Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I wish to commend the personal commitment of our colleagues from California, Congressman Royce and Congresswoman Jane Harman, and I urge support for this resolution. I yield back the balance of our time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 55) expressing support for the designation of a National Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month to raise awareness of and promote research into this challenging disorder.

Mrs. CAPPS. 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 into the Record.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 55. This resolution supports raising awareness and educating the public about Prader-Willi syndrome and expresses the support for designating National Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month. Prader-Willi syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs in approximately 1 in every 15,000 births. Individuals with this syndrome have lower metabolic rates and lack normal hunger and satiety cues. The combination of these factors results in morbid obesity and associated complications if gone untreated. Individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome are also affected by nonobesity-related conditions such as cognitive and learning disabilities and some behavioral difficulties. The link between Prader- Willi syndrome and obesity is one that cannot be ignored. Obesity is one of the fastest-growing public health challenges in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 16 percent of American children and one-third of American adults are obese. That's an astounding fact. A recently released report supported by the United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association, and the Partnership for Prevention concluded that, if current trends continue, over 100 million American adults will be obese by 2018. This would translate to over $300 billion of health care costs attributable to obesity if the rates continue to increase at current trends. As my colleagues are aware, obesity is a complex health issue. Behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors also contribute to this epidemic. Most often we talk about eating a healthy diet and exercising. In recent months, I am proud of how we have prioritized investments in community-level prevention and wellness activities. Interventions in schools, workplaces, and other settings are essential to reinforce and facilitate individual efforts to maintain a healthy weight. The resolution we are considering today presents us with an opportunity to focus on how genes affect obesity. I am pleased to join my colleagues in drawing attention to the Prader-Willi syndrome. I urge passage this resolution. I want to thank my colleagues from California, Congressman Royce and Congresswoman Harman, for their leadership on this issue. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. I am pleased now to yield whatever time she may consume to my colleague and friend from California, Jane Harman.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mrs. CAPPS. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 35, expressing the sense of the House that Congress should provide increased Federal research funding for type 1 diabetes. Diabetes is one of the most prevalent and costly chronic conditions in the United States today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 24 million Americans--that's roughly 8 percent of the United States population--have diabetes. Direct and indirect costs of diabetes totaled $174 billion in 2007, $120 billion of which were direct medical costs attributable to diabetes. Three million Americans have type 1 diabetes, which results when the body's immune system destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas that regulate blood glucose levels. Individuals with type 1 diabetes depend on insulin, but even with adherence to insulin treatment, individuals with type 1 diabetes are still very vulnerable to the many complications that this disease offers, which are blindness, kidney failure, and amputation. As a school nurse, I became intimately aware of the challenges faced by children with type 1 diabetes and of the impact it has on their families and on their classmates as well. During the years I cared for those students, we discussed the potential for a cure by now. Unfortunately, we still have a ways to go. The Federal funding of diabetes research has resulted in tremendous advancements for our understanding and our treatment of the disease. We have successfully determined underlying genetic and environmental causes of diabetes, and we are testing and promising new treatments, but there is still much more work to be done. The National Institutes of Health devoted $433 million in fiscal year 2009 for type 1 diabetes research. This resolution calls for a doubling of annual NIH funding to meet leading researchers' estimates of the funding needed to accomplish NIH's six goals related to type 1 diabetes. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in calling for the passage of this resolution and of increased research funding to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. I want to thank my colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Gene Green, for his leadership on this important issue. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to respond to my friend and colleague from Nebraska by reminding us all that, with the health care and insurance reform legislation that has been proposed, one of the effects would be that more Americans would have access to preventative and primary care, which would, hopefully, mitigate the onset of diabetes and its effects on Americans. Now it is my great pleasure to yield as much time as he may consume to my colleague from Texas, Gene Green. He is the resolution sponsor.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 35) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should provide increased Federal funding for continued type 1 diabetes research.

Mrs. CAPPS. I have no remaining speakers on this side, and I also urge our colleagues to support this resolution. I yield back the balance of our time.

Mrs. CAPPS. 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 materials into the Record.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. This historic legislation will strengthen our financial regulatory system and better protect consumers from abuse by the lending and credit industries. Most importantly, this historic legislation ends ``too big to fail'' and government bailouts. Never again will taxpayer dollars be used to bail out Wall Street and their overpaid executives. Large financial institutions like AIG or Lehman Brothers at risk of collapse will be dissolved in an orderly and controlled process, and this process will be paid for by the shareholders, by creditors, and the assets of failed companies--not by the taxpayers. For years, Wall Street has reaped the spoils of success with no penalties for failure. This bill will end this injustice and force Wall Street to accept responsibility for its failings. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 914.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Commerce be discharged from further consideration of House Resolution 914 and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my colleagues of just one of the essential programs included in the Affordable Health Care for America Act. This bill includes the first dedicated Federal funding for school-based health clinics. School-based clinics garner strong bipartisan support, and this provision is one of the many bipartisan initiatives included in our health reform legislation. Today clinics in our schools are providing comprehensive and easily accessible health care to nearly 2 million students across the country. Students spend 5 days a week in school. It's the most logical place to offer primary and preventive care. Without this legislation, some students may have no access to health education, screenings and other primary services. At the height of the flu season, there is a need for supporting these clinics, these school-based health clinics, now more than ever. This is just one more reason of why I urge my colleagues to help pass real health reform now.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in support of reforms that ensure that no mother will ever have her child's care denied because of a preexisting condition.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise in emphatic support of H.R. 3962. As we pass this historic legislation today which improves health care for all Americans, I want to focus on the benefits for women's health. When this bill becomes law, a woman will no longer be discriminated against by an insurance company simply for being a woman. Women will no longer be discriminated against by insurance companies for being victims of domestic violence. Women will automatically be covered for maternity care. Women will not have to pay co-pays for important preventative screenings, like mammograms and cervical cancer. Most importantly, women who make the bulk of the health care decisions for their families will have access to quality, affordable health care for their families. This is an excellent bill, and I am humbled by the fact that, as a Representative of the 23rd Congressional District in California--a nurse, a mother and a grandmother--I am privileged to vote today in favor of this bill. I urge all of my colleagues to do the same.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. Contrary to what its sponsors and their supporters say, the underlying bill does prohibit Federal funding for abortion. It is written clearly and plainly on page 246, line 11, ``prohibition of use of public funds for abortion coverage.'' But apparently that isn't good enough for people whose goal really is to strip women of their right to choose altogether despite purporting to just want to maintain the status quo. So instead we have this amendment which restricts a woman's right to access a legal medical procedure in this country. It is ironic, actually, because most of the people who support the amendment claim to oppose government interference in health care, yet this amendment is government interference and a decision that should be made between a woman and her physician. If this amendment passes, it will be the only language in the entire legislation that actually restricts coverage of a legal medical procedure. Not one other legal medical procedure is singled out in this legislation for rationing. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this devastating amendment.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of the Reverend LLoyd Saatjian, who passed away on July 28, 2009. Reverend Saatjian was a beloved pastor, humanitarian, social justice advocate, and so much more. His genuine warmth was felt by all who met him, and had unique ability to connect with people. Reverend Saatjian was appointed to lead the First United Methodist Church of Santa Barbara in 1989 where he served as Pastor until his retirement several years ago. During his time as Pastor, he was an active member of the Greater Santa Barbara Area Clergy Association where he worked closely with leaders from other local faith communities on a wide range of projects and initiatives, including an annual interfaith Thanksgiving service. Hosted at First United Methodist Church, this wonderful event brought together community members from every faith to find common ground and give thanks. This event held special significance in 2001 when it helped facilitate an open dialogue between the local Muslim community during a time of such great unrest and misunderstanding. He also forged a unique and inspirational partnership with the local Jewish community to help rebuild African American churches in the American South that had fallen victim to arson. Beginning 11 years ago, this partnership has sent hundreds of my constituents to small rural towns across the South to help those in need. These trips have not only built places of worship, but also lasting friendships with church and community members from all walks of life. This ongoing partnership is a shining testament to Reverend Saatjian's lifelong commitment to social justice and interfaith collaboration. Reverend Saatjian was a cherished and valued member of the Santa Barbara community, and he will be truly missed.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague for yielding, Madam Speaker. I rise to express my opposition to the resolution before us. Sadly, I think that in this body's haste, we've overlooked some of the depth of unspeakable tragedies that have occurred during the war on Gaza. Innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives were lost. We owe it to all victims' families to vow to do everything in our power to prevent further tragedy. Instead, we have a flawed resolution before us. As an example, the text of the resolution focuses on the original mandate of the report, not the mission that was actually carried out by the investigators. I am disappointed the committee chose to ignore the fact that Justice Goldstone did not agree to take on the investigation until it was agreed to that the conduct of all parties would be investigated. This is just one of many parts of the resolution. The United States will remain a true friend to our ally Israel without passing a resolution that has questionable accuracy and motives. So let us call for an open and honest debate with the reputable Judge Goldstone. Let us not act in haste to pass a resolution that will in no way achieve our ultimate goal of achieving a lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, one of the scariest themes of Halloween has been the continuation of myths about our health care legislation that is being made by opponents of reform. These TEA-bagger myths have been debunked time and time again, yet some in this Congress continue to perpetuate them. Why? Because they have no alternative plan of their own. If they had a comprehensive plan that would actually address our Nation's health care crisis, it would have been put forward, or maybe they would have enacted it during the years that they ran Congress and the White House. But when you don't have a plan, you have nothing else to talk about. We all know we cannot continue the status quo: Americans with health insurance today, never knowing if it will be there when they need it; millions of Americans today without any coverage; all the while, costs keep climbing and insurance companies keep getting richer. So what do some folks do? They distort our plan and use scare tactics and try to fool the American people. But the American people support our plan, which ensures that we all have access to quality, affordable health care, and they won't be fooled anymore by the Party of No.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 1694, the Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program Extension Act of 2009. This grant program, due to expire at the end of this year, is a vital component of a nationwide fully interoperable communications network for our first responders. It provides grants to States so they may purchase expensive, yet essential, interoperable communications equipment. This simple, straightforward extension would assist States in establishing their portion of a nationwide interoperable network. We cannot afford to let this program expire. There are two primary reasons to support this bill. First, interoperability is essential for the safety of Americans. We all know the devastating consequences that occur when our first responders and public safety entities cannot communicate in the face of incredible disaster. Tragedies such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina instantly come to mind. Interoperability was a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and one of the foremost reasons Congress passed legislation to ``free-up'' spectrum by transitioning to digital television. First responders need to be able to communicate effortlessly--lives depend on it. Second, we want to ensure the communications networks established by States are thorough, effective, and efficient. The Department of Homeland Security has set deadlines for all States to develop Statewide Communications Interoperability Plans and Congress established the grant program to help States purchase the equipment to implement these plans. Unfortunately, the deadline for the program has not afforded States sufficient time to comply with the program requirements. By extending the deadline for applications for this grant program, we are enabling public safety entities to do the right thing--to carefully and thoroughly design their interoperable plans before they spend millions of taxpayer dollars on equipment. Of course, the sooner interoperable communications networks come online, the better. But we do not want to unwisely rush their implementation or effectively punish those entities that do their due diligence in the planning stages. We must extend this vital grant program. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to my colleague Rep. Harman who had the foresight to introduce this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support S. 1694, the Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program Extension Act of 2009.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, the news from the Senate that they will include a public option in the health reform bill is encouraging, as we in the House prepare to vote on comprehensive reform. It is also precisely what the majority of Americans want. They want true competition in the health insurance market, and only the public option can do that. If the current insurance market had wanted to provide equitable and affordable health coverage for Americans, we wouldn't have 47 million uninsured people. These are our constituents, our neighbors, even our family members. It's the young mother who called me to tell me that her daughter, born with spina bifida, was being denied a lifesaving surgery. I urge my colleagues to join me in welcoming the news from the Senate. Let's pass real health reform now.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Chair, I rise in support of the manager's amendment and the underlying legislation. I thank Chairman Oberstar for his hard work on this bill. As someone who represents over 200 miles of coastline, I am keenly aware of the importance of the Coast Guard and this legislation. H.R. 3619 provides the Coast Guard, including the 3 stations located in my congressional district, with the resources it needs to meet an ever-increasing workload--from search and rescue and terrorism protection to fisheries law enforcement and oil spill cleanup. I also want to thank Chairman Oberstar for including the amendment I submitted to the Rules Committee within his manager's amendment. My amendment would require the Coast Guard to report to Congress on the most frequent sources of human error that have led to oil spills from vessels, as well as on the most significant types of ``near miss'' incidents. The amendment would also require the Coast Guard to use these findings to take appropriate action domestically and at the International Maritime Organization to reduce the risk of oil spills due to human error. The consideration of this amendment, Madam Chair, could not be more timely. Earlier this week we learned that more than 18,000 gallons of fuel oil spilled when two ships collided in the Gulf of Mexico. By yesterday morning oil covered an area two miles long and a mile and a half wide. This troubling incident reminds us that our fragile marine resources are still susceptible to disaster. While efforts by the Coast Guard, states, and industry have reduced spills over the last two decades, accidents still occur and most are the result of human error. Unfortunately, we currently lack the data and analysis we need to determine the causes of human errors and the ways to prevent them. My amendment would begin filling in that gap so we can learn from the mistakes that have been made in the past and take action to avoid similar incidents in the future. Madam Chair, with billions of gallons of oil passing through our nation's coastal waters every year, we must strengthen our oil spill safety programs. And we must do everything we can to prevent future accidents like this week's collision in the Gulf of Mexico and the resulting spill. I urge my colleagues to support the manager's amendment which takes appropriate action to reduce the risk of oil spilled because of human error.