Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, America must move from the errant, retributive justice

of 9/11 to a healing, restorative process of truth and reconciliation.

Before the Congress adjourns, I will bring forth a new proposal for the establishment of a National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, which will have the power to compel testimony and gather official documents to reveal to the American people not only the underlying deception which has divided us, but in that process of truth seeking set our Nation on a path of reconciliation.

We suffer in our remembrance of 9/11, because of the terrible loss of innocent lives on that grim day. We also suffer because 9/11 was seized as an opportunity to run a political agenda, which has set America on a course of the destruction of another nation and the destruction of our own Constitution. And we have become less secure as a result of the warped practice of pursing peace through the exercise of preemptive military strength.

It is not simply 9/11 that needs to be remembered. We also need to remember the politicization of 9/11 and the polarizing narrative which followed, locking us into endless conflict, a war on terror which has wrought further terror worldwide and which has severely damaged our standing worldwide as an honorable, compassionate nation. As we were all victims of 9/11, so we have become victims of the interpretation of 9/11.

Our government's external response to 9/11 was to attack a nation which did not attack us. Indeed on the first anniversary of 9/11, the Bush administration issued a well-publicized stern warning to Iraq which was part of a campaign to induce people to believe Iraq had something to do with 9/11.

The deliberate, systematic connection of Iraq with 9/11 has led America into a philosophical and moral cul-de-sac as over one million Iraqis and over 4155 U.S. soldiers have died in a war which will cost over $3 trillion. Additionally, soldiers from 23 other countries have died in the Iraq war.

We attempt to unite Iraq by further dividing it. We talk about restoring Iraq while taking steps to place control of its vast oil wealth in the hands of U.S. oil giants. And we intend to impose upon the Iraqi people the cost of rebuilding a country which our government ruined, keeping a once prosperous nation lashed to debt and poverty for a long, long time. Iraq has paid for 9/11. We all continue to pay for 9/11.

The heartbreaking loss of the lives and injuries to America troops further binds us to the Administration's illogic of the Iraq war: We remember our troops' sacrifice by demanding more sacrifice; we support our troops by continuing the war.

The dominant color of our new national security since 9/11 is neither red, white nor blue. Every day is orange. Everyday reminders of fear of 9/11 become banal. Yet we no longer hear the airport announcements nor see the orange-colored warnings because they have commonplace standards in our new national security state, as is the PATRIOT Act, wiretapping, and a host of invasions of privacy and diminution of civil liberties. The Constitution has been roundly attacked by the very people who took an oath to defend it.

There is a powerful desire across America for change, not necessarily from control by one political party to another, but a change from living with lies to living with truth.

Over two dozen nations, facing peril within and without, deeply divided by politics and war have travelled down a path of restoring civil society through a formal process of reconciliation. At some point within each of those countries it was understood that the way forward is shown through the light of truth. This process is not without pain because it requires a willingness to study evidence to which eyes had been averted and ears had been closed. But in the process of truth and reconciliation, nations found new strength, new resolve, and new commitment.

The South African Truth and Reconciliation enabled that nation to come to grips with its past through a public confessional, bringing forward those who committed crimes and having the power to grant amnesty for full disclosure of crimes against the people. Of course, our path may necessarily be different: High U.S. government officials stand accused in impeachment petitions of violating national and international law. Our continued existence as a democracy may depend upon how thoroughly we seek the truth. I will call upon the American people to join me in supporting this effort.

The truth can move us forward, as a unified whole, so that we can one day become a re-United States. September 11 is the day the world changed. It is the day America embraced a metaphor of war. If we are open to truth and reconciliation, we may one day be able, once again, to embrace peace.

Madam Speaker, we suffer in our remembrance of 9/11, because of the terrible loss of innocent lives on that grim day. We also suffer because 9/11 was seized as an opportunity to run a political agenda, which has set America on a course of the destruction of another nation and the destruction of our own Constitution. And we have become less secure as a result of the warped practice of pursuing peace through the exercise of pre-emptive military strength.

It is not simply 9/11 that needs to be remembered. We also need to remember the politicization of 9/11 and the polarizing narrative which followed, locking us into endless conflict, a war on terror which has wrought further terror worldwide and which has severely damaged our standing worldwide as an honorable, compassionate nation. As we were all victims of 9/11, so we have become victims of the interpretation of 9/11.

Our Government's external response to 9/11 was to attack a nation which did not attack us. Indeed on the first anniversary of 9/11, the Bush administration issued a well-publicized stern warning to Iraq which was part of a campaign to induce people to believe Iraq had something to do with 9/11.

The deliberate, systematic connection of Iraq with 9/11 has led America into a philosophical and moral cul-de-sac as over 1 million Iraqis and over 4,155 U.S. soldiers have died in a war which will cost over $3 trillion. Additionally, soldiers from 23 other countries have died in the Iraq war.

Last year, I voted against a similar resolution to the one before us today because it ignored the reality of the administration's use of 9/ 11 as a false justification for war. This year, I will vote for the resolution because I have renewed hope that the day will come when September 11 will no longer symbolize the false justification for an unjustified and unprovoked war.

Over two dozen nations, facing peril within and without, deeply divided by politics and war, have traveled down a path of restoring civil society through a formal process of reconciliation. At some point within each of those countries it was understood that the way forward is shown through the light of truth. This process is not without pain because it requires a willingness to study evidence to which eyes had been averted and ears had been closed. But in the process of truth and reconciliation, nations found new strength, new resolve, new commitment.

The South African Truth and Reconciliation enabled that nation to come to grips with its past through a public confessional, bringing forward those who committed crimes and having the power to grant amnesty for full disclosure of crimes against the people. Of course, our path may necessarily be different: High U.S. government officials stand accused in impeachment petitions of violating national and international law. Our continued existence as a democracy may depend upon how thoroughly we seek the truth. I will call upon the American people to join me in supporting this effort.

The truth can move us forward, as a unified whole, so that we can one day become a re-United States. 9/11 is the day the world changed. It is the day America embraced a metaphor of war. If we are open to truth and reconciliation, we may one day be able, once again, to embrace peace.

Madam Speaker, H. Res. 1069 condemns the use of television programming by Hamas to incite hatred in Palestinian youth and encourage violence. Violence and hatred will not bring a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. I do not condone the use of television programming to promote such acts; rather I strongly object to it. Similarly, I condemn an ongoing policy that seeks to punish a civilian population in an effort to undermine its political leadership.

Hamas is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States because they engage in violence that undermines the Arab-Israeli peace process. Hamas is a sanctioned terrorist entity by the U.S. and the international community. As such, our condemnation of all egregious and objectionable activities by Hamas is clear. Condemnation of their television programming does not make this more clear nor does it bring us closer to a viable peace.

U.S. foreign policy must promote viable solutions to the violence and hatred. It is obvious that the promotion of peaceful solutions begins with ensuring the security and basic human rights of all people. The ongoing atrocities caused by the suffering of 1.5 million people in Gaza who are subject to escalating poverty, inadequate health care and insufficient access to clean water is a clear violation of security and human rights.

The blockade of Gaza has resulted in a near total collapse of the private sector, causing an almost 80 percent unemployment rate. More than 80 percent of all Gazans now rely on emergency food aid provided by the United Nations as their primary food source. The lack of basic goods has severely deteriorated Gaza's health, economy, and social fabric.

Imposition of the blockade in response to Hamas's attacks has amounted to collective punishment. While the current crisis may be exacerbated, instigated, even perpetuated by Hamas, the responsibility for ending the humanitarian crisis does not rest solely with Hamas.

Israel has a legal duty to provide Gazans with food, clean water, electricity, and medical care. The United States enjoys a close relationship with Israel. They are one of our strongest allies. I urge this body to exert our diplomatic influence with Israel to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ensure the health, safety, and security for Palestinians and Israelis. This new condition would obviate the perceived need for condemnation.

Mr. Speaker, my fellow colleagues, sometime in the next week the House is going to be asked to make some decisions on energy policy. But I think we need to reflect on the last few years, and that is, the United States went into Iraq for one reason and one reason only, oil. And when we did that, the price of oil didn't go down, it went up.

That the oil companies are running our energy policy is not a secret in this country. They have kept oil off the market while they jacked up the price. They have helped to restrain the supply while the price has skyrocketed and the American families paid for that. So to give the oil companies more drilling rights is simply a guarantee that we are going to pay more for oil, not less. Wake up, America.

I thank the gentlelady.

When I look at this Chamber this evening, there are so many Members of Congress here, each who wants to pay tribute to her. I'm going to keep my remarks brief, not in any way reflecting the depth of grief that I feel over Stephanie's passing.

We shared not only districts--because my district is mostly on the West side of the Cuyahoga River and hers is mostly on the east side of the Cuyahoga River--but we shared political careers, having worked with each other for the better part of three decades. And the Stephanie that we saw here in the Congress, the one of the 100-megawatt smile, the boundless energy, the telling sense of humor, the challenging approach when you may not agree with her, that was the Stephanie that I knew for 30 years.

But we also shared a friendship about family. And she went through it in the last years of her life with the loss of loved ones close to her, her father, her husband. And when we would have major events in our lives, like we do with close friends--and she was a close friend to many of us--we would share many of these things. And there was a lot of sadness to share. But there was also a moment when, for me, I had one of the biggest things happen in my life, and Stephanie was the first person I wanted to share it with.

More than 3 years ago, I met a woman who walked into my office as part of a meeting for policy, and even though I had a very brief conversation with her, I knew something had happened at that moment. And I just knew at that moment that this was somebody I was going to marry, and I didn't even have a discussion with her about anything except for policy for more than about half a minute. And I ran down to the floor to tell my friend Stephanie, because that's the kind of friend she was. You would want to tell her when you thought something big was happening in your life.

And so I said, ``Stephanie, I met her.'' And she looked at me and her eyes widened, and she gave her big smile, and she went, ``Shut up!'' And she had that kind of way of assessing things brilliantly and quickly in a manner and a tone and a language that was Stephanie.

And she really brought the wisdom of a keen legal mind and melded it with a

street sense into this political persona that touched people all over this country and, indeed, in other countries as well. She had that magic.

Her presence is so powerful that I know I speak for other Members when I say that even at this moment, weeks later after her passing, we still can't believe it. That's how powerful a presence she was personally. And when she engaged you, you knew you were in a conversation and it was real.

When Members of Congress arrived to pay respects at the Bethany Church, we saw the sidewalks lined with her constituents. We saw a line to get into Bethany Church that was more than a block long. Hundreds of people waiting in line.

I had the chance to talk to some of them. You could see--you have to look into people's eyes, look at their faces, and you see the faces of people who are struggling with life, who are dealing with the kinds of problems that Stephanie came to Congress to address: trying to save their homes, trying to save their jobs, trying to keep their families together. And their eyes are searching today because they know they have lost a champion, and it puts such a great responsibility on all of us, a greater responsibility on all of us to uphold those things that she came to Congress for, the basic rights of people.

This was a loss for women who have strived for recognition in this body. This is a loss for African Americans who saw in her a champion, the first African American woman elected to Congress from the State of Ohio.

But what Stephanie did, her genius and her magic was she just broke all of the barriers. She went beyond gender and beyond race and emerged to a whole different political element. That's why she can't be replaced. And that's why, long after many of us have left this Chamber, people will still be talking about Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

Stephanie, we love you, and we will remember you.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Adrian Maldonado on the occasion of his retirement as Director of the Office of Procurement and Diversity in Cuyahoga County. His vision, leadership and commitment to his work has had a profound impact on developing Cuyahoga County and on the Greater Cleveland community.

Adrian Maldonado began his career in public service twenty-seven years ago, when he was hired as a personnel interviewer at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Four years later, in 1985, he began working for the State of Ohio in the Department of Administrative Services as a minority business specialist. For fourteen years, he worked tirelessly with minority business entrepreneurs in my district, helping them secure contracts under Ohio's HB584 Minority Set-Aside program after almost eleven years, he is retiring from his position as the Director of Diversity and Procurement in Cuyahoga County.

Mr. Maldonado's leadership and vision as Director of the Office of Procurement and Diversity for Cuyahoga County changed the county immensely. He and his staff worked diligently to improve the county's purchasing operating system and its purchasing and operating procedures, leading the county to be recognized by Purchasing Magazine as one of country's top Big 20 Purchasers. Under his leadership, the Office of Procurement and Diversity created a small business enterprise program which assists small businesses in procuring county contracts. Since implementing this program, Cuyahoga County has consistently met or exceeded the 30% subcontracting goal for all county contracts.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Adrian Maldonado, and in recognition of his leadership, vision and dedication to his work and to the community.

Madam Speaker, I rise to express my concerns with H. Res. 1370.

I certainly am supportive of many of the provisions of the bill. I am a friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and I continue to voice my displeasure of the treatment of the Tibetan people by the government of the People's Republic of China. The human rights consequences that persist in Tibet have the potential to devastate Tibet and completely abolish any chance of peaceful reconciliation.

I also support efforts to hold repressive governments in Sudan and Burma accountable for their reprehensible treatment of their citizens. It is outrageous that these governments continue to prosper and enjoy support from other

governments, such as China, as they systematically dismantle the economic and physical security of their citizens and routinely violate universally accepted human rights principles.

However, this legislation continues a troubling pattern of addressing political and social issues in a cosmetic and superficial manner, while ignoring the devastating impact of our trade policies with China on the American economy and American families. The Economic Policy Institute recently released a report that asserted between 2001-2007, our trade deficit with China has more than tripled, from $84 billion to $262 billion. This trade deficit has lead to a veritable hemorrhaging of jobs: the American economy has shed approximately 2.3 million jobs during that time span, the vast majority being manufacturing jobs.

Moreover, China continues its practice of currency manipulation, where the Yuan is pegged to the American dollar at a depressed and fixed rate. This distorts the prices of imports and exports, making American imports artificially high and Chinese exports low. China is currently one of the top two holders of U.S. Treasury bonds; the other is Japan.

Nonbinding saber rattling will not improve the human rights situation in China. We must get our priorities in order. If we take a hard look at the economic and financial policies that guide our relationship with China, we will realize that they continue to erode the American economy, attack the American family, and compromise our national security.

I will continue to advocate for the open channels of dialogue and discussions that will lead to real change and understanding, and I will reject demagoguery that has no real effect and serves no valuable purpose in our foreign policy.

Mr. Speaker, the Baha'i faith emphasizes unity within the human race. The Baha'i teachings are built on the values of peace and unification.

Although the history of the Baha'i faith is a turbulent one, they have maintained unity within their own faith. Their faith teaches that unity manifests a global community that is complete with social and economic equality, the elimination of prejudice, education for all, collective security and the elimination of extreme poverty and wealth.

With these values in mind this body should be attentive to the ways in which we can bring about the unification of the human race and instill world peace. Affirming strong support for religious freedom for all people throughout the world and working to ensure this freedom is maintained at all times for all people is important. Our religious freedom is an inherent right, a human right and must be protected. It must be said, however, that the act of condemning is not the best way to bring about these important goals.

In the spirit of honoring the Baha'i faith we should work to bring about the peace and unification that ends egregious persecution. The United States should engage Iran in high-level diplomatic negotiations. Engaging Iran diplomatically honors the spirit of unity that is central to the Baha'i faith and brings us closer to peace.

Madam Speaker, the insurance and pharmaceutical industry-friendly Medicare Part D drug benefit is, as predicted, costing taxpayers billions of unnecessary dollars, restricting access to needed pharmaceuticals, and providing windfall profits for the pharmaceutical companies. Last week, the Oversight and Government Reform Committee released an analysis that showed that pharmaceuticals covered under Part D cost 30 percent more than pharmaceuticals provided through Medicaid. Medicaid's program is administered by the Federal Government while Medicare Part D uses private insurance companies. As you know, it also provides no authority to negotiate prices, no other meaningful cost mechanisms, and a paltry benefit for far too many enrollees to boot.

A report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research showed that a benefit administered by Medicare would save enough money to fully cover prescription drug costs between 2006 and 2013 and still have $40 billion left over.

For our seniors and for our children and grandchildren's future security, I urge you to reaffirm your support for one of the most successful social programs in our Nation's history by calling for a comprehensive and meaningful prescription drug benefit under Medicare, and one which addresses the outrageously high prices of prescription drugs paid by American consumers.

I have introduced a bill that will replace the current plan with a benefit that provides seniors and people with disabilities with the drugs they need with no co-pay, no premium and no deductible. Every person would receive the same voluntary benefit, regardless of income or geographical location, just like traditional Medicare.

How can the plan provide such a strong benefit without busting the budget? By including provisions that seriously address the outrageously high prices Americans are forced to pay for prescription drugs.

First, the plan will include strong, loophole-free language to allow American pharmacists, wholesalers and distributors to purchase FDA- approved prescription drugs at lower prices abroad. With strong reimportation language like that included in this plan, all Americans-- not just seniors--could save 30-70 percent on the price of prescription drugs without any Government subsidy.

Second, the bill also allows Medicare to negotiate on behalf of all Medicare beneficiaries, something prohibited under the current Republican program, which could achieve discounts comparable to the significant discounts received by the Veterans Administration.

Finally, the plan would ensure that when taxpayers foot the bill for research and development of a prescription drug, the pharmaceutical industry must offer that drug at a fair and reasonable price. Such a requirement has passed the House by a wide bipartisan majority in the past, only to be stripped out by the pharmaceutical industry in conference committee. Today, the taxpayer-funded National Institutes of Health continues to spend tens of billions of dollars a year on research and development of medicines. Most often, this R&D is then handed over to the pharmaceutical industry, whose member companies charge Americans any price they want for the final product. If we change this absurd system, we would ensure that new medicines would be affordable in the years ahead.

As the current crisis makes all too clear, the time has come to support a comprehensive prescription drug benefit for seniors and people with disabilities that does not coddle the health insurance or pharmaceutical industries.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bill and our Nation's veterans. Their service and sacrifice for our country is honorable and today this body will properly honor them by ensuring greater resources for their care and wellbeing. Congress has responded appropriately by increasing funding by $2.9 billion above the President's request.

This bill responds to the needs of our returning troops from Iraq and Afghanistan by including $3.8 billion for mental health resources to provide treatment for post traumatic stress syndrome and traumatic brain injuries. It includes $300 million above the President's request for maintaining VA medical facilities. Access to these facilities and ensuring their proper upkeep has a positive impact on our communities and is imperative to serving the needs of our veterans. This bill increases enrollment in VA medical care for all veterans, including those on a limited income, by 10 percent. To help veterans in rural areas that must travel to get needed health care, the mileage reimbursement has been increased from 28.5 cents to 41.5 cents.

I therefore support this bill. These improvements to our VA system will have a beneficial impact on our veterans and move our Nation in the direction of providing them with the care they need and deserve.

However, this bill includes funding for military construction projects for military operations in Afghanistan. The Bagram Air Base is the main base for the Combined Forces Air Component Command, CFACC. Funds from this bill will be used to fortify temporary buildings, expand refueling capability and build an aircraft maintenance hangar at Bagram. As the U.S. expands and improves military facilities in Afghanistan, the likelihood that our troops will remain in the region increases.

Including these funds, which keep our troops in harms way, in a bill meant to support our veterans is an affront to our Nation's veterans and to the level of transparency our government should maintain.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Miller for his continued commitment to comprehensive education and ensuring that all children have access to the resources that will help them become healthy and productive adults. I would also like to thank my friends Congressman Ron Kind and Congressman Zach Wamp for their persistence in encouraging healthier lifestyles and choices for our nation's youth.

The problem of childhood obesity is well-documented, and we are all familiar with the statistics: 32 percent of the nation's children are overweight, 16 percent are obese, and the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that the figure will exceed 20 percent by 2010. ``Adult onset'' diabetes has become a misnomer: incidence of type II has doubled in youth. As computers, cell phones, video game systems, and other types of technology become more prevalent in America's homes, children are redefining ``recreation'' away from physical activity and toward sedentary activities.

Responses to this epidemic abound, and they need to be supported and enhanced. Youth need more regular physical activity, parents must make healthier decisions regarding family diet, exposure to technology must be monitored and regulated, and nutrition education must be a component of elementary and middle school curricula.

At the same time, however, I believe if we are to combat this problem effectively we must also understand and address the causes of the problem. One of the causes that particularly distresses me, and one that receives relatively little attention, is the aggressive and predatory marketing of food and beverages to children and adolescents.

In 2006 the Institute of Medicine reported that it is estimated that more than $10 billion annually is spent marketing food and beverages to youth; the vast majority of that money is spent marketing items with marginal or no nutritive value. Do they get a bang for the buck? Food and beverage sales to children and youth exceed $27 billion annually. They wouldn't do it if it didn't work.

While television remains the most popular medium for marketing, food and beverage companies have been industrious, to say the least, in creating new means to market their products and create branding opportunities. Product placement in movies, video games, music videos, and even news broadcasts ensure exposure to brands and products despite best efforts to avoid commercials and print advertisements. Banner and pop-up advertisements on the internet intrude on children's surfing routinely, despite the best software protections. Sponsorship at school sporting events, advertisements in school newspapers and in prepackaged media, and snacks in vending machines ensure that children are exposed to products and brands throughout the school day. We are fast approaching the day, if we aren't there already, when children find respite from food and beverage marketing only as they close their eyes to sleep.

This is not harmless advertising. Food and beverage marketing uses the best research available about brain development to ensure that their products are exposed to minds not yet fully developed. Again the Institute of Medicine reports that research tells us that humans develop consumption motives and values at an early age. In other words, developing brand allegiances early in life is profitable. The report also tells us that children have widely varied abilities to separate factual information from persuasive content and those abilities develop at different ages. In other words, it is easy to convince children that a product is healthy.

I firmly believe that if we are to help our children cultivate healthier lifestyle habits and make better nutrition choices, we must protect them from marketing practices whose primary function is to encourage increased consumption of unhealthy products. Any policy response to the youth obesity epidemic must include concrete ways to regulate the exposure of children and adolescents to food and beverage marketing.

Mr. Speaker, just prior to the invasion of Iraq on March 17, 2003, the price of a barrel of oil was $30.01, and the price of a gallon of gas was $1.77, the average.

On July 29, 2008, the price of a barrel of oil was $122.21, and the average gallon of gas, $3.96.

The invasion of Iraq was about oil, but it didn't result in more oil or cheaper gas. It resulted in war profiteering by oil companies who benefited by keeping Iraq oil off the market. Remember the secret meetings between the administration and the oil company executives before the war?

Well, today, I'm going to introduce a bill which prevents U.S.-based oil companies from development of and investment in the petroleum resources of Iraq. This will discourage U.S. oil companies from profiting from the war and will stop the further theft of Iraq's oil resources by the very interests who have profited from the war for oil, the U.S. oil companies.

Mr. Chairman, the Paycheck Fairness Act is an important step in eliminating the gap that exists between the compensation of men and women, a gap that has existed for decades and persists to this day despite the gains made by women.

Among other things, the bill will close a loophole that some employers exploit to avoid compensation discrimination lawsuits, and will put gender discrimination on a par with other types of discrimination.

Men and women are equally important to the health and vitality of the American economy, and it is high time that compensation reflect this fact.

Women who work full time continue to make roughly 25 percent less for equal work and with equal qualifications to their male counterparts.

This means that a woman makes significantly less money based on one single factor: Her sex. This is sexist, unconscionable and discriminatory.

This discrimination impacts women in their struggle for economic independence, and their ability to care for their families and themselves. It continues to promote the backward thinking that undervalues and devalues women in the United States and around the world.

I support H.R. 1338 because I believe it moves us in a direction that closes the discriminatory wage gap. It is long overdue.

I look forward to the day when everyone in the labor force is treated equally.

I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of three bills I have introduced today that will provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for all genetically engineered plants, animals, bacteria, and other organisms. The bills will protect our food, environment, and health. They are a common sense precaution to ensure genetically engineered foods do no harm. Genetic engineering is having a serious impact on the food we eat, on the environment, and on farmers. To ensure we can maximize benefits and minimize hazards, Congress must provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for all genetically engineered products.

Current laws, such as our food safety and environmental laws were not written with this technology in mind. Clearer laws are necessary to ensure that these new scientific capabilities and the associated impacts are closely monitored.

Combined, these bills will ensure that consumers are protected, increase food safety, protect farmers' rights and make biotech companies liable for their products.

The Genetically Engineered Food Right To Know Act

Consumers wish to know whether the food they purchase and consume is a genetically engineered food. Concerns include the potential transfer of allergens into food and other health risks, potential environmental risks associated with the genetic engineering of crops, and religiously and ethically based dietary restrictions. Adoption and implementation of mandatory labeling requirements for genetically engineered food produced in the United States would facilitate international trade. It would allow American farmers and companies to export and appropriately market their products--both genetically engineered and non-genetically engineered--to foreign customers. This bill acknowledges consumers have a right to know what genetically engineered foods they are eating:

Requires food companies to label all foods that contain or are produced with genetically engineered material and requires the FDA to periodically test products to ensure compliance.

Voluntary, non-GE food labels are authorized.

A legal framework is established to ensure the accuracy of labeling without creating significant economic hardship on the food production system.

The Genetically Engineered Safety Act

Given the consensus among the scientific community that genetic engineering can potentially introduce hazards, such as allergens or toxins; genetically engineered foods need to be evaluated on a case-by- case basis and cannot be presumed to be generally recognized as safe. The possibility of such hazards dictates a cautious approach to genetically engineered food approvals. However, FDA has glossed over the food safety concerns of genetically engineered foods and not taken steps to ensure the safety of these genetically engineered foods.

A pharmaceutical crop or industrial crop is a plant that has been genetically engineered to produce a medical or industrial product, including human and veterinary drugs. Many of the novel substances produced in pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops are for particular medical or industrial purposes only. These substances are not intended to be incorporated in food or to be spread into the environment. That would be equivalent to allowing a prescription drug in the food supply. Experts acknowledge that contamination of human food and animal feed is inevitable due to the inherent imprecision of biological and agricultural systems. This contamination by pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops pose substantial liability and other economic risks to farmers, grain handlers, and food companies.

This bill requires that all genetically engineered foods follow a strenuous food safety review process and attempts to prevent contamination of our food supply by pharmaceutical and industrial crops:

Require the FDA to screen all genetically engineered foods through the current food additive process to ensure they are safe for human consumption, yet continues FDA discretion in applying the safety factors that are generally recognized as appropriate.

Require that unique concerns regarding genetically engineered foods be explicitly examined in the review process, a phase-out of antibiotic resistance markers, and a prohibition on known allergens and requires the FDA to conduct a public comment period of at least 30 days.

Place a temporary moratorium on pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops until all required regulations put forth by this bill with regard to these crops are in effect.

Place a permanent moratorium on pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops grown in an open-air environment and on pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops grown in a commonly used food source.

Require the United States Department of Agriculture to establish a tracking system to regulate the growing, handling, transportation, and disposal of all pharmaceutical and industrial crops and their byproducts to prevent contamination.

Call on the National Academy of Sciences to submit to Congress a report that explores alternative methods to produce pharmaceuticals or industrial chemicals that have the advantage of being conducted in controlled production facilities and do not present the risk of contamination.

The Genetically Engineered Farmer Protection Act

Agribusiness and biotechnology companies have rapidly consolidated market power at the same time as the average farmer's profits and viability have significantly declined. Policies promoted by biotech corporations have systematically acted to remove basic farmer rights enjoyed since the beginning of agriculture. These policies include unreasonable seed contracts, the intrusion into everyday farm operations, and liability burdens. The introduction of genetically engineered crops has also created obstacles for farmers, including the loss of markets and increased liability concerns. To mitigate the abuses upon farmers, a clear set of farmer rights must be established.

Furthermore, biotech companies are selling a technology that is being commercialized far in advance of the new and unknown science of genetic engineering. Farmers may suffer from crop failures, neighboring farmers may suffer from cross pollination, increased insect resistance, and unwanted ``volunteer'' genetically engineered plants, and consumers may suffer from health and environmental impacts. Therefore, biotech companies should be found liable for the failures of genetically engineered crops.

This bill provides several farmer rights and protections to maintain the opportunity to farm and ensures that the creator of the technology assumes all liability:

Farmers may save seeds and seek compensation for failed genetically engineered crops.

Biotech companies may not: shift liability to farmers; nor require access to farmer's property; nor mandate arbitration; nor mandate court of jurisdiction; nor require damages beyond actual fees; nor charge more to American farmers for use of this technology, than they charge farmers in other nations, or any other unfair condition.

Seed companies must: ensure seeds labeled non-GE are accurate; provide clear instructions to reduce cross-pollination, which contaminates other fields; and inform farmers of the risks of using genetically engineered crops.

The EPA is required to evaluate the concern of Bt resistant pests and take actions necessary to prevent resistance to Bt, an important organic pesticide.

The bill prohibits genetic engineering designed to produce sterile seeds and loan discrimination based on the choice of seeds an agricultural producer uses.

The bill places all liability from negative impacts of genetically engineered organisms squarely upon the biotechnology companies that created the genetically engineered organism.

Farmers are granted indemnification to protect them from the liabilities of biotech companies.

The bill prohibits any transfer of liability away from the biotechnology companies that created the genetically engineered organism.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Deloris Roach for 40 years of public service as she retires from the Louis Stokes Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Cleveland, and in recognition of her advocacy and dedication to helping our nation's veterans.

Deloris began her career in public service with the Internal Revenue Service until moving to the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 32 years ago. Through her dedication to the minority veterans program, she has helped to enroll over 1,000 veterans in the VA Health Care System of Ohio. Deloris has served as the Program Coordinator for the Minority Veterans Affairs Program for ten years, and also served as the Cleveland VA Medical Center's Loaned Executive to the Combined Federal Campaign. As Co-Chair for VA's Combined Federal Campaign, she inspired and encouraged fellow employees to donate, raising a record setting $267,000. Deloris also helped to raise over $8,000 in the ``Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk'' for the American Cancer Society. Her activism and community involvement reach beyond her work on veteran's issues; she is a lifetime member of Blacks in Government, Co-Chair of the EEO Diversity Action Committee, a member of the American Red Cross Donor Committee, Minority Health Alliance, and the NAACP Minority Health Committee.

Deloris has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Minority Veterans Programs Coordinator of the Year in 2001, the Cleveland Federal Executive Board ``Wings of Excellence Award'' in 2002, and certificates of Special Congressional Recognition for Outstanding Contributions to Veterans and of Appreciation from the State of Ohio. While serving as the Cleveland VA Medical Center's Loaned Executive to the Combined Federal Campaign, she received the Outstanding Leadership and Performance Award. She has also received recognition from various veteran service organizations such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Blind Veterans Association, and AMVETS. In 2005, the Department of Veterans Affairs Annual Performance and Accountability Report to the President of the United States, Deloris was recognized for her outstanding work on veteran's affairs.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Deloris Roach, and in recognition of her leadership and inspirational work on veteran's issues and for her commitment to the Greater Cleveland Community.