Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my outrage at a recent decision by the California Supreme Court. This decision requires a Catholic charity to cover birth control in its employees' health insurance plans despite the church's position on contraception. This decision infringes on the principles of any faith-based charity choosing to help all the needy and not just those of a similar faith. As a result of this decision, society as a whole suffers. Faith- affiliated charities frequently provide help and hope to the least among us without religious discrimination, but this decision is a step backward. We are left to wonder what effect it will have on the social ministry of these organizations. Some may be forced to choose between adhering to their beliefs and serving those in need.

This decision represents an intentional, purposeful intrusion into a religious organization's practice of its religious tenets and sense of mission and it could reach far beyond Catholic charities and affect other faith-based hospitals and charities throughout the country.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and, Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1997, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act introduced by my fellow gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart).

When we reflect back, I must acknowledge there was a time in our history when sadly it was not considered a crime for a man to beat his wife, because she was not granted a protective legal status. That is, what we now see as both immoral and illegal at that time was not seen as illegal. Luckily, we now see how grievous and how cruel that error in legal definition was.

Similarly, we cannot escape our bleak history when African Americans were not given rights, when Irish immigrants were seen as subhuman, and therefore, acts of violence against them went unpunished. As we recognized the value of human dignity, then we are compelled to do so again today.

When we hear about an action of violence against a pregnant woman where the baby inside her is killed, in some States the act would be charged with murder, and in some States he would not.

Fortunately, when I was a State senator in Pennsylvania, my State enacted a law that imposed criminal penalties on individuals who intentionally murder unborn children in acts of violence, and 29 other States have seen fit to enact laws protecting unborn children from violence. When a criminal in those States attacks a pregnant woman and kills her unborn child, he has killed two people. No doubt, no question, no room for argument.

But the question before us today expands this issue to other States. When a man brutally beats a woman and in that process kills her unborn child, he has committed murder. What if that woman's baby was due the following day, had a nursery decorated and clothes folded neatly and arranged, a mobile swinging above the crib? In 21 States this is not murder; in 29 States it is.

It is time we consider the morality of the baby's rights to be protected. We must protect them until they protect themselves, in the womb and during their young years. It is their right, and it is our duty.

Think of this. If a man wants to end the pregnancy and the woman does not, and he beats her until the life within her, by whatever definition or stretch one might hold, if that life ends, do we tell the woman her desires mean nothing, her hopes mean nothing, her baby is a sacrifice at the altar of legalese, and she, as the mom, has no rights to her hopes and her dreams and her desires? Do we say to that mom her baby does not exist until someone defines it as so? Tell that to the mother. Tell that to the father. Tell them their baby was nothing.

I know that there are those that feel this will infringe on someone's rights, that this is a woman's issue. Well, I speak to my colleagues tonight as a father first and as a legislator second. This is not a woman's issue or a man's issue; this is a child's issue. These are lives we are talking about. I know that there are those who feel that this will infringe upon someone's rights, that this is a woman's issue, but a violent act must be punished, a violent act that is maybe even more heinous when committed against an individual so helpless that it needs the protections of its mother's body.

I think back on years when I used to work at McGee Hospital and Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, where I would see young babies born a month, 2 months, 3 months premature, perhaps born at 24 weeks, tiny little lives, and sometimes they survived and went on. Now I see some of them have gone on to graduate high school and college and have families of their own, and some did not make it, but I know very well the waves of grief that flowed over the families because they considered those children alive.

When a child is killed within the mother, by saying that is a child, by recognizing that as a murder, we are indeed protecting them. We are indeed saying something is right and something is moral, and we are attaching the right legal action upon that and protecting them.

Thomas Jefferson once said, ``I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just and his justice cannot sleep forever.''

What we face now is a time of bringing to justice those who try and kill those children, and we bring protection to those children too. It is a time when we must do all these things and recognize how within this vast world we can sometimes play with all the definitions we want; but it is still a life, and it is still worthy of our attention.

Mr. Speaker, as the cold of winter approaches also comes homeowners' concern for rising heating costs. It is important that the Federal Government take some leads in helping to deal with the supply and demand issues.

The Federal Government is the largest single user of energy in the world, spending $10 billion per year for its buildings. Despite past efforts, however, energy consumption is still too high, using old, inefficient technology. Only nine agencies since 1929 have reported energy savings in trying to save costs. The Alliance to Save Energy estimates at least 1 billion in taxpayer dollars is still being wasted. Some estimates are higher. For example, military bases can save millions in energy costs by replacing old, failing boilers and heating systems with energy-efficient models.

The energy bill that will soon be taken up by the House will take an important step to increase energy efficiency by requiring a 20 percent energy consumption reduction in the next decade. This is a vital provision, one that will save mass amounts of taxpayer money, conserve energy, help save energy costs for our Nation.

Let us stop the waste and start conserving for our future.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today the House voted on H. Res. 400 acknowledging Pope John Paul II's 25th year as the pontiff.

I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on his remarkable life that so many can draw tremendous strength from in a world that often challenges our strength.

Some who see him now see this older man, stooped and bowed by age, trembling with his hands, now leaning on his crosier when he can stand for support, and what a different view that is from the young Karol Wojtyla who had such strength and vibrancy of character. And yet despite his age, it is remarkable how he continues to be such an example for all the world. Even though there are so many challenges around, his strength continues to shine through in a changing world.

I thought it was worth reflecting on what it is about the Holy Father that has given him his strength that adds particular interest to our resolution today in commemorating such an incredible life.

Some have said that to understand this Pope you need to go back to his roots in Poland. He was born on May 18, 1920. From early on in life, suffering was very much a part of him. Poland itself is a nation that has seen itself go from perhaps one of the leaders in medieval days to a country divided up and essentially had so many of its citizens turned into near slaves in this century and the last. Many Polish citizens continue to reflect upon their own history as a source of strength, and indeed it is with the Pope.

His father was a devout and upright man, a decorated World War I officer. His mother, apparently of delicate health, would suffer much on her own, and had a young daughter who died before Karol was born. His own mother died when he was eight, and his father when he was a young man. And his brother died, too. He said at one point, ``By the time I was 20, I had already lost all the people I loved, even those who I might have loved, like my older sister, who died 6 years before I was born.''

His suffering gave him incredible meaning in his life. As a young man, he and his father stood in line once with other refugees of World War II, and they were sprayed with machine gun fire from aircraft. He was arrested at age 21, narrowly escaping being sent to Auschwitz. He lay in the basement of his house praying with his arms outstretched in the shape of a cross while Nazi officers went through the house. He was hit by a speeding truck during the war, and probably would have died if caring citizens did not take care of him.

It was the problems he had with World War II which gave him strength

during the time when the communists took over Poland as well. Again, the suffering continued. The oppression of the Catholic Church, that he saw so much of during World War II, continued as well. And yet he used his position as a bishop and cardinal to give guidance and strength to the people of his region.

It was no wonder when he was chosen to hold the position of Holy Father some 25 years ago, the other cardinals and people in a world saw him as a source of strength in a world that was badly needed in a world that was weakened by lack of courage and moral fiber.

His struggles have shaped him and given him incredible strength. He has visited some 125 countries around the world, remained active in sports, visited many churches, and as incredible as it may seem, still could draw crowds of hundreds of thousands of youth. A million came to the World Youth Day that he had not too long ago, youth wanting to see him and get a glimpse of this man, the Holy Father whom they see as a great source of strength. He is gentle. Despite his strength, the most incredible thing that stands out is still how he would reach out to those weak, sick, poor, those who were sinners. Some fail and blame their history, some move forward despite their history, and some achieve greatness because of the suffering they have been through. We owe a great deal to this incredible man.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues have all heard the statement that says that years from now we will not remember what kind of houses we lived in or what kind of cars we drove, what material possessions we possessed; but we will remember if we made a difference in the life of a child.

Some years ago, actually before I decided to run for the State senate, I remember working in a newborn intensive care unit at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. There and at McGee Hospital, part of my job was to see the infants who had been born prematurely. I worked with the families and infants and made sure that we took care of dealing with any risks that they may have had for developmental disabilities, and dealing with the families and dealing with a child who was born at perhaps 27, 26, 25, 24 weeks.

It amazed me the miracles that I saw of these babies no bigger than my hand, no bigger than my hand, frail, transparent skin, eyes, in some cases they were so young, barely opened, of how we saw them struggle, but how we saw them breathe. And their hearts beating, you could see beneath their skin. And how, as time went on, we worked with the families and the nurses to help these young babies learn to deal with their world, not stress them too much so that they would grow up. It is amazing to me now, years after I started that career, to be seeing these children graduating from high school and graduating from college; children at that age that otherwise people would see as throwaway babies, throwaway babies; but they are very real.

As the history of our Nation is written, each generation that perhaps has been in this Chamber or the former Chamber has had its core issues it has dealt with. Initially there was the forming of our Nation. What did the Constitution mean? There were also issues of the expansion west. There were issues of slavery. There were issues of civil rights, the women's suffrage, the different generations of folks who worked in these Chambers dealt with. I think one of the issues that will define our generation as legislators will be what we did to be meaningful in the life of a child.

I look upon this as perhaps there is no more humbling, but prouder, thing to do than to save a child's life. Many of us have also, I am sure, heard the phrase that says, if we get here, if we can make one small difference in the world, one small improvement, the votes we will take on this bill will do that, not just for one child, but for thousands and thousands, perhaps millions of children, who otherwise would have seen life untimely ripped from them, as it was.

But for me it is particularly important because I have seen these children live. I have seen children much younger than those we are talking about preventing their deaths thrive. I have talked to them. I have played baseball with them. We have laughed together; we have cried together. And it is important that we understand that it is part of that, that this is not just tissue. It is not just some amorphous cells there floating about; but these are real beings, real beings.

I am also struck as being a father. I know a lot of us speaking here tonight are men, and so many times those who are involved in this issue, they talk about, well, perhaps this is a women's rights issue. Let me speak about fatherhood. I do not think there is any more important thing we do as men on this Earth, outside of having a good relationship with our wives, than being fathers. That is the next generation we deal with. I think part of our role as fathers is to make sure we are there to nurture our children, to feed them, to clothe them, to provide for them, to play with them, to help teach them in the ways of life. But that is important, and it is not diminished because we are males. Our love and our compassion and our caring for children, it is very real. But it always has distressed me when sometimes these arguments come out about pro-life or pro-choice or abortion, that somehow, because a person is only a man, he does not get to have input on that.

If we were able in this Nation to bring men back in the fold, to work more with children, what a great Nation this would be. No longer having the troubles that so many children have, who have been abandoned by a parent, struggling along, a mom or a dad struggling with single parenthood, trying to make ends meet, but really working with them. How much better children's lives would be, if all men took that responsibility as a father seriously and not just there; but you have to continue to not just create life, but nurture children along the way.

It is because of that feeling as fathers that I think we also have an important role in making sure we preserve and work to protect the lives of these children as well. We love them as much, we cry when they are hurt, we shed a tear when they get married or when something sad happens to them. We love them as much, and we have every right to protect those lives. It is part of our responsibility as men and as fathers. And when people say it is not, that is part of something that weakens the American fabric of the family.

If you want to measure the strength of society, you can measure that strength by the integrity of the families within that society. If you want to see the weakness of the family, watch how culture after culture has tried to dismantle families, move parents away, split them up, raise them one way or another. It loses the core, loses the core of its being. We have that in America with families as long as we care for them and love them. That is why it is our duty, that is why it is our responsibility to make sure that we are there to protect the lives of these young children. So that years from now when we look back, we can say it did not matter what kind of house we lived in, what kind of car we drove, what we accumulated. We will be able to say with peace in our hearts, we were important in the life of a child.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2826) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1000 Avenida Sanchez Osorio in Carolina, Puerto Rico, as the ``Roberto Clemente Walker Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2826, introduced by the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Acevedo-Vila) designates the U.S. Postal Service facility in Carolina, Puerto Rico, as the Roberto Clemente Walker Post Office Building. Roberto Clemente was one of baseball's greatest heroes, both when he commanded the right fields of baseball stadiums across America, and when he was so giving of his time, energy and resources off the field. Naming this post office in Carolina, his hometown, is a wonderful tribute to a man all of us ought to never forget.

This legislation is particularly relevant to my constituents and myself because of Roberto Clemente's great years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played all of his 18 major league seasons in Pittsburgh, slugging 240 home runs and exactly 3,000 hits. Clemente remains the Pirates' all-time leader in at-bats and hits. Along with his hitting prowess, Pittsburghers and Pirate fans everywhere remember his cannon of an arm. Number 21 finished his career with 266 assists from the outfield, and won 12 Gold Gloves.

And at a time when we may confuse the meaning of hero, he truly fits the definition, showing sacrifice and courage and giving of himself to help others. Beyond the baseball field, Roberto Clemente took seriously his role as a community leader. He was known for his work to bring better lives to disadvantaged children all over the world. And tragically, it was his charitable conduct that led to his death. After relief supplies had failed to be sent to Nicaragua immediately following a devastating earthquake in December 1972, Clemente wanted to see to it himself that essential provisions were delivered. Roberto loaded 16,000 pounds of supplies into a DC-7 aircraft and set off for Nicaragua. The plane, apparently overloaded, crashed just off the coast of his native Puerto Rico on New Year's Eve.

Major league baseball honored Roberto Clemente the very next summer by inducting him into Baseball's Hall of Fame. He was the first player ever from Latin America to become a Hall of Famer; and today, Major League Baseball's annual Man of the Year Award is named in Roberto Clemente's honor.

After Clemente's death, his eldest son, Roberto, Jr., sought to continue his father's benevolent legacy; and in 1993 he established the Roberto Clemente Foundation, which provides educational and recreational programs for disadvantaged youth in the Pittsburgh area. I want to commend all those involved in the work of the Roberto Clemente Foundation today.

Roberto Clemente once said, ``I want to be remembered as a ball player who gave all he had to give.'' Off the field, perhaps more than on, today we remember Roberto Clemente as just that, a man who gave all he had to give.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 2826 that will name this post office after Roberto Clemente, number 21. I thank the gentleman from Puerto Rico for his work on this fitting honor for a

baseball great and a great humanitarian.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I am just reminded of one other thing. When Roberto Clemente hit his 3,000th hit, as he reached the base, he stood there and raised his hat to the fans. It is fitting for a man who gave his life helping others that we raise our hats to him. I urge all Members to support the passage of this measure that honors Roberto Clemente.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2533) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10701 Abercorn Street in Savannah, Georgia, as the ``J.C. Lewis, Jr. Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston).

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this resolution which honors J.C. Lewis, Jr, a man truly worthy of our commendation.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Davis amendment and, more importantly, for the children of America.

We have had school choice in this country as long as we have had schools, and it is called money. If you have enough money you can choose where your children go to school, the family can choose, and without it the choice is made for the child. Unfortunately, students stuck in substandard public schools receive inadequate education. The harsh reality is that the lower the level of an individual's education achievement, the lower their income earning potential will be.

Study after study in Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, has shown that given the opportunity to attend better schools, even if only for a few years, children improve their math and reading scores. And in both public and nonpublic schools they both improve when you introduce competition. Increasing a student's educational choices means increasing that student's future job choices.

As a psychologist and a person who has spent 25 years working with children, I call upon this Congress to focus on the needs of children. The city is working to fix the problems and I commend the district's local leaders for advocating on behalf of children. However, comprehensive change does not happen overnight and children do not have time to wait. New school administrators, new school board members, new curriculum, more teacher training, takes time and these children do not have time to wait. Every day that goes by with a child stuck in an ineffective school is one day too many. Every day a D.C. parent has to send their children to a poor-performing school is another missed opportunity for those children to get a quality education, and the children do not have time to wait.

We have an obligation to these children to provide something that works, while at the same time helping public schools. We believe we would be derelict in our duties as Members of Congress if we continue to make children wait too long.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to enter into colloquy with the distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner), and I would like to thank him and the gentleman from Delaware (Chairman Castle) for their ongoing generosity in letting me voice my thoughts on this very important piece of legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I testified before the Committee on Rules in support of an amendment which the gentleman from Delaware (Chairman Castle) and the administration support, dealing with accepted scientific standards of reliability and validity that will have a very positive impact on Head Start. As a psychologist who has focused my career on dealing with early childhood education, I know the values of these measures.

Head Start currently uses a variety of assessment measures, some acceptable and some less reliable, and teachers and parents need good, reliable information for the sake of tracking Head Start successes and providing taxpayers with information on how well this Federal program is functioning. Less reliable tests provide little value in identifying children's needs for further evaluations. They run the risk of misdiagnosing problems and mislabeling children and are more prone to cultural biases.

I ask the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), is it his intent to continue to explore this issue?

I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his response.

I must add an emphasis on quality research that is going to drive program administrators to use scientifically valid measures. And additionally, when information is disclosed to the local community and parents, it is imperative that the reports depend on quality measures. Finally, let me add, we know that Head Start is not alone among early childhood education programs. The Perry Preschool Project and the Abcedarian Project are two that are frequently quoted in scientific literature, and we need room for innovations that follow research, but accompanying any Head Start help must be sound ways of measuring success.

I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2631. Today, about 76 percent of seniors have some form of prescription drug coverage; and less than 2 weeks ago the House passed historical legislation, H.R. 1, to create a prescription drug benefit for our seniors.

Mr. Speaker, when we passed H.R. 1, we did not intend to create a new Federal benefit that would replace the prescription drug benefits that many of our seniors today already enjoy. H.R. 1 does contain a number of incentives to employers to maintain their existing level of health care coverage to their senior retirees. But I personally heard from several constituents of mine, retired Federal workers, who are concerned that the Federal Government in an attempt to save money will reduce or eliminate their prescription drug coverage once a benefit is available through Medicare. In passing H.R. 1, we called upon employers to maintain that coverage it offers to retirees, and the Federal Government has an obligation to lead by example and ensure that Federal retirees continue to receive the same prescription drug benefit as current employees. So H.R. 2631 does just that.

It is the right thing to do, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my support for the Medicare prescription drug bill that will be considered by the House later this week.

In the coming days, we are going to hear a lot of reasons why this bill is so important to our seniors. And, frankly, many of those reasons are correct. This is an important and long-overdue bill. I would like to say that prior to coming to Congress I was honored to serve as a State Senator in Pennsylvania, and there I served as chairman of the Committee on Aging and Youth, where we constantly worked to provide much-needed services for all seniors, but especially low-income seniors in Pennsylvania.

I should note that, in Pennsylvania, over 15 percent of our population is age 65 and older. Some of my colleagues might be surprised to learn that only Florida has a higher percentage of seniors age 65 or older. Access to prescription drugs means a lot to Pennsylvania seniors, as it does throughout the Nation; but in Pennsylvania we are fortunate to have a comprehensive State pharmaceutical assistance program that has been in existence since 1984. It is referred to as PACE and also PACENET.

For the last 19 years, low-income seniors in Pennsylvania have enjoyed access to affordable prescription drugs funded through the lottery program. Pennsylvania's PACE and PACENET programs currently serve about 220,000 seniors, spending about $500 million a year. It is the second largest program in the Nation. I have spoken to many of my constituents that have used PACE and PACENET over the years, and they have all told me one thing: it is a good program, they trust it, and it makes a huge difference in their lives.

Other seniors in Pennsylvania, as well as throughout the Nation, are asking, however, is there something else that can be done to assist them? Even in some small way, given the cost of prescription drugs for so many of them, very often over a thousand dollars a year, they need some assistance. And, Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that we are not just talking about quality-of-life issues. These drugs are often about life and death itself, and this is why this legislation is so incredibly important to our seniors.

When I won my election to this House of Representatives, one of my top priorities was to ensure that States with pharmaceutical assistance programs would be protected under this bill. That is extremely important because over a dozen States dedicate funds to provide some level of pharmaceutical assistance for the elderly. It is important for those citizens to know that Congress is working to protect those States that have invested so much. Some of the neighboring States to Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, nearby Connecticut, Florida, so many States have these programs and have invested so much. So seniors are asking us, will we still have some of these benefits, and the answer is yes.

I am pleased how closely Pennsylvania's delegation has worked together on this issue, and I particularly appreciate the Chair of the Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Ways and Means, the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson), her guidance, support, and leadership on this issue. This legislation will fully integrate PACE and PACENET for Pennsylvania and other State pharmaceutical assistance programs into the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.

This means that for low-income seniors in Pennsylvania they will continue to enroll in and benefit from PACE and PACENET even if they have a choice of other plans to participate in. It gives PACE and PACENET the opportunity to continue to wrap around those programs and make sure that low-income seniors can continue to benefit from them. It also creates a commission so that PACE, PACENET, and Medicare are integrated into a single seamless benefit. Pennsylvania will have a seat on that commission, ensuring minimal disruption for PACE and PACENET beneficiaries.

Let us not forget that when people are in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, the last thing they need to juggle is how to deal with prescription drug benefits. They need a single seamless entity, whether it is a magnetic card they can swipe or whatever. The pharmacist and the physician will know what that senior's coverage is and will be able to help them in the simplest possible way to make sure they have access to that coverage.

For Pennsylvania, an integrated benefit means Medicare will share a significant portion of PACE and PACENET drug costs, and this freezes up additional funding for PACE and PACENET, possibly some $200 million a year. So the General Assembly can both shore up the financing of those programs in Pennsylvania as well as expand eligibility into higher- income levels, good news to many seniors, who up to this point have been paying out of pocket or trying to pay for other insurance policies.

But this bill is not just good for Pennsylvania citizens; it is good for all of our seniors. I would like to focus on another important aspect of this bill. Our seniors cannot afford to wait any longer. We in Congress must act to create a Medicare prescription drug benefit because seniors should never have to choose between food and drugs. The unfortunate truth is that seniors without drug coverage are more likely to skip doses or go without filling a prescription.

According to a 2002 study of seniors in eight States, among those with serious health problems, such as congestive heart failure and diabetes, one-third of those who lacked drug coverage reported skipping dosages in order to make their prescriptions last longer. What this means is that rather than controlling their diseases, they are more likely to end up in the hospital for expensive procedures.

In addition, access to newer prescription drugs has been shown to lower

spending on other services, such as hospital care, due to fewer inpatient stays. Prescription drug coverage just makes sense. And if a senior does not take their medication, they are more likely to fall ill and end up in the hospital.

I fully expect over the next couple of days that, despite people calling for bipartisan cooperation, which sometimes, unfortunately, are just words in this town, people will try to poke holes in this bill. They will say it does not cover enough; it is not all things to all people. Mr. Speaker, I do not think there is a single piece of legislation that ever comes out of this assembly that everybody agrees on all portions of. But seniors have been asking for help, and it is important to them that we say help is on the way. It is time to dedicate our energies not just to rhetoric and partisan politics to use this as a mechanism to attack each other. Because seniors see right through this. One elderly gentleman told me, my eyes may be failing, but sometimes we are not as dumb as you think we are. We know what is going on, and we need help and we need it now. So it is important we pass this bill.

It is 2003, and seniors deserve comprehensive insurance coverage that includes prescription drugs. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this bill later this week. It is important, it is necessary, and it is critical we do it now. I thank my colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to add one other thing to this discussion, that is, many a small business owner has a lot of money tied up in assets, but very little in cash by comparisons. They will spend perhaps hundreds of thousands a year paying for insurance, lawyers' fees and accountants to make sure that upon their death, the insurance picks up the tab.

This money that they spend each year could be spent on employees' wages and benefits and expanding their businesses. Some of the smaller farmers do not have the money to pay for this. I just want to make sure that we keep that in perspective, that there is a lot of money that is spent every year by small businesses that otherwise could be going to help employees. Insurance is what pays it anyway, and that is not the way we should be thinking about it. They should be thinking about ways to keep the money in their business now and after their death so they can continue to have people employed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge an exceptional young man from Claysville, Pennsylvania, in my district. Mr. Justin Seaman has recently distinguished himself and has earned several honors as a talented and successful film producer and writer. Justin owns and manages his own film company, Nevermore Production, which has produced two movies that earned tremendous accolades for their powerful themes and serious messages. And while others have won awards for such accomplishments, what is unique about Justin, however, is the fact that he is still in high school. In fact, his projects have struck a chord with his friends and fellow teens, so much so that Justin has enlisted the support of many fellow students at McGuffey High School in producing his work. Films, like one Justin produced about the catastrophic consequences of drinking and driving are changing lives for the better. Using art, Justin is making a real difference in our community.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to take this opportunity to recognize the example one great young man is setting for teens across Southwestern Pennsylvania. Too often when we in Congress talk about teens, we focus on the negative influences affecting them today: drug addiction, alcohol abuse, teen pregnancies, and on and on. But young men like Justin Seaman are standing up for a generation. They are determined to set the right example and to do it with style. We ought to stop and recognize the positive influences of these young leaders more often in America. Our country is a far better place for being home to such inspiring and responsible young adults as Justin.

Justin's accomplishments have been recognized on a National level. Just last week he was invited to the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts along with hundreds of his peers from across the nation for special recognition. His recognitions include the Robert Morris College TVT Award of Excellence, the Critics Award for Excellence in acting, four national honors at the Scholastic Inc. Art & Writing competition, one gold award for a personal essay, ``A Guarantee in Life'' and last, but not least, a silver award as well as the American Visions award for his mixed media entry in Scholastic Inc.'s national competition. Justin's list of honors and awards confirms his dedication to furthering excellence in the arts and has rightfully earned him recognition as a leader in the competitive performing arts arena. Justin desires to direct films one day in hopes of reaching the caliber of renowned director, Wes Craven. This coming senior year, Justin has already lined up five films to produce. I have no doubt that Justin's ambition, drive and devotion to the arts will prove fruitful as he continues to pursue his dream of making films. I wish him the best of luck and all the success that his efforts award him and I thank him for being a true role model for teens everywhere across our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate one of my constituents, Michael Weiss, for his work as national chairman of the Board of the American Diabetes Association. I am proud of his commitment to the local Pittsburgh community and his leadership at the national level. His efforts are helping to improve the lives of millions of Americans who are impacted by diabetes.

Michael Weiss is an attorney in Pittsburgh and has been an active volunteer for the American Diabetes Association at the local, State, and national level. He will be completing his term as the ADA's national Chair of the Board next week at the ADA's Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.

Michael's tireless efforts have earned him the distinguished Charles H. Best Medal of Service. Named for Dr. Best, the cofounder of insulin, this award recognizes meritorious service on behalf of the Association of Americans with Diabetes.

An active participant in many civic and community organizations, Michael Weiss lives in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Gerri. I am sure that Gerri and their two children, Melissa and Douglas, will join me in offering sincere congratulations to Michael for his great work as the national chairman of the ADA. He is a credit to our community, and we are proud of and thankful for all that he has done to improve the lives of those with diabetes.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for allowing me to speak on this important amendment that will motivate Federal workers to perform at their true potential.

In January, the National Commission on the Public Service, chaired by Paul Volcker, issued a report stating the current civil service system ``makes few distinctions between hard-working high-achievers and indifferent nonachievers.''

A recent OPM study found the current performance evaluation for the Senior Executive Service ``is merely a rubber stamp and not a measure of, nor an incentive to, performance.'' And a recent Center for Public Service survey of Federal employees found the average estimate of the number of poor performers in their midst was about 25 percent. These results are typical of the conclusions reached by other studies conducted to evaluate the status of the Federal civil service. The true value of the individual Federal worker is lost beneath the layers of rigidity in a decades-old architecture of pay and classification.

We must not underestimate the value of rewarding our hard-working Federal employees. The amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) which has the strong support of the President represents a major step in the direction of adequately acknowledging these contributions. I urge Members to support this amendment.