Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Clare M. Albom a consummate leader in physical education, safety, senior and women's issues in eastern Connecticut. On April 26, 2008, Clare passed away.

Clare was born in Ellington, Connecticut, on June 17, 1919. She attended Rockville High School and subsequently earned a B.A. in health, physical education and recreation from Arnold College in New Haven. After graduation, Clare moved to Pasadena, California, and assumed a position with the Aerojet Engineering Corporation, drafting blue prints for jet engines. After 2 years in Pasadena, Clare and her husband, Milton, returned to Rockville to raise a family.

Following the birth of her three children and the untimely death of her beloved husband, she began teaching with her alma mater, Rockville High School. For 15 years, she remained dedicated to girls' physical education at Rockville High School, teaching sports curriculum and forming the Girls' Athletic Activities Club (GAAC). The GAAC, which was a huge success, offered girls in the community an unprecedented opportunity to explore interests in individual and team sports. In 1971, the GAAC received national accolades, when the program was recognized as the most outstanding in the U.S.

Over the course of her career, Clare worked with the Connecticut State Department of Education, evaluating the quality of physical education programs across the State and conducting teacher workshops. Highlights included serving as a master bowling clinician for the Lifetime Sports Education Project and conducting bowling workshops for special education teachers withthe acclaimed Kennedy Institute. Her work in physical education has also been solidified in physical education textbooks and national manuals.

In addition to her work in the physical education community, Clare was a passionate advocate for children's safety. Between 1970 and 1979, she served as the supervisor of Health, Elementary and Girls' Physical Education in the Vernon school system. In 1974, she developed a safety education program which was recognized at the State level by the Connecticut Safety Commission. In 1978, she produced a film on bus safety, ``Alert and Alive,'' which also received State recognition by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles and national recognition at the National Highway Transportation Convention in Washington, D.C.

After retiring, Clare was asked by the Vernon mayor, Marie Herbst, to head up the Vernon Senior Center, which at the time was a very small program. Clare transformed the center into one of the most successful municipal senior centers in Connecticut. The center sponsored group trips in the U.S. and abroad, started ``The Golden Steppers'' dance program, a golf league, a bridge club, holiday events--the list goes on. Even more importantly, the center became an advocate in Vernon, the State capital, and Washington, DC, to create innovative assistance for seniors--ConnPACE, circuit breaks property tax relief and improvements to Social Security and Medicare.

As a State Representative for the town of Vernon I had the privilege to know and work with Clare for the last 22 years. She was a tireless advocate for the center, but even more importantly, for her progressive, compassionate vision of the Vernon community.

Madam Speaker, Clare lived an extraordinary life. Her advocacy and leadership roles in often overlooked issues, including girls' physical education, children's safety and opportunities for senior citizens, improved the lives of our friends and neighbors in Connecticut and across the Nation, and would change the status quo for future generations. I ask my colleagues to join with me and my constituents in recognizing her life and legacy and offering condolences to her family.

Mr. Speaker, last night, gas prices in New London, Connecticut reached $3.77 a gallon. When George Bush took office, they were $1.52 a gallon. Those prices are 72 cents higher than last year in New London County, 42 cents higher than just last month. Commercial fishermen on Long Island Sound have seen their fuel costs double, truck drivers have seen their diesel prices more than double in the last year.

Dozens of Members of Congress have written to President Bush asking him, with one stroke of the pen, to change the delivery schedule for the Strategic Petroleum Oil Reserve, which is a tried and true practice that he himself exercised in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina which brought down the price of gas by 40 cents at a time when the price per barrel was $75. Today, at $120 per barrel, it is time for President Bush to listen to the people of this country, Members of Congress, who are asking him to exercise his power to bring down the price of gas. And our Congress, the Democratic-led Congress, is going to keep the pressure on the President until he listens to the people of this country and avoids smothering our attempts to bring this country out of recession with the economic stimulus package.

Mr. Speaker, I want to salute Chairman Rahall and Subcommittee Chairman Grijalva for the hard work that both of these individuals did to bring this legislation to the floor today. It took persistent leadership to, again, get 61 measures all here, ready for vote and final passage and transmittal to the White House.

Included in this bill, section 344, is the language which was included in H.R. 986 legislation, which we debated and passed last July, the designation of the Eightmile River in Connecticut, Wild and Scenic designation. This is an effort that has taken 10 years in the State of Connecticut. It's a river that is 8 miles long, extends from East Haddam through Salem, into Lyme, and then to Hamburg Cove on Long Island Sound.

It is one of the most pristine treasures in a highly densely populated part of the country, one of the original colonies, where we respect property rights dearly in the State of Connecticut. Over that 10-year period, a balanced process was followed, which brought consensus among all the communities, bipartisan support, the Republican Governor of Connecticut, the entire delegation from Connecticut, and particularly Senator Dodd, who led the fight in the Senate for passage. And the communities who have worked so hard to preserve this extraordinary body of water are, again, anxious and excited to see final passage, which will take the Eightmile River and make it part of the family of rivers that have received the Wild and Scenic designation over the 40 years of that act's existence in this country, 160 rivers.

Again, I want to salute the Resources Committee for the hard work that they did to make sure that the Eightmile River plan will now become a reality.

Mr. Speaker, today our Nation joins with countries from around the world to celebrate Earth Day. Today, communities large and small, collectively come together to recognize past progress and develop new strategies to improve future environmental health. On this day of global environmental reflection, I rise to recognize two outstanding schools in my district, Woodstock and Brooklyn Middle Schools, which have worked to make eastern Connecticut a cleaner and more environmentally conscious community.

Between March 20 and April 10, 2008, Woodstock and Brooklyn Middle Schools embarked on a project, the ``Bad Bag Competition'', which explored the prevalence of plastic bag use in our country as well as its environmental implications. Plastic bags are everywhere, from grocery to department stores, and every year Americans consume an average of 100 billion. In order to produce our annual demand for plastic bags, 12 million barrels of oil are used. Reducing national demand for plastic bags has clear environmental benefits.

Throughout the ``Bad Bag Competition'', students from Woodstock and Brooklyn Middle Schools collected and recycled used plastic bags and educated our neighbors on the importance of using reusable bags. At the end of the competition, when all the bags were counted, Woodstock and Brooklyn Middle Schools collected 43,836 and 66,100 bags respectively. The petroleum that was used to produce these bags, which collectively totaled 109,936, could have fueled a vehicle for 7,853 miles.

Mr. Speaker, these students have exemplified the spirit of Earth Day. These students not only modified their own choices to be more environmentally responsible, but encouraged our neighbors to do the same. The impact of this project on our eastern Connecticut community has been great, and the multiplier effects are even greater. I ask my colleagues to join with me and my constituents in recognizing these students' achievements and to choose reusable bags instead of the proverbial ``paper or plastic.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary contributions of George Gerard and his auto mechanic team at Madison Auto Body Shop in Madison, Connecticut. Over the past 5 months, the Madison Auto Body Shop donated time, talent and resources to refurbishing a historic 9/11 Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle,

Madam Speaker, last week, I had the honor of participating in a wreath laying ceremony at the United States Navy Memorial to mark the 108th anniversary of the submarine force. The ceremony, held in front of the memorial's ``Lone Soldier,'' was a moving tribute to the proud heritage of our submarine force and the dedicated submariners who have silently protected our Nation for more than 100 years. And, over the last weekend, I was proud to attend Naval Submarine Base New London's annual submarine birthday ball.

For over a century, sailors have embarked on dangerous service in a place where human life was never meant to exist in order to silently protect our Nation. There is an irony to the fact that while our Nation owes much of its security over the past century to the submarine force, most Americans will never truly know all that the ``silent service'' has done to protect us.

2008 is an especially important year in the history of the submarine force, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the USS Nautilus' (SSN-571) journey across the North Pole in 1958, an unprecedented achievement by our sailors at a critical time for our Nation. The men aboard her on her historic journey set the pace for all those who followed in their footsteps.

Much has changed about our submarine force and the role of our submariners since the USS Holland (SS-1) first set sail in 1900. In World War I and World War II, our submarines were not much more than surface ships that could submerge for a short period before surfacing. Yet, in very dangerous conditions and with high casualty rates, submariners sank an estimated 6 million tons of enemy merchant ships and sank nearly one-third of the Japanese Navy's warships. The cost of their efforts were high: 52 submarines and over 3,600 men, at a rate of nearly one in four, were lost in the war. But their sacrifice helped bring us to victory and proved the submarine's role in the defense of our Nation.

In the Cold War, submariners played a key role as a critical strategic deterrent in our protracted struggle with the Soviet Union. Silently patrolling in waters across the world, our attack and ballistic missile submarine crews helped to secure an uneasy peace by ensuring that we were ready to respond at any moment. There were no victory medals when it was over, no parades for the countless young men who served on these critical yet silent front lines, but there is no doubt our Nation is forever indebted to them and the era they helped us overcome.

And, as the Cold War ended and new challenges emerged, the modern attack submarine fleet, consisting of the Los Angeles- and Virginia- class, emerged as our Nation's front line defense Today, our submariners are no less critical than the eras preceding us. We use submarines extensively around the globe, using their stealth to covertly gather intelligence briefed at the highest levels of our government. They are adapting and growing

to meeting the security challenges of the 21st century, and every day they remind us that submarines are, and will remain, at the core of our Nation's defense.

From the Holland, to the Nautilus, and to the newest boats in the fleet, the USS North Carolina (SSN-777) and USS New Hampshire (SSN- 778), the capabilities and technologies on board may have changed dramatically, but one thing has always stayed the same: The strength of any submarine has always come down to those who command and serve aboard her.

In my travels over the past year, I have met countless commanding officers and sailors--many of them young men doing some of the most important work on behalf of our security--who selflessly dedicate their lives in dangerous service.

Our sailors serve in the harshest of conditions around the globe, on long tours away from their families literally stacked on top of their crewmates, often cut off from the rest of the world. They make up the smallest portion of our Navy and their achievements are most often secret. But, there is no doubt that each and every one of them loves what they do on behalf of the security of our Nation.

Every submariner today serves upon the foundation built by those that came before them. At the core of their service over the past century has been a legacy is one of devotion, bravery and innovation. Without a doubt, today's submarine force is living up to that legacy and building one of their own for those who come after them to follow.

This is an exciting time for the submarine force. It is a time of great possibility and of new challenges. But, after spending time with sailors in the mess hall of a submarine submerged below the ice to building relationships with officers at the top of the chain of command, I am confident that our submariners will continue the proud legacy built by those who came before them.

I ask all my colleagues to join with me in extending our deep appreciation to those who have, and continue to, silently serve our Nation, their families, and to all our Armed Forces serving today around the globe.

Madam Chairman, I want to commend Chairman Miller for getting out ahead of the student lending issue before it becomes a full-fledged crisis. In March, the Education and Labor Committee heard testimony from the Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings, and we urged her to take steps then to ensure student lending contingency plans were in place in the event of further troubles. Frankly, I was disappointed to learn that she and her team were only ``monitoring the situation.''

It is imperative that students have uninterrupted access to student loans in the event that the mortgage crisis and credit crunch further ripple through the economy. Just yesterday, Citibank's student lending division announced it was going to stop lending at many

higher education institutions, though they wouldn't name which ones. This is troubling news since Citibank is the second largest originator of federal student loans.

I met with the Connecticut Commissioner of Higher Education and the Director of Financial Aid at the University of Connecticut last month and let me tell you--they are taking this issue seriously. Financial Aid offices across the state are communicating to students and families to finalize their education financing now. I have also personally taken part in getting the word out to my constituents as well.

Thankfully, Connecticut students also have backup from the state's own loan agency, the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority, with $31 million to lend.

Right now, we don't know how deep the effects will be, but it is prudent that students and their parents are given some relief now. This bill will steer borrowers away from costlier private loans and give parents more time to pay off PLUS loans. And it is crucial that Secretary Spellings has the authority now to advance federal funds if necessary.

The federal government rushed in to bail out Bear Stearns. It is only right that we make sure that the federal government is ready to assist millions of students and families if the need arises.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove Madeleine Bordallo, Ron Klein and John Barrow from H.R. 2833, the Preexisting Condition Exclusion Patient Protection Act of 2007.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congresswoman Woolsey for her leadership by managing this resolution this afternoon and for Congresswoman Foxx's strong support that she just articulated very powerfully.

As Congresswomen Woolsey and Foxx stated, the statistics that the resolution lays forth clearly show the grave seriousness of this problem of child abuse all across America. In addition, though, just to the horrible trauma to the victims of child abuse, which by itself would be reason to fight this problem, society pays a huge price due to the high incidence of alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, eating disorders, and criminal behavior that has been clearly shown to occur in the later lives of too many children who were abused and neglected.

Recent statistics, for example, show that 14 percent of all men in prison in the United States were abused as children and 36 percent of women in prison were abused as children. And it is easy sometimes to get very discouraged about the numbers that just seem to suggest a problem that is growing almost out of control. In Connecticut, the State where I come from, for example, in between 1990 and 2003, the incidence of reported child abuse actually doubled. But I would suggest that perhaps we should look at those numbers in a different fashion, because what is also happening out there is that as a country, we are prepared, as never before in the past, to confront this issue. Mandated reporting laws now require that doctors, mental health providers and professionals in all arrays of professions that deal with families and children are now required by law to report incidents of abuse which in the past would have been swept under the rug. And that is one of the reasons why the number of cases are going up.

In addition, I think we should also be encouraged by a smarter and more effective approach that is being developed to fight child abuse, the multidisciplinary teams that are pulling together police, social workers, prosecutors, health care providers, nurse practitioners and doctors who are now systematically working together to make sure, number one, that complaints are dealt with accurately, but also that victims are diagnosed, treated and interviewed in an organized fashion so that there is more effective prosecution of cases.

If it seems as though I may be a little bit passionate about this issue, it is because my wife, Audrey, has been a pediatric nurse practitioner for 18 years in Connecticut, has worked at Saint Francis Hospital at Hartford and Windham Hospital as part of the multidisciplinary team, again, that is employing the best techniques possible to make sure that complaints are handled intelligently, swiftly and also in a comprehensive fashion so that prosecutions are not lost or neglected due to the fact that we don't have systems in place to make sure that the cases are handled in an effective manner.

This resolution, I think, adds to both of those positive trends by putting the spotlight on this issue to make sure that we, as a country, are prepared to confront the issue, to talk about it openly, to talk about the numbers that are out there and the terrible consequences that we face as a society when we don't deal with the issue.

So hopefully this year, like prior years, as Congresswoman Foxx indicated, April will act as a month where awareness will continue to grow, that we are going to continue to, as a society, deal with this issue honestly and frankly so that, A, we will protect our children who are our most valuable national treasure, and, B, that we will have systems that are prepared to effectively prosecute and punish perpetrators, and finally, that we are going to treat and care for people who have been abused in such a terrible fashion, because it helps not only them, but it helps American society.

So again, I applaud Congresswoman Woolsey for bringing this measure out on the floor this afternoon and I urge unanimous passage when it comes up for a vote later this evening.

Madam Speaker, I rise in the well today to talk about an event that occurred last weekend on Saturday in Tolland, Connecticut, which is a suburban town about 20 miles east of Hartford.

The Connecticut State Dental Society held an open free clinic under a program called Mission of Mercy, which is a group of dentists around the country that organize operatories and equipment to go into communities and basically open the doors and say anybody who needs dental care, come and we will take care of you. The advertising for this event in Connecticut was modest. There were some TV public service announcements, there were some small notices in the press.

The Dental Society had organized about 180 dentists, a number of hygienists and staff to be with the group that morning. Much to their amazement, people started lining up for this event at 6 o'clock the prior evening, Friday evening, and by 4 o'clock in the morning, when the dentists actually arrived to start setting up the operation, there were already 350 people waiting in line to get their care. By 5 o'clock in the morning, the crowd had grown to the point where the Connecticut State Police had to come out and actually turn people away.

At about 5:30 in the morning, the heavens opened up. There was thunder, lightning, and it rained, it was pouring rain, hard rain on the crowd, and none would leave, because they were terrified of losing their place in line and being deprived of the opportunity to get an extraction, to get a filling, to get their teeth cleaned, because they were so desperate to get dental care. Looking at the pictures in the press the following day of people literally huddled in the rain waiting to try and get an opportunity to get their teeth taken care of, it really made you wonder what country are we living in.

Tolland, Connecticut, where this is being held, is suburban Connecticut. This is not a distressed area. This is not an urban area with large pockets of chronic poverty. It is a suburban area with working families and working individuals who definitely earn a paycheck and provide a standard of living that would be described as middle class for themselves and their families. But when I joined the dental clinic later in the day around 1 o'clock in the afternoon, 800 people were at that point lined up to be served. They had turned away hundreds of others. People were waiting in the stands of a gymnasium, waiting for an opportunity to get their teeth taken care of.

Now, why am I talking about this on the floor of the United States Congress? The reason is because there is

legislation that has been sitting on the President's desk, the SCHIP bill, the children's health insurance extension, over which there has been a lot of fighting and debating going on in this Chamber over the last few months or so.

One of the overlooked parts of that legislation is that in addition to standardizing a 300 percent poverty threshold so that working families would have an opportunity to have their children covered by health insurance, it would also strengthen the dental coverage under the SCHIP program.

If you talk to any dentist or any healthcare provider in this country, they will tell you that under the existing SCHIP program, the dental coverage is inadequate. That is why in those stands in that high school gymnasium there were families with children who have never had their teeth cleaned, who needed in some instances to have their teeth extracted because of the fact that they have no other type of decent coverage for their dental care.

Unfortunately, President Bush has twice vetoed this legislation, legislation that has been endorsed by the March of Dimes, by the Catholic Hospital Association, by the American Medical Association, by the Pharmaceutical Association of America, a broad consensus of stakeholders in the healthcare system that have come together and said if there is one area of dispute that we ought to agree on as Americans, it is that children should have their health insurance covered. In particular, we should make that sure that oral and dental healthcare is done in a fashion to make sure they are going to have a lifetime of decent dental care. Because if you talk to anyone who is in pediatrics, they will tell you that dental care, dentistry care, is essential to making sure that a young person will grow and thrive.

Well, what we saw in Connecticut on Saturday is I think a perfect example of how broken the system is. What is frustrating to me, and I think so many others, is that we have an opportunity with a piece of legislation to make a real difference in the lives of young children in America, to make sure that they will not be stuck in the pouring rain and in thunder and lightning, so they can get access to what I think almost any reasonable person would describe as basic, fundamental, decent healthcare.

Madam Speaker, I have a copy of the Hartford Courant coverage of this extraordinary event that took place in Connecticut from the Sunday Hartford Courant edition which I am going to ask to be made part of the Record. I would just like to read the final passage of the article, which described a 67-year-old Stafford Springs woman, which is, again, a suburb of Connecticut.

``As she walked back to her parking lot with no umbrella, soaking wet from the rain, struggling to catch her breath from the walk, the woman said she had come to get her tooth pulled, but already knew she would never get in. Like the others, she can't afford dental insurance.'' When she was asked what she was going to do, she said, ``Just going to pray, I guess.''

She should be able to ask for more than that. She should ask for real action by this Congress to pass healthcare legislation so that Americans will get the care they need.

Madam Speaker, I include the article for the Record.

[From Courant.com, April 13, 2008]

Many Turned Away From Free Dental Care Clinic

(By Colin Poitras)

The line of taillights glowing in the pre-dawn darkness

snaked back nearly a mile from the old Tolland High School on

Saturday.

Closer to the school, people were walking along the side of

the road, a steady stream of dark silhouettes rising out of

the morning mist like refugees in a war zone.

There were elderly couples clutching their canes, hunched-

over veterans, single mothers with young children in tow. A

woman on crutches limping along.

It was 5 a.m., and they came by the hundreds, a throng of

pilgrims with a common goal--free dental care.

Some heard about it on the radio, others saw it on TV or

read about it in the newspaper. Connecticut's Mission of

Mercy, the first ever single, large-scale free dental clinic

to be offered in the state.

``This shows we have a broken system and have to find some

way to correct it,'' said Dr. Bob Schreibman, a Glastonbury

pediatric dentist and one of the Connecticut mission's

organizers. ``This is not a solution. This is a stop-gap

measure to address people's immediate needs. This points out

there is a huge need even in this, the richest state in the

country.''

Inside the school, more than 190 volunteer dentists were

waiting along with 800 volunteers. Free fillings, check-ups,

extractions. No questions asked.

The high school's cafeteria and gym were outfitted like a

field hospital, with 60 dental chairs shipped in from the

Midwest, portable X-ray machines and boxes upon boxes of

latex gloves and sterilized dental tools.

The crush of patients was so large that by 7 a.m., people

were being turned away.

When Carol Dingledey, executive director of the Connecticut

State Dental Association, arrived to set up at 4 a.m., there

were already 350 people outside the door. Some came the night

before and camped out. Others drove hours in the dark hoping

to be seen.

``It just goes to show you how many people don't have

dental insurance,'' said Mary, a 70-year-old woman, standing

in a line of about 100 people outside the school at 5:30

a.m.

Leaning on her cane, Mary, who didn't want to give her last

name, said she spent her entire life working and raising nine

children and grandchildren. Now on limited income, she can't

afford dental insurance, never mind pay fees out of her

pocket. She hasn't been to a dentist in eight years. Her

teeth hurt. She needs a filling, and a cap had come off.

``I've never been on welfare; I've never had to struggle to

get by,'' Mary said. ``But here it is. This is the bottom of

the line. I'm just trying to get by.''

About a half-mile away in the parking lot of the new

Tolland High School, where organizers had set up a shuttle

parking area, Rhonda Slattery, 54, sat in her motorized

wheelchair waiting for her husband, Joe. They had just

finished the hourlong ride from Barkhamsted and weren't sure

the school bus shuttling people to the make-shift clinic was

handicapped accessible.

``I'm just amazed at the number of people here at this hour

of the morning,'' said Rhonda Slattery, whose limited Social

Security disability income makes it difficult for her to

afford dental care.

As she spoke, the sky opened up and it started to rain.

Hard.

Inside the school at 7 a.m., what could be the largest

waiting room in Connecticut was packed to its 700- seat

capacity. The auditorium was full of people: more retirees,

working people, college kids, entire families. Some huddled

under blankets. Others sat quietly, waiting for their number

to be called, many of their faces swollen or creased in pain.

In the triage area just outside the auditorium, dentists

peered into people's mouths with portable flashlights. Nurses

and dental assistants hustled about--checking blood

pressures, taking X-rays, injecting Novocain.

In the gymnasium, down the hall the high-pitched whine of

dental drills floated above the crowd as dozens of dentists

treated patients. Those awaiting care sat in the bleachers,

then moved to metal folding chairs before reaching the dental

chairs. A squad of stand-by dentists stood off to the side,

scrubbed and ready, waiting to replace their peers when their

hands cramped and they needed a break.

The two-day clinic opened at 5 and the work would not stop

until 5 p.m. Today it continues from 5 a.m. to noon.

Sitting among the throng were Susan and Brian Boyce of

Eastford, both 41, who came to the clinic with their seven

children--from age 12 down to 11 months. (The baby was just

along for the ride.) Brian is an executive director at the

Porter and Chester Institute. Susan is a registered nurse who

stays home with the kids.

But they don't have dental insurance and with annual dental

check-ups costing more than $1,000 a year, paying for even

routine dental care is difficult, they said.

``The dentists don't take payment plans, they want the

money up front, and that's a big chunk of money when you try

to go every year,'' Susan said.

Shortly after 7 a.m. the clinic was maxed out. Organizers

began turning people away at the door. The backlog was so

deep that it would take the rest of the day just to treat

those already there. Later in the morning, the clinic

reopened briefly, and another 100 or so patients were let in.

It abruptly closed again by 10 a.m.

For some, the clinic is a blessing, a reprieve from their

aches and pain. But for those who didn't get inside, the

struggle continues. Many in the pre-dawn dark turned back

upon seeing the long line.

``It's pretty bad,'' said one 67-year-old Stafford Springs

woman, as she walked back to the parking lot with no

umbrella, soaking wet from the rain. Struggling to catch her

breath from the walk, the woman said she had come to get her

tooth pulled at 5 a.m. but already knew she'd never get in.

Like the others, she can't afford dental insurance.

As she climbed into her car, the woman was asked what she

was going to do. Water dripped off her hair as she wearily

shook her head.

``Just going to pray, I guess.''

Madam Speaker, on March 25, 2008, we celebrated the 187th anniversary of Greek independence. I join with millions of Greek Americans in Connecticut and across the country in marking the anniversary of the successful rebellion of the Greek people against the Ottoman Empire.

This anniversary offers us an opportunity to reflect on the long standing bonds between Greece and the United States. Our Founding Fathers drew from the ideals of ancient Greece, whose leaders wrote about the ideas of a republic. Thomas Jefferson called ancient Greece the ``light which led ourselves out of Gothic darkness.'' In turn, Greek patriot Adamantios Koraes in 1823 collaborated with Jefferson on the construction of a new constitution for Greece, drawing on the tenets of America's groundbreaking democracy.

Following the Greek War of Independence. Greeks came to study at American universities at the urging of missionaries. But the real surge in Greek immigration came later in the 19th century, when newly arrived Greek Americans provided a catalyst for our Nation's economic growth, working in textile mills and on railroads across New England and in businesses across America. The Greeks who had provided inspiration for our democracy, now directly delivered their commitment to family and hard work to form strong communities in New York, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Hartford, and across eastern Connecticut to add to the fabric of our American society. Today, over 3 million Americans claim Greek heritage, the descendants of the fathers and mothers of democracy.

As we recognize this important anniversary of Greek independence, I join in delivering the best wishes and congratulations from the American people to the people of Greece. We celebrate the historic ties between our two nations, and the legacy of democracy we have together shared with the world.

Madam Speaker, for over three decades, Dr. Frederick ``Skip'' Berrien has been a prominent figure in Connecticut's medical, academic, and child welfare communities. This month, he will retire as the director for the Child Abuse/Children's Advocacy Center at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. I rise today to recognize and celebrate his illustrious career and his contributions to our friends and neighbors in Connecticut.

Between 1980 and 1987, Dr. Berrien served as the director of pediatrics and acting medical director in general pediatrics at the UConn/Mount Sinai Health Center. Following his tenure at the UConn/ Mount Sinai Health Center, Dr. Berrien assumed an associate director position for pediatric ambulatory services at Saint Francis Hospital. He subsequently served as director of pediatric ambulatory services, clinical director for sickle cell services, co-director of the Siberian American Children's Health Program, and director of child abuse services/Children's Advocacy Center at St. Francis. Beginning in 2001, Dr. Berrien joined the Connecticut Children's Medical Center as a consultant for the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect Program.

While the size and scope of Skip's medical career is clear, his contributions to the academic and social services community have also been substantial. From 1977 to 1979, Dr. Berrien was a clinical instructor at Boston University and from 1980 until present, an associate professor of clinical pediatrics at UConn School of Medicine. His original research ranges from the state of Russian pediatric health care to pediatric sickle cell pain management. His work in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union, established new, enduring partnerships with Russian doctors that has benefited both countries.

Dr. Berrien has added to his role of providing and teaching pediatric care, to serving as a forceful advocate for issues such as prevention of child abuse and neglect. In the early 1990's, he was instrumental with developing the Child Abuse/Children's Advocacy Center at St. Francis Hospital. At the time there was no program at all to deal with this critical unmet need in central Connecticut. Today as Dr. Berrien leaves, the center is one of the most respected such programs in the country and has brought both compassion and justice to this challenging area of law and medicine. In addition, Skip remains an active participant of such organizations as the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, and the Hartford Multidisciplinary Intervention Child Abuse Team.

Medical professionals serve an invaluable role in our society. They are protectors of public health, and purveyors of hope and social justice. Throughout his career, Dr. Berrien has exemplified each of these roles. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me and my constituents with recognizing his contributions and offering our warmest wishes for his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Wellstone Parity Act. This legislation will move our country forward to a more intelligent,

humane, and cost-effective health care system.

Intelligent because it recognizes a scientific fact, that mental illness and disease can be diagnosed and treated like any physical illness and disease.

Humane because it will provide relief and care for millions who suffer needlessly.

And cost-effective because providing access to primary mental health treatment saves much more expensive catastrophic health care costs and increases productivity of workers suffering from illnesses such as depression and alcoholism.

This is not just a theoretical claim, Mr. Speaker. States like the State of Connecticut, which I come from, have had an operational parity bill for a number of years. It is precisely because of that fact that the carefully crafted language surrounding ERISA by the Education and Labor Committee was designed to protect existing parity laws for State- regulated health care plans. We did not want to have a bill that resulted in States ending up going backwards rather than forwards, and commissioners from States like Wisconsin and Connecticut weighed in and advised our committee to, again, make sure that we design the ERISA language carefully to protect State-regulated plans.

Finally, this legislation adheres to fiscally sound PAYGO rules. And on that note, I would again salute the work that's been done and will work to make sure that these policies in the bill will not stifle research and development for new medical cures and treatments to help those suffering from mental health and addiction problems.

Again, I urge passage of this strong, bipartisan legislation. It is long overdue that our country move in this direction.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an exemplary student Ledyard, Connecticut, Chelsea Bateman. On March 3 and 4, 2008. Chelsea will represent Connecticut in this year's Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW, Voice of Democracy national scholarship competition in Washington, DC.

For over six decades, the VFW has hosted the Voice of Democracy scholarship program for high school students from around the Nation. Every year, this program encourages students to reflect on ideas of patriotism and democracy in their essays. Thousands of students from Connecticut and across the Nation submitted responses to the 2007-2008 theme, ``My Role in Honoring America's Veterans'', which were evaluated at the local, regional, and State levels. Chelsea's audio essay was selected among thousands of submissions to represent the State of Connecticut at the VFW's Voice of Democracy national scholarship competition in Washington, DC.

Chelsea's response to this year's theme, ``My Role in Honoring America's Veterans'',

explores the significance of common, everyday actions that we all can take to honor our Nation's veterans. She contends that honoring our veterans in national day of celebration is important, but extending our support in simple everyday actions is perhaps the best way that we can display our gratitude.

Chelsea reflects on these ideas, discussing a visit to her WWII veteran grandfather, Pepe, at his retirement home. On the visit, she realized the impact of the smallest encouraging gesture from a nurse and the simple act of the family's visit had on her veteran grandfather. Through expressions of love, encouragement, and general thoughtfulness we are all able to honor America's veterans.

Simple actions can produce profound effects. Chelsea's insights will not only work to honor America's veterans, but will produce a kinder, more thoughtful society. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues to join with me and my constituents in recognizing Chelsea's achievement and fulfilling her ideas on honoring our Nation's veterans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the life and political legacy of former Connecticut State representative, Richard Tulisano. Richard passed away on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.

Richard was a giant in Connecticut State politics for over three decades. His political career began in 1976 when he was elected to represent the 29th District in Connecticut's General Assembly. During his tenure, he served as the chairman for the judiciary committee from 1979 to 1985 and 1987 to 1993 and the house majority whip until his retirement in 2001. Following retirement from the General Assembly, he served as chief of staff for House Speaker Moira Lyons, a position he would retain until his passing.

I had the privilege to serve with Richard during my tenure in Connecticut's General Assembly and saw firsthand his fearless defense of individual rights, freedom of speech, and tenacious advocacy for ``the little guy.'' He was known at times for a gruff exterior, but beneath it was a heart of pure gold. He taught me a lot about being a good legislator, but even more important about being a good person.

The outpouring of people and accolades in the wake of his passing was a testament of how revered and admired he was. Also his wife Beverley was as much a part of his wonderful life story. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me and my constituents in celebrating Richard's life and offering condolences to his family.