Elijah Cummings

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I just wanted to close here and just say that I agree with the gentlelady with regard to tall ships. Being from the port city of Baltimore, we've had the opportunity to see the tall ships and to see what sailing has done for our country. I think this is an outstanding resolution, and so I would move for the adoption of it and suggest that all Members vote for it.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Res. 197.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 197) to commend the American Sail Training Association for its advancement of character building under sail and for its advancement of international goodwill, as amended.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4275) to designate the annex building under construction for the Elbert P. Tuttle United States Court of Appeals Building in Atlanta, Georgia, as the ``John C. Godbold United States Judicial Administration Building'', as amended.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 4275.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, this week, I had the honor and privilege of joining my Democratic colleagues at the White House, to witness President Barack Obama sign into law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590)--the most significant piece of health care legislation since the enactment of Medicare in 1965. This legislation fulfills one of the most basic tenets of the Declaration of Independence--the provision of our natural unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. H.R. 3590 secures these rights for every American by ensuring them access to quality, affordable healthcare. While waiting for President Obama to sign the legislation, I thought about the thousands of families and friends who have lost loved ones because they lacked access to basic health care coverage. I also thought about the generations of activists and policy makers who fought to make this monumental achievement a reality. I have always been proud to be a Member of Congress but voting in favor H.R. 3590 and being present at the signing ceremony was by far my proudest moment. By signing this legislation into law, President Obama ensured that the United States remains a leader among industrialized nations, and that the American people can now take comfort in knowing that an illness will no longer wipeout their life savings and lead to bankruptcy. Although the idea of providing people with access to quality, affordable health care has been around since the early 1900s, it was the Democratic-led 111th Congress that made the historic statement that healthcare is in fact a right, not a privilege. We affirmed to millions of Americans that we are aware of their struggles and that we are willing to fight for them and do what is morally and fundamentally right. During the November 2008 election, Americans overwhelmingly voted for change. They demanded a government willing to stand up to big business, and that is transparent in its actions. But above all else, people demanded a government that is willing to be responsive to their needs--and we affirmed their trust in us by passing this legislation. Is the legislation perfect? No! I still favor a single payer system and I was a strong supporter of the public option. That being said, H.R. 3590 is 100 percent better than what was previously available in this nation. Prior to the enactment of this legislation: Over 47 million Americans were uninsured. In 2008, 23 million uninsured were employed adults and 7.3 million were children; Nearly 41 thousand people died each year because they lacked access to quality, affordable healthcare insurance; and Every minute, 8 people were denied coverage, charged a higher rate, or otherwise discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition. If Congress had not successfully passed this legislation: Employers would be unable to afford rising health care costs, and an additional 3.5 million people would be unemployed and without benefits in the next 4 years. Small businesses would lose $52.1 billion in profits to high health care costs over the next ten years; and By 2019, national health care expenditures would reach $4.5 trillion--more than double 2007 spending. The American people have waited for over 100 years for this legislation and this is what they will get immediately: We provide tax credits to small businesses to make employee coverage more affordable; $250 will be provided to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the ``donut hole'' in 2010; Within 90 days, Americans who are uninsured because of a pre-existing condition will be able to obtain insurance through a temporary high- risk pool; Within 6 months, insurance companies will be prohibited from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions; Health plans will be required to allow young people up to their 26th birthday to remain on their parents' insurance policy; Health plans will be prohibited from dropping people from coverage when they get sick; Health plans will be prohibited from placing lifetime caps on coverage; and Beginning January 2011, preventive services under Medicare will be free. To put it simply, Congress met its moral obligation in passing healthcare reform. With our historic vote, we told future generations that no American will suffer and die because of a lack of insurance. We told insurance companies that, while they are a valuable part of our nation, they will be held accountable for delivering on their promises. We told our elderly that our commitment to them remains strong, and that the programs they have come to trust will continue to be deserving of that trust. The reform we passed will help millions of Americans. In addition to providing access to health care coverage, H.R. 3590 goes far in addressing health care disparities in our nation's minority communities. Specifically, it includes language that I introduced with Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr., (D-Ill.) H.R. 2778, the Health Equity and Accountability Through Research Act. This legislation sought to elevate the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) to the level of Institute, giving it the authority to better address the appalling health disparities that are plaguing our nation's minority communities. NCMHD was created to promote minority health and to lead, coordinate, and assess the efforts of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in reducing and to ultimately eliminate health disparities. Unfortunately, the previous structure of NCMHD created confusion regarding who has the responsibility for the coordinated minority health disparities research conducted or supported by NIH. Additionally, NCMHD lacked real input into and authority over all NIH-supported health disparities activities and funds. H.R. 3590 addressed these concerns by elevating the Center to the level of Institute, and clarifies the role of the Director as coordinator and manager of the NIH-wide minority health and health disparities portfolio. The bill also provides the new Institute with professional judgment over NIH-wide minority health and health disparities budgets as well as management over NIH-wide minority health and health disparities allocations. However, this is not the only improvement that minority and underserved communities will see. This comprehensive healthcare package also includes $11 billion for community health centers, which offer comprehensive primary care and mental health services to underserved populations. These health centers are a critical stopgap, allowing better care for chronic conditions, while preventing unnecessary trips to the emergency room. Last but certainly not least, H.R. 3590 honors the life of Deamonte Driver--a 12-year-old boy from Maryland whose life was cut drastically short three years ago when an untreated tooth infection spread to his brain. Deamonte's tragic death haunts me to this day. Eighty dollars worth of dental care might have saved his life, but he never got that care because he lacked access to a dentist. The health care bill that we passed will prevent others from dying in such a tragic fashion. Under the new law: Pediatric dentistry is covered as an essential health benefit; Funds will be provided to launch a dental campaign to new parents and traditionally underserved areas; Workforce Training Grants will be available to provide technical assistance to pediatric training programs in developing and implementing instruction regarding the oral health status, dental care needs, and risk-based clinical disease management of all pediatric populations with an emphasis on underserved children; and H.R. 3590 also includes a loan repayment program with preference given to qualified applicants who have a record of training individuals who are from a rural or disadvantaged background. However, minorities and underserved communities will not be the only populations that will benefit from our actions. Millions will be touched by healthcare reform in their daily lives in marked, measurable ways. Thirty-one million Americans will have the opportunity to protect themselves from the fear that a small injury could lead to bankruptcy; and 147,000 families and 14,000 small businesses in my District will receive tax credits to help cover their employees with health insurance; and 56,000 young people in my District will be able to get insurance, at fair prices, through policies currently owned by their parents. To quote the great poet Virgil, ``The greatest wealth is health.'' By passing and signing this legislation, Congress and President Obama have provided the citizens of this nation with immeasurable wealth, comfort and security. We have firmly put the power back into the hands of the people, and this is an experience that I will cherish long after I leave Congress.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of a young Maryland boy, Deamonte Driver, whose life was cut drastically short when an untreated tooth infection spread to his brain. I also rise to recognize Children's Dental Health Month with hope in my heart and a renewed steadfast commitment to ensuring that all children across this great nation will have access to quality dental healthcare. Deamonte's tragic death haunts me to this day. Eighty dollars worth of dental care might have saved his life, but he never got that care. As many of you know, I have made it my personal mission to ensure that from this boy's untimely death, we will bring hope and life. With the passage of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (H.R. 2/PL 111-3) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1/ PL 111-5), we have made significant progress to provide dental care to children. Notably, the SCHIP Reauthorization mandated for the first time that children eligible for the program receive dental coverage. It also included several critical provisions aimed at improving children's access to dental care, each of which was included in a bill I introduced, H.R. 462, the Medicaid-SCHIP Dental Benefits Improvement Act of 2009. Specifically the bill: Guarantees a dental benefit for children covered by SCHIP that includes preventive, restorative, and emergency dental care; Provides dental education for parents of newborns; Allows community health centers to contract with private dentists for the purpose of providing dental care under Medicaid and SCHIP; Requires states to report the status of children's oral health for children covered by Medicaid and SCHIP; Improves access to dental provider information for Medicaid and SCHIP patients through the Insure Kids Now website (www.insurekidsnow.gov) and hotline (1-877-KIDS-NOW); Requires the GAO to conduct a study assessing children's access to dental care within 18 months of the bill's enactment; and Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a core set of child health quality measures for assessing states' Medicaid and SCHIP programs, including measures for the availability of dental services and the quality of pediatric dental care. I was also extremely pleased that we included language in the bill to provide ``wrap around'' dental benefits to children who are eligible for SCHIP but have private medical insurance that does not include dental insurance. The Recovery Act included an estimated $87 billion over two years in additional federal matching funds to help states maintain their Medicaid programs which provide dental health services to low-income children. I rise today with a renewed commitment to oral health which is an integral component of overall health. Hundreds of thousands of Deamonte Drivers are walking the streets of America every day in unbearable pain--unable to concentrate in school, unable to eat and speak properly, and at risk for serious disease or even death. We simply cannot relent until every single one of those children gets the care he or she needs to end this needless suffering--and to prevent it in future generations. During Children's Dental Health Month, I thank the many partners who have joined me in this effort, specifically the Children's Dental Health Project, the American Dental Association, the National Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, the American Dental Education Association, the American Hygienists Association, and the UnitedHealth Group. It is through sound legislative initiatives and partnerships like these that give me hope: Hope that we can prevent the single most common childhood chronic disease which is tooth decay. Hope that our children, regardless of race or economic status will have access to proper dental care. Hope that as we pledge never to forget the life of Deamonte Driver, we strive to ensure that not one more child will suffer his fate.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the FAA Extension Act 2010, H.R. 4915, which would provide a short-term extension of existing FAA authorization legislation. I want to thank the subcommittee chairman, Mr. Costello, for his outstanding leadership constantly and on this legislation. This legislation, and just picking up where Mr. Mica left off, also includes provisions that would ensure that an equitable distribution is made during the extension of the SAFETEA-LU surface transportation authorization of money designated for the Projects of National and Regional Significance and the National Corridor Infrastructure Improvement programs. These programs established in the 2005 SAFETEA-LU legislation were intended to provide discretionary funds to major projects. However, the SAFETEA-LU conference committee designated the projects to receive funding under the programs. As we have worked to develop a longer-term extension for SAFETEA-LU, the issue of how to apportion the approximately $932 million provided for these programs during the extension period has been of critical concern to our committee. Under provisions developed by the Senate and included in the HIRE Act, this funding would continue to be provided to those few States in which projects were designated by SAFETEA-LU. Under this allocation, four States, four States, would receive 58 percent of the available funding; 22 States would receive no funding, and the remaining States would receive varying levels of funding. Such a distribution is not equitable, particularly given that the designated projects were time- limited. Chairman Oberstar has worked with the Senate majority leader and Speaker Pelosi to devise a more equitable funding distribution, and the legislation before us today includes the agreement they have resolved. Under this agreement, the funding would be distributed to all States pursuant to existing formulas for major highway programs. And at a time when State transportation budgets are experiencing significant cuts, an equitable distribution of available Federal funding is appropriate to ensure that each State can continue to address its most pressing mobility needs. I applaud Chairman Oberstar, Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid for their work on this measure, and I urge adoption.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend to this House the memory of one of my constituents, the Reverend David Joshua Crump, who, at the age of 42, died suddenly on February 20 of this year. Rev. Crump was a young man of strong personal faith, coming from a long line of leaders in America's faith community, including Bishop Alexander Waymon. His parents, the Reverends Izell and Elaine Crump, are also well-regarded ministers in my hometown of Baltimore. At a time when so many of America's young people are struggling to come of age without strong and loving fathers in their lives, Rev. David Crump's commitment to their upbringing was a beacon of personal and social responsibility for us all. I had the occasion to attend the funeral of the late David Crump, and his foster children, a number of them, came forward and talked about how he had touched their lives and how he had opened so many doors for them and what a wonderful parent he was. Not only that, David Crump excelled in his mastery of that most valuable kind of wisdom: the insights that help us to remain focused squarely upon what is truly important in our lives. In 1998, I invited the Congressional Black Caucus to Baltimore for a field investigation hearing of our local responses to illicit drug use and HIV/AIDS. We chose Micah's Cafeteria as the primary site for our hearing. David Crump's family owned Micah's, and David was the master chef and maitre d' at the restaurant. During our field hearing there, he made a very favorable impression on all of my CBC colleagues. Our positive response went beyond the positive quality of the restaurant's food. We were heartened by how well David worked with Micah's staff, and especially with the young people who worked with him. These young men and women were competent and polite, building better lives for themselves, and a lot of that had to do with David's leadership and compassion for them. It soon became apparent that David Crump was at the heart of a transformation that was worth our understanding. In the years that followed, I would often find David reaching out to the young and giving them an opportunity to find themselves in life- affirming settings. His calling was at the center of his faith. So often, people go to church and prayer meeting, and when they come out the door, they forget their faith. But he never forgot. Not only was he a great foster parent, but he was a very loving husband. With his wife, Theresa Mina, he built a home full of love and laughter for the children who came into their lives. He was a man of good humor and a gentle spirit. He was a good father and husband who was devoted to his God and to his family. One of the things that I said at his funeral was, if I ever met someone who tried to walk in the path that God had laid out, it was David Crump. Mr. Speaker, recently I was thinking about Rev. Crump's example as I read comments that Attorney General Eric Holder made during a recent speech. Encouraging men to take more responsibility for our children and homes, Attorney General Holder observed that, ``I have held many titles in my life, but the title I am most proud of is father. A father's role in the life of a child is irreplaceable.'' Stressing that we must do more to create a culture of mutual respect, our Attorney General went on to emphasize that we hold the future in our hands. He said, ``We as men need to spend more time with our sons and daughters. We need to teach our sons to have respect for women and daughters to demand respect for themselves.'' This same wisdom was at the heart of David Crump's ministry and personal life. His vision and commitment are examples that we all would be well advised to follow. I strongly believe that government has important roles to play in rebuilding America's communities, yet I also understand that we, as individual citizens, are the critical element in the social transformation that this Nation needs to undertake. Rev. David Crump understood this, both in his ministry and in his personal commitment to the young people in his life. He was, indeed, a wonderful role model.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 2847, the Jobs for Main Street Act. As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, I've seen hundreds of thousands of jobs created through infrastructure funding. I've seen improvements created by that funding slow the recession and help begin our recovery. However, that recovery is simply not complete. We still have far too many Americans without jobs. The COBRA, unemployment and food stamp extensions in this bill are crucial to help those who are in need or who have lost a job through no fault of their own. These small lifelines can be immense to those who are suffering. For some Americans who still face foreclosure, this funding can help keep them in their homes so that the loss of their job does not result in the further devastation of an entire family. Finally, the jobs we create through our work today must be open to all Americans, including the minority communities who are being particularly decimated by unemployment, foreclosure and a crisis of credit. Before we passed the Recovery Act, I requested bonding assistance, allowing small and disadvantaged businesses to obtain the insurance they needed to win contracts to become prime contractors and to hire workers. The bonding assistance program created in that act led to much-needed jobs in minority communities, and so I requested further such assistance in this act. The $20 million included in this bill today will ensure that jobs created will be available to every American and every business in every community so they can compete on an even playing field. I support fair competition for government projects and the jobs that they will create. I encourage all my colleagues to support the underlying bill and the rule that will bring this matter to the floor.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2711, the Special Agent Samuel Hicks Families of Fallen Heroes Act. This legislation, as has been said, honors Pittsburgh FBI Special Agent Samuel Hicks, who was shot and killed while executing a Federal search warrant on November 19, 2008. Before joining the FBI, Special Agent Hicks was a teacher and a city police officer in my hometown and the Congressional district I represent in Baltimore, Maryland. When arrangements were made for Special Agent Hicks to return to his final resting place in Baltimore, moving expenses for his family to relocate were not covered. This legislation would provide funds for the moving, transportation, and relocation expenses attributed to a change of residence within the United States of the immediate family of an FBI employee who dies in the performance of official duties. It also covers the expenses of preparing and transporting the remains of the deceased to the place where the family will reside following the employee's death. I must commend Mr. Rogers for this legislation. I think it's very much due. As I was reading over the legislation, I could not help but think to myself, I hope we don't have to use the provisions of this legislation too often, because I think all of us mourn whenever one of our law enforcement officers is harmed or killed. It's a sad day. I've often said, and we've often heard the words, they are, indeed, our thin blue line. If you don't think they're the thin blue line, you let something happen to you and they don't show up. One of Special Agent Hicks' colleagues said of him, He was very skilled in everything, encouraging, always had a positive attitude, and the first to step forward and volunteer for anything. His colleague went on to say, He was just the kind of guy who was a role model for other people in the academy who maybe didn't have experience or come from different backgrounds. Mr. Speaker, this is just one of many examples of how dangerous a job like being an FBI agent can be, but it is one that so many take on every single day, not wondering whether they will return home to their families, return to their neighborhoods. His sacrifice is always going to be remembered through his family, colleagues, and hopefully through the passage of this legislation. On May 2, 2009, Special Agent Hicks' name was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in Washington, but that is simply not enough. We must honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice by taking care of their loved ones who have also made a tremendous sacrifice. Again, I commend Congressman Rogers of Michigan and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Mr. Lynch, especially those original cosponsors, of which I'm one, for the leadership with regard to this legislation. With the passage of H.R. 2711, we can honor Special Agent Hicks and prevent future families from additional heartache and hardship at a very, very difficult moment in their lives. I encourage all the Members to support this legislation.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my esteemed colleague from California, Barbara Lee, in order to congratulate Herman and Marjorie Williams of Baltimore, Maryland, as they celebrate sixty years of marriage. Since they exchanged their vows on November 24, 1949, these high school sweethearts have been extraordinary parents, friends, and members of their community. Over the decades of their marriage, they contended against racism and segregation as they pursued their careers, Herman as one of the first black firefighters in Baltimore and Marjorie at Westinghouse. Their commitment to hard work and to their family never wavered. Herman eventually became the nation's first African-American major- city fire chief and Marjorie retired after a long and exemplary career. Even after her retirement, Marjorie has volunteered her time with many charitable organizations, dedicating herself to helping the less fortunate. Always an adventuresome spirit, she has also continued to pursue her love of travel. The two of them together raised four wonderful and successful children: Marjorie, Clolita, Montel, and Herman. Marjorie and Herman have a fierce dedication to their family, and the values they instilled led their children to prominent careers in the arts, education, civil service, and broadcast media. The Williams have been an inspiration to their friends, their family, to their community, and to everyone determined to triumph in the face of adversity. On November 28, 2009, they celebrated their anniversary along with family and friends. Please join us in wishing them the best of luck as they continue to spend their lives loving and supporting each other and bringing joy and happiness to their family and friends.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. May I inquire as to how much time we have remaining?

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to make it very clear, Mr. Speaker, that this was an effort of the victim groups and the cruise ship industry. As Chairman Oberstar said, there was a lot of work that went into this legislation with folks actually sitting down and coming up with reasonable and balanced solutions to these problems. I want to thank all of the folks that did that. And I also take a moment to thank Mr. LoBiondo and certainly Mr. Mica and definitely our chairman, Mr. Oberstar. This is one of those bipartisan efforts that has yielded a win-win-win, a win certainly for this Congress, a win for those people who find themselves taking a vacation on cruise ships, and certainly a win for law enforcement as they try to make sure that they address any kind of issues that may come up, and the industry. It's a win-win-win-win. So I think that what we have done is approach this in a very balanced way, a very measured way, but a way which addresses all of the issues that we attempted to address. And certainly we thank Ms. Dishman and the other victims who have had difficult circumstances happen to them for bringing their testimony. As Chairman Oberstar said, this kind of testimony is very difficult for someone to present themselves, not only to the Congress but on C-SPAN and for the world to hear what they went through. But yet and still, the fact is that they sacrificed so that we can have this kind of legislation. With that, I would urge our colleagues to vote for this legislation.

Mr. CUMMINGS. We have no additional speakers. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. CUMMINGS. I yield the gentleman 1\1/2\ additional minutes.

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

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), who is the sponsor of the bill and who has been so helpful to our committee and our subcommittee on this issue.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Richardson). She is a strong member of our subcommittee and certainly one who has championed this cause too.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 5 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the Transportation Committee, Congressman Oberstar of Minnesota.

Mr. CUMMINGS. I grant the gentleman an additional 3 minutes.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I rise today in strong support of the Clean Hull Act of 2009, H.R. 3618, as amended, which would institute the legal changes needed to bring the United States into full compliance with the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti- Fouling Systems on Ships. I commend the chairman of the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Congressman Oberstar, for his hard work on this legislation, and for his tireless commitment to ensuring that we do all that we can to minimize the impact of our transportation systems on our environment. I also commend the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Mica, and the ranking member of the Coast Guard Subcommittee, Congressman LoBiondo, for their work on this legislation. On June 10, I convened the subcommittee to examine the impact on the marine environment of the use of coatings on the hulls of ships containing the compound tributyltin, better known as TBT. Such coatings are applied to prevent hull fouling. In the maritime world, the term ``fouling'' is defined as the unwanted growth of biological material, such as barnacles and algae, on a surface immersed in water. Because such material can slow a ship's movement through the water and can be transferred from one body of water to another, ship owners and operators have attempted throughout the history of maritime transportation to eliminate the accumulation of such materials through a variety of methods. In the 1960s and 70s, hull coatings were developed that had as their main ingredient the compound TBT. At that time, TBT was hailed as the best anti-fouling agent ever developed. Unfortunately, as so often happened in that period, a product that showed promise was rushed to market before the full range of its impacts on the environment was understood. Over the years, it has become clear that TBT is highly toxic to marine life, including crustaceans, fish and even marine mammals. TBT has caused alterations in oyster shells, and has caused female dog whelks, a type of snail, to begin developing male sexual characteristics. There's even some evidence that TBT is bio- accumulative, meaning that larger animals can ingest it as they consume smaller animals on the food chain. Thus, the IMO reports that traces of TBT contamination have now been found even in whales. I note that the use of TBT is already strictly regulated by U.S. law, specifically, under the Organotin Anti-Fouling Paint Control Act of 1998. Under this Act, the sale and most applications of TBT coatings are already prohibited in the United States. However, the best way of controlling the use of TBT is by the U.S. accession to the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships. The Convention was adopted by the International Maritime Organization in October of 2001 to ban the use of hull coatings that contain TBT. The Convention came into force internationally on September 17, 2008. The United States Senate gave its consent to the Convention just a few days later, in September of 2008. H.R. 3618 would finally implement in the United States the laws that will bring our Nation into full compliance with the Convention, thus completing our ratification of the Convention. By enacting H.R. 3618, the United States can prohibit ships with TBT coatings from entering U.S. waters unless the ships have overcoatings that prevent TBT from leaching from one underlying anti-fouling system. I also note that in order to prevent a compound like TBT from ever again entering the environment through an anti-fouling coating, the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships also established a system under which new anti-fouling coatings can be tested to assess the effects on the marine environment. Coatings can be added to the list of prohibited anti-fouling systems under the Convention if they are found to be harmful. H.R. 3618 authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to participate in international technical bodies convened to assess the safety of new anti-fouling systems. I strongly believe that it is time for us to fully implement the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, and I urge the adoption of H.R. 3618 by the House today. House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC, November 12, 2009. Hon. James L. Oberstar, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Oberstar: I write to you regarding H.R. 3618, the ``Clean Hull Act of 2009.'' H.R. 3618 contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Homeland Security. I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this legislation before the House in an expeditious manner and, accordingly, I will not seek a sequential referral of the bill. However, agreeing to waive consideration of this bill should not be construed as the Committee on Homeland Security waiving, altering, or otherwise affecting its jurisdiction over subject matters contained in the bill which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. Further, I request your support for the appointment of an appropriate number of Members of the Committee on Homeland Security to be named as conferees during any House-Senate conference convened on H.R. 3618 or similar legislation. I also ask that a copy of this letter and your response be included in the legislative report on H.R. 3618 and in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. I look forward to working with you as we prepare to pass this important legislation. Sincerely, Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman.

Mr. CUMMINGS. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to just comment and associate myself with the words of Chairman Oberstar and add to them that this is our watch, this is a time that we have responsibility for this environment and it is our duty to make it even better than what we found it. I want to thank the chairman for his words. They were very inspiring. With that, I urge the Members to vote for H.R. 3618. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3618.