Kathy Castor

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, this bill will be devastating to families all across America. The Republican bill rips coverage away from millions of Americans. The last projection was 24 million. They didn't wait for the new projection, which is going to be much higher. The Republican bill hurts Medicare, and it shortens the life of the Medicare trust fund just when we have more baby boomers retiring and calling on Medicare. It imposes a huge age tax because it makes affordable insurance much less affordable if you are about age 50 or older. A dirty little secret here that most people have not discussed is the harm it does to the Medicaid guarantee. For over 50 years in America, we have said that if you are disabled, if you have a family member with Alzheimer's, or if you have a child with a complex medical condition, you are not going to be destitute because your health care is so expensive. That is one of the fundamental guarantees of Medicaid for 50 years. They take that away and go to the heart of the medical care that is provided under Medicaid as well. It is shameful. But it got worse. As we approach this day, they didn't have the votes, so they made it worse by going to the heart of the Affordable Care Act which ended discrimination against our neighbors with a preexisting condition.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. They also said essential health benefits are not going to matter. What good is an insurance policy if you buy it and you can't go to the emergency room? We have got to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. We have got to fight back against this crass power play that transfers all the wealth in this country. Vote ``no.''

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve better. The majority is not serving the interest of the families we represent back home. They are not focused on lifting the economic prospects of our small businesses and hardworking families. They are not focused on lifting wages. Instead, we are debating what could be the smallest little extension of government funding ever: 1 week. Are you kidding me? We have just come back this week from a 2-week recess. You would think that the majority party would have had the wherewithal to be able to fund the government as required through the end of the fiscal year, which is only September 30. This was leftover business from last year. How small. How unfocused. What a letdown for the people we represent. Has the majority party brought a bill to the floor of the House that we can debate on jobs, on lifting Americans that work hard every day? No. Has the majority party brought a bill to debate where we could talk about how we fix roads and bridges and connect communities and address congestion across the country and create jobs that way? No. The majority party, after the very serious military strike on Syria, could have brought a debate about an authorization of the use of military force where the Congress has been derelict for years in having the debate about a country that has been at war for 16 years. That is very important. People expect us to address the difficult issues, but they haven't brought that debate. Across the country this week, a lot of seniors in high school are deciding where they are going to attend college or university. We could be having a debate on how we help those families and students afford the cost of a college education or address the student loan crisis. But, no, that debate hasn't been brought There is going to be a big march in Washington again this weekend on the changing climate. We could discuss and debate the cost of the changing climate, extreme weather events. Boy, my folks back home in the State of Florida are having to look at increased insurance costs, property insurance costs, infrastructure costs because of the changing climate, but that debate hasn't been had. Instead the Congress has been consumed with a healthcare bill that rips coverage away from families, harms Medicare, raises cost on everyone, and they were stuck in a debate this week about ending the guaranteed protection that families now have if they have a preexisting condition. Remember, under the Affordable Care Act, you can no longer be discriminated against if you have a preexisting condition like cancer or diabetes. They were consumed with: Well, how do we end that and send that back to the States to do that? Thank goodness that bill hasn't been brought to the floor. Instead, here is an extension of running the government. Again, how small. Maybe it does match what is happening in the White House. With the flip-flopping, unfocused President, this Republican majority is having real trouble governing the country. I understand the President is consumed with an investigation of associates from his campaign over collusion with the Russians. He is consumed with conflicts of interest and how he doesn't want to be transparent, whether it is his tax returns or the emoluments under the Constitution. The American people deserve better, and that is what brought me to the floor today. I didn't have to come and talk about the rule that is on the floor.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I didn't have to come to the floor to oppose a rule and this 1-week appropriations bill. But I am so frustrated, just like families and businesses are across this country, that this Congress still refuses to have the debates, have the discussion on the issues that really impact our families back home. They deserve better than this dysfunctional Republican majority. Why don't we stand up for them for a change? The Democrats are willing to have those debates. Let's debate and discuss jobs. Let's debate and discuss how kids can afford the cost of a college education. Let's discuss how we lift our public schools. Let's discuss rebuilding America and creating jobs through modern infrastructure investments. Let's have these debates. Let's not take up the time of the American people on a silly 1-week extension of funding government so we can do this again next week, where we have to debate and take up all the time on how we fund the government until September 30. American families deserve better.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of a true champion of progress, Senator Arthenia L. Joyner. Today, I recognize her as my Tampa Bay's Women's History Month honoree. Her invaluable contributions to Hillsborough County and the lives of our neighbors are an inspiration to us all. Today, on behalf of my neighbors, I recognize her selfless dedication, honor her valuable unceasing work, and thank her for her love of her and my home town. Senator Arthenia Joyner was born in Lakeland, Florida on February 3, 1943 and later relocated with her family to Tampa in the late 1940's. Growing up during the time of segregation, Senator Joyner and her family have always played an active role on issues concerning civil rights. Henry Joyner, Moses White and Kid Mason, to name a few, were at the heart of Tampa's once thriving black business community on Central Avenue. Senator Joyner has been key in preserving and honoring the history of Central Avenue, once populated by black-owned businesses, restaurants and night clubs. Senator Joyner earned her B.S. from Florida A&M University in 1964 and her J.D. from Florida A&M University College of Law in 1968. Facing segregation and discrimination, she has always been out front. She participated in the first civil rights demonstrations in Tampa and was arrested twice while attending Florida A&M University when participating in efforts to desegregate movie theaters. Senator Joyner again ``found a way to get in the way'', in the words of my colleague Representative John Lewis, when she was arrested outside the South Africa embassy in D.C. for protesting against South Africa's apartheid government. After law school, unable to find anyone in the legal profession willing to hire an African-American woman, she opened her own practice becoming the first African-American female lawyer in Hillsborough County and has practiced law there for forty-seven years, longer than any black woman in the history of Florida. Senator Arthenia Joyner served as an attorney, public school teacher and legal assistant for former State Representative, Joe Lang Kershaw. She was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2000 where she served three terms. In 2006 Senator Joyner was then elected to represent District 19 in the Florida Senate for two terms. She was appointed by her Senate peers to serve as the Florida Senate Democratic Leader for the 2014 to 2016 term, making her the first African-American woman to hold the position. Throughout her legislative service, Senator Joyner has been recognized as a stalwart supporter of a wide variety of issues centered on human rights, civil rights, criminal and civil justice reform, health policies, and consumer protection. Her knowledge, passion and leadership made her a trusted public servant who knew how to get things done for her state and her neighbors. Senator Joyner currently serves as the National Vice President of the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women (NOBEL/Women) and the State Director for Women in Government. Recently she was appointed to represent the Florida Senate on the Criminal Justice Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures. And, most recently Senator Joyner was chosen for the important role serving on the Constitutional Revision Commission by Chief Justice Jorge Labarga. The Tampa Bay Times has praised Senator Joyner for being ``a strong supporter of civil rights, health care, and open government.'' In 2014, Senator Arthenia Joyner was awarded the L. Clayton Nance Award presented annually by the Florida Public Defender Association (FPDA) to those advancing the organization's mission of ensuring equal justice. The FPDA also recognized her legislative work and support of juvenile sentencing reform bill, HB 7035. Representative Laura Hall (AL), National President for NOBEL Women, stated that Senator Joyner doesn't only advocate for the state of Florida, but ``she fights for the civil rights of others across this nation.'' Senator Joyner has served her community and state but her service has also had global reach. It has been said that among her most prestigious awards are appointments by President Clinton to the U.S. Delegation to the Population Conference in Cairo, Egypt and the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of our Tampa Bay community, I am proud to honor my friend Senator Arthenia Joyner as my Tampa Bay's Women's History Month honoree. As Senator Joyner would say, ``your word is your bond,'' as she encourages our community to stand for what they believe in. Following in the footsteps of her distinguished family and leaving big footprints of her own for all of us to follow, her courage and total commitment to human rights and improving the lives of all of us have helped not only the Tampa community, but our state, nation and the world.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, my neighbors back home in Florida work very hard for their health coverage. When they pay their hard- earned copayments and premiums, they expect something meaningful in return: real health care. That is what the Affordable Care Act provided; not just a piece of paper, but real health services, an end to discrimination against preexisting conditions, and all sorts of other consumer protections. But in the middle of the night last night, the Republicans turned back the clock. They have eliminated from the basic health insurance policy coverage for emergency room visits, hospitalization, prescription drugs, and more. They have really embraced the moniker of pay more for less. And on top of it, remember, this bill rips health insurance away from millions of our neighbors back home. It raises costs on hardworking Americans, especially our older neighbors. It is practically an age tax, if you are over 50 years old. It breaks that fundamental guarantee that has existed for 50 years, that if your family is struck with an Alzheimer's diagnosis, a child with a complex condition, a handicap, that you are not going to live your remaining years in poverty, all the while, taking your tax dollars and shifting it to millionaires and billionaires and corporations. TrumpCare is a recipe for disaster. It is a fundamental violation of the values we share as Americans, and it should meet its demise today.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am compelled to come to the floor this morning to urge my Republican colleagues to stop hiding the TrumpCare bill. The American people and their Representatives deserve to know what is in the bill. But here is what we know so far. It rips coverage away from millions of our neighbors back home. It is a massive tax or cost increase for people's insurance, whether you have it through healthcare.gov or through your private employer. It imposes a significant age tax on our older neighbors back home. It cuts Medicare and shortens the life of the Medicare trust fund. It breaks the fundamental guarantee we have with our neighbors back home who are Alzheimer's patients, children with complex conditions, the disabled, under Medicaid, all to give a massive tax break to the wealthiest people in America. That is a failure in vision and a failure in values, and this bill should be hidden forever.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am here today on the floor of the House to speak out on behalf of my neighbors back home in the State of Florida. I represent a district in the Tampa Bay area. Let me tell you, they are very concerned about the impact of this Republican healthcare bill. What we know about the bill so far, based upon the report of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, is that the Republican bill will rip coverage away from at least 24 million Americans. This is at a time when we have made such progress since the adoption of the Affordable Care Act. Under the Affordable Care Act, about 20 million Americans have gained coverage, including about 1.7 million of my neighbors in Florida that went shopping on healthcare.gov and found an affordable option. The Republican bill would take us backwards. It would also impose huge cost increases on everyone. Let me tell you, most people in America have their insurance through their employer. And under the Affordable Care Act--it hasn't been perfect--what we have seen in the State of Florida between the years 2010 and 2015 is the rate of increase for my neighbors who have their insurance through their jobs has been kept in check. The rate of increase has only been 1.3 percent. Before the adoption of the Affordable Care Act, the rate of increase was well over 8 percent. Why is this happening? If you have insurance through your job, you want other people to have insurance coverage. That is very important because, if more Americans don't have insurance coverage, they show up in the emergency room and that cost is passed along to those who have coverage or those on Medicare, or the hospital has to take on bad debt, or local governments have to raise taxes to cover that care. Under this Republican bill, hold on to your wallet because that insurance coverage now will be unaffordable for millions of more Americans. If you have insurance through your job, like most people do, you are now going to end up picking up the cost of people that can no longer afford coverage. If you are a little bit older, easing into Medicare--maybe you are 50 to 64--hold on to your wallet. There is a huge age tax in this Republican bill. I will give you an example from a neighbor of mine back home. Her name is Kathy Palmer. She lives in Tampa. She works two part-time jobs. She works for an accountant. It is a small business. They cannot afford to provide insurance through their small business. She is also working to get her degree in accountancy from the University of South Florida. Kathy has two part-time jobs. She is age 60. She is going to school to get a degree. She has a teenager in high school. She couldn't afford insurance coverage before the Affordable Care Act. When the Affordable Care Act was adopted, she could go shopping on healthcare.gov and get some tax credit help to help afford coverage. Here is what happened to Kathy in December. She had heart pains. She thought she was having a heart attack. She went to the emergency room of one of our great local hospitals. Thank goodness, she did not have a heart attack. Kathy almost had a heart attack, however, when she got the hospital bill later. The hospital bill was $70,000. That would bankrupt her. Fortunately, she had coverage through the Affordable Care Act at healthcare.gov, and ultimately what she paid on that hospital bill was only $179. This story is repeated over and over again, and I simply do not understand why my Republican colleagues think it is wise to make coverage unaffordable and increase cost on all Americans. Mr. Speaker, the other part of this bill that is kind of flying under the radar, but is quite insidious and rather unconscionable is the hatchet it takes to the 50-year guarantee that is provided to Americans under Medicaid. Medicaid serves our neighbors with Alzheimer's. It pays about two- thirds of the cost of long-term care and skilled nursing, the cost of care for the disabled, many children, many pregnant women. It has been the law for about 50 years to ensure that, in the United States of America, if you have a child born with a complex medical condition or you have a parent or grandparent that has to go into a nursing home, that your family is not going to be impoverished. That is a valued decision we made 50 years ago. In this bill, the Republican leadership intends to go back on our values and pull the rug out from under our families who rely on Medicaid services. They say: Oh, the States will be able to do this. The States will have all the flexibility in the world. Well, flexibility is a canard for they are going to have less, and we are going to ration care. Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues to pull this bill, to build on affordable coverage, to build on the cost savings that we have made and the progress we have made for these families.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an extraordinary Tampa resident and Olympian, Theresa A. Manuel. While Ms. Manuel competed internationally in track and field, her undying commitment to students at home as a teacher and coach may have had an even greater impact on the hearts of my neighbors across the Tampa Bay area. Despite growing up during segregation, Theresa Manuel persevered through adversity to become the first African-American woman from Florida to compete in the Olympic Games. Ms. Manuel was born in 1926 in Port Tampa City, Florida. As a young woman, she was a star basketball player at Middleton High School in Tampa. Ms. Manuel had such a love for basketball that she would often convince neighbors to set up lamps at night so she and her teammates could practice on the outdoor court near Middleton High. She attended the Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University in Alabama, where she was affectionately nicknamed Trick Shot for her skill in basketball and in addition won multiple championships for the Tuskegee Track and Field team. In the summer before her senior year, Ms. Manuel made history by competing as a member of the U.S. Track and Field team at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. She competed in the Olympics at a time when sports were not widely considered open to women, let alone black women. She represented her country with dignity and grace, and upon returning home she and her team proudly celebrated their success with President Harry Truman at the White House. After graduating from Tuskegee, Ms. Manuel moved back to Tampa to care for her ailing mother and began her 38-year career as a decorated teacher and coach. She was a legendary coach in Tampa. She led her teams to multiple state championships and was named the best coach in Hillsborough County in 1975, and subsequently the best in the state of Florida in 1976. Ms. Manuel continued to garner countless honors and awards throughout her distinguished lifetime. Some of those honors include being inducted into the Tuskegee Institute Hall of Fame and City of Tampa Hall of Fame and being named one of the ``100 Distinguished Women of Hillsborough County.'' Ms. Manuel's importance to the African American community in Florida and indeed all Floridians transcends even her many accomplishments in sport. Most importantly, she will always be remembered as a great leader and giant matriarchal figure to the thousands of students whose lives she touched. She was a champion in all facets of life. On November 21st, 2016, Ms. Manuel passed away at the age of 90 in Tampa, Florida. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of the Tampa Bay community, I am proud to honor Ms. Theresa A. Manuel for her lifelong service and inspirational life.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of a true champion of progress, Chloe J. Coney. She is retiring this month after 10 years of serving as my district director in Tampa. Her invaluable contributions to the Tampa Bay community are an inspiration to us all. Today, I am grateful to recognize her selfless dedication, honor her valuable service to our community and thank her for her daily efforts to serve our neighbors in Tampa. Known as a woman who wears many hats, Mrs. Coney is a leader who serves with a spirit of love and excellence. When federal courts ordered Hillsborough County to desegregate its school system, even at an early age, Mrs. Coney became a leader. In 1963, she along with a brave few helped to integrate the school district. In turn, Mrs. Coney attended and graduated from Hillsborough High School with honors in 1968. Her determination to lead and serve pushed her to achieve a bachelor's degree in Sociology/Corrections from Florida A & M University, a master's degree in Biblical Counseling from Florida Beacon Bible College, and an honorary doctorate from Blessed Hope Bible College in Tampa, Florida. Mrs. Coney's passion to lead and serve has followed her throughout her professional and personal career. In 1972, Mrs. Coney began her career as the first Black female Probation and Parole Officer in Hillsborough County. She would then continue as a pathbreaker by becoming Intake Counselor/Mediator with the 13th Judicial Circuit Court of Hillsborough County and Marketing Representative for Florida Power in Clearwater, Fla. She left the private sector in her calling to serve families, seniors and students as the Center Manager of the Lee Davis Neighborhood Service Center, leading the way for it to become a One Stop Social and Medical Center in Hillsborough County. She utilized her role as Center Manager to restore pride, ownership, and community in Tampa's Eastside neighborhoods. Mrs. Coney established the East Tampa Community School partnership and the Back to School Kick-off Fair. Mrs. Coney's passion inspired her to found the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa (CDC) in 1992 and become its first President/CEO, focusing on economic development. The CDC of Tampa's Nehemiah Project Community Building Brick by Brick has since expanded its strategic initiatives to provide job training, promote entrepreneurship and develop youth leadership programs, revitalizing commercial areas and build affordable housing. In 2006, Mrs. Coney retired as the President of the CDC of Tampa to become a candidate for the local office. While she missed out on the opportunity to serve as Hillsborough County Commission, District 3, she found a new way to lead and serve the community as my District Director. In this capacity, she has addressed an array of constituent concerns, solicited citizen input, and performed community outreach activities, such as foreclosure prevention workshops during the economic downturn to help families stay in their homes and job fairs during the economic recovery to connect neighbors with local jobs. As District Director, Chloe Coney, will retire after serving the Tampa Bay community for more than 40 years, improving entire communities, leveraging economic impact and touching the lives of everyone she meets. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of the Tampa Bay community, I am proud to honor Mrs. Chloe J. Coney. We will miss her wisdom and experience, but most of all we will miss the encouragement she has been to us all. As Chloe would say ``Teamwork Makes the Dream Work,'' and I am proud that she has been part of my team and, importantly, my friend, helping so many of our neighbors achieve their dreams.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of one of Tampa Bay's true trailblazer, Alton Maurice White, during Black History Month. He has dedicated himself to improving the lives of others through public service and education. Today, I am grateful to recognize his selfless dedication and honor his valuable service to our community. Mr. White chose early on into his impressive career to dedicate himself to service his community. Receiving an athletic scholarship to attend Florida A&M University, Mr. White was active both on and off the field. As a brother of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and a student-leader in the early 1960s, Mr. White embarked on civil rights demonstrations against segregation. After receiving a Bachelor in Education, Mr. White became a teacher and coach at Mercer University in Georgia then in the Hillsborough County Public School system. In 1967, he began his career in government service with the Federal Model Cities Program. Through bipartisan networking with political leaders in Washington, D.C., Mr. White brought millions of Model Cities dollars to Tampa to help end poverty and improve the lives of the city's residents. A pioneer of firsts, in 1968 Mr. White became the first African American appointed to the Florida Educational Television and Radio Advisory Board, which he later chaired. Only a year later in 1969, Mr. White expanded his expertise to include the first African American appointed to the Florida State Medical Advisory Board. In 1974, Mr. White was the first African American to run for Mayor of the City of Tampa. That same year, Mr. White overcame considerable oppositions to help build the Ybor City campus of Hillsborough Community College, serving as a trustee for Hillsborough Community College and eventually chairing the board. Mr. White has served the Tampa Bay community in countless ways, including as the Executive Director and Insurance Executive of the Tampa Housing Authority. Under Mr. White's leadership, the Tampa Bay community has received millions of dollars to aid public work and created hundreds of jobs. Mr. White is a beloved friend and a role model to many. Mr. White continues to give back through counseling hundreds of young aspiring business and community leaders. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Tampa Bay community, I am proud to recognize Alton Maurice White for his lifelong exemplary service in improving the lives of others.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for her leadership. For almost 50 years, a law called title X has ensured that women across America, no matter their station in life, can receive expert advice on how and when to plan their families, on contraceptives, and also receive breast and cervical cancer screenings. It is smart public policy. It often allows women to complete their education and to get a job to become financially independent. It is cost effective for all of us because it saves public money on prenatal, maternity, and newborn care, and it has worked to decrease teenage and unintended pregnancies. In Florida, in 2014 alone, over 160,000 were counseled through nonprofit agencies and community health centers, and over 38,000 unintended pregnancies were prevented, which helped prevent about 18,000 unintended births. That resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in cost savings. Plus, it is difficult to put a price tag on the ability of someone to become self-sufficient and get a good start in life. Title X is critical for many of my neighbors in Florida, and it should be protected. So it is sad to see my Republican colleagues target working families and young women to restrict access to contraceptives, family planning, and other health services. If Republicans are successful, it would only harm our communities, and in doing so, you are targeting the folks who need the help the most. These politically motivated attacks on women's health are a distraction from the real issues. Across the country, women, parents, moms, and dads need greater economic and personal security, not less. That is what Congress should be focused on. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this harmful resolution.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman DeGette for yielding the time. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 7 and urge the Republican-led Congress to hear the voices of the millions who marched on Saturday who proclaimed that women's rights must be respected, including a woman's right to choose her own health care. I was part of that march, with many of my neighbors from Florida, to send a message to this Congress that our rights--our constitutional rights--must be preserved. Americans have a right to privacy, as we are reminded on this anniversary week of Roe v. Wade, but this Republican bill tramples on that right to privacy. Women, their families, and their doctors have the right to make their personal healthcare decisions, not the mostly male politicians in Washington. It is especially appalling that the Republicans have targeted female veterans and those that serve in the military for reduction in care. So, Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this unconstitutional bill and encourage Americans to continue to lift their voices.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I am compelled to come to the floor this morning to oppose the Republican attempt to pull the rug out from under American families. Why are we going to a repeal bill without a replacement? It is irresponsible. What you are doing is you are throwing American families into quicksand. Here is a dirty little secret: this is also a fiscally irresponsible move because this is likely to balloon the debt and the deficit. Now, what I hear from my families back home in Florida is that the Affordable Care Act has been a godsend to them, and that includes the 9 million families that have private health insurance. The Affordable Care Act has provided vital consumer protections to prevent them from being discriminated against for a preexisting condition or being canceled if they do get sick, and it has kept premium costs in check. We also have a lot of Floridians who depend on Medicare; and because of the ACA, Medicare is stronger. In 2015 alone, the average Medicare recipient has put about $1,000 back into their pocket because the ACA closes the doughnut hole. I urge the House to vote ``no.'' Don't throw American families into chaos and don't wreak havoc on our economy.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Castor amendment to protect children's health, to protect the health of our older neighbors. We value the air that we breathe. H.R. 5 would inject unnecessary barriers into the ability of our environmental agencies--heck, all of the agencies of government--to protect us. When it comes to the final bill itself, if you believe in checks and balances as a foundation of our constitutionally-based government, I urge my colleagues to oppose the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Chair, I rise to offer an amendment to this troubling bill, a bill that proposes to erode the separation of power safeguards in the United States Constitution. My amendment would exempt from this bill rules that protect children and older Americans from cancer, premature mortality, asthma attacks, and respiratory disease so that such rules are not irresponsibly delayed or denied. H.R. 5 unreasonably condemns every major rule, no matter its subject, to an early bureaucratic demise at the hands of the special interests. Many laws and regulations that are adopted and developed to protect the public health and protect costly chronic diseases really shouldn't be put on the back burner just because special interests can oftentimes muck up the gears of government here in Washington. For example, the Clean Air Act, which has been in place for over 40 years, has been one of the most effective public health laws on the books. In 1970, at a time when smog was dense and visible in our cities and towns and industrial areas, our leaders took an important step to protect the public health and regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants by adopting the Clean Air Act, with only one ``nay'' vote here in the entire Congress. Since then, agency rules and regulations have been adopted to implement the act based upon the best science. Those vital policies have improved our health, protected all Americans from harmful air pollution, such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and particle matter. This Republican bill, H.R. 5, largely, would end our ability to develop future safeguards for clean air. Toxic pollutants like ozone, which is a major component of smog, are linked to asthma, lung and heart disease, and result in thousands of deaths every year and up to 1 million days of missed school. Our kids are particularly susceptible to this type of pollution because their lungs are still developing, and they are more likely to spend long periods outdoors, placing them at higher risk. The American Lung Association states that inhaling smog pollution is like getting a sunburn on your lungs and often results in immediate breathing trouble. The University of South Florida's Department of Child & Family Studies did a study in 2014 and said, in the State of Florida alone, there were 48,674 asthma emergency room visits by children and over 6,500 asthma hospitalizations. Any American who has been alive since the adoption of the Clean Air Act in the 1970s has an appreciation for the benefits of clean air. America is stronger and Americans are healthier because of the Clean Air Act. Let's not go backwards. This bill, if adopted, would undermine the Clean Air Act and so many other policies that lift and protect our neighbors. We still have work to do when it comes to the air that we breathe because, even with all of the progress we have made, many working class communities continue to bear the brunt of environmental pollution because oftentimes the only homes that are affordable are located near industrial sites. According to the NAACP, 78 percent of African Americans live within 30 miles of an industrial power plant and 71 percent of African Americans live in counties that violate Federal air pollution standards; and the Environmental Defense Fund found that our Latino neighbors are three times more likely to die from asthma, often for the same reasons. If you establish such barriers to cleaning our air, it is not only our families and neighbors that will suffer, but it will also be the American economy. Far from being an economic burden, clean air protections in the U.S. have a great track record, demonstrating that economic growth and pollution reduction can go hand in hand. Since 1970, we have cut harmful air pollution by about 70 percent, and the U.S. economy has more than tripled. I urge my colleagues to side with hardworking American families and not corporate polluters who love this bill. Don't prioritize polluter profits over science and the health and safety of the public, especially the most vulnerable among us. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Chairman, of course, this legislative body has all the power to go back to policymaking after an administrative agency makes a determination, but we are not micromanagers. We are legislators. And I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Castor amendment to protect children's health. If you won't create an exception for children's health, I wonder, you are not willing to really recognize the fundamental constitutional basis of this government. It is one that relies on checks and balances as the basis of our government. I urge my colleagues then to also support the Castor amendment but oppose the REINS Act in the end. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Chairman, my amendment makes an important exemption to the REINS Act to ensure that policies that protect children from cancer, premature death, asthma attacks, or respiratory disease are not delayed or denied. For example, the Clean Air Act, which has been in place for over 40 years, and has improved our health and protected all Americans from harmful toxic air pollution, such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particle pollution, often requires updates based upon the best science, especially when it comes to our kids. Toxic pollutants, such as ozone, which is a major component of smog, are linked to asthma, lung, and heart disease and result in thousands of deaths every year and up to 1 million missed days of school. Our kids are particularly susceptible to this type of pollution because their lungs are still developing. On average, they take deeper breaths and are more likely to spend long periods outdoors, placing them at higher risk. The American Lung Association states that inhaling smog pollution is like getting a sunburn on your lungs, and often results in immediate breathing trouble. I remember very well back in the early seventies, when I was a little girl, what the air was like in my hometown in Tampa. We had a lot of industrial users at the port of Tampa, a lot of industrial plants. I have seen the progress over time that the Clean Air Act has brought to this country. We are not like other countries in the world. We are stronger, and we are better, and we are healthier because of the Clean Air Act. So let's not go backwards. Let's not throw a roadblock like the REINS Act into the mix here. But we do have to be careful because there still are many communities in America that continue to suffer, and they are often the underserved, economically distressed communities. Studies have shown that working class communities often bear the brunt of environmental pollution because the only homes they can afford are often located near industrial sites. According to the NAACP, 78 percent of African Americans live within 30 miles of an industrial power plant, and 71 percent of African Americans live in counties that violate Federal air pollution standards. In addition to that, a study by the Environmental Defense Fund found that our Latino neighbors are three times more likely to die from asthma, often for those same reasons. Let's not go backwards. Because here, what the REINS Act does is it really complicates the American system of checks and balances. Let's not go backwards. Because it is not only our families and neighbors that would suffer. It is also our economy that would suffer as well. This type of regulatory scheme of mirrors and false promises would create great uncertainty for many of our businesses. The Clean Air Act is one example. These clean air protections in the United States have a great track record. We have grown as a country. The economic growth has tripled. Our economic base has more than tripled. Clean air protections and environmental protections go hand-in-hand with economic growth. Since 1970, we have cut harmful air pollution by 70 percent, while our economy has grown like gang busters. I know many of you are probably going to have your eyes on the Tampa Bay area Monday night when we have the college football championship in Tampa with Alabama versus Clemson. I want you to take a look at our clean skies, the clean air. I wish we could all be there, but I think we are going to be back here in Washington, D.C. But just know, it hasn't always been that way. When you see the beautiful sunset across Tampa Bay with clear skies, that has been because of the Clean Air Act. But if you bring a regulatory scheme, like the REINS Act, that says you have to come back to Congress for every single little new policy that is based on updates and new science, that is going to complicate everyone's lives. I worry at the outset of this new Congress, because the first bill passed yesterday was one that short-circuited public participation, and now this bill today appears to be a late Christmas gift to corporate polluters who put profits over people. We are better than that. You can prove me wrong, though, by supporting this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. ``The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them.''

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.