Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for designation of May 2010 as Mental Health Month. Designating May 2010 as Mental Health Month in America is a much needed step to help bring attention to the various challenges that the mentally ill face on a day to day basis which include not having access to appropriate medical care, affordable housing, job opportunities, and over-all economic security.

More than 57,000,000 people in the United States suffer from mental illness. Approximately 1 in 5 children and adolescents has a diagnosable mental disorder. A quarter of the members of the United States Armed Forces suffer from psychological or neurological injuries sustained from combat, including major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Tragically, more than half of all prison and jail inmates suffer from mental illness. It is also the leading cause of disability in the America. In 2005, over 32,000 individuals died by suicide in the United States, nearly twice the rate of homicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth between the ages of 15 and 24. In 2004, individuals age 65 and older comprised only 12.4 percent of the population, but accounted for 16.6 percent of all suicides.

Sadly, there are too many Americans with serious mental illness who do not have access to high quality and long-term mental health treatment, and fall through the cracks of our fragmented and underfunded mental health system. This is because the U.S. does not yet have a comprehensive and effective federal mental health system that can provide a single standard of high quality mental health treatment for all of our Nation's mentally ill--regardless of one's income or employment status.

The uninsured, underinsured, or Americans with low-incomes often receive their mental health services in emergency rooms, or in hospitals where they are ``stabilized,'' and then released with little or no follow-up care, medication, or housing services. This creates a ``revolving door'' cycle of hospitalizations, homelessness, unemployment, arrests, and incarceration that is the result of having an underfunded mental health system where mental health professionals do not have the optimal resources they need to provide medically appropriate care for the mentally ill and their families.

Many of our Nation's mentally ill become homeless, or are forced to live with family members or friends, because they can not afford housing due to skimpy Social Security Disability Checks, or the inability to maintain employment. Clearly, America must have a robust Federal affordable housing and employment program for the mentally ill, so those with mental illnesses have access to affordable housing, a job, and the respect and dignity that goes with being self-sufficient and productive.

Tragically, there are many uninsured or underinsured mentally ill Americans who can not afford to take medications for such debilitating illnesses as bipolar manic depression. This creates untold stress on families and friends who must deal with the unpredictable

and often inappropriate behaviors of the mentally ill who can become a danger to themselves or others if they do not take their medication on a regular basis.

I also urge my colleagues to support H.R. 676, ``The United States National Health Care Act,'' which would create a universal health care system where all mental health services would be fully covered, and there would be optimal funding for mental health facilities so the mentally ill could receive the long term and appropriate care needed to get well, and have a better quality of life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my former colleague Stephanie Tubbs Jones and to address a cause she championed for much of her career in the Congress. Campus safety is a very complex and important issue. We must protect students as they walk home from their late night studies and we must protect them when they arrive in their dorms or other forms of campus housing.

Our college and universities are more open now than they have been and serve more students than they were originally planned to serve. Often times, housing buildings are the oldest buildings on a campus. This is especially the case for fraternity and sorority housing. The Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act addresses the problem many colleges and universities face with housing and fire safety.

Mr. Speaker, what made Congresswoman Tubbs Jones such an effective Member of Congress was her keen ability to see a need and fill it. This bill carries her name and does just that. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill and urge its passage.

Madam Speaker, the number of children in foster care continues to rise in the United States. The current population exceeds 500,000 children. Most of these children are placed into foster care due to parental abuse or neglect making them vulnerable to adverse situations and negative social outcomes. Luckily, the foster care system serves as a safety net for our most vulnerable children. Therefore, both children and parents of the foster care system rely and depend on Congress to improve permanency and support systems for them.

Even though children who enter foster care remain in care for an average of thirty months many of them spend the majority of their childhood being placed from family to family. Without a permanent family, frequent moves from home-to-home and school-to-school creates a difficult level of instability to recover from. As a result, children face poor academic performance and higher rates of grade retention, absenteeism, tardiness, truancy, and dropout. Moreover, those that age out of the system do so without the necessary educational and job training skills. Quite naturally, these factors contribute to the risk of emotional and behavioral problems that lead to very negative future outcomes later in life. Therefore, it is necessary that Congress promotes the safety and well being of children placed into foster care.

I want to acknowledge all the individuals--including, foster parents, community advocates, mentors, and others--in the child welfare workforce for their dedication and commitment to improving outcomes for children placed into foster care.

I support H. Res. 1339 and hope that the month of May be designated as National Foster Care Month to provide an opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishments of the child welfare workforce, foster parents, advocacy community, and mentors and the positive impact they have on children's lives. I encourage my colleagues to support the resolution.

Madam Speaker, today we seek to do the right thing for our nation's inventors and innovative businesses--provide the United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO, with the resources for reliable and sustainable funding. This bill does this by giving the USPTO fee-setting authority, providing the USPTO with the authority to impose a 15 percent temporary surcharge for all of the USPTO's fees, and preventing fees that the USPTO collects from being diverted away from the agency for unrelated government programs. I strongly support this bill because it would help the USPTO hire additional examiners, help reduce the backlog of patent applications, and improve patent quality.

The USPTO is in the midst of a crisis. According to the Commerce Department's own

figures, the number of unexamined patents has ballooned to over 750,000. Moreover, the pendency time for a final disposition is 35 months--not counting appeals. Yet, despite it taking longer for the USPTO to do examination, many experts believe that the quality of patents has actually declined in recent years. Increased backlogs and poor patent quality affect not only the agency, they hurt American innovation, and delay our economic and jobs recovery.

While I support the current patent reform negotiations between the House and Senate, this bill will help to immediately begin to address the fiscal problems of the USPTO. I am still fully supportive of a larger patent reform effort and look forward to working with our Senate colleagues to bridge the gaps between the current House and Senate versions of reform. We are working with the Senate and have been engaged in discussions to make changes to their bill to improve patent quality and decrease the backlog. We want to continue to work with the Senate on the patent reform bill to get the best proposal. Our members in the House and their staffs have been working to resolve the differences between the House and Senate bills to address the needs of the innovation community. We remain open and willing to have a continuing dialogue with our colleagues in the Senate.

The USPTO does not take money from taxpayers. It is fully funded by user fees and generates revenues from those fees. Unfortunately, fees have been diverted to other uses, and this has made it difficult for the USPTO to hire and retain qualified examiners and address patent backlog issues.

Acknowledging these challenges, the USPTO has developed a number of initiatives to address its backlog and quality issues. These initiatives include giving patent examiners more time to do a quality examination of patent applications, targeted hiring of experienced professionals to become patent examiners, restructuring the incentives framework for examiners, and upgrading and improving the agency's information technology resources.

Together, these initiatives are expected to substantially improve quality and lower the backlog. However, these programs cannot be achieved without adequate funding, which the USPTO currently does not have.

Most of the fees the USPTO currently collects are statutorily set, and the fees are collected by the USPTO and deposited in the federal treasury. According to the Intellectual Properties Owners Association, IPO, $737 million in fees collected between 1991 and 2004 were never transferred back to the USPTO and instead remained in the general treasury fund for purposes unrelated to intellectual property. As an agency within the Department of Commerce, the USPTO is subject to the appropriations process and collected fees must be transferred back to the USPTO through a yearly appropriation.

It is time for Congress to stop the bleeding and step in. I have worked in a bipartisan manner in the past to solve the problem of fee diversion. The USPTO's problems are not out there on Wall Street or in the Gulf of Mexico, they are right here on our doorstep. People lose jobs when technology does not make it to the market. These are problems that are in our power to fix, and that we must fix, and that can be traced directly to the current fee structure which is cumbersome, reactionary, and at times arbitrary.

This bill requires the USPTO to consult with its stakeholder Public Advisory Committees before publishing a proposed fee change. It also requires a 45-day public comment period. And, to ensure continued close congressional oversight, it also includes a separate 45-day congressional comment period before fee changes can be implemented. Lastly, the bill will sunset this new authority in 10 years, giving Congress an opportunity to evaluate how well this grant of authority worked and whether it should be continued.

The anti-diversion and 15 percent surcharge language in the bill will help the Patent and Trademark Office address its pressing short-term budgetary needs. The provisions in this bill will go a long way to correct the USPTO's fiscal and infrastructure problems. Without stability the USPTO cannot hire examiners, upgrade IT systems, or institute important operational initiatives that are critical to the PTO's vitality. To remain strong in the increasingly competitive global market, the U.S. must have an efficient and effective patent office. This bill is one step to ensure the U.S. remains a technological leader now and going forward into the future.

Under the current system, fees often do not correspond to the realities of the USPTO's operations or needs. For example, under the current structure, patent applicants pay only about one-third of the costs associated with examination, regardless of whether the patent is granted. Fees are thus out of alignment in terms of what applicants pay and what they cost the office. Not only is this arguably not fair to successful patentees, it is inefficient.

Back-end fees are notoriously hard to predict, especially in an economic downturn. Thus, the agency gets stuck with budgets that do not correspond to its front-end services. The result is that the USPTO's hands are tied, and the agency cannot pursue much-needed modernization and improvements. Accordingly, pendency and quality worsen.

For those who wish to wait for a more comprehensive patent reform bill, I say this: we cannot afford to wait. The provisions of this bill are necessary to make sure that the USPTO has adequate funding, and we recognize the hurdles that lie ahead as we advance these provisions. We plan to work with the Appropriations Committee and the Congressional Budget Office to address any concerns they may have with this legislation. Without action USPTO fees are likely to be diverted, and we must pass this bill to correct this problem that has been going on for far too long. Nothing is more critical to the health of the USPTO than to have the sort of long-term budget stability that this bill will provide.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1362) celebrating the life and achievements of Lena Mary Calhoun Horne and honoring her for her triumphs against racial discrimination and her steadfast commitment to the civil rights of all people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, Lena Horne has now left us, but she has been known around the world as an outstanding actress, singer, and civil rights advocate. And this resolution honors her pioneering success, her unwavering commitment to advancing the civil rights and human rights of all people.

She went on to break numerous racial barriers as a beautiful, talented, gifted artist, and there are very few people who don't remember her. She received four Grammy awards, a Tony award, the highest honor--the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Image award, in 1984 the Kennedy Center Honor, and she was a star at MGM studios. She used her own resources to travel during World War II to entertain troops. She did refuse at that time to sing before any segregated audiences.

She marched with Medgar Evers in Mississippi, and she was honored to know and work with Eleanor Roosevelt.

What a legend, what a life, and what a great contribution to this country she made.

Mr. Speaker, on May 9, the actress and civil rights advocate Lena Mary Calhoun Horne passed away at the age of 92. Today the House considers a resolution to honor her pioneering success and her unwavering commitment to advancing the civil rights of all people.

Born in Brooklyn in 1917, Ms. Horne began her prolific career at Harlem's famed Cotton Club at the age of 16 as a chorus-singer, and debuted on Broadway just a year later in the 1934 musical Dance With Your Gods.

She would go on to break numerous racial barriers in the 1940s American entertainment industry--including being the first African American woman to perform with a white band

ensemble, and among the first to sign a long-term Hollywood film studio contract.

Ms. Horne's films gained her national and international acclaim--her performance of the title song to the 1943 film Stormy Weather is still the standard rendition.

Ms. Horne won numerous accolades during her career, among them:

Four Grammy Awards, including the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989;

A Tony Award for her one-woman show, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music;

A National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Award in 1999; and

A Kennedy Center Honor in 1984.

But her success did not come without trial--Ms. Horne, like a generation of African American performers, had to overcome the entertainment industry's entrenched race-based discrimination.

Despite her groundbreaking contract with MGM studios, Ms. Horne was never featured in a leading role during the 1940s and 50s because her films had to be re-edited for theaters in the segregated southern States.

Her outspoken political views may also have landed her on Hollywood ``blacklists'' in the 1950s, further hindering her film and recording career.

Ms. Horne used her own money to travel during World War II to entertain the troops, and while she performed at Army camps with the U.S.O., she became an outspoken critic of how the military treated its black servicemen.

She refused to sing before segregated audiences, or groups in which German prisoners of war were seated in front of black American soldiers.

During the 1940s, she sued a number of restaurants and theaters for racial discrimination, and she participated in numerous civil rights rallies and demonstrations.

She marched with Medgar Evers in Mississippi, performed at rallies throughout the country for the National Council of Negro Women, and took part in the March on Washington in August 1963 at which the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his ``I Have a Dream'' speech.

She also worked with Eleanor Roosevelt to pass anti-lynching legislation.

Her courageous commitment to civil rights perhaps began as a toddler, when her grandmother--the suffragette and civil rights advocate Cora Calhoun--enrolled her as an NAACP member at the age of 2.

Actively recording and speaking into her 80s, she will forever be remembered as a consummate professional and trailblazer.

She helped to usher in the end of Hollywood's derogatory portrayals of African Americans as servants and African natives, and she did so with unwavering poise and grace.

She led the way for generations of women and African Americans, and I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution to recognize her achievements.

I reserve my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to Danny Davis, our dear friend from Chicago, Illinois, as much time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests for speakers. I know that there will be many Members that will be inserting their own statements in the Record.

I yield back the balance of my time as well.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3333) to extend the statutory license for secondary transmissions under title 17, United States Code, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher) and ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control that time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 reauthorizes the satellite compulsory license until December 31, 2014, and modernizes the copyright licenses for satellite and cable television.

This has required an amazing amount of negotiation, not only between the members of the two committees involved, but as well among the many major players in this very complicated area of technology. For more than a year, there have been hearings, discussions, fact-finding among the four committees, local broadcasters, copyright owners, satellite companies, and here is what has resulted:

We have been able to resolve the phantom signal problem in the cable case. We have been able to make it possible for all satellite consumers to get their local broadcast programming. And then we have the satellite companies. We have created a way for them to use the license where there is a multicast.

And so we join with a wide variety of dedicated leaders in the House so that local broadcasters can send several streams of programming over one digital system.

And I thank my friend Rick Boucher for his dual role in this very long operation. And, of course, as unusual, Lamar Smith has been invaluable, as well as Chairman Henry Waxman and Ranking Member Joe Barton of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

It was not easy to develop this consensus between very strong entities in this technology, but I am happy to bring this bill to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, the ``Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010'' reauthorizes the satellite compulsory license until December 31, 2014, and modernizes the copyright licenses for satellite and cable television.

The bill before us today is based on H.R. 3570, legislation I introduced last September, which was reported by our committee unanimously, combined with legislation reported by the Energy and Commerce Committee, and passed by the House overwhelmingly in December.

It includes a small number of further clarifications worked out in bipartisan coordination between our two Committees and our Senate counterparts.

It is the product of more than a year of hearings, fact-finding, and extensive discussions between the four Committees and local broadcasters, copyright owners, satellite companies, cable companies, public television, consumer groups, the Copyright Office, and other experts.

The result is licenses that meet the challenges of the digital age to enhance the efficiency and competition that provides consumers with more--and better--options.

First, the bill solves the so-called ``phantom signal'' problem in the cable license.

Under current law, cable companies have believed they were being asked to pay for programming that not all their customers were receiving. At the same time, copyright owners have believed that they were underpaid.

After much negotiation, this bill designs a new way to calculate cable license royalties. Now cable providers have more certainty, and copyright owners get more compensation.

Second, the bill makes it possible for all satellite consumers to get their local broadcast programming.

Under current law, DISH network is not permitted to use the Section 119 satellite license. At the same time, there are many television markets where customers do not get local programming with their satellite service. This is because rebroadcasting local programming takes money and satellite space.

If the market is too small, satellite companies don't offer the service. Some of these customers live in rural areas, and cannot even get their local networks over the air.

Every customer should be able to get local news, weather, and sports. So to close this service gap, DISH will get to use the Section 119 license again if, and only if, it accepts the burden of local programming in every single market.

We have worked together to make sure this deal is as fair as possible to copyright owners, local broadcasters, and consumers.

Third, this bill explains how satellite companies can use the license when there is a ``multicast.''

For the first time, local broadcasters can now send several streams of programming over one digital signal. This is called ``multicasting.''

Satellite companies are only allowed to use the license to give substitute programming to customers who don't get network from their local broadcaster. We call those customers ``unserved.''

But there was confusion over whether a customer was considered ``unserved'' if it got a network by multicasting, instead of over the air.

Now it will be clear that a household is considered ``served'' no matter how it gets the signal from its local broadcaster. However, because this is a significant change, satellite providers will also be allowed some time to transition to this new system. That way there will be minimal disruption for consumers.

Finally, this bill provides a badly-needed audit right for copyright owners. For the first time, copyright owners can check and make sure that cable and satellite companies are paying them fairly.

Among the many Members who have contributed to the progress of this important legislation, I want to particularly thank my good friend from Virginia, Rick Boucher, for his invaluable contributions in his dual role as a senior Member of our Committee and the Chair of the Telecommunications Subcommittee.

I also want to thank Ranking Member Lamar Smith for helping us work to improve the bill in several ways, and Henry Waxman and Joe Barton, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, for working with us to develop this consensus product.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1261, a resolution to recognize National Nurses Week and acknowledge the importance of quality nurse education programs.

The crucial role of nurses in our health care system cannot be overstated. Across the country, dedicated nurses work tirelessly to ensure that their patients receive quality care. In addition to their countless clinical responsibilities, nurses are a source of medical knowledge and compassion for families and patients when they are going through difficult times.

Sadly, many talented nurses are forced from their profession because of injuries sustained while on the job. Every year, thousands of nurses and health care workers sustain back and neck injuries while lifting or transferring patients. Not only are these injuries very expensive for hospitals and providers because of costs that are associated with workers' compensation, retraining and replacement, but they are also often devastating to the personal and professional lives of nurses. Fortunately, the musculoskeletal injuries in facilities that use assistive patient handling have significantly decreased. That is why I have introduced H.R. 2381, the ``Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act of 2009.'' This legislation would require the Secretary of Labor to promulgate a rule creating a standard for safe patient handling to prevent more nurses from being injured while assisting patients. Additionally, health facilities would be required to purchase an adequate number of mechanical lifting devices. Senator Franken has introduced the companion bill, and just yesterday the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety held a hearing on this critical issue.

I commend my friend Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson for introducing H. Res. 1261 which honors the necessary and valuable work that nurses do every day. I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday May 4th, Legendary Detroit Tigers hall of fame announcer Ernie Harwell died at the age of 92 after a yearlong battle with cancer. Harwell had one of the longest runs of a broadcaster with one major league club, calling Tigers games for 42 seasons.

Harwell had been a big-league announcer for more than 10 years when he joined the Tigers broadcast team in 1960. He called Tiger games for 42 seasons. In 55 seasons of broadcasting big-league baseball, he missed two games, neither because of his health. One was for his brother's funeral in 1968 and the other was for his induction into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1989.

His career is woven into the fabric of baseball's history. When he was calling games in Atlanta, he interviewed a young impressive hitter from the Boston Red Sox named Ted Williams. As a young man in Atlanta he met Babe Ruth. He was so excited that he didn't realize he had no paper to get an autograph from Babe. He got his autograph though and that experience was the title of his book, The Babe Signed My Shoe.

Madam Speaker, I don't know if summers in Detroit will be the same. Even though Ernie retired, his voice echoed in Tiger Stadium, Comerica Park and anywhere the Tigers were discussed. Throughout his time in the booth Ernie was able to bring Detroiters together even in our most trying times. Many Detroiters of my generation know where we were and who we were with when the Tigers won the World Series in 1968. We were all in different places, but we were all with Ernie. He was with us for every great game and every great Tiger's memory.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague to congratulate the National Urban League for 100 years of service to the people of America.

The Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negroes was established on September 29, 1910, in New York City. This group later became the Urban League. The group was formed to address the needs of African-Americans escaping the oppressive Jim Crow South. Opportunities in the North were few and far between and de facto segregation had forced many blacks into marginal roles in society. These conditions were still preferable to the state-imposed second-class citizenship of the South. In its first 10 years, after mergers with other groups fighting for gender equality and worker safety, the Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negroes changed its name to the National Urban League.

Even at its founding, the Urban League was an open and progressive organization. Mrs. Ruth Standish Baldwin, Dr. George Edmund Haynes and Professor Edwin R. A. Seligman of Columbia University all played critical leadership roles in the organization during its infancy.

The organization counseled black migrants from the South, helped train black social workers, and worked in various other ways to bring educational and employment opportunities to blacks. Its research into the problems blacks faced in employment opportunities, recreation, housing, health and sanitation, and education spurred the League's quick growth. By the end of World War I the organization had 81 staff members working in 30 cities.

The Urban League was a crucial supporter of A. Philip Randolph's 1941 March on Washington Movement to fight discrimination in defense work and in the armed services. Additionally, the Urban League hosted, at its New York headquarters, the planning meetings of A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders for the 1963 March on Washington.

Mr. Speaker, throughout its history, the Urban League has been on the right side of America's most pressing issues. Whether it has been gender equality, workers' rights, or civil rights, America can count on the Urban League to hold it accountable to its promise of equality and opportunity for all citizens. Our country has been forever changed for the better by the efforts of the Urban League. All of our lives have been touched by and benefited from the work they have done and continue to do.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, which will provide immediate incentives for homeowners to make their houses more energy efficient. This two-tiered program will offer rebates for the insulation of houses and other energy-saving measures. By installing energy efficient windows, doors, water heaters and taking other steps to consume less energy, families can expect to save over $200 in costs each year. Energy audits will allow homeowners to know what other upgrades should be made.

In addition to allowing consumers to take advantage of the potential long-term savings in their heating and cooling costs, this rebate offer will continue the New Direction Congress' focus on creating clean energy jobs. An estimated 168,000 American jobs are expected to be created in the construction, manufacturing and retail industries--all of which have taken a tremendous hit during the current economic downturn.

This legislation, like the funds in the Recovery Act to weatherize low-income homes, shows this Congress' continued commitment to reducing the energy usage of houses across the country, which will keep money in Americans' pockets and decrease air pollution in many communities. While these funds do not provide money for roof repair, which is a serious need in many low-income communities and is something I hope Congress addresses soon, I still think that this bill will do much to improve efficiency in many homes.

The recent disaster in the Gulf Coast provides yet another tragic example of why we should be focusing on energy alternatives that are clean and safe. I am pleased to join labor, manufacturing and environmental groups in being in favor of this bipartisan legislation and I encourage my colleagues to support the bill.''

Mr. Speaker, on January 12, 2010, Haiti experienced one of the worst earthquakes in their history. I believe that our trade policy can play a key role in rehabilitating the Haitian economy. As such, I rise in support of my friend Congressman Charles Rangel's timely legislation, The Haiti Economic Lift Program, HELP, Act of 2010, which will extend trade preference programs, expand market access for Haitian goods, and ensure fundamental worker labor rights for Haitian workers.

Expanding trade with Haiti is an important step in creating economic stability and sustainability. The HELP Act will enhance and strengthen our trading relationship, where 78.2 percent of Haitian exports are directed to the United States, by extending trade preference programs such as the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act and the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act through September 30, 2020. Both laws are credited with increasing Haitian apparel exports to the United States from $420 million to over $512 million and creating impressive economic growth from 2007 to 2009.

It is imperative we help foster burgeoning industries within Haiti that will ultimately attract investment and provide jobs during and after their reconstruction efforts. The HELP Act expands the list of products that can be shipped duty-free. It has been noted that new jobs in Haiti creates multiplier effects which supports families and others who are in need.

Mr. Speaker, as a long supporter of worker rights, I am pleased that today's legislation will continue the International Labor Organization's labor monitoring program to ensure that fundamental core labor rights of their workers are followed by factories benefiting from the HELP Act.

The United States and its citizens, which have had a long tradition of helping allies in their time of need, have given unprecedented amounts of foreign aid and donations to the people of Haiti in the weeks after the earthquake. Today's legislation extends the reach of this aid by increasing trade between the countries, which will ultimately provide jobs and a better future for Haitians. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Madam Speaker, on April 22, 2010, I regret that I was not present to vote on the Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Flake Privileged Resolution, the Motion to Refer the Flake Privileged Resolution, the Republican Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2194, and H. Res. 1270.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Motion to Refer the Flake Privileged Resolution, and H. Res. 1270

I would have voted ``no'' on the Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Flake Privileged Resolution and the Republican Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2194.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1963, the ``Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009.'' As a Korean War veteran, I understand the various challenges that veterans face when returning home. This bill takes a significant step forward in terms of improving the overall access to quality, affordable health care for our nation's veterans and provides much needed assistance to the devoted families across this nation that provide housing, food, and full-time care for wounded veterans.

Under S. 1963, veterans who are catastrophically disabled would no longer be required to pay copayments for their medical

care. As we all know, in America, the sicker you are, the more you must pay in out-of-pocket costs. Passage of this bill means veterans and their caretakers will be able to live with less financial stress.

This bill also increases funding to expand VA clinics in rural areas where VA programs currently do not exist. Veterans living in rural areas must often travel hundreds of miles in order to receive care at a Veterans hospital--a crushing burden for veterans who need frequent health care services, and must pay for expensive travel due to increasing transportation costs.

The bill will also help address the many hardships and sacrifices associated with the lengthy recovery and rehabilitation associated with severe injuries. In particular, the bill improves access to counseling and mental health services. S. 1963 also provides health care and a stipend for caregivers living with severely wounded veterans of the wars Iraq and Afghanistan. This stipend should help reduce the enormous financial pressures on caregivers who are providing food, clothing, transportation, and housing to their wounded loved ones during one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression.

Again, I thank the Democratic leadership for introducing this important bill, which will go a long way in improving the lives of scores of veterans and their caregivers for years to come. I encourage my colleagues to support the bill.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1281) celebrating the life and achievements of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height and recognizing her lifelong dedication and leadership in the struggle for human rights and equality for all people until her death at age 98 on April 20, 2010.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise their remarks and include extraneous material.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

This is a day we come to remember and honor the life and legacies of one of America's most celebrated civil rights leaders, the late Dr. Dorothy Height, who passed just yesterday and was one that brings back many memories for many of the Members of the House. Her connections with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks and all of the organizations that she was connected with are already a part of legendary record.

I was with her in 1963 when Dr. King led this March on Washington, and I remembered seeing her. I didn't know her at that time, but I sure got to know her a couple of years later.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, this resolution honors the life and achievements of one of the most celebrated and cherished women in the Civil Rights movement, the late Dr. Dorothy Height.

With Dr. Height's passing yesterday, heaven gained one of its most beloved treasures, while this nation lost a true soldier in the fight for equality for all men and women.

I recall the first time I met Dr. Height. Her confidence in our nation's potential, and her passion for seeing every person obtain equality, made her a force to be reckoned with.

A few years ago, I was humbled when Dr. Height honored me for continuing to pursue the dream of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, I stand proud to have been her friend and to have the privilege to celebrate her life before this Congress.

Today, I would like to touch on three significant points about Dr. Height.

First, Dr. Dorothy Height was a centerpiece on the many stages of the Civil Rights movement.

In 1960, Dr. Height was the only woman team member in the United Civil Rights Leadership. She worked beside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, John Lewis, James Farmer, and many other celebrated civil rights leaders.

Although Dr. Height was not among the speakers who addressed the crowd gathered at the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington in 1963, she was the only woman to stand on the stage that day as Dr. King delivered his historic ``I Have A Dream'' speech.

And 45 years later, she watched that dream of equality move even closer to becoming true, as she attended the inauguration of our nation's first black President.

This historic moment was built on the hard work and perseverance of Dr. Height, whose tenacity led her to be known as the ``godmother of the Civil Rights movement.''

Second, Dr. Height's commitment to equal treatment for every American has influenced American Presidents for over 70 years.

From President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to President Barack Obama, Dr. Height's influence and advocacy helped shape the Civil Rights issues that confronted each generation.

When Dr. Height was a young woman, she was one of 10 American youth invited by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to spend a weekend at her Hyde Park New York home, to plan a World Youth Conference in 1938.

Through this relationship, Dr. Height encouraged President Roosevelt to take action to desegregate America's public schools.

Later, in the 1960's, she went on to encourage the Johnson Administration to make unprecedented appointments of African American women to positions in government.

Dr. Height gained significant influence throughout her lifetime. She transformed her leadership into a movement of empowerment for those who were living under unfulfilled promises of their country.

She once said ``greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplished, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.''

Finally, Dr. Height's personal experience with segregation motivated her to become an excellent and educated leader who selflessly sought to ensure that others have similar opportunities.

Dr. Height dedicated herself to achieving a good education. At a very young age, Dr. Height was distinct amongst her peers, and provided great leadership to the Christian Youth Movement of North America, where she worked to prevent lynching, desegregate the armed forces, and reform the criminal justice system. She was also an advocate for free access to public accommodations.

Her focus and dedication paid off as she won scholarships, and recognition for her scholastic excellence. Although she was denied admission by one institution because it had reached its quota of two black students, she went on to attend New York University and Columbia University.

We should be very thankful for the sacrifices and hard work of Dr. Dorothy Height. A recipient of the President's Medal of Honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor, and a tireless advocate for individuals who had yet to see the American dream become a reality, we honor this outstanding woman.

I would like to commend my colleagues for their work on this important resolution. In particular, I would like to thank my good friend from the State of Ohio, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, who is the sponsor of this resolution.

I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I thank Judge Poe for co-leading this resolution from the Judiciary Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished majority leader, James Clyburn, the gentleman from South Carolina.

I am pleased to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Fudge) one of our newest Members of the Congress, who knew, worked for, studied under, and was a mentee to Dorothy Height.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Madam Speaker, I am delighted to recognize our former State senator, former ambassador, and now a Member of Congress, who has served here with such distinction, Diane Watson, Hollywood, California. I yield her 1 minute.

I want to thank Judge Poe for his generosity.

At this time, I am going to yield 2 minutes to Donna Edwards of Maryland.

Madam Speaker, it is my distinct honor to recognize our Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, for 1 minute.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague from Michigan, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, a distinguished member of the Appropriations Committee and an activist in her own right.

I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

I am pleased now to yield 1 minute to my colleague, the gentlewoman from Wisconsin, Gwen Moore.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the distinguished gentlelady from Oakland, California, Barbara Lee.

I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina, Judge Butterfield.

Madam Speaker, I am delighted to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands, Dr. Donna Christensen.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, the recitations of many of the Members in memory of Dorothy Height have been marked by the personal knowledge and their own intimate relationship with her. I am no different from the rest.

I knew and worked with her on a regular basis. She was attending all of the functions. Up until recently, I could see her anywhere in Washington if there was a civil rights event or women's event, a national event, and so it was good to see her. Sure, she was slowing down, but most of us are anyway, so I appreciated that she was as stylish as has been referred to as always. She always had that spirit, and

it is with great pleasure that I remember through the many occasions, starting from our first public meeting at the March on Washington in 1963. She, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks were very important figures as I participated in the struggle that would lead to the culmination of the great civil rights movement in American history. It is with fond memory that I remember her activity, her friendship, her helpfulness. I think that there may be some kind of national commemoration for her that might be appropriate now that we've reviewed all of the medals, commendations, and awards that she has received thus far.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I am pleased now to yield 1 minute to the majority leader of the House, the gentleman from Maryland, the great Steny Hoyer.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to close by thanking all the presenters, particularly singling out my dear friend on the Judiciary Committee, Judge Poe, who has done a very good job here.

It occurred to me that Dorothy Height has already received so many awards, commendations, citations during her lifetime that if the distinguished President of the United States were to ask us what further could be done, I would recommend that there be

some kind of event, bipartisan obviously, but one that draws in Americans who may not have participated in the struggles and the experiences that distinguished Dorothy Height's long career, and that might be a wonderful way for her to be remembered, as she no doubt will in the course of history as more and more historical books are written about her contribution going all the way back to the 1930s.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 255, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and to honor its founder, Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin. I was in Congress in 1969 when Senator Nelson proposed a national teach-in so that people across the country could show their elected officials that they wanted environmental protections to be included in the national agenda. The following spring, it is estimated that nearly 20 million Americans participated in environmental awareness and education events in schools and communities across the country on the first Earth Day. Like the civil rights movement and antiwar movement earlier that decade, this grassroots movement brought this issue to the forefront, and impacted the national political agenda.

Our country has made great strides in protecting our environment in the past 40 years. The Environmental Protection Agency was founded, and several historic bills including the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act were passed to address pollution and environmental degradation. Since then, the Federal Government has instituted additional measures to protect our air, land, food, water and homes from chemicals, waste and pollution.

The 111th Congress has continued this legacy to preserve and protect our resources by focusing on increasing energy efficiency. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act invested billions of dollars in clean energy, green jobs and the research and development of innovative equipment, including advanced battery technology. I was proud to support the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, which would reduce pollution and ensure that our country becomes more energy independent by utilizing renewable energy and domestic alternatives to foreign oil.

While much progress has been made, many of the environmental issues that worried Senator Nelson still exist and new ones have emerged. Additionally, it is common to see the devastating impacts of environmental degradation in low-income urban and rural communities, where residents face health issues related to industrialization and the mismanagement of waste.

I encourage all Americans to take small steps to make their households, places of work and neighborhoods more environmentally friendly. I look forward to working with my colleagues on policy that echo Senator Nelson's mission of improving the health of environment so that our air, land and water are protected for future generations, regardless of where they live.