Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 181, which expresses the sense of Congress regarding the importance of life insurance.

Life insurance provides financial security for families in the event of a premature death by helping surviving family members to meet immediate and long-term financial obligations and objectives.

Fifty million Americans say they lack the life insurance coverage needed to ensure a secure financial future for their loved ones. Yet the need for life insurance is well documented.

Recent studies have found that when a premature death occurs, insufficient life insurance coverage on the part of the deceased often results in the surviving family members being placed under an insurmountable burden, forcing family members to take on extra jobs, work longer hours, borrow money, and spend less time with their families. This takes place at a time when spending time with loved ones is important to healing and recovering from the tragedy of losing a family member.

By designating a month each year as Life Insurance Awareness Month, we are establishing just how important it is to families to learn and educate themselves about life insurance. As a society, we must take steps to make sure that our children are provided for and are safe.

By supporting Life Insurance Awareness Month, we are signaling to the American people that this is an important issue that they should consider in their financial planning.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as someone who grew up, went to school, and still have strong family ties in the State of Arkansas, it is with great pride that I stand to celebrate and honor the life of a man who epitomizes the American dream: President William Jefferson Clinton.

Born in the tiny town of Hope, Arkansas, on August 19, 1946, President Clinton demonstrated from an early age the determination and vision that would ultimately take him to the White House and enable him to lead our country to a period of economic prosperity that has been unrivaled in American history.

As a man who always fought for those who could not always fight for themselves, Bill Clinton spurned private practice after graduating from Yale Law School and began a career in public service. He began his political career after being elected attorney general of Arkansas in 1976. He went on to serve as Governor and by the time Governor Clinton left Arkansas for the White House, the State of Arkansas had been transformed from a State that faced large deficits and polarizing issues into a shining example of what government can do for its citizens when those in government put aside partisan differences in the interest of what is right.

As America's 42nd President, Bill Clinton faced an even more daunting task than the one he faced as Governor. In 1992, the American people were fed up with government. The economy was in bad shape, unemployment was at a record high, and it was a time when many American parents struggled with basic financial decisions, such as what holiday presents they could afford to buy their children. By the time President Clinton left office 8 years later, he had led our country out of this darkness and into one of the brightest eras in American history, a time that was marked by the lowest unemployment rate in modern times, the lowest inflation rate in 30 years, the highest homeownership rate in United States history, and dropping crime rates in many American cities. Contrary to the unjustified stereotype thrown at Democrats, President Clinton proposed the first balanced budget in decades. He balanced the budget, and then went on to produce a surplus.

Since leaving office, President Clinton has continued his lifelong odyssey of working for those in need. Working from his office in Harlem, President Clinton has remained engaged in many social issues. In July, President Clinton addressed the United Nations Economic and Social Council in an effort to sustain the momentum on the recovery efforts in regions devastated by last December's tsunami. In 2003, he brokered an historic agreement with four generic drug companies in order to provide low-cost AIDS drugs in developing countries.

The world is a better place today because of the 59 years President Clinton has given us so far, and we look forward to many more.

Mr. Speaker, oftentimes in a country where we put great emphasis on personal wealth, as one having the ability to emerge and rise to high public office, I have searched and searched, and nowhere did I find in Bill Clinton's history any great personal wealth before he got involved in doing public service. Noplace did I find any great family pedigree. He was simply a person who used himself as effectively as he could to become one of the most influential persons in the history of our country. I wish him a happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I will include for the Record the statement of the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as one who began much of what I would call my public career working in community health centers, I worked at the Martin Luther King Community Health Center, and I worked at the Miles Square Community Health Center, I was around during the days when we decided to organize a National Association of Community Health Centers and ultimately had the pleasure of serving as its president.

And so, Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the proud sponsor of this resolution to establish a national community health center week.

I would like to thank the cochairs of the Community Health Care Center Caucus, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla), and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Capuano), for their constant voice to better community health centers.

I would also like to thank the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bradley) for joining the cochairs of the caucus as a main sponsor of this legislation.

As we continue to discuss health care, and as we continue hopefully to move towards enactment of a national health plan that covers everyone without regard to their ability to pay, we can take greet pride in some of our accomplishments in health care. One of the most important and effective accomplishments since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid has been the development of community health centers.

The community health center network is available throughout the Nation to help those in need, such as those who get displaced by job status or other economic conditions. Community health centers have become the safety net within the health care delivery system, serving more than 15 million people in over 3,600 communities.

They care for one out of every seven uninsured individuals, one out of every nine Medicaid beneficiaries, one out of every seven people of color, and one out of every nine rural Americans. In addition they reach out to over 621,000 homeless persons and more than 709,000 migrant and seasonal farm workers.

Community health centers are established in almost every corner of our Nation, representing every aspect of any congressional district, whether it is assisting the working poor in the inner city, or in the rural farmland, migrant workers or even those who have insurance but do not have access to any other health facilities.

One of the most amazing and important aspects of community health centers is the involvement of the community. Each center tailors its services to best meet the needs and priorities of the communities in which they reside. Citizens in these communities become active participants in their communities' health care decision-making.

Health centers even provide approximately 100,000 jobs to the residents in communities of these areas. These health centers provide high-quality, cost-effective health care as they continue to meet escalating health needs and assist in reducing health disparities.

With the weakened economy and soaring number of uninsured Americans, our Nation's health centers will continue to feel the brunt of increasing numbers of patients.

By establishing a week to raise awareness of community health centers, we will also be highlighting each year the great accomplishments these nonprofit community-owned and -operated health centers offer to many communities throughout the Nation.

With recent numbers indicating that the Nation's uninsured population is even higher than once thought, possibly as high as 60 million, if our Nation will not realize the need for universal health care, we need at least to realize the importance of funding our community health centers.

The United States spends nearly $100 billion per year to provide uninsured residents with health services, oftentimes for preventable diseases that physicians could treat more efficiently with early diagnosis.

Community health centers are one of the keys to such earlier diagnosis and crucial to lowering the overall cost of health care on the uninsured throughout the country.

Therefore, I am pleased with the significant increase in the fiscal year 2006 budget that our community health centers will receive so that they can continue to serve their patients and expand their services.

Mr. Speaker, community health centers are indeed the safety net which is committed to serving all individuals with the mission that everyone deserves quality health care services regardless of where they reside, whether or not they can pay, or whether or not they have insurance.

They are vital to ensuring that even the poor and disadvantaged in this country have the greatest opportunity to be healthy. These centers are indeed a hallmark of our Nation's health care delivery system.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that I can stand and be a part of promoting the awareness or their existence and the accomplishments which they have achieved.

I urge my colleagues to stand beside me in supporting this resolution, and I want to thank especially the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Davis) the ranking member; the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman); and the Speaker, the gentleman from

Illinois (Mr. Hastert), for helping to make sure that this resolution got to the floor before August, because that is the time that we celebrate the initiation and institution of these centers throughout the country.

I also want to commend Tom Van Coverden, who is the president, and Mr. Hawkins, two individuals that I worked with when I used to work in the community health centers. They have both stayed all of that time. Tom is now the president and Dan Hawkins is the vice president. And I commend them for their longevity and great service.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.

Mr. Speaker, the Great Upheaval, also known as the Great Expulsion, was the eviction of the Acadian population from Nova Scotia between 1755 and 1763.

In 1755, colonial authorities began a process of uprooting and deporting 10,000 men, women, and children who had settled on British land. British Lieutenant Governor Charles Lawrence and Massachusetts Governor William Shirley began by seizing colonists' firearms to prevent them from using force to resist.

Then they took a large number of men hostage in order to guarantee the docility of their families at the at the time of deportation. Approximately three-quarters of the total Acadian population was deported. Some were sent to England, others to France, and still others to the area that was to become Louisiana.

During the campaign against the Acadians, property was plundered, communities were torched, lands were seized, and thousands of Acadian lives were claimed.

Over several generations after the Great Upheaval, the presence of Acadians in Louisiana grew, and their descendants helped to form the nucleus of Louisiana's Cajun life and culture.

On December 9, 2003, Queen Elizabeth II issued a proclamation that acknowledged the suffering experienced by the Acadian people during the Great Upheaval and designated July 28 as ``A Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval.''

H. Res. 294 supports the goals of the proclamation. It also points out how our country has grown and developed and how many of the prejudices that at one time people held have begun, in a serious way, to have diminished. Anybody who has ever visited Louisiana or knows anything about Louisiana knows that the Acadian population is an integral part of the life, the culture, and of the development in the State of Louisiana. So I am proud to support this resolution. I urge its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of H.R. 2977, legislation designating a postal facility in Brockway, Montana, after Paul Kasten. This measure was introduced by the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rehberg) on July 17, 2005.

A rural letter carrier, Mr. Kasten retired this spring at the young age of 86, after delivering mail for over 50 years. He began his career delivering mail on horseback, covering miles and miles of roads in Montana.

Mr. Speaker, it always gives me such pleasure when we recognize the contributions of postal workers by dedicating a facility in their honor, and I could think of no better way to honor the more than 50 years of service given by Mr. Kasten than to name a postal facility in his honor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with my colleague in consideration of H.R. 2894, and I want to commend the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Lewis) for introducing this legislation.

Although Abraham Lincoln was indeed born in Kentucky, he did, in fact, ultimately move to Illinois. And those of us who live in Illinois, we often regard him as perhaps our greatest citizen, one who emerged from very humble beginnings, was somewhat of a nontraditionalist, but ultimately became President of the United States.

And then after becoming President of the United States had the courage to take some very decisive action when there was opposition swirling all around him. So I commend the gentleman from Kentucky for naming a postal facility in Hodgenville.

I was always a great Abraham Lincoln fan. As a matter of fact, when I was a small boy, my mother used to tell me stories about Abraham Lincoln, and she would read to us from books about Abraham Lincoln as a way of expressing to us that it was not always a matter of where you came from but oftentimes it could be a matter of where you were going.

So, again, I commend the gentleman for recognizing and honoring the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln with the naming of a postal facility in his honor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of S. 775, legislation designating a postal facility in Holdenville, Oklahoma, after Boone Pickens.

This measure, which was introduced by Senator James Inhofe on April 13, 2005, was unanimously passed by the Senate on July 29, 2005.

T. Boone Pickens is known worldwide as the founder of Mesa Petroleum, the Nation's largest independent producer of domestic oil and gas. T. Boone is well respected in Texas for his willingness to spend time and money to improve the lives of those around him. In 1986, he started a nonprofit organization called the United Shareholders Association to fund a newspaper informing shareholders of corporate abuses, and he has served as the chairman of the board of West Texas A&M University business school.

Mr. Speaker, I urge swift passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of S. 571, legislation designating a postal facility in Brooklyn, New York, after the late Shirley Chisholm.

This measure, which was introduced by Senator Charles Schumer of New York on March 9, 2005, was unanimously passed by the Senate on July 29, 2005. An identical bill, H.R. 1208, has been introduced by a Democrat in the House, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns).

Shirley Chisholm, a native New Yorker, was the first African American woman to be elected to Congress. After serving in the New York State legislature from 1964 to 1968, Ms. Chisholm was elected to the 91st Congress, where she represented the Twelfth Congressional District.

As a former educator and child care manager, Shirley worked hard in Congress on issues ranging from employment and education, to day care and income-support programs. She pushed hard to end the draft and reduce defense spending. She served in six Congresses, from 1969 to 1983, and was not a candidate for reelection to the 98th Congress.

Shirley Chisholm will be remembered for always fighting the good fight and for being the first black woman to announce her candidacy for President of the United States in 1972. In her speech before the Democratic National Convention in Miami, she declared ``Although I am a woman, and I am equally proud of that, I am not the candidate of any political bosses or special interests. I am the candidate of the people.''

Shirley Chisholm was fond of saying that she was unbought and unbossed, simply meaning that she did not represent any particular special interest, but she represented the will of the people.

Sadly, she passed away on January 1, 2005. Mr. Speaker, the late Shirley Chisholm was a legend; and I commend Senator Schumer and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) for seeking to honor her hard work and dedication in this matter, and I urge support for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins) for introducing this important legislation. As a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join in support. As one who has spent such a long period of time as a Member of this House working for this House and working for government employees, the chairman of the Wright-Patman Federal Credit Union is indeed an inspiration, and I am sure that many people in western New York will continue to honor and revere him, just as many people will continue to do here in the Nation's Capital. I thank the gentleman from New York for designating a postal facility in his honor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 2113, legislation naming a postal facility in Joliet, Illinois, after the late John Whiteside. This measure was introduced by my friend, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller), on May 5, 2005, and unanimously reported by the Government Reform Committee on June 16, 2005. H.R. 2113 enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire Illinois State delegation.

John Whiteside worked at the Herald News, a suburban Chicago newspaper, for 34 years as a reporter and columnist. He was well respected in his community as someone who fought for the rights of veterans. As a veteran, one of his most notable achievements was to increase the number of honor guard volunteers for the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois.

Sadly, John Whiteside passed away in January of cancer. Mr. Speaker, I commend my friend and colleague for renaming the Joliet post office after Mr. Whiteside and urge support for this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of H.R. 2183, legislation designating the postal facility in Staten Island, New York, after the late Vincent Palladino. This measure was introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) on May 5, 2005, and unanimously reported by the Government Reform Committee on June 16, 2005. H.R. 2183 enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire New York delegation.

Born in New Brighten, New York, Vince Palladino joined the post office after serving in the U.S. Air Force. In 1962, he began his career as a letter carrier in the Rosebank Post Office. He held several supervisory positions, including station manager. In 1986, he was elected secretary of the National Association of Postal Supervisors, NAPS, and in 1992, he was elected the organization's President.

Mr. Speaker, as president of NAPS, Vince Palladino spearheaded a very impressive management association of over 35,000 active and retired supervisors, managers, and postmasters. Throughout his years as president, Vince testified before the Committee on Government Reform on many occasions. He fought hard to improve the United States Postal Service and pressed for changes in performance and labor management relations and reforms in pay.

Vince Palladino left his friends at NAPS and the postal service with a very simple, yet poignant message: ``Be fair and honest.''

Sadly, after serving as president for 12 years, Mr. Palladino died in December, 2004, at the age of 69.

Mr. Speaker I commend my colleague for naming the post office after Vince Palladino. How fitting a tribute. And I urge swift passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 2630, legislation redesignating a postal facility in Springfield, Illinois, after the late James Michael Dietrich. This measure was introduced by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) on May 25, 2005, unanimously reported by the Committee on Government Reform on June 16, 2005. H.R. 2630 enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire Illinois State delegation.

Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to join my colleagues in praising the hard work of postal employees. And the late James Michael ``Mike'' Dietrich was a postal supervisor long remembered for his dedication to his job, the employees, and the United States Postal Service.

James Dietrich was a lifelong employee of the postal service. After serving in the U.S. Army, he joined the postal service as a letter carrier. He was promoted to supervisor of Delivery and Collections in 1983 and later to supervisor of customer service in 1989. He handled daily assignments and personnel staffing. He was known for his patience, problem solving, and recognized as the ``go to'' man.

Sadly, he died unexpectedly in September of 2003. Mr. Dietrich's colleagues have described him as a hard worker and a fantastic human being. I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the memory of Mr. Dietrich and urge swift passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, HIV testing is imperative. There is not much else to be said. This global epidemic has affected communities and families around the world. In Chicago, there are about 40,000 new cases each year. There are thousands of families struggling with this fact.

Nationally, nearly one million people are infected with HIV and nearly 30 percent are not aware of it. The highest rates of new infection are with women, especially the women of the African-American community. Sixty-seven percent of new cases are Black women, although women make up only 23 percent of new cases overall. This is a travesty.

We must also remember that this is a global issue that affects the lives of members of our international village. A recent ad campaign in Russia warns, ``Close your eyes on HIV today and you might miss the people closest to you tomorrow.'' This warning, unfortunately, rings true in the lives of many people today. Globally, nearly 40 million men, women and children are infected with the virus that causes AIDS.

We in Congress have taken great legislative strides to fight this epidemic, but we are only 435 faces. It is up to the citizens of this great Nation and nations around the world to stand up and join the fight. This is why June 27th has been designated as National HIV Testing Day. Take advantage of it.

Some people say they don't have time. The fastest method of determining one's status is through rapid testing. It takes about 20 minutes. There are 1,440 minutes in a day. Clinics tend to be open for 8 hour days. If one person went to get tested every 20 minutes at one clinic on June 27th, then there would be 24 people that know their status. The number of United States registered hospitals totals 5,764. If one person went to get tested every 20 minutes at each of these hospitals, on June 27th, 138,336 people would know their status. Imagine if this were a global initiative. To the people who think that HIV testing is a long and time-consuming process, I say, we don't have time to waste.

Mr. Speaker, we don't have time to lose another life. We don't have time for silence or apathy. Tell a friend or family member. Remind them how urgent it is to grasp this moment. Take advantage of this day. Seize it. Get tested.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Edward H. King who today retired from the Walgreen's Company after 27 years of distinguished service. Mr. King joined Walgreens in 1978 after serving as chief legislative assistant to the late U.S. Senator Dewey Bartlett of Oklahoma. He also served as executive director of the Northern Oklahoma Development Association from 1973 to 1975.

Mr. King received his bachelor's degree in history in 1968 from the University of Tulsa and his J.D. in 1972 from the University of Tulsa School of Law. In his current position as director of government and community relations for the Walgreen Company he helped to increase the visibility of his company throughout the community.

Mr. King could be found championing causes like the One on One mentoring and tutoring program geared toward at risk children in Chicago. Since 1989 Walgreens has contributed more than 1.3 million to that effort. Additionally, I am pleased to have worked with Mr. King and Walgreens in a curfew awareness campaign aimed at getting young people off the street and in their homes. Through the leadership of Mr. King Walgreens has been actively engaged in supporting efforts to find a cure for HIV/AIDS and promoting awareness. The work of Walgreens has not only been domestic in nature.

Recently, I had the opportunity to work with Mr. King in assisting Walgreens donation of 200,000 eyeglasses to the following countries in Africa: Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. Mr. King and the Walgreen Company understand the corporate responsibility role in giving back to improve communities in which they serve.

Mr. King is a man who has received numerous awards and honors. Perhaps the greatest reward is that found in his family and wife of 16 years Jo Ellen Thomson and his three children Aidan, Ming, and Ryland. Mr. King as you retire from Walgreens it is my hope that you will remain involved in community building--just at a different pace. Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues please join with me and the residents of the Seventh Congressional District in saluting Mr. Ed King for 27 outstanding years of service to the Walgreen Company.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. Chairman, I simply could not let the time go by without rising to support the Nadler-Velazquez amendment.

I realize the difficulty of finding resources. We all know about tight budgets, and we know that you cannot get blood out of a turnip. But the Section 8 housing voucher program is one of the best things that has happened for poor people in this country. Every day my phone rings incessantly with people asking if we know where they can find a place to live; do we know where they can find some low-income housing; do we know where they can find some affordable housing?

And while we are only talking about 15,000 vouchers, which is minimum, for those individuals who would be able to acquire them, it would be like receiving manna from heaven.

So I simply reiterate what has already been said and that is if we really want to help the homeless, do as the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) said, provide them with a place to live. I support the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I had an amendment at the desk that is a very similar amendment that I will not call up, and I would ask to be incorporated as a cosponsor of the Davis-Harris amendment, to be the Davis-Harris-Davis amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I represent more public housing I suspect than any Member of Congress other than perhaps the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) or the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens). Cabrini Green, Henry Horner, Rockwell Gardens, Obla, Ogden Courts, Laundale Courts, Hilliard Courts, Stateway Gardens, Ida B. Wells, Lakepoint Towers, all in Chicago.

If Members want to see where Hope VI has been working, we have a transformation plan in Chicago where thousands of people have been able to move out of high-rise buildings where they were packed together like sardines in a can, impossible for socialization to really occur.

I would agree Hope VI has not been perfect, but it has been the best thing that has happened to those individuals because they have been able to move from on top of each other. They have been able to have some breathing room and some space.

I recognize all of the things that the gentleman from Michigan (Chairman Knollenberg) has pointed out, but let us continue to give people hope by providing the continuation of Hope VI programming and Hope VI funding.