahar Post Office.'' I also would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 4238, designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 930 39th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado, as the ``W.D. Farr Post Office Building.''

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 4061, The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009. This legislation both addresses immediate national needs, and invests in the future. It will help protect the networks that power the nation's defense, underlie the nation's economy, and strengthen the connections of families across the nation. This legislation also helps develop our workforce for the jobs of the future, supporting Scholarships for Service to develop the next generation of network defenders.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 45, the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act, PAYGO.

As a former small business owner, I know the importance of keeping your books balanced and your budget in order. The PAYGO Act's concept is simple, if you propose new spending or reduced revenues it must be paid for by reducing spending in other areas.

Today's vote in favor of Statutory PAYGO is one of the most important actions Congress has taken towards ensuring economic discipline and restoring a balanced federal budget. PAYGO does not solve all of our budget problems overnight, but it has a history of bi-partisan support and proven results dating back to the 1990s. During my first term, PAYGO helped right the ship and put our nation on a path toward replacing deficits with surpluses.

PAYGO has a proven track record of success, turning deficits in record surpluses under President Clinton. As we work to address the deficits we have inherited from the last administration, PAYGO is a key part of our effort to restore balance.

As a member of the House Budget Committee, I support Statutory PAYGO, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for the passage of H.J. Res. 45.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember Ms. Donice Harbor who will be honored, posthumously, as the North Carolina National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's 2010 Humanitarian of the Year at the 26th Annual Humanitarian Banquet on Saturday, January 30, 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

This is a fitting tribute for an outstanding North Carolinian tragically taken from us long before her time. Donice was thoughtful and hardworking. She often put the needs of others before her own. Though only 36 years old at the time of her passing, Donice's wisdom and breadth of knowledge exceeded her years on this earth. For those who were blessed to know her, she will always be remembered for her leadership, her quiet determination and her ever-present smile.

A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Donice received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Fayetteville State University and her Masters degree in Public Administration from North Carolina Central University. While in graduate school, Donice began her career in public service as a Legislative Intern with state Senator Jeanne Lucas, the first African-American woman to serve in the North Carolina State Senate.

In 2001, Donice began working with then Lt. Governor Bev Perdue as Director of Public Liaison. In 2009, when Perdue was elected to the office of Governor, Donice became the Governor's Director of Faith and Citizens Outreach. In addition to being a dependable public servant, Donice was also a passionate advocate who was an active member of the Wendell-Wake County NAACP, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and a valiant supporter of the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus and its Foundation.

The tragic loss of Donice Harbor reminds us that cancer touches nearly every family in North Carolina. The U.S. House recently passed my legislation to raise awareness of the importance of early detection of cancer. Simply put, early detection saves lives.

Donice Harbor was an outstanding North Carolinian and very deserving of the NAACP's Humanitarian Award. She was a very special friend to members of my staff and myself personally, and she will be missed.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this extraordinary public servant.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Air Force Technical Sergeant Adam K. Ginett, a 29-year-old from Knightdale, NC, who was killed on Tuesday, January 19 near Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. Ginett was assigned to the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy. It was his second tour of duty in Operation Enduring Freedom. Ginett received a Bronze Star for his role in a firefight on his first tour in Afghanistan. He also served two tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

According to his grandfather, Jim Haslam, Sergeant Ginett's unit was walking toward a location where a cache of IEDs was thought to be hidden. Another servicemember was killed in the incident and three were wounded.

In brave service to our Nation, Ginett opted for explosive ordnance duty after he graduated from boot camp. According to Ginett's mom, Christina Kazakavage of Coats, NC, he chose this dangerous work because it would mean that he would be able to directly save American lives by searching for and defusing bombs that were meant to take someone else's life. Sadly, last week that calling led to his own death from an IED in a field that he was working to make safe for others.

Though he had planned for a career in the military since he was in high school, Ginett had other interests, including artistic pursuits. He interned for four summers during high school with cartoonists at Walt Disney World in Florida, and he worked in a pottery studio in Knightdale during his last year at East Wake High School.

Ginett's body returned to North Carolina yesterday. A funeral mass will be held Friday, January 29 at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Fuquay-Varina and Ginett will be buried with military honors in Raleigh Memorial Park. He is survived by his parents, James and Christina Kazakavage, and sister, Sarah Kazakavage, of Coats; paternal grandfather, Joe Kazakavage of Port St. Lucie, FL.; and maternal grandparents, James and Mary Haslam of Cary.

Madam Speaker, Adam Ginett is a true American hero whose selfless devotion to his fellow soldiers should be remembered. I hope that my colleagues will join me in saluting this brave young soldier for his sacrifice on behalf of our Nation. I would like to extend my deepest condolence to Sergeant Ginett's family and to all who knew him. Our Nation lost a true hero and he will be missed.

I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

I rise today in support of this resolution expressing the support for the designation of an Early Detection Month for cancer. I would also like to thank Chairman Towns for his work in bringing this bill to the floor.

Every year almost 2 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer. Tragically, more than one-quarter of those cases result in death. Early detection can help patients get early treatment. It can stop the spread of the disease before it becomes untreatable, or before it requires expensive medical treatments, and can be the difference between life and death. Early detection saves tens of thousands of lives annually, and also greatly reduces the financial strain on government and private health care services.

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with melanoma. My cancer was found early because I see my doctor regularly. Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, who joins me in sponsoring this resolution, found hers early because she was aware of how to test for the early signs of cancer. As cancer survivors ourselves, we want to enable all Americans to have the knowledge and access to care that can lead to early detection.

This resolution expresses support for an Early Detection Month beginning in May 2010. This concurrent resolution enhances public awareness of cancer screening and early detection so that any person who gets cancer can have a chance to survive.

Mr. Speaker, early detection is critical to help reduce the tragedy of cancer deaths in our country. I urge my colleagues to join me in fighting a disease that has claimed so many lives but, with support for early detection, can be beaten.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3892 to name the post office at 101 West Highway 64 bypass in Roper, North Carolina after my friend, a fierce education advocate and civil rights champion, Elmer Vanray ``E.V.'' Wilkins. I would like to thank my friend Congressman Butterfield for offering this legislation to provide a well-deserved honor to one of North Carolina's native sons.

I had the distinct privilege of working with E.V. during my tenure as State Superintendent of Public Instruction in North Carolina. I will remember E.V. for his unique style in handling tough situations and his passion for education. E.V. was born in Roper on July 4, 1911, to Tom and Maggie Wilkins. He received both his Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina and later returned to Roper to teach mathematics at J.J. Clemmons High School. While at Clemmons High School, E.V. Wilkins met his beautiful wife, Elizabeth, who was also a teacher there. In 1941, E.V. became principal of Clemmons High School, a position he held for 33 years. E.V. was an institution at Clemmons, a positive influence and mentor to his students, always encouraging them to succeed.

Perhaps E.V.'s most lasting legacy will be his work bringing races together in North Carolina. Back in the days when white children had a bus to take to school and African-American students did not, E.V. began his efforts by raising money for a school bus for Clemmons High School in 1946. He was able to get donations from African Americans and whites, and even sold bushels of potatoes to raise funds. But this was only the first of his successes fighting for civil rights.

In the mid-1950s, Wilkins continued his fight for equality against white town leaders' refusal to allow African Americans to vote. Wilkins led a lawsuit with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on behalf of the town's black residents and in 1956 won a court order enforcing their right to vote. Wilkins' father was able to vote for the first time in his life. E.V. was committed to the idea that all people deserve equal rights, and he dedicated his life to this cause.

In 1967, E.V. Wilkins became the first African American since reconstruction to be elected to the Roper Town Council and then in 1975 he became the first African American elected as Mayor of Roper. He held this position for 20 years.

A committed public servant, throughout his life E.V. found time to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, the Advisory Board for the Rural Education Institution at East Carolina University, and of the Elizabeth City State University Board of Trustees, serving as Chair from 1989 to 1994. He was also active in the Democratic Party and served as a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1972, 1980, and 1984.

E.V. Wilkins died on June 2, 2002 and is survived by his daughters, Bunny Sanders and Joy Price, son-in-law, Ralph Price, and two grandchildren. Madam Speaker, this is a fitting tribute for an extraordinary man whom I was proud to call my friend, and honored to work with in support of education for all of North Carolina's children. I thank Congressman Butterfield for offering this legislation and urge my colleagues to support it.