Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise on the eighth anniversary of September 11th to commemorate this momentous day in American history. My heart goes out to the thousands of innocent people who were taken from their loved ones and fellow citizens, and I am mindful of the many sacrifices made by the members of our armed forces and their families as they stand in harm's way to protect our great nation.

The victims of the September 11th attacks were a microcosm of America. In the Twin Towers, on the hijacked planes, at the Pentagon, there were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends; there were millionaire bond traders and minimum wage busboys; there were service men and women, police officers and firefighters; there were people of every race and religion, from dozens of countries, all with their own dreams and disappointments; all bound by an invisible thread . . . our common humanity. And we are forever bound to them, and to each other.

September 11th, 2001 was one of our nation's darkest days. But it illuminated some simple and important truths . . . that it means something special to be an American--something more than the happenstance of where you were born. It relates to the unending quest on the part of ``we the people'' to ``form a more perfect union'' and to a concept of the common good. Being an American means having a commitment to our collective well-being.

In memory of all those who perished on September 11th, in respect to the survivors, in gratitude to the rescuers, and for the sake of ourselves and our posterity, I recall the words of President Kennedy: ``Let us not be blind to our differences--but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.''

Mr. Speaker, during the vote on H. Res. 722, a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the terrorist attacks launched against the U.S. on September 11th, 2001, I was absent from the House. I want my colleagues and constituents of the 2nd District of Wisconsin to know that I intended to vote yes on this resolution. I am grateful to my colleagues, Mr. Hoyer and Mr. Boehner, for their work in seeing it passed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the lifelong philanthropy of Robert and Irwin Goodman of Madison, Wisconsin. Irwin's death in August was mourned by his brother, Bob, their extended family, and an entire community touched in ways big and small by the Goodman brothers' generosity.

Astute businessmen, Bob and Irv saw their business not as an end in itself, but as a means to nurture the minds, bodies, and spirits of their neighbors. They lived frugally, spoke softly, and gave continually and in great measure, guided by the lessons and love of their parents, Harry and Belle.

Gifted athletes, Bob and Irv were health conscious long before fitness became fashionable. Their philanthropy helps kids learn to swim, seniors to exercise, families to eat healthfully, and women to compete on a level and luminous playing field.

From the University of Wisconsin to Edgewood College, the Red Cross to Rotary, HospiceCare to Meriter Hospital, the first community swimming pool to a new community center, the imprint of Bob and Irv's generosity is felt by in every corner of the greater Madison community. And while some bricks and mortar bear their name, vast numbers of beneficiaries will never know of their largesse. The Goodman brothers would rather bring light to the dark corners of society than stand in the spotlight themselves.

Steadfast members and supporters of Madison's Jewish Community, Bob and Irv's lifelong devotion to helping others of all backgrounds is grounded in the Jewish tradition of ``tikkun olam,'' (repairing the world) inherited, they say, from their beloved mother.

Bob and Irv Goodman shared far more than a bloodline. They shared an abiding commitment to each other and to their adopted hometown. I join the greater Madison community in honoring their life's work and loving spirit.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Madam Speaker, the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act represents our Nation's response to a challenge that has consequences of epic proportions. Global climate change must be addressed in a real and meaningful manner. Our greenhouse gas emissions have put our global environment, our security and our very social structure at risk; and if we fail to act, the impact will reverberate throughout this century with the loss of human lives, species destruction, destruction of ecosystems, declines in health and increased social conflict.

Climate change is a unique challenge in that our greatest obligation in tackling this threat is to the generations of Americans and people throughout the world who haven't even been born yet, the ones who will inhabit this planet long after we're all gone. The legislation we have before us addresses global climate change while spurring innovation, creating clean energy jobs and containing costs. It brings what we need in terms of leadership and commitment as we look toward Copenhagen and beyond. It recognizes that our Nation's security, our planet's sustainability and our children's future hang in the balance.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill and commit to a clean energy economy that creates jobs and protects our health, national security and planet for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 366) recognizing the 40th anniversary of the National Eye Institute (NEI) and expressing support for designation of 2010 through 2020 as the ``Decade of Vision''.

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

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

This resolution recognizes the 40th anniversary of the National Eye Institute within the National Institutes of Health and designates the years 2010 through 2020 as the Decade of Vision.

Eye disease is a significant public health problem. Those disproportionately affected by eye disease are our aging population, the African American and Hispanic communities, and those who suffer from chronic diseases, especially diabetes. The National Eye Institute estimates that eye disease and vision impairment currently cost the Nation $68 billion in health care costs, lost productivity, reduced independence, diminished quality of life, and accelerated mortality.

The NEI leads our Nation's efforts to prevent blindness and to save and restore vision. The NEI has been a leader in both basic and translational research. Its researchers have been able to associate one-quarter of all genes discovered to date with eye disease and vision impairment. The NEI has conducted more than 60 clinical trials that have resulted in treatments and therapies to save sight and, in some cases, actually reverse vision loss.

The National Eye Institute estimates that over the decade of 2010 to 2020, the number of individuals over age 40 who experience blindness, low vision or age-related eye disease, such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, will grow from today's level of 38 million cases to 50 million cases. As a result, the National Eye Institute's leadership, in directing vital vision research over the next decade, will be more important than ever.

I have been pleased to work on this resolution with my coauthor Mr. Sessions of Texas. He has been a terrific coauthor and has worked very hard with me to bring this matter to the floor and to the attention of this Congress. I commend this resolution to my colleagues.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield 3 minutes to a fellow member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and a champion of vision issues, Mr. Green of Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I want to close by recognizing just a few of the champions of eye health and the warriors against eye disease from the district that I have the privilege of representing. And I know, like my coauthor, Congressman Sessions, we were drawn to this issue because of pioneering things that are happening in each of our respective districts.

Dr. Paul Kaufman is a leading eye researcher at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a major partner of the National Eye Institute. And I want to commend and recognize his groundbreaking research.

Also, a technology called BrainPort is being developed in my district by a company called Wicab with the support of National Eye Institute funding, and this technology is helping the blind to find new ways to process visual information. These sort-of breakthroughs are so exciting and really go back to the importance of celebrating the accomplishments to date and the future potential through the National Eye Institute with our support.

Again, I commend my colleagues' support of this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Well, I thank the gentleman.

I also want to appreciate my friend and colleague, Congressman Murphy, for bringing us together on this really critical issue.

You know, health care for all is the issue that brought me to politics in the first place, and it's certainly the issue that keeps me here. I join my colleagues tonight on the floor to affirm our fight that we must complete comprehensive health care, meaningful and affordable comprehensive health care reform, this year. We can no longer afford to wait for health care reform.

There was a recent report from the very respected Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that projects, if Federal reform efforts are not completed, that within 10 years the cost of health care for businesses could double, that the number of uninsured Americans could reach 65.7 million and that middle income families would really be the hardest hit. They would bear the brunt of our inaction.

I represent a district in south central Wisconsin. Last month, I had the opportunity to gather and to meet with a number of stakeholders in my community. I got a chance to hear from diverse perspectives--from public and private urban and rural health providers, from patient advocates, from insurers, from businesses, and from labor. I always find it extremely helpful to hear divergent viewpoints and to get new suggestions as we prepare to write this bold, new legislation.

No matter what their particular perspectives in this debate are, their main message was very clear, that the system is broken and that we have to fix it. Some would argue that we really don't even have a system intact anymore.

I want to share just three quick stories from constituents, from Wisconsinites, that really symbolize what is broken in our health care system, that being the unaffordability of individual markets, the insurance discrimination based on preexisting conditions, and the struggles of small businesses. I really think it's important that we, as Americans and as Members of Congress, hear these stories. Our constituents, using their own words and telling their powerful and compelling stories, make the best case for health care for all and for the actions that we must take. So I'm just going to share with you excerpts of three letters that I've received.

One is from Jean from Rio, Wisconsin. Jean writes, ``My husband, Steve, has worked hard his whole life, but as of last year, he has not been able to find work because of the downturn in the economy. Neither of the jobs that I have held have offered me health insurance. We have relied on insurance that we purchased in the individual market, which costs nearly $10,000 a year and has a $5,000 deductible, meaning that we pay out of pocket for basic doctor visits, screenings and prescriptions.

``Twenty years ago,'' Jean writes, ``Steve became very ill, and in the intervening years has developed multiple brain tumors that require extensive treatment and care. We eventually realized that he has recurring tumors due to a neurological disease and should be screened on an annual basis. Unfortunately, insurance does not cover these $13,000 procedures, and we cannot afford to pay that on an annual basis. We can only hope and pray that more tumors are not developing. It is just so infuriating that, in this wonderful country, we cannot get wonderful medical care.''

Lorraine from Port Washington, Wisconsin, writes, ``When my husband filled out an insurance application in July of 2002, he was asked if he had ever been diagnosed or treated for cancer in the past 5 years. He replied, `No.' He had never been diagnosed with cancer nor operated on nor treated for cancer. What he did have was basal cells--small carcinomas--which are never malignant and have to be removed from most blue-eyed blonds in the course of getting older.

``When my husband was diagnosed with bone marrow failure disease, the insurance company denied any coverage for his medical care, citing a preexisting condition. We were left with over $125,000 in medical bills. My husband has now passed away, and I am just thankful that I am not in complete financial ruin.''

Sally, from Madison, Wisconsin, writes me to say, ``I've had my own law office for 29 years. I employ two full-time employees and one part- time employee. I provide health care benefits for our small firm, but I have faced an annual increase in premiums of 12 percent, forcing me to pass on higher cost-sharing to these three employees. One employee has diabetes and also extends coverage to her husband, who is a dairy farmer without health insurance coverage. Because of their high medical costs, it would have been very difficult for me to find new health insurance without facing even higher rates. Health insurance is becoming steadily less inclusive and more difficult to keep--and it's no wonder that, in today's economy, families count health care costs as one of their top pocketbook issues.''

Madam Speaker and colleagues, these stories illustrate why affordable, quality health care for all is so important and is so necessary. Universal coverage is both a moral and an economic imperative if we are to succeed in the 21st century. For the first time, I firmly believe that health care for all is within our grasp. We must act now.

Again, I want to thank my colleagues, my friend Congressman Murphy and my friend Congressman Altmire, for taking this fight up and for bringing us together to address this important issue.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Maureen Arcand, a disability researcher and advocate, community leader, and mother of six. Celebrating her 80th birthday this month, Maureen has fought for positive social change and inspired many of her fellow Wisconsinites for years.

Maureen was born in 1929 with cerebral palsy (CP). In those days, CP was poorly understood and many affected children were simply institutionalized. Nevertheless, her parents raised her through the Great Depression and World War II with high expectations, emphasizing her abilities. By age 40, Maureen was working full time, becoming increasingly involved in her community as an activist for the disabled, and single-handedly caring for her six children.

While many Americans spend their retirement relaxing, Maureen has been perhaps most active at this point in her life. In her sixties, she served the greater Madison community as an elected member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors, where I was fortunate to serve with her. Beyond her work with the Dane County Board, Maureen worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those living with disabilities. She served as president of Movin' Out, Inc., leading the Madison organization's efforts to assist people with disabilities in finding and retaining independent housing. She also lobbied for the Madison based nonprofit, Access to Independence, Inc., further reflecting her strong conviction that people with disabilities have the right to live independently and make individual choices. Following the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Maureen became the first evaluation coordinator in Dane County for the ADA, proudly stating, ``Never have people with disabilities worked so well together to achieve a goal.''

In the past few years, Maureen has researched the aging process in people living with CP. Using personal insights and focus groups comprised of others affected by CP, she has illuminated much about this often misunderstood condition, creating valuable information for others with the disability. In her research titled ``One Person's Journey into Aging with Cerebral Palsy,'' Maureen states, ``This attempt to record my experiences is being made in the hope that other people with CP can benefit from knowing something about what has happened to me over the last thirty some years.''

On April 30, Maureen is celebrating her 80th birthday by launching the Maureen Arcand Advocacy and Leadership Awards to spotlight and inspire others who are continuing her work. Maureen once told me that her favorite animal is the giraffe, because it's always sticking its neck out. In reality, Maureen has spent a lifetime sticking her neck out for all of us, especially those without a voice.

Today, I therefore commend Maureen Arcand not only for her myriad accomplishments, but also the many future contributions to society that she has undoubtedly nurtured and inspired.

I want to thank Chairman Conyers for the time and for your diligent work on this measure. It has been an honor and a privilege to work closely with you.

Today, by passing the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the House has a historic opportunity to reinforce the principles of equal rights and equal protection embodied in our Constitution.

Hate crimes are acts of violence motivated by prejudice and committed against individuals that end up victimizing entire groups of people.

In 1968 in response to horrific hate-based violence in our country, cross burnings, lynchings, fire bombings and the like, we acted to protect people who were victimized on the basis of their race, color, religion or national origin. Today, we strengthen our response to this form of domestic terrorism by adding protections for people targeted for violence because of their gender, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

We add these characteristics to the hate crimes legislation not because they deserve special protection, but because of a history and pervasive pattern of heinous violent crimes committed against individuals because of these characteristics.

Some opponents of this legislation are disseminating misinformation in order to derail this bill. But make no mistake--this legislation we pass today has been carefully crafted to protect our First Amendment rights to free speech, expression, and association.

The First Amendment protects these freedoms, but it does not protect violence. This is not a hate thought bill. This is not a hate speech bill. This is a hate crimes bill that will provide needed Federal resources to local law enforcement authorities when they confront violent crimes motivated by prejudice and hate.

I want to share with you a few reasons why I believe the passage of this legislation is so urgently necessary.

I'm thinking today of Angie Zapata, an 18-year-old transgender woman who was brutally murdered in Greeley, Colorado, last summer. Angie's killer beat her to death with his fists and a fire extinguisher when he learned that she had been born a male. Thankfully, Angie's killer was brought to justice under a State hate crimes law. But we know that with staggering frequency, those who commit similar acts of violence and murder based on hate are not.

I think of Lawrence King, a 15-year-old in Oxnard, California. Larry had suffered harassment from his peers and then was killed by a 14- year-old classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender identity.

Americans across the country, young and old alike, must hear Congress clearly affirm that hate-based violence targeting gays, lesbians, transgender individuals, women, and people with disabilities will not be tolerated.

I think today of Matthew Shepard, who was brutally attacked by his homophobic assailants and left to die on a fence in Wyoming 10 years ago. Matthew's death generated international outrage by exposing the violent nature of hate crimes and the horrific effect on the targeted community.

I think of Judy Shepard, Matthew's mother, who is here with us today, still courageously advocating for the passage of this legislation more than 10 years after losing her son.

The passage of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act will not make all hate crime go away. But this bill gives State, local, and Federal law enforcement authorities the necessary resources and tools to combat violent crimes based on hate and bias.

Mr. Speaker, the arguments have been made, the evidence has been proffered, and, sadly, the lives have been lost that more than justify the passage of this legislation. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill.

I thank the gentlewoman from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Dr. Christensen, for yielding time. And I also thank the chairman of the full committee for reporting out this bill for consideration on the suspension calendar.

I rise today in support of the Crane Conservation Act of 2009, legislation to help protect and preserve the world's 15 species of cranes for generations to come.

Cranes are the most endangered family of birds in the world, with 11 of the world's 15 crane species at risk of extinction. Their special characteristics and unique ability to bring people together across city, State, and international boundaries place them in a class worthy of our conservation efforts.

Cranes are revered throughout the world for their beauty, grace, and long-distance migrations, frequently spanning numerous countries. In fact, their appeal is so vast that they figure prominently in the culture, folklore, and art of many people around the world. They are featured in the silks, sculpture, poetry, and folk tales of many cultures. And because of their long lifespans, they have become symbols of longevity and good fortune.

These magnificent birds also have served as ambassadors of harmony and peace in the international arena. Representatives from nations with various political struggles have reached beyond the instability to address the conservation of cranes. In fact, about 2 years ago, representatives from bordering nations, including India, China, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, and others, met in an attempt to overcome strained relations and send a message of goodwill for the sake of protecting this threatened species. Similarly, African nations which share troubled borders also have joined together in recent years to stop the illegal trade of cranes.

In North America, the whooping crane is the rarest of the crane species. Back in the year 1941, only 21 whooping cranes existed in the entire world. Today, there are almost 400 birds in existence. The resurgence is attributed to the bird's tenacity for survival and to the efforts of conservationists in the United States and Canada. In fact, since 2001, coordinated efforts have focused on encouraging young whooping cranes to migrate from their breeding grounds in Wisconsin's Necedah National Wildlife Refuge to their destination in Florida.

In an effort to reintroduce a migratory flock into their historic range in the eastern United States, the recovery team used ultralight aircraft to train and lead these young cranes on their spectacular journey, stretching from city to city and State to State. Fortunately, these efforts have been successful, and the Crane Conservation Act would complement them, both domestically and internationally.

This bill will provide the resources to support initiatives that protect cranes and, importantly, their habitats, which have deteriorated due to industrial development, pollution, and other human disturbances, including wars and other violent conflicts. The bill will also provide the means for the United States to fulfill various international obligations and commitments, thus having a large environmental and cultural impact across the globe.

Additionally, the Crane Conservation Act will provide resources for the United States to bring people and governments around the world together to protect ecosystems, develop adequate habitats, and encourage overall goodwill. Specifically, the Crane Conservation Act will authorize up to $5 million per year to be distributed in the form of conservation project grants to protect cranes in the wetlands and grasslands and other ecosystems on which they depend.

Congress has passed similar bills in support of globally significant and endangered wildlife species, including tigers, rhinos, elephants, and neotropical migratory birds. And just as these efforts took significant steps in international wildlife conservation, the Crane Conservation Act would play a similar and promising role in improving endangered wildlife and their habitats.

This bill, in identical form, passed on the suspension calendar last session. I encourage my colleagues to support the Crane Conservation Act of 2009.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Lawrence ``Larry'' King, a California eighth-grader who was shot and killed 1 year ago today by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender identity. Larry's tragic death is a reminder of what we already know, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students continue to face pervasive harassment and victimization in schools.

On this anniversary of Larry's death, vigils are being organized across the country in his memory, and young Americans are raising their voices to demand an end to violence and harassment directed at LBGT people in schools. This morning, I raise my voice with them. Every young American deserves an education free from name-calling, bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence regardless of his or her sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

I want to thank my colleague, Lois Capps, for her work in authoring a resolution to honor Larry's memory. I urge my colleagues to join us in calling for an end to all violence and harassment in our schools.

Thank you.

I want to start by thanking you for your leadership. It is so important that you bring us together to highlight the issue, and I think it is powerful to hear what our constituents have to say in their own words.

We all travel back and forth between Washington, D.C., and our home districts. I represent an extraordinary constituency in south central Wisconsin, and there is nowhere I travel in my district that I don't hear these stories that tug on your heartstrings and tell us in no uncertain terms that we must take action, and we must take action in this session of Congress.

I want to share with you a sampling--and we could probably have endless special orders and not get to all of the communications that we receive.

Michael in Poynette, Wisconsin, in my district says, ``I am a [Federal employee] and a member of the Wisconsin WI Air National Guard. This past year we were granted a wage increase of roughly 2.3 percent. At the same time, the cost of our FEHBP plan benefit increased by up to 44 percent.'' For he and his coworkers.

Michael writes, ``Along with this, many of the co-pays also increased. This has put a tremendous strain on my colleagues in the Air National Guard, many who have been deployed three and four times in support of operations throughout the Middle East region.''

Ed in Monroe, Wisconsin, writes to me, ``My wife and I live in the gap. Between our Social Security and a disability policy she had, we get too much money to qualify for help, but not really enough to get by. With the donut hole in Medicare D, we would only be able to get my wife's meds for 3 months if it were not for the samples provided by one of her doctors.''

``Four of her 10 meds would take 65 percent of our total income if it were not for the help of that doctor. I live with chronic pain because of a cancer treatment, but as the years go by, it helps less and I have other medical problems that are gradually getting worse.''

Ed continues: ``I have a wife and a son that I have to take care of because neither can do it all for themselves. I am the one who battles with Social Security and the insurance companies. I have to deal with problems that arise with their medications, their finances and many day-to-day things.''

Ed continues: ``Every time I hear a politician talking about cutting Medicare and other programs for the elderly and disabled, it scares me to death because I am just hanging on by a thread.''

Sue in Beloit writes about her situation. Sue writes: ``My husband was diagnosed with lung cancer. After treatment began, we found out that the insurance company had a small loophole for the treatment of cancer. Under our insurance, they have a $13,000 limit per year on radiation and chemotherapy. That amount did not even cover the first treatment of either the radiation or chemo. I was not going to have my husband die for lack of treatment, so we started to use our savings and available credit to pay for medical expenses. My husband later died,'' Sue wrote. ``After having completely depleted our savings and facing insurmountable credit card debt, I had no choice but to file bankruptcy last year.''

Greg in Verona, Wisconsin, who owns a small business writes: ``Since 1998, we've been providing health care to our employees. Every year, we've had double digit increases in our costs. This year, the insurance company has informed us we'll be paying 42 percent more next year, which will lead to one of several eventualities:

``One. We'll have to reduce what we cover as a benefit for our employees and hopefully retain them. Reality is, many will leave and we'll have trouble replacing them.

``Two. We'll eat the increase but offer no employee raises for the next 3 years.

``Three. We'll raise our prices and force customers to look elsewhere for the services we currently provide them.

``The very real possibility is we'll end up with some element of all the scenarios and end up not being able to keep the doors open. Very scary thought when one considers that my business has been around for 55 years.''

Michael in Burlington, Wisconsin, writes: ``My late daughter was diagnosed with lymphangiomatosis and Gorham's Vanishing Bone disease in March 2005. We found out how much a child with a terminal illness costs a person. My wife and I used every amount of credit and refinanced our house three times just to take care of her. Since her death, the bills mounted so bad that now we will have to file bankruptcy and we already have been foreclosed on our home.

``Secondly, my wife was born with a hole in her heart. In 1972, the doctors repaired the hole. In doing so, through the blood transfusion they gave her hepatitis C. Now she is preexisting at 37 and can't get life insurance and has been repeatedly denied health care coverage. Her mental breakdown because of the death of our daughter left the insurance companies another reason to not let her have health care. This needs to change.''

Carol from Madison, Wisconsin, writes: ``As someone who has had no health insurance at all for 3 years, I can tell you that it was pretty miserable being one of the millions of people in this country without health insurance. Not long ago, my best friend died at age 42 because of ovarian cancer because she did not have health insurance and waited too long to see what was causing all of her symptoms. Yes, people in America actually die from not having health insurance.''

Susan in Baraboo, Wisconsin, writes: ``I am writing you today regarding health insurance coverage for single people with no children. As of this time, I feel that I am left out of the loop in regards to this topic. I am 42, and last September I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In January of this year, the company that I worked for informed us that they would be closing down. I was laid off in December while I was out due to my cancer treatment. I have been searching for health care everywhere because my COBRA will be going up and I am on unemployment and barely able to pay the $244.76 for the coverage now. I cannot get insurance because of the breast cancer. HIRSP, which is the Wisconsin State High Risk Program, is too expensive for me to get coverage since they want 4 months of premiums up front, and as they only cover some things.

``What are single people supposed to do? We don't qualify for any government assistance because we are single. We cannot go without insurance. There are no programs to help us out. So when you are working on health care in the House of Representatives, please remember that there are single people out there also in my shoes. I am at a crossroad because I have no avenue for assistance when it comes to health care. Come November, I will be unable to get coverage when I need it at this point in my life.''

I hope, Mr. Speaker, that my colleagues will join me, and on behalf of those constituents whose stories I've shared, in recognizing the absolute critical nature of our efforts to enact national health care that covers all Americans. The crisis is only worsening at this particular moment, and I invite my colleagues to join me in working on this most pressing issue.

I again thank the gentleman from Connecticut, my friend, Chris Murphy, for bringing us together this evening to give voice to the American people who are suffering so much in the current circumstance.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I rise in strong support today of the Senate amendment to H.R. 2, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act. Achieving health care for all in this country is the reason why I got into politics. It is my goal, it is my passion, it is my motivation. And, for the first time during my tenure in Congress, I see real promise that the Obama administration and this Congress will work together to achieve that goal.

SCHIP takes an important first step in moving towards achieving this goal. I am proud to support this particular bill because it contains some key provisions. It provides increased Federal funding for States like my own State of Wisconsin that have proven successful in reducing the number of uninsured children. It also provides funding for outreach activities to find the children that are hardest to reach--the most in need of health care.

Madam Speaker, this legislation will give 4.1 million uninsured children meaningful access to health care. And now we must move forward to cover the millions more who suffer every day due to lack of health insurance. Today, we must enact SCHIP legislation. Tomorrow, we must move forward to bring health care coverage to every American.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to the Orfordville Journal and Footville News, which ceased publication on August 15, 2008, after nearly a century of chronicling the lives of families in the Orfordville area of Rock County, Wisconsin. Its dedicated owners and publishers, the Stewart family, kept the small weekly newspaper alive for 92 years. Upon its closing, the Journal-News was the second oldest business in Orfordville.

The first issue of the Orfordville Journal debuted on December 17, 1908, but it was not until 1916 that the Stewart family became its owners, when Ward A. Stewart purchased the struggling newspaper at age 22. Later that year, a young woman named Rose came to work for the Journal. Rose and Ward soon married on a Wednesday night in Orfordville, but only after the printing of that week's paper was complete.

This and countless other Stewart family anecdotes illustrate a behind-the-scenes picture of the Journal-News as a quintessential family business rooted in the community that

it served. Early on, the Stewarts relied on the assistance of several local women to create the weekly Orfordville Journal. The labor was painstaking and slow--all of the typesetting was completed by hand, letter by letter, and pages were printed using hand-rollers.

When the newspaper added the Footville News section in 1925, the Stewarts upgraded to a linotype typesetting machine to speed production and accommodate the growing territory. Rose Stewart typically ran the linotype with her son, George, by her side, sleeping in a cradle, and as he got older, standing by in a playpen. At age 8, George had already written his first story. When he later entered journalism school at the University of Wisconsin, he found himself firmly upon the path to a career in the newspaper industry.

George Stewart and his wife, Betty, eventually succeeded his parents as owners of the Journal-News. George and Betty ushered the Journal- News into the 21st century with modern, computer-aided production processes; even so, the paper never lost its community focus and homegrown appeal. I commend the Stewarts on their service to their community and look forward to their new venture, an online Orfordville area news website.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3406, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act.

This vital legislation restores the civil rights protections that Congress intended for people with disabilities in passing the ADA in 1990. In the years since passage of the ADA, courts--including the U.S. Supreme Court--have narrowed the protective reach of this law, undermining Congress' intent. It is flatly unacceptable that Americans who experienced disability-based discrimination have been denied protection of the ADA and barred from challenging discriminatory conduct. This bill is an important and necessary remedy, and I'm grateful to our champions in the House, Mr. Hoyer and Mr. Sensenbrenner, as well as Senator Harkin and others who shepherded the ADA Amendments Act through the Senate.

Importantly, the ADA Amendments Act addresses the restrictive interpretation of what it means to have a ``disability'' and therefore be protected against disability discrimination. In Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. v. Williams, the Supreme Court ruled that the definition of disability must be read ``strictly to create a demanding standard for qualifying as disabled'' and, to meet the definition, an individual must have an impairment that ``prevents or severely restricts the individual from doing activities that are of central importance to most people's daily lives.''

Due to that and other narrow court interpretations, people with HIV who have been fired, not hired, or suffered other adverse employment actions have been denied the protections of the ADA. Although the ADA clearly intended to protect people living with HIV from being discriminated against based on having HIV, many have had their lawsuits derailed by disputes over whether they meet a narrowly interpreted definition of the term ``disability.'' For people living with HIV, all too often whether or not they could proceed with their discrimination claim has turned on the court's view of evidence as to their child- bearing ability and intentions: highly personal, intimate matters that are completely unrelated to the discrimination they experienced.

The ADA Amendments Act remedies the courts' misinterpretation of the ADA by explicitly stating that the definition of ``disability'' must be interpreted broadly to achieve the ADA's remedial purposes, by clarifying the definition of ``disability'' through examples of ``major life activities,'' and by providing that the determination of whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity must be made without regard to the ameliorative effects of mitigating measures. Of significance for people living with HIV, among the listed examples of ``major life activities'' are ``functions of the immune system,'' as well as ``reproductive functions.'' Under these new provisions, many individuals who were incorrectly denied coverage under the ADA will now be protected from discrimination. Some examples follow:

Rubin Cruz Carrillo was fired from his job as a flight attendant 1 day after he told his employer that he had been diagnosed with HIV and asked to speak with his supervisors about this under ``strict confidentiality.'' Because he was fired immediately after disclosing his HIV status, Rubin believed that the airline terminated him because of his disability and filed suit under the ADA. To show that his HIV infection ``substantially limits'' a ``major life activity,'' Rubin explained that he decided not to have children because of the risk of infecting his female partner or their resulting child through unprotected sexual intercourse. The trial judge discounted his testimony, saying that Rubin was ``not an expert in the medical field of immunology or reproduction.'' The court concluded that Rubin had not established that he had a ``disability'' because he failed to introduce medical evidence that HIV substantially limits a man's ability to reproduce. Therefore, the court ruled Rubin was not entitled to the protections of the ADA.

In contrast, another judge on the same Federal district court found that a female with HIV was entitled to ADA protection. Yesenia Rodriguez alleged that she was discharged

from an assignment because she had HIV. The court found that she was ``disabled'' under the meaning of the ADA, based on her testimony that she decided not to have more children due to the possibility of transmitting HIV to her child if she did.

Other courts have granted summary judgment for employers (dismissing discrimination claims) on the grounds that the employee with HIV did not establish that his HIV was a ``disability.'' For example, Fabio Gutwaks'' discrimination claim was dismissed after the court concluded that he had failed to establish that he was substantially limited in the major life activity of reproduction because he testified that he did not currently, or previously, desire to father children. Similarly, Albenjamin Blanks' claim was dismissed after he testified that he and his wife had decided not to have any more children long before the discriminatory conduct occurred and that his wife had undergone a procedure to prevent her from having any more children.

The ADA was meant to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities. Yet, many people with HIV have been denied coverage under the ADA and therefore left without any legal recourse against discrimination. Under the ADA Amendments Act, these men and women will all be assured legal protection for discrimination based on their HIV status, irrespective of their child-bearing intentions or lack of expert testimony about HIV's impact on child-bearing.

By passing the ADA Amendments Act, we reaffirm the right for American workers--including any American living with HIV--to be judged based upon their skills, talents, loyalty, character, integrity and work ethic. I am pleased to support this bill to ensure that all Americans have a fair opportunity to work.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 30th anniversary of HospiceCare Inc. From its humble beginnings as a small grassroots operation serving a handful of patients in Southern Wisconsin, Dane County Hospice, now HospiceCare, has grown into an organization that serves over 400 patients each day throughout the area in a variety of settings. HospiceCare's Madison and Janesville locations maintain a staff of more than 500 professionals and nearly 1,000 volunteers.

The term ``hospice'' originates from the root word ``hospitality.'' It is with this foundation in mind that HospiceCare seeks to carry out its mission of providing quality end-of-life care to patients and families coping with life-limiting illnesses. HospiceCare's comprehensive and collaborative team of professionals combines expert pain and symptom management with compassionate care to ensure that individuals diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses live the end of their lives in comfort and with dignity, whether they are in their own home or in a hospital, community based residential facility, nursing home, or assisted living facility.

Since its founding in 1978, HospiceCare has become an essential component of our community's fabric. As an innovator, educator, and above all, a quality care provider, HospiceCare has shown the way to a more peaceful end-of-life experience for a growing number of patients and their loved ones. In 1995, HospiceCare merged with Janesville Team Care to bring HospiceCare's brand of quality and commitment to the Rock County area. In the last decade alone, HospiceCare has planned, built, and opened the Don and Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center, the only freestanding, inpatient hospice unit in Dane County, and more recently, the Ellen & Peter Johnson HospiceCare Residence to provide care to patients in a residential setting on the HospiceCare campus.

These accomplishments have brought HospiceCare closer to achieving its long-term vision of ``building a community in which exceptional end-of-life care is accepted, expected and available to all.'' I am proud to stand with HospiceCare in order to make that vision a reality.

For 30 years of continued service and commitment to families across Wisconsin, I congratulate HospiceCare Inc. and wish all those involved many more years of success in the future.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Visiting Nurse Service for its 100-year commitment to the improvement and expansion of patient medical care in southern Wisconsin. Since 1908, when the Attic Angel Association began working with a local nurse to procure in-home care for its residents, the Visiting Nurse Service has grown to become an integral component of the Wisconsin health care industry. As a section of the Home Health United health care agency, the Visiting Nurse Service now continues to facilitate independent living and enhance the quality of life for patients across 23 Wisconsin counties. By offering patients the option to cope with illness and work with medical professionals from the comfort of their own homes, the Visiting Nurse Service has truly enhanced our Nation's health care system.

The Visiting Nurse Service that operates in Wisconsin originated in Madison as an innovative, unique approach to health care. It all began when the Attic Angel Association, initially founded as a charitable service group, perceived a void in the health care system. By hiring Maud Reeder, the first visiting nurse in the area, Attic Angel found a way to improve the scope of existing medical services by initiating more convenient, personalized in-home care. The Attic Angel Association helped implement a change in Wisconsin's health care system that would extend far beyond the Madison area. Since its inception, the Visiting Nurse Service has operated with the simple goals of providing more accessible nursing services and offering charitable medical treatment.

Over the past century, the Visiting Nurse Service has enriched the lives of countless Wisconsinites. As America's health care practices have evolved and developed during the last hundred years, visiting nurses have continued to provide a dependable service, acting as a valuable constant in an ever-changing system. The enduring legacy speaks to the Visiting Nurse Service's remarkable ability to provide effective, professional health care and to adapt to a growing society. The Visiting Nurse Service has demonstrated a genuine commitment to addressing the specific, individual needs of its patients, and an impressive ability to respond to the needs of its community.

For their commitment to the people of Wisconsin and to the enrichment of their community through improved medical care, I congratulate the Visiting Nurse Service. The 100th anniversary of the organization's inception marks a truly extraordinary, well-deserved milestone.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.