Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 69, which recognizes the increased rates of diabetes in the Hispanic community and calls for increased research to combat and prevent the high rates of diabetes in Hispanics.

And I want to thank my good friend Joe Baca for sponsoring this resolution and also for the compliment. I think you're the first person in history who ever said I was a good basketball player. Thank you, Joe.

According to the Office of Minority Health, Mexican Americans are twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to be

diagnosed with diabetes by a physician. They have higher rates of end- stage renal disease caused by diabetes, and they are 50 percent more likely to die from diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.

Mexican American adults are two times more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician. In 2002, Hispanics were 1.5 times as likely to start treatment for end- stage renal disease related to diabetes, compared to non-Hispanic white men. In 2005, Hispanics were 1.6 times as likely as non-Hispanic whites to die from diabetes.

In our district, it is predominantly Hispanic. We have a large number of individuals with type 2 diabetes, which is often referred to as late-onset diabetes. Because of this, many individuals in our district have diabetes-related complications, including illnesses such as foot problems and amputations, kidney failure that may lead to chronic or end-stage renal disease, blindness, numbness and loss of sensation in the legs, and heart attacks and strokes.

However, type 2 diabetes is preventable with a good diet and exercise. It is important we have targeted educational campaigns in the Hispanic community to help combat the diabetes epidemic.

I would like to commend the Latino Diabetes Association and other diabetes research groups for their work in educating the Hispanic community on diabetes-related issues. Groups like these are crucial to the reduction of diabetes in the Hispanic community.

I would also like to extend my support towards designating July 2009 as Latino Diabetes Awareness Month to help raise awareness of the high rate of diabetes in Hispanics.

Through education and prevention and wellness programs we can drastically reduce the number of Hispanic individuals with diabetes.

This is probably the most important part, Mr. Speaker.

That is why this Congress needs to pass comprehensive health care reform that covers everyone so we can deal with the diabetes epidemic in our Hispanic community, our African American community and also in our low-economic community, because we can deal with this if we push the envelope back to deal with it before it gets to be where people start losing their legs.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 2996, the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2010.

This legislation provides a 17% increase over FY09 levels for critical programs that protect our public health and environment.

Among other provisions, the legislation provides $605 million for the Superfund program which will assist sites across the country clean up hazardous substances, including potentially the San Jacinto River Waste Pits site.

It also provides $3.3 million to help EPA monitor air toxics outside schools, which I hope will ultimately include schools in our district in East Houston, as well as $5 million to fund four new centers of excellence to study toxin and chemical impacts on children.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to highlight two important projects I requested funding for in this bill, but did not receive funding.

The first is the Mickey Leland National Urban Air Toxics Research Center to continue air quality public health research on air toxics in urban areas as directed by the U.S. Congress. The Center is a 501(c)(3) institution authorized by Congress in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.

Americans want to know whether they are at risk from pollutants in the air that they breathe. People who live near sources of air toxics such as major roadways, industrial facilities, or small businesses, are often especially concerned about their risk.

The purpose of air quality regulation and research is to protect public health. High quality air toxics research is the only way to assess peoples' risks and give policymakers the tools they need to protect public health. The Center develops and manages air toxics research with a focus on understanding the air toxics that people are exposed to in their daily activities, and how those compounds may impact their health.

The Houston Exposure to Air Toxics Study (HEATS) is an on-going project designed to study the relationship between personal exposures-- the air people breathe as they go about their daily activities--and fixed site monitored concentrations of air toxics by measuring personal, residential indoor, and outdoor concentrations.

HEATS studies residents who live in the 29th district of Texas, in close proximity to an industrial neighborhood near the Houston Ship Channel and a comparison group with similar demographics in Aldine. Because it has been conducted according to rigorous statistical principles, study results will be applicable to the study participants, their neighborhoods, and other, similar neighborhoods in Houston and nationwide.

Federal support for this project is critical to ensure this research continues and I hope to work with the Chairman as this bill goes forward, and with EPA to get funding for this research in the budget as Congress intended when it created the Center.

We also sought funding funding for a a six-year Capital Improvement Project that will rehabilitate and upgrade the City of Baytown, Texas's wastewater and water infrastructure to comply with federal and state regulations, maintain its condition and reliability and save costs. The City has implemented an asset management program to assess equipment condition, optimize work practices and ensure funding remains in place to sustain infrastructure improvements over time.

The funding we requested under the State and Tribal Assistance Grant would help rehabilitate portions of the Central District Wastewater Treatment Plant to include elevation of redesign of critical components to reduce the storm surge impacts suffered during Hurricane Ike. These include the influent lift station, blower building, administration/ laboratory building, and grit removal process. The internal piping needs to be replaced to improve energy and operating efficiency, along with the chlorine contact basin and plant pumping/transfer systems. Installation of post-storm emergency power systems are also a part of this effort.

This is an important project to help Baytown recover from damage caused by Hurricane Ike and overall to upgrade their wastewater system, and I look forward to working the Chair as we move forward to find assistance for this project.

I do have some concerns, however, with provisions of the bill and report language.

The bill defers $50 million in funding from the Ultra-Deepwater Research Fund that was a part of the 2005 Energy Policy Act of 2005. The ultra deepwater fund provides $50 million annually for research for recovering oil and gas from ultra-deepwaters in the Gulf of Mexico.

It also includes report language urging EPA to ``review the risks that hydraulic fracturing poses to drinking water using the best available science, as well as independent sources of information.''

I understand the concerns and desire to adequately protect the environment when developing our domestic resources, but hydraulic fracturing is a well-tested technology that has been used to develop energy for over 60 years.

First used in 1947, hydraulic fracturing has become a standard practice for improving the process of natural energy extraction. The practice involves the pumping of fluid into wells at high pressure to create fractures in rock formations that allow for complete production of oil. Hydraulic fracturing is responsible for about 30 percent of our domestic recoverable oil and natural gas. About 90 percent of currently operating wells use this technology. Hydraulic fracturing, as used to produce natural gas from shale formations, has created new opportunities for clean energy and employment without causing environmental damage.

Recent studies on fracturing conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2004 found no confirmed evidence of contamination

of drinking water. The study concluded that the injection of hydraulic fracturing fluids poses ``little or no threat'' to humans or the environment (EPA).The EPA did not find a single incident of the contamination of drinking water wells by hydraulic fracturing fluid injection.

The subject of hydraulic fracturing is adequately regulated by the states and needs no federal intervention. Hydraulic fracturing is a vital and safe technology that helps drive the United States towards energy security and independence. Congress should not restrict a technology that plays such an integral part of our nation's energy strategy.

Madam Speaker, like my colleagues, we will miss you and good luck in your new endeavor in the administration.

Today the House is set to consider the first comprehensive climate program in the history of the House of Representatives, and I support

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote Nos. 417 and 418 on H. Res. 520, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 373, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment No. 76 Offered by Mr. Hensarling

I would like to thank my colleague, who is a diligent and hardworking member of our Energy and Commerce Committee, for sponsoring H.R. 366, celebrating the Decade of Vision and the National Eye Alliance's 40th anniversary.

As co-Chair of the Congressional Vision Caucus with a particular interest in vision health, I strongly support the National Eye Institute, which serves as the lead NIH institute that manages our Nation's commitment to save and restore vision.

NEI research has contributed to the development of several critical therapies and interventions that are helping to slow the progression of vision impairment. In some cases, these therapies are helping to restore sight for individuals who may otherwise have lost their vision. Treatments for diabetic retinopathy that were developed by NEI researchers save our health care system more than $1.6 billion annually. Other NEI-funded research is resulting in treatments and therapies that are slowing the progression of vision impairment; in some cases, vision loss is even restored.

Starting next year, the first wave of the 78 million baby boomers will begin turning 65 years old, an age of elevated risk for aging eye disease. Coupled with the disproportionate incidences of eye disease in the African American and Hispanic populations and the increased incidence of diabetic eye disease, the NEI will be challenged more than ever to fund basic and clinical research that results in treatment and therapies.

As demonstrated by its past history, I am confident that the NEI will rise to this challenge, and, of course, we in Congress must work to ensure that it is adequately funded so that it can continue its research that benefits the health--and vision health--of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 344, had I been present, I would have votd ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 347, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Thank you, I thank my colleague from the Rules Committee for allowing me to speak for 3 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully disagree with my colleague and member of the Energy and Commerce Committee from Indiana. I rise in strong support of H.R. 1256, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. I am an original cosponsor of the bill, and I am pleased that we will finally send this piece of legislation to the President. Again, I respectfully disagree with some of the statements earlier.

For many years, Congress has tried to address tobacco use and the impact it has on our country and on our people. Nearly 21 percent of Americans smoke cigarettes, which is actually a reduction over the past few years, but almost 23 percent of high school students are smokers-- 23 percent.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, every day, 1,140 young adults start smoking. Over 1,000 young people start smoking. Every day that these young adults start smoking, they're entering a lifelong addiction. Therefore, the number of young adults who start smoking every day is tragic, especially when you consider that cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable death in our country. Once you're addicted to tobacco, it's with you for life and death. Most smokers start at 13, 14 or 15 years old.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act will give the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA, the authority to regulate tobacco for the first time. As was said earlier, we don't regulate tobacco now. We're finally giving the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate it.

This bill is fully paid for, and the FDA activity on tobacco will be fully funded through a user fee, not through the FDA's existing budget. These new funds will not take away or affect any of the FDA's current activities. This bill will also subject all new tobacco products to premarket review. It will give the Secretary of Health and Human Services the ability to restrict the sale, distribution and promotion of tobacco products. The Secretary will be able to establish tobacco product standards and require manufacturers to provide the Secretary with a list of harmful ingredients in tobacco products. We don't even know what we're smoking today. The bill will establish new labeling requirements to tobacco products.

I believe the bill is long overdue, and I am pleased that this bill has the support of tobacco manufacturers such as Philip Morris as well as public health groups like the American Cancer Society and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act is a step in the right direction to address the issue of smoking in our country.

I ask Members of Congress: How many loved ones and constituents do you know who have died from lung cancer caused by smoking?

This bill can help those 13-, 14- and 15-year-olds, who are growing up now, not to become addicted to tobacco. I strongly support the bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Madam Speaker, I stand today in strong support of H.R. 2751, the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act.

This bipartisan piece of legislation is desperately needed to reinvigorate our domestic auto industry and replace high-emission vehicles with cleaner, more fuel-efficient cars.

This fleet modernization bill will help stimulate auto sales across the country by replacing approximately one million new cars or trucks on the road.

Specifically, old passenger cars and light duty trucks or SUV's must receive 18 miles per gallon (mpg) or less to participate in the program.

Consumers can receive vouchers--ranging from $3,500 to $4,500--to help reduce the cost of a new vehicle if the new vehicles receive greater fuel efficiency.

The greater the increase in fuel efficiency, the greater the value of the voucher.

New passenger cars must receive at least 22 mpg and light trucks or SUV's must receive at least 18 mpg. Large light-duty trucks and work trucks are also eligible for the program.

By replacing aging vehicles with more fuel-efficient ones, this bill will help reduce oil consumption in America, lower overall fuel costs and reduce transportation emissions to help us meet any national climate program.

I want to thank Representative Sutton, Chairman-Emeritus John Dingell, and others for their leadership in moving this legislation forward, and I hope this legislation swiftly becomes law.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute and honor to the 451st Civil Affairs Battalion out of Pasadena, Texas, and welcome them home from their most recent deployment in Afghanistan. While they returned last fall, this Saturday, June 6, will be their Welcome Home Ceremony, and I look forward to attending to thank them personally for their service to our country.

As a civil affairs unit, the 451st was broken up into smaller groups across Afghanistan. Over the July 4, 2008 break I led a ``Texas'' Congressional Delegation visit to Afghanistan with Congressmen Michael McCaul, Henry Cuellar, and myself. We visited several of the forward operating bases, or FOBs, where members of the 451st were stationed with other units. Because they were so spread out across the country, we were only able to visit a few members of the 451st, but being at the FOBs gave us the opportunity to see how primitive areas of Afghanistan can be, and what an impact the work of the 451st made.

When deployed, whether in Afghanistan during their most recent deployment or in their previous deployment to Iraq, the 451st Civil Affairs Battalion serves as a liaison between the military and the host community to better serve their needs and direct aid, supplies, and expertise. While stationed in Afghanistan, the 451st worked with the Afghan government and international humanitarian organizations to rebuild infrastructure and restore stability in areas devastated by war or natural disasters. The teams also worked with representatives from U.S. government agencies such as the State and Agriculture departments and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

As President Obama refocuses our efforts on Afghanistan, the 451st helped lay the groundwork for bringing security and stability to that country by building trust and relationships among the Afghan population, and I am proud we can say the unit is from Pasadena in Texas's 29th Congressional District. After dedicated service to their country, the members of the battalion have returned home. I have the honor of joining with their friends, family, and community in welcoming them this Saturday, June 6.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to show my support for the Credit Cardholder's Bill of Rights Act of 2009.

This bill is more important now than ever, because credit card practices have become a huge problem in our country.

Americans are saving less than they borrow on credit and the individual debt level is the highest it's been in decades.

Consumers should have as much information as possible when it comes to credit and finance policies and these policies should be easy to understand.

That is why I was an original cosponsor of the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act, which among other things, includes provisions to protect consumers against: arbitrary interest rate increases, early pre-payment penalties, due date gimmicks, and excessive fees.

It also provides better general oversight of the credit card industry.

This bill passed out of the House of Representatives on April 30, 2009 with my support and I am pleased to see that the Senate sent this bill back with even stronger consumer protections and moved its implementation date up 3 months.

I look forward to voting in favor of this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

This is a chance for us to protect American consumers and rein in abusive credit card practices.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill, but not without reservations and some concern.

I fully support the funding that is in the bill for the military--the bill addresses their immediate needs by providing protective equipment in supplies, and supports the sacrifices they and their families are making by retroactively providing servicemembers and veterans $500 for every month they served under stop-loss orders since 2001. It also plans for the end of combat operations in Iraq and refocuses our efforts in Afghanistan.

Following a news report by KHOU in Houston on Monday about troops in Iraq not having sufficient supplies, specifically individuals were having to ration water, find their own, or drink bulk water not intended to be potable, we need to ensure DoD has funding to supply our troops, and this bill provides for that.

My main concern however is that this supplemental did not include funding, or any assistance for areas affected by Hurricane Ike. We still have great unmet needs, and while there is funding to address other natural disasters such as wildfires, the Gulf Coast is still struggling to recover.

Ike was one of the most devastating hurricanes since Katrina, yet the small amount of funding that has been appropriated for the disaster has not been passed through by the Federal agencies to meet local needs. Of the nearly $6 billion in CDBG funding that was included in the combined Defense, Homeland Security, and VA Appropriations bill, nearly two thirds of that is still being held by HUD.

What has been delivered was divided among all areas hit by a natural disaster last year, meaning the Gulf Coast has received a tiny fraction of what is needed and what has been delivered to previous areas devastated by category 3 and category 4 hurricanes.

The 2009 hurricane season is nearly upon us, and we have yet to address the needs of what is left from the 2008 season. Additional funding would be ideal, but at a minimum, local areas like Galveston City and County need the local-match for disaster recovery assistance waived, and I intend to continue working with the Appropriations Committee and House Leadership to provide that assistance at a minimum.

Mr. Speaker, I fully support what is in this bill for our troops and urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it. However, I hope to work with you moving forward to provide assistance to an area still devastated and recovering from Hurricane Ike.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, May 7, 2009, because of a procedural matter my last vote was not recorded on the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act, and I had already left to return to do congressional business in the district.

I rise to confirm that I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 242, final passage of the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to show my support for H. Res. 230.

This resolution recognizes the historical significance of the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo.

On May 5, 1862, untrained, outnumbered, and outgunned Mexican forces--determined to protect their land--successfully defended the town of Puebla against the French. Against overwhelming odds, they managed to drive back the invading French army, achieving a total victory over soldiers deemed among the best trained and equipped in the world and embarking the end of the European domination in America.

General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin led the Mexican Army at the Battle of Puebla. He was born in la Bahia del Espiritu Santo, in what was then the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas, now the city of Goliad, Texas, in the United States. A Statue of General Zaragoza now stands in San Agustin Plaza in the downtown historic district of Laredo, Texas.

Although the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the Battle of Puebla has come to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism in the history of Mexico.

I am honored to celebrate this important day in Mexican history and to lend my support to this resolution.