Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3326, the FY2010 Defense Appropriations Act,'' which provides $636.3 billion in defense funding. This bill keeps faith with our troops and provides the funding needed to ensure they are the best trained, best prepared, best equipped, and best cared for fighting force in the history of the world. That is the least we can do for those who willingly risk their lives to keep us safe.

Madam Speaker, I also support the bill because it makes the needed investments to keep our nation strong, safe, and respected in the world. One of the most important investments is the $2.5 billion in funding provided to build and maintain 10 C-17 Air Force cargo aircraft, which is assembled in my district but serves the nation and helps protect the peace the world over.

I want to thank Chairman Murtha and Chairman Obey for working with me to secure

this funding and also for masterly shepherding this legislation to the floor.

Madam Speaker, in my remaining time let me briefly explain why I fight so hard for the C-17, as Chairman Murtha can attest: Airlift is the enabler of global reach, global power, and global vigilance. This is what makes us a superpower.

The C-17 is the best airlift aircraft in the world because of its ability to fly long distances and land in remote airfields in rough, land-locked regions.

The C-17 is the premier transporter for military, humanitarian and peacekeeping missions because it can:

Take off from a 7,600-ft. airfield, carry a payload of 160,000 pounds, fly 2,400 nautical miles, refuel while in flight and land in 3,000 ft. or less on a small unpaved or paved airfield in day or night.

In addition to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the C-17 has proved its mettle in humanitarian missions to Darfur, Myanmar, China, and Georgia in the former Soviet Union.

The men and women who design and build the C-17 represent a critical component of our nation's industrial base and a workforce that is second to none.

At a time when we are adding to our troop strength in the Army and Marine Corps overall, and expanding our deployment to Afghanistan, it only makes sense to continue production of the C-17, the only program that provides for strategic airlift over the long term.

For California alone, the C-17 program at Long Beach contributes almost 14,000 direct jobs and an economic impact of $2 billion.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I support this bill because it restores and enhances the readiness of our troops, equipment, and defense infrastructure. It takes care of our military personnel and their families. And it authorizes the needed investments to keep our nation strong, safe, and respected in the world.

I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for the bill on final passage.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1517. This legislation will allow certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who serve under an overseas limited appointment for at least 2 years, and whose service is rated fully successful or higher throughout that time, to be converted to a permanent appointment in the competitive service.

I would like to acknowledge Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Thompson for their leadership in bringing this important bill to the floor. I would also like to thank my colleague Congressman Engel, who worked so hard authoring this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1517 would correct a longstanding classification problem among a small group of Customs and Border personnel that were hired before DHS was created. These 35 people are working overseas, mostly in Ireland, and need to be properly classified as CBP staff. I am pleased that the Homeland Security Committee has taken action to correct this problem and that this bill has come before the full Congress today.

I support H.R. 1517 because it is an efficient fix to this classification issue. Our Customs and Border personnel work so hard every day to keep us safe, and they deserve prompt action by this body to correct any problems in classification that could prevent them from receiving any appointments they may deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1517.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4284, which would extend the Andean Trade Preferences Act, ATPA, and the Generalized System of Preferences, GSP, for an additional year. I would like to thank Chairman Rangel for his leadership on this issue and for bringing this bill to the floor. It is critically important that we extend these trade preferences before they expire at the end of this calendar year. We have seen in the past the damage that a short lapse can do to cross border business relationships.

The trade preferences we seek to extend benefit both the United States and our South American trading partners. These preferences support economic growth both here in the United States and abroad in some of the poorest countries in the world. Almost 2 million jobs in the United States and the Andean region depend on ATPA preferences and the region has emerged an important market for U.S. exports. Because use of the programs is conditioned through eligibility criteria, such as labor, human rights, and intellectual property, the United States is able to advance both important economic and foreign policy goals.

I therefore urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 4284.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding. I especially want to thank our chairwoman, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and Congresswoman Fudge, who's been leading, really, this delegation on an hourly basis weeks on end whether the issues are popular or not.

Tonight I'd like to talk about small business and the impacts of unemployment and what it means to our country and really where the jobs are in this country and why we must address small business.

The unemployment crisis is hurting every region of our country--not just one State, east coast, west coast. It's everywhere. In the district that I represent, unemployment is ranging anywhere between 15 and 21 percent. That's well above the national unemployment rate, and clearly we can no longer stand by idly waiting for someone, even if it's in our other body, to act.

The American people need jobs now. They've already asked it, they've already helped to fund it, but unfortunately the jobs have not been seen on Main Street and on the side streets where many of our constituents live. So let's talk a little bit about small business and why they're so important in this equation.

There are 26.8 million small businesses in the United States accounting for more than 99.7 percent of all employer firms. Those are regular people like you and me who are trying to survive who didn't get a bailout 6 months ago.

Small businesses employ just over half of all of our private sector employees. And likewise, in the second largest district in this United States--which is California, where I'm from--small businesses are an integral part of our economy comprising 90 percent of all of the businesses in our State. More than 50 percent of the employees in California work for small businesses, and there's an estimated 3.7 million small businesses in California.

So why would you ask that I would even talk about that? Let's talk about women and how women are impacted with small business.

Privately held, women-owned businesses in California, where I'm from,

generate more than $406 billion in sales and employ over 2.8 million people. And when you look at those particular figures and then you break it down to minorities, minorities even further own 4.1 million firms and generate $694 billion and employ 4.8 million people.

So what is the problem and what is it that I brought to the CBC to contribute in terms of a proposal of what we could do to help? We could help small businesses, and we already have the current framework to do so. It's called the SBA. But unfortunately, as with many government agencies, just because something exists doesn't mean it should stay that way. We can always work to make it better.

So when we consider the SBA that was really established in 1953, there are changes that have to occur. And the one that I'd like to talk about tonight is not all of the wonderful training, not all of counseling--all of that we desperately need--but there's a program today that can change and it can be done now. That's our section 8 services.

Section 8 was established to include access to business development opportunities for businesses within that particular financial area, but there's a problem with it. As far back as 1992, magazines and other individuals have highlighted the problems with the section 8 program. The problem is, instead of creating multimillion-dollar business success stories, the section 8 program consistently graduates companies before they're ready to flourish. It gives them a short period of time--7 years, 9 years--to begin to utilize contracts, and then it throws them out without an umbrella or without a safety net.

I would say if we could do a safety net for some of these other Wall Street firms and financial industries, why aren't we holding our hands out to small business?

This has led to a surprising result that many of us have seen, that companies who were able and who were succeeding with the section 8 program, when they were then bumped out, of course, what were the results?

In 1991, SBA studied 645 former 8(a) companies that were doing fine, but prior to them being kicked off, after that point, 42 percent fell through. We can stop that, and we can change it today by four simple proposals that I have for you.

I propose that we reform and modernize the section 8 program to help more small disadvantaged business enterprises, DBEs, to remain in business and to hire more workers--we were talking about over 4 million workers--by doing the following:

One, extend at least 2 years the 9-year program in which section 8(a) certifies businesses to participate.

Number two, we can reinstate those who already did their 7 or 9 years, and they're kind of at the brink, and with a couple more years of help, they could be back on a level ground. We should extend their time as well.

And then thirdly, we should create a new program that's kind of in the middle ground, not of a major company that's bringing in billions of dollars, but clearly a small business that's hiring 10 people, 20 people in your neighborhood. We need for them to exist.

And finally, we should consider that under this program, eligible companies who are able to participate, we should really grow that revenue, because what was $100,000 yesterday that somebody made is not nearly enough in terms of keeping a viable company going.

So, in closing, what I'd like to say to our Chair, Ms. Barbara Lee, and also Ms. Fudge from Ohio, I applaud the efforts that we've taken. The American people want to know what we're doing. What we're doing is caucuses like the CBC are coming together. We're meeting. We're talking about direct jobs. We're talking about keeping teachers and police officers employed. We're talking about helping small business owners stay alive. That's what we're doing, and we're bringing those proposals to the Speaker, to the President of the United States, and we're asking them to act now.

We're ready to vote. We're ready to do our part. But we need to make sure that these dollars go to the American people, which is where they started from.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 940, a resolution recognizing and honoring the National Guard on the occasion of its 373rd anniversary. The National Guard has a rich and vital history of protecting our Nation, and I am proud to support this resolution honoring them.

I would like to thank Congressman Latta for authoring this important resolution, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi for their skill and leadership in bringing it to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, since the attacks on September 11, 2001, hundreds of thousands of members of the Army and Air National Guard have been called upon by their States and the Federal Government to provide security at home and combat terrorism abroad. As a conferee on H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, I was proud to support the provision of $200 million to support National Guard and Reserve military construction projects. The men and women of the National Guard make so many sacrifices to keep our Nation and its people safe, and we need to make sure they have the support and funding to perform their duties. This resolution recognizes and honors those sacrifices.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution thanking the members of the National Guard for their service and continued support, as well as expressing condolences and gratitude to the families of members of the National Guard who have lost their lives. I am proud to honor and support the compassionate, courageous, and dedicated members of the National Guard who serve a critical role in protecting the United States and its citizens' freedoms and treasured liberties.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 940.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3980, the Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for Preparedness Grants Act. This legislation directs FEMA to streamline its grants reporting process to make it more efficient and informative, and it eliminates redundant requests for information.

I would like to acknowledge Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Thompson for their leadership in bringing this important bill to the floor. I would also like to thank my colleague Congressman Cuellar, who worked so hard authoring this important legislation holding FEMA accountable for our taxpayer dollars.

Mr. Speaker, on October 27, as a member of the Subcommittee on Emergency Communication, Preparedness, and Response, I heard testimony from both FEMA officials and state and local government officials about the new grants tracking program currently being tested. State and local officials, including the mayor of Los Angeles in my home state of California, urged the federal government to reconsider their use of this program. In the words of the mayor, ``all the reports that it generates provide no guidance or value for assessing homeland security investments.''

H.R. 3980 directs FEMA to identify and address the problems it is experiencing with grants reporting and tracking. This legislation is almost a direct response to the concerns raised to Congressman Cuellar and me by the mayor of Los Angeles about the FEMA grants reporting process. I am proud that this legislation addresses those concerns. When it comes to homeland security and taxpayer dollars, we simply cannot afford to be wasting time or money on programs that offer no guidance or value. So I am pleased to champion H.R. 3980, which addresses this problem.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I support this bill because it will make our grant process more efficient and informative. Redundant reporting requirements will be eliminated, and communities and organizations will be able to better focus on doing the work they need to do to keep our nation safe.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3980.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 28, which expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should increase and enhance its efforts to secure rail and mass transit systems in ways that are consistent with the 9/11 Act and H.R. 2200.

I would like to acknowledge Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Thompson for their leadership in bringing this important resolution to the floor. I would also like to thank my colleague Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, who authored this resolution recognizing TSA and its programs and urging the Administration to continue its efforts protecting the infrastructure of our Nation.

11,300,000 passengers depend on our Nation's mass transit lines as a means of transportation, and more than 25 million children depend on the school transportation system. My district, the 37th district of California, is a key transportation hub as well. Nearly 45 percent of all U.S. imports travel through the District. As such, it is critical that TSA shares our commitment to securing these systems.

H. Res. 28 recognizes TSA for leading Federal efforts to secure our Nation's rail and mass transit systems, the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program as a valuable resource, and the successful Online Learning Center that ensures those responsible for securing against terrorist attacks on our transportation systems are highly trained. So I am happy to stand in support of H. Res. 28.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution because we cannot take the safety of our Nation's infrastructure for granted. We need to urge TSA to take all the action necessary to adequately protect our Nation and expand upon programs with a proven record of success, such as the Online Learning Center.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res 28.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3961, the ``Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009.'' Our seniors and veterans have worked for affordable, quality, and accessible health care. The bill before us, H.R. 3961, ensures that Medicare payments fairly compensate physicians for their services. This legislation will ensure that doctors will be available to treat their Medicare patients.

Over the last five years, Medicare payment rates to doctors were set artificially low just to keep the system from becoming insolvent. That was the wrong approach. Instead of saving money, the system had the unintended consequence of discouraging doctors from accepting Medicare patients. Under the ``Sustainable Growth Rate'' formula, or ``SGR,'' employed by the previous Administration and Congresses, the rate of physicians' reimbursement steadily decreased in order to restrain the growth of overall Medicare spending. So while aggregate spending was balanced, payments to individual doctors provided minimal incentive for them to continue treating Medicare patients.

Indeed, if this flawed SGR formula were implemented in its current form, Medicare physicians would suffer a 21 percent fee reduction in January 2010. This would be disastrous for Medicare patients because many of their doctors would no longer be able to afford to provide them with the quality care they need.

H.R. 3961 will allow doctors to keep their doors open to their Medicare and TRICARE patients. Rather than being reimbursed based on some externally constructed, faulty measure such as the SGR, doctors will be reimbursed based on a new measure, one that reflects the actual cost of the services they provide to their patients. H.R. 3961 also sets 2009 as the baseline for years to come. This means that, rather than a steadily declining reimbursement, doctors will experience a reimbursement rate that either matches or slightly exceeds what they received the year before. This bill ends the cycle of fee reductions based on an artificially constructed formula and replaces it with a stable system that reflects the valuable relationship between seniors and their doctors.

In my district alone, there are more than 60,000 seniors on Medicare. For them, this bill means access to the quality care provided by their doctor. Since doctors know they will be reimbursed fairly for their services, they will not feel compelled to close their doors to the Medicare and TRICARE patients in my district.

This bill also establishes more moderate target growth rates for Medicare spending. These target growth rates are much more realistic than the SGR and they will not result in the types of fee reductions like the 21 percent reduction that is currently threatening physicians. Finally, this bill encourages integrated care so that providers can communicate and develop a comprehensive wellness plan that meets the needs of each patient.

Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that President Obama strongly supports H.R. 3961. He understands the relationship between reasonable reimbursement rates and availability of

quality care for Medicare beneficiaries. Likewise, the American Medical Association supports this bill because it provides physicians with the financial stability they need to invest in the infrastructure needed to build a health care system that works. The AARP supports this bill because it represents meaningful, sustainable reform for the 40 million seniors it represents.

I support this bill because it continues the work we began this month when we passed the historic Affordable Health Care for America Act. This necessary and timely reform benefits our seniors and our veterans. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, the security and peace of mind that this legislation will bring to our seniors and veterans is something for which we can all be thankful. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3961.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Native American Caucus, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1834, the Native American Business Development Enhancement Act of 2009, which will promote entrepreneurship within the Native American community. This is the kind of legislation we need to lift us out of this economic downturn. H.R. 1834 will serve as a vehicle to create jobs, support small businesses, and help people get back to work in the communities that need it most.

I acknowledge Chairwoman Velazquez for her leadership in bringing this important bill to the floor. I would also like to thank my colleague Congresswoman Kilpatrick, the author of this legislation, who worked so hard to help such an underserved community get the opportunities they need to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, the Native American Business Development Enhancement Act establishes the Office of Native American Affairs in the Small Business Administration, SBA, to increase Native American entrepreneurship. H.R. 1834 will enable SBA's administrator to operate a Tribal Business Information Centers program to provide Native American populations with business training and entrepreneurial development assistance. The SBA will contribute agency personnel and resources to the centers, as well as make grants to the centers. In addition, Indian tribe members, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians can apply for grants to assist with outreach, development, and enhancement of small business startups and expansions.

In California, the State I represent, there are over 100 tribes, many of varying levels of economic success. As a long time friend and supporter of the Native American community, I am so pleased to champion a bill such as H.R. 1834, which provides economic opportunities that have been denied to this community for so long. But more must be done, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that Native Americans receive the full equal range of opportunities in this country.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I support this bill because it will provide job training and opportunities to the areas and populations that need the most assistance. The communities served by H.R. 1834 represent some of the most traditionally disadvantaged, isolated, and underserved populations in America. This legislation is yet another example of how Congress is taking the action necessary to respond to the current economic situation with innovative solutions.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1834.

Mr. Chair, as a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and an original co-sponsor, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009, which reauthorizes for five years $1 billion per year for FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program and reauthorizes $1.2 billion for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program.

This increase in federal support for the nation's fire departments is especially important in this tough economy as local officials struggle to provide critical services--including public safety services--in the face of declining revenues and decreasing budgets.

I thank Chairman Gordon and my colleague, Congressman Mitchell of Arizona, for their hard work in shepherding this critical legislation to the floor today.

We all remember the wildfires from this summer that hit my home state of California especially hard. Over 160,000 acres were destroyed in the ``Station Fire,'' the most in the history of Los Angeles County. But not only did people lose their homes in this terrible tragedy, two firefighters lost their lives as well. Incidents like these underscore the importance of providing firefighters with the best possible equipment and training to perform their dangerous jobs. And that is probably the most important reason of all for passing H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009.

Mr. Chair, I support H.R. 3791 because it:

Provides a fairer distribution of FIRE Grant funding among fire departments by setting a 25 percent distribution of the appropriated funds among the categories of career, volunteer and combination fire departments;

Lowers matching and maintenance of expenditure requirements and authorizes the FEMA Administrator to waive or reduce such requirements for applicants facing demonstrated economic hardship;

Raises the limit on FIRE Grant awards to $9 million for jurisdictions based on population so that large urban areas with population more than 2.5 million like the one I represent.

Makes the SAFER Grant program more accessible to fire departments by making it a three-year program with a 20 percent match.

Raises the maximum amount for individual Fire Prevention and Safety Grants to $1.5 million.

Mr. Chair, in the last nine years the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, or FIRE grant program, has aided thousands of fire departments nationwide by providing more than $5 billion in federal aid for critically-needed training, equipment, health and wellness programs and other fire service needs.

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response or ``SAFER'' program has provided nearly $700 million to fire departments to help hire and retain firefighters since its creation in 2004.

Yet, despite the success of the programs, effectiveness has been curtailed by the uneven distribution of grants among jurisdictions of varying sizes. Statutory restrictions have inadvertently hampered larger fire departments that protect the majority of the population from receiving much-needed federal assistance. As a result, the majority of FIRE Grant funds currently are being spent to protect a relatively small portion of the population. H.R. 3791 corrects this imbalance by targeting more funding to larger fire departments in the more populous jurisdictions.

Mr. Chair, H.R. 3791 is the product of bipartisan cooperation and is broadly supported by the firefighting community because it strikes an equitable balance in the distribution of the grants so that the funding can benefit all types of communities and ensures that fire departments with the greatest need can apply for and receive funding in amounts sufficient to address their real needs. That is why this legislation is broadly supported by the firefighting and fire prevention community, including the following major organizations: the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Fire Protection Association, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the International Association of Arson Investigators, and the Congressional Fire Services Institute.

Mr. Chair, H.R. 3791 is good for our firefighters. It is good for our local governments. It is good for the nation and good for my district. I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the critical legislation and urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3360, the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009, which will address cruise safety in many of our communities. I would like to thank Chairmen Oberstar and Cummings and my colleague Ms. Matsui from California for bringing forward this issue that we've all talked about and are now glad to see finally come to the floor again.

Cruise ships are enjoyed by approximately 10 million Americans every year, and many of them come to my district in the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. This bill will take many steps towards preventing crimes on cruise ships and ensuring that those crimes that are committed, the people who do those deeds, will find justice.

By enacting measures such as installing peepholes on doors, basic things like increasing video surveillance, and

keeping better records of incidents that do occur will make our seas safer and really cause the cruise to be a vacation as advertised.

I applaud the bill's emphasis on safety and health. It will ensure that a sufficient number of physicians are aboard every ship and that ships have appropriate up-to-date supplies of anti-retroviral medications. Just a few weeks ago, I met with some of the members of the cruise ship industry and talked to them about what they're doing to prepare for the H1N1 virus.

Now is the time. We have long put people in jeopardy of not really having the appropriate safety regulations and measures, and I applaud this Congress and our chairmen for bringing it forward today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 891 which recognizes and honors the Coast Guard and Marine Corps aircraft pilots and crewmembers who lost their lives off the coast of Southern California on October 29, 2009.

Let me take a moment to commend Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who hails from my home state of California, for her leadership in bringing this resolution to the floor and giving us the opportunity both to mourn our loss of these individuals and to thank the Coast Guard and the Marine Corps for their brave service to this country.

I was truly devastated when I heard the news on October 29, 2009, of a collision between a Coast Guard transport plane and a Marine Corps helicopter off the coast of Southern California, not far from my district. At the same time, I was deeply grateful for those members of the Coast Guard and the Navy who immediately went out and conducted an intense search and rescue mission to locate any possible survivors of the crash.

We are indebted to the men and women who dedicate their lives to the Coast Guard and the Marine Corps. Even in the face of a tragedy such as this one, one that affects members of their own community, these brave men and women are ready and willing to serve their country in whatever way necessary. I support this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, because I stand in support of health care reform that helps more than half of women who cannot afford health care today, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009, because this bill is good for seniors, good for women, good for small businesses, and good for all Americans.

I would like to thank Speaker Pelosi, House Majority Leader Hoyer, Congressman Dingell, Congressman Rangel, and Congressman Waxman for their skill and leadership in bringing this historic bill to the floor. I would also like to thank my colleagues who have worked so hard to bring about a workable solution to one of the most critical challenges in the history of our nation.

President Theodore Roosevelt proposed national health insurance in 1908 because he could not stand by and watch American families go bankrupt when their children fell ill. Forty years later in 1948, President Truman proposed it again. Under the leadership of Lyndon B. Johnson and a Democratic Congress, Medicare was enacted in 1965 which provided health care for senior citizens. Thirty years later, Congress passed the State Children' Health Insurance Plan which expanded affordable coverage to millions of poor children.

Today, this seventh day of November in the year 2009, we write another great chapter in the remarkable history of this country. Today, we extend to tens of millions of our fellow citizens the security that comes from knowing that they will have health care that is there when they need it and won't bankrupt their families. Today, we keep faith with those who came before us and those who will come after us. Today, we will pass the Affordable Health Care for Americans Act of 2009 and change America for the better.

The health care system we have now is not working for middle and working class families, not working for businesses trying to compete in a global economy, not working for taxpayers or for the uninsured. There are 54 million Americans who are uninsured who need us to reform this broken system. 1 in 5 Californians are uninsured or underinsured. These numbers are staggering and if we do nothing, they will only grow worse.

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have offered a bill that they claim solves the broken health care system, but the reality is quite different from what their rhetoric makes it out to be. The fact is the Republican substitute leaves affordable health insurance out of reach for millions of Americans. It will allow discrimination based on gender, age, and preexisting conditions to prevail in the insurance industry. It will do nothing to protect consumers. It is not the answer.

Mr. Speaker, the Affordable Health Care for Americans Act is a better bill. It is the answer to the broken health care system. This bill provides American families with stability and peace of mind. Never again will they have to choose between their health and their livelihood. This bill provides American families with higher quality health care. It leaves important health decisions up to patients and doctors, not to insurance companies. This bill provides American families with greater choice. It creates a high-quality, robust, public health insurance option for families to choose from. Finally, this bill lowers costs for American families. It eliminates co-pays and deductibles for preventive care while putting an annual cap on out-of- pocket expenses for American families.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is the answer to the problems faced by real American families today. The Republican bill is fantasy. It is not grounded in reality. Now, we need to stop playing politics and focus on actually improving people's lives. H.R. 3962 will reform the health care system so that it provides quality, affordable coverage that cannot be taken away. This bill eliminates discrimination based on gender and pre-existing condition. It eliminates the prescription drug donut hole for seniors. It ends the era of no and begins the era of yes for millions of Americans seeking coverage.

As FDR once said, the test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have little. It is time for us to move forward. It is time for us to take this great nation in a new direction. It is time for us to look out for all Americans in their time of sickness and need. The hour is late, and the need is great. I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on H.R. 3962.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the Boehner amendment and in strong support of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009, because this bill is good for seniors, good for women, good for small businesses, and good for all Americans.

President Theodore Roosevelt proposed national health insurance in 1908. Forty years later in 1948, President Truman proposed it again. Under the leadership of Lyndon B. Johnson and a Democratic Congress, Medicare was enacted in 1965 which provided health care for senior citizens.

Today, we write another great chapter in the remarkable history of this country. Today, we extend to tens of millions of our fellow citizens the security that comes from knowing that they will have health care that is there when they need it and won't bankrupt their families.

The health care system we have now is not working for middle and working class families, not working for businesses trying to compete in a global economy, not working for taxpayers or for the uninsured.

There are 54 million Americans who are uninsured who need us to reform this broken system. One in five Californians are uninsured or underinsured. These numbers are staggering and if we do nothing, they will only grow worse.

Mr. Speaker, the Affordable Health Care for Americans Act is the answer to the broken health care system. This bill provides American families with stability and peace of mind. Never again will they have to choose between their health and their livelihood.

This bill provides American families with higher quality health care. It leaves important health decisions up to patients and doctors, not to insurance companies.

Finally, this bill lowers costs for American families. It eliminates co-pays and deductibles for preventive care while putting an annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses for American families.

Now, we need to stop playing politics and focus on actually improving people's lives. H.R. 3962 will reform the health care system so that it provides quality, affordable coverage that cannot be taken away. It eliminates discrimination based on gender and preexisting conditions. It eliminates the prescription drug donut hole for seniors. It ends the era of no and begins the era of yes for millions of Americans seeking coverage.

The hour is late, and the need is great. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Boehner Amendment and ``yes'' on H.R. 3962.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Senate amendments to H.R. 3548, the ``Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009,'' because they will provide much-needed relief to the millions of unemployed American workers who are struggling to find jobs today and to others who are working to buy their first home.

With the passage of this bill, Congress will provide up to 14 additional weeks of desperately needed unemployment benefits to workers who are about to exhaust their unemployment benefits, directing much- needed help to the unemployed who live in states where unemployment rates are highest.

California has the 4th highest unemployment rate in the Nation and in terms of my district the numbers are staggering:

Carson--12.6 percent

Compton--20.9 percent

Long Beach--13.7 percent

Signal Hill--9.4 percent

Mr. Speaker, although job losses have begun to decline more recently, unemployment is still too high, and the American people need relief now. With the national unemployment rate at 9.7 percent, we must act now. Over 1 million people will exhaust their benefits by the end of December if we do not act.

In addition to providing relief to the unemployed, H.R. 3548 will help stimulate the economy. Extending unemployment benefits is one of the most cost-effective and fast-acting ways to stimulate the economy because the money

is spent quickly. Every $1 spent on unemployment benefits generates $1.63 in new economic activity.

The new Senate amendments to this bill will do even more to breathe life into our economy. With the inclusion of these amendments, this crucial legislation will strengthen our domestic housing market by extending the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit through April, 2010. These amendments will also expand eligibility for the homebuyer credit so more families qualify. Specifically, the bill will establish a $6,500 tax credit for families that have lived in their current home for five or more consecutive years and who are looking to purchase and move into a new home. By expanding the tax credit to include more than just first-time homebuyers, this bill will further stimulate the economy and help us to continue to fully recover from the recession.

I strongly support these amendments because, for many people in my district, the extended and expanded tax credit will allow them to realize the American Dream of owning a home. If passed, this bill will also provide housing tax relief for military families that have sacrificed so much to defend our great nation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this necessary and timely legislation because it provides relief to unemployed Americans when they need it the most and it extends and expands the first-time homebuyer tax credit. If we do not pass this bill, we will not only face a financial crisis but a moral deficit in this country as well. We cannot allow that to happen. I urge all members to vote ``aye'' on the Senate amendments to H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009.