Michael Bilirakis

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, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 717) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for research and services with respect to Duchenne muscular dystrophy, as amended.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 717, the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Childhood Assistance Research and Education Amendments of 2001 which will help find cures for all forms of muscular dystrophy; and I commend at the outset the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) for writing this bill and for continuing to push for its movement through the process. Mr. Speaker, the Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce held an important hearing on this issue where Ed McMahon spoke in favor of the legislation. I believe that every dollar invested in medical research will yield untold benefits for all Americans in years to come. Indeed, our own lives might some day depend on the efforts of scientists and doctors currently at work in our Nation's laboratories. Medical research represents the single most effective weapon against diseases such as muscular dystrophy. While we live in a modern world, children with DMD are powerless. Boys die before reaching 20, before reaching adulthood, before experiencing life. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common lethal childhood genetic disorder in the world, affecting 1 in 2,328 male newborns worldwide, according to a 1997 German study. The disease may be inherited within families, or it may be caused by a spontaneous mutation in individuals. In fact, one-third of Duchenne cases are not inherited but are caused by gene mutation. Children who are born with DMD follow a predictable clinical course. Young children develop difficulties walking and begin falling due to muscle weakness, and by 8 to 10 years, the muscle weakness has progressed to the point where most children must rely on wheelchairs. By late teens, most DMD children have succumbed to their disease, usually as victims of respiratory failure. The diagnosis is accompanied by a lifetime of progressive loss of function, loss of independence, dependence on family caregivers, and extraordinary physical, mental, psychological, spiritual, and financial burdens for the family and for society. As you know, this bill takes significant steps towards increasing Federal research efforts to find a cure for Duchenne and other forms of muscular dystrophy. Specifically, H.R. 717 takes four key steps toward improving the Federal commitment to muscular dystrophy: First, increased coordination. Building on title 23 of the Children's Health Act of 2000, H.R. 717 expands, intensifies, and coordinates research activities related to muscular dystrophy by establishing the Muscular Dystrophy Interagency Coordinating Committee. Secondly, it creates Centers of Excellence at NIH in order to ensure a focused research effort of muscular dystrophy. H.R. 717 establishes Centers of Excellence at NIH to support and expand clinical research on various forms of muscular dystrophy, including investigations into the diagnosis, early detection, prevention, control, and adequate treatment of various forms of DMD. It also establishes a national muscular dystrophy surveillance program granting to public and nonprivate entities the implementation of the National Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance Program. And fourth, it allows for dissemination of education to medical professionals and promotion of public awareness. Mr. Speaker, the advances made over the course of the last century cannot have been predicted by the most farsighted observers. It is equally difficult to anticipate the significant gains from further medical research, particularly in the area of muscular dystrophy. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join the Parent Project on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Mr. Ed McMahon who spoke so eloquently in our subcommittee hearing in defense of all of the children suffering from this disease in support of H.R. 717. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 717.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 84, the concurrent resolution just agreed to.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, this resolution calls for increased awareness of drug abuse and promotes drug-free communities. Red Ribbon Week began in 1985 following the death of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena, a drug enforcement agent who was close to uncovering identities of key members of a Mexican drug cartel. Saddened by his death and concerned by the destruction caused by drugs in America, his friends and family in his hometown of Calexico, California began wearing red ribbons in his honor to raise the consciousness of communities throughout the Imperial Valley. Today the red ribbon has become the national symbol for drug prevention across America. Red Ribbon Week activities make a positive impact in communities nationwide. The program focuses on identifying resources for parents and collaborating with community stakeholders to provide primary prevention and education to strengthen healthy families. I support the goals of this resolution, Mr. Speaker; and I believe it is a critical tool through which local communities learn, educate, and act to ensure a healthier future for our children. I ask my colleagues to support the fight against drugs and to help us pass H. Con. Res. 84, supporting the goals of Red Ribbon Week and promoting drug-free communities.

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.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Chairman, some military retirees--individuals who are eligible for military retirement benefits as a result of a full service career--are also eligible for disability compensation from the VA based on a medical problem they incurred while in the service. Under present law, these service-disabled retirees must surrender a portion of their retired pay if they want to receive the disability compensation to which they are entitled. Congress enacted this unjust law in 1891. Think of two soldiers who joined the Army together and were wounded in the same battle. Joe left the Army after his 4-year stint and joined the Department of Justice as a civilian employee. Jim stayed on and made a career in the military. Thirty years later, both men are receiving Federal longevity retired pay based on their careers. Both are also eligible for VA disability compensation as a result of the injuries they sustained while in the Army. The difference is that in order to get his disability compensation, Jim must forfeit an equal amount of his retired pay, while Joe collects the full amount of both benefits without a deduction in either. Why should the individual who chose a military career be penalized? One benefit is based on longevity in a career, the other on an injury sustained while in the service. Joe in our example can even receive civil service retirement credit for his four years in the military. Yet, Jim is branded a ``double dipper.'' This simply is not fair. Nationwide, more than 500,000 disabled military retirees must give up their retired pay in order to receive their VA disability compensation. In effect, they must pay for their VA disability out of their military retirement--something no other Federal retiree must do. How can we possibly expect to maintain a viable national defense if service members realize that if they experience a service-connected disability, they cannot receive both VA disability compensation and military retired pay? The 106th Congress took the first steps toward addressing this inequity by authorizing the military to pay a monthly allowance to military retirees with severe service-connected disabilities rated by the Department of Veterans' Affairs at 70 percent or greater. While these special compensation provisions do not correct the long-standing inequity of the current offset, they do move us one step closer to correcting this injustice once and for all. In the beginning of the 107th Congress, I once again introduced H.R. 303, the Retired Pay Restoration Act, to eliminate the current offset between military retired pay and VA disability compensation. I am pleased to report that my bill has received strong bipartisan support with approximately 370 cosponsors in the House--roughly 85 percent of House Members. A Senate companion bill, S. 170, has also received strong support with 73 cosponsors. I would like to thank Military Personnel Subcommittee Chairman John McHugh and full committee Chairman Bob Stump for working with me this year to incorporate ``concurrent receipt'' language into H.R. 2586, the FY 2002 National Defense Authorization Act. I also want to thank Representatives Steve Buyer and Charlie Bass for their assistance. They have been stalwart supporters of eliminating the current offset. H.R. 2586 includes a provision to authorize military retirees to receive VA disability compensation concurrently with military retired pay. This provision will take effect after the President submits legislation in an annual budget request and Congress enacts legislation to offset the cost of this initiative. While not perfect, I do believe that this language is an important step in our efforts to eliminate the offset between military retired pay and VA disability compensation. Each of the thousands of disabled military retirees answered when America called. Now it's time for America to answer their call. I urge colleagues to support H.R. 2586.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, Margaret Thatcher once said that the U.S. was unique because it was the only country whose very existence was based on an idea, the idea of freedom. Whether on a battlefield or in a factory, at home or abroad, in peace or confrontation, it is the American heart, an unbridled and unyielding spirit, that has pulled us through over 200 years of freedom. On September 11, 2001, America's calm was shattered by a horrendous act of terrorism. There is no doubt that this day will long be remembered, and our thoughts and prayers are with those whose lives have been forever altered by this tragedy. America responded to this tragedy the way we have responded to past ones, by coming together and reaching out to one another. Yesterday, Americans rushed to the aid of their fellow Americans without thought of the possible consequences to themselves. Even as we pull together to recover from this tragedy, one thing is perfectly clear and has been made over and over again today and yesterday: America has never, nor will it now, yield to terrorism. Make no mistake, we will find and bring to justice the despicable individuals who in any manner helped carry out these heinous crimes. They have made a fatal miscalculation and should expect swift and severe retaliation by the United States of America. Those who perpetrated this heinous act have reawakened a sleeping giant, and they should know that their acts of cowardice will never break our spirit or lessen our love for freedom and democracy. Their evil has united us and will make us stronger and more resolved to fight for the ideals upon which this great Nation was founded. The attack on America may change our view of the world but it will not change our American spirit. God bless America.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of patients. I rise today in support of Americans who deserve a health care system that works for them. My work in this body, as so many know, has focused on health care issues, and I have worked hard with many of my colleagues to improve the quality of health care for all Americans. One of the most important things we can do this Congress is pass strong patient protection legislation which can be signed into law. We must work to ensure that a Patients' Bill of Rights will become law. Two years ago this Chamber hosted a similar debate which most of you remember. We are back again considering legislation to improve the quality and availability of health care for all Americans. Enactment of patient protections would immediately improve the quality of care for millions of Americans, and that is why we must work together to secure passage of patient protection legislation this year. In past debates, I chastised an administration that stubbornly, stubbornly rejected anything short of its own proposal for health reform. I argued that ``The price of such intransigence would again be paid by patients across the country,'' and it was. Now I am proud to stand before my colleagues today and support patient protection legislation that has bipartisan support and, most importantly, the support of a President who was willing to listen and to compromise. The leadership of President Bush, of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), the Speaker of the House, and of the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), my very good friend, have been invaluable in getting us to this point. As I quoted in a recent Dear Colleague: ``It is not enough to do good; one must do it the right way.'' Compromise is the right way, and I support patients' rights by supporting the amendments to the Ganske bill. An all-or-nothing attitude is unacceptable. Let us do good for our constituents now. I challenge those who support patients' rights. Put people ahead of politics and work with us, not against us, to achieve this goal.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time; and I rise in opposition to the Greenwood substitute and for the base bill introduced by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak). The Committee on Commerce held several hearings on cloning, including one in the Subcommittee on Health, which I chair. There is no doubt, as has already been stated so many times, that this is a difficult issue, and it involves many new and complex concepts. However, we should all be clear about the controversies related to human cloning. While this debate claims to be about therapeutic cloning, which is used to refer to cloned human cells not intended to result in a pregnancy, there is a fine line between creation and implantation. The Committee on Commerce heard testimony from the Geron Corporation. They claim to be interested in therapeutic cloning and not implementing implanting those embryos into a surrogate mother. I think we all agree it would be a disaster to allow the implantation of cloned human embryos. Yet, if we allow therapeutic cloning, how can we truly prevent illegal implantation? We cannot. Several years ago, the world marveled at the creation of Dolly, the cloned sheep. What most people did not realize was that it took some 270 cloning attempts before there was a successful live birth. Many of the other attempts resulted in early and grotesque deaths. Imagine repeating that scenario with human life. I am confident that none of us want that. Human cloning rises to the most essential question of who we are and what we might become if we open this Pandora's box. Finally, I would like to applaud President Bush more for his strong support of this important base legislation. The administration strongly supports a ban on human cloning. The statement of the administration position reads, and I quote, ``The administration unequivocally is opposed to the cloning of human beings either for reproduction or for research. The moral and ethical issues posed by human cloning are profound and cannot be ignored in the quest for scientific discovery.'' I commend my colleagues, the gentleman from Florida and the gentleman from Michigan; and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting H.R. 250 and opposing the substitute.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, as an original sponsor, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2540, the Veterans' Benefits Act of 2001. One of the most important bills the Congress approves each year is legislation providing disabled veterans an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). H.R. 2540 provides a COLA, effective December 1, 2001, to disabled veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans who are receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). As in previous years, these deserving men and women will receive the same COLA that Social Security recipients will receive. I am pleased that we are acting to provide disabled veterans and their survivors with an annual COLA. The bill makes a number of other benefits improvements, including the addition of Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2) to the list of diseases presumed to be service-connected in Vietnam veterans exposed to herbicide agents. The bill also requires the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs to establish a two-year nationwide pilot program to expand the VA's 1-800 toll-free information service to include information on all federal veterans' benefits and veterans' benefits administered by each state. The legislation also contains provisions affecting compensation for Persian Gulf veterans. Specifically, the bill expands the definition of undiagnosed illnesses for Persian Gulf veterans to include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and chronic multi-symptom illness for the statutory presumption of service-connection. The legislation also extends the presumptive period for Persian Gulf illnesses, which is scheduled to expire at the end of this year, until December 31, 2003. When Veterans' Affairs Committee considered H.R. 2540, Members of the Committee had some concerns about the provisions pertaining to Persian Gulf veterans. I was pleased that we were able to sit down and work out these differences so the House could proceed with this important legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the Veterans' Benefits Act of 2001.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, as I have done every year, I rise again today to reiterate my fierce objection to the illegitimate occupation of the island of Cyprus by Turkish troops and declare my grave concern for the future of the area, The island's twenty-seven years of internal division make the status quo absolutely unacceptable. In July 1974, Turkish troops captured the northern part of Cyprus, seizing over a third of the island. The Turkish troops expelled 200,000 Greek-Cypriots from their homes and killed 5,000 citizens of the once- peaceful island. The Turkish invasion was a conscious and deliberate attempt at ethnic cleansing. Turkey proceeded to install 35,000 military personnel. Today, these troops, in conjunction with United Nations peacekeeping forces, make the small island of Cyprus one of the most militarized areas in the world. Over a quarter of a century later, about 1,500 Greek-Cypriots remain missing, including four Americans. The Green Line, a 113-mile barbed wire fence, separates the Greek- Cypriot community from its Turkish-Cypriot counterpart. The Turkish Northern Republic of Cyprus (TNRC), recognized by no nation in the world except for Turkey, prohibits Greek-Cypriots from crossing the Green Line to visit the towns and communities of their families. With control of about thirty-seven percent of the island, Turkey's military occupation has had severe consequences, most notably the dislocation of the Greek Cypriot population and the resulting refugees. Twenty-seven years later, forced separation of these two communities still exists despite efforts by the UN and G-8 leadership to mend this rift between north and south. So far, the UN, with the explicit support of the United States, has sponsored six rounds of proximity talks between the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Glafcos Clerides, and Mr. Rauf Denktash, the self-proclaimed leader of the TNRC. Regrettably, the implementation of any agreements has been thwarted by the intransigent position taken by Mr. Denktash, with the full backing of the Turkish Government. His refusal to participate in the UN sponsored talks until demands for the recognition of Northern Cyprus as a separate state are met is unacceptable. Mr. Denktash has made it clear that his position on the issue is non-negotiable, leaving very little room for progress. In his recent testimony before the Senate Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittee, Secretary of State Colin Powell specifically singled out Mr. Denktash as the main obstacle in developing a comprehensive solution to the problem. Impressively, even with this division constantly taking center-stage, the Republic of Cyprus has flourished and grown as an economy and society. Growth has been averaging 6% per year and its per capita income ranks near the top of all developed countries. Its unemployment rate of 3.6% is lower than that of the United States. It is a Europe- oriented nation that is of strategic, economic, and political importance to the region and to the rest of the world. This success has brought Cyprus to a critical turning point in its history. For the first time, the people of Cyprus have the opportunity to seal their future by becoming part of the European Union which is about to accept a large number of new members. Upon accession to the European The Republic of Cyprus and the United States share a common tradition of respect for human rights, a faith in the power of democratic institutions, and a commitment to free market economics. Our two governments have similarly had close ties. Consequently, it is in the interest of the United States to see a strong and vibrant Cyprus which will enhance the future strength of our alliance. To that end, the most meaningful way to ensure that outcome is to promote Cyprus's membership in the European Union. Union membership for Cyprus also has the potential to resolve some of the ongoing disputes in the Mediterranean region. At the European Council meeting in Helsinki in December 1999, Turkey was granted the status of a candidate country for accession to the EU. In accordance with the Accession Partnership Document of Turkey, which was endorsed by the European Council meeting in Nice in December 2000, Turkey must strongly support the UN Secretary General's efforts to bring about a successful conclusion to the process of finding a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. The European Council decision taken in Helsinki in December 1999 also states that the Council's decision on accession for Cyprus will not be preconditioned on a settlement to the Cyprus problem. On the other hand, it is understood that accession negotiations with Turkey cannot begin until Turkey complies with the stipulations and conditions laid down by the European Council decisions in Helsinki, Copenhagen and Nice. The United States government has strongly supported the Helsinki Conclusions both on the issue of Cyprus' accession and Turkey's candidacy for membership and should continue to do so. Additionally, serious efforts have been undertaken by the UN Secretary General to resume negotiations between the two communities in Cyprus. These efforts have always enjoyed the full support of the United States. It is obvious that resolution of the perennial dispute between Greece and Turkey on Cyprus remains the key to a successful and lasting settlement of the problem. Although the Helsinki decision does not consider a Greco-Turkish agreement on Cyprus a precondition for the accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union, such an agreement would remove any obstacles to the accession of Turkey to the European Union, benefitting all parties concerned in the current dispute. First, it will act as a catalyst in resolving the problem of Cyprus, which has been poisoning the relations among the parties to the conflict, their NATO allies, and the United States. Second, improvement in the relations between Greece and Turkey will also strengthen the South-Eastem flank of NATO so it can function in its full capacity, unhindered by ancient frictions that have virtually prevented any cooperation between the two allies at periods in the past. Third, an agreement between the conflicting parties will enhance stability and security in two troubled regions of the world, the Middle-East and the Balkans. These areas are vital to the national interests of the United States and any stabilizing influence might serve to facilitate other peace agreements. In pursuing this goal, it should be made clear to the Turkish leadership and Mr. Denktash that their position on these issues is unsatisfactory. No effort should be made to appease the Turkish-Cypriot leader in order to entice his return to the negotiating table. Not only should he return, but he should negotiate in good faith in order to reach a comprehensive settlement within the framework provided for by the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, This includes the establishment of a bizonal, bi-communal federation with a single international personality, sovereignty, and a single citizenship. It would also be in the best interest of Turkey to cooperate with the United Nations and the rest of the international community on Cyprus in order to advance its own membership in the European Union. In addition, Turkey spends more than $200 million annually to sustain northern Cyprus; it also maintains 35,000 of its own troops illegally in the region. With settlement on the matter of Cyprus, this huge financial obligation will be removed. Northern Cyprus will perhaps be the greatest beneficiary of Cypriot membership and resolution of the entire affair. It is currently in a state of economic distress, being bolstered only by Turkish support. By joining the rest of Cyprus, it would become part of an already progressive economy, eliminating its financial dependence on Turkey. So far we have seen that both Turkey and Mr. Denktash have sought to create preconditions on Cyprus' accession by tying that process to the resolution of a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus. The United States should remind Turkey that any threat against the Republic of Cyprus will be met with strong determination and opposition and that Turkey does not possess any veto power over European Union membership. Promotion of Cyprus' membership will remove what has been a stumbling block in comprehensive settlement negotiations, and it will allow Turkey to strive toward the laudable goal of its own accession. We are all standing at the threshold of a historic opportunity that will shape the futures of generations of Cypriots, Greeks, and Turks. We have a responsibility to these ensuant generations to secure their futures by contributing to the efforts to create a peaceful world. It is precisely to stress the above stated points that I have felt compelled to submit House Concurrent Resolution 164 which expresses the United States' support for Cyprus' admission to the European Union according to the Helsinki Conclusions of 1999 which state that while a solution to the political crisis in Cyprus is preferable prior to EU accession, it is not a precondition for entry. Mr. Speaker, we have a moral and ethical obligation to use our influence as Americans to reunify Cyprus--as defenders of democracy, and as defenders of human rights. There have been twenty-seven years of illegitimate occupation, violence, and strife; let's not make it twenty-eight.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Chairman, I would like to support this amendment because of the intent behind the amendment. The gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) and others, including the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson), are correct in terms of problems, or at least perceived problems insofar as FDA approving generics or enlisting the patents of generics, but we are talking here about reallocating needed funds. Just a few days ago, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) offered an amendment to increase the funds for FDA use towards approval of generic drugs by $2.5 million. I supported that amendment. It passed this House, if I remember correctly. Now, the point is, we are now in effect saying we are going to take $1 million out of that $2.5 million, or at least out of the amount that FDA ordinarily would use, towards approval of generic drugs and put it into something like this. Now, I am quoting, ``which will help FDA do their job; delaying tactics, things of that nature.'' If, in fact, there are delaying tactics; if, in fact, the FDA is not doing its job, there are things that we can do. I do not think that throwing $1 million the FDA's way will encourage them to do the job that they are required to do. That is just not the answer to it at all. The Brown amendment does not serve a legitimate purpose. It purports to provide the FDA's Office of Generic Drugs, as we have already said, with $1 million to ensure that patents are not inappropriately listed. The law requires, the FDA law, sections 505 and 506 make it clear that they will list these patents. It does not say anything about analyzing the patents. If they are not listed on a timely basis, if there is something inappropriate insofar as their listing is concerned, let us look into that through hearings, through discussions with the FDA and whatnot and do something about it, rather than just saying, we are going to give them $1 million, reallocating $1 million to say that this will ensure that you do the job you are required to do under the statute. Mr. Chairman, I think not. The FDA has absolutely no authority under present law to judge the validity of patents. I say again, it has no authority to judge the validity of patents. Their function is purely ministerial. It gets the patent; it lists the patent. If it does not list the patent when they get the patent, by gosh, there is something wrong with that and it has to be taken care of. But they have no authority. They do not review patents. They are forbidden by the law from reviewing patents. I will not say that they are necessarily forbidden, but there is no language in the law that basically gives them that authority. The Patent and the Trademark Office, as has been said by others, and the courts that judge patent validity say the FDA does not have the experts to do so and, basically, they do not have the authority to do so. When Dr. Janet Woodcock, director for FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation was asked by, I believe, one of our colleagues who has already made a statement here, at the Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing whether the FDA had authority to review patents, she said no. She went on to say, when asked whether FDA should have the authority to do so, she said, and I quote her, ``If we were asked to do such a thing, I would have to say that it would significantly divert resources from the scientific review of generic drugs that we are currently undertaking.'' So if FDA were to get into the job of judging patent validity, they tell us, the people that do this job, that the agency would be subject to countless lawsuits. The $1 million provided for in the Brown amendment would be spent very, very quickly. So we understand, and I have already admitted, that there are legitimate questions associated with additional patents being listed very late in a patent term. The gentleman from Ohio knows how I feel about generics. I bring them up all the time, and I am concerned about the fact that they are possibly not being approved on a more timely fashion. This concerns us so much that just last month in the Committee on Energy and Commerce we held a hearing on this matter that I have already referred to. At this hearing we learned many things, including the fact that the FDA cannot, under the law, judge the validity of patents. The Brown amendment does not do what the author says. I would hope that it would do, maybe if it passes, what the author says; but I do not feel that it does. It would not allow FDA to review patents; it merely would reallocate $1 million and say, hey, we trust you to use this $1 million to do a better job insofar as analyzing and listing patents. The FDA cannot do so under the law and they should not be able to do so, and for those reasons, unfortunately, I would ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Brown amendment.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 170, which encourages corporations in the United States to increase their support of faith-based organizations. America is privileged materially, but there still remains poverty and a lack of hope for some. Government has a duty to meet the needs of poor Americans, but it does not have to do it alone. The indispensable and gracious work of faith-based and other charitable service groups must be encouraged as a means of people helping people--as a significant addition to government service. Faith has played an important role in America's handling of serious social problems. Faith-based organizations in the United States help people recover from drug and alcohol addiction, provide food and shelter for the homeless, and teach people job skills that will allow them to move from poverty to productivity. These organizations have proven to be effective in solving some of society's troubles. Corporations donate billions of dollars to philanthropic causes every year. However, of these billions of dollars, faith-based organizations receive only a small portion. In fact, many corporations specifically ban or restrict contributions to faith-based organizations. This legislation encourages them to make greater contributions to faith-based organizations and recommends that they refrain from policies that prohibit corporations from donating to faith-based organizations. I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 170.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 428 which authorizes the United States Secretary of State to initiate and implement a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual summit of the World Health assembly (of the World Health Organization) this month in Geneva, Switzerland. Taiwan and its 23 million people should have appropriate and meaningful participation in the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO Constitution states that the ``enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.'' Yet today, Taiwan is excluded from participation in the WHO because of political pressure from the People's Republic of China. This means that the people of Taiwan cannot share in the WHO's vital resources and expertise. Taiwanese physicians and health experts are not allowed to take part in WHO-organized forums and workshops regarding the latest techniques in the diagnosis, monitoring and control of diseases. Taiwanese doctors do not have access to WHO medical protocols and health standards. This is simply not right. Diseases do not stop at national boundaries, and with today's high frequency of international travel, the possibility of transmitting infectious diseases is greater than ever. Good health is a basic right for every citizen of the world, and Taiwan should be granted membership in the WHO. Despite its exclusion from the WHO, Taiwan has made some remarkable achievements in the field of health, including one of the highest life expectancy levels in Asia, maternal and infant mortality rates comparable to those of western countries, and the eradication of infectious diseases such as smallpox and the plague. Taiwan is the first Asian nation to be rid of polio and the first country in the world to provide children with free hepatitis B vaccinations. Prior to 1972 and its loss of membership in the WHO, Taiwan sent specialists to serve on health projects in other members countries, and its experts held key positions in the WHO. In recent years, the Taiwanese government has expressed a willingness to assist financially or technically in WHO-supported international aid and health activities, but it has been unable to render such assistance because it is unable to participate in the international health organization. Taiwan's population of 23 million people is larger than three- quarters of the member states already in the WHO. Clearly, Taiwan and the world community could benefit by its participation in the WHO. I believe the United States should actively support Taiwan's membership in the World Health Organization. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 428.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that the House is considering H. Con. Res. 91 today. Among its provisions, this resolution expresses our strong support for the goal of increasing federal funding for autism research and treatment programs. It also emphasizes the need to begin early intervention services for children with autism. I want to commend my colleagues, Congressmen Chris Smith and Jim Greenwood, for their dedicated efforts to improve awareness and understanding of autism while working to expand research and treatment initiatives. I was pleased to work with both of them to enact children's health legislation I sponsored in the last Congress, which included provisions they authored to significantly increase federal resources in the fight against autism. Autism is a brain disorder that most commonly begins in early childhood and persists throughout adulthood. Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Children and adults with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. The disorder makes it hard for them to communicate with others and to relate to the outside world. Mr. Speaker, autism is a national crisis affecting over 400,000 families and costing the nation over 13 billion dollars each year. According to recent studies, as many as 1 in every 500 children affected by this disorder. Any parent can tell you that nothing is more heart-wrenching than watching your own child suffer with an illness. As a father and grandfather myself, I know how terrible that can be. Today, however, we have a rare opportunity to do something that will give hope to families affected by autism. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H. Con. Res. 91.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in commemorating one of the most appalling violations of human rights in all of modern history--the eighty-sixth anniversary of the Armenian genocide. I want to commend my colleagues Representative Joe Knollenberg of Michigan and Representative Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, for sponsoring this special order. Today, I want to acknowledge this dark moment in history and remember the Armenian people who tragically lost their lives. We must always remember tumultuous moments in history when people suffered because they were different. The Armenian genocide lasted over an eight-year period from 1915 to 1923. During this time, the Ottoman empire carried out a systematic policy of eliminating its Christian Armenian population. The Armenian genocide was the first of the 20th century, but unfortunately, not the last. The atrocious acts of annihilation against the Armenian people were denounced by Paris, London and Washington as war crimes. Even the Germans, the Ottoman Empire's ally in the First World War, condemned these heinous acts. Henry Morgenthau, the U.S. Ambassador to Constantinople at the time, vividly documented the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians. Winston Churchill used the word ``holocaust'' to describe the Armenian massacres when he said: ``in 1915 the Turkish government began and ruthlessly carried out the infamous general massacre and deportation of Armenians in Asia minor . . . [the Turks were] massacring uncounted thousands of helpless Armenians--men, women, and children together; whole districts blotted out in one administrative holocaust--these were beyond human redress.'' This orchestrated extermination of a people is contrary to the values the United States espouses. We are a nation which strictly adheres to the affirmation of human rights everywhere and cannot dispute a horrendous historical fact by ignoring what so many witnessed and survived. Recognition and acceptance of any misdeed are necessary steps towards its extinction. Without acceptance there is no remorse, and without remorse, there is no catharsis and pardon. Even as recently as the last year of this millennium, the United States, together with many European nations, took active part in putting a stop to the genocidal events in Kosovo. It demonstrates that we are willing to risk our lives in order to remain true to our long tradition of intolerance to tyranny and injustice. We cannot remain silent and turn our face away from similar events that took place against the Armenian people. Of course, we all want to forget these horrific tragedies in our history and bury them in the past. However, it is only through painful process of acknowledging and remembering that we can keep similar dark moments from happening in the future. At the end of my statement, I have included several quotes from prominent world leaders and political figures, including several U.S. presidents, who describe and sadly affirm what happened to the 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire eighty-six years ago. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask that as we take a moment to reflect upon the hardships endured by the Armenians, we also acknowledge that in the face of adversity the Armenian people have persevered. The survivors of the genocide and their descendants have made great contributions to every country in which they have settled-- including the United States, where Armenians have made their mark in business, the professions and our cultural life. Quotes Regarding the Armenian Genocide from Various World Leaders and Prominent Political Figures ``The twentieth century was marred by wars of unimaginable brutality, mass murder and genocide. History records that the Armenians were the first people of the last century to have endured these cruelties. The Armenians were subjected to a genocidal campaign that defies comprehension and commands all decent people to remember and acknowledge the facts and lessons of an awful crime in a century of bloody crimes against humanity. If elected President, I would ensure that our nation properly recognizes the tragic suffering of the Armenian people.''--George W. Bush Jr., June 2, 2000, letter to the members of the Armenian Assembly. ``[We join] Armenians around the world [as we remember] the terrible massacres suffered in 1915-1923 at the hands of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire. The United States responded to this crime against humanity by leading diplomatic and private relief efforts.''--George W. Bush Sr., April 20, 1990, speech in Orlando, Florida. ``Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it, . . . the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.''--Ronald Reagan, April 22, 1981, proclamation. ``It is generally not known in the world that, in the years preceding 1916, there was a concerted effort made to eliminate all the Armenian people, probably one of the greatest tragedies that ever befell any group. And there weren't any Nuremberg trials.''--Jimmy Carter, May 16, 1978, White House ceremony. ``The association of Mount Ararat and Noah, the staunch Christians who were massacred periodically by the Mohammedan Turks, and the Sunday School collections over fifty years for alleviating their miseries--all cumulate to impress the name Armenian on the front of the American mind.''--Herbert Hoover, The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover, 1952. ``. . . the Armenian massacre was the greatest crime of the war, and the failure to act against Turkey is to condone it . . . the failure to deal radically with the Turkish horror means that all talk of guaranteeing the future peace of the world is mischievous nonsense.''--Theodore Roosevelt, May 11, 1918, letter to Cleveland Hoadley Dodge. ``When the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race; they understood this well, and, in their conversations with me, they made no particular attempt to conceal the fact. . . . I am confident that the whole history of the human race contains no such horrible episode as this. The great massacres and persecutions of the past seem almost insignificant when compared to the sufferings of the Armenian race in 1915.''--Henry Morgenthau, Sr., U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Ambassador Morgenthau's Story, 1919. ``These left-overs from the former Young Turk Party, who should have been made to account for the millions of our Christian subjects who were ruthlessly driven en masse, from their homes and massacred, have been restive under the Republican rule.''--Mustafa ``Ataturk'' Kemal, founder of the modern Turkish Republic in 1923 and revered throughout Turkey, in an interview published on August 1, 1926 in The Los Angeles Examiner, talking about former Young Turks in his country. ``Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?''--Adolf Hitler, while persuading his associates that a Jewish holocaust would be tolerated by the west. ``It was not war. It was most certainly massacre and genocide, something the world must remember . . . We will always reject any attempt to erase its record, even for some political advantage.''--Yossi Beilin, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, April 27, 1994 on the floor of the Knesset in response to a TV interview of the Turkish Ambassador. ``Mr. Speaker, with mixed emotions we mark the 50th anniversary of the Turkish genocide of the Armenian people. In taking notice of the shocking events in 1915, we observe this anniversary with sorrow in recalling the massacres of Armenians and with pride in saluting those brave patriots who survived to fight on the side of freedom during World War I.''--Gerald Ford, addressing the U.S. House of Representatives. ``Turkey is taking advantage of the war in order to thoroughly liquidate (grundlich aufzaumen) its internal foes, i.e., the indigenous Christians, without being thereby disturbed by foreign intervention.''--Talat Pasha, one of the three rulers of wartime in the Ottoman Empire in a conservation with Dr. Mordtmann of the German Embassy in June 1915. ``What on earth do you want? The question is settled. There are no more Armenians.''--Talat said this after the German Ambassador persistently brought up the Armenian question in 1918. ``In an attempt to carry out its purpose to resolve the Armenian question by the destruction of the Armenian race, the Turkish government has refused to be deterred neither by our representations, nor by those of the American Embassy, nor by the delegate of the Pope, nor by the threats of the Allied Powers, nor in deference to the public opinion of the West representing one-half of the world.''--Count Wolff- Metternich, German Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, July 10, 1916, cable to the German Chancellor.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 59, which expresses the sense of Congress that a National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week should be established. As a cosponsor of this resolution, I want to bring attention to a problem that is often overlooked: Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS). This issue was brought to my attention by one of my constituents, Janet Goree of Clearwater, Florida, whose granddaughter Kimberlin lost her life as a result of SBS. While nothing can be done for Kimberlin, it is my sincere hope that bringing the public's attention to this important issue will prevent further tragedies. Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a serious acquired traumatic brain injury caused by ``shaking'' a child in order to stop them from crying. SBS frequently occurs in children less than one year of age, although there have been documented cases of SBS in children as old as five years of age. Madam Speaker, most individuals with experience dealing with small children can relate to the frustration of not knowing how to meet the needs of a consistently crying child. However, it is important that everyone understands that infants cannot and should never be shaken as a remedy to stop them from crying. The typical causes of SBS is an adult holding a child by the arms or trunk and shaking him or her back and forth with a repeated force. When a child is shaken, delicate veins between the brain and skull are ruptured and begin to bleed. Naturally, the pooling of blood between the skull and the dura--a fibrous membrane that lies next to the brain--causes the formation of subdural hematomas, which produces pressure that, along with the natural swelling of the bruised brain, causes damage to brain cells. Once brain cells are damaged, they can never be regenerated or replaced. The swelling and pressure associated with SBS also causes the brain to push and squeeze down on the brainstem, which controls vital functions such as breathing and heartbeat. If the swelling and pressure are not alleviated, vital functions will cease and the child will die. Previous studies have suggested that 15-30% of the children die, and it is estimated that only 15% escape SBS without any type of permanent damage. Medications may be administered to reduce the swelling and surgical methods may be used to relieve pressure on the brain, but an ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure. Parents, child care workers, and anyone who deals with small children should remember that much less force is required to cause significant damage to a child's brain than an adult's. Although no scientific studies have documented the exact amount of force needed to cause SBS in humans, most medical professionals recognize that shaking is often so violent that any reasonable person would know it to be dangerous to a child. I am pleased that individuals such as Janet Goree are taking action to educate the public about the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome. The Shaken Baby Alliance maintains a database of victim families willing to offer support, as well as provides volunteers to run an electronic mail support group for families as well as professionals. Information on the Alliance can be found on their website at www.shakenbaby.com. On Saturday, April 28, the Shaken Baby Alliance is sponsoring a candlelight vigil on the West Front steps of the Capitol to remember the lives of those children lost to SBS and shine a light on this problem so that future tragedies can be prevented. Madam Speaker, Shaken Baby Syndrome is a form of child abuse. Like any other form of abuse against children, it cannot be tolerated. I hope that my colleagues will support H. Con. Res. 59, and join us in efforts to educate the public about SBS, reminding our constituents to ``never, never, never shake a baby.''

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to discuss the importance of community health centers. Since 1965, America's health centers have delivered comprehensive health and social support services to people who otherwise would face major financial, social, cultural and language barriers to obtaining quality, affordable health care. Health centers serve those who are hardest to reach. They are located in America's inner cities, isolated rural areas, and migrant farmworker communities--areas with few or no physicians and other health and social services. Community health centers are not-for-profit health care providers and are required by law to make their services accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. There are more than 1,000 community health centers located in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Collectively, these centers serve as a health care safety net for more than 11 million patients, over 4 million of whom are uninsured. Health centers foster growth and development in their communities. Over $14 billion in annual economic activity is generated by health centers in many of America's most economically depressed communities, and they employ over 50,000 people and train thousands of health professionals and volunteers. Community health centers offer a wide range of preventative and primary medical and dental care, as well as health education, community outreach, transportation, and support programs. Health centers focus on wellness and early prevention--the keys to cost savings in health care. Through innovative programs in outreach, education and prevention, health centers reach out and energize communities to meet urgent health needs and promote greater personal responsibility for good health. For less than one dollar per day for each person served (less than $350 annually), health centers provide quality primary and preventive care to low-income, uninsured and under-insured individuals and families. Through reductions in hospital admissions and less frequent use of costly emergency room visits for routine services, health centers save the American health care system almost billions each year. Health centers provide quality care to millions of Americans who lack health coverage. However, they cannot continue to expand care to the growing number of uninsured patients who seek assistance without a significant increase in their appropriations. President Bush recognized the importance of health centers with his recent proposal to double the number of patients health centers serve over the next five years. I strongly support this proposal, and an increase in funding this year is the first step needed to reach this goal. Today, America's health centers are the family doctor and health care provider for over 10 million people. Expanding the role of community health centers is a proven, viable, and cost effective way to bring quality health care to uninsured patients and medically under-served communities.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, and I, again, want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for yielding the time to me. Mr. Speaker, I also want to, along with the others, recognize the leadership of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for advancing this bill to final passage so early in our new Congress, along with, of course, the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran), chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, who has been ill and had to go out of his way to get here in time to speak here today. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs looks to the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services, which we fondly refer to as CARES as a map for restructuring VA capital facilities and to enhance services to veterans. That is good, Mr. Speaker. In fact, my colleagues may recall that VA's CARES program was developed as an adaptation of early language in one of our bills, H.R. 2116, in the last Congress. CARES should eventually reach all the major facilities, but some VA medical centers are not going to have the benefit of the results of these studies any time soon. VA has a list of patient care and research buildings that need upkeep, replacement, restoration and modernization. Some of these projects are shown in our bill report filed yesterday, which we know that VA is doing some of its heavy maintenance work by using minor construction and maintenance accounts, but funds Congress appropriates for small-scale maintenance and routine upkeep should not be bundled and used to support major construction requirements. VA spending is still a ``zero sum gain'' and in the long run managing this way poorly serves veterans and VA. Even with such creative juggling of accounts, VA is falling behind. Many of VA's 4,700 patient- care buildings with a ``present replacement value'' of $35 billion, according to one report, are outdated. Frankly, some are beginning to look a bit threadbare, inefficient and very crowded. But it is more than the mere cosmetics, Mr. Speaker. As the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) pointed out, dozens of VA buildings currently in use could be damaged or even collapse in the event of an earthquake. The Veterans Hospital Emergency Repair Act, the bill we are discussing here today, is an acknowledgment that much of the VA health care system is showing its age. The flow of appropriated funds for VA's construction programs, at one time in the hundreds of millions of dollars every year, has slowed to barely a trickle. H.R. 811 would provide a temporary authority to the Secretary by setting aside for 2 years the existing Congressional authorization requirements. It would allow the Secretary to approve repair projects based on recommendations of VA's independent Capital Investments Board. The bill provides strong guidance to the Secretary to give priority to projects that improve, restore, replace, and repair patient care facilities, facilities housing VA's special programs, facilities needed by VA's women patients and facilities that are at risk of seismic failure or other dangers, including VA's research facility. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs has concluded that VA has urgent construction needs that are not being met. Reported conditions at various VA medical centers tell the story best, crowded and inadequate treatment areas, unsafe conditions that impact quality of care, lack of maintenance and improvements and patient care buildings that clearly need seismic corrections for patients' and staff safety. The bipartisan bill that we consider today authorizes VA to identify and remedy some of the most serious problems so that quality and safety may be maintained, or if need be, restored.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my chairman, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I too support H.R. 801. This legislation makes important improvements to veterans' benefits such as increasing the burial and funeral allowance from $1,500 to $2,000 for service-connected veterans and from $300 to $500 for nonservice-connected veterans. The bill also raises the burial plot allowance from $150 to $300. In addition, Mr. Speaker, the legislation increases the automobile and adaptive equipment grants for severely disabled veterans from $8,000 to $9,000. Under the bill, specially adapted housing grants are increased from $43,000 to $48,000, and the amount for additional adaptations to the home that may be needed later in life is raised from $8,250 to $9,250. The bill expands, as has already been indicated, the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Program to cover spouses up to a maximum of $100,000 and children to $10,000; and the bill also makes another important change to the sick-leave program. It increases the amount of servicemembers group life insurance paid to the survivors of members of the Armed Forces who died in the performance of duty between October 1, 2000, and March 31 of this year. Specifically, it directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase sick-leave payments to the maximum amount of $250,000 for those who previously contracted for the maximum benefit. This increase was originally signed into law in November of 2000 as part of Public Law 106-419, but the implementation was delayed, unfortunately, until April 1, 2001; and unfortunately, a number of military personnel have been killed. As also has been raised by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) and others, a number of other military personnel have been killed in the line of duty since October 2000, including one of my constituents, Erik Larson, who was killed in a National Guard airplane crash earlier this month. While this bill will not ease the pain of losing a loved one, it will lessen the financial hardship. And as a cosponsor of H.R. 801, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Veterans Opportunities Act of 2001.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to bring attention to a skin condition called Vitiligo. Vitiligo is a skin condition of white patches resulting from loss of pigment. This disease can strike anyone at anytime, and it is both genetic and environmental. The typical Vitiligo macule is white in color, has convex margins, and appears as though the white areas were flowing into normally pigmented skin. The disease progresses by gradual enlargement of individual macules and the development of new white spots on various parts of the body. Vitiligo affects between one and two percent of the population, regardless of sex, race, or age around the world. An estimated five million Americans are afflicted with Vitiligo. The more dark-skinned a person is, the more their Vitiligo stands out. Because of the contrast between affected and unaffected areas of skin. In half of all Vitiligo cases, onset occurs between the ages of 10 and 30. There are, however, reported cases of Vitiligo present at birth. Over 30% of affected individuals may report a positive family history. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to Vitiligo. Many patients attribute the onset of their Vitiligo to physical trauma, illness or emotional distress, such as the death of a family member. Treatment of this disease is essential. Vitiligo profoundly impacts the social and psychological well-being of its victims, especially children. Although, this disease is painless, the disfigurement of Vitiligo--accentuated among persons with dark or tan skin--can be devastating. Raising the public's awareness of this disease and its known treatment will bring relief to those who suffer from Vitiligo. April has been declared Vitiligo Awareness Month by Governor Jeb Bush of Florida. The American Vitiligo Research Foundation, located in my district in Clearwater, Florida, is holding a seminar in April to bring attention to this disease. This is an opportunity for researchers and doctors to discuss and share information about Vitiligo. The seminar will also afford children with the disease the opportunity to understand that they are not alone. I would like to thank Stella Pavlides of Clearwater, Florida, who brought this disease to my attention, and I commend her dedication to educating the public about Vitiligo. Although this disease does not physically harm a person, it can destroy one's spirit. Increased public awareness is the only way to help reduce the discrimination experienced by patients living with this disease.