Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Joe Waz for his 17 years of service to Comcast Corporation, where he worked as Senior Vice President of External Affairs, and to the Comcast Foundation, where he served as Public Policy Counsel and President.

Mr. Waz has announced his retirement from Comcast Corporation, and although he will be greatly missed, his hard work and contributions have made a positive impact on the industry and ensure he will not be forgotten. In May 2002, Mr. Waz received the Vanguard Award, the highest honor presented by the cable industry, for his service in government and community relations.

Not only is Mr. Waz recognized nationally for his expertise in telecommunications public policy, he is also a leader in community investment and service. Under Mr. Waz's leadership, Comcast Corporation has made 219 investments to 120 different groups in Connecticut since 2006. More than $2.9 million has been given in grants to groups ranging from the University of Hartford, the Connecticut Police Chiefs' Association, and the American School for the Deaf. In further commitment to the public interest, Joe also serves as a chairman of the Settlement Music School, the oldest community school of the arts in the U.S., and has previously served on the boards of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, and the Federal Communications Bar Association Foundation.

On a personal note, I have known Joe since we attended the University of Connecticut School of Law together. I got to know him as a hard working, serious student of the law,

who upheld the highest traditions of diligent, ethical practice.

It comes as no surprise to me that after leaving Comcast Corporation, Mr. Waz will work as a Senior Fellow at the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado, and serve as the first chairman of the Broadband Internet Technology Advisory Group.

I congratulate Mr. Waz on his successful 17 year career with Comcast Corporation, salute him for his commitment to community service, and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. Chairman, I rise again in opposition to this bill.

I do so with somewhat of a personal angle on this. My wife, Audrey, is a pediatric nurse practitioner. At one time she worked in a school- based health center. She doesn't today, presently. But I certainly, through her, have gotten a chance to be exposed to the benefit of school-based health centers.

There is no more efficient delivery system. It makes sure that kids get good, high-quality care at school, gets them back on their feet, back in class where they belong, rather than going to emergency rooms and spending hours waiting for care or being sent home many times in an unsupervised situation out of class. Again, the beauty of a school- based health clinic is that it obviously is in a setting where children are located. Again, the turnaround in terms of making sure that they're back doing what's good for them and good for their future is just smart investment.

I would also just give a small example in my district. I represent southeastern Connecticut. We're the proud location of the Groton sub base, the oldest sub base in America, 8,000 sailors, a lot of families with kids who are located at the base. And at Fitch High School in Groton, there's a school-based health center, which is the primary caregiver for many military families' children. Again, these are kids who move around the country. Oftentimes their care is disrupted from one place to the other. Having a school-based center ensures that these kids are going to have access to health care, that they're going to have their checkups to make sure that they can enter school, that they can enter school athletic programs. Again, in many instances for these military families, it is the primary health caregiver.

Two hundred twenty-seven families--I checked this morning with the center in Groton--get their care through the center. This program is going to be used to ensure that Fitch High School's footprint in terms of the school building will be expanded. It will be an investment in information technology.

They will invest in information technology to, again, make sure that this terrific, efficient, cost-effective, high-quality program is, in fact, going to be there for, again, families who were serving in Libya, in the Mediterranean. Their parents were part of the USS Providence, the Florida, the Scranton, which were part of the initial attack in Libya.

Again, this is a program which works not only for those kids, for the community, but also for our Nation; and I would, again, respectfully rise in opposition to this measure which, again, I think really heads us in the wrong direction in terms of high-quality care for America's kids.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Center for Medicare Advocacy's 25th anniversary and recognize their staff that has worked tirelessly on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries in Connecticut and around the country.

In 1986, the Center for Medicare Advocacy was founded in Mansfield, Connecticut by Judy Stein who has been a fierce advocate and leader for quality health care for Medicare beneficiaries. Over the past 25 years, Judy has transformed the Center into an unparalleled, national education and advocacy organization that supports Medicare beneficiaries. Today, the Center serves as an invaluable resource for our constituents and provides us with much needed, quality information on Medicare policies.

With a team of attorneys, nurses, legal assistants, and information management specialists, the Center for Medicare Advocacy works to provide assistance to seniors by simplifying Medicare policies and challenging the Medicare system to provide affordable quality health care with due process and rights of appeal. The Center offers consultations, training, and education to individuals and organizations in order to promote an affordable and fair Medicare system.

My colleagues and I owe Judy and the Center much gratitude for their vigilance of Medicare and the millions of beneficiaries it serves. It is my distinct pleasure to recognize their fine work and celebrate 25 years of service and many more to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the passing of Abraham Breehey, Director of Legislative Affairs and Special Assistant to the International President of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers. A loving father, husband, and friend, Abe passed away, at just 35, on Thursday, April 14, 2011, at INOVA Fairfax Hospital in Virginia from brain tumor complications.

Abe was born in 1976 in Binghamton, New York to Ray and Carol Breehey. He received his Bachelor's Degree from Sienna College in Loudonville, NY, his Master's Degree in Public Policy from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University of Albany, and graduated from the Trade Union Program at Harvard Law School. Prior to joining the Boilermakers in 2004, Abe served as Legislative Assistant for Representative Lloyd Doggett (TX-25).

Throughout his life, Abe championed fundamental labor rights. He represented the Boilermakers on issues regarding the effects of energy policy and climate change on workers. Abe also testified in front of multiple U.S. Senate Committees and represented the Boilermakers in international negotiations regarding the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In addition, Abe advised the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department as Chairman of the Department's Legislative Task Force.

Abe was a leading voice in the labor movement and was widely respected by his friends and colleagues. He was known for his passion, his warm personality, and his negotiating skill to merge both ideological and political goals into a practical solution.

Abe is survived by his wife, Sonya, his beloved daughter, Abigail, his father, Ray, his mother, Carol, and his sister, Rachel. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Breehey family. Abe was a good man who will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and the labor movement which he represented.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tommy Marsh as a winner of the second annual Lessons of the African-American Experience Creative Writing Contest.

Tommy is currently in the fifth grade at North Stonington Elementary School, which is located in North Stonington, Connecticut.

In celebration of Black History Month, I sponsored a creative writing contest for all third through eighth grade students within the Second District. As we know, Black History Month is a time to reflect on the struggles and triumphs of our nation's past. The lessons learned during this month continue to serve as the stepping stones of our nation's future. Tommy's essay eloquently embraces this belief.

Tommy's essay shows a remarkable enthusiasm for learning that is inspiring to all. He creatively discusses Rosa Parks and Wael Ghonim, describing how one defiant act has the power to affect an entire nation. For this, his essay was among the winners selected.

Mr. Speaker, today I am reintroducing legislation to improve a component of our Medicare program that has left many without coverage of needed services and guaranteed benefits. My legislation, the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act, will allow time spent on hospital observation status to count towards a three-day qualifying hospital stay requirement for skilled nursing care services. Under current regulations established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), only those that have received an inpatient designation and have a hospital stay of at least three days, qualify for Medicare coverage of skilled nursing care. Those on observation status, which is often indistinguishable from inpatient care, are excluded from this coverage because of an outdated and unfair CMS policy.

Our systems of care have changed, and so should our Medicare policies. This point has been reiterated in cases heard by administrative law judges involving Medicare coverage of skilled care and observation status designations. Many of these cases have supported the notion that Medicare should cover skilled nursing care, regardless if the patient's qualifying hospital stay is as an inpatient or on observation status. While administrative law judges have often supported patients in these cases, the CMS policy creates a system with arbitrary winners and losers, based on access to legal appeals. My legislation will fix this broken system.

The Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act will count time spent in hospital observation status towards the three-day hospital stay requirement for skilled nursing care. My bill will also establish a 90- day appeals period following passage for those that have been denied coverage after January 1, 2011 due to this CMS policy. The appeals process will allow those that have a qualifying hospital stay--either as an inpatient or on observation status--after January 1, 2011 to be eligible for skilled nursing care. While I believe that the legislative text clarifies that the appeals process is available to any Medicare beneficiary that has been denied coverage after January 1, 2011 due to this policy, there should be no doubt as to my congressional intent. It is my intent that any individual, regardless of whether an initial appeals process has expired, can appeal during the 90-day window following passage so long as their hospital stay and subsequent denial of skilled care occurred after January 1, 2011.

I also want to thank the Center for Medicare Advocacy for bringing to light the impact of this broken policy. I look forward to working with the Center and the other organizations that have expressed their support of this legislation to bring resolution to this issue that has negatively impacted many of my constituents, and patients and families across the country, for far too long.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Laura Elizabeth Hahn from Colchester, Connecticut on her selection into the Army Reserve Teen Panel. The honorable members of the Army Reserve make enormous sacrifices to guarantee the security of our great nation. In addition, their family members bravely make sacrifices every day in order to allow the soldiers to continue serving the nation. We recognize that this environment is often the hardest on children, who have to deal with unique pressures at a young age. This is why the Army Reserve Teen Panel, a select group of 30 high school students who represent and advocate for Army Reserve youth globally, exists and this is why Laura's selection should be honored.

Laura is currently a sophomore at Bacon Academy in Colchester, where she is an honors student. At Bacon Academy, Laura is also a varsity cross-country runner, a member of the Junior Engineering Technology Society, and a participant in the Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Club. Prior to her selection as a member of the Army Reserve Teen Panel, Laura has had experience serving as an ambassador; first with People to People in England and France, and more recently with the Trinity Lutheran Church as a youth delegate to the ELCA youth gathering in New Orleans. These experiences have well prepared Laura to fulfill all of her responsibilities as a member of the Army Reserve Teen Panel.

As a member of the Army Reserve Teen Panel, Laura will attend national panel conferences and serve as a junior mentor during Army Reserve Youth, Leadership, Education,

and Development summits. Laura will also be expected to volunteer in her community, write articles for the Army Reserve Teen Panel's quarterly newspaper, and prepare presentations to inform Army Reserve Leadership about the issues of Army Reserve youth. I am confident that Laura will excel in her position as a member of the Army Reserve Teen Panel.

I would like to offer my continued support of the Army Reserve Teen Panel and the bright young men and women like Laura who represent our Army Reserve youth. I would like to express my gratitude, once again, to the Army Reserve members who fight for America. Once again congratulations to Laura Hahn and thank you to the military personnel and their families who sacrifice so much for our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Yazmin Spearman as a winner of the second annual Lessons of the African-American Experience Creative Writing Contest. Yazmin is currently in the eighth grade at the Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication, which is located in New London, Connecticut.

In celebration of Black History Month, I sponsored a creative writing contest for all third through eighth grade students within the Second District. As we know, Black History Month is a time to reflect on the struggles and triumphs of our nation's past. The lessons learned during this month continue to serve as the stepping stones of our nation's future. Yazmin's essay ``African American Music History: The Reason I Remember Black History Month'' eloquently embraces this belief.

Yazmin's essay shows a remarkable enthusiasm for learning that is inspiring to all. She identifies the principles of perseverance and discipline as embodied by Marion Anderson and Stevie Wonder. Yazmin creatively discusses how their successes and failures encourage her dreams of becoming a musician. For this, her essay was among the winners selected.

Mr. Speaker, in 1965, when Medicare was passed, only 50 percent of America's seniors could afford to buy health insurance. That was not an accident. It was because the high risk of people over age 65 made that market basically uninsurable.

I'm from Connecticut. We know a little bit about insurance in the State of Connecticut. Looking at the Ryan Republican Medicare plan which would give seniors vouchers to go out and buy insurance, all we're asking for is to repeat history, which is where this country was in 1965.

We must protect a guaranteed benefit for seniors. We learned that lesson throughout the early 1900s through 1965. The Ryan plan takes us back to a time when seniors will be paying massive out-of-pocket costs. The CBO estimates it will triple out-of-pocket costs for seniors. It is the wrong way to go. President Obama's plan that he laid out yesterday, which is a thoughtful, intelligent approach to lower health care costs but protects a guaranteed benefit for seniors, is what this country needs and what our senior citizens need.

Mr. Speaker, among the many programs which others have talked about that would be blown up with this measure is the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, which is one of the most successful aspects of the health care law. Over 5,000 employers all across America, over half of the Fortune 500 companies--like Coca-Cola, General Electric, UTC, General Dynamics--have all signed up with this program, which, using the same principles as flood insurance, is buttressing and strengthening early retiree benefits which have been collapsing over the last 20 years.

These are the companies that are going to go out and hire people, particularly young people, because early retirement allows their workforce to have a natural change so that young people can find jobs. The economy created 200,000 last month. It is because of programs, like the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, which the health care law created. We should not end that program by passing this resolution. These employers have signed up in good faith, and that good faith deserves our commitment to follow through on the program that this country offered them. That's a strategy. That's a winning strategy to create jobs for this country.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the investment firm Goldman Sachs came out with an amazing statement, which is that $27 per barrel of oil today is the result of excessive speculation; it has no connection to supply and demand. What that means is a motorist in the State of Connecticut who is now paying $4 a gallon for gas should be paying only $3 a gallon; but all the speculation which oil delivery guys and gas station owners have been screaming about for the last 3 months is the factor that is driving up the price of gas.

Last year, the commodities trading commission in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform bill was given the authority to limit the amount of outside speculator participation in energy futures trading markets. They have not implemented those rules. It is time for them to act. It is time for the CFTC to issue these new rules and to protect America's consumers and small businesses.

U.S. Commodity Futures

Trading Commission,

Washington, DC, March 25, 2011.

Hon. Joe Courtney,

House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Dear Congressman Courtney: Thank you for writing to the

CFTC regarding speculation. The agency considers most letters

from Capitol Hill as ``comment'' letters on regulations being

promulgated. I, however, wanted to take a moment to respond

to your letter.

On Wednesday, oil prices reached nearly $106 per barrel--up

29 percent this year. Not since 2008, when many of us raised

concerns about excessive speculation, have prices been so

high. This comes at a time when a fairly high supply of oil

and stable demand exists. Obviously there are myriad factors

impacting prices: the Middle East, Japan and crude

transportation issues, to name a few. At the same time,

however, we have speculators coming into energy markets at

blistering pace. In fact, the latest data indicates that in

the energy sector, speculative positions are at an all-time

high--up 64 percent from June of 2008 when crude oil prices

touched $147.27 per barrel.

I'm not suggesting that speculation is bad. In fact we need

speculation and there is ample evidence (in addition to

common sense) that speculation can decrease volatility. On

the other hand, speculation can become excessive. In these

instances, as we may be seeing now and as I believe we saw in

2008 and even for some period in 2009, that excessive

speculation can impact prices. I'm not suggesting that

speculators are driving prices or that they are the cruise

control on prices. I do think, however, that they tap the gas

pedal at times.

I didn't come to this conclusion lightly and continue to

cite many studies, paper and quotes that make this same

connection between speculation and prices (not just in the

energy complex, but also in agricultural commodities and

metals).

As you know, Congress enhanced the CFTC's ability to

address excessive speculation as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall

Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Specifically, the

Act mandates that the agency implement speculative position

limits in the energy sector within 180 days. Obviously, that

deadline has long since passed, which is unfortunate to say

the least. I had urged the agency to implement limits on

time.

We heard three primary arguments against implementation

within the required implementation time period, that is, by

mid-January, 2011.

First, some have suggested that when the statute says the

Commission shall implement ``appropriate'' speculative

position limits, that the word ``appropriate'' could mean

that no limits whatsoever could be ``appropriate.'' As many

Members have said, this provision of the statute should not

be interpreted with such elasticity as to mean no limits

whatsoever. The reason Congress gave us the expedited

implementation date was precisely because Congress wanted the

agency to implement speculative position limits.

The second argument against implementing limits on time was

that if we were to do so, there would be market migration. In

essence, the suggestion is that if the CFTC set very

restrictive position limits, traders would simply trade in

other venues. First, there is the suggestion that the trading

will migrate to currently unregulated over-the-counter (OTC)

markets. These markets will, however, within months not

years, be regulated by the agency. The other suggestion is

that the trading will migrate to foreign boards of trades.

Both of these suggestions are based on the dubious premise

that limits the agency establishes would be overly

restrictive. There is nothing that requires us to set a

certain position limit level, and, in fact, I have always

said that we should err on the high side at first--precisely

to avoid any negative consequences--and re-calibrate as we

move forward and know more about the markets.

The third argument against implementing limits on time was

that the agency doesn't have the data to set reasonable, or

appropriate, position limits. This is the only argument of

the three that has limited merit. We do not yet have, and

will not have for a few more months (September at the

earliest) some of the OTC trading data that would facilitate

setting position limits. Those who don't support position

implementation now use that argument to say no limits should

be in place whatsoever. Congress required that we have

several limits: spot month, all month and aggregate month

limits for currently regulated exchanges. The law also

requires that we have those same three limits for OTC trading

(spot, all month and aggregate limits). Those who oppose

limits now don't agree that we could have already imposed

spot month limits on all contracts (including OTC trades)

using the available physical supply of the commodity. We

could have done those in January, we can do them now.

Similarly, we could have, should have and can now implement

limits for all months and aggregate limits for currently-

regulated exchanges. Finally, if there was a desire, I

believe we could have developed an appropriate formula to

impose limits on OTC trading for the very largest traders who

also use the currently-regulated exchanges. This limit would

have also had to err on the high side.

On summary, the agency could have implemented a speculative

position limits regime in January. We can still do them now.

I will continue to urge that we do so.

Thank you again for your letter. If I can ever be of

assistance on this, or any other matter, please don't

hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Bart Chilton,

Commissioner.

Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I rise today to honor Staff Sergeant Frank E. Adamski III of Moosup, Connecticut. Staff Sergeant Adamski was killed on March 29, 2011, by small arms fire during combat operations in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. More than a hundred people gathered in Plainfield today to honor him and his service to our nation.

Frank graduated from Plainfield High School in 2002 where he was a well-known and well-liked student athlete who played on the Panthers football team. Following graduation, Frank enlisted in the Army and served a combat tour in Iraq from January 2006 to February 2007. Most recently, he deployed to Afghanistan as a member of the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

Friends describe Frank as a bright young man who loved his country and was passionate about serving in the military. Moreover, he was a great family man as husband to Danielle Lee Adamski, also of Plainfield, and a father to Victoria, his one-year-old daughter. Sadly, he would have celebrated his 27th birthday last week as well as his 4th wedding anniversary.

These milestones, as well as the countless memories, make his passing all the more difficult for the family, friends and community who mourn his passing.

Sergeant Frank Adamski served his country bravely, and his dedication and patriotism serve as an inspiration to us all. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family in this difficult time. I ask my colleagues to join me and so many across eastern Connecticut in honoring the service and sacrifice of this young man.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Coach Jim Calhoun and the UConn men's basketball team for their win last night. That is the third national championship under Coach Calhoun, who hails from the Second Congressional District of eastern Connecticut.

This was a remarkable year. When the season started, they weren't even on the top 68 by Sports Illustrated. But under the leadership of Kemba Walker, three freshmen and a sophomore, they defied the odds, won 11 consecutive single-elimination games over the last 20-some-odd days, and prevailed last night

against a great Butler Bulldog team led by a great young coach, Coach Stevens.

Again, congratulations to Coach Calhoun, who is a great leader in the State of Connecticut and a great leader for student athletes.

Go Huskies.

Madam Speaker, a few hours ago, fiscal and public health safety and sanity prevailed when the Food and Drug Administration clarified an order on February 3 approving the drug Makena, which is an injectable medication for women at risk of preterm birth, one of the biggest health care challenges that our country faces. There are a half million premature births in this country. They cost the health care system $29 billion. They are the leading cause of infant mortality.

This new medication which the FDA approved on February 3 is promising, but it costs $1,500 per injection, $30,000 per pregnancy. At the same time, OB-GYNs in this country have been prescribing a compound alternative that costs only $20 per treatment per medication. And yet the order on February 3 indicated that there would only be exclusive treatments under the $1,500 medication.

The order this morning clarifies that there will be no exclusivity, that OB-GYNs will continue to be able to prescribe the cheaper alternative, but FDA retains its power to still require exclusivity.

For the sake of taxpayers and patients, Congress must keep a close eye on the FDA to not take away this option to OB-GYNs all across America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Army SGT Joshua R. Labbe for receiving the prestigious Silver Star--the third highest honor for valor in the Army. I also want to share with you a brief account of the remarkable story that earned him this award while serving in the Baghlan Province of Afghanistan.

Labbe, a former tight end on Stonington High School's football team, was raised in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. To the surprise of his family and friends but with their support, Joshua enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating, expressing his deep desire to make a difference. He did just that.

Joshua was awarded the Silver Star for leading his squadron through more than 6 hours of consecutive battles on October 6 of this year. He and his platoon began the day before dawn sweeping for mines in a mountainous region--one deemed critical in the fight to protect supply routes and crack down on drug trafficking in the province.

Not long after the operation had finished, Labbe and his squad came under heavy small arms fire from a group of Taliban fighters outnumbering them by roughly three to one. Following an order to retreat from their hillside position, Labbe returned--through enemy gunfire--to accompany several soldiers to safety including one who fell and had to be carried. Later, while towing a damaged truck in the midst of an ambush, Labbe provided cover fire--from close range and from an exposed position--for the recovery team. They all returned to base with no casualties.

Sergeant Labbe is one of just 195 soldiers to receive a Silver Star in Afghanistan since 2003. While this account provides only a glimpse of the heroic actions that earned him this honor, Joshua's contributions and deep devotion to protecting this country are clear. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating and honoring SGT Joshua R. Labbe for his service and sacrifice to this great nation.