Charles Boustany

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, we are now entering a new phase of this recovery effort. Although my Louisiana district did not suffer significant damage from the hurricane, we now face the enormous challenge of sheltering and supporting numerous evacuees now in southwest Louisiana. In Lake Charles, Louisiana, a small community, we have an estimated 25,000 evacuees in need. In Lafayette, my hometown, there are an estimated 40,000 evacuees. We basically doubled our population. Funding appropriated in this installment today is critically needed to begin the transition from emergency shelter to a more permanent solution for housing of families of the gulf coast that are affected by this disaster. The resources of local communities providing for these evacuees are being stretched ever so thinly now. The Cajundome in Lafayette, my hometown, continues to house nearly 5,000 individuals at a cost of nearly $60,000 per day. In a mere 30 days we will deplete the budget allocated for that facility for the entire year, so we need help. Local community organizations are stepping up to help, but have limited resources. The recovery process will be long and expensive. The Federal Government must continue to step in and bring its full resources to the effort and Congress must provide proper oversight. The visual images of all of this have been just horrific and the human stories are unbelievable to hear. And I have been frustrated with some of the delays, but we must get the job done. This is not the time to point fingers. This is not the time to cast blame. This is the time to get to work. We have an enormous amount of work to do in front of us, and it has to be done in a bipartisan fashion. I ask Members on both sides to use restraint in the debate. Accountability will come as we move forward. I know Congress will look into the disaster, and I urge my colleagues to rise above the vicious rhetoric that does not provide for the thousands of children in my district who need school supplies and uniforms. Displaced small businesses with help to get back on their feet; opportunities for families to reunite; housing for those without, or, seniors with medical care and comfort. This emergency supplemental is the next installment in the long road to establishing the industries and communities of the Gulf Coast. I would like to thank the House leadership and my colleagues for their continued support. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the supplemental.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal).

Mr. BOUSTANY

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

Mr. BOUSTANY. 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. Res. 425.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives expresses the condolences of the Nation to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and this resolution expresses those condolences. It commends the resiliency and courage of the people of the States of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, and it commits to provide the necessary resources and to stand by the people of the States of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama in the relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts. Mr. Speaker, the Senate approved a similar resolution last night, and bipartisan support for recognizing the work of first responders and to express congressional concern for those displaced by the hurricane and those who died is in order. My district, the Seventh Congressional District of Louisiana, did not suffer significant damage from Hurricane Katrina, but we face enormous challenges of sheltering and supporting the numerous evacuees now in my district. The rest of our State down in the New Orleans area and south, in Plaquemines Parish and St. Bernard Parish were devastated. Mr. Speaker, we are up to the challenge. In my district, in Lake Charles, there are an estimated 25,000 evacuees, and in Lafayette, my hometown, there are an estimated 40,000 evacuees. Official tallies are much lower because many had family or friends to stay with or had funds to pay for hotel rooms, but this is going to be temporary. Almost all available housing has been rented or bought. Schools are preparing to accept thousands of new students. In fact, we are already currently enrolling many of these students. State and local officials are concerned about being able to support evacuees for the long months of recovery. Local community organizations are stepping up to help, but have limited resources. The evacuation process continues. Much media attention has been on New Orleans, but there are other areas of Louisiana that remain under 10 feet of water or more. A number of communities in the Third District of Louisiana, represented by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Melancon), have been completely destroyed. Entire towns in Mississippi have been destroyed. There are residents of these communities still waiting for aid, food, water, and health supplies. The recovery process will be long and expensive. The Federal Government must continue to step in and bring its resources to bear in this effort. Mr. Speaker, the visual images have been heartbreaking, and I have seen the damage with my own eyes. I have spoken to the many victims who have been affected, and the human stories are unfathomable to hear. And, like many, I am frustrated with the delay and the bureaucracy that has interfered with getting relief and supplies to our evacuees. But this is not the time to point fingers; this is not the time for blame. There is an enormous amount of work that still needs to be done and done in a bipartisan manner. Accountability will come, and I know Congress will look into the disaster. I urge my colleagues to rise above the vicious rhetoric that does not provide the thousands of children in my district with school supplies or uniforms, or does not provide displaced small businesses with the help to get back on their feet, or does not provide opportunities for families to reunite or housing for seniors with care or comfort. Mr. Speaker, this is going to take time. It is going to take a monumental effort. We must pull together to accomplish all of this. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), who is the distinguished subcommittee chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert). The State of Texas has been very, very generous in helping out, reaching out to evacuees.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, this is not a time to cast blame and to second-guess actions. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased now to yield 5 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal), who lost his home, his district has been devastated, and he will inform us on what the facts are.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I am now pleased to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker), my colleague and friend who has been involved in the relief efforts.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of today, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 425) expressing the condolences of the Nation to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, commending the resiliency of the people of the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and committing to stand by them in the relief and recovery efforts, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it shall be in order at any time to consider in the House the resolution (H. Res. 425); the resolution shall be considered as read; the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the resolution to its adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except: (1) 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; and (2) one motion to recommit.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentlewoman for her kind remarks. Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives, through this resolution, expresses its condolences to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. It commends the resiliency and the courage of all those involved in this, both the victims and the volunteers, who gave so willingly to help these victims. It also makes clear that we have a tremendous task ahead of us in Congress; and yet I know, as many others here know, that we are up to the task. What we are going to do is we will commit the necessary resources to stand by the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama who have been affected by this disaster. We have a tremendous task ahead in sustaining life as we continue to search for and rescue those still missing. We have a tremendous effort ahead in the recovery of the entire gulf coast, and I know this Congress is up to that task. So I stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in expressing these condolences and urge support for this resolution. It is time to move forward. It is time for action so that we can get on with recovery.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, thousands of students have been displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina, including university students who rely on federal financial aid for their education expenses. Several institutions have had to close for the entire semester, leaving students without schools to attend. Fortunately, other colleges have stepped up and are accepting many of these students. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is one example of this generosity. They have already enrolled over 835 displaced students, and the numbers are expected to increase. But not all students will be able to attend other institutions. Many have suffered large losses of property, jobs, and, most devastatingly, family and friends. In the past, low-income students who were the recipient of need-base Pell grants and suffered extreme losses due to natural disasters have been forced to repay their Pell grants, further straining their financial resources. H.R. 3169 will provide financial relief to many students displaced by Katrina by waiving the Pell Grant repayment for those students withdrawing from school as a result of the hurricane, and it will also ensure that future natural disaster victims are treated in the same manner. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan measure, which will assist thousands of needy students who have been dealt an enormous blow by Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the achievements of the Lafayette Little League team. This group of young men embarked on a journey at the beginning of this summer that took them over 2,000 miles and ended at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This team won the Louisiana State championship in August. They then won the Southwest Regional title in Waco, Texas. And then they inspired millions of Americans with two heart-stopping come-from-behind wins en route to the semifinals of the U.S. bracket of the Little League World Series. Their success on the field earned these ``Comeback Cajuns'' a finish in this country's top four and the world's top eight teams. When they were eliminated from competition by Ewa Beach, Hawaii--which eventually claimed the world championship--the squad was one of only five teams still alive out of over 70,000 that began Little League postseason play. These twelve young men exemplify the ideals of Little League Baseball--character, courage, and loyalty. I honor them today for their superb play on the field and their magnificent sportsmanship. Andrew Stevenson, Connor Toups, Andreas Duplantis, Sam Scofield, Patrick Foreman, Ryan Bergeron, Jace Conrad, Brenn Conrad, Tyler Douglas, Jordan Romero, Alex Stringer, and Alex Miller. And their coaches, Mike Conrad, Mark Toups, and Ken Douglas. I am proud of the way they represented our State, our hometown, and themselves.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5, the HEALTH Act of 2005. The medical liability crisis have been growing over the last decade and is rapidly developing into a patient access crisis as well. Frivolous lawsuits are overwhelming our legal system and wasting billions of dollars each year. In 2004, more than 70 percent of medical liability claims did not result in payments to plaintiffs and only 1.1 percent of claims resulted in a plaintiff's verdict. In cases where the defendant prevailed at trial, the average defense costs were $87,720 illustrating the high cost of unfounded claims. Frivolous lawsuits further drive up costs by encouraging physicians to practice defensive medicine ordering additional tests that are not necessary to provide quality care. Physicians are also less likely to try new and innovative medical treatments. The resulting increase in medical malpractice premiums are threatening access to quality care by forcing physicians to move their practices, retire early, and limit services. The situation is particularly critical for ob-gyns. From 2003 to 2004, increases in rates for ob-gyns were as high at 66.9%. Illinois premiums rose from $138,031 to $230,428. H.R. 5, the HEALTH Act, will increase patient access to health care services and provide improvised medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system place on the health care delivery system. This bill: Ensures that patients receive adequate compensation while limiting non-economic damages to $250,000. Sets a statute of limitations of three years after the date of manifestation of injury or one year after the claimant discovers the injury to ensure timely resolution; allows the introduction of collateral source benefits and the amount paid to secure such benefits as evidence; authorizes the award of punitive damages only where: (1) it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that a person acted with malicious intent to injure the claimant or deliberately failed to avoid unnecessary injury the claimant was substantially certain to suffer, and (2) compensatory damages are awarded. Prescribed qualifications for expert witnesses. States including Louisiana and California that have instituted their own liability reforms that include caps on non-economic damages have shown proven success and as a result, these states are not facing a medical liability crisis. I urge my colleagues to support the HEALTH Act and ensure patient access to quality medical care.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, you know what we are trying to do here is to make health care more affordable, available and accessible to all Americans. It seems to me that if we are going to achieve this goal, we have to adhere to some principles, and I can think of three right off the bat that are very important. One is to provide information to the consumer; second, choices to the consumer; and, thirdly, thirdly, control to the consumer. Now, this amendment that is being proposed seems to me that it is going to limit choice rather than create choice. And I find it odd that there is no mention of what its cost is going to be to the Federal Government in putting forth these subsidies. I think we need to know that information. I think it is very important information. And it also seems to me that this program is going to add to the cost of health care, and not lower the cost. What we need to do is foster competition in health care, and right now 45 percent of all of the health care dollars are within governmental systems, Medicare and Medicaid and so forth. The other 55 percent is in the insurance market, and there is no competition. There is no competition in this arena. And so if we stick to these three principles I mentioned earlier, we can create competition. It seems to me that if we are going to give subsidies, why not give subsidies to individuals to buy health savings accounts which provide those choices which will allow for an information flow to the patient, to the consumer? And so I urge colleagues on both sides of the aisle to not support this amendment and to vote for H.R. 525, which offers a good starting point to creating competition in the health care market.

Mr. BOUSTANY. I think we need to have that information. I am all for choices and the gentleman's plan is intriguing, it is interesting; but I think it may be premature.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to engage the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) in a colloquy. My question is, I think we need to know this information, what is the cost of your amendment to the Federal Government?

Mr. BOUSTANY. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, 45 million Americans lack health insurance today, and the number is rapidly growing. Twenty-six percent of all adults in Louisiana lack health insurance, and 22.6 percent of all working adults in Louisiana lack insurance. It has been said over here that we need the insurance mandates to protect the patient. Insurance mandates are meaningless without insurance. We need a free market health care system that allows doctors to make decisions and not insurance companies. Fifty-two percent of Louisiana's small businesses offer health insurance, and the number is constantly declining. We must act to ensure that Americans can afford the health insurance that they need, and we can do so by passing H.R. 525, the Small Business Health Fairness Act. This bill will create association health plans that will allow small businesses to band together through bona fide trade associations to become larger purchasers of health insurance, thus giving small businesses the same benefits that Fortune 500 companies now enjoy. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that small businesses obtaining insurance through AHPs would average premium reductions of 13 percent and some as high as 25 percent reductions. Overhead costs alone would decrease by as much as 30 percent under these plans. What is wrong with this? This is offering affordable coverage to workers. There is additional research that also shows that up to 8.5 million Americans who are currently uninsured would become insured under AHPs. And this bill offers very many protections, consumers protections and protections with regard to solvency, as outlined. If we are going to lower costs and increase accessibility to health care, we need to create choices and enhance competition. This bill is an important first step, and I urge its passage.

Mr. BOUSTANY. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I have respect for our insurance commissioners, but I want to say that three out of the last four in Louisiana went to jail. So that is no automatic protection. I think other States have had similar problems. The preemption language in the bill only grants two limited exceptions from State laws that regulate insurance. Fully insured AHPs are exempted from State laws that would, one, preclude them from establishing an AHP; or, two, prevent them from designing their own benefit package. These two exemptions are narrowly tailored to allow AHPs to set a uniform benefit package that can be offered across State lines and to ensure that State regulators will not pass laws that prohibit the establishment of AHPs. State laws that regulate insurance and do not impact benefit design will apply, including prompt pay, external review, and solvency requirements. Assistant Secretary Ann Combs testified to this at a March 2003 Subcommittee on Employer- Employee Relations hearing. At that hearing she noted that, quote, ``fully insured AHPs would purchase insurance products with solvency standards and consumer protections regulated by the States.'' Further specifying which State laws are not preempted is unnecessary. All State laws will apply except those that prevent a uniform benefit design or prevent an AHP from existing. Consumer protection laws that States see fit to pass will apply to fully insured AHPs. No further change in the legislation is necessary. Benefit mandates, as we have discussed, will be preempted as is the case for unions and large employers.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) for yielding me time, and I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for his eloquent comments today. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 294, supporting the goals of ``A Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval.'' This resolution recognizes the importance of the Acadian people to Louisiana and is intended to celebrate their contributions to my State of Louisiana and this country. During the Acadian deportation of 1755, approximately 14,000 men, women and children were expelled from Nova Scotia. Some returned to France, but most wound up scattered throughout the American colonies. Many sailed through to the French colony of Louisiana, where, over the centuries, they have established their own unique French-Acadian or Cajun culture. It is now estimated that there are over 450,000 Acadian descendants in Louisiana alone. Cajun means many things to many people. While not all Cajuns have Acadian ancestry, a shared heritage, the legacy of the expulsion, and the maintenance of a language and culture distinct from other Americans define the Cajuns as a distinct ethnic group. Cajun French is a unique dialect of the French language. It is still spoken throughout the Acadiana region of Louisiana, although the number of people who speak Cajun has declined dramatically over the past 50 years. For many years it was considered a distortion of the French language; however, recently it was discovered that a number of Cajuns served as French interpreters for American forces in France during World War II, and their importance has been recognized. It is difficult to summarize Cajun cuisine and music. I guess you could say we like them both hot and spicy. Gumbo, jambalaya, and etouffee can be found in restaurants throughout the country. Cajun music and its cousin zydeco influenced country music and early rock and roll. Their mark on American music can still be heard on popular radio today. Cajuns have had an impact on virtually every aspect of American life. Just some examples I will give you, national recording artist Wayne Toups, who has traveled internationally; Super Bowl quarterback of the NFL's Carolina Panthers, Jake Delhomme; painter and creator of the world-famous ``Blue Dog,'' George Rodrigue; Grammy Award-winning artist Michael Doucet of the band Beausoleil; the 13th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps John Archer LeJeune; Cy Young Award winner and New York Yankee Ron Guidry; and last but not least, 12-term Congressman and former chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, our colleague Billy Tauzin. We all remember Billy. He was famous for his keen wit, but also his great jokes, his great Boudreau and Thibodeau jokes. So from music to sports, from the military to the United States Congress, Cajuns have left their mark on American culture. In an effort to preserve the Cajun language and culture, the Louisiana State Legislature created the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, or CODOFIL, in 1968. This organization is committed to the development, utilization and preservation of the French language as found in Louisiana for the cultural benefit of the State. It is to this end that Mr. Warren Perrin, a constituent of mine, has committed years of toil and time to make this day of commemoration a reality. The people of Acadiana and all of Louisiana are grateful to Mr. Perrin for his efforts to preserve and expand the Cajun heritage in Louisiana. On December 9, 2003, Queen Elizabeth II set July 28 by royal proclamation as a Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval to recognize the struggles of these Cajuns who left Nova Scotia. In 2004, the Louisiana Legislature declared Acadian Heritage Week to be the third week in September and urged schools to teach children about their Acadian heritage, history and culture. And the story of the Acadian people should be commemorated and celebrated because of their impact upon American history and society. This resolution would serve that end by supporting the goals of Acadian Heritage Week and ``A Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval.'' I urge colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this resolution.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the contributions of a very special church in Louisiana's 7th Congressional District. The Pleasant Green Baptist Church has been an important part of the Sulphur community and on July 31, 2005, Pleasant Green will be celebrating its 100th anniversary. The church's current leader, Rev. James Gatewood, is a dedicated servant. His success and the church's strong presence are directly attributable to the faith, generosity, and contributions of the congregation. The church has been an important part of the moral fabric of Southwest Louisiana for 100 years and I am confident Pleasant Green Baptist Church will continue to be a valuable community member for many years to come. Today I want to recognize and congratulate the church and its congregation, for reaching this historic milestone.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Water Resources Development Act. I'd first like to thank Chairmen Young and Duncan, Ranking Members Oberstar and Johnson, and the committee staff. They have worked tirelessly on this bill. I appreciate all they have done to be responsive to member requests, and to work across the aisle to reach bipartisan agreement on many contentious issues. This bill is important for me for both its regional and national significance. In Louisiana, we will see a very direct impact from this legislation. Louisiana is losing its coastline from erosion at the staggering rate of a 15,000 acres per year. USGS estimates that the state has already lost about 1.22 million acres of coastal wetland in the past 70 years, which is roughly equivalent to the area of Delaware. As ``America's Wetlands'', the coast of Louisiana provides much of the seafood and shellfish, oil and natural gas, and agricultural commodities enjoyed by the rest of the country. In fact, more than 80 percent of the country's offshore oil and gas is produced off our coast, and 25 percent of the foreign and domestic oil used in this country comes ashore through our ports. It is estimated that more than 25 percent of the seafood consumed in the country comes through Louisiana, and that more than 75 percent of the marine species in the northern Gulf of Mexico spend a portion of their lifecycles in the wetlands of Louisiana. The land also serves as a buffer against ocean storms and protects industries and cities located further inland. Without the shelter provided by our wetlands, the damage done by a major hurricane could be catastrophic in terms of dollars and life. The loss of our coast is more than Louisiana's problem; it's America's problem. I appreciate the committee's recognition of this problem, and strongly support provisions in this bill that address Coastal Louisiana. This bill is good for more than just Louisiana, though; it is good for the nation. H.R. 2864 contains important reform provisions that will improve the way the Corps does business. It streamlines the approval process for projects; it encourages the Corps of Engineers to carry out projects in partnerships with its local sponsors; and it streamlines the process for entering into agreements with local sponsors. In the end, these reform provisions will save taxpayers money and speed up the completion time for projects. H.R. 2864 also benefits American consumers by improving on the nation's greatly outdated water infrastructure. Shipping via waterway is the single most cost-effective way to get goods to market, and improving our waterways will make American exports more competitive and our imports more affordable. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same.