Michael Bilirakis

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2280, the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 1999. In addition to providing veterans and their dependents with a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), H.R. 2280 includes a bill that I introduced to assist the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners-of-war. Specifically, the provisions included in H.R. 2280 will allow certain spouses of former POWs to quality for survivor benefits. These women might not otherwise be eligible for such benefits under current law. The Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) program provides monthly benefits to the survivors of veterans who die of service- connected conditions. Under current law, DIC payments may also be authorized for the survivors of veterans whose deaths were not the result of their service-connected disability. In this case, a spouse only qualifies for DIC benefits if the former POW was rated totally disabled for a period of 10 years or more immediately preceding his death. There are approximately 20 presumptive service-connected conditions for former POWs who were detained or interned for at least 30 days. Unfortunately, some of these presumptions have been in effect for less than 10 years. This means that a spouse of a former POW may not qualify for DIC benefits if the veteran dies of a non-service-connected condition before meeting the 10 year time requirement. Even if a presumption has been in effect for 10 or more years, many ex-POWs will not have been rated as totally disabled for the minimum period required at the time of their deaths. This may occur for a variety of reasons. For example, the POW may not have filed a disability claim as soon as the presumption was enacted, or it may have taken a while for his claim to be adjudicated. Alternatively, the POW could have had a lower disability rating that worsened over time. This issue was first brought to my attention by a very close friend of mine, Wayne Hitchcock. Wayne is the past National Commander of the American Ex-Prisoners of War and is now seriously ill. After talking to Wayne, I introduced a bill to waive the 10-year time requirement for the surviving spouses of former POWs. H.R. 784, has received strong bipartisan support. To date, the bill has over 100 cosponsors, including 23 members of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I would like to thank full Committee Chairman Bob Stump and Ranking Minority Member Lane Evans, as well as Benefits Subcommittee Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, Jack Quinn and Bob Filner, for their strong support of my legislation. We all know that military service does not take place in a vacuum. Many POWs experience unimaginable horrors. Today, many continue to experience prolonged battles with various illnesses and other disabilities. Consequently, their spouses have spent years caring for them after their release from prisoner-of-war camps. These women deserve DIC benefits. I am pleased that the House of Representatives is acting on this important issue. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2280.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1802, the Foster Care Independence Act. I would first like to thank my colleagues, the gentlelady from Connecticut, Mrs. Johnson, and the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Cardin, for championing this bill and bringing it so swiftly to the floor of the House. Mr. Chairman, each year the foster care system emancipates approximately 20,000 youth--with expectations of self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, the woefully inadequate Independent Living Program has not equipped many of these individuals with necessary life skills. The consequences of this inadequate program have meant that many young adults leave the foster care system with serious lifelong problems such as: alcoholism, homelessness, lack of employment stability, incarceration, and pregnancy at early age. The Foster Care Independence Act increases flexibility for States to structure their programs to meet the unique needs of their foster care population. In addition to increased flexibility, the bill doubles the funding available for Independent Living Programs. The bill also assures that participants in the Independent Living Programs receive job and vocational training, education assistance, and other valuable services by requiring States to demonstrate the success of these programs. In addition, this bill extends health services to foster care youth by allowing States to expand their Medicaid programs to foster care youth ages 18-20. Currently, many young people leaving foster care at age 18 lose their health care coverage, at a time in which they may need this coverage the most. Studies have indicated that health care costs for foster care children are two to five times greater than other children on Medicaid. This is primarily due to a greater need for mental health services. H.R. 1802 provides added incentives for States to expand their coverage to emancipated foster care youth, giving them access to needed health care services. I thank my colleagues for their swift action on this bill and strongly support its passage.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, more than anything else, I would like to say to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), through the Chair, that if her ears were ringing yesterday, it was because she was the subject of fairly lengthy conversations at the CDC in Atlanta, where the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) and I and a number of staff members attended. Part of the discussion was involving the situation that she is trying to solve, and we asked a number of questions in that regard. As I have told the gentlewoman previously, I am committed to at least holding a hearing on this legislation in the very near future and, hopefully, get it on its way. Insofar as the managed care problem, which the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) mentioned, the Patients Protection Act is moving. We are applying due diligence to the situation. I might add that the problem in managed care is not a new problem, it is a problem that existed for many, many years. And it is this particular Congress, along with the prior Congress, which is trying to solve the issue. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) be permitted to control the remainder of my time for consideration of this legislation.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bass), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise, of course, in support of H. Res. 211, a resolution to raise public awareness of prostate cancer and convey the importance of regular testing and examinations to fight this terrible disease. I am proud to be an original cosponsor, and certainly it is very fitting that we all pay tribute to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bass), who has worked so very hard on this legislation and was able to keep pushing it so we could get it to this particular point. According to the National Institutes of Health, prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in American men. The National Cancer Institute reports that over 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 1997 alone. Tragically, approximately 40,000 men will die of the disease this year. Since testing for early detection of prostate cancer became relatively common, the prostate cancer death rate has declined. However, too many lives are still lost to this disease because it is not detected early enough or because treatment is received too late. It is critical, critical that American men use all available means to fight prostate cancer, including regular testing and medical examinations. The resolution before us today encourages men to be active in the battle against prostate cancer. It also encourages national and community organizations, along with health care providers, to promote the importance of medical examinations and testing. In addition, this resolution emphasizes the Federal Government's responsibility to provide the necessary resources to fund research to determine the causes of and treatments for prostate cancer. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Health and Environment of the Committee on Commerce, I have been a strong supporter, as have so very many others, of increasing the Federal Government's commitment to biomedical research. In particular, I have endorsed the proposal to double Federal funding for the NIH over 5 years. In an effort to provide additional funding for NIH research efforts, I have introduced H.R. 785, the Biomedical Research Assistance Voluntary Option, or BRAVO, as we call it, Act. My bill would allow taxpayers to designate a portion of any Federal income tax refund to support biomedical research to the National Institutes of Health. Mr. Speaker, we all know that the war against cancer is far from over. Today, the House of Representatives can play a supportive role in the fight against prostate cancer by increasing public awareness about the importance of early detection and treatment of prostate cancer. I urge all my colleagues to support H. Res. 211. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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 the legislation under consideration, H. Res. 211, and to insert extraneous material in the bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 211) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the importance of raising public awareness of prostate cancer, and of regular testing and examinations in the fight against prostate cancer.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments. There are not many people, if any, in this House of Representatives that know more about health care than the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson) and I appreciate her comments. It is typical, is it not, when we talk about preventive care that today's dollars are not taken into the consideration, the ultimate savings over the long haul?

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the dedicated nutrition professionals who work in hospitals, WIC clinics, nursing homes, school lunch and breakfast programs, and many other settings where they are striving to improve the nutritional health of our Nation's citizens. I would like to call special attention to one important segment of our population where nutrition services have proven to make a significant difference among our senior citizens. In many ways, our Nation's health care system is the best in the world, partially because our free market system allows innovations to occur at a pace that is demanded by the health care consumer. Unfortunately, too often the largest health program in the country, the Medicare program, is unresponsive and fails to keep pace with the advances that medical science demonstrates are effective. In recent years, as science and society have uncovered more information about the critically important role of nutrition in the prevention, treatment and management of disease, more and more Americans have demanded that nutrition services be a standard part of their health care protection. In fact, by one estimate, 75 percent of all managed care health plans in America now offer some degree of coverage for nutrition therapy services. Therefore, it is disheartening, Mr. Speaker, though perhaps not surprising, to realize that nutrition services are inadequately covered under the Medicare program. While the science of nutrition has advanced at a rapid pace over the last several decades, Medicare's coverage of nutrition services has remained largely static. Under Medicare's conditions of participation, appropriate nutrition care is a standard part of the hospital program. However, the outpatient, or Part B, portion of the program fails to provide reliable nutrition coverage. It makes little sense to me that Medicare beneficiaries can receive comprehensive nutrition care only after they have become so sick that they are admitted to the hospital. For many years, health care treatment has been shifting away from inpatient facilities like hospitals and more toward outpatient settings. And yet, still we find Medicare adhering to an outdated system where nutrition therapy services are available only in the acute-care setting. This clearly is a reflection of a system that is in need of change. Our modern health care program ought to ensure the adequacy and equitability of nutrition services in both inpatient and outpatient settings. A great number of diseases can be prevented and managed throughout patient nutrition therapy. Research proves that renal disease, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses respond well to nutrition interventions. Nutrition professionals have documented the ability of well-nourished individuals to better resist disease and to tolerate other therapy than those who are under-nourished. These individuals are also better equipped to recover from acute illness, surgical interventions, and trauma. As a result, they experience fewer and shorter hospital stays, need less medication, and suffer fewer medical complications. All this can save money and lives. A constituent of mine recently visited me and explained just how effective these services can be and what a difference they can make in people's lives. The constituent is a dietician from Florida who told me about a case involving her mother-in-law who lives in a different State. During a routine medical visit, her mother-in-law was found to have a high blood sugar level. Her physician gave her medication and a blood glucose monitor to check her blood sugar level but gave her no directions about using the monitor or changing her diet. Within 2 weeks, she was hospitalized with severe low blood sugar and heart palpitations. After working with a dietician, she is now off the medication and able to control other blood sugar level. However with nutrition counseling from the beginning, that hospitalization could have been avoided, saving the cost of the hospitalization as well as saving that mother-in-law from a life-threatening situation. Now, I do not know if that physician lacked knowledge about the importance of nutrition in the treatment of diabetes or, knowing that the services were not likely to be reimbursed, did not want to put his patient to that expense. But the bottom line is that our health care system must provide patients with access to this important service. According to my constituent, there are many other diseases that can be successfully managed with the medical nutrition therapy. Mr. Speaker, I recently spoke with a constituent who is a dietetic intern working in the James A. Haley Veterans' Administration Hospital in Tampa, Florida. She described the rigorous educational and training requirements that she and others preparing for a career in dietetics must undergo. With 5 years specifically devoted to the study of nutrition, registered dieticians learn to apply the principles of nutrition, biochemistry, and physiology toward the prevention and treatment of diseases. Most physicians understand that registered dieticians are the best qualified professionals to furnish nutrition therapy. Clearly, registered dieticians are a valuable and indispensable part of the health care team, and Medicare beneficiaries ought to have reliable outpatient access to the care they deliver. This Congress, Mr. Speaker, should carefully examine coverage for medical nutrition therapy as one important way to help strengthen Medicare for our children and grandchildren.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Ervin's All-American Youth Club, Inc., an organization which is having a positive influence on hundreds of Ninth District residents in the North Greenwood neighborhood of Clearwater. Ervin's All-American Youth Club, Inc. has been changing lives since 1981, when Mr. Ervin Ajamu Babalola realized that something had to be done to help the next generation of children in Clearwater. With only his backyard and plenty of energy and ideas, Mr. Babalola began to develop positive programs for at-risk youth to prevent them from becoming involved in negative behavior. The club has grown tremendously and is now housed at Ervin's Community Enrichment Center. On June 26, Ervin's All-American Youth Club, Inc. will celebrate its 18th year of focusing on solutions to the problems in its community rather than on the problems. Ervin's quality services encourage self- sufficiency and self-empowerment for the many African American youth and families in the community. Mr. Babalola's achievements have been recognized by the City of Clearwater, the Clearwater Times, and our local Fox television affiliate. In addition, the Florida Department of Corrections presented Mr. Babalola and Ervin's All-American Youth Club, Inc. with Harry K. Singletary, Jr. Crime Prevention Awards. Ervin's All-American Youth Club, Inc. offers a wide variety of important and valuable programs to the community including: A community food pantry, which distributes food to community residents through its Common-Unity Food Pantry. The Generations Program, which is an adopt-a-grandparent program to enable seniors to participate in community service with youth. A youth employment program during the summer for children ages 10-15. An After School Enrichment Program, which provides homework and tutoring assistance provided by Pinellas County School volunteers, tutors, staff and certified teachers. A computer center is available along with other resources to help develop healthy attitudes and build self-esteem. The Dream Builders Academy, which incorporates the Rites of Passage program, develops family bonding, educational experiences and self- image enhancement. The Youth Empowerment Project, a youth leadership program that motivates at-risk youth and adults to develop their vocational and entrepreneurial skills in business. Camp Nguzo Saba, a camp for children ages 5-13 designed to develop learning, belonging and contributing in youth. The SANKOFA Community Theater, which promotes the development and growth of amateur theater and the amateur performing arts in the North Greenwood community. The Youth Academy of Entrepreneurship, a partnership program which introduces and fosters the entrepreneurial development of youth ages 8- 18 from all social, racial, ethnic and national backgrounds. In addition to all of these worthy initiatives, Ervin's All-American Youth Club, Inc. provides: assistance and referral services for individual and family needs, positive role models who share their experiences and wisdom with youth, field trips, supervised recreation, and participation in the National African American Male Collaboration, an innovative grass roots effort to help men and boys reach their fullest potential. Ervin's All-American Youth Club, Inc. deserves to be recognized for fulfilling its goal of providing a clean and wholesome environment for the youth and families of Pinellas County, so they may grow and become more productive citizens of the community. Indeed, Mr. Babalola's organization has had such a positive impact that many area youth have gone on to college, joined the work force or elected to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States. I want to publicly commend Mr. Babalola and the members of his family for their dedicated service on behalf of the youth of North Greenwood and for their outreach programs which have helped provide direction and positive growth for many in the Clearwater community.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, initially, the American Legion Auxiliary was organized by concerned women who took on the day-to-day responsibilities of life when U.S. soldiers were sent to Europe during World War I. Aware of the plight of fatherless families and the needs of returning veterans, these women vowed to continue their supportive role when the veterans of World War I founded the American Legion in 1919. The first words of the Auxiliary preamble are ``For God and Country.'' Auxiliary members believe in the ideals and principles of America's founding fathers. They also pledge to foster patriotism, preserve and defend the Constitution, promote allegiance to God and Country, and uphold the basic principles of freedom of religion, freedom of expression and freedom of choice. The organization's programs were created to provide assistance, education and financial support for veterans and their families and to benefit the community because the Auxiliary focuses on helping to create a better society, particularly for the nation's citizens of the future, our children and young people. Through its nearly 12,000 units located in every state and some foreign countries, the Auxiliary embodies the spirit of America that has prevailed through war and peace. I would like to recognize five exceptional Auxiliary members from Florida who have over 270 years of combined service to our nation. These women are: Shirley Campbell with 52 years of service; Edna Davis with 52 years of service; Barbara Pfohl with 52 years of service; Anna Rottensterger with 52 years of service; and Bertha Wolfe with 63 years of service. These women have spent thousands of hours volunteering at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center. Their activities include holding monthly bingo and card parties; providing homemade cookies to veterans; delivering candy and books to veterans in the hospital; and manning the Medical Center's information desks. These Auxiliary members have also distributed flags to thousands of school children, collected food for the needy and raised funds for student scholarships. I want to commend each of these exceptional women and all of the members of the American Legion Auxiliary for their dedicated service to America's veterans and our nation.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, on May 20, 1999, I missed the vote on the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 4, the National Missile Defense Act of 1999, because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1141, the Supplemental Appropriations Conference Report, which includes provisions to protect state tobacco settlement recoveries from seizure by the federal government. As Chairman of the Health and Environment Subcommittee, I have worked on a bipartisan basis to protect the settlement funds obtained by Florida and other states in their lawsuits against the tobacco industry. The language of the conference report is similar to H.R. 351, legislation I introduced in the House earlier this year. This proposal enjoys the bipartisan support of over 130 cosponsors. It has also been endorsed by the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Association of Attorneys General. The conference report provisions were originally adopted as an amendment in the other body, and they were retained by the conferees in the bill before us. These provisions prohibit the Department of Health and Human Services from treating funds recovered by the states from tobacco companies as an overpayment under the Medicaid program. As approved by the other body and incorporated in the conference report, this language does not restrict the use of state funds. The choice before us, then, is simple. Members can either support this measure and prevent a raid on state treasuries--or, they can oppose the bill and let the federal government seize over half of their states' hard-earned recoveries. As background, the Health Care Financing Administration first asserted a claim to states' settlement recoveries in a letter to state Medicaid directors in late 1997. The agency based its assertion on provisions of the federal Medicaid statute which allow recoupment of ``overpayments.'' In a subsequent hearing before my Health and Environment Subcommittee, the Administration agreed to withhold attempts to recover state settlement funds until Congress had an opportunity to address the subject in federal legislation. At that time, only three states-- Florida, Mississippi and Texas--had secured tobacco settlement agreements. Last year, 46 states and the District of Columbia negotiated a multi- state agreement under which the industry will pay $206 billion over the next 25 years. Previous settlements by the states of Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Minnesota will total $40 billion over the same period. These funds are now in serious jeopardy, however, because the Department of Health and Human Services has renewed its plans to seize a large portion of the states' recoveries. The President's Fiscal Year 2000 budget proposes to withhold almost $5 billion per year from federal Medicaid payments to states beginning in Fiscal Year 2001. This amount represents about half of what the states would receive under the multi-state settlement. This proposal to raid states' settlement funds is a thinly-veiled attempt at highway robbery. A number of states did not even assert Medicaid claims in their tobacco lawsuits. Other states' Medicaid claims were dismissed by the courts, and some states did not sue at all. In addition, states' lawsuits raised a variety of claims, including consumer protection, racketeering, antitrust, and civil penalties for violations of state laws. Ironically, the dispute regarding the status of these funds--and resulting budgetary uncertainty--has prevented states from moving forward with new initiatives to reduce teen tobacco use and improve public health. Many state legislatures are currently in session, and budget negotiations are reaching conclusion. Congressional action is needed to ensure that state legislatures can appropriate settlement funds with confidence. We should also recognize that state officials are just as accountable to the voters as federal representatives. States don't need to be told to fund public health programs--they are already doing it. In my own State of Florida, all settlement proceeds are dedicated to funding important public health initiatives, including an innovative advertising campaign targeted at reducing tobacco use by minors. Federal seizure of a portion of these funds would essentially ``de- fund'' these critical programs. In addition, the Florida Legislature recently approved funding for the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund proposed by Governor Jeb Bush. The endowment sets aside $1.7 billion of the state's tobacco recoveries to provide a perpetual source of funding for children's health programs, child welfare, community-based health and human services, and research. Other states are also directing significant resources to smoking cessation efforts. Many states have invested years in program design, modification, and evaluation to determine the best ways to prevent young people from using tobacco. However, states have not yet received any funds under the multi-state settlement. With no much money in question, not only is it unwise for states to obligate these funds, some states are constitutionally unable to appropriate them. For this reason, states are establishing trust funds, endowments, and foundations as mechanisms for receiving the settlement funds, many of which will be targeted to tobacco prevention and other health-related programs. Over a dozen states have already committed to creating a dedicated trust fund or devoting considerable settlement revenues to smoking cessation programs. In Maryland, for example, a fund was recently established to receive the state's share of the multi-state settlement. By law, the funds must be spent through the annual budget process, and the Governor must include either $100 million or 90 percent of the funds estimated to be available, whichever is less, in the proposed state budget. North Carolina, one of the largest tobacco-producing states, recently enacted a proposal that dedicates 25 percent of its settlement recoveries to benefit public health. The State of Utah, which has one of the lowest rates of tobacco usage in the nation, has spent millions of dollars to implement aggressive initiatives. A restricted account has been established for the use of tobacco settlement funds, with high priority given to funding tobacco prevention and cessation programs, particularly among teens. California also devotes considerable resources to programs to discourage smoking. In 1988, California took the lead in promoting tobacco-related health education by passing Proposition 99. Through the initiative, California spends nearly $370 million per year on health and tobacco-related education and research programs. Proposals to require states to dedicate a portion of their tobacco settlement funds to anti-smoking programs ignore the fact that states are already investing in tobacco control and other public health initiatives. Clearly, states have been leaders in the tobacco debate. Their landmark lawsuits against the tobacco industry were solely state efforts. States assumed the financial risk of legal action to pursue these claims, and their taxpayers are entitled to the reward. In fact, the federal government was invited to participate in these lawsuits, but it declined. In a letter to then-Florida Governor Chiles dated June 6, 1995, Attorney General Janet Reno stated: ``At my request, the Department's Civil Division has been monitoring the tobacco litigation. Thus far we have not been persuaded that participation would be advisable. We will continue to actively monitor these cases, however, and will reconsider this decision should circumstances persuade us otherwise.'' The Department did not reconsider, and states were forced to bear all of the expense and risk of litigation. It is important to note that these were unprecedented lawsuits against a well-financed industry-- with a highly uncertain likelihood of success. States assumed the financial risk of lawsuits to recover tobacco- related health care costs, and their taxpayers are entitled to the reward. The federal government should not be allowed to raid state tobacco settlement recoveries. For all of these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support passage of H.R. 1141, the Supplemental Appropriations Conference Report.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Chairman, I missed rollcall Vote 112 because I was unfortunately detained and unable to make it to the floor. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Amendment Offered by Mr. Watt of North Carolina

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my thoughts on one of the most atrocious events in human history--the genocide of the Armenian people. I would like to thank Mr. Porter of Illinois and Mr. Pallone of New Jersey, the co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian issues, for holding this special order. It shames and saddens me to say that the human race is no stranger to genocide--the great purges in Russia, during which Stalin methodically killed millions of Russians; the holocaust, in which 6 million Jews were systemically slaughtered by the Nazis; and less well known, but certainly just as significant, the Armenian genocide in which 1.5 million Armenians were exterminated by the Ottoman Turks. I feel a special kinship to the Armenian people. As many of you know, I am a Greek-American, and my ancestors, too, suffered at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. In fact, every March, I conduct a special order in this Chamber to commemorate Greek Independence Day. On that day, one hundred and seventy-eight years ago, the Greeks mounted a revolution which eventually freed them from the tyranny of the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately, the Armenians were not as fortunate as their Greek brothers and sisters. This atrocity lasted from 1915 till 1923. In the end, one and one half million Armenians had been systematically eliminated and hundreds of thousands were driven from their homes by the Ottoman Turks. They were people like you and me. People with families and friends, hopes and dreams, and they were all destroyed by the Ottoman Turks. Today, I want to acknowledge this dark moment in history and remember the Armenian people who tragically lost their lives. We in Congress must always remember tumultuous moments in history where people suffered because they were different. Of course, we all want to forget these horrific tragedies in our history and bury them in the past. However, it is only through the painful process of acknowledging and remembering that we can keep similar dark moments from happening in the future. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask that we take a moment to reflect upon the hardships endured by the Armenians. 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.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise proudly to celebrate Greek Independence Day, an event which marked the symbolic rebirth of democracy. On March 25, 1821, Greece finally rebelled against more than four hundred years of Turkish oppression. The revolution of 1821 brought independence to Greece and emboldened those who still sought freedom across the world. I commemorate Greek Independence Day each year for the same reasons we celebrate our fourth of July. It proved that a united people, through sheer will and perseverence, can prevail against tyranny. The lessons the Greeks and our colonial forefathers taught us provide strength to victims of persecution throughout the world today. The Greek people, like our colonists, sought the right to govern themselves and determine their country's destiny. In drafting our constitution, American colonial leaders cited Greek and Roman sources. The very basis of our constitution derives from Aristotle and was put into practice in ancient Rome. Our Founding Fathers emulated the efforts of the ancient Greeks in order to establish a balance of powers. The framers sought to avoid the disintegration of government which marked other political systems throughout history. Polybius, an ancient Greek, wrote: ``when one part, having grown out of proportion to the others, aims at supremacy and tends to become too dominant, none of the three is absolute.'' And so, today, we celebrate the independence of Greece and the principles of democracy that have endured through the present day. By honoring the Greek struggle for independence, we reaffirm the values and ideas that make our nation great. We also remember why freedom is so important. Abraham Lincoln said ``what has once happened will invariably happen again, when the same circumstances which combined to produce it, shall again combine in the same way.'' I want to provide some background on Greek Independence Day for the benefit of our colleagues who are not familiar with it. The war of independence, as many call it, began on March 25, 1821. Alexander Ypsilantis and 4,500 volunteers assembled near the Russian border to launch an insurrection against four centuries of Ottoman rule. The Turkish army initially massacred the Greek volunteers, who were poorly organized and insufficiently armed. When news of Greek uprisings spread, the Turks killed Greek clergymen, clerics, and laity in a frigtening display of force. In a vicious act of vengeance in 1822, the Turks invaded the island of Chios and slaughtered 25,000 of the local residents. The invaders enslaved half the island's population of 100,000. Although the Greeks lacked training, their leaders redoubled efforts to gain independence. ``Eleftheria I thanatos''--liberty or death-- became the Greek patriots' battle cry. Although many died, they were undeterred from their ultimate goal. Many acts of heroism fill this history of the Greek war for independence. I would like to share some of these stories with you. Theodoros Kolokotronis was the leader of the Klephts, resilient Greeks who refused to submit to Turkish domination. The Klephts attacked from their mountain strongholds by surprise, battering their oppressors into submission. Kolokotronis assembled an army of 7,000 men who prevented their rivals from replenishing their provisions. Another great battle took place near Corinth. After a few weeks, the Turks were eventually defeated. Kolokotronis was successful because ordinary citizens displayed extraordinary courage and morale. Despite the odds, Kolokotronis managed to capture Tripolitsa and engineer the Greek victory over the Turkish army of Dramali, which had invaded the Peloponnese with 30,000 men. Another wave of rebellion against Turkish oppression was ignited by the Suliotes, villagers who took refuge from Turkish authorities in the mountains of Epirus. The fiercely patriotic Suliotes bravely fought the Turks in several battles. News of their victories spread throughout the region and encouraged other villages to revolt. When the Suliote women, left alone, learned that Turkish troops were fast approaching their village, they began to dance the ``Syrtos,'' a patriotic Greek dance. One by one, they committed suicide by throwing themselves and their children off Mount Zalongo. They chose to die rather than surrender and face slavery. I recount these stories because they underscore Greece's absolute commitment to independence. As we all know, the price of liberty can be very high . . . hundreds of thousands of lives. Socrates, Plato, Pericles, and many other great minds throughout history warned that we maintain democracy only at great cost. The freedom we enjoy today is due to the sacrifices made by men and women in the past. To continue living freely, we must also live responsibly. If people are to govern themselves democratically, then they must also govern themselves responsibly. The same holds true for nations. If not, either anarchy or tyranny will follow. Even as we speak, tensions persist around the globe, particularly between Greece and Turkey. One cannot enjoy the fruit of freedom without first planting the seeds of peace. Unfortunately, the struggle for peace continues in the republic of Cyprus today. Turkey still illegally occupies a large part of Cyprus, as it has since its brutal invasion--code named ``Attila''--in 1974. Since the invasion, 1,614 Greek-Cypriots and five Americans have been missing. Because of congressional influence, our government discovered the remains of one of these Americans--a young boy, Andrew Kasapis, last year. Free people everywhere share a moral obligation to promote democracy and end oppression. The United States has exerted its influence to promote peace in the middle east and northern Ireland. Now it is time to do the same in Cyprus. The United States cannot be the world's policeman, but we must help others who share our passion for liberty and peace. Our nation has always been willing to fight for freedom for others. We must not--and cannot--remain idle while Cyprus remains divided. The U.S. did not remain neutral when imperialism shook Europe's foundations during world war I. The U.S. did not fail to act when the clouds of German and Japanese atrocity descended upon the world during world war II. Throughout the history of the United States, we have answered freedom's call. As the leader of the free world, our nation must continue to actively oppose tyranny. Finding a fair resolution for Cyprus will help stabilize a region marked more often by conflict than accord. Turkey continues to refute U.N. resolutions on Cyprus. Turkey's position contradicts the goals of seeking a peaceful solution in the island republic. In the Aegean, Turkey more recently violated international law by claiming territorial ownership of the Grecian islet of Imia. Turkey blatantly disregarded previous treaties which clearly recognize Greece's sovereignty over Imia. Tensions between Greece and Turkey on this matter continue today. I have joined Congressman Pallone in introducing legislation expressing the sense of congress that Imia is a sovereign territory of Greece under international law. Turkey also has failed to properly protect the ecumenical patriarchate in Istanbul. In 1997, his all holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew, graced the congress with his visit here. The Patriarch is the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, including five million Americans. He was honored by the Congress, which awarded him the Congressional Gold Medal. It is important to remember that while the Patriarch spreads his message of peace throughout the entire world, the ecumenical patriarchate in Istanbul has been repeatedly subjected to terrorist attacks. My legislation urging the U.S. government to provide protection to the Patriarchate and its personnel became law last year. Unfortunately, the administration has failed to convince Turkey that we are serious about this matter. Our nation has the influence to encourage Turkey to abide by international law and to respect Greek sovereignty. I only hope we have the corresponding will. To continue to permit aggression against Greece and Cyprus dishonors the legacy of Greek independence and the values we hold so dear. Mr. Speaker, we celebrate Greek independence to reaffirm the common democratic heritage we share. Greek Independence Day, like the Fourth of July, reminds us that we have the duty to defend liberty--whatever the cost. To maintain our freedom, we can take neither it nor its architects for granted. That is why we honor those who secured independence for Greece so many years ago.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I missed the rollcall vote on H.R. 819, the Federal Maritime Commission Authorization Act, because my plane into Washington was delayed. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In closing, I would just merely communicate that we have checked with HCFA. We are trying to address a concern raised by a member of the subcommittee. There is no record of Medicaid reimbursement reductions. Further, in CBO's opinion, and I quote them, ``Nursing facilities are highly dependent on Medicaid revenue. Therefore, it is unlikely that there would be a large-scale withdrawal from Medicaid program participation under current law.'' And, additionally, something maybe we are overlooking or forgetting, the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, which did repeal the Boren Amendment, directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study these concerns. HHS must report to Congress by August 2001 on the effect of States' reimbursement rates on nursing home patient care. I also would like to read from three comments that we have received in writing from Florida Secretary of Elder Affairs, Secretary Hernandez. I applaud and strongly support your efforts to provide additional protection to elders. The evidence is overwhelming that, without extraordinary preparatory efforts that are hardly ever made, any move is harmful for the preponderance of the frail elderly; the technical term is ``transfer trauma''. And from AARP, Mr. Horace Deets, the Executive Director, H.R. 540 establishes clear legal authority to prevent inappropriate discharges, even when a nursing home withdraws from the Medicaid program. AARP believes this is an important and necessary step in protecting access to nursing homes for our Nation's most vulnerable citizens. And from Mr. James L. Martin, President of the 60 Plus Association, in testifying before our committee, when he said, Nursing homes become just that. They are not a hospital room, nor a hotel room, they are a ``home'' to these patients. Attrition, not eviction, should be the rule, so indigent patients do not suffer relocation trauma. 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. 540) to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to prohibit transfers or discharges of residents of nursing facilities as a result of a voluntary withdrawal from participation in the Medicaid program.

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.R. 540.