Jason Altmire

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. I want to talk about that very point. The editorial that you held up hits the nail precisely on the head. If you are the President of the United States and you want to veto this bill, at least be factually accurate and honest about why you are vetoing the bill.

Mr. ALTMIRE. We have had many 30-Something sessions on that very topic and a variety of issues. My point on the SCHIP bill and the veto override vote we are taking tomorrow is, if you are going to threaten to veto or you are going to veto the bill and justify the veto, be honest about why you are doing it. Just say, ``Look, I don't agree with expanding the program. I don't think this is a good program. I don't want to do it.'' That is his prerogative to make that case. Don't say it is too expensive when it doesn't cost one additional penny, it doesn't add one additional penny to the Federal deficit. This bill is paid for. It doesn't add one penny. Don't say it is too expensive. We talked about the $83,000 in your chart and the USA Today, and everybody who has looked at this knows that is a false statement, to say that this allows you to go up to $83,000 unchecked, and the socialized medicine that we talked about. Don't throw those out there, because they are not only not true, they are blatantly false. So don't say that is why you are vetoing the bill. Just say, ``I don't like this program. I don't want to expand it. I don't want to give health care to 10 million children.'' That is his prerogative to say that. That would be a more accurate statement than the reasons he is giving us to veto this bill. We have four people who want to speak.

Mr. ALTMIRE. 365.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, when we as a Nation talk about our priorities, it is often useful to use numbers to put things in perspective. So today let's think about the number 10. On Thursday, this House will have the opportunity to override a Presidential veto that would allow us to ensure 10 million children have access to quality health care so that they can see the doctor of their choice when they need to. We realize the importance of preventive care. Children shouldn't be forced to let a cold or earache linger until it reaches emergency proportions. President Bush says our bipartisan compromise is too expensive. But while we are working to ensure 10 million children have access to health care, President Bush has no problem asking us to send $10 billion every month to Iraq. Madam Speaker, this is a debate about priorities. House Republicans should join us in overriding the President's veto to send a message that children's health care is a priority of this House.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the late Bernard F. Sliger, Ph.D., who served as Florida State University's President from 1977 to 1991. Dr. Sliger will be remembered for his outstanding academic service to the university, as well as for his commitment to FSU's students. During his tenure, student enrollment at Florida State increased by nearly one-third. Dr. Sliger was especially proud to establish the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and to initiate the Panama City Campus. Dr. Sliger also led the university to its prominent rise in intercollegiate athletics. Under his leadership, Florida State University decided to join the Atlantic Coast Conference. As a 1990 graduate and former student-athlete at Florida State, I am proud and thankful for these achievements. His colleagues remember Dr. Sliger for his easygoing nature and love for his school and his students. I will always remember the annual ice cream socials at his residence that brought together students, faculty, and administrators. It was considered one of the highlights of the year among students. Dr. Sliger is survived by his wife, Greta, and four children, and I want to commend Dr. Sliger in their honor for his noble service to Florida State University.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, today the President showed that he fails to understand the struggle before Pennsylvania's working families when he vetoed a bipartisan, fiscally responsible bill to provide health care to 10 million children, including 320,000 in Pennsylvania, and in justifying his veto, all he offers is the same tired rhetoric, too expensive. Well, our bill pays for itself at no additional cost to the taxpayer and doesn't add one penny to the Federal deficit. Socialized medicine? The SCHIP bill continues a State-administered block grant that's delivered in the private market, and the private insurers and the American Medical Association have endorsed this bill. A subsidy for wealthy families? Well, most children covered live in families that earn less than $40,000 a year, and these are working families that we're talking about, working families that work hard and play by the rules but can't afford health care for their children. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join the majorities in both the House and the Senate, the 43 Governors and 68 Senators, and join us in support of this bill.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, this Democratic Congress has a strong record of delivering on our promise to the American people and providing real and meaningful change. And we have done so in a fiscally responsible way, instituting pay-as-you-go, deficit reduction discipline. One area where we have made real progress for the American people is by supporting the men and women who serve our Nation in the Armed Forces. Under Democratic control, this House provided substantially more than the President requested for the new M- RAP vehicles proven to save lives in Iraq. We voted to give our troops a pay raise that the President called ``unnecessary.'' We strengthened military health care with the Wounded Warriors Act to clean up the inadequate care of wounded soldiers at Walter Reed and other facilities. And the Democratic House voted to provide the largest increase in funding for VA health care in the history of this country. Mr. Speaker, these investments that support our veterans and troops overseas are just a few examples of how our Democratic Congress is taking America in a new direction.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Brandon and Spencer Whale, brothers from Ross Township, Pennsylvania. I met these two young men when they visited my office on behalf of the American Heart Association and was impressed to discover that, before the age of 10, they had both created inventions to improve the lives of hospital patients. At only the age of 8, Brandon developed a medical device that is used to this day. Brandon made improvements to an electrode bracelet used to transmit a patient's vital heart data to the hospital from the patient's home. The standard bracelet was too big for his mother's small wrists, so Brandon discovered a way to modify the bracelet for different wrist sizes and enhance its conductivity. Brandon's younger brother, Spencer, created a device to secure IV drip strands to children's toy cars. Spencer, at the age of 6, got the idea after watching parents push IV poles behind their kids while they raced through the hospital's play rooms in toy cars. Spencer found a way for the toy cars to bear the weight of the medical equipment and, as a result, all toy cars at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh are now equipped with Spencer's IV holders. Spencer and Brandon have been inducted into the National Gallery for Young Inventors. At the time of their induction they were the two youngest inventors ever inducted into the National Gallery for Young Inventors. They serve as examples for children everywhere that anyone, no matter what age, can make a difference. I thank Brandon and Spencer for their contributions to the lives of hospital patients, and I wish them all the best in the years to come.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. I thank the chairwoman and the ranking member. I think the way that we worked together as a committee to resolve this issue is a model for the way this Congress should operate. The ranking member voiced some concerns about the bill and deferred in the process to get it to the floor so he could offer his amendment on the floor. There are some outside groups, I know, that are concerned about title V. We want to alleviate their concerns on this issue and get the support of the entire small business community on this. Hopefully, with this amendment, that is going to happen. Mr. Chairman, none of this would have happened without the support of the ranking member and the way that he handled this issue. I really want to thank him for offering this amendment. I think this is going to secure the bill for some of the groups that have concerns. I also accept it and I encourage my colleagues to support the ranking member's amendment.

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairwoman, Ms. Velazquez, for her assistance in putting together the Small Business Investment Expansion Act. I appreciate the opportunity I have had to work with Mr. Chabot and Mr. Graves, to work with both of them to produce a bipartisan bill that will benefit small businesses across this country. Their input was invaluable, and I thank each of them for their leadership. I represent a district that extends north of Pittsburgh which is home to world-class universities. Western Pennsylvania has thousands of small business innovators who are doing cutting-edge research and development in the life sciences. Western Pennsylvania's entrepreneurs have created numerous success stories; however, many of these companies did not become success stories overnight. Each of them had their challenges. Unfortunately, thousands of small businesses are formed each year that are unable to take that next step and overcome the capital expenses necessary to keep their businesses afloat during the early going. Part of the problem resides within the Small Business Administration's investment programs. The current Small Business Investment Act was written in 1958 and simply did not envision the type of capital environment that exists today in the 21st century. This antiquated law has led to inefficiencies in the SBA that contribute to an annual shortfall of $60 billion in unmet capital needs for American small businesses. Small businesses often require an infusion of private investment to purchase additional assets, such as equipment, office space and personnel. But the private investment can be difficult to acquire. To address the substantial unmet capital needs of small businesses in western Pennsylvania and across the country, I introduced the bill we are debating today, the Small Business Investment Expansion act. My bill will improve the environment for small businesses by expanding access to two vital sources of investment: venture capital and angel investments. Not only do small businesses require investment capital, they also require support that will allow them to do research and development. Current regulations prohibit a number of these small firms from qualifying for support offered through Federal initiatives due to their venture ownership. With this legislation, we can create a fix that reflects the reality of today's climate, that there are many small companies entering into industries that depend on this type of investment as their primary financing option. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. It is critical that the Federal Government do more to connect these small firms with the capital investment required for them to succeed. This bill modernizes the SBA's investment programs and creates an environment that facilitates the flow of capital to small businesses. This bill will create jobs, grow the economy, and help thousands of entrepreneurs grow from startups into thriving small businesses. Mr. Chairman, for that reason, I strongly support this bill. I encourage my colleagues to vote for it.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, at long last, after months of debate, negotiation and compromise, the House and the Senate have come to agreement on a children's health reauthorization that's going to extend health care coverage to 10 million children in this country. And last night, I'm proud to be 1 of 265 Members of this House that supported that legislation and voted to send that bill to the President. This is bipartisan legislation. We have agreement with both the House and the Senate, but unfortunately, the House does not have the votes to override the veto at this time. I'm asking my Republican colleagues, please consider the 10 million children that are going to lose access to health care coverage if this bill is not passed, if the veto is not overridden. We must override this veto. These are working families that play hard, that work hard and play by the rules, and we have to find a way to ensure their children.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of conversation about how this is a Federal Government program and how this is a move to expand Government's role in health care, so I thought I would take a moment, a minute, to talk about what is really in this bill. This is an expansion of an existing program created 10 years ago in a Republican Congress. It is a capped block grant. The amount of money is capped. It flows through the States, and almost every State in the country administers the program through the private health insurance market. Through the private market. This could not be anything further from a big, government-run program. It is administered by the States and contracted out to the private market. And yes, these are families that have income. They are families that work hard and play by the rules, and they are families that can't afford health care for their children. Is there any better cause in this country that we can work on in this Congress than that issue? I ask my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 25th anniversary of Sherwood Oaks, a nonprofit continuing care retirement community located in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. This Silver Anniversary is not only noteworthy in itself, but the story behind Sherwood Oaks is quite extraordinary. Sherwood Oaks was created by a handful of unpaid ``ordinary'' Pittsburgh-area seniors who, in seeking a community in which they themselves wanted to live, turned a farmers' field into what has since evolved into a vibrant senior living community of some 400 residents. These determined and ambitious dreamers--Sally Dewees, Martha Leonard, Jane T. Locke and Margaret McCoy--did their homework by researching communities in the area and around the country, and, in order to make their vision a reality, enthusiastically spread their ideas within the community. On September 1, 1982, the founders and the construction board--Norman and Sally Dewees; Frank and Betty Hess; Jean and Craig Stockdale; Dorothy Van der Vort; and Richard McCoy--realized the fruits of their labor when Sherwood Oaks officially opened its doors to its original 53 residents. I want to thank Paul Winkler, the president and CEO of Presbyterian SeniorCare for bringing this story to my attention. Paul serves as the board chair of PANPHA, an association of some 360 nonprofit senior service providers throughout Pennsylvania, and I have asked him to convey my best wishes to the Sherwood Oaks community when he represents PANPHA at a celebratory event scheduled for Friday, September 28.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Brett Fadgen, the 2007 Pennsylvania Paramedic of the Year. Not only is Mr. Fadgen an EMS Paramedic Rescue Technician for the Ross and West View communities, he also flies with Stat MedEvac, serves as a trained firefighter for his local fire department, and teaches at the Community College of Allegheny County. He is truly a model representative of the thousands of paramedics who serve in Pennsylvania, and I was pleased to learn that the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council awarded him with this great honor on August 18. Mr. Fadgen became an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at the age of 17 after volunteering with the local emergency medical service. Upon graduating from Gannon University with a Bachelor of Science degree, he attended school to become a paramedic. In 2002, Mr. Fadgen moved with his family to Ross Township, Pennsylvania and has served the community as a paramedic ever since. Recently, Mr. Fadgen obtained his nursing degree from Duquesne University and accepted a position as a Registered Nurse for UPMC Presbyterian. Although he has taken on a new role in the community, Mr. Fadgen remains committed to continuing his work as a paramedic on a part-time basis. I am honored to recognize Mr. Fadgen's outstanding accomplishment of becoming the 2007 Pennsylvania Paramedic of the Year. His incredible achievements are just one example of the extraordinary work being accomplished by paramedics across the nation. On behalf of my family and the Fourth District of Pennsylvania, I extend our thanks and eternal gratitude to Mr. Brett Fadgen for his continued commitment to our community.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor CPT Erick M. Foster, an Army Ranger who was killed while serving in Iraq on August 29, 2007. As a member of the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, he was struck by small arms fire while conducting a dismounted patrol in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. This was Captain Foster's second deployment to Iraq. Captain Foster was born and raised in Pennsylvania and graduated from North Allegheny High School. After graduation, he attended Duquesne University, where he took part in their Reserve Officer Training (ROTC) program while majoring in information technology. In 2000, Captain Foster graduated from Duquesne University and received his commission as an officer in the United States Army. Captain Foster was awarded the Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, and numerous other military awards for his service to our country. He will forever be remembered as a patriot and a respected combat leader. On behalf of my family, the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. House of Representatives, I extend our heartfelt sympathy and eternal gratitude to Captain Foster's family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his parents, Robert and Barbara, and his sisters Elizabeth and Abby.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. That's right. We were touched by the pain, but we were also touched by the courage that they endure daily these attacks, and they stay and they don't have to do that, but they make the decision to be there. And when you see the story and you see the children firsthand, and again, when they point across in the Gaza and say I used to live in that house right there, that used to be my house.

Mr. ALTMIRE. It was my first trip to Israel, and I know the gentlewoman from Nevada has been there multiple times, countless times, in fact. For me to have seen firsthand what you are talking about today, there really is nothing like seeing it in person. When we went to the border, and I know that the gentlewoman has talked about this tonight, we went to the border with Gaza and we looked at Sderot and we had families there that until recently lived in Gaza. The mother of course with the children, she pointed across to where she used to live. She said, ``That used to be my house.'' She told her story about when she is getting her kids ready for school, the alarms will go off and they know that the bombs are starting to come in. She told this gut-wrenching story about her experience in a minivan with her kids getting ready to go to school and the alarm goes off. That really puts it in perspective that these are families that are just trying to get through the day, and this is what they have to deal with, not once as the gentleman from New York said, but repeatedly over and over again. These families have to endure the threat of that stockpile that he is talking about landing in their house, hitting their car and killing members of their family. These are things that we can't comprehend on a daily basis in this country, to have that threat every single day raining down upon you. As the gentleman from New York described, in many instances these are primitive weapons that we are talking about. But in many instances these are weapons that have rained down on this community by the thousands, literally by the thousands. And we met with a gentleman that one of them had hit his house. Again, when you see firsthand the people that are affected by this and the children that are affected by this, it puts in perspective the fact that they are living right there on the border. What struck me the most when we asked her the obvious question: Why don't you just move? I think that is what many of us might think about doing. And she said much more articulately than I can say tonight, but she said: ``Look, this is where we live. This is our home. If we move, then we have lost. If we move, they are going to move up to where we happen to be at that moment. Then they will start again and we will have to move again. We are not going to do that. We are going to stay here. This is our home. We are under great threat, but we are not moving.'' That really tells the tale of the type of people, the fortitude that we are talking about. I had been watching the discussion and I couldn't sit back any longer. I had to tell my piece of the story having seen this firsthand, and what a magnificent thing it is to see the courage and the bravery of these people. But the threat that they live under is something that cannot be ignored.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to hear my colleagues on the other side of the aisle say that this bill is a move towards government-run health care that will cause seniors to lose their Medicare. I would suggest to my colleagues who complain inaccurately that Medicare beneficiaries will lose coverage under this bill that, if my colleagues are so worried about that, they should consider the implications of doctors refusing to see Medicare patients, which is exactly what could happen if we don't pass this bill and fix physician reimbursement. SCHIP is a State block grant program and will remain so under this bill. Nearly every State contracts out the SCHIP program to private insurers. That is far from a government-run program. These are children who live in families where the head of household works but they don't make enough money to afford health insurance. These are families that work hard and play by the rules but still can't afford health care for their kids. That is what we are talking about here today, Mr. Speaker. This bill protects and strengthens the Medicare trust fund and invests in our children, and I ask my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Pastor Calvin C. Brown. Pastor Brown has served as the pastor for the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Beaver Falls for the past 46 years. During his years of service to the community, he has become a well known and beloved church leader for the residents of Beaver Falls and families throughout the region. Throughout his illustrious career, Pastor Brown brought hope to many by starting ministries and preaching across the country. He has been an exceptional citizen within his home community where he worked tirelessly to help others who are less fortunate. His accomplishments include working with the Housing Authority of Beaver County to locate homes for those in need, serving as chaplain for the local sheriff's department in Beaver Falls, and performing marriage ceremonies for countless couples. Local residents often speak with Pastor Brown on his regular walks around town, where he warmly greets others and always lifts their spirits. - I want to commend Pastor Brown for his commitment to the community of Beaver Falls as a pastor, brother, friend, and confidant. I congratulate him on his career and wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, today House Democrats unveiled the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act. It was endorsed by the National Governors Association, a bipartisan group of our Nation's Governors, who just last week asked us for urgent action to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program. The SCHIP program that we are reauthorizing will ensure that millions of children have access to high-quality, cost-effective health insurance, and it will protect and strengthen the Medicare Trust Fund. Now, while the President's budget underfunded this program, knocking 1 million children off of the rolls of the SCHIP program, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us in a bipartisan effort to show support for the SCHIP program and reauthorize and support the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, she is correct. In the State of Pennsylvania, she did a fantastic job in the State legislature in crafting Pennsylvania's plan with regard to children's health insurance. And Pennsylvania, I think, has one of the best, if not the best plans, the model for the entire country on this issue. And we're going to be joined tonight by some other people who know a lot about health care and especially know a lot about the children's health insurance programs. We're going to be joined by Mr. Pallone, who's the chairman of the Health Subcommittee right here in the House of Representatives for the Energy and Commerce Committee which has jurisdiction over this issue, and there's no one in this Congress who has worked harder on this issue over the years and has more experience with crafting this. He was involved in putting this together 10 years ago and now, as chairman, has certainly had a lot to say about it. And we're going to be joined by our colleague from Connecticut, Mr. Murphy, Chris Murphy, who was instrumental in his State legislature on these issues. So we really do have some folks here tonight to talk about this issue who have experience, who have detailed knowledge on this issue. And what could possibly be more important on the domestic front than health care? And I'm sure my colleagues would agree, as I travel around my district, I'm sure they have the same experience in their district. That's the issue that comes up more often than any other issue because it affects everybody. It is an issue that, no matter whether you're rich or poor, live in an urban setting, rural setting, you have issues with your health care costs. Small businesses can no longer afford to offer health insurance in many cases. Large employers are having the same issue. We have 45 million uninsured in this country, people who lack any health insurance at all, tens of millions more that live in fear of losing their health coverage or are underinsured, don't have adequate coverage to cover their needs. And 9 million of that 45, Mr. Speaker, are children. And, unfortunately, 6 million of those 9 million children are eligible to participate in the SCHIP program. And the SCHIP program has worked. We're at a 10-year point of reauthorization. And over the past 10 years the number of uninsured children in this country has decreased by 25 percent, while the number of uninsured Americans has increased. This is a program that has worked. And we talk a lot in this House and a lot during these discussions about the differences between what the President wants to do on the budget level and what this Congress wants to do in a variety of issues. But there is no issue on which there is a starker contrast of opinion than this SCHIP program. We, as Democrats, want to expand the program in a way that makes sense. It's fiscally responsible, but it's going to pick up many of those 6.2 million children who lack health insurance. We want to find a way to cover those kids. What could possibly be more important in this country than finding a way to give health insurance to children who live in families that don't have health insurance? I can't think of any more important task. The President, on the other hand, offered up a budget that actually decreased the number of children that are going to be covered under this program by 1 million. His 5-year budget would have knocked a million children who currently qualify for the program, would have knocked them off the rolls and they would no longer qualify. And I know my colleagues are going to talk about some of the President's comments recently about what his views are on the program, and I will leave it to them to have that discussion, as I do appreciate the Speaker's indulgence as I have to take the chair following my remarks here. But I did want to take a moment to just emphasize how important this issue is and to talk about the difference of opinion that exists, not just with Republicans and Democrats, but especially with the administration, Mr. Speaker, and this Congress. There is a stark contrast of opinion, and we're going to have that discussion tonight. And I thank the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania for her time and all of our colleagues here for their leadership on this important issue.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dorothy Tyler and her late husband Elias. Twenty years ago this July, they incorporated their organization, the Tyler Youth Group, Inc., which has provided years of programming and support to the children of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. Their exemplary record of service to their community makes them deserving of high praise. At the time the Tyler Youth Group, Inc. was founded in 1983, it consisted of a drill team, majorettes, pom pom girls and a drum corps. The Tylers saw the group as a way to serve an unmet need of area youths: the need for after-school programming that would provide kids with productive activities that would help them grow and develop. With a bus they purchased themselves, they took their group to activities and competitions across the region. Time passed and as both the group and its participants grew, the Tylers added new programming and facilities to meet the needs of the children. They began offering educational and career-oriented activities, and in 1989 they took a rundown, dilapidated building and turned it into a community center for Aliquippa youths and their families. Today, the Aliquippa Tyler Community Youth Center provides a range of activities and services conducive to the healthy growth and development of the area's children. I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize the Tylers for their tremendous record of service to their community. Their commitment to helping develop healthy, productive young citizens serves as an example to us all.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, when I was elected to the House of Representatives last November, I asked to serve on the Higher Education Subcommittee specifically so I could help make college more affordable for American families, and this bill does just that. It raises Pell Grant awards to their highest level in history. It cuts in half the interest rates students will pay on their student loans, and this bill rewards community service by providing loan forgiveness for those who choose careers in important fields like first responders, law enforcement, firefighters, and nurses. And we do all of this at no additional cost to the taxpayer. This bill is fully funded, and I am proud to have played a part in crafting this important legislation.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Thank you, Mr. Hodes. It is an honor to see you here tonight, as well as Mr. Klein from Florida. We are at our 6-month point. We have one of our freshman colleagues in the Chair tonight. Mr. Hall from New York is serving as the Speaker pro tempore this evening. We are in the Chamber here tonight; we are talking about the first 6 months. We are talking about what is certainly the most important issue facing the country, as anyone would agree, which is the war in Iraq. We are talking about accountability. As the gentleman pointed out, we have a President that seems to be struggling with accountability right now. If you look at what has happened in Iraq, we talk about the surge. We are going to have this report in September on whether the surge has worked. We all pray that we get good news in September, that General Petraeus is going to come in and give us an accurate assessment and, hopefully, that assessment will be that things are turning around. But it does not appear at this point that that is the case. In fact, as you well know, Mr. Hodes, the last 3 months where the surge has been fully in effect and we have been over there, have been the bloodiest 3 months in the 4\1/2\ years we have been in Iraq. The last 3 months have been the worst 3 months. That does not bode well for the effectiveness of the surge. As you said, we are over 3,500 now that have been killed and 25,000 injured, wounded and that is just a tragic situation. I was able to tour Walter Reed soon after that incident came to light with the Washington Post, and perhaps you gentlemen did as well. What strikes you when you meet these men and women, they are the bravest and the brightest and the best this country has to offer. To think that we have a situation where we were giving them substandard care in a military hospital, and in the Department of Defense, we chronically underfund our VA health care systems all across the country. So you have the Defense health care system that Walter Reed was a part of, and that was a disgraceful situation; then on the other hand, for the past several years, we have chronic underfunding of the VA health care system. So when we talk about this administration's record with regard to accountability and what happens after these brave men and women come home, we have the issue of multiple deployments where the Guard and Reserve families have to struggle with multiple deployments and extended deployments going from 1 year to 18 months. Some of these veterans are small business owners or work in small firms where they have to go to their employer and say, I have to go over to Iraq, I have to serve this country. Of course, the employer says, that is wonderful, you have my support. Then they have to go back a second time, maybe a third. Again, for the ones that own their own business and are the person that is running the business, how are they going to keep that business afloat? It affects the family. It affects the children. This has so many repercussions. Every segment of our society is impacted by it. But we have a President that has been given the views of the American people--we are going to talk about that tonight--but they have been disregarded. Sixty-nine percent of the American people think we are heading down the wrong road in Iraq and that we need to change course. Instead, we get more of the same. We have an administration that was given a blueprint for success by the Iraq Study Group 6 months ago now, 7 months ago. Instead of following it, or at least looking at it, it was promptly discarded. We have an administration that has ignored the advice of his generals on the ground. Whenever they tell him something he doesn't want to hear, they have resigned or they are fired. So I lack the confidence that this administration is going to be able to view the Iraq situation as anything more than ``stay the current course.'' We all know that we need a different course. We were talking about accountability. I did just want to tell one story that is related to the way this administration views our men and women and the families that are serving this country. I had a constituent in town today. She is an 84-year-old Gold Star mother. Her son was killed in 1969 in Vietnam. She has not been to Washington, D.C. She has not seen the Wall with her son's name on it, the Vietnam War Memorial. She called our office 2 weeks ago and explained her situation. She said, ``I am bringing my two daughters, who are obviously grown now. They are the sisters of the serviceman that was killed in 1969. They are going to come down together as a family for the first time.'' Her goal, her life-long dream, was to tour the White House. So we called the White House. As you certainly know, there is a 6-month waiting list. But there is an exception in special circumstances. One of those circumstances, we were told, you were probably told, were for Gold Star families. They can get in and take that tour of the White House. So we were told, sure, they are welcome. We sent the information over, and then we promptly got a phone call saying, well, no, no, that exception only works for Iraq and Afghanistan Gold Star families, not for Vietnam era families. So we had to call back this 84-year-old woman who wanted to see the Vietnam War Memorial and her son's name on the wall for the first time, and wanted to tour the White House, it was her lifelong dream, and we had to tell her well, I am sorry, we are not going to be able to do that, because the White House does not allow that. Then it came to my attention that we as Members of Congress in very rare circumstances are allowed to take groups down and put them in the line if we appear with them. So I called her and I said, you know, I am going to just do this myself. So today we took her down and we put her in the line and she got her tour of the White House. So I sent a letter to President Bush and I said, there is two issues here. One is this policy is ridiculous. How can you justify putting one group of families who have suffered the greatest loss imaginable in the service of our country ahead of another group of families? How can you put one generation of military Gold Star families ahead of another? The second issue is, what is the policy? Can you explain it? What is the justification for it? And please change it. That was the situation. I was fortunate as a Member of Congress, I was able to get Ms. Boyer in. But, unfortunately, you wonder how many people around the country have made a similar effort and were unable to get in on this tour. So, I really thought this was a disgraceful situation, and I did want to bring it to the attention of my freshmen colleagues, because this is something that just happened today. And I think it is indicative of the treatment that our military families are getting from this administration. I talked about the fact that we have had 6 consecutive years prior to this one of chronic underfunding of our VA healthcare system. You see the result at Walter Reed, what happens when you don't provide enough funding for these institutions. Unfortunately, we as a nation were doing that over the last several years. But this Congress took a step in the right direction to resolve that by providing the largest increase in the history, 77-year history of the VA health care system, and in the 6 months we have been here, we have voted for $13 billion in increased funding for the VA healthcare system. We have also voted to increase screenings and treatment for traumatic brain injury, which is now the signature issue for the Iraq war veterans. Many of the people who would have perished in previous wars, because of increased technology and military equipment, we have a lot of amputees and we have a lot of head injuries. So the issues we face are different from issues we faced in previous wars with regard to treating the men and women that come home. So we are going to screen them and we are going to treat them for traumatic brain injury and we are going to make that part of what we are doing in the VA healthcare system. So this Congress has taken a step in the direction of honoring our Nation's veterans, and I am proud at our 6-month point of our first term in Congress that we can go home over the July 4th recess and talk about the fact that no Congress in the history of the Congress has ever done more for our Nation's veterans than we have, in just 6 months. So I am proud to talk about that.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 179, 110th Congress, I move that the House do now adjourn.