Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, yesterday marked a historic day as President Obama signed the reform legislation that will give families more control over their health care and the same kind of choices that Members of Congress have.

Yet before the ink was even dry on the President's signature, Republicans pledged they would repeal health care reform if given the opportunity. Reform that will end discrimination from preexisting conditions, Republicans would repeal it. Reform that will close the prescription drug doughnut hole that so many seniors fall into, Republicans would repeal it. Reform that will give the largest health care tax cut in history to families and small businesses to purchase insurance, Republicans would repeal it.

Yesterday we took an important step forward with commonsense reform that will improve coverage for over 1.1 million people in southern Nevada. Nevada's families cannot afford a return to the status quo of skyrocketing costs, of living every day with the fear that they are just one illness or one injury away from losing it all. We cannot repeal that.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the courtesy of yielding.

I rise today in support of this legislation and in support of the provision

that includes ``to distribute funds for the projects of national significance and National Corridor Grant programs through existing formulas.''

Under the HIRE Act, funds for these programs went to only 29 States based on whether they had earmarked projects under SAFETEA-LU. Some States were big winners, and others were big losers. Twenty-two States would receive no funding at all, including my State of Nevada. California, Illinois, Louisiana, and Washington, however, would get $543 million of the $932 million allocated. The legislation we are considering today would correct this inequity.

In Nevada, it would mean an additional $7.7 million for transportation programs. It is an important piece of legislation, and I urge its passage.

For over 1 year, I have listened to the voices of District 3 and heard heartbreaking stories of children denied coverage because of a preexisting condition, small business owners who can't afford to insure their employees, and single moms who have lost their jobs and their insurance. They are the reasons I am voting for reform.

In District 3 alone, reform will improve coverage for more than 600,000 people. It will strengthen Medicare for 120,000 seniors and close the prescription drug doughnut hole. It will create health care tax breaks for over 200,000 families and 17,000 small businesses, and lets 72,000 young adults stay on their parents' policy.

Insurance companies and others opposed to reform have spent over $1.3 million in southern Nevada, but I won't be intimidated. Today, as I have always done, I am standing up for what I believe is in the best interest of my constituents. As has been said, it is the price of leadership to do the thing you believe has to be done at the time it must be done. Now is the time to get it done and pass health care reform.

Mr. Speaker, the need for health care reform is critical for so many in America, but for women, the need is even greater. With health care costs weighing heavily on our small businesses, and with women more likely to own or work for small businesses, it's critical that real reform help those businesses compete by lowering health care costs.

In Nevada, insurers are allowed to consider gender when setting premium rates in the individual health insurance market. And as a result of this gender rating, women are often charged more than men for the exact same coverage.

Insurers can also exclude coverage for certain preexisting conditions, such as having had a C-section and even being pregnant. And it can be difficult, sometimes impossible in certain markets for women to find coverage for maternity care in the individual health market.

I say it's time to tell insurance companies that being a woman is not a preexisting condition.

Well, thank you very much. And thank you for your leadership on this issue and for organizing tonight's discussion about something that is so important.

Nevada has had the fastest growing senior population in the country for the last decade. And even though we have slowed down a little generally, that percentage is expected to continue. So you can imagine what an important issue this is for me.

And, like Mr. Garamendi, my mother, too, is on Medicare. So I can't imagine why anybody would think we would want to hurt Medicare benefits when our own mothers are beneficiaries, along with so many other seniors in this country.

I share your frustration, because I have had a lady following me around to some of our town hall meetings wearing a T-shirt that says ``I am the grandmother you want to kill.'' She believed those early ads about the death panels in the health care bill.

So there is an awful lot of misinformation out there that we need to correct, and that is why a discussion like this is so important.

You know, generations of America's seniors have relied on Medicare in their golden years, and we must ensure that it is there for them in the future. This means that we need health reform, health care reform as you have described on your chart there, that strengthens Medicare. Rising health care costs threaten our current Medicare system, and we need to be sure that it remains solvent. And we have to enact reform that strengthens Medicare's financial footing and extends the lifetime of the Medicare trust fund.

We also must bring down those prescription costs. We need to reduce costs

for both Medicare and for seniors, individually, and close the doughnut hole that so many of our seniors fall into, forcing them to choose between life-saving medication and other necessities like buying groceries or paying the power bill.

It's because of my commitment to seniors that I was proud to support the House health care reform bill, because in addition to the things that I just mentioned and you all have been talking about, it also benefited seniors by removing lifetime caps on coverage and included free preventive care; in other words, no copays on important tests like mammograms and colonoscopies. So I'm hopeful that these reforms will be things that we can enact in the coming days, and I look forward to seeing that final health care language to be sure that they're in there.

You know, I'm dedicated to protecting Medicare, and I know how important it is for the seniors in District Three. I would never do anything that would reduce or undermine the care that they receive. That's why I introduced legislation--and I appreciate all of your support on it--that protected seniors from increases in their Medicare premiums. It was called the Medicare Premium Fairness Act. We introduced it last year. It would protect seniors from an increase in their premiums.

In the past years, seniors have received a cost-of-living increase in their Social Security to offset any increase in the Medicare premium. Well, this year, for the first time in 35 years, seniors aren't receiving that cost-of-living increase, meaning that higher Medicare premiums would result in lower Social Security benefits, for a net loss. For seniors on fixed incomes who count on every dollar just to get by, this is unacceptable, because they will be receiving less in Social Security. My bill would protect all seniors from an increase in those Medicare premiums this year until the cost-of-living kicks in in the future.

Unfortunately, and how many times have we seen this--and I'm expressing my personal frustration, but also of this body, I believe-- one Republican in the Senate has held up the speedy passage of this bill that's so important to seniors. This shouldn't be allowed to happen because it's too important to happen in the lives of the American people. So I'm going to continue to fight to see that that bill becomes law and in a way that would be retroactive to help the seniors who may have already seen those deductions kick in.

So thank you again for having this discussion. Medicare is critical to the health and well-being of our seniors, and I look forward to working with you on the senior task force to highlight and advocate on these important issues that affect our senior population.

Madam Speaker, last week I hosted a telephone town hall with more than 3,500 people tuned in from District Three. This was an excellent opportunity to hear directly from my constituents about the issues that are important to their lives. This was the sixth telephone town hall that I participated in. In addition, we've answered some 95,000 letters, held 10 Congress on the Corners, and hosted five housing workshops.

These means of communication have helped me to be a powerful voice for the people of District Three and to provide as much transparency as possible about the proceedings here in Washington. In fact, thanks to these efforts, I've put $1.6 million directly into the pockets of southern Nevadans by fighting for veterans to get their benefits, seniors to get their Social Security benefits, and homeowners to receive loan modifications that keep them in their homes. I've made it a top priority to stay closely connected to my constituents, fighting for them in Washington while serving them in southern Nevada. I encourage them to call on me any time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2377, a bill to establish a National Classified School Employees of the Year Award.

For teachers to teach and students to learn, schools must be well maintained; students must be kept healthy and safe; and all of the adults with whom students interact throughout their day, whether on the playground or in the lunch room, must support a school's culture of excellence.

Classified employees help to create and maintain an atmosphere that fosters achievement by working tirelessly to ensure the success of our Nation's students in public schools, colleges, and universities. They provide essential services, including transportation, facilities maintenance and operations, food service, safety, health care, and others. Whether they are in the classroom alongside teachers, helping to establish and promote a high-quality instructional environment, or in a bus, making sure that students arrive at school on time so they are ready to learn, these classified employees play a vital role in our schools, and they should be recognized for the outstanding work that they do.

There are approximately 2.8 million education support professionals across the country, yet too often their contributions go unrecognized. And that is why I am so pleased to have worked with you, Madam Speaker, as the lead sponsor of H.R. 2377, a bill that would establish a National Classified School Employees of the Year Award, and I am proud that this legislation has 57 bipartisan supporters and cosponsors.

This award would be very similar to the Teacher of the Year Award but would recognize outstanding public school employees who provide support services to students from pre-kindergarten through their education in nine different categories: paraprofessionals, clerical services, custodial and maintenance services, transportation services, food services, skilled trades, health and students services, security services, and technical services.

The Secretary of Education will solicit nominations from the States in each of these occupational specialties. Nominees must demonstrate excellence in work performance, school and community involvement, leadership and commitment, local support, enhancement of classified school employees' image in the community and the school, and any other area of superior performance that is determined by the Secretary. The award winners will then be recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the President.

Let me be clear, this is not a new government program, and honoring these special employees will not cost the government any money. Nor would this be the first time that government agencies have presented such awards to individuals who make important contributions. Both the Department of Defense and the Department of Commerce currently give such awards.

Honoring our classified school employees will provide the recognition and appreciation they deserve for the important work they do every day on the front lines to help our students succeed. As Booker T. Washington said, ``Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.''

So I urge my colleagues to reward the uncommon excellence of classified school employees by supporting H.R. 2377.

Mr. Speaker, we've heard a lot about health care today and for the past month and, actually, for the past year as this issue has been debated as one of the most important things facing this country and the people in all our districts. We know that we need better access to health care. We need more affordable health care. We need to protect Medicare as we move forward with meaningful reforms. These reforms need to include issues involving the insurance companies, the insurance companies that are today advertising on television against reform, are sending their lobbyists to the Hill against reform, who are resisting any kind of meaningful reform in hopes of protecting their bottom line. I welcome additional comments from some of my colleagues.

I will reserve my time for a few minutes.

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

Mr. Speaker, as you know, the people in southern Nevada have been hit hard during these tough economic times, caused largely by unbridled corporate greed and complicitous government action during the 8 years of the Bush administration. We have the highest foreclosure rate in the country, second highest unemployment rate, and we are one of the highest States for rates of uninsured.

People are struggling every day just to keep body and soul together. But do the insurance companies care? No, no, they don't. They continue to raise premiums up 39 percent in some States while making record profits and handing out obscene bonuses. They finance thousands of lobbyists to come to the Hill to argue against meaningful reform, and they brag about the millions that they are spending on television and radio ads that are filled with lies and distortions aimed at confusing and scaring the people, especially seniors.

So I ask the folks in District Three and beyond: Next time you see or hear one of those ads on TV or the radio, ask yourself, are the insurance companies concerned more about you or more about protecting and growing their bottom line?

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 1061.

As you have heard, on January 4, 2010, an armed assailant with a history of violent behavior opened fire at the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse in downtown Las Vegas. The brave security personnel at the courthouse, U.S. marshals, and other emergency responders acted quickly and valiantly to ensure the safety of courthouse staff, visitors, and other bystanders in the area. Tragically, however, Officer Stanley Cooper was fired upon by the gunman and later succumbed to his wounds.

Officer Cooper had previously served as a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer for 26 years and had been a security officer at the courthouse for 15 years. He was a familiar face, a friendly hello when you walked in the building, and a person who gave his all to the job of protecting others.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Richard J. ``Joe'' Gardner, a member of the U.S. Marshal Service for the past 24 years, was also there. He bravely chased after the suspect and was shot in the arm.

The courthouse, which is home to many Federal offices and courts, including the U.S. District Court of Nevada, stands for justice and liberty for all Americans and fairness for all who enter. The building opened in 2002 and was one of the first new Federal buildings to be constructed according to safety standards that went into effect after the tragic Oklahoma City bombing. Those safety standards, combined with the bravery of the courthouse security force, ensured that no citizens were injured, the shooter did not get past security checkpoints, the situation was resolved quickly, and all of the judges and people who work in the building or who were there visiting were safe.

I wish Deputy U.S. Marshal Gardner a speedy recovery, and I offer my deepest condolences to the family of Officer Stanley Cooper. Today, we honor their brave service to our community.

So I would urge you to join me, as my colleagues, in supporting this resolution, a companion of which has already been passed by our Senate colleagues.

Madam Chairman, every day seniors are targeted by lending agencies through mailings, phone calls, and TV ads offering reverse mortgages with promises of free money to finance trips, new cars, and gifts in their golden years. While a reverse mortgage may be an appropriate product for some seniors, it's a complex financial instrument which is being aggressively marketed to our most vulnerable in society.

Accordingly, many seniors today find themselves in financial hardship due to unfair and unclear agreements, along with excessive fees that come as a result of reverse mortgages. They have

learned the hard way that the reality of a reverse mortgage is not always as advertised, and now they face severe financial consequences in what is supposed to be their golden years.

The amendment that we are offering today provides needed safeguards for our Nation's seniors by requiring that the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency oversee the reverse mortgage industry to ensure seniors are not exposed to unfair and deceptive practices.

Protecting our seniors from unfair and unclear financial products is long overdue. Reverse mortgages need to be clearly and closely monitored and regulated in an effort to ensure seniors don't lose their home and equity that they have built up through a lifetime of hard work.

I am confident that the amendment, which has the endorsement of AARP, will offer appropriate flexibility and protections for our seniors.

I want to thank my colleague, Representative Schakowsky, and also the chairman of the committee, for working with me on this important issue.

I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Madam Speaker, with unemployment at a record high in southern Nevada, it's critical that we focus our efforts on creating good jobs that will put Nevadans back to work. That's why I'm proud to have recently joined the new Congressional Task Force on Job Creation. This working group will collect innovative ideas and formulate legislation that will put people back to work across the country and get our economy moving again.

This effort is especially critical to strengthening our economy in southern Nevada. Creating jobs locally will require innovation in Nevada's growing industries, such as renewable energy, and perhaps a high-speed train, as well as building a stronger national economy that puts money back in the pockets of potential visitors who will come to Nevada and boost our travel and tourism industry.

I look forward to joining my colleagues on this task force in the coming weeks to find real solutions that will create jobs for Nevada and the rest of the country.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today with an amendment to H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009. I'd like to first thank Chairmen Gordon and Thompson for their work on this important legislation and Chairwoman Slaughter for making my amendment in order. I appreciate their willingness to work with me on this important issue.

The Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009 will provide much needed funding for fire departments across the United States. Since 2001, the Fire Grants Program has provided more than $5 billion to local fire departments to help them fund the purchase of equipment, train firefighters, and hire additional personnel.

In all of our districts, local governments are struggling with their budgets. So these grants are especially important now to help ensure that fire departments all across the country are able to access the resources they need and provide the critical services that we all depend on.

My amendment to this important legislation is simple. It allows fire departments to apply for grant funding to purchase equipment that is designed to reduce water usage in fighting fires or in training to fight fires. This important expansion will provide fire departments the opportunity to purchase pieces of equipment that are not only effective in fighting fires, but are also efficient in water usage. By allowing and encouraging these purchases, we are helping fire departments not only fight fires in a safer way, but also in a way that uses less water. Preserving this valuable resource without diminishing firefighting safety and capability makes purchases by our local governments doubly beneficial.

In my congressional district in southern Nevada, like in many desert communities, water is a valued, precious commodity. As such, it is also our most significant limited resource. Accordingly, State and local management officials and citizens, especially in the West, are constantly working to meet the water demands of a growing population of residents and tourists. This provision will help them in that effort to improve the efficiency of water usage techniques and technology.

In preparing this amendment, I reached out to our local fire chief, Chief Steve Smith of the Clark County Fire Department. He informed me that with the right equipment, the amount of water used to fight a typical fire can be reduced by almost 80 percent. Not only does this technology reduce the amount of water required to extinguish a fire, it also limits structural damage, the threat of the fire rekindling, and runoff of dangerous chemicals into our local sewer systems.

For all of these reasons, I urge the passage of this amendment. It will save water, enhance firefighting abilities, protect property, and limit potential damage in the aftermath of fires.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, at this time I would like to yield to the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon).

I'd just like to again thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support of this and urge its passage to help save water while fighting fires.

Mr. Speaker, for far too long Nevada's economy has primarily been dependent on gaming and mining for job creation. Now it's time to diversify and take action to create clean energy jobs in Nevada, the sunniest State in the country with abundant geothermal and wind resources. We need jobs in southern Nevada, and the key is to focus on innovative new clean energy technologies.

Just yesterday, a major solar developer in Nevada, Solar Millennium, announced that it plans to dry-cool its plant in the Amargosa Valley. That means it will use 90 percent less water than originally anticipated. This is very exciting. I have offered a number of amendments on the floor to improve the water efficiency of solar technology, which is important because many of the sunniest States are also some of the driest. This smart, innovative decision to use less water for this major solar project will speed the approval process, help stimulate the local economy, and create needed jobs in southern Nevada.

Mr. Speaker, because the Democratic bill covers the preventative services that women need to stay healthy, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in support of such bill.