Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying legislation.

The Education Jobs and Medicaid Act would relieve strained state budgets, save jobs, protect public health and safety and ensure our nation's youth receive the educations they deserve.

This critical legislation is fully paid for and would help states and local communities in two ways:

First, the bill would provide states with funds to preserve the jobs of teachers, keeping educators in the classroom.

Second, it would extend a temporary increase in the federal Medicaid matching rate, providing desperately needed assistance to already cash strapped states.

These problems are known all too well in California and in my home town of Sacramento where we have been grappling with teacher and police layoffs to balance the budget.

My district's unemployment rate is 12.6 percent and the cutting of any jobs for those who teach and protect our children will continue to have a devastating impact on our future.

And if we cannot deliver money to FMAP the state will be forced to cut Medi-CAL and other programs, endangering the health of families and jobs in the health care sector.

These cuts would not only put the safety and well-being of our constituents at risk, but would also result in additional job losses, which we clearly cannot afford.

H.R. 1586 would make certain that my constituents and all Americans get the care and services they need.

The American people are feeling the effects of state budget constraints every day and they should not be forced to wait any longer for relief.

I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my legislation, H.R. 5156, the Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2010.

Our Nation is running a trade deficit in green technologies ranging in the billions, and the U.S. clean tech industry is lagging behind many of its competitors in exports, most notably China and Germany.

Currently, only six of the top 30 global clean energy companies are American-owned. This is simply unacceptable. We must not become a Nation dependent on foreign clean energy products. We must be the Nation that leads the world in manufacturing and exporting clean energy technologies. That is why I, along with Chairmen Rush and Dingell and Congresswoman Eshoo, introduced H.R. 5156 to boost the competitiveness of the U.S. clean energy industry.

Specifically, the bill would require the Department of Commerce, in coordination with relevant agencies, to implement, develop and sustain a National Clean Energy Technology Export Strategy to provide U.S. clean tech firms with export assistance in finding and navigating foreign markets to sell their goods and services to new customers.

The President has laid out a laudable goal to double U.S. exports over the next 5 years, and this legislation will ensure clean energy exports are at the forefront of our national export strategy. The bill will also help strengthen America's domestic clean tech manufacturing industry.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that this legislation is a part of the Make It in America manufacturing agenda to demonstrate this Congress' commitment to the U.S. domestic manufacturing industry, and I applaud the majority leader's leadership in this.

This legislation encourages American clean energy manufacturers across the Nation to sell their American-made clean energy technologies here in America and around the world.

This is also about jobs. The Department of Energy has found that the emerging U.S. clean energy sector could create more than 750,000 jobs over the next decade. The clean energy emerging economy is one that we cannot afford to let pass us by.

Mr. Speaker, my home district of Sacramento is well positioned to be a national leader in manufacturing clean energy technologies, with more than 120 small and medium-sized clean energy companies in the region. Many of these companies are beginning to manufacture clean energy products or are seeking to expand their manufacturing operation and wanting to export through clean energy technologies to foreign markets.

However, unlike big U.S. companies, small and medium-sized firms simply do not have the resources and expertise to find and navigate foreign markets and are seeking assistance. In fact, according to the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, more than 30 percent of nonexporting small and medium-sized companies would export if they had more access to market information, export opportunities, and the export process. Many of these companies have validated their clean energy technologies and are now looking to expand their businesses by exporting their goods and services to new foreign markets but actually lack the resources to do so.

Mr. Speaker, let me briefly clarify that this bill provides a modest authorization to help American small businesses with the manufacturing and export assistance they are seeking.

It is not an appropriations bill. As my colleagues on the other side are aware, authorization measures do not appropriate funds and they do not add a dime to our deficit. The measure would have to fit within our budget caps during the congressional appropriation process.

The bill would not affect direct spending or revenues. Therefore, PAYGO procedures would not apply, and it does not violate PAYGO rules.

Mr. Speaker, during the Energy and Commerce markup of this bill, we included several changes that my Republican colleagues recommended; most notably, working in a bipartisan manner, we expanded the definition of ``clean energy technology.''

We also include a transparency provision that requires the Commerce Department to report back to Congress within 180 days of enactment, a plan to assist small and medium-sized businesses, encourage job growth in the U.S. clean energy sector, and encourage greater domestic manufacturing of clean energy products.

H.R. 5156 will also enhance our standing in the race to be the global leader in clean energy. The BP oil spill only underscores the need for leadership in the clean energy market, and this bill will send a strong message that America is serious about being the leader and producing and exporting these technologies.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which will support clean energy products being made in America and, in turn, will help families make it in America.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor COL Thomas C. Chapman upon his retirement from the United States Army Corps of Engineers. For the past three years I have had the pleasure of working with Colonel Chapman on a number of flood protection projects that are key to my hometown of Sacramento. I found Colonel Chapman to be a man of intelligence and integrity, a man who never forgot the public he served. As he retires, I would like to pause today and ask that my colleagues join with me in offering our thanks to a distinguished American.

Beginning with his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1984, Colonel Chapman has led a distinguished and notable career in the Corps of Engineers. He has assisted with and led many projects which have helped to maintain the integrity and vitality of our nation's infrastructure and worked to improve the security of our military bases abroad.

Colonel Chapman's career has taken him and his family from Fort Knox to South Korea, from Philadelphia to Afghanistan and a number of stops in between. Each stop has been characterized by success. At Camp Red Cloud in South Korea, he developed a new master plan for installations, which was later adopted as a model for all U.S. forces in Korea. As the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Engineer School, he oversaw the integration of the Engineer School into the Army's Maneuver Support Center. In Afghanistan, he served as the senior engineer at NATO Corps Headquarters, where he managed both the construction of all NATO facilities and oversaw NATO's Counter-IED training. Colonel Chapman aided Coalition Forces by developing a new engineer organizational structure and by developing NATO's first Counter-IED doctrine.

In July of 2007, Colonel Chapman was installed as the Commander of the Corps of Engineers' Sacramento Division. Lying at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers, the City of Sacramento and surrounding region faces the constant threat of flooding. Our levee and flood protection systems require continuous attention and the Corps of Engineers is actively involved with major upgrades currently being undertaken at Folsom Dam and along local rivers and streams.

In particular, Colonel Chapman's leadership has helped keep the Folsom Dam Joint Federal Project, a collaborative effort with the Bureau of Reclamation, on schedule and on budget. When completed, this immense project will strengthen the dam and add a second spillway, which will allow more water to be released in anticipation of a storm, giving much of Sacramento over 200-year protection. Colonel Chapman has also worked diligently to advance the Natomas Levee Improvement Project, which will also give 200-year protection to the 75,000 people that call Natomas home. On these and other projects, Colonel Chapman has worked with local and state officials to ensure there is a strong partnership between all levels of government.

Madam Speaker, I am truly honored to stand here today to congratulate COL Thomas Chapman, for his tireless work in Sacramento and throughout his 26-year career with the Army Corps of Engineers. As his colleagues, friends and family gather today, including his wife Deidre and their seven children, I once again ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Colonel Chapman. His work has kept American servicemen and women safe abroad and the public safe at home. I offer him my warmest thanks and wish him continued success in the next chapter of his life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Social Security and to highlight its importance as we approach the 75th anniversary since its founding.

Social Security is a pillar of a society based on the premise that if you work hard and play by the rules, you will have the stability and security of a minimum level of guaranteed income as you get older. And the reality is Social Security provides nearly all of the retirement income for six out of 10 seniors in this country.

Mr. Speaker, for 75 years, Social Security has never been a day late or a dollar short. And as we approach this historic achievement, we must commit ourselves to strengthening Social Security, not privatizing it. We must continue to provide the foundation for Americans' retirement security for generations and generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1517 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only.

General Leave

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials into the Record.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1517 provides for consideration of H.R. 5114, the Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act of 2010, under a structured rule. The resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The resolution provides 1 hour of debate on the bill. The resolution provides that a substitute amendment recommended by the Financial Services Committee shall be considered an original bill for purpose of amendment, and shall be considered as read.

The resolution makes in order those amendments printed in the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution. The resolution waives all points of order against such amendments except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The resolution provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions, provides the Chair may entertain a motion to rise only if offered by the chair of the House Financial Services Committee or his designee. Lastly, the resolution provides the Chair may not entertain a motion to strike the enacting words of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in strong support of the rule, the Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act, and in strong support of the underlying legislation. I would like to applaud the sponsor of H.R. 5114, Chairwoman Maxine Waters, for her leadership in bringing this important bill to the floor. And I commend Chairman Frank and Ranking Member Baucus for being open to a number of improvements to this bill from myself and fellow members.

I am grateful for their long-standing advocacy of my legislation, H.R. 1525, which is incorporated into the underlying bill before us today. Both of them and their incredible staffs have been valuable in this process.

Mr. Speaker, it is critical that our constituents have access to a stable flood insurance program. Toward that end, H.R. 5114, which I am pleased to cosponsor, would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program for 5 years, and implement necessary changes that are essential for its continuing viability.

Floods have been, and continue to be, one of the most destructive and costly natural hazards to my hometown of Sacramento and to other communities throughout the country. The NFIP is a valuable tool in addressing the losses incurred due to these disasters, and mitigating against future disasters. The program ensures that families have access to affordable flood insurance, while making certain that their safety is protected. In fact, the NFIP is the primary source of reliable, affordable flood insurance in this country, providing 95 percent of the flood insurance policies nationwide. It covers 5.6 million households and insures $1.2 trillion of property.

From the Sacramento region to the Louisiana bayous to the plains of the Midwest, communities are improving their flood protection infrastructure in order to keep residents safe and secure. However, as we work to provide certainty to our recovering housing market, these communities are seeking clarity to meet the changing dynamics of Federal standards.

It is for these reasons that I am thrilled that this legislation contains a provision I authored that would provide technical changes to Federal flood zone designations. In my district, the deepest flood depths would be in a region called the Natomas Basin. Fortunately, we have a flood protection project underway to achieve a 200-year level of protection for its residents.

By 2011, the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency and the State of California will have spent upwards of $350 million repairing levees in the Natomas Basin. But over the last 5 years, the hundreds of millions devoted to levee improvements in Natomas have not been acknowledged by FEMA in the remapping process. Unfortunately, FEMA's current flood zone certification process does not always take local and State funding into account.

A year ago, I introduced H.R. 1525, which would fix this problem, and it has been included in the bill we are considering today. In addition to making flood insurance available to millions of Americans, this bill also provides communities clarity in order for them to continue their ongoing efforts to improve flood defenses. It would update current law to take local, State, and Federal funding into account when determining flood zone designations. Such investments must be recognized by the Federal Government.

Local communities, States, and the Federal Government must all be thoughtful and committed partners because protecting our constituents from the dangers potential floods pose requires a comprehensive approach. While I have always urged homeowners in floodplains to purchase flood insurance, I have serious concerns about families being forced to incur higher insurance rates during an economic recession. Increased rates on top of the annual flood protection assessments that many residents are paying each year compounds this problem, which is why I am grateful that H.R. 5114 includes another provision I strongly support that would reduce the shock of higher insurance rates by phasing them in over 5 years. It would apply retroactively to September 2008 to areas that have been already remapped.

Most importantly for the thousands of homeowners across the country that have recently gone through the remapping process, H.R. 5114 would lower their flood insurance rates. Without this bill, many of our constituents would likely be forced to pay more than four times the preferred risk policy rate.

Mr. Speaker, the Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act was unanimously approved by the Financial Services Committee on April 27, 2010. It is budget neutral, and is supported by numerous organizations in the property insurance field. Congress has not reauthorized NFIP since 2004. It is time for us to do so and to make essential changes to the program to ensure its

sustainability. As many of my colleagues can attest, providing for the security and safety of flood-prone regions like the one I represent needs to be at the top of our priority list.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of the solution and to help make sure residents of Sacramento and other flood-prone communities across the country can afford to purchase the flood insurance they need to protect their families, their businesses, and the livelihoods of our communities.

I therefore urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree), my colleague on the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Arcuri), my colleague on the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

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

I want to start by thanking the Members and the staff of the Financial Services Committee for their diligence in working with me on this important legislation. Tom Glassic of the Financial Services majority staff has been especially helpful.

Mr. Speaker, as we are all aware, flooding is the most common natural disaster in this country. The National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP, is the primary source of reliable, affordable flood insurance in the United States today. The last reauthorization of NFIP occurred in 2004. Since 2008, it has operated under a series of short extensions, with the current law scheduled to expire at the end of September.

To ensure that individuals nationwide have access to a stable and reasonable flood insurance program, we need to pass the Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act. This legislation would reauthorize the NFIP and implement other critically important changes that would guarantee the program's sustainability.

In particular, it would help the Sacramento region and other areas advance their ongoing efforts to improve their flood protection. Additionally, the bill would lower the burden of higher insurance rates in remapped communities by phasing them in over 5 years.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 5114 would have no impact on the budget over the next 10 years. In fact, the CBO has stated that the measure would increase revenues by $5 million over 2010-2015 and by $10 million over 2011-2020.

It would address the NFIP's serious financial challenges by directing it back toward fiscal health and self-sustainability.

This legislation, which was unanimously approved by the Financial Services Committee earlier this year, would provide certainty to our recovering housing market and ensure public safety.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5114 is an important bipartisan bill that would help protect our communities from catastrophic flooding. With that in mind, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor).

Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, I will respond.

One of the amendments was not germane. One amendment was made in order because it was germane.

May I say that, just to clarify, the amendment that Mr. Taylor was talking about was germane to that bill. It is not germane to this bill.

So if I may continue, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5114 is an important bipartisan bill that would protect our communities from catastrophic flooding. With that in mind, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

I thank the gentleman from Colorado for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4173, the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010. Many families in my home district of Sacramento continue struggling to make ends meet. I have heard countless stories of those struggling to keep their homes, their jobs, and their way of life. Many of my constituents were and continue to be victims of predatory home loan lending, unfair credit card practices, payday loans, and other forms of deceptive financial practices. The mortgage crisis, in particular, continues to impact many in Sacramento. Sadly, after more than 2 years, millions of homeowners continue to face foreclosure, and those who have not have seen the value of their homes plummet.

I have been to foreclosure workshops. I have seen the hardships and looks of desperation. I have heard from a constituent who held a traditional 30-year mortgage; but after repeated attempts from her lender, she was convinced to refinance her mortgage to a lower adjustable rate. And now that the mortgage has reset, she is facing foreclosure. I have heard from many constituents who applied for a loan modification but never even got a call back. I have heard from many others who say they were denied a loan modification under the Making Home Affordable program, but their lender never even gave them a reason why. These are just a few of the many stories that I, and I'm sure many of you, have heard.

Madam Speaker, no one is looking for a bailout. The families need real assistance and real reform. But it's clear that the mortgage industry, after repeated public pledges, has yet to demonstrate a real commitment to help responsible homeowners. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that this bill includes an amendment that I offered along with Representatives Kathy Castor and Betty Sutton which calls on the mortgage industry to help place more responsible homeowners into more affordable terms. The amendment will require mortgage industry participants in the Making Home Affordable program to report basic information on a monthly basis, such as the number of loan modification requests received, the number being processed, the number that have been approved, and the number that have been denied. It will also make that information available to the public through the Treasury Department's Web site.

It is clear that greater transparency is needed to ensure that all parties are actually helping homeowners. Such transparency will lead to greater accountability. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this historic legislation to ensure that our consumers and our financial system are protected from irresponsible financial practices.

I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Senate amendments to H.R. 3360, the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act, legislation that I introduced and which passed the House by a strong bipartisan vote of 416-4 in November of last year. The bill received similar support in the Senate, which passed it with unanimous consent earlier this month.

The Senate amendments to this legislation are also bipartisan in nature, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill before us that would send critical consumer protection language to the President for his consideration. For far too long American families have unknowingly been at risk when embarking on cruise vacations.

Four years ago, one of my constituents, Laurie Dishman, wrote to me for help. Laurie was the victim of a sexual assault while on a cruise vacation. She was given no assistance by the cruise line in properly securing evidence of the assault, no assistance in identifying her attacker, no assistance in prosecuting the crime once back on shore. Devastated, Laurie reached out to me, and I immediately worked with Chairman Cummings, who committed to me to hold hearings on this issue and began to work on this critical legislation.

These hearings made apparent the gross inadequacies of current cruise safety provisions. And with ongoing news coverage of rapes on cruise ships, it is clear that this legislation is both urgent and necessary. My legislation establishes stringent new standards to ensure the safety and security of passengers on cruise vessels. Its reforms include requiring that vessel personnel be able to preserve evidence of crimes committed on these vessels, and provide appropriate medical treatment to the victims of sexual assaults.

Security, safety, and accountability must all be strengthened to hold criminals accountable and end the cycle of serious, dangerous crimes aboard cruise ships.

I would like to thank both Chairmen, Cummings and Oberstar for the good work their committees and staffs have done on this bill and for their tremendous support in making this bill a reality. I would also like to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for their support. This has been a long, difficult road for all cruise victims and their families. And believe me, this legislation is truly a result of their courage, their dedication, and their conviction to preventing further crimes from happening.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation and pave the way for safety of all cruise passengers.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3993) to require accurate and reasonable disclosure of the terms and conditions of prepaid telephone calling cards and services, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3993, the Calling Card Consumer Protection Act. I want to thank Mr. Engel for introducing this important piece of legislation, and Chairmen Waxman and Rush for their leadership in guiding the bill through the committee.

I am pleased that the House is taking up this important bipartisan measure which will prevent fraud and abuse in the prepaid calling card industry. The bill was voice-voted out of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

American consumers spend billions of dollars on prepaid calling cards. These cards are generally marketed to a particular group of consumers, including immigrants, college students, seniors, and military personnel. Unfortunately, the prepaid calling card market is rife with fraudulent and deceptive practices. Many prepaid calling cards fail to deliver the full number of advertised minutes. Cards often contain hidden charges, such as connection fees, maintenance fees, and disconnect fees, as well as inconsistent rates per minute.

In short, consumers often find that because of misleading information, inconsistent claims, and buried disclosures, they are left with an insufficient product with little or no recourse. To address these issues and protect American consumers, H.R. 3993 will require calling card providers and distributors to clearly and conspicuously disclose all relevant information so that consumers can make informed choices.

These disclosures would include critical information such as contact information for the provider, the number of minutes available or the dollar value of the card.

Importantly, H.R. 3993 would mean the end of hidden fees in the prepaid calling card market. Entities would be required to disclose all fees, charges, limitations, changes in value, or other terms that impact the use of the card.

Consumers who purchase prepaid calling cards should get what they pay for. If they don't, consumers should have recourse, and bad actors should face tough enforcement.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3993, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, H.R. 3993 will protect consumers from faulty and deceptive calling cards.

Again, I want to thank my colleague, Representative Engel, for his work on this legislation.

This bill is bipartisan, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1660) to amend the Toxic Substances Control Act to reduce the emissions of formaldehyde from composite wood products, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1660, the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act. I want to thank Senators Klobuchar and Crapo for their leadership in guiding this bill through the Senate.

Madam Speaker, this is a truly bipartisan bill, with 10 out of the 19 Senate cosponsors being Republican Senators, including Isakson of Georgia, Senators Corker and Alexander from Tennessee, Senator Vitter from Louisiana, and Senator Cochran of Mississippi, just to name a few. Just last week, this legislation was unanimously approved by the Senate. I, along with Representative Vern Ehlers, introduced the House companion, H.R. 4805.

I want to thank Chairmen Waxman and Rush for their leadership in guiding H.R. 4805 through the Energy and Commerce Committee, which was reported out in a bipartisan manner by a vote of 27-10 on May 26. During the committee debate on this legislation we worked collaboratively with the minority to address the vast majority of

the concerns initially raised by CTCP Subcommittee Ranking Member Whitfield and Representatives Gingrey and Scalise. And I thank them for their support during the full committee's consideration. Those changes are included in this legislation that we are considering today.

On the issue of labeling, we expect that EPA will take steps to ensure that consumers are able to make informed purchases. At the same time, it is not our intention to require labeling that is more burdensome than what is already required in California.

Madam Speaker, the bill is a result of months of hard work; and we have a strong bipartisan, bicameral measure that is widely supported by a diverse coalition comprised of industries, public health advocates, environmental groups, and others. Groups that have publicly endorsed this legislation include the American Forest and Paper Association; the Engineered Wood Association; the Composite Panel Association; American Home Furnishings Association; Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association; Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association; the Sierra Club; the United Steelworkers of America; the American Public Health Association; the Retail Industry Leaders Association; and others.

I am pleased that the House is taking up this important bipartisan measure today. The bill would direct that EPA establish one national standard for formaldehyde in domestic and imported composite wood products. As we all know, the emissions of formaldehyde, which is a harmful chemical widely used in a variety of composite wood product applications, are known to have adverse effects on human health and resulted in cases of toxicity for those storm victims provided FEMA trailers following Hurricane Katrina.

Formaldehyde emissions from composite wood are largely the result of cheap foreign products that enter the U.S. marketplace at much lower cost, which places U.S. manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage. This legislation will level the playing field for our domestic manufacturers by creating one national standard on formaldehyde emissions for both our domestic industry and foreign manufacturers to follow.

Simply put, we must ensure that faulty foreign wood products do not enter the U.S. market anymore. In doing so, this bill will protect and create American jobs, boost the competitiveness of our domestic manufacturing sector, and ensure that American consumers are not exposed to faulty foreign products with high formaldehyde emissions.

In closing, I would like to thank Chairman Waxman's staff, particularly Robin Appleberry for her hard work and effort in working in a bipartisan manner with my office and with the minority staff of the Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure that the legislation will protect consumers as well as our U.S. domestic manufacturing industries. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we can all agree that harmful formaldehyde emissions need to be addressed immediately. Formaldehyde emissions from composite woods are largely the result of cheap foreign products that enter the U.S. marketplace at much lower costs. These emissions have harmed far too many Americans, and their foreign sources have and continue to place our domestic manufacturing industries at a competitive disadvantage. This legislation will level the playing field for our domestic industries and protect the health of American consumers.

Madam Speaker, today we have a strong bipartisan, bicameral bill that will boost our domestic manufacturing industries, create jobs, and protect American consumers. This bill is strongly supported by a large number of industries, public health advocates, and environmental groups. Again, this legislation is bipartisan, and I urge my colleagues to support S. 1660, to make certain that faulty foreign wood products do not enter the U.S. market.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for our ally and friend Israel. Israel is a country that has always backed the United States in its efforts to combat extremism, and that has proven throughout its short history that democratic ideals can take root in the most challenging of international neighborhoods.

Mr. Speaker, I, like so many of my colleagues here in the House of Representatives and like so many of my constituents in Sacramento, believe in Israel's right to defend itself. The people of Israel deserve to live without fear of being attacked by a terrorist organization--Hamas--that refuses both to recognize Israel's right to exist and to renounce the use of violence to achieve its objectives. For a number of years, both Israel and Egypt have enforced a blockade of Gaza to keep Hamas from acquiring material to launch rockets into Israel.

The recent tragedy aboard the Mavi Marmara could have been avoided, and should serve as a reminder to us all that our Nation must lead the international community in efforts to forge a lasting peace in the Middle East. My heart goes out to the families of those whose lives were lost, and to those Israeli soldiers who were seriously injured.

Prior to what took place on the Mavi Marmara, five previous ships in the flotilla bound for Gaza were redirected without incident. These five ships were sent to an Israeli port so that the goods they were carrying could be screened for material that could be used to make weapons. Much of their cargo has since been sent to Gaza.

Israel redirected five of the flotilla ships because it has the right--and the responsibility--to prevent Hamas from acquiring materials it uses to fire rockets at Israeli towns. At the same time, Israel must continue doing what it can to ensure that the people of Gaza have access to food and supplies needed to live. Much of the humanitarian material the flotilla was carrying will make it into the hands of innocent civilians in Gaza, just as millions of tons of humanitarian aid have been delivered to Gaza through Israel since the start of the blockade.

Mr. Speaker, what this incident demonstrates more than anything else is that a lasting Middle East peace is needed. For a peace settlement to be reached, the first step is for Hamas to meet a very simple set of preconditions established by the Quartet (the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, and Russia).

The Quartet's demands are not complicated: Hamas must join the rest of the international community by recognizing Israel's right to exist, renounce the use of violence, and abide by previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinian people. If Hamas were to do so, the Gaza blockade would end, Israel's security would improve, and peace negotiations could begin in earnest.

In the end, we should use this most recent tragedy as a catalyst to redouble our international efforts to achieve peace and security in the Middle East. Our objective must not change: we must create a peace that dismantles Hamas's terrorist infrastructure, improves the situation in Gaza, and guarantees the safety and security of innocent Israelis and Palestinians alike. The United States has been attempting to broker just such an agreement via proximity talks for months now.

Furthermore, the United States' goodwill toward the people who live in Gaza is clear. The President's announcement of a $400 million initiative to improve Gazans' access to drinking water, create jobs, build schools, make affordable housing more accessible, and address critical health and infrastructure needs is just the kind of thing we need to change direction in the Middle East. I strongly support the President's initiative because I want the living conditions for the people of Gaza to improve just as I want living conditions for all people around the world to improve.

As an international community, we all need to examine our various approaches to achieving peace in the Middle East, to see if any calibrations can be made in our strategies that will increase the chances of success. The tragedy on the Mavi Marmara only underscores how urgent it is for the international system to do everything it can to protect the security of Israelis, meet the humanitarian and economic needs of the people in Gaza, and create a permanent peace in this critical part of the world.

I will continue to support Israel's right to defend itself and its citizens. At the same time, I long for the day when Israel and the Palestinians can live peacefully with one another, because that will mean that our efforts to achieve a viable peace agreement in the Middle East have been successful.

Madam Speaker, Democrats have an unassailable record when it comes to protecting the rights of seniors, and I rise today to thank all of my fellow Seniors Task Force Members for their continued commitment to America's seniors.

As the party that consistently fights efforts to dismantle Social Security and Medicare, we understand that many older Americans depend on these federal programs just to make ends meet. These parts of the social safety net constitute a right of all seniors to meet their needs for financial security and high quality, affordable health care.

The current Medicare system already delivers the best care in the world and it is strengthened by provisions in the health-care bill that was recently signed into law. Our bill fulfills this right to affordable medicines by beginning to close the ``donut hole,'' a process which is starting this year. The right to quality, affordable health care also means helping seniors avoid getting sick--our bill makes preventive care free for Medicare beneficiaries.

Seniors also have the right to a secure retirement, including a secure pension. Democrats will take action to secure this right in the coming weeks.

And one of the most important rights that every American senior has is the right to live with dignity. Federal policy should therefore be aimed at empowering seniors to make important decisions with family members, not insurance bureaucrats.

Seniors have a right to be protected from scams and fraud including credit card company abuses, identity theft, and mortgage schemes. That's why the financial reform legislation, which will be sent to the President in the coming weeks, is so critical to enact immediately. By reining in the ability of Wall Street executives to gamble away our retirements we will help put our economy on a path to financial stability. We will fulfill this right of America's seniors to have economic security and create an economy that we will be proud to pass on to future generations.

Madam Speaker, America's seniors want to guarantee America's place as a leader in a global economy by reinvesting in manufacturing and American-made goods, training students to be the workforce of the future, and ensuring there are job opportunities for anyone who wants or needs one.

Thanks to the Recovery Act, the Affordable Care Act, and the Wall Street Reform Act this Congress is making each of these rights a reality for our seniors.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Courtney/Petri/ Matsui amendment which would transfer the Troops to Teachers Program back to the Department of Defense from the Department of Education and would make essential improvements to the program to ensure that veterans returning from service have access to its benefits.

Currently, the Troops to Teachers Program is operated by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) within the Department of Defense. The Department of Education simply transfers funds to DANTES. Our amendment would transfer the program back to the Department of Defense, thus streamlining the program. Both the Department of Defense and the Department of Education support this transfer, which is reflected in the President's Fiscal Year 2011 budget request.

Additionally, our amendment would ensure that veterans participating in the Troops to Teachers program receive a $5,000 stipend for teaching three years in any school that is in a district receiving Title 1 funds. This change would create a 49-percent increase in the number of schools eligible under the program.

As the language of H.R. 3943 reflects, it is the intent of this amendment to strike ``high need'' from the stipend participation language in the Troops to Teachers statute. There was a late night drafting error that mistakenly did not delete the term ``high need'' as was planned and is consistent with the language in H.R. 3943. As this provision is finalized in conference, it is essential that this technical change be made to implement the original intent of the amendment.

This amendment also makes this program more accessible to our veterans returning from service by reducing the length of service requirements for active military. Many of our young men and women returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan who would like to pursue teaching careers are currently ineligible for the program. The amendment reduces the required length of service from six years to four years.

Finally, this amendment creates an advisory board to ensure continued success, by increasing awareness and participation and ensuring the program meets the needs of schools and veterans.

I want to thank my colleagues, Representative Courtney and Representative Petri for their work on this amendment and for their continued support of the Troops to Teachers Program, as well as both the House Committee on Armed Services and Committee on Education and Labor for their assistance in this amendment. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment. es to support the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Courtney- Petri-Matsui amendment regarding Troops to Teachers. The amendment includes provisions of the bipartisan 9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act, which I worked on with my colleagues and has 170 cosponsors.

Our amendment would make the program more accessible to those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, it is the clear intent of this amendment to expand the number of school districts eligible to participate in the Troops to Teachers program.

With their proven service, diverse backgrounds, and leadership traits, our Nation's veterans can serve their country again by serving as teachers in our Nation's most vulnerable schools. Witnessing the success of this program in schools in my community has strengthened my determination to expand the Troops to Teachers program.

I urge the Members to vote in support of this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to

the resolution (H. Res. 1258) expressing support for designation of May 2010 as Mental Health Month, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 1258. This resolution expresses support for the designation of this month, the month of May, as Mental Health Month.

We all know it, but sometimes we forget that mental health is absolutely essential to the overall health of every single person in this country. Mental health is an important contributor to the health of our communities, our families and even to our economy.

Mental illness affects 57 million people in the United States, Madam Speaker. The people impacted by mental illness are workers, their bosses, their employees, their mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers and close friends.

And increasingly, they are children. One in every five children and adolescents may have a diagnosable mental disorder.

Mental illnesses are clinically indicated, and they range from bipolar disorder to bulimia and other eating disorders to anxiety- related conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. These illnesses affect all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. They can strike at any place and at any time.

However, certain groups in our country appear to be more vulnerable to mental illness than others. For example, Latina adolescents have a higher suicide rate than any other demographic. And one-quarter of the members of our Armed Forces suffer from psychological or neurological injuries sustained during combat. This is a problem that we cannot and we must not ignore.

Madam Speaker, we know that mental illness is becoming more and more common in the United States and around the world. We know that mental illnesses have biological causes, and we know that the vast majority of mental illnesses can be treated. And yet people with mental illness continue to live under a stigma that surrounds those who fight diseases of the mind.

Today's resolution gives this House a valuable opportunity to help our constituents understand the biological basis for many mental disorders. It salutes the important work of national and community organizations who promote public awareness of mental illness and who help fight the unfair stigma associated with mental disease.

House Resolution 1258 also encourages health providers and organizations to promote mental well-being and to ensure that people with mental illness have access to the services that can literally save their lives.

This and previous Congresses have taken important and necessary steps to improve access to mental health services. Personally, I look forward to working with my colleagues to increase access to community-based mental health services.

In my hometown of Sacramento, the community-based mental health system is crumbling under the weight of severe budget cuts and ever- increasing demand for services.

We here in Washington cannot sit idly by as vital community services are slashed. Those whose very lives depend on a trained and understanding mental health provider are counting on us, and this resolution honors those who have dedicated their lives to treating others with mental illness.

I want to commend Representative Napolitano, the sponsor of this resolution and co-chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, for her leadership on this important health issue.

I would also like to commend my Energy and Commerce Committee colleague, Representative Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, for working so closely with Mrs. Napolitano on the Mental Health Caucus.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), the sponsor of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues, Representative Napolitano, Representative Murphy, for their work on this resolution and mental health issues in general. And I would like to thank my colleague from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

This resolution represents one small step toward a future where the serious burden of mental illness is but a thing of the past. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.