Steve Cohen

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Chair, my amendment offered by Mr. Edwards of Texas increases the Medical Services account at the Veterans Administration by $1M with an offset of the same amount to the General Operating Expenses account. It is my hope that this modest increase could be used toward the budget of the VA's Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP). Started in 1998, the Education and Debt Reduction Program is an excellent asset to VA. The program is a loan repayment and debt cancellation program specifically for VA medical personnel. It helps the VA to recruit and retain the most competitive and qualified professionals. Over the course of the year, I have encouraged the VA to review its processes for hiring and retaining its doctors, nurses, clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists and other employees that are so critical to the treatment and care of our veterans. In years passed, more medical personnel have wanted to participate in EDRP but were unable to enroll because of funding restrictions. This amendment could directly address this program and I strongly encourage my colleagues to support it. In closing, Madam Speaker, I want to thank Congresswoman Slaughter and staff for considering my amendment. I also want to applaud Chairman Obey, subcommittee Chair Chet Edwards and staff for crafting a fiscally responsible appropriations bill that will benefit military construction projects, the veterans' affairs administration, and veterans throughout this country. This appropriations bill took into consideration the most feasible parts of the President's requests as well as the concerns of our veterans and veterans groups. For years, the Veterans Administration, Veterans Service Organizations, and veterans across the country have fought for advanced funding to ensure that the VA Healthcare system is funded in a timely and predictable fashion. For the first time, Congress is providing advanced appropriations not just for the upcoming fiscal year but for two years ahead of time. This advanced funding will affect the medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities accounts and will enable the Veterans Hospital in Memphis and Veterans Hospitals throughout the country to plan and implement its programs early. It offers $4.6 billion for mental health, the same as the President's request and $800 million above the budget for 2009. This increase will allow the VA to better deal with the mental health diagnosis, care, and treatment of our courageous veterans. I support this bill and again I ask for your support of my amendment as offered by Mr. Edwards of Texas.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the heroic acts of Charity Townsend Caldwell. On May 2, 2009, Charity Townsend Caldwell, a great citizen of Memphis, TN gave someone a chance; but this chance wasn't a government program or a random act of kindness, it was the greatest gift of all . . . life. Charity Townsend Caldwell was arriving at her own graduation from nursing school, when her college dean had a heart attack, and was immediately surrounded by a crowd of people. Caldwell, following her instincts, ran through the crowd of people and immediately got down on her knees to assist her former administrator. Within seconds Caldwell had saved a man's life that would undoubtedly had been lost if she had not acted as quickly as she did. What Charity Caldwell's actions prove is that when people are given great tools, they can do great things, despite their hardships. Caldwell was given a superb education from the Nursing School of Southwest Community College located in Memphis, TN, and the knowledge she gained from this institution prepared her to act in any situation, even at her own graduation. While Caldwell worked against the odds to save a man's life, it was nothing new for her, because she is very familiar with overcoming challenges. She was a single mother, held a fulltime job, and was doing this while attending nursing school. Because of Charity's tenacity and faith, she found herself saving a life at her own graduation. The story of Charity Caldwell proves, that when people are given a chance to excel, they do and in extraordinary ways. Again, I would just like to congratulate and thank Charity Townsend Caldwell for showing us that hard work and perseverance not only affect an individual's life, it can literally save another.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. This is Black Music Month. And we had a resolution to introduce and pass celebrating the 30th anniversary of Black Music Month. Because of the scheduling, it didn't come up. That is why I wanted to address that fact today. Black Music Month is important because it reminds people of the history of music in this country and the contributions of black Americans. Much of that happened in my city in Memphis, at Stax Soulsville, home of Isaac Hayes, Sam and Dave, Stax Soulsville Records, Al Green, Willy Mitchell and others, also Detroit and Motown and New Orleans and Fats Domino, Professor Long Hair, and many great musicians. But back to Kansas City, and Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis and Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie, not all from Kansas City, but that from that jazz era, and others. Michael Jackson, of course, passed. Many great musicians whose music needs to be remembered and young people need to learn that music is a great way to pass on our culture and preserve it and a great way to enjoy their own life and experience a better way. I'm pleased this is the 30th anniversary of Black Music Month. And we need to enjoy music and soothe the soul.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2014, which awarded the Woman Airforce Service Pilots of World War II with a Congressional Gold Medal. Known as WASP, these courageous women faced incredible bias and hardship while serving our country. Out of the 300 recipients, three WASP are from the 9th district in Memphis, TN. Women were essential to our effort in World War II. In factories and shipyards throughout this nation, they provided the fundamental infrastructure and labor which allowed our military to prevail. We can't forget that just 23 years before the war, Rosie the Riveter didn't have the right to vote. Suddenly, she was the muscle behind the plane, the tank, the ship--in short the entire arsenal of democracy. The women of these times toiled selflessly. They were passionately patriotic. The WASP were no exception. They were the backbone of the Army Air Corps and performed vital jobs such as delivering newly assembled planes to key military bases and test piloting new planes. They even flew the first jets. The WASP flew over 60 million miles in every type of aircraft. Without their work, the Army Air Corps would not have been able to function properly and domestic efforts would have been severely crippled, making it more difficult to receive crucial supplies, troops and planes. I am very proud to have three WASP veterans living in my home district in Memphis, TN. Martha M. Carpenter, Frankie Yearwood and Lillian E. Goodman all graduated from the WASP program with extensive flight experience and training. Their jobs required incredible skill and were highly dangerous. Recently, Ms. Goodman recalled, ``in my own class there were two girls and an instructor that went up in a twin engine plane . . . they crashed and were all killed.'' The women that Ms. Goodman remembers were sent home in unmarked pine boxes. Their service was not acknowledged. They were denied military funerals and their families were not permitted to put up a Gold Star in their memory. It wasn't until 1977 that Congress finally gave the WASP veteran status and benefits. For all their patriotism and service, the WASP--all of whom were pilots before the war--faced harassment and shocking levels of discrimination during and after their service. Sadly, they were made to pay for their own flight training and for their own trip home after being discharged. When the war ended, some male combat veterans fought vigilantly to deny them equal veteran status. For thirty years, the federal government classified WASP records. For too long, their heroism was kept out of the history books. Grandmothers could only tell incredible stories of serving as pilots in World War II to disbelieving grandchildren. President Carter helped to change all that by finally opening up the records and allowing Ms. Goodman, Ms. Carpenter, and Ms. Yearwood's service to be public. The WASP's exemplary record and contributions towards the war effort were referenced in the 1993 congressional hearings which led to legislation allowing women to fly aircraft in combat roles. Currently, women make up more than 14% of the military on active duty and more than 17% of the reserve and National Guard. The Air Force has the highest percentage of women enlisted, as nearly 20% of its members on active duty and 25% of the National Air Force Reserve are women. Ms. Carpenter, Mrs. Goodman, Ms. Yearwood and the other brave women of the WASP were pioneers for the dedicated women who serve in our military today and for all who face prejudice in pursuit of equality.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Chair, I would like to thank Chairman Skelton, Ranking Member McKeon, and former Ranking Member McHugh for their tireless work to put together this year's National Defense Authorization Act. My amendment to the NDAA directs the Department of Defense to report on the potential effects of expanding the current statute regarding directing disposition of remains of a servicemember who dies in combat. The DOD is to report back to Congress within 180 days with their findings. I filed this amendment because the current policy under 10 U.S.C. 1482 is too restrictive, limiting the individuals who can be designated to a spouse, blood relative, or adoptive parent. In today's society, many families are not as simple as that. Specialist Christopher Fox of Memphis, only 21 years old, was on his second tour in Iraq and was due to be discharged from the Army in July of this year. However, he died in Iraq on September 29, 2008 of wounds sustained when he encountered small-arms fire while on patrol. Specialist Fox wanted his mother-figure--the woman who was awarded temporary custody when he was seventeen--to oversee his burial arrangements. Her name was listed on the DD93 form filled out by Specialist Fox to direct disposition of his remains, as required by the DOD. However, due to Federal law, DOD could not allow his written intent to be carried out. I know that Specialist Fox is not alone in wanting someone other than a spouse or blood relative to oversee their burial arrangements. Expansion of the 10 U.S.C. 1482 is supported by the Air Force Association, AMVETS, the National Guard Association of the United States, the National Association of Uniformed Services, the United States Army Warrant Officers Association, and the Vietnam Veterans of America. We need to remember the sacrifices of our servicemembers and do what we can to honor their memory and their wishes. It is with this purpose that I filed this amendment to require the DOD to study the current statute. I urge my colleagues to support and pass this amendment.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, there was much media speculation as to where Mr. Steve Jobs had a liver transplant. It came out yesterday that he had his liver transplant in Memphis, Tennessee, my home town, at the Methodist Hospital, a hospital known for its liver transplant center which has the lowest morbidity rate of any transplant center in the United States. Memphis has been a medical center for years, with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the finest research hospital for children's illnesses, catastrophic illnesses, and cancer; for Southern College of Optometry; for LeBonheur Children's Hospital; for Campbell's Clinic for orthopedics and other particular medical specialties. We are proud of our medical community. We are sorry Mr. Jobs had to have a liver transplant, but we are happy he came to Memphis and chose the best. But it shouldn't be that only the wealthy can come to Memphis and have the best medical care available. We need to pass a health care plan that is affordable and quality with a public plan to let every American have the opportunity to get the best medical attention that is available, and come to Memphis and receive it.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Chairman, this amendment, which I appreciate being incorporated into the manager's amendment and was also sought in a similar fashion by Mr. Weiner of New York, would include language to increase funding to the Urban Areas Security Initiative Nonprofit Security Grant program. The Urban Areas Security Initiative Nonprofit Security Grant program is an important program that helps fund support for the not-for-profits that could be subject to attack. Nonprofit organizations often are like hospitals, which are vital to our communities' ongoing security and safety, especially if there is an attack that can spread terror and havoc on a community if they are attacked. And if you have research facilities attacked, there are other concerns in the community. The nonprofit entities can include hospitals and historic landmarks. In my community of Memphis, which I hope has an opportunity to share, there's the Med, there's St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and other great hospitals. New York has many too; and that's why Mr. Weiner, I think, was interested in this. And the terror that could be spread by attacking a museum or a library and sending panic through the community could be very disastrous to the well-being of the people in that community and in the Nation. So hopefully the increase in this funding will help our cities secure their funds and secure their facilities. I would like to thank the chairman for the addition of the funding and the support for the additional $3 million for the Urban Areas program. I would like to thank Mr. Price and the committee for their work in including it in the manager's amendment.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, tonight the House passed five bills, four of which dealt with important veterans issues, veterans compensation, the Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, the Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, and another that directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on their Web site certain information, one on education. I was a sponsor of the fifth bill that was on the calendar, the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, with the prime sponsor being Representative Sandlin. I was inadvertently out of the room at the time of that vote. I would have voted ``yes'' for that bill. It's an important bill. And that's why I'm a prime sponsor of it and regret the fact that I missed that vote. But I think what we did tonight for veterans was very important.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman, the chairman of the task force, the ranking member of the committee, and Mr. Sensenbrenner. This unquestionably has the facts that are obvious for this House to vote for impeachment. This judge has abused his office and justice by pleading guilty to obstruction of justice, committing obstruction of justice and lying to an official panel, and has taken an action upon his employees and his position, women, that is an affront to all women in this country. And these are actions that are high crimes and misdemeanors worthy of the vote of impeachment. That is unquestioned. But what is particularly impressive to me is the procedure that this House has acted in and the speed to make sure that the public Treasury and the public trust are protected. This man does not deserve his pay. He does not deserve his position. He does not deserve his pension. For he has shamed the country, the Judiciary, and been offensive toward people and good conduct, and for those reasons it is important that this House act, that the Senate have the opportunity to try this man, and to protect the public Treasury and the public good.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I once again ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2765) to amend title 28, United States Code, to prohibit recognition and enforcement of foreign defamation judgments and certain foreign judgments against the providers of interactive computer services, as amended.

Mr. COHEN. I yield the remainder my time.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time and ask if the gentleman from Texas would like to yield back his time, wherefore I will yield mine.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Texas, and I understand him clear and well. Some people don't understand us as well as we understand each other. I would like to also request that the previous remarks that I made be incorporated by reference onto this bill.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2247) to amend title 5, United States Code, to make technical amendments to certain provisions of title 5, United States Code, enacted by the Congressional Review Act, as amended.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to extend and revise their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 2247, the Congressional Review Act Improvement Act, would cut governmental waste by reducing duplicative paperwork and relieving some of the administrative burdens currently mandated by the Congressional Review Act. The Congressional Review Act is the congressional mechanism for reviewing agency rules. It currently requires that when an agency promulgates a rule, it must submit documents to both Houses of Congress and to the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office. The agency must submit a report that contains a copy of the rule, a concise general statement describing it, and its proposed effective date. Thus, under current law, the same material is submitted to, housed in, and printed by four different government entities. This approach creates unnecessary burdens. For example, the House Parliamentarian has testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law in three separate Congresses about the ever-increasing volume of executive branch communications under the Congressional Review Act and its overwhelming impact on the operations of the Parliamentarian's office. This bill eliminates the requirement that agencies submit copies of rules with accompanying reports to each House of Congress. Instead, the House and Senate will receive a weekly list of all rules from the Comptroller General. The House and Senate would then have the list printed in the Congressional Record with a statement of referral for each rule. Under the bill, the House and Senate retain the option to directly obtain reports on major rules. Importantly, the bill makes no changes to the authority of Congress under the Congressional Review Act to disapprove agency rules. What it basically does is it cuts out some unnecessary paperwork and saves forests. I thank Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Ranking Member Lamar Smith, and Trent Franks, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, for being original cosponsors of this bill with me. This is a commonsense bill that rightfully has strong bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to support it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I too would yield the balance of my time and ask for a favorable vote on the proposition before us, as amended.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to withdraw the motion.

Mr. COHEN. First I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2765) to amend title 28, United States Code, to prohibit recognition and enforcement of foreign defamation judgments and certain foreign judgments against the providers of interactive computer services.

Mr. COHEN. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2765 prohibits U.S. courts from recognizing or enforcing foreign defamation judgments that are inconsistent with our First Amendment or fundamental due process. This legislation addresses what has come to be referred to as libel tourism, doing an end run around the First Amendment by suing American authors and publishers for defamation in the courts of foreign countries with more plaintiff- friendly defamation laws, particularly Britain. Britain has become a favorite destination for libel tourists for a number of reasons. First, British law lacks our constitutional free speech protections and instead, specifically disfavors speech critical of public officials and public figures. Second, British libel law places the burden of proving the truth of the allegedly defamatory statement on the defendant. This distinction has drawn criticism not only from American defenders of free speech but also from the United Nations and even from some Members of the British Parliament. And third, Britain takes a very expansive view of personal jurisdiction. A British court can exercise personal jurisdiction over a libel defendant if his or her statement, wherever it was made or aimed, can be said to cause ``real or substantial'' harm or injury to reputation in Britain. Combined with the Internet, this expansive view has rendered American authors and publishers especially vulnerable to libel suits in Britain. As one commentator has said, ``In the Internet age, the British libel laws can bite you no matter where you live.'' H.R. 2765 will deter libel tourists from taking advantage of these differences in the laws of Britain and other foreign jurisdictions and our precious First Amendment by imposing important limitations on the enforcement of foreign defamation judgments in our courts. Under the bill, a U.S. court cannot enforce a foreign defamation judgment inconsistent with the First Amendment to our Constitution or when the foreign court's exercise of personal jurisdiction over the defendant does not comport with our due process requirements. And a U.S. court cannot enforce a foreign defamation judgment against an interactive computer service if doing so is inconsistent with section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934. This will ensure that libel tourists cannot chill speech by suing a third-party interactive computer service rather than the actual author of the statement. Finally, the bill allows a court to award attorney's fees to the party resisting enforcement of the foreign judgment if that party prevails. This puts some added teeth in the bill. That was a recommendation at our hearing on the bill. This will not only compensate the American author or publishers for the expense of defending a nonmeritorious enforcement action but will help dissuade the would-be libel tourist from putting them to that expense in the first place. I am joined in introducing this legislation by my colleague Darrell Issa of California. Last year our bill passed the House overwhelmingly, and I ask my colleagues to support it again this year. I would like to thank Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and Ranking Member Lamar Smith and all the cosponsors of this bill for their help and support in bringing it to this point. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. I would like to thank Mr. Scott for the time. I would like to congratulate Cincinnati on their good fortune to be the host of this game. Memphis was the host for the first two games. The final exhibition game of spring training, the only game that was televised on ESPN, and a great event in our city, where the National Civil Rights Museum exists and the site of civil rights struggles and civil rights victories. We really enjoyed the opportunity to have players honored there, Willie Mays, Minnie Minoso, my hero, and others over the years, who have brought great pride to the city of Memphis where we have the finest minor league baseball park ever constructed, AutoZone Park. We felt that the game should permanently stay in Memphis, but it has moved on. I want to congratulate Cincinnati, and I congratulate Major League Baseball for having such a game. Jackie Robinson has been immortalized as a civil rights hero whose number 42 was retired by Major League Baseball in an appropriate manner. There were many great players in the Negro baseball leagues who we honored last year with a resolution--such as Satchel Paige, who was written up, I think, in today's New York Times--and the great careers they had, great ballplayers. So it's appropriate that civil rights, which baseball and sports have contributed to so much, be remembered by Major League Baseball. I congratulate Major League Baseball and the city of Cincinnati. I just want to say to my colleague from Texas--Noah.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Jackson expressed much of what I've thought about as to the events of yesterday. People who hate--and this assailant hated Jews and blacks in particular--hate all people and minorities. With that in mind, I think it's important that people reflect and do something positive with their children and with themselves in the future as an antidote to the type of hate that we saw. That is to bring your children to the Holocaust Museum. Let them learn about the horrors of the Nazis and of the camps. Come to Memphis to the Civil Rights Museum and learn about civil rights. Go to Atlanta where Dr. King is buried, and learn about Dr. King and nonviolence. Take steps to learn about ways to make the world better. It's unfortunate what happened yesterday. It's so awful at that site, but it is awful that it happened anywhere and that Mr. Johns did lose his life. We must appreciate all the guards who protect American order and liberty.