Michael Bilirakis

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2441, changing the name of the Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center housing the National Hansen's Disease Program to The National Hansen's Disease Programs Center. This change is necessary to avoid further confusion in mail delivery between the former location of the NHDP and its current location. Mail is often misdirected, delaying important research and legal documents. Name confusion has also delayed critical patient medical information. NHDP continues to treat some 6,000 people in the United States with Hansen's disease. Receiving patient medical records is critical to that treatment. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2441) to amend the Public Health Service Act to redesignate a facility as the National Hansen's Disease Programs Center, and for other purposes.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker), who is responsible for this legislation.

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin).

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3323, a bill that would ensure that stakeholders in America's health care system are able to comply with regulations to standardize electronic health care transactions. This legislation extends by 1 year the deadline for compliance with administrative simplification provisions created as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which we fondly pronounce as HIPAA. The legislation also implements an orderly transition process that will ensure that covered entities will be in a position to implement the new regulations by October of 2003. In 1996, Congress passed HIPAA to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the health care system, to make it easier to detect fraud and abuse, facilitate access to health and medical information by researchers, and to reduce administrative costs. When we passed HIPAA in 1996, it was the largest government action in health care since the creation of Medicare. Administrative simplification and standardization of the way medical data is transmitted electronically is vital to improving the quality of medical care. The American health care system currently has more than 12 million providers, plans, suppliers, and other participants that require access to medical data. Today, there is no single standard by which this data can be exchanged electronically. Therefore, the full benefit of the technological revolution has yet to be implemented by the health care industry. Standardization of electronic data has the potential to simplify administrative functions, increase processing of medical claims, and improve the quality of care while substantially reducing health care costs. However, flawed implementation of this process will prevent the full benefit of standardization from being realized. This bill alleviates this problem by requiring that each stakeholder seeking an extension submit a report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on how they plan to implement electronic standardization. This will allow the Secretary to have access to the best transition plans that are proposed, allowing for an exchange of information that will benefit stakeholders less prepared to implement this process. H.R. 3323 is a thoughtful and logical approach to ensuring that health care beneficiaries are able to take the fullest advantage of the coming revolution in medical care. I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg) for taking the lead on this issue for the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson) for introducing the support legislation. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3323.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), the chairman of the full committee.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 25) expressing the sense of the Congress regarding tuberous sclerosis, as amended.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 25.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly), who we are all indebted to for bringing the issue of tuberous sclerosis to our attention.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to support this concurrent resolution increasing awareness of tuberous sclerosis and supporting programs for greater research. Though few Americans have ever heard of tuberous sclerosis, it is a disease that affects 50,000 here at home and nearly 1 million people worldwide. It is a genetic disorder that causes seizures and tumor growth in vital organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and skin. Though these tumors are benign, they often compromise the proper functioning of essential organs. For example, many of those afflicted have some type of learning disability or behavioral problem caused by the combination of the brain tumors and seizures. Individuals with tuberous sclerosis and their families face significant financial, emotional and social hardships. More than 60 percent of those living with the disease will never live independently. This means a dramatically reduced quality of life for both those afflicted and their families. We can make a difference by raising awareness about the importance of early detection and proper treatment for tuberous sclerosis. The resources of the Federal Government's health and resource institutes can help advance the understanding of the biological factors causing this disease. Working in partnership with other research initiatives, we can help reduce the long-term impact of this problem. H. Con. Res. 25 takes an important step in the fight against tuberous sclerosis, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill. If it is not broken, do not fix it. According to the FDA, ``The pediatric exclusivity provision has been highly effective in generating pediatric studies on many drugs and in providing useful new information and product labeling''; that is a quote from them. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that they ``cannot overstate how important this legislation has been in advancing children's therapeutics.'' The Greenwood-Eshoo legislation reauthorizes this important program, which has worked, for an additional 6 years. It keeps the present incentive in place and makes important improvements. The legislation ensures that off-patent generic drugs are studied, and tightens the time line for making labeling changes. We heard from the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) before. He believes that this program does not do enough to ensure that pediatricians get access to labeling information. We have worked diligently to address these concerns. The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) I think would be the first one to agree. For 5 hours today, staff has worked together on the bill. Agreement was reached. The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) was concerned, as we all are, that in fact the providers are made aware of any problems that result or any potential problems that result as a result of the testing. We agreed that there would be language in the legislation that would require the manufacturer to share a summary of the tests and whatnot with all providers. That was agreed to by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak), or at least by his staff. I will put it that way. As I understand it, there is a change of mind in that regard. We agree that the providers should know. We have worked very diligently to address that. Our bill does make pediatric, what we call ``priority supplements,'' which will speed up the process for getting new labels. Second, by giving the Secretary authority to deem drugs misbranded, we guarantee label changes will be made. We believe, and children's groups agree, that the changes we make are the right compromises to maintain the incentives and get labels changed. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo). Their bill enjoys strong bipartisan support. The companion bill passed the Senate without opposition. This bill favorably passed the Committee on Energy and Commerce by a 41-to-6 vote. I thank the staff that worked so very long and hard on this legislation, including John Ford and David Nelson with the minority; Eric Olson with the office of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo); Brent Del Monte with the majority staff; Alan Eisenberg from the office of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood); and finally, Mr. Steve Tilton, of my staff. I ask all Members to support this legislation.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to my former colleague and friend, Representative Gerald Solomon, and express my deep sorrow for the recent loss of this great American. Jerry Solomon faithfully represented the constituents of New York's Twenty-Second Congressional District for 20 years. First elected in 1978, Jerry distinguished himself as a champion of conservative values in the House of Representatives. For years he fought for smaller and more accountable government, opposing policies which would threaten liberty. Jerry was never afraid to speak his mind and take strongly held positions on important issues. He vehemently opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and favored an end to China's most favored nation trade status. He argued for creation of the line-item veto, defended constitutional rights, and chastised young people who ignored their responsibilities. Whether or not you always agreed with his position on the issues, you always had to admire the boldness which characterized his commitment to the causes in which he believed. As a former Marine and Korean War veteran, Jerry served the interests of our Armed Forces and veterans as a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. As the ranking Republican on the Committee in the 1980s, Jerry helped pass the 1984 G.I. Bill of Rights, an important tool which served to increase veterans' benefits and attract quality recruits to the military. I was honored to serve with Jerry on this Committee during my first terms in Congress. Many would argue that Jerry's greatest achievement in Congress was his ascension to Chairman of the House Rules Committee. While he certainly served this body, the legislative process, and our country well in this position, I would maintain that his greatest achievement was the dedication with which he served his constituents for two decades. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I offer my most heartfelt sympathy to the Solomon family. For while America has lost a great man, they have lost a great husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. May his memory be eternal!

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in an expression of gratitude to the people of Canada, and the people of Newfoundland in particular, for the invaluable support they offered our citizens shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks. As a sign of appreciation, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Canadians for their warm, heartfelt actions during that time of crisis. Canada stood firmly by our side in dealing with the immediate consequences of the terrorist strikes. When all U.S. air space had to be cleared, hundreds of flights were diverted to Canadian airports, mainly in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. During the following days, the Canadian government and local authorities did everything in their power to help the thousands of travelers that were unable to return to their homes. Furthermore, demonstrating their solidarity to the American people, many ordinary citizens showed up at the airports and volunteered to give shelter to the confused travelers. I recently received a letter from a constituent who was one of those travelers. Michael Rollins of Safety Harbor, Florida, felt the need to utter his sincerest and deepest thanks to a community of people who have forever touched the lives of thousands of U.S.-bound air travelers stranded in Canada. After de-boarding the plane in St. John, Newfoundland, Mr. Rollins and all other passengers and crew found instant assistance and accommodations from the local population. These caring individuals opened their homes and hearts. Total strangers provided groceries, clothes, towels, sheets and countless other items in a selfless display of love and compassion. St. John's Citadel Corps took care of more than 300 people for over five days. The same outpouring of warmth and comfort took place in the town of Gander, where other flights were rerouted. There too, passengers experienced the benevolence of strangers, and the nurturing and loving capacity of the human heart. The altruism, compassion and generosity of Newfoundland's residents did not go unnoticed. These sentiments show how much we share with the people of Canada, how many basic human values we both hold dear. As America moves forward, determined to protect our freedom and our way of life from any terrorist threat, we feel proud to have Canadians as neighbors, and more importantly, as friends.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call attention to the National Day of the Republic of China on Taiwan. This day commemorates the Wuchang Uprising on October 10, 1911, which led to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the ROC on January 1, 1912. Although the recent terrorist attacks against America make it difficult for us to join the celebrations for this great day for the people of Taiwan, I believe it is appropriate to remember it, as it was the first step to a long process for Taiwan to become what it is now. It is a nation proud of its solid democratic foundations and strong economy and a nation that shares America's tradition of individual freedom and full human rights for its citizens. For the United States, Taiwan is a significant trading partner, a valued regional military ally and, above all, a good friend. Taiwan moumed with us over the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Its leaders have expressed their condolences and solidarity with the people and government of the United States. Taiwan has cancelled all its National Day celebrations throughout the United States and pledged its full cooperation with us in combating terrorism. The Republic of China on Taiwan shares with us not only our grief, but also our belief that this was not just an attack against America. It was an attack against democracy and freedom that both our countries cherish. On the 90th anniversary of its National Day, Taiwan celebrates these treasured ideals. Over the past decade, the Republic of China has moved rapidly towards becoming a democratic society. Free and fair elections are routinely held at all levels of government, and approximately 70 percent of eligible voters participate in ROC elections. Taiwan has become a shining example of freedom and democracy in a part of the world in need of role models. America stands by its long-standing commitment to the people and government of Taiwan with which we have developed strong economic, political and social ties. As Taiwan celebrates its National Day, I share their joy and hope that we will be able to continue our partnership and friendship well into the future.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to commemorate the 41st anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Cyprus. On October 1, 1960, Cyprus became an independent republic after decades of British colonial rule. Over the last decades, Cyprus and the United States have established close political, economic and social ties, developing a valued friendship. Both countries gained their independence from Great Britain, and now each country celebrates the anniversary of that independence as their national holiday. More significantly, Cyprus and the United States share a deep and abiding commitment to democracy, fundamental human rights, free markets, and the ideal and practice of equal justice under law. This year, the September 11th terrorist attacks cast a heavy shadow over the celebrations for Cyprus Independence Day, as the shock and grief continues to be felt. The leaders and the people of Cyprus have expressed their abhorrence and their strong condemnation for the terrorists and those who support them, while voicing their solidarity with the American people. In a moment of true friendship, the Republic of Cyprus declared September 14th as a Day of Mourning for the victims. Flags were flown at half-mast, flowers were laid at the American Embassy in the capital of Nicosia, while high-ranking officials and ordinary people signed a book of condolences. The government of Cyprus has pledged to cooperate fully with the Bush Administration in the battle against terrorism. Cyprus shares our belief that the horrendous act of violence on September 11th did not constitute just an offensive against America, it was an assault against democracy and freedom. Cypriots do not stand indifferent and passive in responding to heinous acts that target our sense of security, our civil liberties and our faith in the democratic process. Having achieved its independence after a bitter fight to uphold freedom and democracy, Cyprus understands that great determination and unity are needed in- order to safeguard the treasured ideals we share. As the Republic of Cyprus celebrates its 41st Independence Day, I share their joy for having created a prosperous, open society based on solid foundations. Furthermore, I believe this is a opportunity for the United States of America and Cyprus to come closer together, as they stand united in their resolve to fight the battle on terrorism. As we move forward, I am confident that our friendship will continue well into the future.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker), the gentleman responsible for this legislation, who did a fantastic job on it and I commend him for it.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for immediate consideration in the House of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 84) supporting the goals of Red Ribbon Week in promoting drug-free communities.