Floor Statements

Thank you so much.

Mr. Speaker, in 1997, when I was a 39-year-old freshman, John Dingell took a risk on me. He put me on the Energy and Commerce Committee as a freshman. Since that day, I have learned at his knee every single day. He has become a friend; he has become a mentor--and like so many of us on both sides of the aisle, our experience here in Congress would not be the same without him.

A lot of us know about the long arm of John Dingell. Over the years, when Chairman Dingell would put his long arm around your shoulders, and he would say, ``Diana, I have a little chore for you,'' you knew that that little chore was anything but little. It was a part of something much, much bigger. Whether he was just moving a minor amendment to a bill or a large bill itself, and no matter what the issue was, it was always an honor to work together with John Dingell to get something done for the American people.

As the now-ranking member on John Dingell's subcommittee, the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of Energy and Commerce, I feel a special responsibility to his legacy. John Dingell, over the years, held powerful people from all around the country, from every part of industry, accountable to the American public. And today, it is up to all of us, as members of his distinguished committee, to take up the great mantle of that legacy and to make the powerful tell the truth to the American public.

I commit myself today, along with all of us, to carry on his legacy, to do just that, to make this committee a committee that John Dingell will be proud of.

I am going to miss my dear friend, my wise mentor, and my trusted colleague. All of us will. We all recognize the great contributions he made to this institution and, most importantly, to this country.

Few retirements are as well deserved, with such distinguished service as Mr. Dingell's. And so I want to say, John, job well done. Godspeed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the contributions of one of Colorado's most respected citizens, Dr. Richard D. Krugman. On the occasion of his retirement, it is fitting that we look back at his successful career. His leadership in the medical community is demonstrated in part by the many roles he fills, including Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs for the University of Colorado Denver and Dean of the Colorado School of Medicine. He began his tenure as Dean in 1992, making him the longest-serving dean of any medical school in the country. In that role, he has made a significant impact on not only the Colorado School of Medicine but also the greater Colorado community. He merits both our recognition and gratitude for his steadfast efforts in creating a highly prestigious medical school that benefits the health of Colorado in so many ways.

After graduating from Princeton University, Dr. Krugman earned his medical degree at New York University School of Medicine. He came to Colorado to do his internship and residency in pediatrics at the University of Colorado Denver School Of Medicine. As a board-certified pediatrician, Dr. Krugman joined the University of Colorado faculty in 1973. He has authored over 100 original papers, chapters, editorials and four books, and recently stepped down after 15 years as Editor-in- Chief of Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal. He has done incredible work raising awareness and tackling the problem of child abuse. He further assists the community by serving on the Boards of Trustees of Denver Health, Princeton University, the Hasbro Children's Foundation and the Kempe Children's Foundation. Dr. Krugman also served our country as a major in the U.S. Army Reserve.

In addition to his service as dean and vice chancellor, Dr. Krugman left his mark on the University of Colorado in his many other roles. He was the Director of Admissions and Co-Director of the Child Health Associate Program. He served as the Director of the University's Area Health Education Center program, and Vice Chairman for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Pediatrics. He is also president of University Physicians, Inc., the School of Medicine faculty practice plan.

Of Dr. Krugman's many accomplishments at the University of Colorado, one the most notable is the role he played in the construction of the new Anschutz Medical Campus. His unwavering determination to move the medical school from an old campus to a beautiful state of the art facility has dramatically benefitted the School of Medicine. U.S. News & World Report consistently rates the school among their top five primary care provider rankings.

Please join me in commending Dr. Richard Krugman for more than 40 years of extraordinary service. His talents and perseverance are an example and inspiration for us all and helps to build a better future for everyone living in Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of one of Colorado's most respected and honorable residents, Mr. Henry Ernest Lowenstein, who passed away October 7 at age 89. This remarkable man merits both our recognition for decades of work in the theater and gratitude for his unwavering efforts to improve our community. He leaves behind an impressive body of theatrical work as well as his legacy of encouragement and mentorship not just in the arts, but for social justice as well. He made an enormous impact on scores of lives and is widely considered one of the most important people in the shaping of Denver.

Henry Lowenstein was born in Berlin on the 4th of July in 1925, to parents Max and Maria Lowenstein, whose home became a magnet for that city's arts scene. In fact, Henry often told the story of listening to Kurt Weill compose the now classic Three Penny Opera in his parent's apartment. But Berlin in the 1930's was no place to raise a Jewish family. Fearing for the safety of their son following the harrowing Kristallnacht in 1938, Henry would become part of history himself as a child of the Kindertransport program, which saved the lives of thousands of children before the outbreak of World War II. Miraculously, the Lowenstein family was reunited after the war and was able to immigrate to America in 1947. Consistently fighting against discrimination in any form, Henry held a deep compassion for artists and outcasts. This passion, born from the horrors of Nazi Germany, would shape the artist he would become.

After working for years as a foundry man and a gravedigger, Henry joined the U.S. Air Force, where he worked as an illustrator before attending Yale University. While at Yale he studied theatrical design and worked as a stagehand on Broadway. It was during that time he received a call from the Denver Post publisher, Mrs. Helen Bonfils, who was the wife of theater producer George Somnes. That 1956 request to run what would become the nationally recognized Bonfils Theatre changed not only Henry's life but the lives of hundreds of artists over the next five decades. Henry earned the nickname ``Father of Denver Theater.'' The Bonfils Theatre produced more than 400 plays, operas, ballet, children's theater, and touring productions until it closed in 1986 by which time it had been renamed the Lowenstein Theater. It was then that Mr. Lowenstein retired--for the first time. The next stage in Mr. Lowenstein's theatrical life was to found the Denver Civic Theater which he ran until his second retirement in 1995, although Henry never fully retired. He was a prolific scenic and costume designer and contributed designs into the early 2000's.

Mr. Lowenstein's passion for theater was equaled by his commitment to human rights. Henry was a prolific mentor, particularly for women and people of color. His hiring practices, like his theatrical productions, consistently broke down racial and societal barriers. His work was so important to the theatrical community that the Colorado Theater Guild's annual theater awards were renamed ``The Henry's'' in his honor in 2008. In his later years, Mr. Lowenstein was also actively involved in the historical preservation of personal artifacts related to his family's experience in Nazi Germany.

Mr. Lowenstein is survived by his wife, Deborah Goodman Lowenstein and sons David, Daniel and Joshua by his late wife, Doris Brewer, and his granddaughters Sarah and Nyssa.

Please join me in commending Mr. Henry Lowenstein for his leadership in the search for justice, equality and beauty through the vehicle called theater; which dares to show us our humanity. Henry's generosity of spirit, kindness and compassion continues to enhance our lives and builds a better future for us all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of one of Denver's most respected residents, former Colorado State Senator Regis Groff, who passed away on October 5 at age 79. This remarkable man merits both our recognition and gratitude for his unwavering efforts to stand for what's right. He leaves behind an impressive record of leadership in social justice and education, and he made an enormous impact on many lives.

Regis Groff wasn't afraid to fight the tough battles when he knew he was standing up for others. He worked to strengthen education and to ensure a fair system for everyone. He was an educator, a state senator and a community servant. We in Colorado are fortunate to have had Mr. Groff laboring for equality in our community. The legacy that he leaves behind should inspire us all to continue his fight with a measure of dedication with which he worked.

Born in a small town in Illinois, Regis Groff first came to Denver while serving in the United States Air Force, where he was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base for several months. He returned to Illinois and attended Western Illinois University earning a BA in 1962. When it came time to settle down and raise a family, he chose to make Denver home. He taught at Smiley and Lake Junior High Schools before starting an African-American history class at East High School. Later he earned a master's in Education from the University of Denver in 1972.

A long-standing interest in politics led him to run for the Colorado State Senate. He was successful in his bid and served from 1974 to 1994. During those twenty years, he demonstrated time and again his willingness to fight for fairness and justice, including an effort to divest Colorado from South Africa's apartheid government. He cites the highlight of his time in the Senate as passing legislation that established a holiday for Martin Luther King, Jr. in Colorado. His colleagues recognized his leadership and elected him the first African- American Minority Leader of the Colorado State Senate. His efforts were also rewarded with numerous awards from the community, including Legislator of the Year from the Associated Press.

Roy Romer appointed Regis as the first Director of the new Youthful Offenders System. His dedication to community service then continued in his role as Executive Director of the Metro Black Church Initiative. He was selfless to the end. As a teacher, Mr. Groff had an impact on countless students. I hope some of them are as inspired by him as I am and will carry on his work to fight the good fight. His talents and perseverance are an example for us all.

Please join me in commending Regis Groff. His leadership in the search for justice and equality enriches our lives and builds a better future for everyone living in Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the accomplishments and life of Dennis Dougherty who passed away last February at the age of 70. As his friends and loved ones gather to celebrate his life, he deserves our recognition as a distinguished veteran, businessman, community leader, advocate and philanthropist.

Dennis was dedicated to improving life for so many through both local and national politics as well as community organizations. He had a profound impact on countless lives, particularly on the young people of Colorado, and he was the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2005 Equality in Business Award from the Human Rights Campaign and the Matthew Shepard Foundation's Essential Peace Award.

Born in 1943 in Omaha, Nebraska, Dennis was drafted to fight in Vietnam at the age of 21. As a proud veteran and patriot, he led the charge for progress in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community, and his influence was a guiding force for public policy and opinion. He testified before Congress on the military's ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy, and he mentored several young men who served in the armed forces.

Dennis relocated to Denver after his service in the military. He was the founder and CEO of the technology company Visual Electronics. His business success gave him the means to become a generous philanthropist, contributing to causes that ranged from disabled skiers to homeless youth. Moved by the story of Matthew Shepard, the gay college student who was tortured and killed near Laramie, Wyoming, Dennis became a major supporter and board member of the foundation started on Matthew's behalf. An unwavering and unapologetic voice in the community as an openly gay veteran, Dennis wanted to fight against the challenges he faced in his youth.

Dennis had a heart of gold. Every year he cleaned out his closet to donate to an organization that helped homeless vets get back on their feet. He always felt that a good suit gave them a better shot at a new start. In each jacket he put a note that read ``someone loves you.''

I am one of those lucky enough to call Dennis a friend as well. I know and have worked with numerous others who were touched by Dennis' efforts or encouragement in some way, and many have gone on to do great things for our community. I have fond memories of the times he and I rode together in his pride and joy--his red convertible--in Denver parades.

Please join me in paying tribute to the life of Dennis Dougherty. Every day he fought to expand opportunity, equality and freedom. His determination sustained him through many challenges--with tremendous results for our community. He leaves behind a legacy of charity and compassion and serves as a role model for all who believe as he did: that ``we are one tribe, y'all.''

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of myself, Congressman John Lewis, and Congressman Rush Holt, I rise to honor the life of one of Colorado's most respected and honorable residents, Dr. Vincent Harding, who passed away May 19 at age 82. This remarkable man merits both our recognition and gratitude for his unwavering efforts to improve our society. He leaves behind an impressive record of leadership in social justice and education, and he made an enormous impact on many lives.

Vincent Harding lived a life of compassion and was committed to the ``beloved community'' that his friend and colleague, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., dreamed this country could become. We are fortunate to have been touched by such an intellectually gifted man. He was an historian, theologian, teacher, social justice activist, author, and much more. The legacy that Dr. Harding leaves behind should inspire us all to continue to build on the foundation of nonviolence, justice and equality. The passion and dedication with which he labored is evident in his life's work.

Born in 1931 in Harlem, Vincent Harding attended City College of New York, earning a BA in history. For the following 15 years he demonstrated his dedication to education as he earned a master's degree in both journalism and history as well as a PhD in history. Dr. Harding, along with his first wife, the late Rosemarie Freeney, a writer and activist in her own right, moved to Atlanta in 1961 to become involved in the American civil rights movement. There, he fought for equality as an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Harding drafted several of Dr. King's speeches and is best known for writing his ``Beyond Vietnam'' speech, a landmark 1967 anti-war sermon. Following Dr. King's death, Dr. Harding wrote a book, Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero, and he served as the first director at King's memorial center.

As a professor, Dr. Harding had an impact on countless students. He taught at a number of universities, including the University of Pennsylvania, Spelman College and Temple University, and he spent nearly three decades teaching at Denver's Iliff School of Theology. He founded the Veteran's Hope Project in order to preserve the lessons we have learned from social justice leaders. Dr. Harding's dedication did not end with his retirement. He still worked to achieve his vision of utilizing social justice activism to connect spirit, creativity,

and citizenship. He endeavored to heal America and make our country the beloved community Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had envisioned. His talent for teaching, gift of inspiring others, and capacity to relate to people of diverse racial, socio-economic and educational backgrounds means that his work will live on and continue to make a difference. Vincent Harding is an example of the life of commitment and courage we all can make.

Dr. Harding is survived by his wife, Aljosie Aldrich Knight; his daughter, Dr. Rachel Harding; and son, Jonathan Harding.

Please join me in commending Dr. Vincent Harding. His leadership in the search for justice, equity and truth continually enhances our lives and builds a better future for all Americans.

Mr. Chair, today I rise in support of the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, H.R. 10. I believe it is imperative that America provide high-quality public education so that our students can succeed and compete in the global economy. I am a strong supporter of public education, from early education programs such as Head Start and Pre-K to higher education and career and technical education. As we look to improve educational outcomes, we cannot overlook the promise of innovative teaching practices and charter schools.

This new authorization of the Charter School Program makes important improvements to the existing charter school framework. In particular, I support provisions to aid in the dissemination of best practices from charter schools to other public schools, and the updated language that helps extend the reach of charter schools into communities that are currently underserved, including minorities and those with special needs.

However, the underlying bill is not perfect. While one of the founding ideas behind charter schools is to reduce red tape and let educators take the reins, there have been worrying reports of gross mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds by some charter school staff, which requires some attention. I think the amendment offered by Representative Castor goes some way to addressing this issue, which would require the Department of Education to develop and publish regulations addressing conflicts of interest surrounding charter schools.

In addition, I support the amendments offered by Representative Jackson Lee and Representative Bonamici respectively, which would increase the information available to parents and the public related to attendance of charter schools, and the efforts in disseminating and implementing best practices across the public school spectrum.

There is more work to be done improving our education system, but we must be mindful not to create a two-tiered public school system. I hope H.R. 10 provides the intended improvements to charter schools, and the public education system as a whole.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Frank DeAngelis, Principal of Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado for his service as an educator, mentor, and community leader.

For 35 years at Columbine High School as a teacher, coach, and administrator, Principal DeAngelis has guided generations of students from the Columbine community. Mr. DeAngelis taught social studies for 12 years and has served as Columbine's assistant principal, dean of students, and principal for the last 18 years. In 2013, Principal DeAngelis was named the Colorado High School Principal of the Year and has twice been recognized as the National Principal of the Year. In addition, Principal DeAngelis has again been named a finalist for the 2014 National Principal of the Year.

Principal DeAngelis has been a cornerstone of the Columbine family in both its brightest and darkest days. When Principal DeAngelis heard gunshots ring out in the halls of Columbine on April 20, 1999, he ran towards danger and directed students to safety. In the aftermath of the horrific and tragic shootings, Principal DeAngelis provided much needed comfort to students, parents, and fellow teachers so they could begin to heal from the unspeakable pain. In the wake of an unprecedented tragedy, Principal DeAngelis promised the freshman class in 1999 he would remain with them at Columbine until they walked at graduation. He delivered on his promise to those students and many more.

Principal DeAngelis put his experiences to use and traveled across the Nation to counsel other communities touched by tragedy. In the wake of the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, Principal DeAngelis came to Blacksburg, Virginia to offer comfort. Most recently, Principal DeAngelis offered his guidance as keynote speaker at the Sandy Hook Symposium and the National Leadership Conference for Youth.

Beyond his role as an administrator, Mr. DeAngelis contributed to the Columbine community's athletic programs for many years. Throughout his 13 year career as assistant coach on the football team and head coach for varsity baseball, Coach DeAngelis guided student athletes to success on the field and imparted valuable lessons beyond athletics.

Last August, Principal DeAngelis announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. As he wrote to parents, students, and fellow teachers, Principal DeAngelis' ``heart will always be with Columbine,'' and his legacy at Columbine High School will live on for years to come. We are truly blessed to have such an extraordinary leader in our community and wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, every year, sometimes more than once a year, since 2003 Congress has had to step in to prevent a cut in physician payments. With input from a wide variety of stakeholders, we have tried to work together for many, many years on a solution to the flawed system to the sustainable growth rate formula. Until this year, we were out of luck, and the price tag for fixing the formula was ever increasing.

The underlying legislation that we consider today was 11 years in the making. I am very proud to cosponsor this bill because it is a compromise solution for the formula we agreed on. But sadly--sadly--the majority has prescribed a bitter pill to swallow for passage of this important bill for patients and doctors. Instead of coming to the negotiating table to discuss mutually acceptable ways to pay for this bill, the majority has decided to pay for it by delaying important provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Everybody knows that this provision is a nonstarter. It is a nonstarter in the other body and in my Caucus right here in the House. Because of this shortsighted tactic, the Republicans have almost guaranteed that we are going to need yet another short-term SGR patch before the current one expires on March 31.

This is bad for the doctors of America. This is bad for the patients of America. Let's get real. Let's fix this problem for good. And you know, Mr. Gingrey just recognized that this bill is not going anywhere. So let's sit down. Let's do what we did with the SGR itself, and let's figure out how to pay for it.

Madam Speaker, this so-called ``No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act'' has got to be the most deceptively named bill of this Congress.

Here are the facts:

There is no taxpayer funding for abortion. The Affordable Care Act does not change that. Let me say that again. There is no taxpayer funding for abortion. The Affordable Care Act does not change that.

The ACA contains a hard-fought compromise that guarantees that the tax credits made available through the exchanges are segregated out for plans that cover certain women's health benefits. This bill is an attempt to undo

that compromise. It effectively bans the coverage of important women's health services in the new health insurance exchanges. It restricts the way that women can use their own private dollars to purchase private insurance. It says small businesses cannot get tax credits if they choose to use their private dollars to purchase private insurance that covers important women's benefits.

It goes far, far beyond the Hyde amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funding for most abortions in the annual appropriations bills. It also, for the first time, puts the Hyde amendment into law, and it says women in the District of Columbia will not have the same right to access health services as women in other States throughout this country.

This bill would not only restrict comprehensive health care for women; it would also undermine a woman's right to make her own health care decisions under her insurance policy with her own money. Vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th birthday of Dr. Marion Downs and celebrate her pioneering work to expand hearing screening in newborns and early intervention for individuals with hearing problems. Dr. Downs' groundbreaking work has served as an inspiration for many generations of Coloradoans and the medical community.

Dr. Downs is a Distinguished Professor Emerita at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She began her esteemed career in Colorado, at University of Denver, where she was a professor of Audiology and Director of the Audiology Clinic from 1951 to 1959. It was there that Dr. Downs began implementing hearing aids for infants as young as six months old during a period of time when hearing aids were typically fitted at the age of three. Her practice of applying hearing aids at such a young age has shown tremendous results in hearing, speech and communications development. Dr. Downs then moved to the University of Colorado School of Medicine where she developed the first national infant hearing screening program in 1963. Since that time, she has devoted her professional career to identifying and managing infant hearing issues and developmental strategies.

Throughout her 35 year career, Dr. Downs has received numerous awards such as the Outstanding Achievement award from the University of Minnesota, Gold Medal Recognition from the University of Colorado, Northern Colorado and the University of Arizona School of Health and Sciences. She has received honors from nearly every auditory and speech society and has co-authored textbooks such as Hearing in Children, which serves as a worldwide resource to educate students on childhood auditory disorders.

At the age of 100, the lively Dr. Downs continues her work on important health issues related to auditory, speech and communication disorders. There is no doubt that Dr. Downs tireless efforts will continue to inspire future generations for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, some mornings in Congress I wake up and I say, now here is a solution in search of a problem; and this morning is one of those days.

We are hearing about how the Web site is not secure, how there can be security breaches. Ironically, we are hearing about security breaches with a private company, Target, and how terrible it is, and that is why we have to do a bill.

But, in fact, we haven't seen any security breaches with healthcare.gov or the Web sites around the Affordable Care Act. And I want to stress that.

I am the ranking Democrat on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of Energy and Commerce, and we have had a number of hearings, and we have had classified briefings. Here is some information that is not classified information.

There has been not one successful hack into www.healthcare.gov. Let me say that again. Nobody has successfully been able to breach www.healthcare.gov. Furthermore, as we have recently learned in a briefing, www.healthcare.gov, interestingly, has not been targeted any more than any other Federal Web site for hackers.

So why are we doing this bill? I have got to associate myself with Ranking Member Pallone's comments, that the only reason we could be doing this bill is to try to have a chilling effect against people signing up to get health insurance through the Web sites.

Let me say it again. There have been no successful breaches of www.healthcare.gov. Now, if we really wanted to do a bill that would strengthen privacy, I would be all for that. I think that consumer privacy is one of the most important

things we can do. But really, when you look at the details of this bill, there is nothing here that furthers consumer notification or consumer privacy.

First of all, there is no exemption or consideration of law enforcement. What if law enforcement found a potential breach and needed to investigate it? What if they needed more than 48 hours to make sure that, in fact, there was a breach before they notified people? Consider the harm that would occur if law enforcement did not have enough time and resources to fully investigate a security breach before it went public. The consequences of hasty and incorrect notification could just make the problem worse.

Secondly, based on how the bill is drafted, if there is a data breach in a State that has chosen to run its own exchange, like my home State of Colorado, HHS seems to bear an unnecessary burden of reporting the breach in the State exchange having nothing to do with the Federal exchange.

Might I remind my colleagues, State exchanges are entirely independent from www.healthcare.gov. HHS does not run them. HHS did not build their Web sites, and HHS did not develop their security protocols. So why should HHS have to get involved in the State-run exchanges?

So security for these State-based exchanges should be the responsibility of the States that are running them.

I could go on and on. There are more problems with this bill than pages in the bill.

So let's get real. Instead of bringing legislation like this to the floor without any committee action, why can't we sit down together in a bipartisan way and improve the way the Affordable Care Act works for our constituents? That is what our constituents want. They want affordable health insurance. They want health care. And they don't want unwarranted scare tactics and attacks. So let's sit down. Let's work together. Let's fix this legislation. And let's get real.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

As you can tell, not just from what everybody from our congressional delegation has said but also from the many, many news reports that we've seen in the last week, this flood really was one of the worst floods in Colorado's history.

I'm a fourth-generation Coloradan, and I remember some of the previous floods: the flood in 1965 when I was a little girl. In the terrible Platte River flood that flooded Cherry Creek and the Platte, my home was right by there, and we had flood damage. And then, of course, the tragic Big Thompson flood where many, many people

were killed. This is what happens to us in the West sometimes.

Colorado's recent flood is so dramatic that it really was a 500-year flood, or worse. And we feel terrible for the eight Coloradans who have died. Many are still unaccounted for, and we pray for all of them that they may be safe and that their homes may be preserved by the time the snow flies, which is any minute now.

On September 15, President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for Colorado, ordering Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts.

You just cannot overstate the scope of this damage. As you heard from the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter), Mr. Gardner's and Mr. Polis' congressional districts were severely impacted by this; but all the rest of us were severely impacted in our districts, too.

Boulder had over 16 inches of rain in the course of 5 days. Communities in El Paso, Fremont, Jefferson, Logan, Morgan, Pueblo, Washington, Adams, Larimer, Weld, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek, and Denver were all impacted by this. It really was a State issue. Residents have lost their homes. Businesses have been devastated. Communities have been destroyed. Our friends, relatives, and neighbors still are without power. Many of them can't drink their water.

And as you've heard from all of my colleagues, the devastation goes everywhere, from mountain highways to agricultural properties on the plains.

Over 50 bridges have been damaged or destroyed, and over 200 miles of Colorado roads have been impacted by the flooding. In the mountain areas, what happens is the roads go along the creeks; so when the creeks turn into raging rivers from this terrible rainfall, then the roads are completely wiped out and the mountain communities are isolated.

As you've heard from my colleagues, the funds for the Emergency Relief program under the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 are restricted to $100 million per State per incident, unless the funds are being used to repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

If we remove the cap on the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief funds, Colorado can get the assistance and relief we need to rebuild. And since this does not authorize new appropriations, is not an earmark, the budget score is zero.

So I really respectfully request that we all come together and vote for this legislation. It's much needed.

And by the way, this is a good example, Mr. Speaker, of how, if Congress really wants to put its mind together to work on something, we can do it in a civil and efficient and speedy way. This is a thought we should keep in mind as the week progresses in front of us.

Mr. Speaker, almost exactly 1 year ago, as you've heard, there was a tragic meningitis outbreak in Massachusetts; 64 people lost their lives, and 750 people were sickened.

In the investigation of NECC, the compounding pharmacy, there was found black specks floating in the vials. There was found fungal material. The factory, itself, had greenish yellow residue on supposedly sterile equipment and surfaces that tested positive for mold and bacteria.

In a series of hearings in our committee, we learned that the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 left a loophole large enough to allow large drug compounders to escape oversight by the FDA. The wording of the act also led to litigation and confusing court decisions about the FDA's authority over those manufacturers.

This bill takes the first, albeit important, step to address these issues. It incorporates important pieces of bipartisan legislation, as you've heard, that I have introduced with the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green). It deletes the provisions from existing law that were deemed unconstitutional by the courts. It also enhances cooperation between State boards of pharmacy and the FDA; and it gives doctors and hospitals the ability to purchase compounded drugs for their patients made in a facility that is subject to stringent FDA quality standards and oversight. Importantly, all other compounding pharmacies would continue to be subject to current law. Finally, the Drug Quality and Security Act will require within a decade the implementation of a nationwide system for the tracking and tracing of drugs as they move through the supply chain from manufacturer to pharmacy.

I believe this will go a long way toward preventing dangerous counterfeit and substandard medicines from entering our drug supply. We still have work to do. We all agree with that. And I am committed to strengthening the law.

I am committed to strengthening this law so that we never have any other tragedy such as what Mr. Griffith discussed, where we have a Doug Wingate who right now is missing his 25th anniversary cruise because he was killed by these tainted drugs.

I'm proud to have worked with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle. I associate myself with the chairman emeritus' remarks that we should be able to do this on the continuing resolution and on the debt limit.

I also want to thank all of our staff; and, in particular, my chief of staff, Lisa Cohen, who spent the entire August recess working on this. And I thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, it has now been a year since our Colorado community was shaken by an inexplicable and horrific act of violence that left 12 innocent men, women and children dead, and 70 injured. 365 days where the families, friends and loved ones of those lost have been robbed of their laughter, their triumphs, their struggles, and the million little things that made those 12 people unique. I know I join with all my colleagues in the delegation in saying, on behalf of the citizens of Colorado, we continue to express our deepest thanks for the outpouring of support our community has received from across the nation, since the horrible events at that Aurora theater. All of us in the Denver area still remember where we were when we heard the news, and the immediate fearful and heartbreaking connections we made.

Who did we know in the theater? Whose child or wife or husband or brother wasn't coming home because of the senseless acts of one disturbed and heavily armed young man? My 18-year-old daughter had a friend in the theater just next door; and a friend of our family lost her nephew in the tragedy. Three of the deceased gunned down--including little six-year-old Veronica Moser--lived in my district and were part of the community I have the privilege of representing.

Today we remember the victims of the Aurora theater massacre--the lives they would have and could have led, had they not been gunned down while innocently watching a movie on a Thursday night. We pay tribute to their lives and remind their families and loved ones that they are still in our hearts, our thoughts and prayers; and they will not be forgotten.

But we also owe it to them to stand up and make sure they did not die in vain. Since I've been in Congress, we've had 26 moments of silence on the Floor of the House for victims of gun violence. Let me say that again--26 moments of silence, including one on July 24, 2012 for the Aurora victims, and of course, the moment last December for all the little children killed in Newtown.

Surely we can come together in the name of the victims of Aurora; and Newtown; and Columbine; and Virginia Tech; and Fort Hood . . . and all the others . . . and say once and for all, enough is enough.