Floor Statements

I thank my colleague.

Madam Speaker, I rise in very strong support of H.R. 1553, the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. It is very fitting that we have named this legislation in memory of Caroline Pryce Walker, daughter of this bill's champion, my dear colleague, Deborah Pryce.

This bill is going to take necessary and important steps to address specific needs of pediatric cancer in at least three significant ways. It will ensure that we have enough qualified pediatric oncologists and nurses. It will improve clinical trials for the treatment of cancer in children. Finally, it would also conduct more public awareness about treatment options and support for children with cancer and their families.

As one of the co-chairs of the Cancer Caucus, along with my colleague from Ohio, I am so proud to see this bill, which was one of our priorities, and a personal priority as we all know, moving forward.

I want to share a bit about how the momentum behind this bill has already spurred people across the country into action.

Just this past Saturday, I attended an event in my town of Santa Barbara called ``Kids for a Cure.'' Amazingly, it was organized by Madison Lewandowski, an 8-year-old constituent of mine, who, despite being so young, knows that she can make a difference in the lives of others. I told my young friends who were gathered last Saturday that I was going to share this story as a testimony to this legislation and to what is happening across this country.

Madison organized a wonderful charity event, with proceeds going to the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara's pediatric research fund. We all enjoyed a day of story telling, face painting, a silent auction, and this amazing rummage sale in which children and their families brought used toys to share with other children and their families and raise money in the process, and that money all going to raise awareness for pediatric cancer. I can think of nothing more powerful than the sight of children advocating on behalf of other children.

I know our colleague from Ohio in these past 9 years has spearheaded a number of community events around the country actually and in this city to raise awareness for childhood cancer and to raise the necessary funds to be added to the funds, which our legislation will hopefully make possible for pediatric cancer.

So whether it's through community organizing or comprehensive legislation, we are all working together in this country to fight pediatric cancer.

I am honored and proud to be a part of this effort, particularly on this day, to honor my colleague and friend as well because of the dedication she has provided for this House in leading us to this point.

I thank the leadership of our committee that has brought us to this point as well and the work that we will do with our colleagues to make sure this legislation is passed and signed into law.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about the troubled state of our world's oceans. Last month, I attended an ocean science summit in Monterey, California. Also there were State and Federal policymakers and scientists concerned about our oceans and the lack of attention our Federal Government has given them.

This year's summit marked the 10-year anniversary of the Year of the Ocean and the oceans conference in Monterey attended by President Clinton and Vice President Gore. In the intervening 10 years, the Federal Government has done little to address the oceans' growing problems, ranging from overfishing to pollution to coastal development and global warming. California and Massachusetts have had to step into the breach, but problems as big as our oceans can't be addressed by a few States.

Fortunately, there is a solution. Oceans 21, introduced by Representative Farr and moving through the Natural Resources Committee now, establishes a national oceans policy and a framework for national and regional management of our shared ocean resources.

I strongly urge my colleagues to sponsor Oceans 21. Join us, and help provide stewardship for this vast resource and protect it for future generations.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to ask for your assistance to help alleviate the shortage of qualified and experienced nurse instructors in the United States, including in the military. Right now, we are told that the limiting factor in increasing the number of nurses to try to head off the looming nurse shortage is the number of faculty available in our nursing schools.

I want to thank the chairman for his excellent leadership in improving health care for our servicemen and women, and especially appreciate his inclusion of a demonstration project in the National Defense Authorization Act.

Like you, I feel that military nurses are especially equipped to take on the leadership role required of a nurse instructor. We need to ensure that we meet our mutual goal of increasing the capacity of colleges of nursing in order to graduate more nurses who can fill current vacancies that are widespread, both in the military and civilian sectors. I believe that this type of program can be a model for other programs to alleviate shortage of nurse faculty, and would ask the chairman to keep an open mind to other approaches to alleviating the nursing shortage. And I appreciate the urgency created during a time of war.

I thank the esteemed chairman for his efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3323, the Goleta Water Distribution System Conveyance Act of 2007--a bill I introduced last year that would authorize the title transfer of a federally owned water distribution system in my congressional district from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Goleta Water District.

First, I want to thank the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, Mr. Rahall, and chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Water and Power, Ms. Napolitano, as well as the ranking members of the full Committee and Subcommittee for bringing H.R. 3323 before us today.

The purpose of the legislation is to simplify the operation and maintenance of the District's water distribution system and eliminate unnecessary paperwork and consultation between the District and the Bureau.

The Goleta Water District has operated and maintained the facilities proposed for transfer since the 1950s. They have worked through all requirements of the Bureau's title transfer process, including public meetings, fulfillment of their repayment obligations, completion of an environmental assessment, and compliance with all other applicable laws.

The only step remaining to complete the process is an act of Congress enabling the Secretary of the Interior to transfer title.

It is important to note that the proposed transfer would apply only to lands and facilities associated with the District and would not affect the District's existing water service contract with the Santa Barbara County Water Agency nor the Federal government receipts from water deliveries under the contract. In addition, the proposed transfer does not envision any new physical modification or expansion of the service infrastructure.

I'm pleased the administration is supporting my legislation, which will allow the Bureau to focus its limited resources where they are needed most. In my view, this is an example of local problem-solving at its best. I commend the staff of the water district and the Bureau for their efforts to reach this agreement. I know that they have been working on this for several years now.

Again, I would like to thank the Natural Resources Committee for supporting this bill, and urge its immediate passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1022.

I was proud introduce this resolution with my colleague and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

And I am equally proud that 122 Members of the House joined in cosponsoring H. Res. 1022, including almost every single woman Member of the House and our esteemed Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Last fall, I was fortunate to lead a delegation of women Members to a conference entitled ``Women Deliver.''

This conference brought together nearly 2000 participants from around the world, including parliamentarians, diplomats, health professionals, patients and activists.

We joined there and resolved to make a greater investment in women in order to improve maternal health.

No woman should have to die giving life and I was proud to see individuals from every background--ethnically, culturally, religiously, and from all income levels--agree that we must deliver for women by ensuring that they can safely deliver.

The 500,000 maternal deaths that occur annually are largely preventable.

We know that through family planning, making emergency care more widely available, and increasing the number of skilled health professionals who can attend to births we can combat the epidemic of maternal death both at home and abroad.

After all, the United States is not immune to maternal death and we experience the highest rate of maternal mortality than all other industrialized nations.

As we close out the month of May, when we celebrated Mother's Day, let's join in making a

stronger commitment to improving maternal health.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, as a cosponsor of House Resolution 1173, I rise today to recognize National AmeriCorps Week.

Last night, the House passed this resolution overwhelmingly. Since 1994, nearly 500,000 AmeriCorps have served with thousands of nonprofits, public agencies and faith-based organizations across America.

Through AmeriCorps, these individuals dedicate their time and energy in a variety of areas to help meet the needs of local communities. In my home State of California alone, more than 7,900 people this year will participate in one of more than 7,500 AmeriCorps programs throughout the State. One such program is coordinated by the Santa Barbara County Education Office in my district. This program provides daily tutoring and reading for over 700 at-risk students, recruits volunteers for additional educational programs, and works to increase disaster preparedness in the schools in the county.

The 62.4 million hours served by AmeriCorps members have bettered the communities and touched the lives of countless Americans. This is the U.S.A. at its best. To all these incredible AmeriCorps members, I commend you and thank you for your service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our troops, and in support of a responsible U.S. policy in Iraq.

I have opposed the Iraq war from the very beginning.

Over 5 years later, this war has taken the lives of more than 4,000 of our brave troops.

Our armed forces are incredibly strained, and our nation's image tarnished in the wake of this foreign relations disaster.

I have opposed continued funding of this war in the past, and I will vote against Amendment No. 1, which gives the President another blank check.

Amendments No. 2 and No. 3 of this bill, however, are a marked and deliberate shift away from the failed and short-sighted policies of President Bush.

And No. 2 requires that all troops be fully trained and equipped before deployment, and calls for a redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq to begin in 30 days.

It also bans any permanent U.S. bases in Iraq and codifies contracting fraud as a criminal offense.

Amendment No. 3 will restore the education benefits under the GI bill to include a full, 4-year college education for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Mr. Speaker, this war has taken an incredible toll on American troops, their families, and our entire country.

We cannot turn back the hands of time, but we can move forward to bring our troops home, end this war, and provide them with the tools they will need to continue their education.

As this New Direction Congress has done time and again, today we will tell the President that he is wrong.

Let us truly support the troops and vote to bring them home.

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend we celebrated Mother's Day. I was fortunate enough to celebrate with my children and grandchildren. Sadly, many women never get the chance to celebrate this day with their family.

Throughout the world, a woman dies every single minute in childbirth. I think most of our congressional colleagues would be shocked to learn that this problem isn't faced by women in developing nations alone. The United States ranks 41st in the world, lower than all other industrialized nations, when it comes to maternal mortality. Let us use this opportunity, while Mother's Day is fresh in our minds, to renew our commitment to improving maternal health both at home and abroad.

I thank the 117 of our colleagues in the House of Representatives for cosponsoring House Resolution 1022, a resolution underscoring our challenges and urging us all to support the goal of a safe and healthy childbirth for every mother and baby here in the United States and all around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 331) supporting the goals and ideals of National Women's Health Week, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 331. National Women's Health Week is celebrated annually during the week following Mother's Day. The purpose of this week is twofold.

First, we can use it to raise awareness about the health risks all women face, especially the risks that are unique to women. We use it to learn that, for example, heart disease is the number one killer of women, and half a million women die every year in childbirth.

But the second purpose is so we can take proactive measures to improve women's health. We can use this opportunity to remind our sisters, our mothers, our daughters and our friends to get annual checkups and screenings that are recommended for them at their age. And we can use this opportunity to adopt healthier lifestyles that are essential to preventing chronic disease.

As co-chair of the Women's Caucus, I am very proud of several bills that have been introduced and/or passed out during this Congress to address women's health issues.

Last year, we reauthorized the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to provide low-income women with access to these essential screenings.

We also passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. And nearly every woman in the House is cosponsor of the Heart for Women Act, H.R. 1014, as well as H. Res. 1022 regarding maternal health.

But we are also fortunate to have a few good men, actually more than a few good men working with us, such as the ranking member on this bill, and Maurice Hinchey who has taken the lead by introducing this resolution for a few years now, along with Mary Bono Mack.

I urge my colleagues to support the resolution in the House today, and also to have a conversation with the women in their lives about what steps they can take to improve their health.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to yield 3 minutes at this time to the gentleman from New York, Maurice Hinchey.

I want to thank again the authors of this resolution, Mr. Hinchey, who is here, and Mary Bono Mack, who is also the other coauthor; and to thank the speakers on behalf of this resolution. And again, to remind us all the importance of Women's Health Week, setting aside the time to call attention to the importance of women taking care of their own health and providing the resources so they can do this, because it's women's health at stake, but also, often since the woman is the primary instigator within the family, and often the community as well, of the health of every member, that this serves a purpose that is very important to the health of our Nation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6022, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008, which will temporarily suspend filling the Nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve, SPR.

Paying top dollar to fill the SPR is a poor use of precious taxpayer dollars, particularly when there's no pressing need to add additional petroleum to the reserve at this time.

What's more, experts say that temporarily suspending the fill of the SPR is something that can be done right now to immediately lower gas prices for American families.

As oil and gas prices continue to climb to new record highs and with the summer driving season approaching, consumers are in dire need of immediate relief from skyrocketing prices at the pump.

Over the last 6 years, the price of oil has risen by nearly $100 and gas prices have more than tripled.

According to recent projections by the Energy Department, consumers are likely to face even higher prices at the pump this summer. They project that gas prices could rise to above $4.00 per gallon during the summer driving season.

Despite these record energy prices, the U.S. is currently taking 70,000 barrels of oil a day off the market to continue filling the SPR. Moreover, the Energy Department recently announced plans to increase this SPR fill rate to 76,000 barrels per day before the end of the summer.

Mr. Speaker, this just doesn't make any sense.

Even President Bush has suspended SPR purchases in order to lower fuel prices. In April 2006, President Bush said:

I've directed the Department of Energy to defer filling the

reserve this summer. Our strategic reserve is sufficiently

large enough to guard against any major supply disruption

over the next few months. So by deferring deposits until the

fall, we'll leave a little more oil on the market. Every

little bit helps.

Well, the President was right about something: every little bit does help. It's time to halt filling the SPR.

What's surprising is that now President Bush is rejecting bipartisan calls from Congress to once again suspend filling the SPR. It's curious that the President would now reject a sound proposal that he once embraced even though gas prices are now at record highs. In the absence of the President's leadership, the Democratic Congress is stepping in to force the administration to do the right thing and suspend filling the SPR.

Allowing more oil to reach the market will send a signal to oil speculators and will provide the type of immediate, targeted relief that we need right now.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 6022, to help American families with skyrocketing gas prices.

Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Santa Maria Elks Club to honor the first week of May as Elks National Youth Week in tribute to our junior citizens and to honor them for their achievement and contributions to their community, State and Nation.

Youth Week is designed to guide, inspire and encourage our youth to serve their community and help prepare them for the duties and opportunities of citizenship. Across the country, our Nation's young people are becoming active citizens and learning the importance of civic involvement. I firmly believe in encouraging the sense of community demonstrated by these ambitious and engaged young people.

As a mother and a grandmother, I am amazed by the strength of character I see in junior citizens. I commend the goals and ideals of the Santa Maria Elks Club and am proud to honor America's future leaders today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5818, the Neighborhood Stabilization Act, and H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act.

These bills come at a critical time for America--and especially for my constituents on the Central and South Coasts of California. That is why I am extremely disappointed that the President has threatened to veto them both.

They include much-needed reforms of the Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, and usher these agencies into the 21st century.

But they also accomplish three tasks that are vital to the housing market and economy of the Central and South Coasts.

First, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act makes permanent the temporary loan limit increases contained in the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot stress enough how vital this provision is for my district.

Median home prices in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties are well above the national average, and our families are truly struggling to obtain affordable housing.

Second, this bill will stem foreclosures by creating a voluntary mortgage refinancing program that allows families to stay in their homes.

Under this program, the Federal Housing Administration has the authority to refinance up to $300 billion in imperiled mortgages.

With median home prices in Santa Barbara County alone declining almost 30 percent in the past year alone, it is undoubtedly in the best interests of lenders to participate in this program.

Lastly, the Neighborhood Stabilization Act establishes a loan and grant program for the purchase and rehabilitation of foreclosed homes.

Just this week one of my hometown newspapers, the Ventura County Star, reported on the negative impact that foreclosed homes have on communities.

Lower home values, increased crime, and safety hazards are just a few of the consequences that can result from foreclosure.

This bill prevents neighborhood decline by providing targeted assistance to state and local governments.

Mr. Speaker, American families need help, and that is exactly what is provided by the housing bills on the floor today.

I urge my colleagues to support these bills, and I urge the President to work together with Congress in addressing the needs of the hard- working families in America who want to keep their homes.

Madam Speaker, on this National Teacher Day, I rise to single out just one of the many talented teachers in my congressional district.

Libby Anderson teaches second grade at Grover Heights Elementary School in Grover Beach. It's a national blue ribbon school. She is one of those gifted teachers with a truly unique way of igniting the interest of her students.

A few years ago, she led a class project where each student picked a lighthouse to study from around the country. Through that project one student learned of the Federal efforts to restore the Piedras Blancas lighthouse in my district.

Under her guidance, the class embarked on a campaign called ``Pennies for Piedras'' to raise money toward this effort. By the end of that school year, the students had raised $1,337.30 in pennies.

I'm happy to say that her students have gone on to lead support for continued restoration of this special place.

This is just one example of the many exceptional ways this teacher touched the lives of her students and expanded their awareness of their community.

Our country is blessed to have teachers like Ms. Anderson who spark students' passions, encouraging them to get involved in the world around them.

I thank my colleague for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1086 and in support of National Nurses Week. I commend my friend and fellow nurse, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), for introducing this resolution. As we observe National Nurses Week, I hope we can work together to raise awareness about important issues facing our nursing community and the important impact that nurses make to

the lives of patients and their role in the arena of public health. This is central to our delivery of health care.

We know that nurses advocate for their patients and provide personal care at the bedside. Often, it is life-saving care. They are also community educators, primary care providers, and they serve in our military so often putting themselves in harm's way to carry out their duties.

But we are facing a terrible shortage of nurses. We are jeopardizing our ability to provide the best quality care which each individual and each family deserves in this country of ours. As a registered nurse currently serving in Congress, I feel it is my duty to advocate not only on behalf of my patients, but also on behalf of my fellow nurses.

I am co-Chair of our House Nursing Caucus, and I was honored to be joined by 155 of our colleagues in a letter to the Appropriations Committee requesting additional funding for nurse education programs. These programs have trained thousands of nurses, but we are in desperate need of so many more. And the very fact that we are funding title VIII nurse education at the same exact amount that we did over 30 years ago is, quite frankly, inexcusable.

In addition, nurses face difficult conditions in the workplace such as mandatory overtime, unsafe staffing numbers, hazardous lifting, and other workplace settings. These conditions are directly contributing to our inability to retain many qualified nurses in the hospital setting. As our Baby Boomers retire and our demand for nurses soars, let us use this week as an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to our current and our future nurses and thereby to a safer and healthier Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 493, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.

The identification of genetic markers for disease is one of the most remarkable scientific accomplishments we have made. And this ability to identify risks for certain conditions holds so much promise for our ability to identify and practice greater preventive health care in this country. I can never emphasize enough just how important preventive health care is to our well-being.

However, as with almost all great scientific advancements, we have also opened the door to a whole slew of unintended consequences. And I fear that preventive health care is put at risk when patients decline genetic testing for fear of insurance or employment discrimination.

This bill before us will put aside those fears by offering protection from employment discrimination and closes the loopholes that deter individuals from pursuing information that can save their lives and the lives of others. After all, the biomedical research community is in dire need of greater clinical trial participation. But many patients are wary because they worry that participation in a clinical trial will reveal a genetic predisposition that employers or insurers can use as a basis for discrimination.

H.R. 493 will provide individuals the security of knowing that they can take advantage of genetic testing and participate in research without the fear that their employment or insurance status be put at risk.

I commend my colleagues Louise Slaughter, Judy Biggert and Anna Eshoo for their tireless work on this bill over the last 13 years. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 493.