Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay special tribute to the proud history and wonderful accomplishments of Boy Scout Troop 283 of Wayzata, MN.

This Sunday, March 19, Troop 283 will be celebrating its 90th anniversary at Wayzata Community Church. Troop 283 is Minnesota's oldest Boy Scout troop.

Troop 283 has a rich tradition of public service to help people in need and has represented the highest standards in Scouting for nine decades. The Scouts and their many volunteer leaders have displayed an inspiring dedication through these past 90 years.

Mr. Speaker, these young people are tomorrow's leaders and they are getting the skills, knowledge, moral guidance and inspiration they need through Scouting.

The young people of today, who now more than ever need strong adult guidance and parental involvement in learning valuable life skills that will help them mature, have been extremely well-served by the generous and dedicated volunteers and parents who have led Troop 283 through the past 90 years.

Mr. Speaker, Troop 283 has focused on giving our young people positive role models, emphasizing the importance of community service to help people in need, protecting the environment and promoting good citizenship.

Everyone who has been involved with Boy Scout Troop 283 through the years is to be congratulated on their 90-year investment in the future of our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking all the young people and leaders of Boy Scout Troop 283 over the past 90 years for all they have done to produce good citizens who keep America strong.

Mr. Speaker, my constituents in Minnesota and I are overwhelmingly opposed to the administration handing over day-to-day management of six U.S. ports to a company owned and operated by the United Arab Emirates.

Mr. Speaker, this port management deal poses a very real risk to national security, as many experts have pointed out. As the former Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security, Clark Ervin, said last week, ``It is true that our Coast Guard would remain in charge of port security. But that means merely setting standards that ports are to follow and reviewing their security plans. Meeting those standards every day is the job of port operators. They are responsible for hiring security officers, guarding the cargo and overseeing its unloading.''

As another security expert put it, you cannot separate port security from port management. Our ports are on the front lines of our homeland defense, and terminal operators play a key role. It is undisputed that under the contract to manage the six U.S. ports, Dubai Ports World would handle shipping arrivals, departures, unloading at the docks, and many other security-related functions.

The UAE-owned company would be responsible for keeping cargo containers secure from the time they are unloaded from foreign ships until the containers are taken away on trucks. In addition, terminal operators work with port security plans that contain sensitive security information.

They are responsible for securing the perimeter of the terminals and they conduct security training for dock workers.

Mr. Speaker, the fundamental question is this: Do we really want a company owned by a foreign government that has been a home base for terrorists, do we really want that company in charge of these functions? I think not.

Moreover, Mr. Speaker, we also know the United States Coast Guard conducted an intelligence assessment of Dubai Ports World and its owners in the United Arab Emirates. As a result of that December 13, 2005 intelligence assessment, the Coast Guard warned: ``There are many intelligence gaps concerning the potential for DPW assets to support terrorist operations that preclude the completion of a thorough threat assessment of the merger.''

The intelligence assessment also stated: ``The breadth of the intelligence gaps also infer potential unknown threats against the large number of potential vulnerabilities.''

Mr. Speaker, this Coast Guard assessment raises serious questions on the overall security environment at DP World facilities, the background of some personnel and foreign influence on company operations.

As a cosponsor, Mr. Speaker, of H.R. 4807, authored by Chairman Peter King of our Homeland Security Committee, I strongly support this critical legislation that would allow Congress to block the ports deal following the current 45-day investigation.

Mr. Speaker, the security of our homeland must be our highest priority. That is why we need to pass this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to strongly oppose the use of our brave troops as political cover to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, ANWR, to oil drilling.

Adding the totally unrelated and highly controversial ANWR drilling provision to the Defense appropriations bill (H.R. 2863) is the most outrageous abuse of power I've seen in my 15 years as a member of Congress.

This last-ditch effort to impose oil drilling in the Arctic wilderness by converting the Defense appropriations bill into a ``garbage bill'' is a great insult to our troops and a flagrant abuse of the legislative process.

We should oppose this heavy-handed, backdoor tactic to impose oil drilling in one of the Nation's last great wilderness areas.

We should vote down the conference report so the conferees can remove the ANWR provision and bring back a clean Defense spending bill tonight for our approval.

I urge members to honor our troops and stand up for the environment by rejecting this conference report.

Let's not hold our brave troops hostage to Arctic oil drilling!

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this important legislation to address pending funding issues for America's workers, and I applaud the work of Chairman Thomas and Chairman Boehner on this bill.

As my friend from North Dakota, on the other side of the aisle, just pointed out, relief for the pension plans of America's struggling airlines is not in the current House bill. Certainly important to my district, but I have been assured, Mr. Speaker, that as this bill moves to conference with the Senate version, the special challenges facing airlines will be addressed. It is important to the people of my district. Northwest Airlines is the largest employer in the Third Congressional District of Minnesota, and thousands of Northwest employees are counting on Congress to rescue their pension plan. No one wants to see another pension plan fail and be turned over to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation.

Northwest Airlines is struggling to emerge from bankruptcy and is trying to do the right thing for its employees by maintaining its pension plan. So as this bill moves through the process, I agree, we must provide relief to this fragile industry. But we must pass this bill today to get it to conference so we can take care of the airlines. We must act today by passing this bill so employees can get the benefits they were promised and so the PBGC and taxpayers will not be on the hook. So let

us pass this bill, get it to conference, address the airlines' pension problems in conference, and get this bill to the President before we go home for the holidays.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in strong support of H.R. 2017, the Torture Victims Relief Authorization Act.

I am especially proud that the first Center for Victims of Torture in the United States is located in Minnesota. Minnesota's Center for Victims of Torture is certainly one of the premier centers for torture survivors in the entire world.

Minnesota is home to about 30,000 victims of torture, and there are some 500,000 victims of torture in our country. Even though people are becoming increasingly aware of the issue of torture, support and treatment for the victims have often been lacking.

That's where the center, with its excellent leadership, comes in. We in Minnesota have learned much, and now we want to bring that leadership, and the path-breaking work of the center, to the rest of the country.

Mr. Speaker, this important legislation provides support for Minnesota's Center for Victims of Torture and will enable our world- renowned Center to continue providing rehabilitation and other critical services to victims of torture.

All Minnesotans can be proud of our Center for Victims of Torture, which helps victims of torture recover from their horrific pain, suffering and scars.

Mr. Speaker, the issues of torture and human rights have finally penetrated the global consciousness, and I urge my colleagues to support passage of this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize last week's World AIDS Day and draw attention to the troubling relationship between chemical dependency and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

In addition to the implicit dangers associated with intravenous drug use, use of illicit drugs and/or alcohol abuse can lead to poor decisions and unsafe sexual behavior that can result in HIV infection.

America's youth, our most precious resource, are at especially high risk since adolescents face increased vulnerability to chemical addiction. Studies show that 50 percent of the individuals addicted to illicit drugs begin using drugs when they are between 15 and 18 years old.

That's why the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) views drug abuse prevention and treatment as essential to stopping the spread of HIV infection, especially for America's young people.

And while NIDA is an excellent resource that provides some of the top research in the area of chemical addiction, it is equally invested in educating the public about this public health problem. That's why, in conjunction with World AIDS Day, NIDA is initiating a new public awareness campaign about the dangerous relationship between addiction and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

As co-chair of the Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus, I want to congratulate NIDA and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for developing this life-saving campaign and commend these fine organizations for the tremendous research they are doing. This educational campaign and impeccable research will help us to better understand and prevent the devastating connection between chemical addiction and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Madam Speaker, it is my great honor to welcome this morning's guest chaplain, Pastor Mac Hammond. Pastor Hammond and his wife, Pastor Lynne, who is with us in the gallery, are pastors of the Living Word Christian Center, a vibrant church in the Third Congressional District located in Brooklyn Park, MN.

This is an incredible story. On November 12, 1980, Mac and Lynne Hammond stood before a gathering of 12 people in a small meeting room at a hotel in Plymouth, Minnesota. On that day, Living Word Christian Center was born. Today, 25 years later, Living Word has grown to an active congregation of more than 10,000 members.

Pastor Mac Hammond's inspiring life has spanned several careers, from Air Force captain, where he served as a pilot, to owner of an air cargo business, to gifted minister of the gospel. The people of our area, of our State are so grateful for Pastor Mac Hammond and his ministry to the community.

The Living Word Christian Center is home to a number of important ministries that are truly doing the Lord's work here on Earth. Close to my heart, the Living Free Recovery Services program provides treatment to families struggling with the ravages of drug and alcohol addiction. Living Word also operates Maranatha Christian Academy and Maranatha College, two highly respected, God-centered academic institutions in our area.

The church's Compassion Center ministers to inner-city residents, and CFAITH provides online missionary outreach.

We are all very grateful, Madam Speaker, for these wonderful ministries and for the faith, hope, and love brought to so many by Pastors Mac and Lynne Hammond. As you heard in his moving prayer, Pastor Hammond is a tremendously gifted speaker and a true man of God.

I knew Mac would offer a truly inspirational prayer this morning, and God knows we needed it. Many thanks, Pastor Hammond, for your moving and thoughtful prayer and for serving the House of Representatives as our guest chaplain.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great public servant, a man of great faith and good works, a great American-- and a friend to all Minnesotans and many who have served in this House.

Al Quie is a truly honorable man, a ``servant leader'' of the highest order. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation before us to honor this dedicated public servant. This legislation would designate the post office in Dennison, Minnesota, as the ``Albert Harold Quie Post Office.''

Mr. Speaker, this is a truly fitting and well-deserved honor for an outstanding former Member of Congress and great Governor of the State of Minnesota. As my friend since I was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1980 when Al was Governor, I consider him one of the most honorable people I've known in my 25 years of public service.

Mr. Speaker, Al Quie is truly one of the all-time ``greats'' of Minnesota government and politics. His record of unquestioned integrity, leadership, legislative accomplishments and public service will forever rank Al Quie as a ``giant'' in Minnesota history.

Al Quie was born on a farm in Wheeling Township, Rice County, near Dennison, Minnesota, on September 18, 1923. Al Quie's many accomplishments as a Navy pilot, dairy farmer, legislator, Member of Congress, Governor, religious leader and all-star citizen make this honor, the naming of his hometown post office, a truly fitting recognition of his public service.

Al Quie completed all of his formal education within a few miles of the Dennison Post Office; he attended grade school in Nerstrand, high school in Northfield and graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield in 1950.

Governor Quie served as a pilot in the United States Navy from 1943- 1945 and later became the owner and operator of a dairy farm. He was the clerk of District 43 School Board from 1949-1952 and a supervisor for the Rice County Soil Conservation District from 1950-1954. Al Quie was a member of the Minnesota State Senate from 1955-1958 and was elected to the 85th U.S. Congress and served 20 years here in this chamber. He served as the 35th Governor of Minnesota from January 1, 1979, until January 3, 1983.

Mr. Speaker, Al Quie's tireless work to help others since he left the Governor's office with such wonderful organizations as Prison Fellowship has been truly inspirational. His strong faith also serves as a powerful force and profound example for me in my life.

Al Quie has continued his public servlce in too many ways to fully emunerate here. Al has served on many boards--not only Prison Fellowship Ministries, but Lutheran Brotherhood Mutual Funds, Lutheran Health Systems, Tentmakers, Vesper Society, Nobel Peace Prize Forum, Search Institute, Council on Crime and Justice, Urban Ventures and

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop).

Mr. Speaker, this month marks the 16th annual observance of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. As we celebrate Recovery Month, it is time for Congress to knock down the barriers to treatment and recovery for 26 million Americans suffering the ravages of alcohol and drug addiction.

Mr. Speaker, it is a national disgrace that 270,000 Americans were denied treatment last year. It is a national tragedy that 150,000 of our fellow Americans died last year as a direct result of chemical addiction. It is a national crisis that the costs of addiction amount to $400 billion a year in increased health care costs, criminal justice costs, social service costs, and other related costs.

And think of the costs that cannot be measured in dollars and cents: the costs of human suffering, broken families, shattered dreams and destroyed lives. But there is hope. Treatment for alcohol and drug addiction works and recovery happens.

Mr. Speaker, as a grateful recovering alcoholic of 24 years myself, I am living proof that treatment does work and that recovery is real. The problem is too many people do not have the access to treatment that I have.

That is why Congress must pass the Treat America Act that I have authored with my good friend, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy), H.R. 1258.

This treatment parity legislation will give Americans suffering from addiction greater access to treatment by prohibiting health insurers from placing discriminatory restrictions on treatment.

Discriminatory barriers, by the way, that do not exist for any other disease.

Chemical dependency treatment parity is not only the right thing to do, it is also the cost-effective thing to do. Study after study has shown the average premium increase due to full premium parity is less than one-half of 1 percent. So in other words, for the price of a cup of coffee per day, we could treat 16 million alcoholics and addicts who are presently in health plans and being discriminated against. We also need to provide greater access to treatment for the 10 million alcoholics and drug addicts in the Medicaid program.

Mr. Speaker, the American Medical Association, the AMA, categorized addiction as a disease in 1956. Now, 50 years later, it is long overdue for Congress to treat the illness of addiction as the progressive and fatal disease it is. It is time to end the discrimination against people who need treatment for chemical addiction. It is time for Congress to deal with our Nation's number one public health problem.

It is time for Congress and the President to pass chemical addiction treatment parity. With 26 million Americans still suffering, we cannot afford to wait. With some 300,000 Americans being denied treatment this year, we cannot afford to wait. With 150,000 people dying last year as the direct result of addiction, we cannot afford to wait.

Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) and thousands of other recovering people in recommitting our efforts to pass treatment parity. Also, we need to recognize the addiction counselors and treatment professionals throughout our great country who have dedicated their lives to helping people recover. They are America's unsung heroes.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, let us celebrate ``Recovery Month'' by honoring the millions of Americans who are experiencing the promise and possibility of recovery, and let us never forget that 26 million Americans are still in need of our help.

Mr. Speaker, the Minnesota spirit is alive and well. The Minnesota spirit of compassion and help for people in need has moved countless Minnesotans to step forward to provide relief for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

My district office has literally been overwhelmed with calls from people offering housing, food, clothing, health care, labor, and monetary assistance. Camp Ripley, located in northern Minnesota, is presently welcoming over 3,000 survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Other Minnesota communities are similarly opening their doors.

In our suburban communities, churches and synagogues, civic and service clubs, school groups, the business community and numerous other organizations have answered the call to help disaster survivors. The Minnesota Vikings football team collected 70,000 pounds of clothing, toiletries, and other supplies for Katrina's survivors. As head coach Mike Tice said, this was an example of Americans helping Americans.

In our Lake Minnetonka community, Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners, representing 21 area churches, has a long history of helping people in need. Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners is jump- starting its annual housing fund drive to aid the housing needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors. I will be home this coming Saturday to join Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners in kicking off a drive to raise $1.5 million for people in the gulf States who are so devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

John Berg, chairman of the Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners Housing Fund, put it best when he said, ``It's simply the right thing to do. We can't look away from the suffering of these people. We need to leverage all the resources and partnerships available to ensure a safe place to call home for both the families and children of our community and the families and children devastated by Katrina. It's a time for faith,'' concluded Mr. Berg.

Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners, Mr. Speaker, which sponsors the Sleep Out annually to raise funds for homeless people in our community, will also continue to raise funds for local emergency and long-term housing initiatives. Last winter's Sleep Out raised over $1.3 million from the generous people of our Lake Minnetonka communities to literally, literally, bring in 42 homeless families from the cold and to enable 656 other families with over 800 children to keep a roof overhead.

Mr. Speaker, the people of our communities back home have big hearts, and I know they will come through again for the Hurricane Katrina Housing Relief Fund. A special thanks to all the good people of Minnesota for opening their arms to hurricane survivors who have suffered so greatly. Once again, Mr. Speaker, the people I am proud to represent are doing the Lord's work here on Earth.

Mr. Speaker, today marks the 15th anniversary of landmark civil rights legislation for Americans with disabilities--the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This landmark law was passed with strong bipartisan support and signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. As we mark the 15th anniversary of this historic event, we celebrate the tremendous progress and new doors that have been opened to individuals with disabilities as a result of the ADA.

The purpose of the ADA was to provide clear and comprehensive national standards to eliminate discrimination against individuals with disabilities. As a result, individuals with disabilities are now able to live in their homes and have access to new careers. Accessible busses and trains and better paratransit systems have made it possible for more people with disabilities to get to work and school, enjoy restaurants and theaters and travel.

The ADA has improved society, not only for the 14 percent of Americans over the age of five who have at least one disability. Common-sense accommodations like curb cuts and close captioning have also benefited Americans without disabilities.

On this important anniversary, we must remember that while we have come a long way in eliminating barriers, critical work remains to ensure all Americans can live up to their full potential. Tragically, we still have stereotypes and misconceptions that affect people with disabilities. Sadly, we still have examples like the boy in Pennsylvania who was the target of discrimination by his T-ball coach. This is not an isolated incident, as I have learned of another boy in Kansas who was denied the right to play T-ball like any other 7-year- old because he had cerebral palsy. Fortunately, because of the ADA, that boy was eventually allowed to play T-ball.

Giving people with disabilities the right to participate fully in society is what this landmark legislation is all about.

As co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, I know that the ADA is a major achievement and much has been accomplished over the last 15 years. As we celebrate how far we've come, let us also recommit to creating a society in which no barrier stands in the way of fully participating in our society.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the U.S.- Central American Free Trade Agreement

For me, free trade has always been about jobs and economic opportunity. But this agreement is about much more than that. It's also about increasing democracy in a region whose stability is fragile but moving in the right direction. It's about improving the environment. And it's about stemming illegal immigration.

The economic benefits of CAFTA are undeniable. CAFTA countries comprise the tenth largest market for U.S. goods, and the rapid growth of U.S. exports to CAFTA countries suggests this market could grow even more with the lowering of trade barriers.

My home State of Minnesota exported $12.7 billion in goods worldwide last year and ranks seventh in State agriculture exporters. Between 2000 and 2004, Minnesota manufacturers' exports to Central America increased by 83 percent, which clearly demonstrates Central America's viability as an emerging market for U.S. exports. And the elimination of protectionist tariffs in Central American countries will provide further increases in export opportunities for Minnesota farmers, manufacturers and service providers.

Passage of this agreement is so important to the U.S. economy because under the Caribbean Basin Initiative, over 80 percent of Central American imports already receive duty-free treatment. And if you separate the agriculture sector, CAFTA countries receive duty-free treatment on 99 percent of imports, 99 percent. It's time for our farmers and manufacturers to get fair treatment by allowing our exports to have duty-free access to their market.

CAFTA's passage is also necessary to advance overall trade liberalization. CAFTA's failure could cause a significant setback to other bilateral agreements in the works and also to the WTO-wide Doha Round negotiations.

The U.S. must remain competitive in the global economy, especially with the emergence of major exporters like China. Lowering trade barriers with developing countries in our hemisphere helps our overall competitiveness against China by increasing competition in growth sectors that China would otherwise dominate--like textiles, apparel and light manufacturing.

So the economic argument is rock solid, but CAFTA's passage goes beyond economic considerations. It will also help promote democracy, decrease illegal immigration and increase environmental standards.

For decades during the cold war, the U.S. spent significant resources fighting the spread of Communist and tyrannical dictatorships in Central America. Fortunately, Daniel Ortega's Sandinistas and the other leftist insurgencies which tore Central American countries apart have since been defeated and replaced by fledgling democracies. But now another destabilizing leader--Venezuela's Hugo Chavez--threatens peace and prosperity in the region.

Just last week, Chavez was reportedly revving up his military-- warning them to be prepared for the imminent invasion by the U.S. And not surprisingly, Chavez is also the most vociferous opponent of CAFTA in the region.

Make no mistake, Hugo Chavez is licking his chops at the prospect of CAFTA's failure--waiting to exploit our missed opportunity and trap these nascent democracies under his thumb. These Central American countries lie on the precipice of economic stability and democratic government, and they deserve a chance to develop the same freedoms we have here.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the economic and political benefits, CAFTA's passage will also improve environmental standards in Central America and decrease the flow of illegal immigrants from the region.

Study after study has shown that as economies improve, so do environmental standards. Once people get beyond the basic needs of food and shelter for their families, they can focus on the greater goods of clean air, clean water and conservation. Trade is not a zero-sum game. The elimination of tariffs helps increase exports and grow economies, and as the economies of Central America grow, so will their environmental quality.

Similarly, illegal immigration stems from the human desire to improve one's economic condition. As a member of the Immigration Reform Caucus, I believe we have a long way to go to improve our border security and stop the flow of illegal immigration. An improving economy in Central America will help achieve this goal, as the increase in job opportunities in the region will encourage more people to remain in their native countries.

The empirical data supports the agreement. Trade liberalization has always had the empirical data on its side. The immediate tariff reductions found in CAFTA expand market access for U.S. farmers, manufacturers and service providers and continue our country down the path of even greater market access worldwide. It will also significantly improve standards of living in Central America.

Congress must now have the resolve to do what is right and pass CAFTA. The future of our economy and the political stability of our region depend on it.

Mr. Chairman, Edmund Burke put it best when he said the main reason we have government is to keep people safe. That is why the cut made by the committee is extremely disappointing. We need to restore the funding for the important Byrne grant program.

In my home State of Minnesota, I have seen firsthand the importance of Byrne grants to local police in reducing crime and drugs and improving public safety. Byrne grants fund critical overtime pay, task forces, equipment and ``buy'' money. How else are you going to prosecute drug cases if you do not have Byrne grants to provide ``buy'' money? Without this money, Minnesota would lose nearly half of its 20 multijurisdictional drug task forces.

We all know in this body that violent crime is at a 30 year low. Why go backwards? We must never forget our cops are on the front lines in the war on crime, fighting drug dealers and protecting our homeland. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment to restore funding for the important Byrne grants. Let us restore this program to the 2005 levels.

It is time to honor the sacrifices made each and every day by our Nation's law enforcement community and give our finest the support they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I recently joined with nearly all members of this body in voting for H.R. 2520, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act.

This important piece of public health legislation will help increase awareness of the possibility of using cord blood to improve access to blood-forming stem cell transplants and research.

I also want to take a moment to bring attention to another aspect of this bill, the reauthorization of the National Bone Marrow Registry.

Since its inception in 1986, the Registry has enjoyed strong bipartisan support and has been committed to helping people who need a lifesaving marrow or blood cell transplant.

The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has successfully operated the National Bone Marrow Registry through a competitive contract renewed every 5 years.

The NMDP maintains the largest listing of volunteer donors and cord blood units in the world, supports patients and their doctors throughout the transplant process and matches patients with the best marrow donor or cord blood unit.

This past November, the NMDP celebrated an important milestone when it facilitated its 20,000th transplant.

The NMDP has worked diligently to increase the diversity of the National Bone Marrow Registry so that all Americans have access to lifesaving blood-forming stem cell transplants by increasing donations from racial and ethnic minorities and incorporating umbilical cord blood units as a new source of cells.

The NMDP also provides transplant centers with the logistical support patients need from the moment a physician initiates a search.

The NMDP provides expert advice on searching the National Registry, coordinates the testing of cord blood units and adult donors, ensures that the correct cells are obtained and delivered as directed by the physician, and assists patients with insurance, travel and other needs that arise as part of the transplant process.

These programs help doctors focus on caring for their patients and helps patients and their families focus on what is important--getting well.

I salute the NMDP for all it does to help patients, and I am pleased Congress was able to pass H.R. 2520.