Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in honoring James M. Gardiner, the San Luis Obispo Police Chief, upon his retirement. This December, Chief Gardiner will retire from his 32- year career in law enforcement. Chief Gardiner began his career in law enforcement, in 1970 when he joined the Newport Beach Police Department as a patrol officer. There he spent 4 years on various assignments before serving as Sergeant for 5 additional years. He was then promoted to lieutenant where he served for 3 years before becoming Captain in which position he remained for another 6 years. In August of 1987, Chief Gardiner joined the San Luis Obispo Police Department as Chief of Police. Chief Gardiner has received numerous awards from the Central Coast community, including being named a Special Friend of the San Luis Obispo County Special Olympics on multiple occasions. The United Way named Chief Gardiner Humanitarian of the Year in 1993 and he was the recipient of the Community Service Award from the California Parks and Recreation Society in 1995. In 2000, Chief Gardiner received the National SOI Award of Special Olympics Hero. Chief Gardiner was also inducted into the Law Enforcement Torch Run Hall of Fame in 2001. Chief Gardiner and his wife, Elaine were recognized together as Citizens of the Year in 2001 by the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce. San Luis Obispo has been more than ably served by this fine man for 15 years. I am proud to congratulate Chief Gardiner on his remarkable record of achievement during his career as a law enforcement officer.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to the Santa Barbara Foundation on the occasion of their 75th anniversary. The Foundation has greatly enriched the Santa Barbara community as a whole and many organizations have greatly benefited from its generosity. In 1928 Major Max Fleischmann made the initial contribution to the Foundation that has since enhanced the lives of so many Central Coast residents. Since that first donation, the, Santa Barbara Foundation has become an organization that provides grants and funds to projects within four fields of interest: Education and Personal Development, Health & Human Services, Culture & Recreation and Environment and Community Enhancement. The Foundation additionally promotes programs that expand opportunities for the less advantaged as well as those that will enhance the lives of youth. In fact, over the last 72 years, more than $60,000,000 has been distributed in the forms of grants and student financial aid. There are more than 550 similar foundations throughout the nation, and the Santa Barbara Foundation holds the distinction of ranking among the top 50 oldest and largest such organizations. A board of trustees and a staff of 12 make pertinent decisions and run the operation on a day-to-day basis. And of course, the Foundation could never operate as successfully as it does without the help of the over 100 volunteers that dedicate the most precious resource a non-profit could ask for-- their time. Santa Barbara is extremely fortunate to have an organization of this generosity in its midst. I would like to bestow my sincerest congratulations to the Foundation on its 75th anniversary and wish the organization the very best in the future.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to the Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools, Bill Cirone. I have known Bill for many years, dating back to the days when I was a school nurse in the Santa Barbara County schools, and I am very pleased to have the opportunity to honor him today. On October 3, 2002, the Emmaus of Santa Barbara will present the 2002 Richard Breza Service to Santa Barbara Award to Bill Cirone. I can think of no more deserving person than Bill to receive this award, as he has served Santa Barbara County Schools for the past 20 years in his position as Superintendent. Bill has created the nationally acclaimed Santa Barbara ``Center for Community Education and Citizen Participation'' and has constantly emphasized the importance of community service in our schools. Bill has served on the board of directors or advisory committees for many organizations, including the University of California at Santa Barbara Gevirtz Research Center, the National Association of Partners in Education, the Santa Barbara Industry Education Council, the Santa Barbara Foundation, the Thomas Jefferson Center for Character Education and the Santa Barbara Grand Opera Association. Santa Barbara's County Schools are truly a product of Bill's creativity and passion for excellence. He has influenced the lives of thousands of children, their parents, and community members as a whole. It is always refreshing to see Bill at community events, as he serves as an example of someone who cares so deeply about our children's futures. There are so many extraordinary people on California's central coast, but there is no doubt that there is a special place in my heart for Bill Cirone. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to pay tribute to our wonderful Superintendent on this glorious occasion.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, in communities across the land, we gather to commemorate the unspeakable attacks against our Nation 1 year ago today. Even with the passage of time, there are still no words to adequately describe our pain, sorrow, and our anger. Our hearts remain heavy with grief for the 3,000 souls who were lost, and we continue to mourn with their families and their loved ones. I feel especially heartbroken for all the children who lost their fathers and mothers on this terrible day, and for all of the babies who came into the world after their fathers were killed. These young lives have been permanently and senselessly altered by those who so erroneously believe that extremism and hate pave the road to salvation. Now it is our duty to help these children fulfill their dreams and understand that their parents died in an attack on the freedoms and values we hold to be self-evident. It is also important to pay tribute to the acts of courage and heroism carried out by so many people: the firefighters, police and rescue personnel, the passengers on the doomed aircraft, and by countless citizens who volunteered at the crash sites and around the Nation. Some of them included volunteers from my district on the central coast of California who lent their expertise and resources. Today is a day that we should honor all of the first responders who not only risked their lives on September 11, but who are also the first on the scenes of emergencies and disasters every day in communities across this country. I am so proud of their commitment and their determination to make our country, indeed the world, a safer place. These brave individuals deserve our highest respect on September 11 and on every day. It is also important to remember and honor the brave American servicemen and women who are defending our freedom around the globe, joined by defenders from other countries. They are defending the principles of democracy and security on which this country was founded, and we salute their tireless mission. This has been a year of great sorrow and mourning. But it has also been a time of great American unity, strength of spirit, and generosity. As one widow reflected, it is as though this entire year has been stuck on September 11. Now, perhaps, we can move on to September 12. Mr. Speaker, I hope and pray, and let us work, that the coming year will bring peace to our families, our community, our Nation, and that the generosity of our people and the spirit of our democracy will be well known and well documented throughout the world.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Nurse Reinvestment Act, and I urge my colleagues to vote for this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for putting up with me, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), and especially ranking members, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), and all of the staff for the hard work put into this bill. I will mention by name as well: Katie Porter, John Ford, Steve Tilton, Cheryl Yaeger, and from my office, Jeremy Sharp. Together we have crafted good legislation that will help us deal with the nursing shortage. This bill marks a major commitment by the Congress to end the shortage of nurses. The bill is based on legislation that I introduced in April of last year, H.R. 1436, and represents a major step forward in nursing education. I am grateful for the support of 238 co-sponsors of that bill and the nursing and public health groups that helped us move it forward. The Nurse Reinvestment Act will authorize new scholarships for prospective nurses to complete their education more quickly and join the workforce. These scholarships will enable a broader range of people to find their way into a very rewarding career, one that will always be in demand, no matter the strength or weakness of the economy. The bill also authorizes grants to train all levels of the nursing workforce in geriatric care. This will better prepare our nurses to deal with the coming retirement of the baby boom generation. And the bill addresses the shortages of nursing faculty by providing loan assistance to nurses who want to teach. It also expands current nursing programs to include career ladder grant programs and nursing retention programs. These new programs will help make the nursing profession more attractive to potential nurses and to provide for more upward mobility. And, finally, the legislation will authorize public service announcements to educate the public about the need for more nurses, the opportunities available for educational assistance, and the rewards of this kind of care-giving career. One of the major problems nursing faces is the perception that it is an unappealing career and women's work. These PSA's will help us counter that impression and explain the value and the benefits of a career in nursing. Mr. Speaker, I am, as my colleague mentioned, one of three nurses currently serving in Congress. Before I was elected to the House of Representatives, I served the people of Santa Barbara County as a public health nurse for 20 years. I do know first hand the challenges facing our hospitals and health care providers and the consequences if we fail to meet them. Nurses are the backbone of our public health system. As we struggle to prepare our Nation for everyday public health emergencies, and extraordinary events like bio-terrorism, we certainly cannot afford to be without enough nurses. September 11 and the anthrax letters remind us that our safety and well-being depends in part on the ability of our hospitals to care for us and our loved ones. Having enough nurses is a critical component of that care. Nurses are the first line of defense in all these scenarios. They will be the ones treating the victims of biological and conventional terror attacks, and right now we do not have enough of them. Data on the nursing workforce shows that staffing shortages are increasing and recruiting new registered nurses is becoming progressively more difficult. We already today need 125,000 RN's to fill existing vacancies according to the American Hospitals Association; and by 2010, 40 percent of the RN workforce will be over 50 years old. In contrast, the number of RN's under 35 has fallen to just a little over 18 percent. Simply put, there are not enough new nurses joining the workforce to replace those expected to retire in the next 10 years, and this problem will be compounded by the 78 million baby boomers retiring and needing more health care. Congress needs to act on this problem quickly. We need to pass the Nurse Reinvestment Act, and then we need to appropriate sufficient funds to the program it creates. This bill represent several good steps toward a comprehensive solution toward the nursing shortage; but if we do not fund it, it will be of little help. Funding for nursing education programs right now is around $100 million. We certainly have to increase our commitment to nursing. To be sure, there is much more that we will need to do. But this is an excellent start, and I am pleased that we have finally come to this point. So I urge all of my colleagues to support nurses and vote for the Nurse Reinvestment Act.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Interior.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I am offering this amendment with the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller). It is time to take action to permanently end the threat of new oil drilling off the central coast of California. Californians oppose new drilling. We have plenty of oil platforms already, and even the oil companies themselves want a resolution to our mess. Passage of this amendment would be a major step toward terminating the leases that threaten the central coast's environment and economy. Specifically, our amendment would prohibit the Department of Interior from spending any funds during this funding cycle to permit new drilling activities on the 36 undeveloped oil and gas leases off California's coast. We hope this will spur negotiations between the administration, the oil company lease holders, and the State of California about terminating these leases. Mr. Chairman, there is precedent for this approach. Settlements to remove leases from Alaska and North Carolina occurred after congressional action to prevent new leasing and the development of existing leases. Last year the House passed a historic amendment similar to what we are offering here today. The Davis amendment halted the sale of Lease 181 off Florida's coast. It passed by a wide bipartisan margin, with 70 of my Republican colleagues voting in favor of it. Following up on this action, the administration reached an agreement with Florida to purchase drilling leases in Lease 181 area and other coastal areas and the Everglades. These actions have been widely acclaimed throughout Florida. I fully supported this bold step to protect their environment and economy. The President cited local opposition to new drilling as a prime reason for the decision. Which left Californians asking, What about us? According to Department of Interior Secretary Norton, ``A major difference between Florida and California is that Florida opposes coastal drilling and California does not.'' As the U.S. Representative for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and a nearly 40-year resident of the central coast, I was dumbfounded by this assertion. The Santa Barbara News Press editorialized about what it called Secretary Norton's jaw-dropping remarks asking, ``What alternative universe is Ms. Norton living in?'' Mr. Chairman, I lived in Santa Barbara in 1969 when a huge blowout on Union Oil's platform A put 4 million gallons of oil into our sea. It killed thousands of sea birds, and I will show one. Sea birds like this one, seals, dolphins, fish and other sea life; and it damaged a huge swath of our beautiful coast. It galvanized central coast residents, indeed virtually the whole State, against more offshore oil drilling. While we were outraged by the environmental damage, we knew another blowout would wreak havoc on our tourism, fishing, and recreation industries, all critical components of our local economy. As the newspaper noted, ``This catastrophe helped spark an environmental movement that has spread far beyond Santa Barbara.'' Since that time, at least two dozen city and county governments have passed anti-oil measures. In 1994, Republican Governor Pete Wilson signed into a law a permanent ban on new offshore leasing in State waters. In 1999, the State Assembly adopted a resolution requesting the Federal Government enact a permanent ban on drilling off California's coast. Even the Federal Government has demonstrated its sensitivity to Californians' opposition to new drilling. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush placed a 10-year moratorium on new leasing in Federal waters off California, later renewed and extended by President Clinton. We have asked for the administration, the leaseholders, and the State of California to work with us to terminate the leases off California's coast. It is time to end the long-standing controversy surrounding the 36 undeveloped leases. Californians have spoken loud and clear. We do not want more drilling. The Federal Government should respect our wishes. California's coastline is a priceless treasure. It is home to everything from blue whales to otters, and it is home to two of our national marine sanctuaries and the Channel Islands National Park. This map shows where the park fits and where these leases are right in between. More oil drilling is just not worth the risk to this environmentally and economically valuable area. I urge support for the Capps-Rahall-Miller amendment to demonstrate the House's commitment to protecting the environment and the economy of both coastlines, the Atlantic and the Pacific.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee), my esteemed colleague. (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), the former chair of the Committee on Resources. (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), my colleague on the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey). (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the remaining time. I would like to thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp), and I thank my colleagues for joining with me in presenting our case for the State of California. This is about our economy, it is about a national economy, a State that produces its fair share of energy resources, a State where we have a coastline that needs protection. This amendment seeks to limit the Interior Department's funding for the funding cycle so that we can encourage the Federal Government and the State of California to sit with the local oil lessees, oil lessees who have come to my office and told me that they would like to settle, they would like to find a way out, and this amendment can give them that time and give us the opportunity to make a resolution in some situation such as Florida has done. Again, it will protect our environment. This oil-soaked bird is an example of what can happen with one accident. Our economy needs this protection; our environment needs this protection. I am pleased to implore my colleagues to support this amendment and work with us to allow these negotiations to occur for the State of California, for our environment and our economy.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), the ranking member of the Committee on Resources and the coauthor of this amendment.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. I, for one, Mr. Speaker, do appreciate the open rule, and today I will be offering an amendment to the interior bill to encourage our administration to work on terminating the 36 undeveloped oil leases off California's coast. My amendment would restrict this year's Department of the Interior funds from being spent to develop these 36 leases. It is similar to an amendment the House passed last year by a wide bipartisan margin to stop the sale of leases off Florida's coast. Offshore oil drilling has long been a controversial issue throughout California. The 1969 blowout in the Santa Barbara Channel dumped 4 million gallons of oil into the sea, killing thousands of marine animals and damaging a huge swath of our beautiful coast. The devastation was so great that it galvanized virtually the entire State against more offshore oil drilling. Many credit this event to inspiring the modern environmental movement. Since then, dozens of local governments have passed anti-oil drilling measures, and our State has enacted a permanent ban on new offshore oil leasing. Many of us have asked this administration to work on terminating these existing leases. So now I hope that a strong House vote on protecting California's coast and economy can encourage such action similar to the action on behalf of Florida and Michigan's coastlines. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this amendment and demonstrate the House's commitment to protecting our environment and the economy associated with our coastal resources, particularly in this case, the California coastline.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express strong support for the Langevin-Hoyer- Conyers motion to instruct conferees on the election reform bill. Election reform is one of the most important issues that we will face in the 107th Congress. Last year, we cast historic bipartisan election reform language and legislation that will significantly improve our election system. More importantly, this legislation will protect one of our most cherished democratic rights, the right to vote. In passing the Help America Vote Act, we understood that this legislation was not perfect. One area that needs to be improved on is the language concerning the right of voters with disabilities and their access to polling places, and I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), for his leadership on this issue. One of the greatest challenges voters face are inaccessible buildings and voting machines. According to the GAO, 84 percent of polling places examined in the last election were found to have one or more physical impediments which would limit people's access, people with disabilities. This is appalling. In my view, we need to make polling places and voting machines fully accessible to elderly, to frail, to those with disabilities. Affording all people the opportunity to cast a secret ballot is of critical importance to our election system. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support the Senate language to require States to maintain voting systems that are accessible to disabled and elderly voters. Finally, I am hopeful that as we move forward on this issue Congress will enact a Federal election reform bill that ensures every single vote is counted and that no American is ever disenfranchised again. We must regain the trust and full participation of voters across this country. This is a great first step and I commend my colleagues who are leaders in this area, and I urge all of us in this House to support the motion that is before us this afternoon.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge my sisters in Congress as we rise in opposition to this terrible rule. One of the proudest days of my life was when I was sworn into this body, the symbol of our democracy. But today I am sad for the House and for this country. The process the majority has used to produce their Medicare bill is completely contrary to the principles of our constitution. A bill was rammed through committee that will not give seniors an affordable, reliable, comprehensive benefit; seniors, most of whom are women. Now the majority is refusing to allow a free and fair debate on the issue. Why? They know their bill will not work. They know seniors will not get affordable drug coverage from insurance companies, and they know so many seniors will get no help with their medications, and they are afraid they would lose. I can accept losing in a fair fight, but I cannot accept this anti- democratic attempt to muzzle fair debate. We should reject this rule, have a full debate on the needs of our seniors, and pass a real prescription drug benefit.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding time to me; and, Mr. Speaker, for seniors in my district, there is no issue more important than prescription drug coverage, but the bill before us will not offer my seniors what they need. First, it entices insurance companies to offer the drug coverage plans. In fact, it gives them the money without any guarantee of a benefit for seniors. Medicare+Choice has shown us that just relying on private insurance companies does not work. Second, under the majority's proposal, as a senior's drug costs increase, their benefits decrease. In fact, once a senior's costs exceed $2,000, a senior has to spend another $2,900 on their medications before they will get any help. This chart here, the GOP plan, shows a calendar for seniors. Many seniors in my district pay $400 a month. This senior paying $400 a month will get no benefit during the first month while he is paying his deductible; but then he will get a benefit, February, March, April and May. Unfortunately, then he reaches that $2,000. No more benefit for this senior for the entire rest of the month, and we call this is a drug benefit for our seniors? This is the plan we are voting on tonight because we have no alternative. We are not allowed to bring a plan that our side has developed that would offer affordable, reliable prescription drug coverage for all under Medicare. For our $25 premium, $100 deductible, seniors would get 80 percent coverage of all their medications. This person during this time of having no coverage is not allowed to rely on a church who wants to step to their aid or family members or if they have a pension plan because of their services, they cannot use that. This plan is the one that we must vote ``yes'' or ``no'' on tonight. We do have many alternatives. The one we wanted to put up would be a good and fair plan. No opportunity to do that because the majority is so afraid that they will lose the opportunity to do the things that they know in their hearts they should do for this Greatest Generation. We owe our seniors a better plan than this one.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule, this resolution, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Yesterday, a Federal court ruled that the recitation of the Pledge is unconstitutional and all because it contains the words ``under God.'' Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose this ruling, and I know that I speak for my constituents when I say that the court should reverse itself or the Supreme Court should overrule it. If they do not, then this Congress should act to protect the Pledge of Allegiance. For decades, Americans have said the Pledge of Allegiance as a way to show their respect and love for this country. We say it every day we are in session here on the floor of the people's House. The pledge is a statement reaffirming our belief in our country and the values for which it stands. Now more than ever those values, liberty, justice, equality, are so needed. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and to support the Pledge.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong concerns over the possible shutdown of Amtrak. Amtrak's new president has said that Amtrak needs a $200 million loan guarantee by June 30 or the company will have to begin a shutdown of all services. This would have a serious impact on commuters and travelers across this country, and I speak for those who would be strongly affected in California. For that reason, Congress and the administration must avert a shutdown. We cannot allow Amtrak to go bankrupt. Amtrak is a critical component of our national transportation network, providing safe, efficient and affordable transportation for millions of Americans each year. Amtrak serves over 500 cities and communities across this country, many of which rely on trains as a crucial transportation option. Since 1996, ridership on Amtrak trains has increased by 19 percent. Last year, Amtrak had 23 million riders. Including commuter services, Amtrak's total ridership exceeds 60 million passengers a year. Amtrak also plays a significant role in my State. California hosts three of the top six most heavily traveled services in the country. The Pacific Surfliner, which serves my congressional district in southern and central California, carries more than 1\1/2\ million passengers annually. The Surfliner is California's most highly developed service, and it is second only to Amtrak's northeast corridor in ridership. It connects two of the most congested regions in the country, Los Angeles and San Diego. Maintaining mobility in this busy economic corridor is essential. In addition, if funds are not provided to Amtrak, regional contract partners, like commuter rail system Metrolink, are at risk. Metrolink contracts with Amtrak to provide service throughout southern California, including Ventura County. Shutting down Metrolink service will not only impact ridership, 34,000 riders a day, but contribute to increased congestion on the region's highways. In my district, Amtrak serves Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, Guadeloupe, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. These communities rely on Amtrak as a very important, vital transportation link. At a time when more and more communities are looking to rail passenger service to increase transportation options, create economic development and reduce congestion, we must avoid an unnecessary disruption of service that America depends on. Mr. Speaker, there are three things Congress and the administration can do. First, we must support an appropriation of $200 million for Amtrak in the supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year 2002. A number of my colleagues and I sent a letter to the conferees urging them to do so yesterday. I urge the administration to join in this effort. Second, we must substantially increase funding for Amtrak above current levels. As my colleagues know, the President has requested in his budget only half of what Amtrak says it needs to survive. If we do not address this shortfall, the railroad has publicly stated that it may be forced to eliminate the entire long distance train network. Third, we must adopt a long-term strategy to reform and to improve Amtrak. We need to address the real problem with passenger rail travel in this country: lack of funding, new missions and undercapitalization. As we begin a new era, our Nation needs a viable passenger rail system to supplement our network of highways and airports. It is time we recognize such a system requires more financial support. The Department of Transportation's Inspector General has stated that Amtrak has never received sufficient funding to invest in capital projects that would create opportunities for greater efficiency and revenue production. Yet, despite the inadequate support, Amtrak has been able to increase ridership and revenue. I commend Amtrak for doing so much with so little. In conclusion, I would like to urge the administration to take action to prevent a shutdown of Amtrak. Immediate Federal investment in our national passenger rail system is vital. If we are unable to avoid a shutdown, thousands of Amtrak workers could lose their jobs, and millions of passengers face the loss of vital train service in communities nationwide. Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that we can make a commitment to provide stable and adequate funding for the national Amtrak passenger rail network.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, in 1965 we established Medicare because the private insurance industry demonstrated that it could not provide affordable access to health care for seniors, at least not at rates that seniors could afford. Now, 37 years later, this Congress will be considering important changes to improve this most successful government program. Everyone seems to recognize that we must add prescription drug coverage to the program. Older Americans fill more than one-third of all the prescriptions that doctors write and will spend $1.8 trillion over the next decade on these critical medications, much of it from their own pockets. Our parents, our grandparents, the seniors living in our neighborhood need and deserve our help. But I am afraid that some have lost track of the important lessons of 1965, that markets forces are inadequate to this task. Now I recognize the power of the market. Since arriving in Congress I have voted for tax cuts and supported free trade and generally taken a pro-business stance. But here, when we are trying to provide health care for our senior citizens and those with disabilities, we have seen the markets fall short. The most recent example is the Medicare+Choice program, created to harness the efficiencies of the marketplace. The hope, indeed, the promise from the program's supporters, was that HMOs would offer seniors quality or better care for less money than it took Medicare. At first, it seemed to work. We have paid the HMO slightly less than it cost to cover a senior through a fee-for-service program; and seniors enrolled in the program in droves because it had low co- payments and at least a few more benefits. But then the HMO's said they needed more money, a lot of it. So we gave them more money; and then they started pulling out of a lot of areas, like my district. And where they did not pull out, they cut back on benefits a lot. They raised premiums, they raised co-pays, and they still asked for more money from Congress. In truth, this program has not been an overwhelming success, to say the least. I am willing to continue to try to fix it, but we should be aware of its problems and shortfalls, and we should not base the rest of Medicare on it, particularly a prescription drug benefit. Last week, the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means considered legislation that would do just that and provide a prescription drug benefit through a program similar to Medicare+Choice. Many of my colleagues and I offered amendments to provide a prescription drug benefit through traditional Medicare to these proposals, but the majority defeated each and every attempt to improve this bill. Instead, they have sent legislation to the House floor that would privatize Medicare, impose unfair cost sharing on seniors and not even offer medication coverage that most seniors could count on. Even the insurance companies, the people who are supposed to administer and offer these plans, these companies are unenthusiastic about the leadership's proposal. One of HIAA's past presidents, former Representative Bill Gradison, is quoted as being ``very skeptical'' of this proposal working. Even if the insurance companies do offer the plans and do provide the benefits the majority describes, it still will not help the seniors who most need it. In fact, their proposal pays less the more seniors needs medication. It offers no help to seniors with drug costs between $2,000 and $3,700 or $4,700 per year. This means that sicker seniors with most health problems, those who most need medications, will not be able to afford them again. Now, 37 years ago America made a promise to our seniors. We told them they would have health care when they needed it most. We need to follow through on that promise. We need to give our seniors affordable prescription drug coverage. When this legislation comes to the floor, my colleagues and I will try once again to give seniors a prescription drug benefit they can depend upon. We will offer seniors a reliable, voluntary benefit within the Medicare structure, comparable to the coverage a senior receives for other Medicare services. In fact, unlike the bill that will come before Congress, our plan makes sure seniors get access to the same level of prescription drug coverage that a Member of Congress or another Federal employee receives. This is only fair. This plan offers seniors real help. It covers 80 percent of the cost of their medication. It will prevent seniors from spending more than $2,000 a year on their medication. It will not rely on the goodwill or poor business sense of insurance companies; and it will guarantee coverage in all areas, urban, suburban and rural. A senior in California would be able to count on the same benefit that a senior in Kansas or a senior in New York City has and vice versa. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the majority's bill that will give our seniors false hopes that will be dashed on the rocks of reality and to support the alternative for a voluntary, affordable bill that will be offered by the Democratic side.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I attended a special dedication of a mural at Santa Barbara Junior High in the memory of not only the 3,000 people who lost their lives on September 11, but additionally in the memory of the 10,000 that survived. Today, I would like to pay special tribute to the person responsible for that mural, Sam Dudley. Sam Dudley is a student at Santa Barbara Junior High, who, like the rest of the country, was extremely affected by the events of September 11. Instead of exchanging Christmas gifts, Sam urged his family to take a trip to Ground Zero, so that he could observe directly how New Yorkers were impacted by that horrible day. Upon visiting Ground Zero, Sam discovered the smoggy air, ashy streets and morose atmosphere that he had expected. Silence prevailed at the scene, only to be interrupted by the piercing noise of an ambulance's siren, which signified the passing of the vehicle, filled with the remains of victims. It was a sobering sight, and the missing posters that covered the walls, among tributes to the dead, left Sam with a somber, hopeless feeling. Yet when he began discussing the tragic day with bystanders, firefighters, police officers, and New York citizens, Sam realized that although the events of September 11 had caused 3,000 deaths, it had also produced 10,000 miracles. Sam met one woman who had 11 family members at the World Trade Center on September 11. After the smoke had cleared, the woman was amazed to hear that she had not lost a single family member in the attacks. Another woman, Janet Warnock, had a son who worked in one of the towers, and another son and husband who were firefighters that arrived at the site on that fateful morning. Janet's family members also survived. Upon returning to Santa Barbara, Sam wrote about his experience in New York. His essay was later published in the Santa Barbara News- Press, attracting the attention of his school principal, Gerrie Fawsett, who offered Sam the resources to paint a mural reflecting his experience. The 8th grade leadership class also expressed interest in the project, and the students proceeded to create this mural, entitled 3,000 Deaths, 10,000 Miracles. On June 10, 2002, this mural was unveiled at Santa Barbara Junior High. Janet Warnock flew out from New York to be present at the ceremony. The mural is a wonderful piece of work, and it will serve as a reminder that although there were many tragedies on that fateful day, September 11 created many miracles as well.