Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to engage in a colloquy with the distinguished chairman of our committee today and also with my colleague, the gentleman from Michigan from my neighboring district (Mr. Hoekstra).

Mr. Speaker, section 970 of title IX of the conference report includes a demonstration project that is designed to address the effect of ozone transport in southwest Michigan where projected nonattainment is the result of transported ozone across Lake Michigan. This project will assess the difficulties due to transported ozone across the lake to determine the extent of ozone transport and develop alternatives to achieve compliance apart from local controls.

I just want to be sure that the purpose and intent of the committee in this legislation is clear. Am I correct in saying that the counties in particularly our two districts in southwest Michigan, Cass County, Berrien, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Allegan, that are not in attainment for the ozone standards due to ozone transport are included in the provision and will be eligible for the demonstration project?

I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra).

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I just want to say that our two districts in southwest Michigan share a boundary. We are a victim of transient air coming from Milwaukee, from Chicago, and Gary, Indiana. Our problem is not with the clean air. We want those communities to have clean air and to have transient clean air so that we do not have a problem on our side of the State. We are a victim. We would have to impose literally a fan to send this air someplace else without this legislation to avoid some type of sanction that will cost tens of millions of dollars.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated and selfless individual on the eve of his retirement from public service, Kalamazoo's Al Heilman. Since 1968, Al has served with great distinction the citizens of Kalamazoo in a number of capacities--from being first elected to the County Board in 1968 to having served as City Commissioner since 1995.

Many words come to mind as one reflects upon Al Heilman's public service to our community. He is selfless, generous, giving, caring, humble . . . the list goes on. Al is widely known for his extensive charitable gestures, often giving both money and time to local individuals, businesses, universities, and the community as a whole. There is no question that Al's dedication and contributions to the city will be missed.

Now, Al can ``retire'' to pleasing folks with his other trade--as owner and operator of Heilman's Nuts and Confections. As a member of the business community, Al Heilman will continue to be a part of our everyday lives.

Our community is in debt to Al Heilman for his continued public service since 1968. 1 wish him and his family all the best as he departs public service. Al's contributions to our community have been many, and we are all better off from his service. For those that know him, his name alone helps define public service. All those that have met him, like him. All those that know him, love him.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2898) to improve homeland security, public safety and citizen activated emergency response capabilities through the use of enhanced 911 wireless services, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 2898.

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

Mr. Speaker, today we consider H.R. 2898, the E-911 Implementation Act of 2003, bipartisan legislation introduced by two members of the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo). As chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, I am a proud original sponsor of this legislation as well.

Mr. Speaker, what many of our constituents may not realize is that when they make a 911 call from their cell phones, many emergency dispatch centers, otherwise known as public service answering points or PSAPs, cannot automatically locate where that call is coming from, unlike when such calls are made from landlines. All too often, we have heard horrific stories of how first responders could not get to a cell phone 911 caller quickly enough, or maybe not even at all, because they could not automatically locate where that caller was, and the circumstances were such that the caller was not able to tell the first responder where they were calling from. In such emergencies, time is of the essence. Seconds in such emergency responses can literally mean the difference between life and death.

For a number of years, our Nation's wireless carriers and PSAPs have been in the midst of deploying Phase II E-911, which would, in fact, provide PSAPs with the automatic location information of cell phone callers who dial 9-1-1. While our Nation's wireless carriers have been deploying the technology and the infrastructure to achieve Phase II E- 911, our Nations PSAPs have been confronted by enormous challenges in getting their piece of the puzzle in place.

Our Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet held a number of hearings on how we could overcome these challenges, and we arrived at a number of conclusions which form the basis of this legislation,

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), the chairman of the full committee.

Mr. Speaker, I submit three letters for printing in the Congressional Record: one from the CTIA, another from APCO, and the remaining one from the National Emergency Number Association in support of the legislation.

Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association,

Washington, DC, October 27, 2003.

Hon. Billy Tauzin,

Chairman,

Hon. John Dingell,

Ranking Member,

Committee on Energy and Commerce,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Tauzin and Congressman Dingell: On behalf of

the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association

(CTIA), I would like to express our support for H.R. 2898,

the E9-1-1 Implementation Act of 2003. CTIA represents more

than 400 member companies, including both wireless carriers

and manufacturers of wireless telecommunications equipment.

Once in place, E9-1-1 location technology will speed

delivery of emergency services to people in need.

Unfortunately, too often, states and localities have diverted

E9-1-1 funds collected by carries from wireless consumers to

fund unrelated activities. This legislation will protect E9-

1-1 funds while simultaneously strengthening statewide

coordination and cooperation among local phone companies,

wireless carriers, and public safety. The wireless industry

has made important strides in developing and implementing E9-

1-1 location technology. H.R. 2898 will help ensure that

states and localities develop the necessary ``best

practices'' to efficiently and effectively deploy location

technology.

The wireless industry remains committed to implementing

this vital technology and applauds your leadership on this

important issue.

Sincerely,

Steven K. Berry.

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

Just in closing, I want to again thank the lead authors. They have both been real players on our subcommittee all year long. I have appreciated their active participation on so many issues. We have worked on a bipartisan basis on virtually everything, and as we look at the end of this legislative calendar year, this is certainly a major success, and I can remember our first hearings when we began this journey to get this legislation done, virtually every single Member, Republican and Democrat, personally had made a E-911 call from their cell phone. We had all had different experiences as we thought about the calls we made in our district. All of us know our district like a blanket. We could tell exactly where we were. But when we are in somebody else's district, whether it be here in Washington, D.C. or I remember the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry), who is also very active on this, when he talked about going from Nebraska to Colorado, he had no clue where he was on that highway, wherever it was, and we all felt very frustrated as we saw these accidents literally appear before us. So this is legislation that perhaps some in the industry were not supportive of at the beginning. We pushed them along. They are now fully on board. We have sent a message to the States: They are collecting money from us in our bills to make sure that this legislation is coming through. Spend it the right way, and if they do not, then they do not participate in this program.

I think, too, the session that we had at the FCC, where the gentleman from Illinois and other Members on both sides of the aisle were there, we embarrassed some of the States that are using the money for other purposes. Let us get this money spent for the reason it is being collected, for the right cause so that we will save the lives that all of us want to save. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2898. This legislation is desperately needed to ensure the rollout of E-911 across the country.

I want to thank my colleagues Anna Eshoo and John Shimkus on the House Energy and Commerce Committee for their work on this issue and moving this to the floor as quickly as possible.

Improving public safety is a constant struggle, as I have learned working on improving 911 services for the Houston area and the entire state of Texas as a state legislator.

Enhanced 911, which will allow folks in trouble to be located by rescue crews and police just by dialing three simple numbers, is a necessary next step.

It is critical because many times when a wireless caller calls 911, they either cannot talk or they do not know where they are.

The technology exists to help people in danger--I saw successful demonstration at the FCC just last week. And this legislation addresses the technical issues for industry, local government, and regional concerns, so no further delay is justified.

While lives are being saved in my area of Harris County where we are Phase Two complete for E-911, lives are still being needlessly lost in other areas where compliance is lagging.

Unfortunately, many other jurisdictions, including many in large rural areas of Texas do not have the resources necessary to upgrade their 911 systems.

We are not all safe when we travel on the roads until E-911 is up and running nationwide.

Public safety should be a top priority. States moving E-911 funds to other purposes deceives wireless consumers who saw that E-911 funding on their cell phone bills.

Coming from Texas, I know what it means to children and families hit by huge budget cuts, but E-911 is necessary--it is a proven life-saver. This legislation brings funding, accountability, and sensitivity to rural areas to the process and deserves strong support.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 313) to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish a program of fees relating to animal drugs, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on the Senate bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, as the lead sponsor of the House-passed version of the Animal Drug User Fee Act of 2003, it is my pleasure today to manage S. 313, the Senate version of the same legislation on the floor.

What we are doing today is taking up the Senate-passed version of the Animal Drug User Fee Act and inserting the updated House language from H.R. 1260, which was approved by this body by voice last month. We are doing so because we determined that it was the best way to expedite the final passage of this much-needed legislation giving the FDA the authority to begin collecting the user fees this fiscal year needed to substantially beef up the new animal drug development and review process.

I would like to take the opportunity again to acknowledge and thank the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette), my original cosponsor; the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), our committee chairman; the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), ranking member; the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), Health Subcommittee chairman; and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), ranking member; and the Members on both sides of the aisle who have cosponsored the bill. I am grateful too for the hard work of our committee staff, Brent Delmonte, Pat Ronan, John Ford, and for the assistance that we have received from the FDA and the Animal Health Alliance. And also Jane Williams, my health care expert, deserves special merit as well.

Closely modeled after the very successful Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992 for human drugs, the Animal Drug User Fee Act is designed to give the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine the right resources and incentives needed to significantly improve the animal drug review process. The bill is supported by a broad coalition of veterinary and producer groups, including the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Farm Bureau.

The legislation is sorely needed. Despite a statutory review time of 180 days, the average new animal drug application review currently takes about 1\1/2\ years and sometimes may drag on for even several years. This slowdown in review time is jeopardizing the supply of the new, safe, and effective animal drugs needed to keep our pets, flocks, and herds healthy and to provide American consumers with a safe and wholesome food supply.

Under this proposal, the additional revenues generated from fees paid by the pioneer animal drug industry would be dedicated for use in expediting the testing and review of new animal drugs in accordance with the performance goals that have been mutually agreed upon by the FDA and the animal drug industry.

As FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan has noted, a faster, more predictable review process is expected to spur more spending on research and development by the industry, promoting animal health by increasing the availability and diversity of new, safe, and effective products.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote for this much-needed bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I want to thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), a very able replacement for the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette), who I too regret she is not here. This has been a bipartisan effort from get- go.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleagues for this needed legislation, which ensures the federal government's deep commitment to a highly trained, diverse workforce. But we should go even further. In order to best maximize federal government resources, we should encourage competition in all aspects of the student loan program, including consolidation loans.

In order to instill such competition, we will need to make sure that during the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which is currently moving through the Education and the Workforce Committee, we repeal the single holder rule. I want to thank Chairman Boehner and Congressman McKeon, for their efforts to keep college costs under control during consideration of this important legislation. It will be part of my commitment to them as well as Federal agencies, students and families everywhere that they can have the benefit of competition from the more than one thousand qualified lenders in the program when they consolidate their loans and, thus, allow them to take advantage of historically low fixed interest rates.

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the resolution. I also want to commend the Florida Marlins. They are a terrific team. Their outfield speed, their pitching, their fans, their coach, is really outstanding. I think it is a pretty good deal.

I saw in the paper the other day that they are only a 15 to 1 team to repeat next year. I think that is a pretty good deal, by the way, particularly now that they signed, resigned Jack McKeon.

I just have one question, though, for the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen). And I was a good loser. I helped participate with the Chicago folks in providing Chicago pizza and a few other things for the delegation. I want to ask if there is anything in this resolution, and I admit that I have not read it yet, that either praises that right fielder for the Giants that dropped that ball at the critical point in the play-offs, or Steve Bartman?

Mr. Speaker, there is always next year. We have been saying that for a lot of years, though.

Mr. Speaker, I want to piggyback on to the comments of the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin). I can remember when Carol Browner, the then administrator of EPA, came and testified before the subcommittee. I was one that supported the Clean Air Act as well as the Clean Water Act. I can remember when we debated the Clean Air Act, the delegation at that time included important language, and I am not a lawyer but we thought it was sufficient, that gave the EPA the administrative authority when downwind communities were impacted by what came from the polluter itself.

My district, southwestern Michigan, I have air that comes from Gary, Indiana, from Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, across Lake Michigan. Some of my counties have reported that they could actually remove all human activity in some of my counties, and we would still not be in compliance with the new 8-hour standard because of what is coming across the lake.

When Carol Browner came and heard that at the subcommittee, she helped us with this language and the administrative relief that they put into effect for other areas around the country. What the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton) is doing, and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) as part of the conference, is to revert back to what the Clinton administration said then: We still want to help the polluters clean up their air, but we also recognize that the victims. For me, my area of southwest Michigan, can do absolutely nothing about it. In fact, they can have some relief if these new penalties are assessed, collecting millions of dollars which, at the end of the day, will not provide one iota of cleaner air. Because, again, we could remove everything, every road, every lawn mower, every small business, every large business, at the end of the day there is nothing we can do without some type of relief.

And that is why it is important, I think, that we defeat the motion to instruct of the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) because we are left with no choice. And that is why the Clinton administration agreed with us when they came and testified before our subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to F/Lt. Joseph P. Zangaro, who is approaching the end of a long and distinguished career in law enforcement. The Battle Creek native began his law enforcement career in 1976 with the Calhoun County Sheriff Department in Marshall, MI as a road patrol deputy. After a brief stint with the Battle Creek Township Police Department, Zangaro entered the 94th Michigan State Police Recruit School. He has served the residents of southwest Michigan with great distinction ever since.

F/Lt. Zangaro's contributions to our community over the last 27 years have been tremendous. From post to post, he consistently received accolades and recognition along the way including. Among the highlights of his storied career include being named Benton Harbor Exchange Club Trooper of the Year in 1985 and in 1994 Zangaro earned a ``Professional Excellence'' award for his part in an armed robbery investigation.

He has been successful keeping drugs away from our children and keeping drunk drivers off the road. Just this year he was on the ground, restoring the peace after the uprising in Benton Harbor.

From overseeing one of biggest undercover drug operations in SWET history dismantling the Rainbow Farms drug operation in Cass County or keeping drunk drivers off the streets, F/Lt. Joseph P. Zangaro contributions to our community have been many, and we are all better off from his service.

Our community is in debt to F/Lt. Joseph P. Zangaro for his 27 years in law enforcement, 25 of which were with the Michigan State Police. I wish him and his family all the best in retirement. He will truly be missed by the folks in southwest Michigan.

Mr. Speaker, premature birth is a serious and growing problem. Each day 1,305 babies are born too soon, and the rate of preterm birth increased 27 percent between 1981 and 2001. In 2001, 476,000 babies were born prematurely in the United States. Tragically, premature infants are 14 times more likely to die in their first year of life, and preterm births account for 23 percent of deaths in the first month of life. Further, premature babies who survive may suffer lifelong consequences, including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung disease, and vision and hearing loss. Preterm delivery can happen to any pregnant woman, and in nearly one-half of the cases, no one knows why.

That is why today I am introducing, with my colleagues Anna Eshoo, Jim Ramstad, Sherrod Brown, Spencer Bachus, Ed Towns, and Jesse Jackson, Jr., the bipartisan Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act, or ``PREEMIE Act.'' The goal of the PREEMIE Act is designed to reduce the rates of preterm labor and delivery, promote the use of evidence-based care for pregnant women at risk of preterm labor and for infants born preterm, and reduce infant mortality and disabilities caused by prematurity. This will be accomplished by expanding federal research related to preterm labor and delivery and increasing public and provider education and support services. Expanding these federal initiatives is supported by the March of Dimes, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

We hope that you and many more of our House colleagues will join us in the fight to ensure a healthy start for all of America's children by cosponsoring and working with us for the enactment of the PREEMIE Act.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3288) to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to make technical corrections with respect to the definition of qualifying State.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3288.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3288 and urge swift passage of this bipartisan bill. H.R. 3288 corrects technical errors in the recently enacted State Children's Health Insurance Program, S-CHIP, legislation. This important legislation extended the availability of State S-CHIP allotments from prior years to allow States to use this money to continue to provide health care coverage for children. The bill also permitted certain States that had previously covered children with higher incomes through their Medicaid program prior to the creation of S-CHIP to use a small portion of their S-CHIP allotments to pay for the costs associated with covering these children.

Unfortunately, a definition included in the new S-CHIP law inadvertently excluded a number of States. As a result, New Mexico, Maryland, Hawaii, and Rhode Island were barred from being able to use their allotments to pay for the expenses of their kids with higher incomes.

It was always the intent of the sponsors of the S-CHIP legislation that these States would be allowed to use their money in this way. For that reason, my chairman, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), introduced H.R. 3288, which amends the definition of eligible States to correct the technical error.

I would urge all Members to unanimously support this bipartisan bill, which would allow these States to use a portion of their S-CHIP allotments to provide health coverage for their low-income children.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chairman, I just returned after leading a bipartisan trip to Iraq this last Friday. We had Members from all over the country, Republicans and Democrats, and we had Members on our trip that both had supported the war resolution last year, as well as those that opposed it.

I have to say all of us were very proud of every American we met from the USAID, workers at the schools, to the hospitals, and Ambassador Bremer,

the generals, the leaders of our troops, and every man and woman in our Armed Services. I wish I could have taken all of us here in this Chamber, as well as across the country, to see how proud we are of every person that we met with.

Whether you opposed the war resolution or not this last year, we are there now. We need this mission to succeed. I would have to say that nobody here would be against the money for our troops. Yes, we need armored Humvees. Yes, we need more body armor for our vehicles. I would hope that no one here would be opposed to the money to help those that are serving our great land. But we also need the money for reconstruction. It will expedite our troops' withdrawal to come home from that region of the world. It will help promote democracy by birthing democracy where it can flourish.

Now, there will be a dispute here that we will resolve, whether it should be a grant or a loan. We will decide that perhaps later today or tomorrow in the House, in the other body, or certainly in the conference between the House and the other body. But we need the money for reconstruction. Because without those security funds, without seeing those dollars come to help that land begin to prosper, our troops will be there a lot longer. And we will fail in our mission to achieve democracy in that important region of the world.

I ask my colleagues to support the resolution that we are dealing with later on tonight and tomorrow. We need to encourage it in every way, freedom and democracy to flourish.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3038) to make certain technical and conforming amendments to correct the Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 3038.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House is considering H.R. 3038, the Health Care Safety Net Amendments Technical Corrections Act of 2003. H.R. 3038 introduced by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the subcommittee chairman, makes technical and conforming amendments to the Health Care Safety Net Amendments Act of 2002.

As Members may recall, this act strengthens several public health programs for low-income and underserved populations, including community health centers and the National Health Service Corps. Just this past week, a study conducted by GW University found that community health centers have helped to reduce health disparities in areas such as infant mortality, prenatal care, TB case rates, and age-adjusted death rates. This study highlights the impact that community

health centers are making in providing underserved Americans with access to affordable, high-quality health care.

H.R. 3038 strengthens the commitment that we have already made to community health centers. These changes are indeed technical, and they should be made to properly align the U.S. Code and clarify our original intent when we passed the bill last year. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3034) to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material on the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House is considering today H.R. 3034, the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry Reauthorization Act to extend Federal support for a national bone marrow registry for an additional 5 years.

Bone marrow transplants are often one of the last options available to patients struggling to fight debilitating and often terminal diseases. Sadly, finding a bone marrow match is most difficult. In fact, every year nearly two-thirds of patients in need of a bone marrow transplant will not find a marrow donor match within their family and must rely on the help of strangers. The National Bone Marrow Donor Registry facilitates marrow and cord blood transplants for patients with life-threatening diseases who do not have matching donors in their families.

In addition to the 5-year reauthorization period, H.R. 3034 amends the functions of the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry to reflect new directions that the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry is undertaking to improve its capabilities. Notably, the legislation directs the registry to maintain and expand medical response capabilities, in concert with Federal programs, for responding to terrorist threats that can damage marrow. The registry is also directed to increase the number of umbilical cord blood units listed in the registry and assist cord blood banks in the registry program. This is of special importance to many minority populations who are less likely to find a bone marrow match.

H.R. 3034 also includes provisions to improve data collection and facilitate information sharing with physicians, other health care professionals and the public regarding transplants from unrelated donors.

Each month, the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry coordinates more than 150 transplants. With a diverse registry of more than 4 million potential volunteer bone marrow and cord blood donors, the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry offers hope to thousands and thousands of patients. It is important that we reauthorize this successful program.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) not only has a great legacy in this House for so many different issues, particularly as chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, but one of the issues that bonded our friendship early on was his direction and sponsorship of this issue.

I would like to say that when I was, I think, a freshman or a sophomore Member in this House, because of the battle he helped lead, I joined with so many other Members of this body to actually register myself with the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry. I

hope someday that I will be called. Thus far, I have not, but I am one of those that has voluntarily registered. I would love the afternoon that I might get a phone call to say, ``Come on down; I want to draw a sample.''

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young).

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1260) to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish a program of fees relating to animal drugs.

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

Mr. Speaker, as the lead sponsor of the Animal Drug User Fee Act of 2003, I am very pleased that we are taking up this bill on the House floor today. Closely modeled after the very successful Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992 for human drugs, the Animal Drug User Fee Act is designed to give the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine the resources and incentives needed to significantly improve the animal drug review process.

This bill was unanimously approved by the Committee on Energy and Commerce and is supported by a broad coalition of veterinary and producer groups, including the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Farm Bureau, to name just two of the coalition members.

We would not be here on the floor today were it not for the strong bipartisan support that this legislation received in our committee. I would like to especially acknowledge my original cosponsor and author of the bill, the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette), committee chairman and ranking member, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), our Subcommittee on Health Chair, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), who is here today, as well as the Members on both sides of the aisle who have cosponsored this legislation.

I am grateful, too, for the hard work of our committee staff, Brent Delmonte, Patrick Ronan, and John Ford and for the assistance we have received from the FDA and the Animal Health Alliance, particularly my staff, Jane Williams.

This legislation is sorely needed. Despite a statutory review time of 180 days, the average new animal drug application review currently takes about a year and a half and it may drag on for even longer. The slowdown in review time is jeopardizing the supply of new, safe and effective animal drugs needed to keep our pets, flocks and herds healthy and help provide American consumers with a safe and wholesome food supply.

Under this proposal, H.R. 1260, the additional revenues generated from fees paid by the pioneer animal drug industry would be dedicated for use in expediting the testing and review of new animal drugs in accordance with the performance goals that have been mutually agreed upon by the FDA and the animal drug industry.

As FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan has noted, a faster, more predictable review process is expected to spur more spending on research and development by the industry, promoting animal health by increasing the availability and diversity of new, safe and effective products.

I encourage my colleagues to vote for this much-needed bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns), my friend and an important supporter of this legislation, a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

(Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation that fixes Judge Lee R. West's decision of earlier this week. I have the phone number for Judge Lee R. West. I thought maybe the 50 million folks that have decided to call the FTC and say enough is enough, maybe we ought to pass on this phone number to his office in Oklahoma. I do not know that they would get anything done for the next couple of weeks.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support. And I do not know of a family out there that has not received these awful phone calls, usually at some important moment. I can remember earlier this summer, I was finally home from a long day, and my wife and kids are ready to go with their friends down to Lake Michigan, my dog is wagging his tail. That is one of the words that he knows, ``beach.'' He is so excited. The phone rings. It is a solicitation call from a good group, I am sure. My wife has it down pat. Do you know what she does? ``It is for you.'' I get to the phone, and I have got to make sure they are not from our district, and then with that, that phone call is gone.

Mr. Speaker, 50 million folks like our house have called the FTC. When you look at it, that is 50 percent of America. We have about 100 million households, so 50 million households have said hang up. We do not want this. And, yet, Judge Lee R. West, I cannot say a good guy, a guy out in Oklahoma, has said no.

This legislation changes it. We are going to get it done. Let us all vote for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I just want to ask the chairman if, after he hung up on that Ambassador's wife, if he still got the pocket fisherman or the ginsu knife, if they still might have sent that along.