Elijah Cummings

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the committee on Ways and Means, Mr. Rangel.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. I thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chairman I rise to enter into a short colloquy with the chairman. First of all, I thank the chairman for producing a balanced and outstanding bill. I come to raise an issue of concern to me regarding the food stamp eligibility for people who seek assistance for drug and alcohol abuse. This is why I offered an amendment to H.R. 2419, to ensure equal access to this vital benefit program regardless of whether one participates in an institutional drug rehabilitation program or supportive housing. Mr. Chairman, the Food Stamp Program was designed to allow those who participate in private and public drug and alcohol treatment programs and individuals who live in supportive housing to receive food stamp benefits. However, the current language in the law that provides this benefit has been misinterpreted by various State officials. This ambiguity has made it difficult for individuals in supportive housing and rehabilitation programs to access food stamp benefits for which they are eligible. I would ask the chairman if you would work with me in conference to see if we can address this inequity. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for the Children's Health Medicare Protection Act, entitled CHAMP, of 2007, which makes great strides in improving our Nation's health care system. It chills the conscience to think that approximately 9 million children are currently without health insurance. An estimated 18,000 Americans died last year because they did not have access to health care, many of them sadly were children. There can be no justice until all of our children, our most valuable resource, are granted access to the most technologically advanced system in the world. Individuals travel from every corner of the globe to access our high- quality health care. Yet, we cannot seem to provide care to the individuals in our own backyard. The CHAMP Act would begin to begin to change that injustice, committing $50 billion to reauthorize and improve the State Children's Health Insurance Program, our Nation's health care safety net for low- income, uninsured children. The Act does not expand the SCHIP benefit to wealthy children or adults, as some would argue. It merely provides benefits to the same low-income children who we originally intended to cover. Most of the 9 million children who are currently uninsured are eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP, but do not receive the benefits because of enrollment barriers and underfunding. The CHAMP Act will lift the barriers and raise the funding so we can get our children the care they so desperately need. It is with great enthusiasm that I support this landmark legislation. I am pleased that my colleagues have been able to rise above the political rhetoric to develop legislation that will have a significant impact for our Nation's most vulnerable children. I am also pleased that my chairman shares my commitment to improving children's access to dental care. The chairman recognizes, as I do, that oral health is an overall component of overall health, and we cannot afford to ignore the dental health needs of our children. I applaud efforts to include a dental benefits package and dental quality assurance methods in the CHAMP Act. I also want to thank the chairman and of my fellow colleagues from Maryland, including Congressman Albert Wynn, for their support of two initiatives that I had promoted to increase children's access to dental care under this legislation. The first would allow federally qualified health centers to contract with private-practice dentists, significantly enhancing our Nation's dental safety net. The second one requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide educational materials to new mothers on the importance of oral health and the services available to their children, with the goal of stopping dental disease before it even starts. Both initiatives will cost little or nothing, while yielding excellent results for our children. Congressman Wynn and I know the importance of protecting our children from dental disease. It was a short 5 months ago that a 12-year-old Maryland boy died when an untreated tooth infection spread to his brain. Forty dollars worth of dental care might have saved his life, but he never got that opportunity. As I have said before, Deamonte Driver's case was rare and extreme, but he was by no means alone in his suffering. Dental disease is the single most common chronic disease in this country, and it is preventable. Finally, all it takes on our part is the will to protect our children. I am pleased that so many Members of Congress have demonstrated this will, and I encourage all my colleagues to support the vitally important CHAMP Act.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for the reauthorization and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program or SCHIP, our Nation's health care safety net for low-income, uninsured children. We are at a critical juncture in our Nation's health care crisis. An estimated 46 million Americans are uninsured. Approximately 18,000 people die each year in this country as a direct consequence of being uninsured. Sadly, many of the victims are innocent children. No fewer than 9 million American children are without health insurance, and they are suffering as a result. Uninsured children, like uninsured adults, are less likely to have access to early and preventive care, setting them up for a lifetime of health problems that may have been avoided if caught today. Far too many of our children are going to the emergency room because we have failed to let them into the doctor's office. This is immoral, but it is also uneconomical. Preventive health care services are cheaper than disease management and trauma care. By denying our citizenry the former, we are paying a premium for the latter. The President has ignored the potential cost savings, arguing, instead, that an expanded SCHIP program would move children off of private insurance, but that is simply not the case. The vast majority of children who would be covered by this bill come from families with less than $33,200 for a family of three. These families do not have the luxury of choosing private insurance over the public benefit. For them, it is public coverage or nothing. We have a moral obligation to ensure that our children have access to health care. Our health care system produces infant mortality rates and incidences of health disparities far greater than other nations in the industrialized world. We know statistically that racial and ethnic minorities suffer disproportionately from poor health and die prematurely. More than 30 years after the national embarrassment of Tuskegee Syphilis Experience, our people are still being denied access to the best medical system in the world. This trend recently played out in my home State in Maryland in an incident that I still find difficult to comprehend. In February, a 12- year-old African American boy named Deamonte Driver died when an untreated tooth infection spread to his brain. A routine dental checkup costing about $40 might have saved his life. But Deamonte was poor and homeless, and he did not have access to a dentist. Deamonte's case was rare and extreme, but he is by no means alone in his suffering. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that dental disease is the single-most chronic childhood disease in this country. It chills the conscience to think of how one young boy's life was cut short by the failure of our health care system, and millions of others continue to suffer. We have a moral obligation in the memory of Deamonte to fix this problem now. This is why I have consistently advocated for a strong SCHIP bill that expands coverage to 6 million of our Nation's poorest children and guarantees them dental coverage. I was discouraged to see that the first version of the bill from the Senate Finance Committee included only $35 million in additional funding and did not include mandatory dental benefit. As a Washington Post editorial board recently noted, memories are sometimes short here in Washington. I realize the current budgetary constraints make this process all the more contentious; however, these are times that require decisive leadership. I am hopeful that in the House we will be able to find funding to expand the program by $50 million while working with our Senate colleagues to negotiate a strong bill. I urge all of my colleagues to support this vitally important legislation.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. The interim report released by the President today details exactly what I anticipated, a lack-of-progress report which demonstrates that the Iraqi Government has made the least progress on those key benchmarks that are vital to achieving stabilization. The President at a press conference earlier today stressed the usual line of excuses that he has far too often utilized in the past, stating that we need to give General Petraeus time to show that the plus-up is effective and stress the importance of waiting until the September 15 progress report is released before drawing conclusions on the policy in Iraq. However, the President forgot to mention that General Petraeus said in an interview just last month that the chances of having a stable Iraqi Government in place by September are slim to none. Those are his words. Frankly, our troops need our support, and that support must be their redeployment, which will end the continued bloodshed.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Kendell Frederick Citizenship Assistance Act of 2007, which will assist over 68,000 non-citizens serving in the U.S. military in their quest to become citizens of the United States. Their sacrifice on behalf of this Nation is great; therefore, those who protect our country as non- citizens should undoubtedly be able to quickly bypass unwarranted red tape when applying for citizenship. This legislation honors the memory of 21-year-old Army Reserve Spc. Kendell K. Frederick, a resident of Baltimore County and native of Trinidad who was stationed in Iraq when he made the decision to become a U.S. citizen. On October 19, 2005, after trying for more than a year to become a citizen and having his application delayed at least five times due to miscommunication and misinformation in the processing of his fingerprints, Kendell had no other choice but to travel with a convoy to a base to resolve this issue. Unfortunately, he was killed on the way by a roadside bomb, never realizing his dream of becoming an American citizen. Spc. Frederick died while trying to show his gratitude to this country, to a Nation that finally showed its appreciation far too late by awarding him citizenship posthumously. Surely, it did not have to be this way. This legislation corrects this wrong by removing unnecessary hurdles that our non-citizen armed service members have been required to undergo in applying for citizenship along with ensuring that they are provided with assistance from the military and immigration officials, especially during their deployment. Specifically, the Act would assist our non-citizen men and women in uniform on the pathway to citizenship by making the following needed adjustments: requires the Department of Homeland Security use the fingerprints taken by the military at induction for citizenship applications; requires non-citizen military service members to submit their citizenship applications within 24 months of enlistment; requires the Department of Homeland Security to create a dedicated customer service 1-800 phone line for service members and their families to call with questions; requires the Department of Homeland Security to promptly update and revise its written and electronic citizenship application, instructions and guidebook within 30 days of any material change in the law or regulation; and ensures executive agency accountability to Congress by requiring a GAO report documenting how the Department of Homeland Security currently handles military service members' citizenship applications as well as the training that DHS personnel receive regarding military citizenship applications. Non-citizens are 5 percent of the total active duty U.S. military service members. According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), between September 11, 2001 and December 2006, 84 non-citizen armed services members (including Spc. Frederick) killed in action have been awarded posthumous citizenship. For their sacrifice, these non-citizens more than deserve not to be entangled in overly burdensome bureaucratic red tape. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support our troops by supporting this bill.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to thank Mr. Frank for his leadership and the assistance of his staff in helping us bring this resolution to the floor. And certainly I also say thanks to the ranking member of the subcommittee and the chair of the subcommittee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting the passage of H. Res. 526, which supports homeownership and responsible lending. Specifically, this resolution expresses the sense of the House that government action should be taken to protect home buyers from unscrupulous brokers and lenders. This resolution was inspired by the plight of the American people, the people of Maryland, and my neighbors in Maryland's Seventh Congressional District who have lost their homes to foreclosure or who are currently facing foreclosure. The dramatic increase in foreclosures is directly related to the emergence of the subprime mortgage industry, which has grown from less than 8 percent of the total mortgage market in 2001 to approximately 20 percent of the market today. While subprime loans are not inherently dangerous, practices within the industry are turning homeownership, an essential component of the American dream, into a nightmare, costing many people their ticket to the middle class and/or preventing them from passing property on to their children. Subprime mortgage loans are geared towards borrowers with low credit scores. Other characteristics of the loans often include low initial payments based on a fixed introductory or ``teaser'' rate that expires after 2 or 3 years and then adjusts to a variable rate for the remaining term of the loan; no payment or rate caps on how much the payment amount or interest rate may increase on the reset dates; and substantial prepayment penalties. Terms of this nature present incredible risks to consumers who find it impossible to meet the increased payment requirements. Furthermore, the risk of foreclosure increases when borrowers are not adequately informed of product features and risks. And I would say to this House, we must be very careful not to blame the victim. Many believe that the government should just allow the market to correct itself. However, remaining idle while the situation continues to get worse is unconscionable. According to the Center for Responsible Lending, approximately one in five subprime loans issued in 2005 and 2006 will go into default, costing 2.2 million homeowners their homes over the next several years. RealtyTrac, a real estate research firm, estimates that foreclosures have increased by 42 percent from 2005 to 2006, to 1.2 million. This translates into one foreclosure for every 92 households. Most alarming is the fact that new foreclosure events in May 2007 totaled over 176,000, an increase of 19 percent since April and of 90 percent since May of 2006. Recent reports estimate that 5,700 homeowners in Maryland were facing foreclosure and over 36,000 were late on their mortgages in the first quarter of the year. Most startling is the fact that, in June, Maryland ranked 22nd nationally in foreclosures, up from 40th in 2006. My congressional district alone had 466 foreclosures in the month of May. This equates to a 570 percent increase since May 2005. Mr. Speaker, these are astounding figures, but when combined with the impact that foreclosures have upon families and their communities, there is little doubt that immediate action needs to be taken to address this national crisis. We must do everything in our power to protect the future of homeownership. A foreclosure results not only in the loss of a stable living place and significant investment for a family, but it also lowers the homeowner's credit rating, creating barriers to future home purchases and also hindering the ability to pay rent. It typically takes a victim of foreclosure 10 years to recover and buy another house, which means that more and more potential homeowners will be taken out of the home buyer base. For lower-income communities attempting to revitalize, the consequence of increased foreclosures is often a substantial setback in neighborhood security and sustainability. Areas of concentrated foreclosures can affect the price that other sellers can get for their houses. As higher foreclosure rates ripple through local markets, each house tossed back into the market adds to the supply of for-sale homes and could bring down home prices. In the last 2 years, foreclosures have cost the city of Baltimore approximately $1.8 billion in reduced property values. Finally, the predominance of subprime loans in low-income and/or minority neighborhoods means that the bulk of the spillover costs of foreclosures are concentrated among the Nation's most vulnerable households. These neighborhoods already have incidences of crime, and increased foreclosures have been found to contribute to higher levels of violent crime. Because of the inherent dangers posed by foreclosures, we must act now to save families across this Nation and preserve our communities. Various pieces of legislation have been introduced in the House and Senate to help homeowners refinance their homes, but congressional action alone will not fix the problem. Earlier this year, I sent a letter to Chairman Bernanke of the Federal Reserve asking that action be taken to protect homeowners from predatory lending practices using its authority under the Home Ownership Equity Protection Act. I am pleased that the board and other regulators recently issued guidelines to lenders that encompass many of the ideas expressed in the letter sent in May and in House Resolution 526, which states that the government action should do the following: enforce rules to eliminate unfair and deceptive practices in subprime mortgage lending; encourage lenders to evaluate a borrower's ability to reasonably repay the mortgage over the life of the loan, not just at the introductory rate; establish clear minimum standards for mortgage originators; require that disclosures clearly and effectively communicate necessary information about any mortgage loan to the potential borrower; reduce or eliminate abuses in prepayment penalties; address appraisal and other mortgage fraud; raise public awareness regarding mortgage originators whose loans have high foreclosure rates; and increase opportunities for loan counseling. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to reiterate that owning a home is an essential component of the American dream. Simply put, homeownership has the power to transform lives. Therefore, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution and continue working to address this critical issue. Again, I thank Chairman Frank for his leadership.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to proudly honor, but sadly send away, one of Baltimore's finest citizens and leaders: Dr. Stanley F. Battle, who recently left his post as the President of Coppin State University, located in my district. Dr. Battle is a man of vision--and true to his name, he turned the battle around to achieve victory for thousands of college students, faculty and the entire Baltimore community. When Dr. Battle took the helm of this great historically black liberal arts institution in March 2003, Coppin was at a different place than it is today. Then classified as a college, Coppin was severely underfunded--a situation further escalated by budget cuts to higher education institutions, and a slow economy. Yet, where critics saw dark clouds--Dr. Battle saw sunlight. One of his most notable accomplishments was to establish the campus as the first completely wireless campus in the University System of Maryland. Through Dr. Battle's leadership, Coppin pioneered the Tegrity Campus, which combines digital audio and video recording of the class lectures with electronic note-taking and computer usage. These technological innovations were noticed by the prestigious U.S. News & World Report magazine, which ranked Coppin as one of the top 50 U.S. colleges and universities with absolute wireless capacity. Then, within 1 year and 1 month of Dr. Battle's tenure as president, Coppin received university status for the first time in its history. The following academic year, enrollment increased by 11 percent. Dr. Battle's innovation reached beyond the campus--as he created several initiatives to uplift children in Baltimore City Schools, and empower them to attend college. One such initiative was the Academic Enrichment Academy that offers a free SAT Camp. Another project he spearheaded was the Talented Ten African American Male Mentoring Program. He also collaborated with Baltimore Public Schools to create several programs to uplift children. He continued building strong relationships with Baltimore's faith- based community. Joining with the Coppin Heights Community Development Corporation, Dr. Battle also helped bring together members of the university and the neighbors of the campus to redevelop and revitalize the area surrounding Coppin. He further facilitated the campus's growth from 38 to 52 acres. In terms of research expansion, Dr. Battle facilitated increased external research grants and established the Raymond V. Haysbert Research Center. As the Congressman representing Coppin, I was proud to work with Dr. Battle as I helped secure a grant for a major research project, and other funding for educational and transportation programs. On July 1, 2007, Dr. Battle will begin his role as the Chancellor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University in Greensboro, NC. It is a great loss for the Baltimore community and for Coppin State University. However, he leaves behind a legacy that has forever changed us--and made an impact on the future leaders of America. Nevertheless, as a strong believer in expanding high quality education to all Americans, I am joyful that the community of North Carolina A&T University is receiving a great gift as Dr. Battle as its chancellor. Dr. Battle's legacy of turning around battles will continue to reverberate throughout Maryland for years to come.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, despite my opposition to the war in Iraq, I supported the passage of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act of 2007, H.R. 1591, when it came before the House in March. It was a difficult decision but I had to vote my conscience. For the first time we were requiring accountability standards by establishing benchmarks and a timeframe for redeployment. Another persuasive factor in supporting H.R. 1591 was the funding for body armor, Mine Resistant Ambush Protection vehicles, MRAP, traumatic brain injury, TBI, and post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, and veterans health care. Finally, I was encouraged by the fact that we were taking proper care of our soldiers by ensuring that they were properly rested, trained, and equipped. Unfortunately, President Bush vetoed this bill that could not be overturned by the House. A few weeks ago on May 10, Congress considered and passed version two of the Iraq Supplemental, H.R. 2206. This bill would have provided $42.8 billion for the Iraq War. Funding would have supported the immediate needs of the U.S. military through July. However, shortly before the August recess Congress would have to decide whether to release an additional $52.8 billion of war spending that would last until September. This measure would have placed needed limitations on access to funding based upon the progress reports provided to Congress by the President thereby, bringing the President and his administration back to reality by enforcing accountability standards. However, in an effort to avoid another veto by President Bush, H.R. 2206 has been butchered into a bill hallow and reintroduced without needed provisions that would safeguard this country from continuing a seemingly endless military operations in Iraq. Therefore, I voted in favor of Amendment 1 to H.R. 2206 and voted against Amendment 2. One of my primary concerns has been to ensure that the troops receive the equipment, rest and training they require and surely deserve. In keeping in line with these key concerns, I voted in support of Amendment 1 to H.R. 2206, which provides support for defense and the global war on terror totaling over $14.489 billion in funding namely, $617 million in state and foreign operations, $3.137 billion for BRAC (fully-funded), $1.789 billion in Veterans Medical Care (including funding for Walter Reed Medical Center), and $1.050 billion for Homeland Security. Moreover, Amendment 1 supports our troops by appropriating $343 million for our military personnel in the U.S. Army, $408 million for our service members in the U.S. Navy, about $108.9 million for our troops in the Marine Corps, $139.3 million for those in the U.S. Air Force and marked increases in funding for our reserve personnel. Furthermore, it protects our troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan by supplying over $258 million for defense-wide MRAP vehicles as well as over $2.6 billion in funding for the armed forces to purchase this same equipment. Amendment 1 also resolves many of the shortcomings of our military medical healthcare facilities and defense health programs inability to treat and care for our men and women in uniform returning from combat with injuries. In doing so, it allots $1.878 billion for our Defense Health Programs specifically, $6 million for treatment of TBI and those suffering from PTSD, the signature injuries of our troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. It also provides needed oversight of our military medical treatment facilities, military housing, medical hold personnel and housing provided to them by requiring a series of inspections be conducted by the Secretary of Defense thereby, ensuring that our service members never again return to military facilities at home that are substandard. Amendment 1 also provides $393 million in funding to the State Children's Health Insurance Programs, SCHIP, a vital program to the Nation and to the State of Maryland. Currently, over 137,000 children in Maryland are without health insurance. Fully funding this program will be a great step toward providing universal health care to our neediest children. I should also note that Amendment 1 also provides needed agricultural, FEMA and general Gulf Coast recovery support for those still suffering from the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Katrina by appropriating over $2.87 billion in financial support. President Bush can no longer expect a blank check without any accountability given the current circumstances in Iraq. Over 3,400 soldiers have died and the number increases each day. We have been working diligently to negotiate with the President but he has constantly failed to meet us halfway, despite the clear need for a new direction and policy in Iraq. His mandate to have a bill with no strings attached as to time lines for redeployment or one absent of key benchmarks measuring our progress with accountability and needed oversight measures included is unreasonable and irresponsible. This is exactly why I firmly disapprove of Amendment 2. The President has outlined the need for benchmarks himself particularly, in a January 13, 2007 radio address stating that ``America will hold the Iraqi Government to benchmarks it has announced. These include taking responsibility for security in all of Iraq's provinces by November, passing legislation to share oil revenues among all Iraqis, and spending $10 billion of its own money on reconstruction projects that will create new jobs.'' These are strong commitments. And the Iraqi Government knows that it must meet them, or lose the support of the Iraqi and the American people. The President must be held accountable. No more blank checks. It is our duty to protect our brave men and women in uniform. Therefore, I call on my colleagues listen to the American people and vote against Amendment 2.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great honor this evening to talk about my good friend and mentor, former Congressman Parren Mitchell. I said today at his memorial service that Parren Mitchell was without a doubt a man of great humility. He was a mentor of mine; and many, many years ago we came in contact with each other. One of the things that he made clear was that being in elected office is not about seeking to be a celebrity. It must be about service. He was one who made it his business to serve his constituents to the nth degree. If you were to ride around the 7th Congressional District, much of which is in the inner city of Baltimore, you would hear people, from presidents of corporations to the folks working in the markets to the bank tellers, call him PJ. They called him PJ not out of disrespect. They called him PJ because of their love for him and because of his humble spirit. It was not unusual for Parren Mitchell to show up at a church or show up at a funeral or show up at somebody's Eagle Scout ceremony. He was the kind of guy who spent his lifetime trying to lift up other people. The interesting thing, too, is that he did something for African American young people that very few have been able to do. When he ran for office in 1968, he lost by about 5,000 votes. Now, in many instances, if somebody got a total of 15,000 votes, which he did, and lost by 5,000, which he did, they would give up. Two years later, Parren Mitchell came back and in 1970 was elected by a tremendous landslide margin of 38 votes, and that was so significant for us because back then I was in high school, and it showed me that an African American could be elected to the Congress of the United States of America. In other words, what Parren Mitchell showed us was what we thought to be impossible was possible, and since that time we have seen Kweisi Mfume come to this body, and yours truly, and we've seen African American Congressmen from all over this country, and I would venture to say that he had a tremendous impact on others, in the Hispanic community and women and many others, who may have thought at one time it was almost impossible to come here. And so we pay tribute to this great man. His record is clear: a staunch advocate for small business; a staunch advocate for those who have been left out; a staunch advocate for making sure that civil rights are adhered to. And finally, let me say this, Mr. Speaker, as I summarize Parren's life in a written piece for the Afro-American newspaper, Parren Mitchell was one who built bridges to opportunities and tore down walls which caused people not to be included in this society.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to announce that I have introduced ``Deamonte's Law,'' H.R. 2371, a bill to establish a dental home for every American child by increasing dental services in community health centers and training more individuals in pediatric dentistry. The legislation is named for Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old Maryland boy who died on February 25, 2007, when a tooth infection spread to his brain. A routine dental checkup might have saved his life, but Deamonte was poor and homeless and he did not have access to a dentist. When I learned of this senseless tragedy, I was deeply shaken. I simply cannot comprehend how, in this country where we have sent a man to the moon, we let a little boy's teeth rot so badly that his infection became fatal. I often say that as adults, we have a responsibility to provide for and protect our children--and we failed to meet that responsibility for little Deamonte. I think we all should be ashamed by that fact. I know I am. That is why I have made a commitment to addressing this issue from every angle. I knew that if Deamonte was suffering in my home state of Maryland, other little boys and girls like him were probably also suffering. To be clear, Deamonte's case was rare and extreme; however, even the most casual investigation reveals that children across the country are living with painful, untreated tooth decay, many of them dangerously close to acquiring life-threatening infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that tooth decay in baby teeth has increased 15 percent among United States toddlers and preschoolers 2 to 5 years old, between 1988 to 1994 and 1994 to 2004; Tooth decay is the single most common childhood chronic disease, and it disproportionately affects poor and minority children; Eighty percent of dental decay occurs in just 25 percent of children; and Parents are three times more likely to report that their children's dental needs are unmet, when compared with general medical care needs. A silent epidemic of dental disease is plaguing our children, and our inability to address this issue has had horrifying effects. That is why I have introduced ``Deamonte's Law,'' H.R. 2371, which would address two critical factors contributing to the inability of children like Deamonte to access a dentist: ``Deamonte's Law'' would ensure that children like Deamonte have access to dental services in the communities where they live. Community health centers provide a health safety net to underserved areas, such as rural and urban communities; however, an estimated 42 percent have gaps in their capacity to provide dental care. ``Deamonte's Law'' would address this issue by establishing a 5-year, $5 million pilot program to provide funds for dentists, equipment and construction for dental services at community health centers. The program would also provide support for contractual relationships between centers and private practice dentists. ``Deamonte's Law'' would also address the dentist shortage. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that there is a shortage of 4,650 dentists--and pediatric dentists are even more scarce. ``Deamonte's Law'' would address this issue by establishing a 5-year, $5 million pilot program to enhance training and academic programs in pediatric dentistry, recruit and train dentists to study pediatrics, and provide continuing education for practicing dentists. The legislation is endorsed by the American Dental Association. I was joined in introducing this legislation by my colleagues, Chairman Henry A. Waxman of California and Chairman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio. I want to thank both Congressmen for their leadership and dedication to this issue. On May 2, 2007, at my request, we conducted an oversight hearing entitled, ``Evaluating Pediatric Dental Care under Medicaid'' to investigate Deamonte Driver's death. At the hearing, it became apparent that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has categorically failed to meet its oversight responsibilities with regard to ensuring that state health departments, and the managed care organizations that they contract with, are in compliance with the law. Section 1905(r)(3) of the Social Security Act ensures that every Medicaid-eligible child will have access to medically necessary dental care under the early and periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment (EPSDT) provision. However, it is evident from our investigation that this has not been the case. That is why Chairman Kucinich and I sent letters to CMS Director Dennis Smith and Health and Human Services (HHS) Department Secretary Michael Leavitt to ensure that they are fulfilling their statutory obligation to provide comprehensive dental care to every Medicaid- eligible child. I remain committed to addressing this problem from every angle, and I would urge all my colleagues to join me by supporting ``Deamonte's Law,'' H.R. 2371. I want to thank Representatives Miller, Cohen, Grijalva, Serrano, McCollum and Payne for already cosponsoring the legislation, and I would urge all of my colleagues to join them. Children's lives are at stake. I can think of no better reason to act with a great sense of urgency.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce that I have introduced Deamonte's Law, a bill to establish a dental home for every American child by increasing dental services in the community health centers and training more individuals in pediatric dentistry. The legislation is named for Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old Maryland boy who died on February 25, 2007 when a tooth infection spread to his brain. A routine dental checkup might have saved his life, but Deamonte was poor and homeless and he did not have access to a dentist. When I learned of this senseless tragedy, I was deeply shaken. I simply cannot comprehend how in this country, where we have sent men to the Moon, we let a little boy's teeth rot so badly that his infection became fatal. I often say that as adults we have a responsibility to provide for and to protect our children, and we failed miserably to meet that responsibility for little Deamonte. I think we all should be ashamed by that fact. I know I am. That is why I have made a commitment to addressing this issue from every single angle. I knew that if Deamonte was suffering in my home State of Maryland, other little boys and girls like him were probably also suffering. To be clear, Deamonte's case was rare and extreme. However, even the most casual investigation reveals that children across this great Nation are living with painful, untreated tooth decay, many of them dangerously close to acquiring life-threatening infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that tooth decay in baby teeth has increased 15 percent among United States toddlers and preschoolers 2 years old to 5 years old between 1988 to 1994, and 1994 to 2004. Tooth decay is the single most common childhood chronic disease, and it disproportionately affects poor and minority children. Eighty percent of dental decay occurs in just 25 percent of children, and parents are three times more likely to report that their children's dental needs are unmet when compared to the general medical care needs. A silent epidemic of dental disease is plaguing our children, and our inability to address this issue has simply been horrifying. That is why I have introduced Deamonte's Law, which would address two critical factors contributing to the inability of children like Deamonte to access a dentist. Deamonte's Law would ensure that children like Deamonte have access to dental services in communities where they live. Community health centers provide a health safety net to underserved areas, such as rural and urban communities. However, an estimated 42 percent have gaps in their capacity to provide dental care. Deamonte's Law would address this issue by establishing a 5-year, $5 million pilot program to provide funds for dentists, equipment, and construction for dental services at community health centers. The program would also provide support for contractual relationships between centers and private practice dentists. Deamonte's Law would also address the dentist shortage. The United States Department of Health and Human Services estimates that there is a shortage of 4,650 dentists, and pediatric dentists are even more scarce. Deamonte's Law would address this issue by establishing a 5- year, $5 million pilot program to enhance training and academic programs in pediatric dentistry, recruit and train dentists to study pediatrics, and provide continuing education for practicing dentists. The legislation is endorsed by the American Dental Association. I was joined in introducing this legislation by my good friend, Chairman Henry Waxman of California, and Subcommittee Chairman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio. I want to thank both Congressmen for their leadership and dedication to this issue. On May 2, 2007, at my request, we conducted an oversight hearing entitled ``Evaluating Pediatric Dental Care under Medicaid to Investigate Deamonte Driver's Death.'' At the hearing, it became apparent that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has categorically failed to meet its oversight responsibility with regards to ensuring the State health departments and the managed care organizations that they contract with are in compliance with the law. Section 1905(r)(3) of the Social Security Act ensures that every Medicaid-eligible child will have access to medically necessary dental care under the early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment provision. However, it is evident from our investigation that this has not been the case, and so I urge my colleagues to join in sponsoring this legislation.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the very distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Filner). He is the author of this resolution, and, without a doubt, in this Congress, be it on whatever side, either side of the aisle, he has distinguished himself as being a fierce fighter for the rights and benefits of our veterans.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished lady from New Hampshire (Ms. Shea-Porter) 4 minutes.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, before yielding back, I just want to associate myself with the words of Ms. Shea-Porter and Mr. Filner, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I am honored to take this opportunity afforded by National Maritime Day to pay tribute to our Nation's merchant mariners and to the entire maritime industry. I also honor the tireless work of the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, who ensure the safety and security of our Nation's ports, who protect our economic interests in the maritime environment around the world and who, every year, save the lives of thousands of mariners in distress. In 1933, the United States first honored our merchant mariners through the designation of May 22 as National Maritime Day. Seventy- four years later, we again pause to honor the service and sacrifices of our merchant mariners by considering H. Res. 413, offered by my distinguished colleague, Congressman Bob Filner, the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Res. 413 pays special tribute to the estimated 250,000 Americans who served in the War Shipping Administration, moving 95 percent of the goods and materiel used by the allies used during World War II. The Congressional Research Service report said more than 50 percent of those who served in the Merchant Marine in World War II were under the age of 25, and some 20,000 of these men were killed or wounded in the war, yielding among the Merchant Marine the highest casualty rate of any service, according to the U.S. Maritime Service Veterans. Despite their gallant service, World War II-era U.S. merchant mariners have still not received many of the benefits given to those who served in the other U.S. military forces engaged in World War II. U.S. merchant mariners have still never been made eligible for the GI Bill or for the housing, educational or unemployment benefits that the bill provided for other U.S. veterans. Not until 1988 were World War II-era merchant mariners made eligible for services from the Veterans Administration. Not until 1998 were they made eligible for burial and cemetery benefits. While these are important benefits long overdue to World War II-era merchant mariners, many of these mariners were no longer with us when these benefits were extended. Even fewer of the World War II-era mariners are with us today. For many, therefore, any benefits granted now come too late. Further, even for those who are still with us, it is too late to give them the opportunities that they might have had, had they been eligible for the benefits of the GI Bill at the conclusion of their service. I urge my colleagues to take this opportunity to honor all of those who served in our Nation's Merchant Marine during World War II, and I hope that the experience of these mariners will be a lesson to ensure that we never, never again deny any veteran who has served the United States any of the benefits he or she has earned. As I close, I also honor the vital role that our merchant mariners continue to play in responding to our Nation's emergencies. Most recently, the U.S. merchant mariners help evacuate an estimated 160,000 people from Manhattan on September 11, 2001, and provided aid and emergency assistance along the gulf coast to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Merchant mariners also continue to provide the sealift capacity that keeps our Armed Forces equipped to fight the global war on terrorism. More than 8,000 merchant mariners serve in the Military Sealift Command, and the Seafarers International Union has written that civilian crews and military support ships have moved some 79 million square feet of cargo to United States troops in Iraq and throughout the world since 9/11. Without these highly trained men and women, we will likely be unable to equip our Armed Forces with the supplies they need to defend our Nation. I honor all of the members, past and present, of the United States Merchant Marine. I urge the passage of H.R. 413 and again commend my colleague, Congressman Filner, for his tireless efforts on behalf of our World War II-era merchant mariners. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 413) recognizing the service of United States Merchant Marine Veterans.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 413.

Mr. CUMMINGS

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

Mr. CUMMINGS. I yield myself such time as I may consume. As I close, Mr. Speaker, I hope that many people from Greensburg observe this small session that we are going through right now. I hope that they know that we are with them.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, on May 4, 2007, life in the close-knit community of Greensburg, Kansas, changed forever. At approximately 9:45 p.m. central time, a massive tornado all but destroyed the Kansas town of Greensburg, Kansas, located in south central Kansas, east of Dodge City, Kansas. The tornado was classified as an EF-5, a large and extremely dangerous mile-wide tornado with winds up to 205 miles per hour. The 20-minute warning time was reasonable, but the tornado was so destructive that nine people in Greensburg unfortunately died, and 95 percent of the town was damaged or destroyed. While the infrastructure damage is crushing, citizens of Greensburg have refused to let this incident crush their spirit, hope and determination. Resilience is the watchword, and rebuilding is the daily driving force. We're here today as representatives of all the citizens of this great Nation to express our sympathy to the residents of Greensburg for this tragedy of historic proportions. More importantly, we stand in support for the citizens of Greensburg as they heal their families and rebuild their community. I stand here in support of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I want to thank Mr. Moran for his statements. There was one scene that I am sure most Americans saw on TV. Right after the storm and the tornado, and people were looking through their belongings, there was one lady who said, ``You know, if I could just find my wedding ring, if I could just find my wedding ring.'' Her house was totally demolished. Apparently she had said that early in the day. Then later in the day, they showed her again, saying, ``You won't believe this. I found my wedding ring.'' For some reason, that was a very telling statement on her part, because what she was basically saying is that while the buildings may fall, while so much may seem so dim, the fact is that I still have family. I want that wedding ring, that band, that symbol of unity, that symbol of togetherness, that symbol of generations yet unborn, and those who have come before me; that's what I am looking for. Just as she found her wedding ring, I know the citizens of Greensburg will make it. Just as Mr. Moran said, they will rebuild. Then there was another scene, just yesterday on the news, where the commentators were talking about how a bank or two had kind of a temporary building, and other buildings were slowly coming up just to keep things rolling and doing business. Then to hear about the graduation of 25 students and 1,800 guests appearing, I think that sends a very powerful message to our Nation, and such a powerful message to so many people. Throughout life, we all fall down, but the question is whether we will get up. I think that as people watch the citizens of Greensburg, they realize that there will always, in the words of Martin Luther King, be interruptions in our lives. The question is whether we will continue our lives after the interruptions. On behalf of all of our Members, and I know there will be a unanimous vote from all of our Members, we want to say to the citizens of Greensburg that we stand with you, that our prayers are with you, and just know that as we remind you, God holds you in the palm of His hand. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. 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. 400.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Just very briefly before I yield to my good friend Mr. Skelton, let me just say this, that I was very pleased and very moved by the statement of the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran), and it reminds me that this country, our influence in the world is largely based on our moral authority, and that moral authority is one that says that we will leave no American behind. That's basically what you're saying. It's about the business of all of us lifting each other and being there and underlining under that United States, united. And so I appreciate what you've said. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to my good friend from Missouri (Mr. Skelton).