Shelley Capito

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Well, I think you are getting to the point here where you are talking about the difference between a legitimate claim and a frivolous claim. I don't have statistics in front of me, but I know they exist in every court in America where certain frivolous lawsuits are put out on the table, they overreach in terms of not only are they suing maybe a business, but they are going to sue the manufacturer, they are going to sue the car they rode to go to work in, they are going to sue, you know, anybody with deep pockets is going to get sued for an alleged wrong. And it is absolutely a fact that some of these cases and more and more of these cases are not founded in legitimate fact. They are frivolous. They are trying to get into the system to get a quick fix, to get a lottery mentality, to have the corporation settle, or whoever settle, so they can get in and get out of the court system, and then have their attorney take a 40 or 50 percent cut from that. I had a very startling thing happen to me. A gentleman approached me at a political gathering a couple of years ago. He had oxygen, he was walking very slowly. And he came up to me and he said, I have asbestosis, and I have lung disease from that. And I took my case to court with my lawyer. And he didn't tell me how much he was awarded, but he was awarded some remedy for that. And it was very obvious that he had difficulty breathing, and it was very obvious that he needed some help, a lot of help. But what he wanted to show me that day was the invoice. He got a settlement every month or every two months, a pay-out, or it might have even been every year. But he showed me how much he got, and I think it was around $1,500. And every single time he gets that he has to take off 40 percent of that, or 45 percent of that, I think it was 40 percent in this case, for his attorney. Every single time he gets a payment, his attorney gets 40 percent. And this guy was on oxygen, could barely walk. And I think, you know, there is something wrong with the system where the harmed person who needs the help and has a legitimate claim, and certainly I know lawyers take risks by taking cases, I understand that part of it, but sometimes it just seems astronomical to me that the fees are 40, by the time you get expenses, and 50 percent of what the court has determined that victim is due and willing. I think that is an injustice in the system, along with the frivolous lawsuits that we see clogging up our courts so this gentleman can get his case heard.

Mrs. CAPITO. You have skyrocketing costs of your medical liability. A lot of doctors, and I am sure you have had this conversation with the doctors, they practice basically with one arm tied behind their back because they are practicing medicine defensively. Nearly 80 percent of the doctors say they order unnecessary tests, and 74 percent say they make unnecessary referrals to specialists due to the fear of being sued. A lot of doctors are practicing defensive medicine, ordering many more medical procedures and tests to cover themselves in the case of a legal test or a lawsuit, and that raises the cost of not only their insurance but it also raises the cost of every individual's health insurance because it raises the cost of practicing medicine or delivering health care in a general sense. I think that a comprehensive solution is certainly part of what we need to look at here, and that does include the insurance companies most certainly, but it also includes looking at what has happened in some manufacturing segments that have had extreme loss of jobs; 52,000 to 60,000 jobs have been lost in the manufacturing segment of this country because of bankruptcies being caused by massive and huge tort lawsuits. And so I think that there is a median here, there is an easy median that we can find here. But I would recommend to you that the experience that we had in West Virginia with medical liability reform, across the board, bringing more specialists in as a result, bringing the cost of medical liability insurance down, recruitment and retention of physicians is something that we need to look at nationwide, and that is why I support a Federal medical liability reform which I am sure is no surprise to you that I would support that and have been pushing for it over the last 7 years. But I think there is also a cost to just the individual person as we inflate the cost of defending ourselves, businesses defending themselves, doctors defending themselves, hospitals defending themselves. My final chart here, and I do not know if you can read it or not, but I will read the bottom line here. It shows that in 2005, the U.S. population being approximately 296 million, that the tort cost per capita for each individual is $880. Whereas when you were talking about 1990 with the physicians, in 1990, that cost was only $522, which is still too much. So I think that we need to find a medium here where we can control frivolous lawsuits, where we can control the ability of people to have mass torte actions and seek friendly environments for those torte actions. And we tried to address that in Congress with a class action reform. And we need to make sure that those people that are damaged, hurt, have access to court, but also in a timely manner. With all this massive torte legislation or lawsuits in our courts, it is bogging up the courts and it is really hurting those people who are genuinely hurt and need to have remedies.

Mrs. CAPITO. Stable. They are considered stable. Look over here, California, which is held up to be one of the States that passed medical liability reform in the 1970s, it is considered stable, and West Virginia was modeled after what was done in California.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Missouri. I look forward to our second debate, our second civil debate on a new topic. Before we move to the subject at hand, I would like to join with my colleagues in expressing my deep sorrow at the passing of our colleague, Juanita Millender-McDonald. Just briefly, she was a kind and gentle person. She was a great advocate for many things that she believed in. She was a pioneer. But, for me, she was just a very helpful and warm and friendly person. When I came to Congress, she had already been here for several years. She was the chairman of the Caucus on Women's Issues, and I was the vice chair for the Republican side. Juanita was always very helpful, always very concerned that I was making my way in my first several months in Congress, and I think the way she crossed the aisle, the way that she treated me with kid gloves, so-to-speak, in the beginning of my term, is something that I will never forget. So my thoughts and prayers are with her. Bless her family during this very tough time, and know that she will be missed. I would also like to express publicly before this body and before this Nation my deep sadness over the tragic events at Virginia Tech last week. I haven't spoken publicly on the House floor about this, but it is deeply crushing to all of us, has been, and it has sort of set a pall or a feeling of helplessness for all of us. I have college age children. I can't imagine the despair the families are feeling who have lost a loved one, to realize that that phone call that you are waiting for is never going to come. So, to my friends in the Virginia Tech community, many West Virginians attend Virginia Tech. We have a great fondness for Virginia Tech, except possibly when we are playing them in football. But certainly our collective hearts go out to them during this difficult time. I yield back to my friend from Missouri, and we will kick off the evening.

Mrs. CAPITO. Thank you, I appreciate your opening statements. This may be a very civil debate because I couldn't agree with you more in that our civil justice system should be readily available, should be the place for the individual to seek redress when they have been wronged by either a corporation or corporate injustice or product failure. And I think that is the intent of our court system. However, what we are experiencing now in the United States is an overabundance, a glut of lawsuits that are clogging our courts, that are in some cases awarding outrageous jackpot types of awards, and because of that, because of that jackpot sort of mentality, many people with their legal assistance are clogging the courts so that those people who have suffered injustices and those people who are due awards are unable to get there. One of the issues that I think is extremely important is the cost to our economy. We talk all of the time on the floor about the importance of small businesses in the United States. I come from a small State, and I think small business comprises close to 90 percent of the businesses in our State. When you look at the burden of the current tort system on our small businesses, we are breaking the backs of our small business people. I would like to refer to my chart over here: effect on small business, the tort liability price tag for small businesses in America is $88 billion a year. Small businesses bear 68 percent of business tort liability costs, but only take in 28 percent of business revenue. And for the very small businesses, the tort liability price tag is $33 billion. These are statistics that show, and this is from an independent resource, it is not from a group that is shaded one way or the other. It has shown the rise in the cost of tort claims in this country. Very small businesses pay 44 percent of tort liability costs out of pocket as opposed to through insurance. And so what happens is a lot of times small businesses, one small business is one large case or one frivolous lawsuit away from having to close their doors. I yield back to the gentleman from Missouri to see if he has a reaction to that.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 289, which is intended to raise awareness of the problem of sexual assault in the United States and encourage ways to prevent it. The statistics outlined in the resolution speak for themselves and are nothing less than horrific. A person is sexually assaulted in the United States every 2\1/2\ minutes. Children and young adults are the most at risk. Forty-four percent of sexual assault victims are under the age of 18. The emotional and physical scars from sexual assaults exact a terrible toll on our loved ones, our families, our communities, and our country. In my view, we can and we must do better. We have made important strides in this battle. We have expanded the use of DNA to solve sexual assault crimes, reduced the backlog in the testing of rape cases, and solved more sexual assault crimes, and ensuring that those who commit these heinous offense are put behind bars. Last year, we passed the Adam Walsh Act to protect our children from sexual predators. Over 100,000 sex offenders were lost or unaccounted for by the States. The Adam Walsh Act will fix that problem and make sure that sex offenders are registered, that the public is aware of sex offenders in their communities, and help parents protect their children. In my home State of West Virginia, domestic violence complaints have increased 400 percent since 1989. More and more, victims are feeling empowered to approach law enforcement officers with these problems. Although we all would like to see an end to domestic violence, it is a good step that more and more victims are reporting the crimes committed against them, allowing the perpetrators to be tried for their crimes. We must continue to work with victims, helping them come forward with their complaints. This can often be a difficult task, especially when the person committing the crime is a spouse, companion or family member, which is sadly often the case. Madam Speaker, this resolution recognizes the important role that awareness and prevention can play in reducing the incidence of sexual assault. The crime of sexual assault is so hurtful and so tragic, we must redouble our efforts and make sure that we use every tool at our disposal to protect everyone from this horrible crime. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I would like to close with a strong statement that this resolution recognizes the important role of awareness in prevention of sexual assault in this country. It is a scourge on our Nation, it is a scourge on our young people, our women and other victims, and I urge all Members to join together to pass this resolution. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 119, honoring National Crime Victims' Rights Week. This resolution supports the missions and goals of National Crime Victims' Rights Week to increase public awareness of the rights, needs, and concerns of crime victims in the United States during this week and throughout the year. The theme of the 2007 National Crime Victims' Rights Week is ``Victims Rights: Every Victim, Every Time.'' In honor of every victim, we renew our commitment to protecting the rights of crime victims and to providing them effective assistance programs. We also commend the countless numbers of professionals and volunteers who dedicate their lives to helping victims and survivors of crime. This week is marked by many special events held across the Nation, including the national observance and candlelight ceremony held here in Washington, DC, a 5K run/walk and Victims' Rights Fair in Sierra Vista, Arizona, a Crime Victims' Rights Rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and many more. While these events provide excellent opportunities to focus on victims rights, this is an issue that requires our utmost attention year-round. That is why it is encouraging that there are over 10,000 victims assistance programs providing emotional, financial, physical and spiritual support every day. As the gentleman from Virginia said, a week honoring the victims and survivors of crime is especially poignant following last week's tragedy at Virginia Tech. The loss of innocent lives affects so many others who are left behind. The outpouring of prayers and condolences reminds us that victims and survivors of crime will not be forgotten and will continue to receive much needed community support. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot), who is a champion of crime victims rights and a member of the Judiciary Committee.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, S. 521 is a companion bill to H.R. 187 which was introduced by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar). This bill designates the Federal building and United States courthouse and customhouse at 515 West First Street in Duluth, Minnesota, as the Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building and United States Courthouse and Customhouse. The bill honors Judge Heaney's dedication to public service. As we have heard previously, after serving in the Army during World War II and acquiring a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School, Judge Gerald Heaney entered into the private practice of law from 1946 to 1966. Judge Heaney's career as a judge began in 1966 with an appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit by President Lyndon Johnson. Judge Heaney had a reputation for championing equal justice for underprivileged and vulnerable citizens. He retired after 40 years of service on August 31, 2006. I support this legislation and encourage my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support for the reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act. I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, Subcommittee Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Baker for their hard work in getting this legislation to the floor. It has been too long since the water resources bill has become law, and it is important that we continue to move this and make this reauthorization a reality. Projects authorized in this bill are critical to our national waterways transportation system that businesses and industry in every State and congressional district rely on to move their products. In my State of West Virginia, a well-maintained system of navigable waterways is crucial to moving coal from our mines to plants across the country to power this Nation's economy. The bill addresses local needs. I am pleased that this legislation recognizes the important water and wastewater challenges in West Virginia by continuing the authorization for the Central West Virginia Environmental Infrastructure Program. This program has provided access to clean water and wastewater treatment to many rural West Virginians who otherwise would be without these critical utilities. I am pleased that this Corps of Engineers program will be able to continue assisting local public service districts to address these important community needs. I want to thank the committee for their hard work. I look forward to the final passage and the President's signature on this bill.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the long life and continuing achievements of Mr. Frank Buckles. One of four known surviving veterans of the WWI, Frank recently celebrated his 106th birthday. Frank was born in Missouri in 1901 and was only 16 when the United States entered the First World War. Frank's age, however, did not prevent him from serving his country. After being turned away by the Navy and Marines, he convinced an Army recruiter he was old enough to enlist. Frank served in England and France during the war; first as a car and ambulance driver and later as an escort for returning German POWs. After the war, he returned to America and worked for the White Star Line Steamship Company and the Banker's Trust Company. In 1941 Frank became entangled in the Second World War. The Japanese Army invaded while Frank was working in the Philippines and he spent three years as a prisoner in Japanese war camps. These remarkable experiences could easily fill two full lives, but for Frank it was only the first half. He came home from the war and settled down to start a family, moving to West Virginia in 1954 and managing Gap View Farm. Frank has been there ever since. At 106, he is still active on his 330 acre cattle farm. Madam Speaker, in a time when America faces a grave external threat, we can find comfort and strength in our Nation's history. During the 106 years since Frank Buckles' birth, the United States has grown into the greatest Nation on earth. The service, determination, patriotism and love that Frank has shown throughout his life represents the very best of this great country. West Virginians are honored to call Frank one of our own.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a young leader in my district, Justin Dahmer, who was recently awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. Justin is the 17-year-old son of Roger and Pam Dahmer of Franklin, West Virginia, where he attends Pendleton County High School. Justin is truly representative of the Scout Oath; to do duty to God and country, help others, and maintain physical and mental strength. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 162 and the Boy Scout honor society, Order of the Arrows. Justin's final project to qualify for Eagle Scout Rank was refinishing a portable water tank for the Pendleton County Emergency Services Department. Thanks to Justin's hard work, respondents will now have additional equipment that would otherwise have been unusable. Justin's contributions are not limited to his scouting activities; the high school junior is a stand out member of the Pendleton County High School football team and last fall was named all conference offensive lineman. In the off season, Justin throws shot put for the Cougars' track team. He is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is an usher at Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church. I am pleased to recognize this young man who truly exhibits service to God and country and thank his parents for raising such a fine citizen. It is an honor to recognize the future community leaders like Justin Dahmer.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, ``hero'' is not a label that should be employed carelessly, and in a time when our country has many heroes serving abroad, I rise today to honor a hero at home: Corporal Ronald Fletcher. A member of the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department, Corporal Fletcher was pursuing a burglary suspect into a home last month when he was shot twice in the chest and once in the arm. At only 26 years old, he lay seriously wounded in the house with the suspect until his fellow deputies were able to remove him safely. Today, just one short month after the incident, I am proud to share that Corporal Fletcher is home and well on his way to recovery. As a testimony to his profound sense of duty, he recently complained about being bored in his home full of fruit baskets and is eager to return to service. Mr. Speaker, I salute the heroism of Corporal Fletcher and the valor of the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department. West Virginia is sincerely grateful for their service.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act, of which I am a cosponsor. The House will consider this important legislation today. Roughly one in five military personnel returning from active duty suffers from a debilitating condition called post-traumatic stress syndrome. Unfortunately, the effects of PTSD have hit close to home for one family in my district. Their son, Sergeant Charles Call, of the United States Army, always dreamed of serving his country. He even left his unit, which was not being sent to Iraq, and joined another that was being deployed so he could be with those fighting for our freedom and safety. He loved his country and was willing to make that sacrifice. After returning from Iraq, he developed the symptoms of PTSD. Despite his attempts to seek help from the local veterans hospital, he did not receive the treatment he so desperately needed; and, sadly, Sergeant Call took his own life on February 3, 2006. With the passage of this legislation, we can finally provide a safety net for our veterans coming home and prevent tragedies like that of Sergeant Call. It is crucial that they have the resources needed to pursue healthy lives upon returning to civilian life. Screening of all returning combat veterans and 24-hour access to counseling are just some of the options we must offer. I support this in the name of Sergeant Charles Call.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to respectfully request that my colleagues here in the House of Representatives join me in congratulating Robert M. Steptoe for being named the 2007 Distinguished Citizen by the Shenandoah Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Born on May 15, 1920 in Clarksburg, WV, Robert M. Steptoe has spent his entire life in service to his family, community, and country. He and his wife, Sarah, will soon celebrate 65 years of marriage and are the proud parents of 4 children, Robert, Philip, Sally, and James. They also have 9 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren with one on the way. He served his country faithfully during World War II in the United States Navy in both Europe and the Pacific, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander. His long list of public service also includes a stint as assistant prosecuting attorney for Berkeley County, four terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates, and two terms in the West Virginia State Senate. The Honorable Judge Robert M. Steptoe also served on the West Virginia Court of Claims from 1989 to 2001. In addition, Mr. Steptoe served as chairman of the board for Peoples National Bank for several decades and has been an active member of Trinity Episcopal Church since 1949. Throughout his life, Robert Steptoe has been an active supporter of the Boy Scouts of America. As a youngster, he was a Boy Scout and all four of his children followed in his footsteps as Scouts with his wife, Sarah, serving as den mother. His contribution to Scouting will always be appreciated and I am pleased to see that he is being recognized for his lifelong service to his community. In closing, I want to thank my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives for joining me in recognizing Mr. Robert M. Steptoe as the 2007 Distinguished Citizen of the Shenandoah Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding me time. Madam Speaker, I rise today realizing the seriousness of this resolution and the importance of the debate on the war in Iraq. As we continue this debate, I hope that all of us remember we have serious disagreements about what this resolution says or intends to do, but that we cannot and should not besmirch one another's opinions and the right to that opinion and belief. I would also like to say how proud I am to be an American, to realize the bounty of our Nation, to appreciate the strength of our forefathers, and to stand in awe of our democracy. As the daughter of a World War II Purple Heart veteran, I have a great understanding of the sacrifices that have been made in the past to allow us to live freely. I understand and fullly appreciate the men and women who have so bravely put themselves on the frontline to protect our country. I have thought a great deal about what I want to say today and how I want to say it. When the President announced his plan for a troop surge last month, I expressed my disagreement. And as we debate this resolution today, I still harbor those grave concerns. While I have voiced a disagreement over tactics on how to achieve success in Iraq, the fact remains that I have not backed away from my belief that success in Iraq is vital, and that leaving Iraq prematurely would be disastrous for our Nation's security and the stability of the Middle East. And let me stress that I will never back away from my commitment to the men and women who serve in our military, and I will not support anything that I believe endangers their safety while they serve in harm's way to protect our country. So I rise today in opposition to this resolution. My opposition lies not in what this resolution says, but what it intends to do; and that is, to lay the foundation to begin cutting funding for our troops as they fight the radical jihadists who want to destroy our Nation. My fear is not based on wild assumptions or partisan politics, but what leaders are already saying they are planning to do. The passage of this resolution has been called a baseline. And the Speaker of the House has called it a first step. And then she added that approval of this resolution will set the stage for additional Iraq legislation which is set to come before the House. Leaders have been tight lipped about the pending legislation. But we have learned that what they want to do is set the stage for legislation that will fence off and limit funding by tying the hands of our commanders on the ground, by presenting benchmarks that will be written so that certainly those funds cannot be spent. To be sure, such actions would restrict funds and tie the hands of our commanders in Iraq. I cannot and will not support any effort to systematically disassemble our greater effort, to defend our liberties and our way of life, and to provide our enemies with a breath of hope that we have lost our will. Let me be very clear to my constituents and the men and women in uniform. I will never vote to cut funding for our troops, nor will I allow my vote on a symbolic resolution, one that has the force of politics and not the force of law, to be used as a baseline or a first step towards cutting funding for our troops. I will assertively maintain my support for the troops in my words and my vote, and I will continue to analyze how I can best help achieve success in Iraq so that we may begin to bring our men and women home. In that spirit I plan to vote against this resolution.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about two outstanding youths in my district and to highlight, I think, something that we do too rarely here and across America. We talk a lot about our young people in their teens playing video games, not getting involved in their communities, not trying new sports, not enjoying the outdoors. Today I am very privileged to talk about two such individuals in my district who are breaking the mold and are, I think, achieving at high levels, but they are also doing it by enjoying the great outdoors and also bringing strength to their communities. First, I would like to recognize Taylor Sias from Weston, West Virginia, for representing our State in the 2007 Bassmaster CastingKids National Semi-Finals Competition in Gadsden, Alabama. Taylor is a sixth grade student at Robert L. Bland Middle School in Weston and is a three-time State champion. Taylor previously competed in the 2004 semifinals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in the 2005 semifinals in Orlando, Florida. The Bassmaster CastingKids challenge is to flip, pitch and cast a hookless lure into a bull's eye target. Sounds kind of hard to me. BASS developed the Bassmaster CastingKids program in 1991, open to young people in two age groups, 7-10 and 11-14. The goals of this competition are to involve America's youth in fishing and to foster in each participant an appreciation and a concern for our outdoors. Participants compete in local events conducted by affiliated BASS federation national clubs. Local event winners proceed to their State finals where each State then determines two to represent their State at the national semifinals. From the national semifinals, only 10 contenders advance on to the national championship. Since its inception, over 1.5 million youth have participated in the program, and over $2 million in cash prizes and scholarships have been awarded. I would again like to congratulate Taylor and thank him for proudly representing West Virginia at the 2007 Bassmaster CastingKids National Semifinals Championship and wish him the best of luck in becoming an accomplished angler. Madam Speaker, the other youth I would like to talk about today is Kevin Templan of Charlestown, West Virginia. Kevin became the first member of Boy Scout Troop 82 to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. His commitment to family and community and church played an integral part in this achievement. Kevin worked on a beautification project at Saint Peter's Catholic Cemetery for his Eagle Scout project. He is recognized by the Boy Scout National Honor Society, Order of the Arrows, for adhering to the traditions and values of scouting. A senior at Jefferson County High School, Kevin is a drummer in the Cougar Marching Band. He attends Saint James Greater Catholic Church where he will soon be a member of the Knights of Columbus. Kevin enjoys reading, origami and spending time with his younger brother and sister. The Templan family recently moved to my district from Bryan, Texas, and we welcome them. I would like to take this opportunity to extend a warm West Virginia welcome to Kevin and his family. Jefferson County is fortunate to host such an accomplished young leader. It is a pleasure to serve such devoted young citizens like Kevin in West Virginia's Second District.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize February as National Heart Month. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America, taking the lives of nearly half a million women a year. That is one per minute. It claims the lives of more women than the next five causes of death. In my home State of West Virginia, heart disease kills 12 women per day. That is 31 percent of all female deaths between the years of 1999 to 2003. On February 2, people from across the Nation participated in Go Red for Women Day to support the fight against heart disease. Go Red for Women is the American Heart Association's nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion and power we have as women to band together and fight this disease. Too few people realize the threat associated with heart disease. The good news is that heart disease can largely be prevented. By learning all of the serious health threats such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, we can work to reduce our risks. Go Red for Women is an innovative way to raise awareness of heart disease, and 64 percent of women who died of coronary heart disease had no symptoms. We have to take action for our hearts. By joining together across America, we can help support ongoing research and education about women and heart disease. When we wear our red, it reminds us of our responsibility. I urge my colleagues to join together in celebrating National Heart Health Month.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my great concern with the proposal pending before the Virginia State Corporation Commission to raise the tolls on the Dulles Greenway. Many of my constituents from the eastern panhandle of West Virginia use this roadway to commute into Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The growth of the Washington metropolitan area has extended into the eastern panhandle of West Virginia as many families move into the towns and communities of my district seeking a lower cost of living and the wonderful environment for raising a family we have in West Virginia. Some have chosen to change professions and remain there with their jobs, but many others still commute into Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia every day, and they rely on many forms of transportation, one of which is the Dulles Greenway. The proposed increase represents a 56 percent increase over the next 5 years. The per-mile rate for the increased toll is drastically higher than other toll roads in the area, costing commuters approximately 34 cents per mile. For many families this will be an undue burden. Thankfully, there is a hearing today in Northern Virginia so local citizens can express their concern with this proposal. I hope that the Virginia State Corporation Commission will see the shortsightedness of this proposal and call for a reasonable toll level for the commuters utilizing the Dulles Greenway.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend congratulations to Jeremiah Kent Knavenshue, who recently accomplished the highest rank in boy scouting, becoming an Eagle Scout on October 4, 2006. Jeremiah achieved a new title at the end of a 7-year career in Boy Scout Troop 88, which is chartered by the Elkins United Methodist Church. He served as an assistant patrol leader and bugler, and was elected patrol leader. Jeremiah performed many community service projects, including Adopt- a-Highway and other community beautification projects. Boy Scout Troop 88 also organized a ``Scouting For Food'' project at Elkins, which is a national Boy Scout activity where members of the troop collect food donations from their community to allocate to food banks. For his Eagle Scout project, he cleared and finished an area in Riverbend Park for the public to use. Jeremiah is a student at Elkins High School, where he is president of the Future Farmers of America chapter. He is a member of the National Honor Society and is on the wrestling team and participates in the band. I am proud to recognize Jeremiah on his accomplishments. Randolph County and the State of West Virginia are fortunate to have him as a leader and a volunteer in his community.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend congratulations to Elizabeth Elza of Elkins, West Virginia, who was recently awarded the Most Outstanding Junior Trooper Award in the 11th annual West Virginia State Junior Trooper Academy. Elizabeth's hard work, dedication and outstanding performance contributed to her recognition as the top junior trooper. At the Junior Trooper Academy, junior troopers are trained in law enforcement activities to expose them to the criminal justice and law enforcement career fields during an intensive 5-day period. Candidates are between 14 and 17 years old and must be recommended by a State legislator, school superintendent or uniformed member of the State police. Elizabeth is truly a leader in her community and among her peers. We need more women in leadership positions, and I am pleased to say that Elizabeth is well on her way to being a role model for future young women in West Virginia. Elizabeth is not only a leader in her community, but an accomplished athlete as a member of, get this, the Elkins High School wrestling team. I am pleased to have this opportunity to highlight Elizabeth's accomplishments. Congrats on being the most outstanding junior trooper.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by commending my colleague on the page board, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), for his service to the program, long service to the program, and for the bipartisan manner in which he has handled the legislation before him today. I would also like to thank the Chair and ranking member of the House Administration Committee, and I would like to join my fellow, the ranking member and all of us, really, to say thank you to all the pages who are in the room today, all the pages who are currently serving, and all those pages who have done wonderful service in the past. I am proud to be the original cosponsor of the House Page Board Revision Act and rise to urge my colleagues to support it. I believe my colleagues will support it. The House page program has existed for well over a century and provides teenagers with an incredible opportunity to learn about the legislative process, gain leadership and teamwork skills that can be applied to whatever profession they decide to enter. House pages provide a valuable service to the House of Representatives as well. The page program is truly an asset, both to this body and to the Nation. I guarantee, if you ask any page in this room, present or former, about their experience, there is one word that they always use to describe it when I ask, and that is ``fantastic.'' That is why Members of this House were shocked to learn that a former Congressman's inappropriate interaction with House pages came to light last fall. As a mother, it was very upsetting to find out that children sent to Washington could possibly be preyed upon. As a Member of this House and a member of the page board, I was disappointed that the information regarding those e-mails was not shared with the full page board. But since it is impossible to go back and fix, it is important that the House move forward to make the changes to prevent such an incident or other incidents that could endanger the safety of young people. Certainly, we all know that one of the most important rules of this House is for Members, of course, to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects credibility of the House. But it is imperative that we learn lessons from last year's situation and take the steps necessary to better protect House pages and to ensure that any potential problem is investigated fully. Mr. Speaker, many of the items in this bill are suggestions that I made to the page board in October, and I will include this letter into the Record listing my reasons for supporting this. This legislation balances the partisan make-up of the page board by incorporating two pages from each party. I believe this provision is important, not just symbolically but it is also important because it demonstrates that nothing within the page board is ever construed as partisan. It is important that everyone involved, House Members, staff, employees, pages, dorm supervisors alike feel comfortable approaching the page board with any information about possible threats to the safety of the children in this program. Demonstrating that the board is truly bipartisan should make this easier. Expanding membership to include a former page and the parent of a current or recent page will improve discussions on policies for the page program and provide that additional perspective, that additional set of eyes and ears for any problems that may arise. Certainly, regular meetings, I heartily agree, of the page board, will help shed light on any trouble facing our pages, and I am pleased that this provision has been included in the bill. My hope is that other recommendations that have been put forward, such as a peer counseling program, better communications, will strengthen this program as we move forward into the future. I commend the leaders of both parties for agreeing to take action to better protect the pages who serve this House; and, again, I thank Mr. Kildee for offering this bill. This is a good bipartisan piece of legislation, and I ask my colleagues to support it. October 5, 2006. Hon. John Shimkus, Hon. Dale Kildee, Mr. Bill Livingood, Sergeant-at-Arms. Dear Page Board Member: This week has been difficult for all Members of Congress, as well as for the institution in which we serve. Make no mistake, the revelation of Mark Foley's despicable actions have been difficult on the young people in our Page Program as well. I am confident that I speak for the entire Page Board in expressing outrage and hoping that anyone involved in this tragic sequence of events be severely punished. Today, Speaker Hastert called for the Page Program to be reviewed and strengthened. As the Speaker correctly stated, times have changed since this great program was created, and I believe it is incumbent upon us to ensure we address these changes as they pertain to the Page Program. As a fellow member of the Page Board, I write to you today for two reasons: (1) To offer my full support for the continuation of the Page Program, and (2) Offer my suggestions on how we can begin to update and strengthen this program to ensure it continues to offer a safe learning experience for our nation's young people. As we move forward, I ask that we consider using the following items as a starting point for reform to the Page Program: (1) Increase the number of Members of Congress on the Page Board and, like the Committee on Standards & Official Conduct, establish equal representation from both parties on the Page Board. I know we all agree that the issue of safety for the young people in the Page Program is not a partisan one. (2) Developing a peer counseling program within the Page Program. Modeled after peer programs that have been successful in our educational system, this would provide pages with an additional outlet to express any problems or concerns that may be easier than reporting to an adult. (3) The implementation of monthly meetings with the Page Board, pages, as well as a representative from the U.S. Capitol Police. We should create a system in which all members of the Page Board have more information on any potential problem facing the pages, including receiving reports from the Capitol Police on any possible problems with crime activity on Capitol Hill or in the page dorm neighborhood. (4) Establish training and guidelines on educating Members of Congress and pages on the job description and responsibilities of those in the Page Program as well as proper relationships with pages, Members of Congress, or any employee of the House of the Representatives. I look forward to working with you to achieve our shared goal of improving this great program, and more importantly, ensuring we have put in place the best procedures to protect the safety and welfare of the young people in the Page Program.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of increasing Pell Grants, which we have done over the past 12 years, contrary to what we heard earlier. This action would have the greatest impact on helping lower-income students afford a college education. Later today, the House will consider legislation that is intended to increase college access by temporarily reducing subsidized student loan interest rates, a helpful measure. But I suggest to my colleagues that an average 18-year-old student will not base whether they can go to college on whether their percentage of interest rate is 6.8 today or 6.14 for the 2007 year. What would make a difference is the amount of aid, either grants or loans, that is immediately available to help them afford school. To make college accessible, we should focus on what we can do now for students, not when they graduate. Regardless of how you feel today, we need to work together on a bipartisan basis to increase Pell Grants to ensure that they are sufficient to help students to afford a higher education. This would be a very effective way to help students from low- and middle-income families afford college.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to fully support SAFE TEA-LU funding at its authorized level for fiscal year 2007. If, as expected, the House passes a joint resolution extending funding for government programs through October 1, it is important that we allow the highway funds to increase from the 2006 level to the authorized 2007 level. Federal highway funding is very important to all States, and my State of West Virginia is no exception. Significant progress is being made on construction of a new four-lane U.S. 35 and on Corridor H, and transportation improvements are needed across everyone's district. Keeping highway funding steady at the 2006 level would stop a scheduled $3.4 billion increase that State highway departments, workers and motorists have planned on and expected for this year. The President's fiscal year 2007 budget, the House-passed transportation appropriation bill and the Senate appropriation bill called for $39.1 billion for highway construction. Failing to allow an increase would cost West Virginia $57.7 million, and 2,740 construction jobs.