Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 266, celebrating 90 years of United States-Polish diplomatic relations. It was April of 1919 when the United States first established a diplomatic relationship with the Polish Republic, and for nearly a century our two counties have worked together to maintain this important bond. Throughout the course of this lasting friendship, we have seen Poland overcome a period of communist rule and a legacy of foreign occupation to emerge as the free and democratic nation it is today, showing the great strength and resolve of the Polish people.

The mark of a great nation, however, is not measured solely by the distance of its own advancement, but by its ability and willingness to help advance and protect other nations in the world community. Poland has collaborated closely with the United States in efforts to promote democratization and human rights in regions beyond the nation's borders. Additionally, the great nation of Poland has assisted the United States in fundamental efforts to limit nuclear proliferation, facilitate regional cooperation in Eastern Europe, and reform the United Nations.

As a proud member of the Polish Caucus, it is my honor to recognize Poland for its indispensable support and committed partnership with the United States in advancing worldwide liberty. Poland has continually supported the United States, both militarily and diplomatically, in efforts aimed at combating global terrorism.

I am proud to say that my home state of Connecticut has one of the largest Polish-American populations in the country. Polish-Americans play an active role in the community through the many cultural and civic organizations established in my district. This includes the Greater Hartford Polish Cultural Club, which was proud to host the 61st Annual National Convention of the American Council for Polish Culture in August of this year. The continued celebration of the vibrant heritage of Polish-Americans is a testament to the strength of the enduring partnership between our two great nations.

It is with great appreciation for Poland's efforts in upholding the ideals of freedom that I rise in support of House Resolution 266, celebrating 90 years of United States-Polish diplomatic relations.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the nationwide effort to fight one of the most prevalent cancers in the United States. For 25 years, we have used the month of October to highlight the admirable work in the campaign against breast cancer while also recognizing that we still have a great fight ahead of us. While there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States, at least 40,000 more women are dying every year. One out of every eight women is afflicted, and my home state of Connecticut has the third highest rate of new breast cancer cases in the country.

Recently the fight turned personal for me and my hometown of East Hartford. Judy Geier, a local 14-year veteran firefighter, wife of a police officer, and mother of five, was diagnosed with breast cancer in July and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. She expects surgery and radiation treatment in the near future. I am proud of how Judy has shown strength and courage in this battle, and how the East Hartford Fire Department, led by Fire Chief John Oates, and the entire town have rallied around Geier and her family during this trying time.

This was exemplified with the work of the Department did to bring the Pink Heals Tour to East Hartford. Founded by Arizona firefighter, Mr. Dave Graybill, the Pink Heals Tour is engaged in a nationwide mission, armed with a caravan of pink fire trucks, to raise funds and involvement in communities to prevent and treat breast cancer. When the East Hartford firefighters learned of the Pink Heals Tour and its mission, they worked hard to bring the Tour to East Hartford on behalf of

Judy. Pink Heals obliged, adding a last-minute stop to their nationwide journey.

On October 1st, surrounded by the East Hartford Fire Department, community leaders, and the Geier Family, the Pink Heals Tour awarded Judy with a pink fire helmet in support of her admirable fight.

As a nation we have made significant strides to increase the survival rate and improve the lives of millions of women who have battled breast cancer. However, there is still a great amount of work to be done to raise awareness and improve access to preventive and treatment services for every woman. I am confident that with greater funding, increased awareness nationwide, and community support as displayed in East Hartford, we can come together and win this fight.

Madam Speaker, on October 7, 2009 I missed rollcall votes 756, 757, 758, 759 and 760. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' or ``aye'' on all.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 756, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, in rollcall No. 757, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 758, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 759, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 760, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 734, which expresses support for and honors September 17, 2009, as ``Constitution Day.'' September 17 is the day that our United States Constitution was signed in 1787, by 39 delegates from 12 states, including from Connecticut, Samuel Huntington, Oliver Wolcott, and Roger Sherman, whose statue resides in the crypt of this Capitol building.

My home state of Connecticut has a strong and proud connection to the founding principles and documents of this country. Roger Sherman was the only man to sign the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. Connecticut itself is known as the Constitution State, for its enactment of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the first written constitution of its kind.

The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was adopted by the Connecticut Colony in 1639 and established a government for the Connecticut Colony, based on the yearly election of a governor and six magistrates, two from each town in the Colony. These officials were chosen by the count of a written vote, and all freedmen who resided in the colony and had taken an oath of fidelity were eligible to cast their vote.

The Fundamental Orders established limits on the powers of government, emphasizing the power of the people to elect their leaders and act against them should those leaders ignore their concerns. Further, it defined the operating procedures of a government established by the people, of the people, and for the people, ensuring each elected magistrate a vote in matters of governance, and the governor a vote only in the event of a tie.

Many of the principles in the eleven sections of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut later were echoed in the familiar cadences of our great Constitution, which continues to represent the American ideal of a government consisting of a body of officials elected by the people to serve in their best interests.

It was Roger Sherman's ``Connecticut Compromise'', made during the Philadelphia Convention of 1787, which ensured fair representation for large and small states in the bicameral legislature which defines our body of Congress.

As a high school history teacher, I had the privilege of studying, learning, and teaching the Constitution. It is the innovation and undiminished endurance of the ideals of our Constitution for which I rise in support of

House Resolution 734 to express support for and honor September 17, 2009, as ``Constitution Day.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great loss in the world of music. I ask that this tribute penned by Albert Caswell of the Capitol Guide Service be placed in the Congressional Record. The Conductor Erich Kunzel, known as ``The Prince of Pops,'' was always a colorful showman who sold well over ten million recordings and for over two decades conducted the National Symphony on Memorial Day and Fourth of July concerts at the United States Capitol in Washington. As the founding conductor, he has directed the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra since its inception in 1977. He will be missed.

Orchestrating a Life

Orchestrating, a life . . .

The beats and measures, that which now forever so burn bright

. . .

All in the rhythms of our lives . . .

Are all of those songs which we now so leave behind . . .

Are all of those beats of our lives so in

time . . .

Composing, something so sublime . . .

All in how we lead, all in these our life-

times . . .

Composed, all in these our short lives . . .

In this, The Symphony of our lives . . . which we so now

leave behind!

Of this the leader of The Band, so very

fine . . .

As Erich, you so stood there so waving your baton . . .

All in what you so invoked, so inspired, so beautiful we now

so find . . .

Such emotion and masterpieces, with such rhyme . . .

As one of the greatest of all Maestros of our time . . .

As why Eric, for you the violins now so

cry . . .

And the drums so beat, for you now that you've died . . .

As that lone bugle plays taps, one last

time . . .

Thinking of you, the smiles and the tears we now so find . .

.

Of a gentle warm man, so very kind . . .

All because of the life you so conducted, which now so comes

to mind . . .

Like a great symphony Erich, what you so orchestrated all in

your time . . .

Thinking of you, we hear a rhapsody in blue . . . and now so

cry . . .

Knowing, that we have so lost such a wonderful guy . . .

But life, has only so many beats . . . and measures to define

. . .

What it is, that we have so left behind . . .

All in what we have so composed, all in these our times . . .

Magnifica, Maestro as is your life's Masterpiece so very

fine!

And now, Erich . . . there is music in Heaven so sublime . .

.

All because of the kind of life, that you have so

orchestrated in your time!

In heaven now, waving his baton . . .

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 3221--the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. This bill makes the single-largest investment in student aid in our nation's history and will increase opportunities for our workforce to expand their skills through community colleges. I would like to thank Chairman Miller for working with me to include in the bill legislation that I offered to expand the mission of community college computer labs as a hub for training our nation's workers. Specifically the addition of Section 503 (f)(8) allows funds for community college reform to be used for the purpose of ``providing information technology training for students and members of the public seeking to improve their computer literacy and information technology skills through public accessibility to community college computer labs and information technology training providing on weeknights and weekends by an employee of a community college who is capable of basic computer instruction.''

I.am a strong supporter of our nation's community colleges and believe they represent an invaluable and untapped information hub within our communities. By participating in the program set forth by the bill and simply keeping their computer labs open to the public for 20 hours a week on weeknights and 10 hours a week on weekends, our community colleges would provide individuals the ability to gain the skills they need to move into a new job or advance in their current job. Further, to ensure that the time spent in the computer labs will help build those information technology skills, the community colleges should be required to have an instructor from the college present to provide basic computer instruction during those hours. Access to this instruction should also be free of charge and accessible to students and members of the public.

In order to provide this access to the computer labs my intent when drafting this language was to allow community colleges to access funds for the maintenance, administration and improvement of computer labs, which includes: staffing facilities; purchasing computer equipment, which includes hardware and software; maintaining, repairing, and replacing technology equipment; maintaining and securing facilities; and providing utilities for the facilities and computer equipment.

Once again, I thank Chairman Miller for his hard work on this legislation and urge its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3631--Medicare Premium Fairness Act. I commend Congresswoman Titus for her efforts on this issue and also would like to recognize Chairmen Rangel, Waxman, Stark, Dingell and Pallone for their tireless work.

Today Congress acted to ensure that some of our nation's most vulnerable citizens do not face a dramatic increase in their Medicare Part B premiums. During these difficult economic times we must make the right choices to protect our senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. Without this measure that we are acting on today, many of my constituents in the First Congressional district and individuals and families across the country would be faced with an increase in the cost of their health care that they simply can't afford.

I am pleased that there is bipartisan consensus on this legislation and hope to build upon this effort to protect and strengthen Medicare as we move forward with health care reform. Once again I thank my colleagues for their hard work on this issue and urge the bill's passage.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 736, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 732, Kingston Motion to Adjourn, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Madam Speaker, on September 15, 2009 I missed rollcall vote 701. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in strong support of H.R. 3246, the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act, and I want to especially applaud Congressman Peters and Chairman Gordon, who I have had the honor to serve with on the Science Committee, and the distinguished ranking member, Mr. Hall, for his continued and outstanding commitment to science and technology and innovation. That's what moves the Nation forward. It's where his political career has been invested, in making sure that we continue to see America be the preeminent military, social, cultural, and economic leader in the world, and largely because of the embrace of technology and innovation like fuel cell technology.

We know, for example, that every time we replace a gasoline-powered bus with a fuel cell bus, it's equal to removing 77 cars from our roadways.

Hydrogen and fuel cell industries support in Connecticut some 2,100 jobs. With the vision that the chairman has laid out, that will only increase and expand across this country.

We had a young visionary President in the sixties who said that we could put a man on the moon within 10 years. We actually did it in nine. With this technology embracing the most abundant element in the universe, you can't tell me that we can't heat and cool our buildings and get people back and forth to their jobs if we make the appropriate investment.

When you look at the certification from NASA of our ability to utilize fuel cell technology in flight and also in our space station, you understand the great potential that it has. But unless you have the backing of a visionary leader like Bart Gordon, it will not come to fruition.

So, again, Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you and the committee for your commitment to this very important technology that seeks to advance our country and wean ourselves from dependency on foreign nations and help bring our troops home.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 3246, the Advanced Vehicle Technology Act, and applaud the efforts of Congressman Peters, Chairman Gordon, and his colleagues on the Science and Technology Committee for their contributions to the future of advanced automobile technologies in the U.S. As long as we are exporting our dollars overseas in exchange for oil, our economic and national security are at risk. The future of the American auto industry and thousands of American jobs rest on the ability of domestic car companies to research, develop, and commercialize new, clean, efficient technologies, including hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, that will be the backbone of a new U.S. vehicle market and economy.

Hydrogen fuel cells can provide power for a wide array of transportation applications. Fuel Cells are a proven technology and already in use today. In Hartford, CT, the transit department is using a fuel cell powered bus that emits no pollution. Every time we replace a gasoline powered bus with a fuel cell bus it is equal to removing 77 cars from our roadways. The hydrogen and fuel cell industry already supports 2,100 jobs in Connecticut alone and with this bill is poised to add many others.

Hydrogen fuel cells are clean and efficient and will allow us to become more energy independent while reducing carbon emissions. Supporting this bill will give us more options to create jobs in Connecticut, keep America competitive, and reduce pollution. I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this bill.