Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as we close out the month to recognize October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Even as Congress has struggled with the basic task of funding our Federal Government, we are mindful that we have pressing problems and important work to do to raise awareness and help women survive this deadly disease.

Over the last few decades, these public efforts have helped educate people and promote awareness about breast cancer, but we must remain vigilant in the fight because there is so much more to be done.

The statistics are sobering: one in eight women will get breast cancer in her lifetime. This disease strikes women--and some men--of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, and ages. While all women are at risk, many still think it can't happen to them, especially young women. But I know all too well that it can. In 2007, when I was just 41 years old, I learned I had breast cancer.

While we have made significant advances on some fronts, recent studies show that more and more young women are being diagnosed with breast cancer, and metastasis rates are not going down.

I believe we have a responsibility as Members of Congress to take Breast Cancer Awareness Month one step further and turn awareness into action. We must take action to implement the Affordable Care Act and continue to ensure that every single person in this country has access to the information they need to make informed decisions about their health.

We must take action to ensure women get the preventative services and screenings they need, while understanding their risks and treatment options.

With this in mind, in 2009 I sponsored the Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act, or the EARLY Act. The EARLY Act focus on equipping young women with the tools they need to take charge of their health.

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control is developing evidence- based interventions and working with advocacy organizations on programs that provide support services for young breast cancer survivors and their families, as well as a national education and awareness campaign to help young women understand their risk and take charge of their health.

Even with the CDC's work under the EARLY Act, we must do more to assist those women who survive breast cancer, and I am developing new legislative efforts on this front. I am working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

Young cancer survivors face very different life challenges than older survivors--from fertility preservation issues to the long-term health and neurocognitive effects of cancer treatments. With cancer care, one size does not fit all. The young face many more years as survivors and have unique challenges that arise that are not experienced by survivors who are diagnosed later in life.

There was good news from the Supreme Court earlier this year when they took some action to help improve our ability to detect, diagnose, and treat breast cancer. This past June, the Justices ruled unanimously that a company cannot patent naturally occurring genes. This decision paves the way for more companies to offer genetic tests for gene mutations that significantly increase the risk of developing diseases like breast or ovarian cancer. Thanks to this ruling, more women will have access to affordable testing and second-opinion testing about their risks and courses of treatment.

Like many others before me, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and later identified as a BRAC2 gene mutation carrier, I had to make life-altering decisions without the benefit of a second opinion or even a second test. That will now be a thing of the past thanks to the Supreme Court decision.

Again, though, there is still so much more to be done. We must work to guarantee that insurers, including programs like Medicare, cover testing where appropriate and preventative surgery where necessary.

And there is still work left to be done to fully implement the Affordable Care Act. While implementation of any major change comes with great changes--and we have certainly had some of those--it also comes with great reward. For example, I am thrilled that this coming January, with the opening of the health insurance marketplaces, no woman will ever have to worry

again about being dropped from her health coverage when battling breast cancer.

Before the Affordable Care Act, too many Americans were just one diagnosis away from having to face cancer without affordable, quality coverage that could not be taken away.

A case in point is my friend Mary Ann Wasil of the Get in Touch Foundation. She wrote me a few weeks ago to say her life literally depends on the Affordable Care Act. Mary Ann is battling advanced breast cancer. She is currently on COBRA insurance. When that runs out, she would surely be uninsurable without the Affordable Care Act. Mary Ann's chemotherapy treatment for the month of July alone was $110,000. Simply put, without coverage she could not afford the treatment she needs. Her note to me said: ``This is real for me. It is life or death for me.''

This is why the Affordable Care Act is so important for breast cancer warriors like Mary Ann.

I have had so many women come up to me, Mr. Speaker, and confess that they haven't had a mammogram in years because before the Affordable Care Act, they could not afford the expensive copays and deductibles or feared the prohibitive costs of treatment. They were literally afraid to get a diagnosis because they were worried they couldn't afford treatment.

That worry is a thing of the past. Education and awareness is only half the battle. For breast cancer or any serious disease, access to affordable, quality health insurance is a necessity. It is not a privilege. It is a right for every American. Looking forward, we must work together to help women know their risks, discover cancer early, and access the best treatment possible.

As we continue to learn more and help more young women, let us commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a renewed dedication to support our mothers, sisters, daughters, and sister-friends. Together, let's eradicate breast cancer once and for all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our late colleague, Congressman Bill Young.

Congressman Young was an extraordinary public servant whose legacy of caring for his constituents and veterans will not soon be forgotten. I am truly honored to have served alongside him in Congress.

For more than four decades, Congressman Young championed legislation to improve the lives of Floridians and all Americans and never hesitated to reach across the aisle to find common ground.

A veteran of the Army National Guard, Congressman Young used his expertise on defense and security issues to advocate for our men and women in uniform. Throughout his legislative career, Congressman Young worked diligently to ensure that our military had access to the training and equipment necessary to be successful in their missions. He also stood by our brave soldiers and their families at home--making sure military retirees had access to health care, defending benefits for military spouses, supporting our wounded veterans, and honoring our fallen heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Congressman Young was a tireless advocate for Florida. In the 1980's, he established the first moratorium on drilling off the West Coast of Florida, and fought subsequent efforts to repeal this moratorium. Mr. Young also championed landmark legislation to protect the Everglades, raising his voice to break a deadlock amongst his colleagues.

His work to establish the National Marrow Donor program and support for biomedical research is another example of how Congressman Young's efforts will touch lives many years after his public service.

I remember shortly after I was first elected to Congress, Mr. Young made it a point to reach out and share his insights with me. During our time together on the Appropriations Committee, I was so fortunate to learn from this experienced Floridian and great statesman.

Congressman Young's leadership and service to all Floridians will be truly cherished and forever missed. He never stopped working for a better nation and a better Florida, and for that, we should all be thankful. Our nation has lost a true champion whose legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the 2013 Water Resources Reform and Development Act.

Our Nation's infrastructure is critical to a thriving economy. In Florida alone, civil works projects improve navigation at our many ports, assist with flood control, restore the Everglades ecosystem, and help protect our pristine beaches, which are central to our $65- billion-a-year tourism industry. Yet Congress has, unfortunately, passed only one WRRDA bill in the last 13 years, so this legislation is certainly long overdue and much needed. I am grateful for the committee's leadership in championing this effort.

WRDA 2000 launched the visionary Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, or CERP. This 30-year Federal-State partnership is the largest environmental restoration project in our Nation's history. After much delay, projects are now underway. This bill authorizes four additional much-needed components.

One of those is the Broward Water Preserve, located in my congressional district. This project will help capture, store, and distribute surface water runoff from the Everglades and assist with flood protection and groundwater recharge.

I am also pleased the manager's amendment will allow non-Federal sponsors to prefund projects prior to authorization, and I appreciate Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall's flexibility that this amendment affords my community. This will assist Port Everglades, a major economic engine in south Florida.

Port Everglades generates nearly $26 billion a year in economic activity, but needs to be deepened from 42 feet to 48 feet to allow it to be competitive in attracting deeper draft cargo ships in the post- Panama Canal expansion market.

The Army Corps, after considerable urging from the Florida delegation, is close to completing a long-delayed dredge study to make this happen. Despite years of intense efforts, the final study is not yet ready for authorization by this bill.

Again, I want to thank Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall for their commitment to returning to a more regular WRRDA process. We simply cannot wait another 6 or 7 years to authorize the next step of public infrastructure projects. We need to start the next WRRDA bill in a timely fashion.

In Florida alone, there are four critical projects almost ready for authorization, including Port Everglades, two other Florida ports projects, and the Central Everglades Planning Project. All four of these initiatives are critical to our State and should not have to wait many years to receive authorization simply because of either Congress' or the Army Corps' delay.

I urge my colleagues to support this important bill that will focus on our ability to create jobs and make sure we can move our economy forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to on behalf of millions of children and families worldwide in danger of starvation.

Each year, malnourishment accounts for almost half of the 6.9 million deaths among children under the age of five. The first 1,000 days between the start of a woman's pregnancy and her child's second birthday are critical to the long term survival of these children. As we recognize World Food Day today, we must do more to support ending maternal and child malnutrition.

That's why I introduced H. Res. 254 with my colleague, Representative Mario Diaz-Balart. This resolution raises awareness of the critical 1,000-day window and encourages relevant federal agencies to better coordinate and track nutrition outcomes.

As a mother, it pains me to think of a child dying because he or she doesn't have enough food to eat, especially when our planet produces enough food to feed every man, woman, and child.

I urge my colleagues to join us in cosponsoring H. Res. 254 and give a voice to the millions of vulnerable and hungry children around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, to end this reckless Republican-orchestrated shutdown. It is time for the House Republican leadership to stop with the gimmicks and step up with a legitimate effort to re-open the government.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Myke Reid on the occasion of his recent retirement from the American Postal Workers Union (APWU).

Since 2004, Mr. Reid served as Legislative and Political Director of the American Postal Workers Union, advocating on behalf of our nation's postal service. In addition to serving as Legislative Director, Mr. Reid held various roles with the APWU and played an integral role in passing important legislation, including the Family & Medical Leave Act and reform of the Hatch Act.

Myke Reid began his career with the United States Postal Service in 1976 as a clerk in Norfolk, VA. From the beginning, Mr. Reid was an active member of the Norfolk local union, serving as newsletter editor, steward and local business agent. Mr. Reid's dedication and passion for legislative reform won the admiration of his fellow union members, and he quickly rose to the position of state legislative director and state president.

In 1984, Mr. Reid came to our nation's capital to work on a legislative campaign to protect Social Security. In 1985, he was appointed as a Special Assistant to then-President Moe Biller, and continued in that role until 1992, when he was selected to fill the newly created position of Assistant Legislative Director for the APWU. In 2004, he was elected to serve as APWU's Legislative and Political Director.

Mr. Reid worked tirelessly on behalf of our nation's postal workers to advocate for decent pay and benefits, safe working conditions, and respect and dignity on the job. Mr. Reid also played an essential role in passing reforms to the Federal Employees Retirement System Act, the Spouse Equity Act, the Postal Employees Safety Enhancement Act, and the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act. The enthusiasm that Mr. Reid brought to his work has earned him respect throughout the halls of Congress and with APWU members. He has truly set the bar high for those who follow in his footsteps.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Myke Reid on this occasion and in commending him for his service and his work to represent the interests of America's Postal Workers and working families across the nation.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I rise in opposition to this, the 43rd attempt to defund, delay, or undermine the Affordable Care Act by House Republicans.

What is even more disturbing is that this latest attempt comes with the very distinct possibility for a costly and disruptive government shutdown.

As Members of Congress, we have a constitutional obligation to fund our government. The Senate sent us a bill yesterday that would accomplish that goal; but rather than pass it, House Republicans are pressing their ideological agenda once more, pushing us closer to a government shutdown.

Look, I get it. The Republican Conference is desperate to halt the Affordable Care Act because they bet against it and they came up short; but now they're gambling with our entire economy. They're desperate because they

bet against a law that is already benefiting millions of Americans, from seniors on Medicare, to children with preexisting conditions, to millions of Americans who are being overcharged by their insurance companies. And starting January 1, millions more uninsured Americans will be able to obtain quality, affordable health insurance. In fact, just this week, it was announced that a family of four in my congressional district making $50,000 a year will be able to obtain private health insurance for as little as $24 a month.

The Affordable Care Act is working, and I urge my colleagues to stop betting the same losing hand on our economy. Enough already. Let it go.

Now, let me tell you something that your little stunt that you're pulling here--which has no chance of becoming law--what it does for the millions of breast cancer survivors like me.

Ninety-five days from today, the millions of survivors, the 150 million people who live in this country with a preexisting condition, you are trying to rob us of the peace of mind that that provision gives us.

What you're trying to do is make sure that every single day, when each of us who survived cancer or another life-threatening illness, waiting for the other shoe to drop, what you're trying to do is say you should stay living in fear for an insurance company to boot you off your insurance because of the possibility of you getting sick again. It's unconscionable. It's unacceptable. Walk a mile in our shoes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the newly expanded Montessori Academy in Pembroke Pines, FL.

As the 2013-2014 academic term commences, the Montessori Academy will educate students from infancy through middle school, with the goal of preparing them to be lifelong learners and responsible citizens of the world community.

A quality education equips our youth with the skills they need to succeed in life, including critical thinking skills for inside and outside the classroom. Students attending the Montessori Academy will be able to take advantage of the new elementary and middle school classrooms, labs, arts and media centers, computer labs, and gymnasium.

As a parent of three students in Broward County schools, I am grateful for every fantastic teacher, school leader, and professional working to make a difference in the lives of our children. Education is not only the right of every child; it is the cornerstone of America's future.

I wish the Montessori Academy the best as faculty, staff, students, and parents prepare for a successful school year. Go Eagles!

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the underlying bill on behalf of an entire generation of south Florida's children.

The stakes could not be higher. Our K-12 public education system is essential for preparing the next generation of Americans to excel in life and to compete for the high-skilled, high-wage jobs in the global economy. It's why access to quality public education

has been a central priority for me throughout my legislative career. Yet faced with this national priority, the bill before us is a step backward, not forward. It locks in $1.3 billion of irresponsible sequester cuts, including tens of millions of dollars that will come straight out of the classrooms of Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, which I represent.

For an outstanding teacher like Joan Rapps at Mirror Lake Elementary in Broward County, it means fewer resources for her second graders, less extra help, and fewer opportunities to develop as a professional as she strives to help our students rise above all hurdles. We cannot allow this to happen.

This Congress could be working to make it possible to have an excellent teacher in every classroom, engage parents, and empower educators with the resources they need to help every child achieve success. Sadly, with this bill, we are doing the opposite.

Thank you very much to my cocaptain, the gentlelady from West Virginia, and to all of our sisters on the Congressional Women's Softball team.

The gentlelady from West Virginia is absolutely right; we may not always agree in the boundaries and walls of this room, but I think all of us can agree that we want to defeat the common adversary--that is, the press corps.

We have been out there for the last 2 months at 7 in the morning two or three times a week. None of us can believe that we actually all get out there at the crack of dawn to make sure that we can build our skills, build camaraderie, make sure that we come together around a true common purpose. We also thank our adversaries, whom we will defeat tonight when we take the field and make sure that we take the trophy back for the women Members.

We've only won one out of the last four games, but the fifth time is a charm. This is the fifth annual game. It happens to coincide with my own 5-year anniversary of being a survivor of breast cancer. And the importance of this game is really that we all are focused on raising money for an incredible charity, the Young Survival Coalition. We are headed for a record-breaking fundraising year.

I want to thank the majority whip in particular for making sure that the schedule accommodated everybody coming to the game. This is going to be a fun family event. Bring your kids. We have face painting and a fun zone and all kinds of food and a great time. We have already presold more than 1,000 tickets before we even get to the door.

So thank you so much. Come cheer on the women Members tonight at 7 o'clock, Watkins Recreation Center, 12th and D Southeast. Take the Eastern Market or Potomac Avenue Metro.

On to victory for the Congressional Women's Softball team.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the more than 47 million Americans who rely on nutrition assistance and in strong opposition to the deep, unnecessary, and cruel cuts to these antihunger programs in the FARRM Bill.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is one of our Nation's most effective tools for lifting children, seniors, and families out of poverty and helping vulnerable Americans put food on their table each day. SNAP is a lifeline for low-income and working Americans and their families.

Mr. Speaker, I speak in defense of the most basic elements of America's safety net, that regardless of circumstance, no American should go hungry. These deep and drastic cuts mean that 2 million Americans risk falling through the safety net. Some 210,000 children may go hungry throughout the school day; an additional 850,000 households will have less food on their tables. In my home State, nearly 1 million south Floridians don't know where their next meal will come from, and an astonishing 300,000 of them are children.

It is inexcusable for this Congress to try to balance the budget on the backs of hungry children and their families. We know that savings derived from these cuts are short-lived.

When Americans are food insecure, they are more likely to be anemic and have vitamin A and protein deficiencies, all of which lead to larger and more costly health issues, which we all pay for.

When needy children go off to school on empty stomachs, we dim their horizons and cripple their potential.

We are hurting our Nation's future through these severe burdens on needy families. This is not the way to find a balanced budget approach. Unfortunately, these cuts define the mindset of too many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle.

It is shameful for us to tell the American people that when they fall on tough times, they're on their own. With these cuts, we are limiting their potential, risking their health, and leaving our fellow Americans writhing with hunger. It is immoral. The authors of this bill should be ashamed.

I urge my colleagues to oppose the $20 billion in cuts to nutrition programs in this bill. Support the McGovern amendment that would restore this critical funding, and oppose the rule and the FARRM Bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise to strongly oppose the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. It has been 40 years since Roe v. Wade, and yet women still have to fight for the right to keep decisions about our bodies between us and our doctors. We shouldn't have to worry that our government will try to intercede in our personal health care decisions.

This bill is extreme, and it's an unprecedented reach into women's lives--into women's personal lives. This is a clear indication that the well-being of women in this country is not something Republicans care to protect. It is clear that the Members who approved this bill, the all-male Republican members on the House Judiciary Committee, are not only disinterested in protecting the well-being of women but are also disinterested in the professional opinion of the medical community.

We have heard a lot of offensive and downright untrue assertions by Republicans throughout the discussion of this bill, including by the previous speaker. These assertions are baseless, completely devoid of medical fact or grounding in consensus among doctors. No evidence has been presented. They just throw statistics out without any citation or reference at all. Just because you say it out loud in the House Chamber doesn't make it true.

The Republican men who brought this bill to the floor--despite the parade of our women colleagues on the House floor today--do not represent the voices of women in America. Every time we let their voices get louder than ours, we are inching back to the truly Dark Ages--where a world of barriers, from physical to legal to financial, stood between women and their constitutional rights. We have worked too hard and come too far to let it all slip away now.

As a mother, when I think about what kind of world I want my daughters to live in, it's one where their rights are sacred and their value is recognized, and that means having access to comprehensive sex education, affordable contraception, and, yes, safe, legal reproductive services.

This bill doesn't work toward creating a better world for future generations of women. It erodes their future by undermining their independence and undercutting their health. I urge a ``no'' vote on this unconstitutional piece of legislation and extreme reach into the personal health and well-being of women.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Grimm amendment to the FY 2014 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. I'm proud to be a co-sponsor of this amendment which would prohibit the Transportation Security Administration from moving forward with a policy to allow knives to be carried on to airplanes.

While I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, I commend the TSA for their announcement today that they will no longer pursue a policy to allow knives in carry-on luggage on planes. TSA is putting public safety first with this decision. They are listening to the serious concerns raised by flight attendants, pilots, TSA screeners, air marshals, airlines, and the American public.

It is our job to ensure that government takes common-sense measures to increase the safety of our commercial air transportation system. While we can never ensure complete safety, prohibiting passengers from bringing knives onto planes is a reasonable post-9/11 measure that should be kept in place.

Safety should always be our number one priority when evaluating changes to airline policy. I commend TSA for their commitment to keeping our skies and the American public as safe as possible.

I urge my colleagues to support the Grimm amendment.

Thank you, Ranking Member Price.

First, let me commend both Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Price on a strong, bipartisan bill. But let me especially recognize their leadership for adding language to this legislation to protect our most vulnerable constituents--our children.

This language that I refer to will effectively fence off $20 million in funds for child exploitation investigations

and forensics within Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Child Exploitation Investigations Unit at the Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. Chair, there is no question that our children need our support now more than ever. With the proliferation of the Internet and wireless technology, the spread of child pornography online must be addressed now. We don't have a moment or an opportunity to waste.

The Department of Justice estimates that at any moment there are more than 1 million pornographic images of children on the Internet--think about that, 1 million--with an additional 200 images being posted every day, and more than one-third of the world's pedophiles involved in organized pornography rings worldwide live in the United States.

The Internet allows these images to be disseminated indefinitely, victimizing that child again and again with each click of the mouse. Because let's not forget that these aren't just heinous images, they are crime scene photos. Every face in those photographs is the face of a child who needs our support in order to escape a living hell of constant abuse and exploitation.

Since the 1970s, before we even had a Federal child pornography statute, ICE--which was then called the U.S. Customs Service--was a leader in the fight to protect our children. That is still true today. Last year, there were more than 1,600 criminal arrests relating to child exploitation, and 2,600 worldwide investigations were launched, setting new records for Homeland Security investigations. Already this year, there have been 1,382 criminal arrests relating to child exploitation. Their efforts are second to none, and I know they will continue to put these resources to good use.

But for every child rescued, hundreds more remain trapped in a current of abuse, the horrors of which none of us can truly imagine. We need the absolute best personnel going into the fight to rescue these children. That's why it's my hope that some of these funds will be used to employ our wounded warriors, in addition to the experienced agents already fighting these battles. And I thank the chairman and ranking member for adding report language in the bill to encourage the hiring of these valued veterans.

Our armed services have already protected us abroad, so naturally our veterans are a perfect choice to protect our most precious resources at home. In fact, retired Army Master Sergeant Rich Robertson is already fighting child exploitation at the ICE field office in Tennessee. In his words, ``Who better to hunt child predators than someone who's already hunted men?''

I am enthusiastic about this initiative because I know of the immense skills and motivation of our returning servicemen and -women, and the skills that they possess could be the key to our most successful affront on child exploitation yet. Child predators won't stand a chance.

By harnessing the abilities of our wounded warriors, we not only ensure that their skills, dedication, and drive are put to good use back at home, we give them the most dignifying thank-you of all: a job that truly makes a difference.

Mr. Chair, let me be clear: with the inclusion of this language, we are putting predators on notice. Their reign of terror is coming to an end--you can bet on it.

I thank my colleagues on the committee for committing to fight until every American child can live free from terror and exploitation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Patients' Rights Repeal Act. This is the Republicans' 37th callous attempt to derail health care reform.

Rather than work to create jobs and to improve our economy, Republicans are focused on taking away key patients' rights and benefits that are already improving countless American lives.

With this vote today to repeal the Affordable Care Act, House Republicans are saying that they don't mind if insurance companies drop patients as soon as they get sick, or if our seniors can't afford their prescription drugs to stay healthy.

Three years after the Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress, signed into law by the President, and upheld as constitutional by the Supreme Court, millions of Americans, particularly our Nation's women, are seeing meaningful protections for their health and well-being.

As a cancer survivor and as a mother of three young children, this law isn't about politics for me. It's personal.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 41, 5 years ago, it was like my world was coming down around me all at once.

My colleagues must understand, and we were reminded again this week, there is nothing in the world more gut-wrenching as a parent than not being able to assure your children that their mom is going to be okay, or that they won't have to worry about getting cancer someday themselves.

I was fortunate to have exceptional health care coverage, but too many women in our country have never had the ability to see a doctor, and so many face true financial hardship with a diagnosis like mine.

Over the past 5 years, I've had so many women come up to me and confess that they haven't had a mammogram in years because they can't afford the expensive co-pays or they fear the prohibitive cost of treatment. That is unacceptable in the United States of America.

Imagine how many millions in our country face terrifying health care decisions every day. This Congress has the power to protect them from uncertainty, instability, and financial ruin. That power lies in the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, tools like free preventative care and cancer screening services that help save women's lives.

We cannot waste another minute with more of these meaningless attempts to repeal a law that has already made a difference for so many of our constituents. For our children, and all families across this Nation, we must come together and work to implement this historic health care reform that is the law of the land and that is not going to be repealed.