Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 522, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Subcommittee on Water and Power for his extreme help on these three measures.

Mr. Speaker, Senate 520, the Freemont-Madison Conveyance Act, would direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Freemont-Madison Irrigation District all rights, title, and interest to specific Bureau of Reclamation facilities in Idaho. Prior to the title transfer, there will be an environmental review conducted pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.

The gentleman from California, my esteemed colleague, has explained the legislation. We support the bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2040 would extend for 2 years the term of 10 water contracts between the Bureau of Reclamation and several irrigation districts in Nebraska and Wyoming. This is the third time Congress has been asked to extend these contracts. This bill would enable the Department of the Interior to complete an environmental impact statement containing information relevant to the renewal of the water contracts. This EIS is expected to recommend an alternative that will allow the irrigation districts to receive water and satisfy the consultation and recovery requirements under the Endangered Species Act.

We support the bill and recommend its adoption.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I once again thank my colleague and friend, the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from California (Chairman Calvert), on this issue, because this is an important issue for the Southern California area.

I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 1284, to increase the spending cap imposed on the San Gabriel Basin demonstration project. I want to thank my colleagues on the other side, the gentleman from California (Chairman Dreier), the gentleman from California (Chairman Calvert), and the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo), for their continued assistance to me and other Members who are also working to ensure a clean and reliable water supply for their communities.

May I also thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis), who could not be here to speak to her support on this issue, as two of her cities we are proposing are in her district.

H.R. 1284, if enacted, would simply allow the cities of Industry, El Monte and South El Monte, located and adjacent to my district in Southeast Los Angeles County, to have the ability to request an additional $12.5 million in funding for assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for cleanup of volatile organic compounds, otherwise known as DOCs, once they are able to secure their 75 percent matching funds.

Earlier this year, the Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing on the bill, and witnesses representing the local municipalities and water agencies from the San Gabriel Valley, home to

approximately 1.7 million residents, clearly established that there is a clear and compelling need to extend the funding for this very successful program.

This is part of the San Gabriel Basin, home to one of the country's largest Superfund sites, spanning 170 square miles. It has been contaminated by a number of substances over the past 5 decades as a result of manufacturing and agriculture activities and other components that we are now finding, such as perchloric, affecting our drinking water supply.

Unfortunately, the funding level for this critical basin program was capped at $38 million in 1996, before these three communities were able to establish their case to Congress. This is all part and parcel of that Superfund site cleanup.

A majority of the unfunded projects to date are in the southern part of the basin, and that includes these three cities of Industry, El Monte, and South El Monte. These projects are conjunctive-use projects and could be funded under the existing Bureau of Reclamation's demonstration project only if the 1996 budget cap is raised.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo), the gentleman from California (Chairman Calvert), and every California delegation member who serves on the House Committee on Resources understands the need for California to live up to our agreement with the other Colorado River Basin States and ultimately take no more than 4.4 million acre feet of water from the Colorado River per year.

Continuing effective aquifer cleanup activities, which H.R. 1284 allows, combined with water conservation, recycling, desalination, above and underground storage, will allow the State of California to meet the commitment to the 4.4 plan by the year 2016.

I would also like to express my most sincere appreciation to the ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), and the former ranking member of the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), for their continued support for the Bureau's title 16 water reclamation and recycling projects.

I certainly urge my colleagues to pass this issue. It is an important issue for all of California and the rest of the Nation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise with great sadness today to honor the life and enormous civic contributions of my dear friend, George Edwin Chavez, who passed away from a heart attack on June 14 at the age of 66. George was a longtime resident of Whittier, California, passionate civic activist and generous friend to many.

Although he never graduated from high school, George Chavez was an inspiration to many by starting several business ventures before forming C.A.S.T. Security, Inc., in 1987, serving as its President and CEO until his death. The company provided location security services to the motion picture industry, and through the company Chavez was instrumental in introducing youth and minorities to opportunities within the motion picture industry. Chavez was the first Hispanic to do security work for the movie industry and hired countless youngsters.

While Mr. Chavez's business successes are certainly impressive, his civic contributions to the community show his true character. He was a founding member of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO). He also served as a Field Representative for former Congressman Mathew G. Martinez and worked with the University of Southern California's School of Social Work to increase political involvement and interest among Hispanics.

Health issues and youth development were two of George Chavez's key priorities. He served on the California Board of Medical Quality Assurance and the East Los Angeles Health Task Force. He received special recognition from "Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis" for his work and contributions to assisting families and individuals living with Multiple Sclerosis. He also served on the boards of the Family School Community Partnership, Salesian Boys and Girls Club and Los Padrinos. Through C.A.S.T. Security, Inc., he also sponsored several youth softball teams.

Mr. Chavez is survived by his four daughters, Mary, Adela, Georgina, and Trisha, eight grandchildren, Richard, George, Natalie, Desiree, Christopher, Adrian, Victor, and Jasmine, and countless friends whose lives were touched by his work and service. My sincerest condolences and prayers to his beloved family and extended family. We will all miss him greatly.

Mr. Speaker, it is with immense pride and profound sadness in my heart that I rise today to honor Private First Class Jose F. Gonzalez-Rodriguez, a 19-year-old U.S. marine from Norwalk, California, who was killed on May 12, 2003, while serving our nation in Iraq. Private Gonzalez-Rodriguez made the ultimate sacrifice for our great country, and for this I am deeply grateful. I offer my sincerest condolences to the family members, friends and loved ones that Private Gonzalez-Rodriguez left behind and trust that they take comfort in knowing the extraordinary service that Private Gonzalez-Rodriguez provided for us all.

Private Gonzalez-Rodriguez was born in Mexico and graduated from John Glenn High School in Norwalk, California in 2001. During his high school academic career, he was an honor student and maintained a 3.4 grade point average. While he placed great value upon his studies, he was also a well-rounded student who played third base for the John Glenn Eagles baseball team, never missing a practice or game and always wearing his cap. Teachers and fellow classmates will always remember his dedication to his family, his academics and his team, as well as his tremendous school spirit.

In addition to being a talented athlete and student, Gonzalez- Rodriguez was very well liked by his peers and led an active social life. He rarely missed a school event and was

often the first person out on the dance floor at school dances. Although he initially seemed to be a very shy, quiet young man, those who knew him spoke highly of his sense of humor. He was famous for the humorous pranks he would play on his baseball teammates.

Private Gonzalez-Rodriguez joined the Marines on August 8, 2001, just months after his high school graduation. He was assigned to the First Supply Battalion, First Force Service Support Group, based in Camp Pendleton. He was sent to Iraq and died in a tragic incident when an ordnance he was handling unexpectedly exploded.

Private First Class Jose F. Gonzalez-Rodriguez was a true patriot and exceptional American who will be greatly missed. His loved ones are in my prayers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the extraordinary life and patriotism of 21-year-old U.S. Marine Spc. Paul T. Nakamura of Santa Fe Springs, California. A brave soldier, he was killed in the line of duty in Iraq on Thursday, June 19 when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the military ambulance in which he was tending to a wounded American soldier. Nakamura joined the Army Reserves because he loved our country and was so proud to be an American. He has provided tremendous service and has made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved country.

A graduate of Santa Fe High School, Nakamura was a passionate swimmer. He worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at the Santa Fe Springs Aquatic Center since he was 17 and belonged to the high school water polo team. Nakamura was also a boy scout and Junior Olympian who earned the respect and friendship of many in his community.

Nakamura's closest friends included the members of his Boy Scout troop and his younger sister, Pearl, with whom he spent countless hours swimming, bowling and shooting pool. Among his close friends and family members, Nakamura was known as a daredevil, particularly when he was a child. If something was dangerous or frowned upon by adults, Paul Nakamura would want to try it. Once when camping with his Boy Scout troop, he and several of his friends rode their bikes down a steep hill. The other boys pressed on their brakes to slow down, but Paul sped down the hill full speed ahead.

Assigned to the 437th Medical Company based in Colorado Springs, Marine Spc. Nakamura was deployed to the Middle East in February. The last time he spoke to his family was on Father's Day. He continually reassured his family of his safety, and they knew he did not want them to worry. But knowing that their son always put others before himself, Nakamura's parents, Paul and Yoko, did worry about his safety. They remain extremely proud of him, knowing that he died helping others.

His family misses him greatly. Nakamura's father, a veteran of the Korean war, gave his departing son his old Army dog tags and told him to bring them home safely. Sadly, Paul Nakamura will never be able to do this. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the Nakamura family and his loved ones left behind.

Mr. Speaker, I think this is an unfinished Republican Medicare bill because it does not provide the simple, adequate prescription drug coverage for all our mothers, our sisters, and our grandmothers.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Mr. David A. Lebow on the occasion of his retirement as the President of the Montebello Teachers Association. I also want to thank him for 39 years of distinguished and dedicated service to the Montebello Unified School District.

David Lebow first joined the Montebello Unified School District in 1964, as a teacher at Eastmont Junior High School. In 1971 he began enriching the minds of students at Schurr High School in the disciplines of Music, Theater Arts, Advanced Placement American History, and Advanced Placement American Government. Over the last 33 years his service to the education community has been demonstrated through numerous positions including Fine Arts and Social Studies Department Chair, High Risk Academic Cluster Coordinator, Key Club Sponsor, National Honor Society Sponsor, Principal's Advisory Committee Chair, and Class Sponsor in 1974 and 1979.

In 1981 David Lebow began dedicating his time and skills to the Montebello Teachers Association (M.T.A.), serving as High School Representative from 1981 through 1984, Vice President from 1984 through 1985 and again in 1998 through 2000. He served as Treasurer from 1991 through 1993. In 2001, the membership elected Mr. Lebow President, where he has served as the voice of over 1,600 teachers for the past two years.

Mr. Lebow has also served as the M.T.A. Lifetime Health Benefits Trust Chairperson since 1987. Additionally, David Lebow's advocacy on behalf of teachers extends to the state level, where he has served on the California Teachers' Association (C.T.A.) Board of Directors from 1990 through 2001. He has served as member and Chairperson of the Alliance of Urban Teachers from 1985 through 1989 as well as Liaison Coordinator to the C.T.A. Board of Directors.

Mr. Lebow has lead with integrity and has enjoyed the respect of many in the field of education. So it is not surprising that his skills and devotion have earned him many awards and recognitions. He has been the recipient of the P.T.A. Founders Award, the Los Angeles County Bravo Award, the C.T.A. Local and State ``Who'' Award for outstanding work on behalf of members, and the C.T.A. Human Rights Award for work in fostering the advancement of women and minorities in leadership positions.

Mr. Speaker, in closing I wish the very best to David Lebow as he is recognized for his years of service to the Montebello Unified School District. His strong leadership skills and devotion to the teaching profession and to children will be greatly missed. During the last 39 years of service, he certainly has earned recognition, and I call upon all my colleagues to join me in applauding his tenure in education and wishing him all the best for his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of my special order.

Mr. Speaker, as the Democratic Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Mental Health Caucus, which we recently began, I am pleased to anchor at this time along with my Republican cochair, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy), who spoke a few minutes. He was granted some time by my good friend to make his remarks, and I hope that he will be able to return.

Mr. Speaker, this week is National Suicide Awareness Week, and we want to highlight that fact. Approximately 30,000 people, 30,000 people, commit suicide in the United States every year, making suicide the 11th leading cause of death nationwide. Suicide is particularly a problem among young people, communities of color, and seniors. The States with the five highest suicide rates are Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Everyone should be screened by the health care providers in our schools for mental health and/or risk of suicide. Because of the associated stigma of the crazies, we cannot count on people to seek out help on their own. Another key point is our need for more mental health professionals to break down financial and language barriers to mental health.

Mr. Speaker, I will right now take the time to introduce the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) to address this same issue.

I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez). Mr. Speaker, I think he has made some very valid points, and I want to elaborate a little more on that, in that more than one third of our veterans need psychiatric care, most, as the gentleman has stressed, for the PTSD, posttraumatic stress disorder, and unfortunately the Veterans Administration's spending for mental health care has decreased since 1996 by a whopping 23 percent, almost a quarter. Veterans in need of mental health services often have to wait weeks, even months in some parts of country, for appointments, never mind having assistance by a psychologist, psychiatrist. One reason is because only 40 percent of the Veterans Administration clinics, Mr. Speaker, have mental health professionals.

Many veterans are forced to travel over an hour for care. Veterans who need weekly or biweekly follow-up appointments for therapy or medication

regulation can only be seen every 6 weeks. The Veterans Administration desperately needs more psychiatric staff. Sadly, less than 9 percent of the Veterans Administration funds are available for residency training or designated for psychiatric residency in the year 2002.

Our heroes, our active duty soldiers, just recently on television there was a young soldier who when asked what he was thinking when he came home, he said, I wake up with dreams where I was in the tank seeing the Iraqis use women and children as shields. Somebody needs to help those young men and women who have witnessed the atrocities and do not have the ability to download or be able to have professional assistance to deal with this traumatic scene that they are going to live with for the rest of their lives.

Not only are they in immediate danger in combat service, they need our help to be able to function properly in our society. Many of them experience extreme flashbacks and nightmares of war situations, but they may not openly talk about them. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, from experience, from my brother-in-law who was in World War II, he refused to talk about his experiences because they were so painful.

Soldiers must be screened for these mental health problems and given assistance before they progress to suicidal proportions. Families of soldiers who have served in war also need mental health services to cope with their loved ones' fears, their anxiety, and their issues.

Very sadly, unfortunately, lack of appropriate mental health services for soldiers has led not only to suicide, but to homicide. Last year, the four soldiers at Fort Bragg allegedly killed their wives or partners. Family members noticed the soldiers were experiencing rage and other mental wounds of service and needed mental health treatment. None was provided; none was available.

We talk about our homeless, our street people. As my colleague just mentioned, there are over 300,000 people without shelter on any given night. Approximately 25 percent of these homeless have serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and PTSD. Unfortunately, many minorities, particularly African Americans, are overrepresented among the mentally ill homeless population.

Only a handful of the homeless shelters currently provide comprehensive mental health services; and yet without these services, we will never break the cycle of homelessness and help people get back on their feet and function in our society. We do not even have accurate figures on the number of homeless people who commit suicide; but given their likelihood of mental health illness, their desperate situation, this number is expected to be high.

Now I go on to our youngsters, Mr. Speaker. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24, followed by unintentional injuries and homicide. Our U.S. Surgeon General estimates that one in five children, one in five children, will experience a serious mental health problem during their school years. Can you imagine, one in five? That means three of my grandchildren, because I have fourteen. A sad statistic.

A variety of causes lead youth to serious mental health problems and suicide, including academic problems, peer pressure, fear of school violence, severe change in family situation, rape during college years, and the double stigma of the mental stress and the rape.

Children are considered by many psychologists to be the most resilient age group with regard to mental illness, meaning that, if given appropriate treatment, children are likely to fully recover, if they are given treatment. Children also need a good deal of preventative mental health care to ensure that they do not reach the critical suicide stage. They need help in adapting to dramatic life changes, such as moving from one city to another, switching schools, parental divorce or a loss of a family member, a loved one.

Latino adolescents are the most likely of any racial or ethnic group to attempt suicide in the United States. The Native American and Alaskan Native youth are the most likely of any racial or ethnic group to commit suicide.

I first learned of this problem in a 1990 report by a representative group of health care providers of Hispanic origin that brought to us here in Washington a report presented to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. It stated that a shocking one in three Latino adolescents ages 9 to 11 had seriously considered suicide, and that 15 percent of those adolescents actually attempted suicide. That is horrible. That is unacceptable.

So we responded by spearheading and securing funding from Health and Human Services, SAMHSA, substance abuse, for a pilot program in my district to provide school-based mental health services through a nonprofit mental health care provider. This program has served over 300 students in three middle schools and one high school, many of whom have no health insurance and could not have received these services elsewhere. They were either unable to provide services to them or their provider would not cover them.

Children exposed to violence and poverty are at a heightened risk for mental illness and for suicide, as are students who have experienced, as I said, parental death or divorce. Children in schools need to be screened for mental illness and suicide risk factors so they can be given appropriate care. Schools should have trained personnel who can spot the first signs and prevent at-risk children from attempting suicide.

Seventy percent of school children and adolescents nationwide who need mental health services are not getting them. Untreated mental illness has led to violence in schools; and as we have seen in the newspaper, there continues to be almost on a daily basis an instance where something has happened in a school, there is violence, there is a suicide attempt or suicide has been committed.

In 1996 a Health and Human Service study found that almost 20 percent of students feared being violently attacked by their peers at school. Students have attacked their teachers and their administrators at a time that is crucial for children in middle schools and high schools that have tremendous pressures.

Then we look at the shortage of mental health services. Many schools do not have mental health professionals. In fact, I do not know of many that can even afford nurses, let alone mental health care providers. Nearly all people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental illness or substance abuse problem, something that has been found in about 70 percent of the students that have been treated for mental health illness, or they have more than one.

Most people who need mental health services do not have access to them because of the stigma associated with mental health care, because of financial barriers, because of language barriers, or simply a lack of available services. This is a particular problem in minority communities, where individuals are less likely to have health insurance and more likely to have a language barrier to receive care. Only 32 percent of Hispanic female youth at risk for suicide during the year of 2000 received mental health treatment. That is only 32 percent.

The shortage of mental health professionals is a vital, vital necessity, especially amongst minorities. We are facing a severe shortage of mental health professionals, particularly in the areas in high populations of minorities, who can render services bilingually, in the native language, or a language that they can understand.

Research in other areas of health care indicates that minority health care workers are more likely to practice in areas with high minority populations; but unfortunately, we have shockingly few minority health care professionals. Only 1 percent of licensed psychologists are Hispanic, 1 percent. Moreover, there are only 29 mental health professionals for every 100,000 Hispanics in the United States. There are only 70 Asian American/Pacific Islander mental health providers for every 100,000 Asian American/Pacific Islanders in the United States. Further, half of the Asian American/Pacific Islanders who need mental health services report that they do not access them because of language barriers. Interesting.

But do not think that mental illness and suicide only plague minority communities or young people. Let us look at our elderly. Our Nation's seniors are at an enormously high risk of suicide. In fact, the highest suicide rate in the

United States of any age group occurs among people ages 65 years and older. There is an average of one suicide among elderly every 90 minutes.

Seniors are at a high risk for depression. Fifteen out of every 100 people in the U.S. over 65 are depressed. Unfortunately, it goes unnoticed, because families and health care providers are focused only on their health, more often than not. But depression among seniors, when left untreated, can worsen conditions, lead to disability and, ultimately, result in suicide.

Now, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services estimates that 20 percent of the elderly over 65 years old who commit suicide visited a physician within 24 hours of their act; 41 percent visited within a week of their suicide; and 75 percent have been seen by a physician within 1 month of their suicide. Clearly, our physicians are not screening their elderly patients for depression or suicide risk, nor are they providing adequate treatment for mental illness. This has to change. It must change. It cannot continue.

Depression and suicide are not a normal part of aging; and they must not, they cannot be ignored. The most common causes of senior depression and suicide include terminal illness, physical pain, loss of a spouse, and/or social isolation.

Then we go into Medicare. Unfortunately, current Medicare rules make it very difficult for seniors to access mental health services. Currently, Medicare requires beneficiaries to pay 50 percent copay for mental health services, compared to 20 percent copay for other health services. We must make mental health equal to health care delivery.

Further, Medicare imposes a lifetime limit of in-patient care in psychiatric hospitals of 190 days, a lifetime limit, 190 days. Later this year, hopefully Congress will debate this Medicare modernization; and when we do, we must make it clear that we must address these insufficient mental health provisions, and we must ensure that Medicare provides access to mental health services that our seniors desperately need.

Medicare is not the only Federal program falling short on mental health services. While men are more likely to commit suicide, women attempt suicide twice as often as men, often using less lethal means such as pills or slicing their wrists. Suicide is more common among single, divorced, or widowed women than among married women.

The two most common mental illnesses among women who attempt suicide are postpartum depression and bipolar disorder. Suicide rates for women peak between the ages of 45 and 54, often due, guess what, to hormonal changes during menopause that affect their mental health. Unfortunately, gynecologists and obstetricians do not screen enough patients for postpartum depression or mental health illnesses related to menopause.

Then we look at our college students. They are at a heightened risk for mental illness and suicide because they are away from home for the first time, away from traditional support systems, and face intensive peer pressure and academic pressure, and, as has happened in many of our colleges, unfortunately and sadly, rape on our campuses.

This brings shame, shock, and denial and causes them to take the ultimate step of suicide. It is the second leading cause of death among college students. The rate among these students has tripled since 1970.

Well, Mr. Speaker, we are coming to the end of the hour and I want to make sure that we stress that we need to make mental health a higher national priority, to expand access to health care, mental health care for all Americans. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy). He has consented to be a cochair in our bipartisan Mental Health Caucus which now numbers over 17 Members from both sides. We invite more Members to join and work with us and bring this up into the light and be able to talk about it, discuss it, and do something about it.

Mr. Speaker, this is a large and daunting issue. The mentally ill need all the support and supporters they can get. We must eradicate the stigma and work openly and honestly to help those many that need our help.

I want to thank all of the Members who are working with us to improve mental health issues in our Nation. I want to thank my distinguished colleague and cochair, once again, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy), and I would then say to my colleagues that I am very pleased that even at this late hour, I have an opportunity to bring before my colleagues one of the things that has bothered a lot of us for a long time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez). It is a pleasure to be here to speak to the issue of health services that are lacking, sadly, in not only our own districts but throughout the United States. I am sorry to report, Mr. Speaker, that the Bush budget sacrifices the health of our Nation to provide tax cuts for the wealthiest 1 percent.

The budget also fails to adequately address the problem of 41 million who go without health insurance; nearly 25 percent of those are uninsured children. Even 25 percent of the moderate-income families cannot afford health insurance. And eight out of 10 uninsured Americans are from working families of the United States. Unfortunately, Hispanics especially fall into this category. Over 33 percent, Mr. Speaker, of all Hispanics, 33 percent are uninsured, compared to 10 percent of non-Hispanic whites.

This Bush budget cuts funding for Medicaid coverage for children, for low-income seniors, for people in nursing homes, and especially for the disabled. This budget fails to provide adequate increases for the National Institutes of Health. It cuts funds for rural health care and cuts grants to trained doctors at so very critical children's hospitals. The budget eliminates funding for the Centers of Excellence program, the Health Career Opportunity program which increases the number of minority health care providers. We need to ensure linguistically and culturally appropriate health care by giving minority students the opportunity to enter into a health care profession and assist them with this education and training. By eliminating training for diversity programs, this administration would deny the opportunities for minorities to succeed.

The budget also sacrifices the health needs of the most vulnerable to provide tax cuts for the wealthiest. The budget provides, unfortunately, only 38 percent of the benefits to the wealthiest 1 percent of the Americans; that is to say, they are the ones who benefit the most. While middle-income families would get less than one dollar per day, with cuts in Federal aid to health care and no increased aid to States, the budget would exacerbate the current trend of higher State and local taxes.

Now we move into the Congressional Hispanic Caucus proposing a health care for the uninsured and the Hispanic Health Care Improvement Act that my colleague was just talking about. It is unfortunate that the number of uninsured in this Nation is alarming. Too

many people continue to go without insurance coverage. The uninsured represent 41 million people, 14.6 percent of our U.S. population, which means that a quarter of all moderate-income families cannot afford health insurance. Eight out of 10 uninsured Americans are from working families.

Just 2 days ago I met, I formed a task force of many factors in my area to listen to what their cries are for help from our government. Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, one of the main issues was unaffordable health insurance for their workers. These are manufacturers who are the backbone of our economy in the United States, talking to us and saying, help, we need to address this issue which is critical to have healthy employees have healthy families so that our employees do not miss work.

Over 33 percent of all Hispanics are uninsured compared, again, to the 10 percent of non-Hispanic whites. The Hispanic community faces specific hardships in accessing health care. Due to their prevalence in low-wage jobs, many do not have access to on-the-job insurance coverage. Combined with a level of fear and confusion that stems from the complicated laws, many in the community are forced to fall into safety-net programs in times of need. While these programs serve many Hispanic families, their enrollment numbers do not equal their need. We must find ways to provide better, more affordable coverage to more U.S. working-class families. We need to increase coverage in enrolling people in all Federal programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. We cannot afford cuts to these programs. There must be flexibility and incentives for the States to increase enrollment in times of economic recession and as our population increases. We must also ensure that our health care system can provide linguistically and culturally appropriate health care by giving minority students the opportunity to enter and be successful in health care professions.

I would like to call attention to the bill which I believe is part of the solution of covering the uninsured. This week the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will introduce a Hispanic Health Improvement Act with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Senator Bingaman was gracious enough to introduce companion legislation in the Senate. This bill was first introduced in the 106th Congress, and it offers a wide variety of strategies for expanding health care coverage, improving access, affordability and reducing health disparities. The legislation provides $33 billion between fiscal years 2003 and 2010 for the expansion of the successful State Children's Health Insurance Program, commonly known as SCHIP, to cover uninsured, low-income, pregnant women and parents. In addition, it provides the States the option to enroll legal immigrant pregnant women and children in Medicaid and the SCHIP program.

The caucus considers the expansion of Medicaid and SCHIP eligibility to be a very critical component in legislative priorities for improving Hispanic health care. The legislation also authorizes diabetes education, prevention, and treatment programs designed to address the needs of Hispanics and other minorities.

Lastly, we seek to reduce health care disparities by addressing the lack of providers who can provide, again, culturally competent and linguistically appropriate care.

The bill also provides for increased funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration's health professions diversity programs. Unfortunately, the President's budget proposal for fiscal year 2003 eliminates virtually all funding for these so very important programs for our Hispanic community.

In addition to promoting diversity, the programs support the training of professionals in fields that are experiencing shortages. Mr. Speaker, I have heard from other Members of Congress how important some of their districts are now in providing access to diverse cultural linguistic services in areas because there are Hispanics throughout the United States, not just in the southern States. That was the case a decade or so ago.

They are also important for promoting access to health care services in medically underserved communities, especially rural areas and ag areas. The caucus considers increased funding a high priority, and we thank our Hispanic Congressional Caucus colleagues for taking the lead in providing some of these critical health care services. Hopefully, it will be a solution if it is accepted.

I lead on to a third component of health care and that is mental health. We talk about it, but we do not really bring it out into the open. It is a stigma. And we think we have the ability to do a better job, especially when we consider the veterans from prior wars have problems with post-traumatic syndrome and our seniors have depression problems, and we do very little about it. We need to have it included in medical coverage, but we also must realize that we have other programs that will deal with addressing the issues at the time the students are in school, whether it is a middle school or a high school. We have started such a program in our area thanks to SAMHSA. We were able to start a pilot project in a high school and three middle schools to address the issue of what was found 3 years ago to be a nationwide problem and that was Latina adolescents were the highest in the country who had attempted suicide.

We were able to get some money to start these programs with a nonprofit mental health clinic which has been very successful and a very acceptable program not only to the administrators and the teachers, but the parents who are referring students and also to the people in the whole district. We have partnered with the community, and we have become proactive in looking at the issues that stress brings to our children, that drugs, that cultural difference and others have in having an impact on our young Hispanic adolescents. We have significant success because the community got involved and because there were people who cared about bringing the issue to the forefront and not worrying about whether it was going to be a stigma on the community itself.

We geared the program towards the adolescents because they have demonstrated a high level of need; and no youngster, whether it is Latino, Latina, whether it is white, African American, they are all being provided services under this program even though it is all coming out for a significantly designated Latina adolescent program.

We recently had an on-site visit by Charles Curie, the administrator of SAMHSA, the Federal organization that provides and oversees the funding; and they were very pleased and are looking at the possibility of expanding the program into other areas because it has been so successful.

We are confident that in bringing these kinds of programs out into Congress and sharing them with other Members that we can see that we have need in our own backyard and that we will make this a more important and focal issue so that we can begin to help our youngsters who are facing stress and who, in many instances, turn to violence in our schools.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for listening. I thank my colleagues for the hard work that they have done on the Hispanic Health Improvement Act and look forward to seeing some of these programs be successful.

Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I rise today to honor the life of Abel Victor Olazabel. On the occasion of his funeral, I offer my sincerest condolences to his family. Abel was a true American hero, providing valiant service to our nation during World War II, and he will be sorely missed.

Abel served with the 40th Infantry Division, 2nd Battalion, Company G, 160th Infantry. This famous division included many Latino soldiers from South East Los Angeles County, including Abel who lived in Hacienda Heights. As a staff sergeant, Abel led his troops through some of the most challenging combat on the Pacific front. Working toward the American liberation of the Philippines, Abel's division fought courageously and suffered many casualties.

After landing with the first wave of Allied soldiers in the Lingayen Gulf, Abel's division fought tirelessly in the Zambales Mountains. Following this phase of combat, they were sent to Luzon Island, where a ferocious attack occurred. After much bloodshed, Abel's division defeated enemy troops in this key battle. For his extraordinary acts of bravery and patriotism, including leading a rescue party to find and save a unit on Panay Island, Abel earned further distinction.

Throughout the war, Abel demonstrated numerous acts of heroism in combat and assisted many wounded among his own men. He received a Presidential Unit Citation for surviving overwhelming enemy attacks and defeating enemy soldiers. He was also awarded a Combat Infantry Medal.

Abel Victor Olazabel was a model of courage, generosity and patriotism. I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring this outstanding hero.