Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I missed rollcall vote No. 445 to require all funds authorized under H.R. 5114 to be expended in a manner consistent with the manual on Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' I have consistently voted to hold Members of Congress and their staffs, Federal employees, and other representatives of government to the highest ethical standards.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to all those who wear and who have worn the uniform of the United States of America.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, it has been my honor to work with my colleagues to provide our veterans with the resources and care they so justly deserve.

To that end, I would like to highlight just two of the many programs this Congress has enacted in its efforts to provide better support to our veterans.

Since the post-9/11 GI bill went into effect in August 2009, $1.2 billion in education benefits have been paid to veterans students, including members of the Guard and Reserve and, in some instances, their wives and children, providing them with the skills they need in a global economy.

Through provisions in the End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2010, we are working toward a goal of ending veteran homelessness in 5 years.

To all our veterans, it is you and those who came before you who have made our freedoms possible. Thank you for your courage, commitment, and sacrifice, knowing that service in war is a life-changing event that we must ever honor.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding and for your leadership on this important legislation.

I rise in support of the Fiscal Year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act and the accompanying manager's amendment.

This bipartisan legislation supports the ongoing efforts of our Armed Forces to keep our country safe, to maintain our resolve against extremists, and to sustain nuclear weapons nonproliferation.

It provides our men and women with the crucial tools they need to protect our country and to effectively find and hold accountable those who wish us harm. Equally as important, the NDAA includes protections for our servicemembers, such as lighter weight body armor that will keep our servicemembers safe but will lighten the burden we ask them to carry.

This bill also expands legal rights for servicemembers who have been victims of sexual assault, and it improves training related to the prevention of and to the response to this crime. I also look forward to the long overdue repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

The unanimous support that this bill received in committee is a testament to our continued commitment to provide the technology, equipment, and manpower required to protect our country at all times.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5136.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to cast a vote on rollcall 260. I would like the record to reflect that I would have voted ``aye'' in support of H.R. 5014, a bill that clarifies that health care provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs meets minimum essential coverage requirements for individual health insurance under the newly enacted health care reform law. Our Nation's veterans and their families have sacrificed so much and it is our obligation to ensure they receive the benefits and health care they so rightly deserve.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Defense Sexual Trauma Response, Oversight and Good Governance Act (The Defense STRONG Act).

Sexual assault in the military has reached epidemic levels. While 1 in 6 women will experience sexual assault in her lifetime, the numbers are much higher in the military, where as many as 1 in 3 women leaving the services report that they were sexually assaulted. By the Pentagon's own estimate, as few as 10 percent of sexual assaults are reported. Additionally, while 40 percent of sexual assault allegations in the civilian world are prosecuted, this number is a staggeringly low 8 percent in the military.

As a strong advocate for women in the military and a strong advocate for equal opportunity in the workplace, I believe that the military should be a place where women are supported and can succeed.

We ask women who serve in the military to put their lives on the line for our country, and they shouldn't fear or experience harm from their fellow service members. A recent New York Times article chronicled the experience of a female Captain deployed in Camp Taji, Iraq.

This young Captain stated that she stopped drinking water after 7 p.m. so she would not have to go to the latrine at night alone, out of fear of attack from a fellow male soldier. ``It got to the point that I felt safer outside the wire,'' she said, referring to operations that take soldiers off of their heavily fortified bases, ``than I did taking a shower.''

While the military has made strides to address this problem, victims of sexual assault in the military still report a lack of confidentiality, protection and support, and lack access to advice and counsel from a military lawyer once an incident is reported. The military has not established the proper infrastructure to deal with sexual assaults. Sexual Assault Response Coordinators and Victim Advocates in the military receive very little training and have little experience dealing with sexual assault. The DOD allows contractors to serve in these positions part-time, making them ill-equipped to deal with incidents that arise. As the 2009 Defense Task Force Report on Sexual Assault in the Military Services reported, one military victim advocate explained, ``I would truly be unprepared if a sexual assault were to occur and my services were needed.'' . . . She said, ``It is my opinion that active duty Unit Victim Advocates are not prepared to deal with sexual assaults and could potentially deter individuals from coming forward.''

Women report receiving inadequate support and experiencing backlash when they tried to seek care while they were in the services. A GAO report from 2008 stated that ``many individuals do not come forward in the military out of fear of punishment because they have done something (i.e., drinking) that they could also get in trouble for.'' The same report concluded that victims were reluctant to report attacks due to the belief that nothing would be done, they would not be believed, or that reporting an incident would negatively impact their careers.

The systems in place to prevent and respond to sexual assault lack sophistication, and the culture around sexual assault in the military needs to be fundamentally changed.

This is why I am introducing the Defense STRONG Act. My bill strengthens the legal protections for victims of sexual assault in the military:

(1) It requires that they have access to a military lawyer, and can maintain their right to confidential reporting even if they receive legal counsel;

(2) It ensures that conversations between victims and Victim Advocates are confidential and immune from discovery by military lawyers if the case goes to court.

My bill also strengthens the systems in place to prevent sexual assaults and provide support and guidance for victims that do report an incident:

(1) It standardizes the training of service members, Commanders, Victim Advocates, and Sexual Assault Response Coordinators;

(2) It requires that service members are trained around sexual assault prevention and response as they move up in the military structure; and

(3) It requires Victim Advocates and Sexual Assault Response Coordinators to be full-time positions, and prohibits DOD contractors from fulfilling roles.

Sexual assault weakens the readiness and morale of the military, and erodes trust between service members. The Defense STRONG Act strengthens the sexual assault prevention and response program in the military services, strengthening the military as a whole.

I thank my colleague Mr. Andrews, and I rise today in support of the IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010. I applaud the efforts of my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee and believe we have made a real step forward in improving the acquisition process, a process beset by issues such as cost overruns and ever-changing requirements.

This is good legislation that reflects a bipartisan effort to combat waste, increase efficiency, and get good value

for our taxpayer dollars. It builds on what we started last year when we enacted a bill aimed at weapons systems acquisition reform. This bill addresses systemwide problems that weren't impacted by that law. I'm delighted to report, for example, that this bill requires better communication with and stability for our industrial base. I also applaud legislative mandates that require contracting for best value and provisions that enhance the Defense Department's ability to control costs while, most importantly, protecting our soldiers.

My thanks to the Acquisition Panel members and staff for their hard work, careful study, and dedicated effort to the task at hand, and I urge passage of this landmark legislation.

Mr. Speaker, last week I met with a small business owner from Concord, Massachusetts, who showed me several months of his credit card statements. Due to a 1-day late payment after years of on-time payments, his credit card company increased his interest rate by 15 percent, informing him that because of the increase, he will pay off his balance in 2,820 years.

Thanks to the Credit CARD Act, such abuses are now illegal but only after more than a decade of trying to move these bipartisan and commonsense reforms through Congress.

In response to the law, credit card companies are already devising new ways to exploit their customers, trusting in Congress' inability to respond quickly.

The Consumer Financial Protection Agency will give small business owners like my constituent an advocate that can respond to shady practices as they evolve. Groups like the AARP have endorsed the idea of a strong Consumer Financial Protection Agency because it will be able to stand up for the little guy against the giants who have been able to set their own rules.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 62nd anniversary of Israel Independence Day.

I was fortunate to travel to Israel in 1982 and still have strong memories of my visit to that tiny strip of land that holds so much meaning for so many. Much has changed since that time, and I have heard repeatedly that it is like a whole new country worth visiting again, which I intend to do.

Israel has developed a vibrant and diverse democratic society. It is home to an innovative technology sector with more start-ups than any other country except the United States. I am proud to say that many of these organizations have strong research and development relationships with organizations throughout my home State of Massachusetts and that these relationships continue to create jobs for both Americans and Israelis.

Israel has been a place of refuge and opportunity for thousands coming from countries as diverse as Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union. And Israel has provided relief around the world for victims of natural disasters in Haiti, Southeast Asia and elsewhere.

It has done all this while being surrounded by enemies. In this environment, Israel has

forged hard won peace with both Egypt and Jordan, and despite tragic setbacks, the Israeli people continue to yearn for peace with their neighbors.

The strong bonds that exist between Israel and the United States are based on our shared ideals--democracy, opportunity, freedom, and peace--and the mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries will continue long into the future.

Again, I rise to celebrate the 62nd anniversary of Israel's independence and to recognize the lasting friendship between our two countries.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Congresswoman Woolsey for organizing this evening. And I rise today because our health care status quo simply does not work for older women and must be changed.

The rising cost of health care and the lack of access to essential medical services is a problem for millions of Americans throughout our Nation, but it is uniquely so for older women. Times of economic hardship like we are now facing truly illustrate the impact that our inadequate health care system has on older women.

Older women disproportionately rely on their spouses for employer- based coverage in comparison to their younger counterparts and in comparison to older men. That is why over 1 million of them have lost health insurance due to a spouse's job loss during the economic downturn.

When an older woman loses her health insurance, it is even harder for her to find health insurance in the individual market, where there is little to no regulation, than her male counterparts. Older women, because of a combination of gender rating, age rating, and discrimination based on health

status, face premiums that are roughly four times greater than those who have employer-based coverage.

But it doesn't stop there. Women who are on Medicare who do have health insurance are disproportionately low income, have fewer resources, and suffer from more chronic conditions than men. As a result, they pay more in out-of-pocket costs than older men. Therefore, Medicare's ability to provide meaningful and protective health insurance coverage is critical to a senior woman's health and financial security. And that is exactly what health care reform does.

In 2007, over 8 million seniors hit the doughnut hole, and 64 percent of those were women. Health care reform permanently closes the Medicare doughnut hole.

Breast cancer is a leading cause of death for older women in the United States, yet, 1 in 5 women aged 50 and above has not received a mammogram in the past 2 years. Health care reform improves Medicare to ensure that all prevention, including mammograms, is fully covered.

Seventy-seven percent of Medicare beneficiaries living in long-term care facilities are women. Women are three-quarters of all nursing home residents. During a recent visit to a nursing home in my district in Lowell, Massachusetts, I was struck by a recent experience that truly illustrated this point for me.

In one meeting, I looked at the crowd of senior citizens who came to ask me questions and express their concerns about the direction in which our country is going and was struck by the fact that I saw only one man in the audience.

While I later met a number of very interested male residents, the fact is that the typical nursing home resident is an 85-year-old woman who enters a nursing home because she lives alone and has no available caregiver. It is no wonder then that women are more likely to need long-term care services. And that is why it is so important that we pass health care reform that provides voluntary, long-term insurance to help cover the costs associated with growing older for the millions of senior women who need it. No one should have to make decisions based on their finances rather that what is best for their health. We need health care reform in order to address the need that older women face for quality, affordable health care.

Madam Speaker, some of the most egregious insurance industry practices in our health care system disproportionately harm women, and this needs to change. Under the current system, women pay more and get less and often are denied care. If a woman is of a certain age or is already pregnant, insurers can deny her, of all things, maternity coverage. In eight States, it is still legal for insurance companies to deny a woman coverage if she has been the victim of domestic violence.

These examples illustrate how our current system discriminates against over 50 percent of the population of our country. And that is why I offered a motion on this important issue in last night's Budget Committee hearing. My Republican colleagues joined me in supporting this motion, acknowledging that heath care reform must end these harmful insurance practices. So many of the heath care reforms that are so important to women, families, and our Nation hang in the balance. We must pass these commonsense changes in our health care system.

Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor of this resolution, and a member of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, I rise today in order to voice my heartfelt congratulations to the people of Greece on the 189th anniversary of their independence.

Massachusetts' Fifth Congressional District has deep roots in the rich Greek-American community, as does my family--my husband Paul's family emigrated from Greece to Lowell, Massachusetts when his father was 3 years old.

Our Nation has benefited tremendously from the contributions of the prominent Greek community that resides, works, and sustains a vibrant Greek heritage here in the United States.

The bond between the United States and the nation of Greece has always been an exceptional alliance, anchored in our common values, traditions, and passion for freedom and democracy.

President Obama has appropriately continued the tradition of holding a White House celebration in honor of Greek Independence Day, and I look forward to joining him this year to celebrate this historic occasion.

This measure expresses the House of Representatives' support for the important partnership and strong relations between Greece and the United States over the past 189 years. To this day, Greece remains one of our greatest allies.

I am proud to join the Greek-Americans of Massachusetts' Fifth District, and across our country, in celebrating the 189th anniversary of their independence day.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, Americans have long demanded reliable consumer protections for goods and services.

Much as snake oil cures, flammable children's sleepwear, and lead toys were once commonly found in the marketplace, predatory lending, hidden fees, and skyrocketing interest rates are shamefully common today, with little oversight on behalf of the consumer.

This failure has had devastating consequences for our Nation, and was one of the principal drivers of the financial crisis that resulted in a deep depression.

A strong, independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency would have the ability to rein in the worst practices of the big credit card companies, banks, and other large financial institutions, placing the consumer on a level playing field. It would also help responsible institutions like community banks and credit unions by requiring their competitors in the unregulated shadow banking world to play by the same consumer rules.

I call on the Senate to follow the House's lead in including a strong consumer rights agency in financial reform.

Madam Speaker, today I pay tribute to John Anton, the National Down Syndrome Society 2010 Advocate of the Year. Mr. Anton is a resident of Haverhill, Massachusetts in my congressional district. Throughout his life, Mr. Anton has been a leader and advocate for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. His work has touched thousands of lives, and his efforts should be recognized and emulated.

The National Down Syndrome Society is the national advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome. The Advocate of the Year honor commends Mr. Anton's work to enhance the quality of life for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, while helping them to realize their life aspirations and become valued members of their communities.

Mr. Anton certainly deserves this award. He has committed his life to helping individuals adapt to their disabilities, achieve their greatest potential, and work toward productive, independent lives.

In Massachusetts, Mr. Anton was heavily involved in efforts to change the name of the state Department of Mental Retardation to the Department of Developmental Services. He was determined to bring awareness to this cause, and was successful in his endeavor. Massachusetts adopted the new name in 2009. He is to be congratulated on this achievement.

Mr. Anton served as the Chairman of Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong. He spent time as a legislative intern with State Representative Tom Sannicandro and also worked for the Arc of Greater Haverhill- Newburyport. Throughout his life, he has mentored others with disabilities and has been a great inspiration to many. We in Massachusetts are grateful for his service to the Commonwealth.

Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me today in congratulating John Anton for receiving the National Down Syndrome Society 2010 Advocate of the Year, and for his efforts and dedication to a cause for which he is so passionate.

We thank you, Mr. Anton, for your ongoing service to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and look forward hearing of your continued successes.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2949, the Emergency Aid to American Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake Act. The true scope and magnitude of the heartbreaking tragedy in Haiti continue to unfold. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians are still without reliable access to water, food, shelter, and other basic essentials. Children of all ages find themselves without family, relatives, or loved ones. While remarkable humanitarian efforts continue to reach more of those in need every day, the rebuilding effort in Haiti is one that will take more than a decade.

Americans across the country have been moved by the terrible disaster and have generously given support in any way that they can. In the Merrimack Valley and the Fifth District of Massachusetts which I represent, concerned residents have volunteered their time, donated money, organized fundraising efforts, and provided needed supplies. For example, this weekend, a restaurant in Lawrence, Massachusetts is providing free lunch to all those making a donation to the Haiti relief fund.

Our military has also done incredible work in reaching survivors, opening airports in order to facilitate the distribution of aid, and helping to maintain order.

I am pleased that the House of Representatives will pass bipartisan legislation to extend temporary aid to help the thousands of Americans who are evacuating Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.

As of Monday, 14,000 American citizens have been evacuated from Haiti, with 40 percent of them receiving temporary repatriation assistance. The Emergency Aid to American Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake Act will provide these individuals with help in securing and paying for connecting flights, temporary lodging, food, and medical assistance.

Last week, Congress passed and the President signed bipartisan legislation, which I cosponsored, speeding up the tax deduction for charitable contributions for Haiti so that individuals making contributions by the end of February can claim these charitable contributions on their 2009 tax return.

The need in Haiti will be great for many years to come. Support from U.S. foreign aid agencies and the international community will be essential, along with efforts from ordinary citizens, like the one taking place in Lawrence this weekend.