Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, on September 24, 2007, I was unavoidably detained while returning from committee business and unable to vote, I would like the record to reflect that, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote Nos. 891, 892 and 893.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of this rule to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program. It is critical that we pass this legislation, and with the funding for SCHIP program scheduled to expire in 5 days from now, it is critical that we pass it today.

SCHIP began in 1997 and has been a true success story. While the number of uninsured adults has steadily climbed over the past 10 years, currently 47 million Americans without health insurance, the number of uninsured children in our Nation has declined by nearly a third.

This program has made health insurance a reality for over 12,000 children in my home State of Rhode Island this year, the majority of them in families where one or more adults is part of the workforce. It is a critical component of health care delivery in Rhode Island, as it is across the country.

By reauthorizing the SCHIP program, we renew our national commitment to achieving the goal of insuring all children whose parents cannot afford private health insurance coverage.

I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this rule which will allow us to preserve and strengthen this tremendously successful program. It is the compassionate thing to do, it's the right thing to do, and I urge my colleagues to support SCHIP reauthorization.

Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2007 (H.R. 1852). This important piece of legislation will revitalize the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which was established to provide a reliable source of affordable mortgage loans for first-time homebuyers. Through our efforts today, the FHA will be able to better assist America's working families by offering loans at affordable rates with fair terms, as we work to alleviate the problems caused by the continuing mortgage crisis.

The lack of affordable housing has long plagued many communities throughout America, and the problem is particularly acute in high cost areas like Rhode Island. In Rhode Island, the average two-bedroom apartment costs $1172 per month--at that rate, many people would need to work two or even three jobs just to pay the rent. And the situation can be even worse for those struggling to buy their own homes, particularly in today's uncertain climate. Unscrupulous lending practices have taken their toll on hard-working families, who are increasingly unable to keep pace with their ballooning mortgage payments.

The Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2007 will provide much- needed relief for families on the brink of foreclosure. In particular, this targeted legislation will allow the FHA to raise loan limits in high cost areas and to offer zero and lower down payment loan options for borrowers that can afford mortgage payments, but lack the resources required for a down payment. H.R. 1852 will also require that an additional $300 million per year be placed in the affordable housing trust fund, which will help to provide affordable housing for years to come.

Finally, I am pleased that the bill will double current funding levels for housing counseling services. These critical services will provide additional guidance to homebuyers in the subprime market and others who have difficulty making their monthly mortgage payments.

In passing the Expanding American Homeownership Act today, we have made a commitment to the American people that we will continue to ensure affordable housing is available to all Americans. Strengthening the security of American families strengthens our economy, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

I truly do thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding and the minority for granting the unanimous consent request.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act of 2007. This critical bill reauthorizes the Federal Terrorism Insurance Program, which backs up private insurers in the event of a terrorist attack and extends the measure for 15 years. As chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, I am certainly pleased that this bill would ensure coverage in the event of a nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological attack.

While no one wants to ever imagine that a nuclear, chemical, biological, radiological event could occur, the possibility is, unfortunately, a reality. Therefore, we must not only protect against this risk, but ensure that our Nation can recover financially if the unthinkable does happen.

This measure takes an important step forward by lowering the deductible from 20 percent to 3.5 percent for insurance coverage against NCBR attacks, and I am certainly proud to support this important measure.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Frank for his leadership on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in somber recognition of the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. I join all Americans in mourning those who lost their lives and in remembering their families.

We can best honor their memory by ensuring that they did not die in vain. We took a significant step towards that goal by passing comprehensive legislation to implement the remaining 9/11 Commission recommendations. However, while we are safer, we are not yet safe.

To combat terrorism, we must think comprehensively and coordinate our efforts into a unified approach. That is why I have introduced legislation requiring government agencies to collaborate on national security goals. This Quadrennial National Security Review that I have called for will ensure that we use all assets of national power, military, diplomatic, economic and others, to protect the American people.

I commend Chairman Lantos and thank him for his comments on this issue and for cosponsoring this legislation. I commend Majority Leader Hoyer on this resolution that is before us tonight to honor those that we lost 6 years ago and for his efforts to protect our Nation. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 2669. Since my arrival in Congress, I have worked to support initiatives that would expand access to higher education for all students, regardless of disability, background or economic circumstances. Need-based federal student aid programs have leveled the playing field for so many students, yet in recent years the purchasing power offered by a Pell grant has dwindled. Meanwhile, college education costs have soared, and more and more students struggling to keep up with loan repayments have found themselves locked into high interest rates and unable to consolidate their debt. Others have seen their dreams of higher education go unrealized, due to concerns about how they could possibly pay for it.

Today, Congress takes a meaningful step to address these issues. The College Cost Reduction Act, the single largest investment in education since the GI bill, will cut interest rates in half on subsidized student loans over the next four years, make student debt more manageable for those facing economic hardship and increase the purchasing power of the Pell grant. Additionally, this bill will encourage and reward public service by offering loan forgiveness and repayment of our most dedicated military service members, nurses, early childhood educators and others who take on some of the most needed and challenging--but not the most lucrative--professions. In the battle to improve access to affordable education, the passage of the College Cost Reduction Act is a tremendous victory.

I strongly believe that the passage of this bill into law will make America stronger. While our Nation certainly faces challenging times of war and economic hardships, we should take tremendous hope and pride in the investments that Congress is making in the future by expanding access to higher education. I am proud to support this legislation and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 2669.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce a bill that would allow family members to request a memorial marker for placement in a national cemetery in order to commemorate servicemembers buried overseas.

As Members of Congress, we all have the great opportunity to hear stories of duty and honor from our constituents. I had such a chance right after Memorial Day in 2004 when I received a letter from Henry Stad, a resident of Rhode Island and a World War II veteran. Mr. Stad asked that I sponsor a bill that would allow family members of servicemembers that were killed in action and buried overseas to be able to request a burial plaque to be set in a family burial plot in the United States. I was happy to look into this request from a man who gave so much to his country.

Madam Speaker, as you know, the United States currently has 24 permanent overseas burial grounds that are the final resting place for nearly 125,000 of the brave men and women who died serving our country. These sites are the responsibility of the American Battle Monuments Commission and are a wonderful tribute to those who sacrificed for our Nation. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs maintains that because these graves can be visited, there is no need to provide families at home with a memorial marker for their deceased loved ones buried there.

As a result, I introduced a bill that will help families memorialize those who died in service to our country and are buried overseas. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, those servicemembers whose remains are classified as ``unavailable for burial'' are eligible for government-provided memorial markers or headstones. While this classification includes those whose remains have not been recovered or who were buried at sea, there is one glaring exception to this definition--those who died fighting for freedom abroad and were laid to rest there.

Families are proud of these courageous men and women who answered the call to protect our country and then paid the ultimate price. Unfortunately, for many families, a trip abroad to visit their loved ones is not possible due to finances or old age. A memorial marker is a way to keep the memory of their loved one alive, while also teaching younger generations about sacrifice. We should not deny the families of these courageous men and women the ability to obtain memorial markers when we already do it for so many others. To correct this, my legislation will add overseas burials to the VA's ``unavailable for burial'' classification and finally let these men and women be memorialized by their families here at home.

Madam Speaker, this legislation will help memorialize those that accepted the call to protect our country.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3161, the Agriculture Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008. This bill provides funding to support our farmers, protect the environment, ensure a safe and stable food supply, and care for the most vulnerable members of our society. H.R.3161 also fulfills the reforms included in the recently passed Farm Bill, by increasing funding for nutrition, conservation and energy programs.

I am pleased to support funding increases for important conservation programs for my home state of Rhode Island, including the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, and the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program. This legislation also restores funding for many programs that the Bush Administration's budget would have cut or eliminated, including Resource Conservation and Development and watershed programs. H.R. 3161 also encourages the expansion of renewable energy research and production by nearly doubling funding for renewable energy loans to businesses, resources for research, and grants to farmers and ranchers.

After recent food scares, Americans have become more concerned about where their food is produced. After six years of delays, I am pleased that H.R. 3161 includes a time line for implementation of country of origin labeling for our meat. This legislation fully funds the Food Safety and Inspection Service at the Department of Agriculture in order to fill vacancies and invest in research, and will also fund a transformation of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety regulations. This measure also prevents cuts to FDA field operations and provides additional funding for processing generic drug applications and drug safety reviews.

H.R. 3161 increases funding for the nutrition title, which includes food stamps and other programs aimed to combat hunger and improve nutrition for children, the elderly and low-income Americans. This includes the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, as well as the Community Food Projects program, which awards grants to non-profit groups that establish community food projects targeted to low-income individuals. This measure also increases funding for school nutrition programs for purchasing fruits, vegetables and nuts, and creates more avenues for produce to flow from local farmers to schools. H.R. 3161 also includes funding to help improve the eating habits of Americans, particularly our children. It also expands the Simplified Summer Food

program to all states to provide nutritious foods to children in low- income families through the summer.

Madam Chairman, this legislation helps farmers meet growing environmental challenges, increases safety monitoring of our food supply, gives consumers more healthy food choices, and promotes critical renewable energy development. I look forward to passing this measure into law and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 3161.

Mr. Chairman, it is with great pride that I rise in support of H.R. 3221, which will help our nation take a major step toward energy independence. I applaud the hard work and dedication of Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer and the Democratic leadership, as well as of the ten committees that contributed to this historic legislation, which I am proud to cosponsor.

The Democratic Congress has made it a priority to enact a forward- thinking energy policy that will strengthen our Nation. In January, the House passed H.R. 6, the CLEAN Act, which laid the framework for a new energy policy that guarantees access to affordable power, encourages energy conservation efforts, and pursues increased use of environmentally responsible and renewable sources of energy. Today we take the next step in that endeavor by considering H.R. 3221. This comprehensive bill includes a multitude of innovative programs and common-sense solutions to improve energy efficiency, invest in groundbreaking technologies, create the necessary infrastructure for alternative fuels and ensure that our workforce is properly trained for the economy of the future.

As I have said many times, we cannot dig or drill our way out of our energy crisis. We need new strategies to develop sources of energy that will move our Nation away from our reliance on oil and gas. This effort will benefit our environment by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, our economy by creating new industries and jobs, and our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Our nation has a history of successfully accomplishing great tasks when we work together, such as when we united to put a man on the moon. We need a similar effort with our national energy policy, and I am confident that the American people have the creativity, and resolve to succeed.

We are not only investing in a new energy policy for America, but we are also doing it in a fiscally responsible manner. Gone are the days of corporate welfare and tax dollar handouts to oil and gas companies that are reaping record profits while consumers pay increasing prices at the pump. This legislation rescinds wasteful subsidies and closes loopholes that have allowed oil and gas companies to avoid taxation on their income. Consequently, the new programs and investments contained in this bill will not add to the deficit. In so doing, we demonstrate our commitment not only to our Nation's energy security, but also to its economic security.

Today we will consider an amendment offered by the gentleman from New Mexico, Mr. Udall, to require electricity suppliers to have 15 percent of their electricity come from renewable sources by 2020. As a cosponsor of the gentleman's legislation to create a renewable electricity standard, I strongly support the amendment and urge all my colleagues to do so. I am proud to represent Rhode Island, one of more than twenty states to have enacted laws to set targets for electricity from renewable sources. Rhode Island has been ahead of the curve in promoting clean electricity sources, but the federal government must follow suit so that our entire Nation can reap the benefits of renewable energy.

While I feel this bill could do more--particularly by increasing vehicle fuel efficiency standards, which have not risen appreciably in the last 20 years--I am proud that Congress is finally taking bold steps toward establishing a new energy policy that invests in new technologies, promotes the development of clean and renewable fuels and moves us toward energy independence. I urge all my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. Speaker, this past week the Director of National Intelligence came before the Congress and told us that there was an important gap in our Nation's intelligence capabilities. So we responded swiftly, by crafting legislation tailored to concerns outlined by Director McConnell. We did what the Director of National Intelligence asked us to do: we drafted legislation that protected America.

But we also did one thing that the administration did not ask us to do: we protected the Constitution; we protected civil liberties. Because we believe that you can both protect the Nation and the liberties upon which it was founded.

Regrettably, that is not the legislation that is before you today. This bill undermines longstanding protections for the civil liberties of Americans. It sweeps aside constitutional norms that have governed the relationship between the people and the government since its founding. It puts all domestic spying power back in the hands of Alberto Gonzales. Now, that ought to scare everybody. It scares me. It makes FISA a rubber stamp for the Attorney General, and it fails to provide for adequate oversight of the activities that it authorizes.

I urge my colleagues to vote against the Senate bill that is before us tonight so that we can once again bring up the House bill that strikes a balance between protecting America from terrorists and preserving our civil liberties.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3222, the Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008. I would like to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Chairman Murtha, and the gentleman from Florida, Ranking Member Young, for their efforts to craft a strong bipartisan bill and for their tireless dedication to our national security and to the men and women in uniform who protect us.

Ensuring a strong national defense is one of Congress's greatest responsibilities, and at no time is that more evident when our servicemembers are overseas in harm's way. While the members of this body may disagree about our next steps in Iraq, we all agree that we must support the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and civilians who are serving their country and facing some challenging missions. Further, we agree that we must have a military that can protect our Nation against current threats and respond to emerging challenges we may face in the future. As a member of the Intelligence Committee and a former member of the House Armed Services Committee, I believe we need a flexible and an adaptive

military--one whose efforts are coordinated with other assets of national power such as diplomacy, foreign assistance and international cooperation--to achieve our national security goals.

Congress recognizes that our Nation is only as strong as those who defend us, and the bill before us makes important steps to enhance the health and well-being of those serving our Nation. It provides a 3.5 percent pay increase for our men and women in uniform, an increase over the President's recommendation of 3.0 percent. It continues our efforts to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps in order to reduce the strain on our military caused by repeated troop deployments. In order to treat those currently in our military health system and to meet the needs of those returning from combat, it includes $23 billion for defense health programs, $416 million more than the President requested. It also postpones the President's recommended cost share increases for Tricare beneficiaries, a proposal that would have caused hardship to our military families and retirees.

H.R. 3222 also makes significant increases to vital non-proliferation programs. For years, the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program has allowed the U.S. to work with Russia and other nations in the former Soviet Union to dismantle their nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. As the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology, I know that one of the most important safeguards to preventing an attack using a weapon of mass destruction in the U.S. is to secure dangerous materials at their source to prevent them from getting into the hands of terrorists. To this end, the Defense appropriations bill includes $398 million for Cooperative Threat Reduction--$26 million more than the current level and $50 million more than the President's request.

Finally, H.R. 3222 invests in systems and technology to protect against current and future threats. I am extremely pleased that the measure includes an additional $588 million for advance procurement of materials that could lead to the construction of a second Virginia- class submarine as early as next year. Our Navy has estimated that we need 48 attack submarines to meet the needs of our military commanders. Yet, under the Navy's current 30-year shipbuilding plan, they do not expect to increase production to two subs per year until 2012, causing a perilous decline in our future sub fleet--dropping below 48 ships in FY2020-33 and hitting a low of 40 in FY2028 and FY2029. I have long advocated increasing our build rate of Virginia-class submarines to two per year so that we have sufficient capabilities to address emerging threats. However, the Navy has repeatedly delayed its two per year target date, causing instability in the industrial base. In FY2004, the Navy expected to build two subs per year in FY2007. By FY2005, the target had moved to FY2009. That date was pushed back again and again, and now stands at FY2012. Meanwhile, our defense industrial base in Southeastern New England has suffered layoffs of submarine designers and engineers, whose specialized skills would be very difficult to reconstitute if lost. Without immediate action, we risk shrinking our sub fleet to perilously low levels, precisely when nations such as China are expanding and modernizing their navies. After visits to Rhode Island and Connecticut earlier this year, Chairman Murtha stated that building more submarines would be a priority, and this legislation demonstrates his commitment to fixing this dangerous problem. On behalf of the submarine industrial base in Rhode Island, I thank him and Ranking Member Young for their leadership on this important national security issue.

I am pleased that one of our final actions before departing for the August work period will be passing this important legislation, which demonstrates Congress's commitment to national security and deserves the support of all in this chamber.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the bill. Despite the claims of those who support the Administration, this measure does nothing to protect those overseas who intend to do us harm. Instead, it is an important and vital effort to clarify the role of the FISA Court in light of advances in communications technology. As every member of the intelligence committee knows, the FISA Court already supervises aspects of foreign intelligence collection. The bill keeps the FISA Court engaged at the programmatic level, while ensuring that the Administration does not need individual warrants for foreign targets.

The administration's proposal would cut the court out of the process and let the Attorney General decide when American's liberties are infringed. Our legislation establishes meaningful, independent judicial oversight by the FISA Court. It protects America without sacrificing our civil liberties.

Our legislation is the responsible course, and I urge a YES vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3162, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act. I know that this was not an easy piece of legislation to put together and I appreciate the hard work of my colleagues on the Committees on Rules, Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means.

This bill is an important step in addressing the health care crisis faced by millions of families. Access to affordable insurance and quality preventive care is critical to the well-being and security of all Americans. The CHAMP Act will ensure that all eligible children are afforded the opportunity to enroll in State Children's Health Insurance Programs and takes important steps to improve efficiency and secure the solvency of the Medicare program, relied on by so many of our seniors.

The State Children's Health Insurance Program SCHIP, known as RIte Care in Rhode Island, has made health insurance a reality for over 12,000 children in my home State this year--the majority of them in families where one or more adult is part of the workforce. It is a critical component of health care delivery in Rhode Island, as it is across the country. I am so honored to be part of a Congress that is taking steps to ensure that all children who are eligible for this program are able to participate. By reauthorizing the SCHIP program, we renew our national commitment to achieving the goal of insuring all children whose parents cannot afford private health insurance coverage.

This bill also contains important components for Medicare beneficiaries. The elimination of overpayments to private plans that participate in Medicare delivery is a necessary step to increasing efficiency of this program. This action will go a long way in preventing premium increases for Medicare beneficiaries and will strengthen Medicare's finances for the future. While we still have work to do in improving certain aspects of the Medicare program-- particularly the prescription drug benefit--this bill will ease the process for seniors who wish to change their prescription drug plan, and it will increase access to preventive services, saving lives and money.

Finally, I would also note that this legislation contains a fix to the scheduled 10 percent cut in physician payments under Medicare. I am pleased to support this fix and look forward to working with my colleagues to craft a permanent solution to the flawed funding formula that continues to recommend such cuts. We cannot offer high quality health care to our Nation's seniors if health care providers cannot afford to see Medicare patients.

I am pleased that this Congress has made access to health care a priority, particularly for our Nation's children and seniors. I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of the CHAMP Act.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2419, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007, better known as the Farm Bill. This measure reflects Rhode Island's priorities: protecting our farmers and surrounding environment and caring for the most vulnerable members of society.

There has been much discussion about reforming the Farm Bill, particularly with regard to how payments are structured to producers of certain commodities like cotton, rice and sugar. H.R. 2419 begins this process by lowering the annual adjusted gross income of farmers eligible for subsidies from $2.5 million to $1 million. For farmers making $500,000 to $1 million, 67 percent of their income must come from farming or they cannot receive Federal subsidies. This structure will prevent millionaires from receiving farm subsidy benefits, and will also make payments transparent. While I believe we should go further with reform, I look forward to building on this restructuring in future legislation.

This legislation increases funding for important conservation programs for Rhode Island, including the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, and the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program. I am also pleased that H.R. 2419 includes funding for specialty crops, which will benefit our fruit, vegetable and nursery crop farmers. These farmers, which make up a large percentage of Rhode Island's farming landscape, will now receive equal assistance and access to conservation programs.

H.R. 2419 increases funding for the nutrition title, which includes food stamps and other programs aimed to combat hunger and improve nutrition for children, the elderly and low-income Americans. This bill reauthorizes programs such as the Community Food Projects program, which awards grants to non-profit groups that establish community food projects targeted to low-income individuals. This measure also increases funding for school nutrition programs for purchasing fruits, vegetables and nuts, and creates more avenues for produce to flow from local farmers to schools.

Finally, H.R. 2419 also encourages the expansion of renewable energy research and production, contains a new section for horticulture and organic agriculture, and includes funding to make sure our food supply is safe and stable. Mr. Chairman, this legislation helps farmers meet growing environmental challenges, gives consumers more health food choices, and promotes critical renewable energy development. I look forward to passing this measure into law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 180, the Darfur Divestment and Accountability Act. This measure supports State, city, and university efforts to divest funds from, or restrict investments in, companies that conduct business operations in Sudan. H.R. 180 works toward a goal of ending a travesty that has resonated with people all over the world.

My home State of Rhode Island has been active on this tragic issue for many years, with Providence becoming the first U.S. city to divest from companies tied to the Sudanese Government in 2006. Just this past month, Rhode Island passed Sudan divestment into law. These actions would not have been possible without our very active student population, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their persistent advocacy.

Like my constituents, I am deeply concerned over the ongoing violence and humanitarian disaster in the Darfur region. It is truly a tragedy that we have not learned from our mistakes in the past regarding genocide, but it is not too late to change the situation in Sudan. It is our duty to end this human suffering, and as a member of the Sudan Caucus, I will continue to work with my colleagues to stop this conflict and promote peace in Sudan. Passing H.R. 180 is an important and necessary step for Congress to take as we work to achieve this goal.