Joe Courtney

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the House voted on H.R. 1190, the Protecting Seniors Access to Medicare Act. Although I was not present for the vote, I wanted to make my position on this bill clear. While I strongly support repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, and have long supported bipartisan legislation to do so, I would have voted against this bill due to the attachment of a partisan and misguided amendment that undermines another important piece of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). I share the concern of many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle that the IPAB relinquishes control of Medicare provider reimbursements to an unelected group, which is problematic to me for a number of reasons. Congress has helped shape a Medicare system that reflects the unique care needs of varying demographics, and differences between regions and states. Further, this system has been developed with transparency and accountability in congressional debates. And, reforms like better coordination of care and enhanced waste, fraud, and abuse abatement measures have already helped slow Medicare spending to historic lows. Since the enactment of the ACA, the Congressional Budget Office has consistently found that other measures in the law have helped keep health care spending at record lows. While I remain committed to strengthening Medicare's finances for current and future generations, I do not believe that IPAB is the best strategy to achieve this goal. While annual spending bills passed by Congress over the last several years have denied funding to support IPAB thus rendering it inoperable, I agree that the best course of action would be to remove it entirely from the law. That is why I have consistently cosponsored bipartisan legislation to do just that. I am disappointed, therefore, that the Republican-led House chose to take a highly bipartisan bill and turn it, once again, into a highly partisan vehicle to further undermine a key component of the ACA. The amendment that was added to the bill as it headed to the floor would tie repeal to gutting the Prevention and Public Health Fund section of the law. Funds from this section of the ACA go towards Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Education and Outreach, towards the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, to the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, and to the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention fund, among other programs in 2015 alone. I strongly support the ACA and its implementation, but agree with many of my colleagues that it is by no means perfect. It is time for this chamber to work on a truly bipartisan basis to strengthen and improve the law. I stand ready to work across the aisle to repeal IPAB and to make other commonsense changes to the law--but hope that we can do so in a thoughtful and balanced way, which unfortunately this bill did not.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present for votes on June 23, 2015 due to responsibilities back in my district. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``No'' on roll call no. 376, passage of H.R. 1190, the Protecting Seniors Access to Medicare Act of 2015; ``Yes'' on roll call no. 377, on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended, H.R. 805, the Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters Act of 2015 (DOTCOM Act of 2015); and, ``Yes'' on roll call no. 378, on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended, H.R. 2576, the TSCA Modernization Act of 2015.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleague Representative John Larson of Connecticut to honor the long record of service to working men and women by Peter ``Ed'' Reilly, retiring Business Manager and Financial Secretary of the Ironworkers Union Local 15, of Hartford, Connecticut. Ed has been a leader in Local 15 for 19 years, advocating for his members who build the infrastructure of our state--buildings, transportation, water works and mass transit--leaving a lasting legacy which will benefit Connecticut businesses and families for generations. He did so while ensuring his members receive fair wages with health benefits and pension security which are the pillars of middle class prosperity. During Ed's tenure, he created and maintained a strong apprenticeship program providing apprenticeships to young residents of Connecticut-- many from low income families who otherwise would not have had any chance to escape their circumstances. He literally has transformed the lives of thousands with his apprenticeship efforts. Ed has also served as a leader in Connecticut's labor community, presiding over the greater Hartford Building Trade Council, Eastern Connecticut Building Trade Council, and Connecticut Building Trade Council. He was a frequent presence at the State Capitol, calling on his deep understanding and respect for the political process. Ed drew his strong political knowledge in part from his father Peter Reilly Sr., who also led Local 15 and later had a distinguished career as Commissioner of the State of Connecticut Department of Labor. The Reilly family can be proud of a compelling and unique political and governing legacy in the State of Connecticut. Lastly, we want to note that all of these accomplishments came with a high personal cost. Ed's workday started at the crack of dawn and ended late at night, with little or no break, even on the weekends. Ed and his family--his wife Noreen and his children Peter and Raeanne--have earned a long and fruitful retirement. We both ask the full House to join us in extending our sincerest congratulations and best wishes to Ed and his family as they begin this new chapter of their lives.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, I do not doubt for a second the sincerity of the chairman and the ranking member and their support for the Ohio replacement program. This chart, which the Navy produced, showing the 30-year shipbuilding plan, if we fully fund the Ohio class program, as well as a 300-ship Navy, demonstrates exactly the problem that confronts us today. It shows, again, a red line across, which shows the modern era of shipbuilding at about $15 billion a year; and, with the yellow portion of the chart, it shows how, for 13 years, Congress, starting in the 2020s, is going to be asked to raise unprecedented amounts of money for the shipbuilding account. The fact of the matter is this is an asset that is not just the Navy's; it is the country's. Under New START, 70 percent of the nuclear triad will be borne by the Navy through its submarine program, far greater than in the past. The Air Force and their long-range bombers and the Army, with their ground-based systems, are not going to be bearing the same burden as a result of the Ohio class' planned burden under New START. We have an opportunity to do something sensible, which is based in clear precedent, as the gentleman from Virginia indicated. The sealift fund was funded out of the shipbuilding account. The missile-based system was funded on a separate account because these are national assets that provided assistance and national security across the board for the Pentagon. Support this amendment if you support a strong shipbuilding account and protect the shipbuilding industrial base of this country.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize an exceptional public servant from my hometown of Vernon, Connecticut, Mr. Alan Slobodien, and mark his retirement from Vernon Youth Services. Over the past 20 years, Alan has ably served as the director of Vernon Youth Services, an organization devoted to ensuring that ``all Vernon children birth to age 18 are safe, healthy, and productive.'' It is with this goal in mind that Alan has developed forward-thinking programming and policies to engage young people in our town, ensure that they have safe places to learn and play, and have opportunities for success in the future. His commitment to Vernon's youth is unparalleled, and his optimism about Vernon's future has resulted in real, recognizable benefits for our community. With Al at the helm, Vernon Youth Services through summer nutrition programs, to mentoring, to homework support, has continued to make Vernon an ideal place to raise children. On a personal note, I first met Al over 30 years ago when I was the Assistant Public Defender at the Rockville Superior Court and Al was an invaluable contact to get help for young clients. He was incredibly resourceful, sizing up the needs of young people in trouble with the law and designing treatment programs that helped both the community and the person. He had a wonderful combination of compassion and smarts that I really admired. Despite the sometimes hopeless circumstances he tried to fix, he never lost his optimism about people and their potential to change for the better. What an inspiration to all of us. Please join me in congratulating Alan on his decades of remarkable service to his community, and wishing him and his family a rewarding, and well-deserved retirement.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Chief Murray J. Pendleton of Waterford, Connecticut upon his retirement from the Waterford Police Department. For 48 years, Mr. Pendleton has been a committed and active officer of the Waterford Police Department, serving for the past 23 as Chief of Police. Chief Pendleton has steadfastly focused on the security of citizens in Waterford, and he is known in particular for his devotion to improving traffic safety programs. Thanks to his tenacity and devotion, his tenure as Chief in Waterford has been recognized nationally and has left a lasting impact on the community. Chief Pendleton's impressive law enforcement career started in the United States Air Force as an Air Force Police Officer in 1962. In 1967, he joined the Waterford Police Department, serving in multiple specialized roles until his promotion to Deputy Chief in 1984, and Chief in 1991. Chief Pendleton has served as a valued resource to my office throughout my time in Congress, and his absence will be felt in eastern Connecticut. Chief Pendleton was not just a leader in Waterford and its outstanding department, but in the entire state, advocating for safe roads and highways, regionalizing first responders and resources, and making police and fire communications interoperable. Any time I had a question, he always made himself available in person or on the phone and his responses were always direct and honest with no sugarcoating. Please join me in congratulating Chief Murray Pendleton on a lifetime of service to his community, and wishing him a rewarding, and well- deserved retirement.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., former Governor and Senator of Connecticut, on the dedication of the Lowell P. Weicker Building at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. Lowell Weicker served as the 85th Governor of Connecticut from 1991 to 1995, prior to which he represented Connecticut in the United States Senate from 1971 to 1989. In 1981, when President Reagan submitted his first budget to Congress, he proposed significant cuts to domestic programs, including the NIH and services for the disabled and disadvantaged. Then-Senator Weicker led a band of Republicans to respond to these proposed cuts and worked with Democrats to craft a budget that restored funding for the NIH. In 1983, Senator Weicker ascended to Chairman of the Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee. From that post, Senator Weicker defended the NIH from proposed cuts to research on cancer and Alzheimer's, and he held the first hearings on HIV/AIDS research. In the early 1980s, few Americans understood what the AIDS virus was and how it was transmitted. Many held prejudices against those who were most initially affected by the disease. Senator Weicker was ahead of his time in seeing HIV/AIDS as an emerging health crisis. While support for AIDS research was controversial, Senator Weicker stood firm in his support for science and the community, and preserved research from the threat of prejudice. Senator Weicker recognized the need for our government to fight the AIDS epidemic comprehensively, from research to treatment to public education. Senator Weicker implored his colleagues to change their attitudes on AIDS, asking them, ``When in America did we ask how you got sick before coming to your assistance?'' In 1986, Senator Weicker played a critical role in securing the first funding for clinical trials on AZT and treatment for 10,000 AIDS infected patients. AZT was a transformative and first in a line of drugs that helped turned the tide in treatment for HIV/AIDS. Weicker's support laid the groundwork for the approval of AZT as an effective treatment by the FDA in 1987. As Chairman of the Labor-Health Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Weicker did more than defend the NIH budget, he helped secure a 56 percent increase, translating into lifesaving research for millions of Americans. Moreover, Senator Weicker led the fight to grow federal funding to combat AIDS from $64 million in 1984 to $925 million in 1988. He also worked for health and education programs for physically and developmentally disabled persons and the poor. Weicker sponsored the Protection and Advocacy for the Mentally Ill Act in 1985 and in 1988 introduced legislation that would become the Americans with Disabilities Act. Even after his service in the U.S. Senate, he has continued to champion medical research, launching Research!America in 1989, and serving as President of the Board of Directors of Trust for America's Health, and as a Director of the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health since February 2003. On Tuesday, May 5, the National Institutes of Health held a ceremony dedicating the newly-renovated Lowell P. Weicker Building, where scientists in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will conduct the lifesaving research then-Senator Weicker fought so hard to protect. Speakers at the ceremony included Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Research!America President Mary Woolley and former Senator Tom Harkin, a colleague of Senator Weicker who worked with him on a bipartisan basis to secure funding for the NIH. Each speaker highlighted Senator Weicker's achievements on health policy as a senator, especially with regard to NIH research on HIV/AIDS. It was a fitting tribute at NIH for Lowell Weicker, worthy of the champion who fought bravely to protect its buildings and the irreplaceable research conducted inside them. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Governor Weicker on the dedication of the Lowell P. Weicker Building and for his lifelong dedication to disadvantaged Americans.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, just to reiterate the prior point, a few weeks ago, the Iranian Government attempted to send a fleet of ships bearing arms for Houthi rebels in Yemen, a mission that would further drive that region into a dangerous failed state. Luckily, for the world, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a Navy aircraft carrier, led a carrier group into the waters off Yemen and blocked the delivery of those weapons. It is the quintessential platform: an aircraft carrier that can respond to external threats, such as the one a few weeks ago, at a time when there is a resurgent Russian Navy that is back, intruding on the territorial waters of Scandinavian allies, when a Chinese PLA Navy is creating island military outposts in international waters, and, as was mentioned earlier, when ISIS' advance is being confronted by U.S. airstrikes flown off U.S. carriers. Cutting our fleet to 10 from 11 will cripple our Nation's ability to respond to these challenges and will reverse last year's decision by Congress to refuel the George Washington ahead of schedule to ensure the capability of an 11-ship fleet. Nothing in the testimony we have heard in the House Armed Services Committee suggests that the Navy can get by with fewer carriers. In fact, it is the exact opposite. Eleven is the minimum we need in order to meet the missions of today and in the future. The Seapower report on carriers is a balanced plan for America's carrier fleet. Let's vote this amendment down and move forward with that plan.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, again, I thank the chairman who, it is true, over the last 3 years, we have worked together, as well as our predecessors going back to Gene Taylor and Roscoe Bartlett, who started this discussion about the challenge of funding the Ohio replacement program. Mr. Chairman, when President Obama signed the New START treaty on April 8, 2010, after ratification by the U.S. Senate, one thing became crystal clear: the U.S. Navy's nuclear strategic mission became even more critical than ever. Why? Because, as the chairman said, the implementation of a nuclear arsenal in the post-New START era will rest even more heavily on ballistic submarines--in fact, two-thirds of the triad in the post-New START era will be sea-based, and that is why every strategic review going back to Secretary Gates has identified construction of the Ohio replacement program as one of the top--if not the number one--defense priority of the country. Let's be clear, the Ohio program will be built. That is not in debate. The question for Congress is whether we will let this once in a multigenerational cost suffocate the rest of the Navy shipbuilding account. The Seapower report in the underlying bill provides a solution to this problem, which will provide help both for our fleet and the industrial base. The underlying bill activates the national sea-based deterrence fund passed last year on a bipartisan, bicameral basis to fund the design and engineering work for the Ohio replacement program and is a responsible way to support construction of the Ohio replacement fleet. Sponsors of this amendment call the fund a gimmick and a shell game. It is not a gimmick, and there is a clear precedent for this. In fact, Congress has supported the construction of defense and Navy sealift ships through a similar fund called the national defense sealift fund, which was created in 1993, and to this day pays for construction of new oilers, troop transport ships, supply ships, and the like outside of the Navy shipbuilding account. We have done it before to protect recurring upgrades to our fleet, and we should do it again. Vote ``no'' on this amendment to protect our shipbuilding fleet and account and also to protect America's shipbuilding industrial base.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, May 13, was a significant day for 15 million college students who are entering next year's academic year because it is the day that the U.S. Department of Treasury, based on their auction of 10-year notes, sets the interest rates for the Stafford student loan program for all those students who will be borrowing for next year. The good news is that, based on yesterday's auction, where 10-year notes sold for 2.29 percent, the interest rates for next year's Stafford student loan program will be 4.29 percent, which is actually lower than last year's Stafford student loan interest rates. It is a savings of about a third of a percent--not a huge amount, but certainly headed in the right direction. This is because in 2013, we passed the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act which prevented a doubling of interest rates for the Stafford student loan program. It was slated to go to 6.8 percent and, tying it to the interest charged by the Department of Treasury, moderated those costs for, again, 15 million college students all across the country who used the Stafford student loan program. That news event yesterday, though, begs the larger question, which is: What about all those people who are carrying high interest rate student loans who have already graduated over the last 10 years or so? The Federal Reserve Board tells us that over $1 trillion of student loan debt overhangs the U.S. economy today, more than car loan debt and more than credit card loan debt. The trap that many of those people find themselves in is that they cannot refinance that debt because it is noncollateralized loans and that those who hold it in the public sector, in the Stafford student loan sector, again, cannot, by law, refinance down and take advantage of these low interest rates that the Federal Government is benefiting from because of monetary trends in markets that exist today. Well, the good news is that there is a measure before the Congress, the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act, H.R. 1434, which would allow people both with private student loan debt and public student loan debt to refinance those loans down to 3 percent, taking advantage, again, of the fact that we have a very beneficial environment right now in terms of government borrowing. Today, the Federal Government actually makes money off those graduates who are paying 8 percent, 9 percent, 10 percent interest on their loans, which is unconscionable given the fact that that debt is causing great damage to those individuals in terms of starting their lives. The Pew Research Center actually issued a report last year where it talked about the fact that 40 to 50 percent of people in their twenties and early thirties are delaying marriage, they are delaying starting a family, and they are basically denied the access to get a starter home or a real estate mortgage because their debt to income ratios are thrown completely off kilter due to the fact that they are carrying such high rates of student loan debt. The Congressional Budget Office tells us that H.R. 1434 would basically result in half of that trillion dollars of debt being written down, putting millions of dollars of money into people's pockets that they can spend on things in terms of getting their lives started. Again, it is important to note this is not a giveaway by the government; these folks are paying back the loans that they were able to acquire from the Stafford student loan program, but it allows them to moderate their interest rate to comport with what is out there for a 30-year loan for a house or for credit cards or for car loans which, again, are lower than what student loan debt is today. H.R. 1434 has 128 cosponsors in the House. Mr. Speaker, it is time for us to take up this emergency loan refinancing act to provide critical help for individuals who are getting killed out there with monthly payments and, again, inhibiting them to start their lives and do the steps in life that people in their twenties and thirties have done in generations before. Sadly, we saw a budget resolution pass a couple weeks ago--the House Republican budget resolution--that not only failed to take advantage of the fact that the government is able to borrow at historic low rates, but, in fact, compounds the problem because it is going to allow the Federal Government to charge interest while students who are carrying Stafford student loans in school are going to have interest charged while they are in school. Traditionally, the Stafford student loan program has provided one good benefit, which is they don't charge interest while a young person is in their freshman, sophomore, or junior year. The Republican budget actually changed that rule so that interest is going to accumulate while students are in college, adding to their debt burden at the time that they graduate. We need to address this problem; pass H.R. 1434. Let's take advantage of these low interest rates. Let's help millions of Americans get a better start on life.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, could I inquire how much time remains on both sides?

Mr. COURTNEY. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COURTNEY. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COURTNEY. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith), the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee.

Mr. COURTNEY. I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, at the outset, I want to extend my compliments to the chairman of the committee for his first NDAA bill and for the way he conducted a 19-hour markup that went until close to 5 o'clock in the morning. I also thank the ranking member, who provided just really great leadership in terms of moving that process along, and the strong vote that came out of the committee. On the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee--and Mr. Forbes ticked off some of the priorities that came through the report--I just want to add one item which, I think, is really important to note. In terms of the future challenges for the shipbuilding of this country, the replacement program for the ballistic submarine program, the Ohio replacement program, is going to cost, roughly, $70 billion to $80 billion. It has been identified by Secretary Carter on down as the top priority of the Defense Department as well as the Department of the Navy. The question is not about whether or not we are going to build that sub. The question, really, is: What is going to happen to the rest of the shipbuilding account? This year's NDAA bill activates the national sea-based deterrence fund, which is an off-shipbuilding budget account to build this once- in-a-multigeneration program, using clear precedent of the past of the national sea-based deterrence account, which took that program off the shipbuilding budget's shoulders, and we are using that same approach to make sure that, in meeting this critical need, the Ohio replacement program is not going to suffocate the rest of the shipbuilding account. $1.4 billion is going to be infused into this fund with the Defense Authorization Act, and that is going to provide a path forward to make sure that we meet this critical need as well as to make sure that we have a viable, 300-plus-ship Navy, which every defense review over the last few years or so has identified as critical. This is an important item which, I feel, as part of this evening's debate, should be identified, and it is something that was a bipartisan effort on both sides of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. I look forward to a vigorous debate over the next 2 days.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in sadness to honor the life of a friend, neighbor, and local stalwart from the Town of Vernon, Harold ``Hal'' Cummings, who passed away this month. Most recently, Hal served as town attorney in Vernon, but he held a number of local positions over the years including the Conservation Commission, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Board of Education. He was also involved in his local church and Rotary Club and was a founding member of the local Chamber of Commerce. This list of accomplishments demonstrates that Hal held the well-being of Vernon, Connecticut close to his heart. Hal, his wife Isabel and their children Jay, Joel, and Justin fostered a commitment to community that runs deep through their family and is felt profoundly by Vernon residents. Hal's passing is a loss for our town and the many local employees and advocates who relied on his experience and advice. While Harold had long served as the town's top Republican as the Chairman of the Republican Town Committee, he and I shared a mutual respect and friendship that transcended party affiliation. My respect for Harold stemmed from his unwavering and long-standing commitment to the betterment of our community, and from the many times we worked together to make progress in the town of Vernon. Hal's record of military service, as well as that of his son Joel, was a source of great pride for him. After I was elected to Congress, he always made positive, informed comments on military policy, the stresses of active duty service, and the need to help America's veterans. Hal was a staunch supporter of the New England Civil War museum, one of Vernon's most treasured destinations--yet another example of his widespread involvement in our community. Harold was known throughout Vernon for his positivity, and his hard work to keep our town running smoothly. I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering the life and achievements of Harold Cummings, and expressing our deepest condolences to his friends and family.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a health care leader from Connecticut, Pete Pasquale, who will be retiring in July after 42 years with McKesson Corporation. During his tenure with McKesson, the world's largest healthcare services company, Pete has capably led the many teams he developed in a career spanning roles from District Sales Manager in Albany, New York to Senior Vice President for the Northeast Region in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, with overall responsibility for McKesson's pharmaceutical sales and distribution activity in the Northeast market. McKesson's involvement in nearly every health care sector provided Pete with a unique understanding of health care policy and a platform to inform policymakers. I had the opportunity to visit McKesson's Rocky Hill offices last summer, where I was impressed by the incredible efficiency of McKesson's operations and the high morale of employees there who benefited from Pete's leadership. When Pete began his career with McKesson as a Sales Trainee in 1973, many pharmaceutical products were shipped to pharmacies directly by the manufacturers, and Pete and his wife Deb spent every Sunday afternoon calling customers to take their orders. Pete would then bundle the orders by hand and personally drop off the shipments at the post office for Monday deliveries. Pharmaceutical deliveries may have evolved since then, but Pete's values of focusing each day on customers and patients have inspired his friends and coworkers throughout his career. Pete and his wife Deb raised three kids--Timmy, Gina and Cara, together every step of the way. And, not surprisingly, Pete has saved his best role for last--that of Pop. He is the proud grandfather to Stella, Pete, Gaetana, and Leo, who always bring a smile to his face. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring Pete Pasquale for his outstanding career in health care, and I personally want to thank Pete for his 42 years of dedication, leadership and commitment to patients, our community and our country. I wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my condolences to the family of Marie Herbst upon her passing on April 23, 2015. Mr. Speaker, it is hard to describe the range of accomplishments Marie achieved during her amazing life. A wife of 63 years, a mother of 5, a schoolteacher for 37 years, and on top of that a record of public service at the state and local level that spanned decades. As one of the most dedicated citizens of Vernon, Marie stood as an activist for her town's needs in the area of education. This commitment to the Vernon community was not limited to activism, as Marie saw the need to serve her constituents locally and ensure that her neighbors' voices were heard. Marie was elected to the Board of Education, Town Council, as Mayor of Vernon and served for over eight years as a State Senator representing her friends and neighbors in Hartford. She demonstrated further dedication to her fellow citizens after she left the Connecticut General Assembly to resume her position on the Town Council. During that time, Marie focused on her most abiding passion: the welfare of the Town of Vernon. During her tenure, the town saw new schools, fire stations, police headquarters, roads and bridges. Never one to duck controversy, she nonetheless had an extraordinary record of political success due in large part to her integrity and honesty. In a word, people trusted Marie, even if they did not always agree with her. At the end of the day we can all look back on her life and marvel at her energy and passion for helping others through her service in public office. At the same time, she never shortchanged her husband Paul, her children Paul, Debra, Kate, Laura and Janet or the students that she taught in the East Windsor school system. She set a high bar of excellence that all citizens and public officials should strive to match. I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering Marie's life and expressing our deepest sympathies to Paul and to the Herbst family.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a legendary journalist in eastern Connecticut, Ray Hackett. After 40 years in journalism, the past 27 years at the Norwich Bulletin in Connecticut, Ray is retiring this month from the profession he has loved. Ray's life journey included completing two tours for the United States Army in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War and being awarded the Bronze Star when he was 19. Ray does not talk about his military service often, but his experiences have helped shape his reporting and influenced our region's conscience on the treatment of veterans returning home from war. Ray's account of the first time he visited the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, accompanied by his daughter, to see the names of his fallen comrades is moving and unforgettable. Ray's first experience in journalism was spending ten years on radio, including time with Armed Forces Radio and Television. He joined the Norwich Bulletin in 1988, covering the city hall beat. Ray was promoted to serve as City Editor from 1994 to 2000 and moved to the opinion page in 2000, serving as Editorial Page Editor and focusing on politics. As the influence of his political punditry grew, Ray became increasingly tapped as a moderator for political debates for races up and down the ticket. As a debate moderator, he became known for asking tough, thoughtful questions which gave the voters of eastern Connecticut much needed answers. He also connected candidates directly with the public by broadcasting editorial board meetings with all candidates during election cycles. Ray's numerous honors include being named the three time GateHouse Media Editorial Writer of the Year in 2009, 2011, and 2013. He won awards in 2008, 2012, and 2013 from the Connecticut Society for Professional Journalism for editorial excellence. Additionally, Ray was awarded First Place for the Dear Governor project in 2010 from both the New England Newspaper & Press Association and the Associated Press Managing Editors Association. In my view, one of Ray's accomplishments outshines even these honors bestowed by his colleagues--the dedicated push he made to bring U.S. Army Captain and Waterford native Arnold ``Arnie'' Holm's remains home to Connecticut. Captain Holm was killed in action in Vietnam in 1972, and his body never recovered. Working with Holm's friend Bill Cavalieri and his widow Margarete Holm, Ray kept up the drumbeat in the media to find Holm's remains and return them for proper burial. Decades after their passing, Holm's remains were discovered in 2011 at a helicopter crash site in the central highlands of Vietnam. In a fitting final chapter to this story, my office was notified this week that the headstone marking the grave of Holm and his two comrades was installed at Arlington National Cemetery. Ray has said that his inspiration as a journalist has always been to ``think like a reader'' and ``never forget, they all don't think like you.'' This approach has earned Ray access to readers of all stripes in eastern Connecticut and garnered their respect, even if disagreeing with his reporting or his opinions. When Ray Hackett steps down this month from the Norwich Bulletin, eastern Connecticut will lose an irreplaceable asset--a reporter and editor who embraced the coverage of all 64 towns in the Second Congressional District, the diversity of our urban, suburban, and rural communities, and the politics and policy issues that animate discussions in our diners and at our kitchen tables across our region. Ray leaves a significant journalistic footprint in eastern Connecticut that will not be matched for a long time. Even in an era of a 24 hour news cycle, he represents a journalistic ethos marked by integrity in pursuit of impartial truth. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Ray Hackett on an illustrious career and wishing him the best in a well-earned retirement.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor an exceptional constituent from Bozrah, Connecticut whose lifetime of service, leadership, and expertise was recently recognized by the New London County Fire Chiefs' Association upon his installation as their next president. Ray Barber is a local institution with an extensive history of community and public service dating back to his teen years when he joined the Bozrah Volunteer Fire Company in 1952. As Chief and then President of the BVFC, Mr. Barber served through the town's acquisition of its first fire truck in 1953, and through the decades, helped grow the emergency services the town provides to its residents. Today, Bozrah is a heart-safe community with a full complement of EMTs and ambulance services thanks in large part to Mr. Barber's commitment to improving safety. Mr. Barber's contributions expand well beyond the BVFC. He served in the U.S. Army, as First Selectman in Bozrah, for 20 years, on the Bozrah Board of Finance, and in the Connecticut Council of Governments. It would be an understatement to say that his skills and passion for the region made his new role as President of the New London County Fire Chiefs' Association a richly deserved honor. As President, Mr. Barber will lead an 83-year-old institution with 65 member organizations and will represent the interests of volunteer and career fire fighters across the region--over 3,000 personnel. I ask the House to join me in thanking Ray Barber for his service, congratulating him on this deserved honor, and wishing him success in the years to come.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York. I rise in opposition to the rule and to the previous question, as she just stated, would allow consideration of H.R. 1434, the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act. Mr. Speaker, there is an emergency out there for young Americans who are trapped in high interest rate students loans. The Federal Reserve bank has tallied that. It is $1.3 trillion of overhang in the U.S. economy. None other than the former Republican Governor of the State of Indiana and the former Budget Director under George Bush testified before the Education Committee the other day, and this is what he said: Research from the Pew Research Center and Rutgers shows that today's 20- and 30-year olds are delaying marriage, delaying childbearing, both unhelpful trends from an economic and social standpoint. Between 25 percent and 40 percent of borrowers report postponing homes, cars, and other major purchases. Half say that their student loans increase their risk of defaulting on other bills. There are 7.5 million young Americans who are behind on their student loans. Again, they are trapped in no collateral, high interest rate documents that our bill allows them to write down. Anyone watching this debate knows that when there is a period of low interest rates--and that is exactly what is the situation today--middle class families refinance their houses, refinance their car loans, and refinance their credit cards; but students and people carrying student loan debt because of the fact that they were no-collateral loans are trapped. Our bill allows them to go to the Department of Education, write down those interest rates to 3.6 percent. The Congressional Budget Office has told us that half of the trillion-dollar overhang would be refinanced down if this bill took place. That puts money in people's pockets, as the Pew Research Center shows. That means that they are going to go out and buy cars, buy homes, and start families. Our failure to deal with this issue is strangling this economic recovery. And incredibly, we are going to take up a Republican budget which cuts Pell Grants and also raises interest rate costs for Stafford loan programs. Let's be very clear: this budget allows the government to charge interest while people are in school, which has been a pillar of the Stafford student loan program, that interest is not charged while kids are going through college. Yet the Republican budget adds to that $1.3 trillion in overhang by adding interest costs in their budget plan. The hard-working American people who want to buy homes, who want to send their kids to college, have an opportunity with this legislation, H.R. 1434, to allow them to refinance down their interest rates to a lower out-of-pocket cost that will provide an automatic, instant stimulus to the U.S. economy. That is what the American people are looking for, not a Republican budget plan that compounds the largest area of consumer debt in the U.S. economy. It adds costs to folks whose Pell grants won't rise and whose interest rates are going to go up on their Stafford loans. The choice is very clear with this vote that we are about to take. One vote is going to add to the student loan problem, which the Federal Reserve has identified as the largest consumer debt challenge of our Nation, and the other vote will allow us to move forward to solving that problem. Vote ``no'' on the rule. Vote ``no'' on the previous question. Let's help those 7.5 million kids and young people who are behind on their student loans. Allow them to refinance down their interest rates, which is what happens all throughout the U.S. economy during a time of low interest rates.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 284. I have heard from many stakeholders in eastern Connecticut about this issue, and believe that this bill is a commonsense approach to making needed improvements to the competitive bidding process for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies. Requiring bidding entities to meet state licensure requirements in product category areas and obtaining reasonable bid surety bonds for each area are sensible prerequisites to improving the competitive acquisition program. Requiring vendor bidders to be licensed, means that they have attained basic standards of education and training, which patients can rely on. These reforms will ensure that the competitive DME bidding process produces a more stable supply chain of life saving equipment for Medicare patients. I am proud to support this legislation, and urge bipartisan support for this bill today.