Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 334, which will support the goals and ideals of National Community College Month. This resolution was passed on May 1, 2007 with bipartisan support.

Not only is a college education one of the best investments a person can make, it is the best way to ensure our children and grandchildren have a promising future regardless of socioeconomic status. The typical college graduate earns 80 percent more than a high school graduate, and this can add up to about one million dollars over one's career. Additionally, more educated people tend to have access to better health care, and often enjoy a better quality of life.

For these reasons, I am always looking for ways to improve access to a quality education for our area, and I have found that community colleges are one of the best ways to achieve this. For many years now, I have seen the benefits of these schools, and their collaboration with community partners in our area is critical. Whether it's through training programs or working with local businesses, community colleges focus on areas to make sure that their students have the components they need to be successful.

I am proud that the Congress has decided to honor our country's community colleges, their students, governing boards, faculty, and staff, not only for their contributions to education and workforce development, but for their vital role in ensuring a brighter, stronger future for our country.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my support for the Head Start Reauthorization Bill that was sent to this Chamber.

Head Start is one of the best programs we offer our youngest students.

Since its creation in 1965, it has proven to be our most valuable school readiness program in the history of this country.

Especially, now that we know more about the importance of early- childhood education.

Time after time, we have seen reports that prove students who attend Head Start perform better than those who don't.

It has also proven to help close the achievement gap between students of differing socioeconomic status.

The Republican amendment to this bill would repeal existing civil rights protections that ensure programs cannot use federal funds to discriminate in their hiring practices.

Head Start teachers should be chosen because they are qualified and effective teachers who will help children succeed and thrive.

Discrimination should not be supported with public funds.

National religious organizations, civil rights groups, national labor organizations, and the education groups all oppose any roll back of civil rights protections.

This is such a critical program, and it's important that this body reauthorize this program in a manner that shows bipartisan support for educating our children.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Thousands of children in my district benefit from Head Start and it's essential that we reauthorize this program with a bipartisan plan that will help this program serve more children effectively.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Mr. Ned Baudat for his contributions to the P.E. Marion Science/Math Scholarship that is offered to students at Aldine High School in our district. With Mr. Baudat's support, students from Aldine High School have the opportunity to further their collegiate studies in math and science. I know P.E. Marion and his excellent teaching ability, and it is an additional honor to have this scholarship in his name.

Our Nation is currently facing criticism relating to a decreased interest of American students in the study of math and science. For this reason, we are unable to keep up with the international community whose students often excel in their math and science studies. By encouraging advance study in these subjects, American students are able to better compete with students from all over the world, and we have persons like Ned Baudat to thank for this.

Mr. Baudat graduated at the top of his class from Aldine High School and went on to Rice University. During his career in the oil industry, he developed a patent regarding an improved method to convert liquid natural gas back into its original gaseous state. A portion of the proceeds from Mr. Baudat's patent were used to develop this scholarship.

I am very proud of his outstanding accomplishments as well as his continued support of the P.E. Marion Science/Math Scholarship. For his service to my constituents as well as the country, I offer Mr. Baudat my most sincere congratulations in his well deserved recognition.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Mr. Mario V. Gallegos, Jr., on being named ``Governor for a Day'' in the State of Texas. Senator Gallegos, a long time Houstonian, has served his community first as a Houston firefighter, then as a Texas State Representative, and now as a Texas State Senator. He was the first Hispanic Senator elected to represent Harris County.

Senator Gallegos, like myself, is a graduate of the University of Houston. In Austin, he continually serves as a strong voice for the university, to ensure levels of funding increase with the growing population of his district.

Having served 22 years as a firefighter, where he retired as Senior Captain, Senator Gallegos has fought for growth and increased funding for firefighters and law enforcement, alike. He was recently recognized for his work in the 77th Legislative Session by the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters and the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas. Senator Gallegos has also received such accolades as the Texas Municipal League's ``Distinguished Legislative Service Award,'' Legislator of the Year by the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas, and the Fiestas Patrias Distinguished Hispanic of the Year Award.

And so it is with great pleasure that I recognize my good friend in his continued work to serve Texas, Mario Gallegos. His distinguished legacy of service speaks volumes and I congratulate him on being named ``Governor for a Day.''

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 493, the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act.

The sequencing of the human genome was an amazing scientific advancement, and has contributed to the rise of genetic testing to inform patients of their proclivity for disease. Thanks to genetic testing, individuals with a risk of an illness can take precautionary steps ahead of time to ward off disease, which will contribute to lower health care costs over time.

As we take advantage of this scientific progress, however, it is critical that we protect individuals from any discrimination that could result from the information these tests reveal. The results should not be used by health insurers to deny anyone coverage or increase their premiums because of a pre-disposition to a certain disease. Likewise, the results should not be used by employers to discriminate against employees based on their predisposition to disease.

I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this legislation, which our colleagues Ms. Slaughter and Mrs. Biggert have been working on for over a decade now. The health care marketplace has changed significantly since the bill's original introduction, and important changes were made to the bill during the 108th Congress to refine the bill's definitions and scope.

During the Energy and Commerce Committee's consideration of the bill, we learned about one segment of the health care marketplace that was excluded from the bill's protections--the long-term care insurance market. The bill sponsors and supporters all agreed that this bill was never intended to regulate the long-term care insurance market, and I understand that current statute treats long-term care insurance differently.

Regardless of the bill's original intent, the fact remains that the long-term care exclusion in this bill would allow a long-term care insurer to discriminate against an individual on the basis of genetic information. If an individual determines that she is at high-risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, the next obvious step is to plan her future care for Alzheimer's, including the purchase of long-term care insurance. Despite all of the good intentions in this legislation, the bill would allow long-term care insurance underwriters to refuse to cover her or charge her higher premiums for a disease she has yet to develop and may never develop.

As a Congress that continues to encourage Americans to plan for their future, we should ensure that future legislation extends the patient protections inherent in this bill to consumers who want to plan for their future and purchase long-term care. With that, Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support this important legislation and encourage my colleagues to vote for its passage.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 260, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Chair, I rise in support of the Democratic budget resolution.

The best word to describe this budget is ``balanced.''

First, it balances our Nation's books by bringing our country back to surplus by 2012, thanks in large part to the PAYGO rules this Chamber passed as part of our fiscal responsibility package.

This budget also balances our Nation's many priorities by providing adequate funding for our defense and homeland security, while also paying much-needed attention to our deserving domestic priorities and social programs.

This budget proves that Democrats pay more than lip service to our Nation's veterans by providing $6.6 billion over last year's funding for veterans' services.

As a member of Energy and Commerce, I would like to thank the Budget Committee for including a $50 billion reserve fund for the expansion of the S-CHIP program.

Of course, we understand that our reauthorization bill will be subject to PAYGO rules, but this reserve fund is an important first step in increasing access to health care for the nearly 6 million children who are eligible for S-CHIP but not enrolled.

I applaud the Budget Committee for rejecting the administration's cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

I also appreciate the budget's refusal to incorporate the administration's cuts to LIHEAP, which should be further expanded to ensure that millions of low-income folks in southern States receive the assistance they need to cool their homes during the oppressive summer months.

What a difference a year makes, Madam Chair, and I am proud to support Chairman Spratt and this budget, which strikes the right balance between investing in the American people and their future and keeping our fiscal houses in order.

I urge my colleagues to support this budget.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 76, which would establish a national holiday in honor of Cesar Chavez.

Cesar Chavez dedicated his life to teaching others that persistence, hard work, faith, and willingness to sacrifice oneself breaks down barriers. He committed himself to achieving justice and equality for all farm workers, and paved the way for momentous social change.

In 1962, Cesar Chavez formed what is known as the United Farm Workers. His efforts initiated one of the greatest social movements of our time. He dedicated himself to fighting for safe working conditions, reasonable wages, decent housing and the outlawing of child labor for farm workers everywhere.

Mr. Chavez embraced nonviolent tactics to help focus national attention on the problems that existed for farm workers. Mr. Chavez was said to have given his last ounce of strength defending the farm workers before he died in his sleep on April 23, 1993.

Cesar Chavez is honored throughout America for his tireless work to help those who could not help themselves.

In my hometown of Houston and my district every year we celebrate the life and times of Cesar Chavez by holding a Hispanic heritage parade and day of celebration. A national holiday in honor of Cesar Chavez would serve as an inspiration to those who seek to create a better world in the legacy of one who served to remind us that together all things are possible; in Spanish, ``si se puede.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 193, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 727) to amend the Public Health Service Act to add requirements regarding trauma care, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 727, legislation to reauthorize the Trauma Systems Planning and Development Act. This program, under the Public Health Service Act, was first authorized in 1990 to improve and coordinate trauma care in our country.

Since then, this program has provided $30 million to States to establish state-wide and regional trauma systems. Injury related to trauma is the leading cause of death for younger Americans, ages 1 through 44. Trauma also causes more than 300,000 permanent disabilities each year.

For seriously injured individuals, the first hour after an injury is when medical care is most effective in saving lives and function. This hour is also often referred to as the ``golden hour,'' during which trauma and emergency systems must respond both quickly and efficiently.

This golden hour is also the goal that our military has for getting medical attention to our soldiers injured on the battlefield. The military has an impressive, streamlined trauma system that my colleagues Dr. Burgess; our ranking member at that time, Congressman Deal from Georgia; and our late colleague Dr. Norwood from Georgia and I marveled at during our trip last summer to Iraq, where we toured the military's trauma facilities in Balad.

Unfortunately, the military's trauma system is not replicated in civilian health care, and too many Americans do not benefit from trauma systems that facilitate medical intervention during this critical time frame.

While the death rate from trauma is 50 percent higher in rural areas than in urban locations, trauma affects each corner of this country. In fact, nearly 25 percent of all Americans sustain injuries each year that require medical attention. Yet without coordinated trauma systems and quick access to care, injuries are too often fatal.

In Houston, we learned this lesson the hard way when the lack of trauma

coordination forced a young man to wait more than 4 hours to receive care after he was hit by a car on Halloween night in 2001. With serious head, chest and leg injuries, this patient was clearly medically unstable and should have received immediate care at one of Houston's two level-one trauma centers. But with the trauma centers increasingly on diversion, this young man was transported to Austin where he died the next day.

It was clear that we needed better trauma systems in the Houston area, and we quickly learned that the problem was felt throughout our Nation. We also learned that the effective trauma systems would help prevent nearly 25,000 deaths each year.

As a response, we developed this legislation to build on the program's initial success since 1990, and we authorized it through 2012.

This bill includes changes to the program to ensure that scarce health care dollars go to the communities most in need, ensuring that Federal funds are utilized to strengthen trauma systems and improve communication and coordination among different trauma systems.

It specifically ensures that grants go to States that coordinate planning for trauma systems with State disaster emergency planning and bioterrorism hospital preparedness planning.

In addition, this legislation would require the Secretary to update the model plan for the designation of trauma centers and set triage, transfer, and transportation policies.

The legislation also reauthorizes the Residency Training Program in Emergency Medicine in an effort to ensure an adequate level of ER physicians to treat patients in need of care from America's trauma centers.

I would like to thank Mr. Burgess from Texas for his leadership on this legislation and for helping to craft the compromise before us today.

I would also like to thank Chairman Dingell and our Health Subcommittee Chairman Pallone for their interest in this issue. We have been working on this bill for 5 years.

Until now, this important issue failed to receive the attention it deserved, so I appreciate my chairman including this bill on our first markup in this Congress.

I also appreciate the hard work that John Ford, William Garner and Pete Goodloe of the committee staff put in to guide this bill through the committee to ensure that we have a consensus product to approve today, and also my own staff who has worked on this for at least 3 years.

I also appreciate the support of the American College of Surgeons, the American Osteopathic Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the American Trauma Society, the Coalition for American Trauma Care and the Emergency Nurses Association.

The members of these groups are on the front lines and know that coordinated trauma systems can literally save lives. We thank them for all they do for our communities.

I urge my colleagues to vote for this important legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, we reserve the balance of our time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, thanking both Congressman Murtha and Congressman Obey for their work.

It has now been 4 years since this war started, over 3 years since we heard the phrase ``mission accomplished,'' and almost a year and half since the Iraqi elections for a permanent government--it is time for the Iraqi government to police, govern, and run its country. This bill also provides more support for our veterans and military healthcare.

This legislation will provide funding for our troops, but it will also force the Iraqis to take control of their own country, and bring our troops home within the next 18 months--possibly sooner, if the Iraqis do not meet benchmarks that demonstrate they are making progress.

Our commitment in Iraq, which grew under the President's surge plan last month, has strained our military, cost thousands of U.S. and Iraqi lives, and has created serious readiness problems in the Army and Marine Corps.

I don't like the idea of setting a timeline, but for 4 years we have had an open-ended commitment, and after those 4 years, we are still seeing some of the bloodiest attacks, and highest casualty numbers to date. We need to set benchmarks to force the Iraqis to take over their own country, and this bill does that. It is not pulling our troops out immediately--if Iraqis rise to this responsibility, we will have troops there for another 18 months, but if they don't, we will begin redeployment this year.

After 4 years, it is time Congress exercise authority over the way this war is being run. Congress is not 535 commanders in chief, but we must provide guidance on what we will ask the American taxpayers to fund. We have held dozens of hearings this year, and passed a non- binding resolution opposing the escalation or surge in U.S. troops. Our vote on this Supplemental will be another step in bringing a resolution to this conflict and will let the Iraqis know our commitment is not open-ended.

I applaud the leadership and Appropriations committee on bringing this bill to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 180, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, the promise of America means different things to different people. To some, it may represent better economic opportunities. To others, it is having access to a better education, better healthcare, or a better job. To still others, it is simply the chance for a better life.

But regardless of how we define the ``promise of America,'' there is little doubt that Neighborhood Centers Inc.--Houston's largest and fastest-growing human services agency--is making that promise a reality for thousands of people in Southeast Texas. And the scope of that accomplishment is being underscored this month, as Neighborhood Centers celebrates its 100th anniversary of providing education, resources, and connections to the area's most vulnerable communities. Our Congressional District is served very well by Neighborhood Centers Inc.'s facilities and programs.

Founded in 1907 by Alice Graham Baker--the grandmother of former Secretary of State James Baker III--Neighborhood Centers Inc. stands as a shining example of how innovative strategies and consistency of purpose, animated by a heart as big as Texas, can produce truly transformational change.

From its inception, Neighborhood Centers has focused on helping underserved communities to achieve their full potential. The organization pursues this mission not by concentrating on the weaknesses of a neighborhood and its residents, but by building on the unique skills, strengths, resources, and capabilities that already exist. It then works to nurture these assets in order to create self- sufficiency, individual empowerment, and long-term economic and social development.

The result is a unique approach for connecting people with what they need to fully realize the promise of America: child and family care, education, job skills, entrepreneurial incubators, leadership development, legal assistance, after-school programs, citizenship services, teacher training, and activities for seniors that encourage aging in place.

The ability and willingness to provide these services have brought Neighborhood Centers face to face with numerous challenges over the years. But challenges are not uncommon to the agency. It has traditionally been Houston's go-to organization when it comes to dealing with the region's most complex issues. As Angela Blanchard, president and CEO, once said: ``The harder it is, the better we like it.''

Neighborhood Centers' response to Hurricane Katrina demonstrates clearly that those are not mere words.

When the storm forced hundreds of thousands of New Orleans residents to flee to Houston, Neighborhood Centers created a special program called Stay Connected. It provided evacuees assistance in finding jobs, healthcare, homes, and other essential human needs. It worked to restore a sense of community for those who decided to make Houston their home. It helped rebuild lives, renew hope, and revitalize opportunity. To date, Stay Connected--which is largely staffed by Katrina victims--has served more than 4,000 families.

That brings me to my final point about Neighborhood Centers: This is an organization defined by compassion, concern, and commitment.

The agency and everyone involved with its mission--including corporate partners such as JPMorganChase, Shell, Chevron, and Aramark-- share an unbounded faith in human potential.

They truly believe that people, when treated with respect and dignity and given a chance to grow and to build self-esteem, can have a profoundly positive impact on families, communities, and the entire social and economic fabric not only of Houston but of America as well. Potential is not just an abstract concept to Neighborhood Centers. It is a concrete foundation for touching lives, lifting hearts, and fulfilling promise.

Over the past 100 years, Neighborhood Centers has never sidestepped an opportunity--or avoided an obligation--to keep that potential alive. In doing so, it has not simply made the American Dream a reality. It has kept the Human Dream alive. I cannot think of a more significant contribution to this country to those who make it great.

Madam Speaker, as author and sponsor of the bill, I rise in strong support of H.R. 584. I would like to thank both Chairman Oberstar and Chairwoman Norton and Ranking Member Mica and Ranking Member Graves for moving this legislation out of committee, and I like to thank Majority Leader Hoyer for bringing it to the floor.

A bipartisan group of Texas delegation members introduced this bill to name the Department of Education headquarters building in Washington, D.C. the Lyndon Baines Johnson Federal Building. We now have over 50 cosponsors from around the country, and I am proud to be joined on this legislation by the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Joe Barton, who just spoke, Congressman Mike McCaul, and also our dean of the Texas delegation, Congressman Solomon Ortiz. Representative McCaul actually represents the Johnson family in Congress. Their bipartisan efforts have helped move this bill to the floor, and I think they should be congratulated for the efforts.

I would say one thing, though. Former Congressman Jack Brooks is not deceased. He is still much alive, and Congressman Barton, I suspect you will be getting a call very shortly from Jack Brooks, as we all know, former dean of the Texas delegation.

I did have the opportunity at a very young age to meet President Johnson. In January 1973, I was a young State Representative in Austin, Texas, my first term. President Johnson came to our swearing in my first term in 1973, and I actually got a very candid photo with him that I hang proudly in our office here in Washington. He passed away a week later, and I was honored to be able to go to his funeral and his burial there at the Johnson Ranch.

President Johnson was a proud Texan, and back in those days, many of my Republican friends were Democrats as well. President Johnson pioneered issues such as civil rights and voting rights, but his educational leadership stands out even among these accomplishments. President Johnson passed away over 30 years ago, and to this day, he has no Federal buildings in his name in the Capitol area. So we believe the Education Building is a fitting honor. Presidents Reagan and Bush have been honored with the International Trade Center for President Reagan and the Central Intelligence Agency building for President Bush reflecting their priorities and contributions.

President Johnson presided during turbulent times in our Nation's history. He ascended to the presidency after the Kennedy assassination and faced a difficult conflict in Southeast Asia. President Johnson was a very human figure, but his legacy is with us in many ways today.

Lyndon Johnson's first priority in life was education. He was the first ``Education President.'' Before Johnson, educational opportunity in America was not a national priority, as it continues to be today for both our parties, including current President George W. Bush.

In 1927, Lyndon Baines Johnson's career and education began when he went to Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos, Texas. He earned money as a janitor and taught the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades at the Mexican-American School in the South Texas town of Cotulla. He taught later at Sam Houston High School, which is part of our congressional district.

As a Jeff Davis High School student, which Madam Speaker, you actually visited a few years ago, in 1965 and 1966, I saw the impact of the first Federal dollars that came to my high school firsthand.

In his memoirs, President Johnson declared, ``There is an old saying that kids is where the money ain't.'' And I need to repeat that. That may be true today, Madam Speaker, ``That kids is where the money ain't, which summed up one of the major problems confronting the American educational system when I became President.'' And that is a direct quote.

Continuing the quote, ``because of these convictions, I made a personal decision during the 1964 Presidential campaign to make education a fundamental issue and to put it high on the Nation's agenda.

``I proposed to act on my belief that, regardless of a family's financial condition, education should be available to every child in the United States, as much education as he or she could absorb. I had no intention of walking away from this fight.''

President Johnson succeeded in his fight to improve education for all Americans. He signed into law 60 education bills, including the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which established the Head Start program, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the Higher Education Act of 1965.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was the first real Federal assistance to grade school education, and it is widely supported today. The President actually signed that in a one-room schoolhouse in Stonewall, Texas, with his elementary school teacher.

In large part, President Johnson's education priorities are accepted by both political parties, as some of them were then. The Higher Education Act passed by 368-22 in the House and 79-3 in the Senate, strong bipartisanship votes.

In discussing President Johnson's education legacy, we have to recognize First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, who was also a major contributor and strong advocate for his educational initiatives. During her White House years, Ms. Johnson served as honorary chair of the National Head Start program, the program for underprivileged school children which prepares them to take their places in the classroom on par with their peers.

In part for her education efforts, President Ford presented her with the country's highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom. Mrs. Johnson turned 94 last December, and hopefully she is listening to this debate.

Mrs. Johnson also received the Congressional Gold Medal from President Reagan in 1988. This legislation is a fitting honor for both President Lyndon Baines Johnson and also First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson.

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, March 2, 2007, marked Texas Independence Day. 171 years ago that day the Texas Declaration of Independence was ratified by the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos in Texas.

The Texas Declaration of Independence was produced literally overnight. Its urgency was paramount because while it was being prepared, the Alamo in San Antonio was under siege by Santa Anna's army of Mexico.

Immediately upon the assemblage of the Convention of 1836 on March 1, a committee of five delegates were appointed to draft the document. The committee consisted of George C. Childress, Edward Conrad, James Gaines, Bailey Hardeman, and Colin McKinney. It was briefly reviewed then adopted by the delegates the following day.

It started off echoing the lines of the American counterpart with the words: ``When a government has ceased to protect the lives and liberty and property of the people . . . ''

It spoke of numerous injustices inflicted upon the people of the State,

then known as Coahuila y Tejas: the elimination of the State's legislative body; the denial of religious freedom; the elimination of the civil justice system; and the confiscation of firearms, which was one particularly intolerable act among Texans.

Finally, it stated that because of the injustice of Santa Anna's tyrannical government, Texans were severing their connection with the Mexican nation and declaring themselves ``a free, sovereign, and independent republic . . . fully invested with all the rights and attributes'' that belong to independent nations; and a declaration that they ``fearlessly and confidently'' committed their decision to ``the Supreme Arbiter of the destinies of nations.''

Mr. Speaker, I hope that Congress and this whole country join all Texans in honoring these brave men who stood up for liberty and freedom 171 years ago.