Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this motion to recommit, and I want to thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), who is a member of the Committee on the Judiciary who was going to offer this motion in committee.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is simple. It would prevent the departments and agencies under this bill from using any funds to contract with American companies which have created shell corporations in tax haven countries in order to avoid paying U.S. taxes. Both the House and the Senate have now passed a similar ban on the Homeland Security Appropriations bill. Recent data shows that despite costing our government $5 billion in lost tax revenue, corporate expatriates reaped $1.4 billion in Federal contracts in 2002 alone. This in the middle of a budget crisis. As a result, this bill lacks sufficient funding for public transit for the Nation's commuters and for Amtrak. We are struggling to find the resources to fund an ongoing war on terrorism, to equip our first responders, and ensure the safety of our ports and air transit. The notion that we would reward these companies for their bad behavior with taxpayer funded contracts is not only counterintuitive, it offends our values as Americans. This amendment will not affect existing contracts. Let me repeat that. This amendment will not affect existing contracts. It will simply ensure that in the future we will favor good corporate citizens with government contracts rather than rewarding companies for moving overseas and putting tax paying American companies at a permanent competitive disadvantage. Failing to pass this amendment will allow companies who reduce their tax burdens by setting up these shell corporations overseas to underbid these good corporate citizens. That hurts American companies who pay their taxes and employ citizens across this Nation. These companies have made a clear choice to leave this country and not pay their taxes. It is now up to us to make a choice. We should set standards. We should set the tone. We should set the obligation that if they are going to do that and not pay taxes in the United States, then in fact they can not feed at the public trough and get government contracts. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. DeLAURO. I thank the gentleman. I appreciate his comments and his argument except that the countries were culled from a list of corporate expatriates and their countries of incorporation. They are the top destinations of corporate tax dodgers. It is also I think important for people to know none are members of the WTO.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman would not yield me time and I want to say that, in fact, we have been trying over the last probably 2 years to deal with the issue of corporate expatriates. And, quite frankly, as I said in my opening remarks, we have had success in both the House and the Senate. And they have now passed a civil ban on the Homeland Security Appropriations bill. And that is because the rank and file members of this institution and in the other body realize that, in fact, this is the height of un-Americanism. These are corporations who try to diminish their tax liabilities by going overseas to places like Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, and they do it for one purpose and one purpose alone, and that is not to pay their fair share of taxes to this country. We have tried in committee, we have tried in the floor and we have, truly, we have had moderate success and for that I am grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. But the fact of the matter is that at every opportunity the leadership on the other side of the aisle, the White House, have truly removed, removed the will of the body in their legislation in the bills that have been passed here. I would say to you that we are going to continue to address this issue. We do need to make a choice. We do have to demonstrate values and what we are about, and whether or not we are going to allow businesses who walk away from their tax obligation and their responsibility to the United States of America, we are going to allow them as we did this here afternoon to be exonerated from legal liability and then we are going to say to them, come back and get government contracts because your behavior has been so exemplary that we want to reward you with billions and billions of dollars of taxpayers funds. Do we really believe that that says what this country is all about? It defies logic. Individuals in this Nation and businesses who are good corporate citizens are paying their fair share of taxes. They cannot evade them. They cannot dodge them. Why should these corporations be allowed to do that at a time when we have so few resources that we cannot do anything about health care, about retirement security, about education, about transportation? I say to my colleagues, those who vote against this amendment surely do have some explaining to do to their constituents and their constituents deserve an answer; and if the answer is they will allow these tax dodgers to be able to get billions of dollars in Federal funds and in contracts, then maybe the constituents ought to think twice when election time rolls around. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the remaining time. In closing, let me just say I have no other speakers. As I have said, this is an issue of values, and it is an issue of priorities. We talk a lot today about values and what they mean in our lives, what they mean to this country and who, in fact, is the best representation of the fundamentals of this country, as adhered to in its entire history. If my colleagues want to stand with corporations who have abandoned our country in a time of war and have gone through such elaborate contortions to avoid paying U.S. taxes or they have to look into their souls tonight and say can they stand with those companies who have been good corporate citizens, they employ Americans, they live up to their responsibilities to their Nation, I think if we ask any American citizen, whether they be a Democrat or a Republican, that the answer would be the same. I have to pay my taxes, why do they not? Let us put this people's House on record. Let us take an opportunity to demonstrate that we are on the side of everyday Americans, middle- class Americans, and let us tell these corporate expatriates, the free ride is over. Vote in favor of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday our nation will stop and reflect on the terrible events that occurred three years ago on that day. Each of us will remember in vivid detail where we were and what we were doing when we realized that America had come under murderous attack by cowardly terrorists. We will remember the way that firemen and policemen rushed into burning buildings to save lives. We will remember the heroism of the passengers and crew of Flight 93. We will remember the 3,000 friends, family and loved ones who died that day, and we will pay a debt of thanks to the men and women of our military who continue the fight against terrorism in far off places. And I, for one, Mr. Speaker, will recall the spirit of bipartisanship that pervaded Washington in the days that followed--how Members of Congress stood together on the steps of the Capitol, singing ``God Bless America'' in one strong voice. As we consider the events of that day, I urge my colleagues to recapture that spirit and move quickly to adopt the reforms of the September 11th Commission. By doing so, we will improve our intelligence gathering capabilities, improve coordination between government agencies and strengthen Congressional oversight of the intelligence community. As Americans stop to consider how much the world has changed in these three years, it is imperative that the Congress do all that it can to ensure that our government changes with the world. Every day that goes by without action to embrace the reforms of the Commission is a day that our ability to prevent another 9/11 is limited.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss our so-called ``economic recovery.'' Last week I visited a woman in my district named Carol Jones. Nine months ago Carol had a job at an investment firm, a steady income, a health care plan, and a pension. But she had something more. She had security. Then, like so many others struggling to get by, Carol was laid off, went on for months on end without a job, supporting herself on unemployment benefits and, when those ran out, her savings, which are now all but depleted. The good news for Carol is that after 9 months of unemployment, she will at last be going back to work at her new job at Target. But Carol will be earning significantly less than she made at her last job, and because the job is part-time, Carol will have no benefits for the next 6 months, and this is what the Bush administration calls ``turning the corner on the economy.'' Madam Speaker, 8 million people out of work, and 82 million people facing monthly premiums for health insurance that have increased by nearly 14 percent this year alone. The Carol Joneses of the world deserve better than this, much better. They deserve a real plan to jump-start the economy, a plan that lowers health care costs, that creates good-paying jobs, and gets workers back their dignity. That is what the American people want, and that is what this majority should be working on.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Obey-Miller amendment. For 70 years, overtime pay has meant time and a half in this country. It has allowed the employee some flexibility to make some extra cash to put a roof over their family's heads, to buy groceries, to pay their medical bills. And without overtime, countless Americans, including some police officers, firefighters, nurses, EMTs, would be forced to take a second job to make up for the lost earnings, meaning more time away from their families and higher child care costs. Absent this amendment, 6 million workers, some earning as little as $23,660, will lose their right to overtime pay. I might just add at this moment this is pretty much in keeping with what this administration is about when they have denied the child tax credit to those families that make from $10,500 to $26,500. So they are in keeping with trying to continually put people who are making these wages in a very difficult economic position. The rule changes that we are talking about here that went into effect in August are designed to give companies the authority to withhold rightfully earned pay by their employees by weakening the 1938 Fair Standards Labor Act, protections that safeguard our workers' rights today and make mandatory overtime a less attractive option for the employer. This paves the way for mandatory overtime, this at a time when we have more than 8 million Americans out of work, when income is declining, poverty is increasing, and 45 million Americans are without health insurance. This is an administration who says, with 8 million people out of work that they will not extend unemployment benefits. Historically, on a bipartisan basis when we have experienced significant unemployment in the United States, we have extended those benefits. But in talking some to folks at the Department of Labor, they have said that the reason why they will not extend those benefits is because if we do it, these workers will not go out and look for a job. It gives us some idea of what kind of an opinion and view that this administration has for those who work for a living. Would that they would walk in the shoes of working men and women in this great country of ours. To those who would argue that these rules expand overtime protections, I point them to a report by three of the highest-ranking career Department of Labor officials in the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations, which found that all but one of these changes to the overtime rules take away workers' overtime rights. Mr. Chairman, this is a matter of values, of our country's longstanding contract with working people that says hard work deserves to be rewarded. That is bedrock, that is what this Nation is built on, and yet this is an administration that will reward wealth but not work. That is what the Bush economy is all about. And these hard workers need to be rewarded especially when that work is above and beyond the call of duty after normal working hours. That contract must be honored, and I urge my colleagues to support the Obey-Miller amendment.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, each year, the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League presents the prestigious Torch of Liberty Award to a leader in the community, in recognition of their commitment and dedication to strengthening diversity. It is with great pleasure that I stand today and join the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League as they honor Michele Macauda with the 2004 Greater New Haven Torch of Liberty Award. Appointed as the President and CEO of SBC Connecticut, Ms. Macauda is the first woman to serve as the company's top executive. As a business leader in New Haven, she has worked diligently to ensure that the company continues in its commitment to the cities and towns which it serves. That commitment is more than simply delivering a service--it is about contributing to the health, vitality, and progress of the Greater New Haven area. A member of the Governor's Council on Economic Competitiveness and Technology in Connecticut, the executive committee of the Connecticut Science Center for Science and Exploration, as well as the Regional Leadership Council in New Haven; Ms. Macauda is actively involved in promoting the revitalization of both the region and the state. Just this past year, I was honored to serve with Michele as co-chair of a very special event sponsored by Y-ME of Connecticut--the first annual ``Woman of Today'' Award. Y-ME is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting women with breast cancer. Through the support of local leaders like Michele, Y-ME has become an invaluable resource to our community. In addition to her work with Y-ME, she is also actively involved in fundraising efforts for victims of domestic violence and volunteers her time with the Connecticut Special Olympics. Through her professional and volunteer activities, Ms. Macauda has demonstrated her dedication to enriching our communities and the lives of Connecticut residents. I am honored to rise today to join family, friends, colleagues, and the Connecticut Anti-Defamation League in extending my sincere congratulations to Michele Macauda as she receives the 2004 Torch of Liberty Award.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to join the community in celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the St. Mary Parochial Invitational Basketball Tournament. This is a remarkable milestone and I am proud to extend my sincerest congratulations to all of those involved in making this annual event such a great success. What first began as a two-day event with eight competing teams has grown into the longest running and largest parochial school basketball tournament in Connecticut. In this, its thirtieth year, sixty teams from across the state will participate in a two-week long tournament that will also include a cheerleading exhibition. Over seven hundred boys and girls in grades three through eight will participate--making this year's tournament a real landmark event. Each of the teams which will compete in the St. Mary Invitational have already accomplished so much. Through their hard work and efforts they have already learned one of life's most important lessons--the value of team work. Basketball, like all sports, teaches us the value of sportsmanship, camaraderie, practice, and commitment to excellence. These are skills which will serve these young people well as they begin to make a difference in the world. I am proud to extend my sincere congratulations and very best wishes to them all as they begin the tournament. I would be remiss if I did not extend a special note of thanks to the many volunteers who so generously donate their time and energy to making this event possible. Coaches, parents, faculty, administrators, and friends all play important roles in bringing the St. Mary Invitational to life. Without your dedication, commitment, and energies, we would not be able to share this very special event with our young people. The fact that many of the adults who today volunteer their time to the tournament were once players themselves is testament to the legacy of this special event. In its thirty-year history, the St. Mary Invitational has touched the lives of over fifteen thousand young people across Connecticut. It is with my deepest thanks and sincerest appreciation that I rise today to join the many well-wishers in extending my heart-felt congratulations to the St. Mary School Parochial Invitational Basketball Tournament on their 30th Anniversary. You have made such a difference in the lives of so many and I know that you will continue to leave an indelible mark on our community.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, of all the appropriations bill this body considers every year, it is the Labor-HHS and Education appropriations bill that best represents our Nation's investment in the future. Education, health care, medical research, job training, these are the things that bind us as a society and play formative roles in determining the course of this country. So the choices that we make in this bill can help to expand opportunity for generations to come, making Americans live longer, healthier, more productive lives. That is the power of this bill. At a time when so many families are faced with the rising costs of health care and college tuitions, a sluggish economy and falling wages, this bill has the opportunity to strengthen the economic, health and retirement security for every citizen in this country for generations to come. Unfortunately, this bill provides $9.5 billion less than the funding promised in the No Child Left Behind Act, and most of the shortfall is in Title I, which serves low-income children and schools with the greatest educational challenges. With an average 26 percent tuition increase in the last 2 years at 4-year public colleges and universities, this bill misses a real opportunity to impact families' lives. It freezes the Pell grant and college work study assistance program and cuts the Perkins loan program. With a hesitant economic recovery that is creating too few jobs, jobs that generally pay $9,000 less than the ones lost, we should be giving our 8 million unemployed workers the tools that they need to retrain for this new and changing economy. Instead, this bill invests $236 million less than the administration's own request for employment and training assistance programs, including a devastating cut of $88 million to the Employment Service, almost 10 percent, the building block for the Nation's one-stop employment centers. The shortfalls continue with appropriations for the Departments of Health and Human Services in the area of the National Institutes of Health. A few years ago, we were actually making good on the commitment to double that budget, but now we are barely keeping up with inflation. What that means is medical researchers, racing for lifesaving cures to diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, find themselves having to cut corners so that they can complete their research. NIH's ability to continue its support for clinical trials will be endangered. I was someone who was diagnosed with the deadliest of all gynecological cancers, ovarian, more than 18 years ago. I know firsthand how this research can save lives. It changed and it saved my life. That is the power of the NIH. I have said it before. For all their virtues, tax cuts do not save lives. Now, with our Nation at war, our economy failing millions of families, we are seeing the price all Americans have paid for these tax cuts. Child care funding is back to where it was 3 years ago. Home energy assistance is budgeted where we were 2 years ago, and Head Start, which can only serve half the eligible children, is cut in real dollar terms. Tax cuts are quite literally mortgaging the future we pass on to our children and our children's children. No appropriations bill touches the American family like this. I believe we have a moral responsibility to do better for the people of this country with this bill than we are.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to one of our community's most outstanding leaders, and my good friend, Lawrence DeNardis, as he is honored by family, friends, and colleagues for his 13 years of service as President of the University of New Haven. Larry has dedicated a lifetime of service to the community and we are certainly fortunate to have been the beneficiary of his unparalleled compassion, generosity, and commitment. For over a decade, Larry has been at the helm of the University of New Haven and under his leadership and direction the University has truly prospered. I have often spoke of our Nation's need for talented, creative educators, willing to help our young people learn and grow-- Larry is just that kind of teacher. Larry has spent most of his professional career in higher education. For 16 years he served as Associate Professor and Chairman of Political Science at Albertus Magnus College, Visiting Professor of Government at Connecticut College, Guest Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution, and seminar instructor at Yale University. His good work and diligent efforts to provide a quality education to his students has touched the lives of thousands of young people--going a long way in providing them with a strong foundation on which to build their futures. Larry's outstanding record of contributions to education has been recognized both locally and nationally. Immediately prior to his appointment as President of the University of New Haven, Larry served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Connecticut Policy and Economic Council and was appointed by former Governor Lowell Weicker as Chair of the Connecticut Board of Governors of Higher Education. Larry was also selected by former President George W. Bush for an appointment to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, a group which oversees the accreditation of institutions and associations in higher education. In addition to his distinguished career in education, Larry has also served in public life where he demonstrated a unique commitment to public service. He served five terms in the Connecticut State Senate as well as one term as the United States Representative for Connecticut's Third Congressional District. After his term in the United States House of Representatives, Larry went on to serve as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Legislation at the United States Department of Health and Human Services. He was also appointed by former President George W. Bush as a member of the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine--a position which he held for four years. It is not often that you find an individual who so willingly dedicates himself to the betterment of his community. In addition to his professional contributions, Larry has worked with numerous local business and service organizations aimed at providing a better quality of life for the residents of the Greater New Haven area. Our communities would not be the same without people like Larry, who give their time and energy to make a difference in the lives of others. Through his contributions, Larry has left an indelible mark on our community. For all of his good work, I am proud to rise today to join his wife, Mary Lou; his four children Larry, Jr., Gregory, Mark, and Lesley; family, friends, and colleagues in extending my thanks and appreciation to my friend Lawrence DeNardis. My very best wishes for many more years of health and happiness.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to join the many family, friends, and community members who have gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of one of our most outstanding leaders, and my dear friend, Reverend Abraham Marsach, as he celebrates his retirement. However, I am quite sure that his retirement does not mean the end of his advocacy and activism. As we have seen across the Nation, the Hispanic community in New Haven, has grown and flourished over the last several decades. As it has grown, so has its demands for strong, vocal advocates willing to stand and fight for the needs of its members. Reverend Marsach has been just this kind of advocate--a passionate, active leader who has made a real difference in the lives of many. It is not often that you find such dedicated individuals who commit themselves so fully to the betterment of their community. As both a community and spiritual leader, Reverend Marsach has touched the lives of thousands in New Haven. In his role as President of the Asociacion Ministerial Evangelica Hispana de New Haven, he helped to unite religious leaders across the community and worked with municipal leaders to effect change in the community. The founder of Junta for Progressive Action, he created a social service agency which has helped thousands in New Haven's Hispanic community access the programs and services they need to improve their quality of life. Mentor, leader, advocate, and friend--Reverend Marsach is a true community treasure. Reverend Marsach has been a fixture in our community for many years and we owe him a great debt of gratitude for the multitude of contributions he has made that have enriched all of our lives. As a spiritual guide at the Star of Jacob Christian Church in New Haven, he has nourished the souls of many, often providing much needed comfort in the hardest of personal trials. I would be remiss if I did not personally thank him for the wonderful tribute that he made to Maria Perez, a member of my staff who passed away just over two years ago. He shared a unique friendship with Maria and his words were of great comfort to her family and my staff during a most difficult time. Through his hard work and unparalleled dedication, Reverend Marsach has left an indelible mark on the New Haven community and a legacy that will inspire generations to come. For his innumerable contributions and selfless dedication, I am proud to stand today to extend my deepest thanks and sincerest appreciation. It gives me great pleasure to join his wife, Margarita, his three daughters, family, friends, and the New Haven community in congratulating Reverend Abraham Marsach as he celebrates his retirement. My very best wishes for many more years of health and happiness.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to serve on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, which provides funding that supports many of the most important segments of our economy--from farm to table; and the programs that create our food safety net. Given our current budget limitations, the Committee has done a good job with what little funds they had, but it is simply not enough. This bill leaves us with a serious shortfall in our effort to protect against bio-terrorism directed toward our food supply. The Committee provided just 40 percent of the total increase requested by both Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to improve food security. Especially in light of the new homeland security warnings we have just heard from the Administration, this is a threat we cannot afford to ignore, but our growing budget deficit has left us without the funds to address issue. I am troubled that this bill reduces funding for the Women Infants and Children (WIC) program by about $150 million. This nutrition program serves our poorest women and children--it touches the lives of every 5 people in the United States--and each dollar invested in the program saves more than three dollars in other government spending on programs such as Medicaid. Shortfalls in programs like WIC and in bio-security are the result of the fiscal irresponsibility of the Republican Leadership. Choosing to provide trillions of dollars of tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans has left us faced with an increasingly broken food safety net, rising rural poverty, and potential bio-security threats for all. And so, Mr. Chairman, while I support this bill, I believe we can and should do better--for the sake of the health and security of every citizen in this country--young and old, rich or poor--this Congress has a moral obligation to do better.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to join with this diverse group of Members who may not always agree on many things, but we do agree that taxpayer dollars should never be used to subsidize companies who have incorporated on paper overseas in order to avoid living up to their responsibilities to the United States of America. Corporate expatriates cost our country $5 billion in lost tax revenue. Any reasonable person might assume that they would not also continue to benefit from government largess. But they are wrong, because these companies continue to receive billions of dollars in government contracts. I am pleased that the House finally passed, as part of the Homeland Security appropriation bill, my amendment to prevent that Department from contracting with corporate expatriates, one small step in an effort that is far from over. Today's amendment is another important step in that effort. It will prohibit the Export-Import Bank from approving subsidized loans and loan guarantees to corporate expatriates. Unbelievably, five of the largest recipients of Export-Import Bank assistance since 2003 are corporate expatriates. In 2002, Ingersoll-Rand saved up to $60 million in U.S. taxes by reincorporating in Bermuda. Since that time, they have received over $370 million in subsidized loans, loan guarantees, and other financial assistance from the Export-Import Bank. Ask any American, whether they be a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent or a Libertarian, they will tell you the same thing. This is an outrage. How can we explain this to the American people? How can we explain it to our constituents? Corporate expatriates put good corporate citizens, who stay in America and pay their taxes, at a permanent competitive disadvantage. In the end, that hurts American companies who do pay their taxes and who employ citizens all across this Nation. We cannot afford to reward companies who shun their responsibilities of American citizenship at the expense of loyal American businesses and contractors. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Stop government subsidies of corporate expatriates. They have a choice. They can leave this country, and they cannot pay their taxes. We have a choice. We should set the standard, we should set the tone, we should set the obligation that if they are going to do that and not pay taxes in this country, then, in fact, they cannot feed at the public trough and get government contracts.

Ms. DeLAURO. I thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I would like to engage in a colloquy with the chairman and ranking member. I appreciate their work in crafting this bill. It is a good bill, and I will support it. I understand that the bill is a delicate balance, negotiated down to the last dollar. It is a good example of bipartisanship and what we can accomplish when Members of both parties work together. Mr. Chairman, I would like to add my voice to those who support increased funding for the Child Survival and Maternal Health programs. Currently, 30,000 children under the age of 5 die every day, more than 10 million per year, from easily preventable or treatable diseases each year. Millions of children die in their first month or even year of life from malnutrition, diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and other common childhood diseases. Such high rates of child mortality have a devastating impact on families and communities in countries around the world. These 10 million deaths are not inevitable. The health conditions that often prove fatal for young children can be treated and prevented with inexpensive interventions that have proven to be effective. Millions of children today are already benefiting from these interventions, many as a result of programs implemented by USAID or the United Nations Children's Fund, using the resources provided by the Child Survival and Maternal Health Fund. In 2000, the United States joined 188 other member nations of the United Nations pledging to reduce child deaths worldwide by two-thirds and maternal deaths by three-fourths before 2015. An increase in the Child Survival Account will help us get there. As the chairman and ranking member know, I had considered offering an amendment that would have raised funding for this account. At the request of the gentleman from Arizona and the gentlewoman from New York, I did not offer it, but I want to say that the child survival programs are critical to our Nation's leadership on global health issues, and I would urge them to support the highest possible allocation for child health programs as this bill moves through the rest of the legislative process. I thank them for the opportunity to engage in this colloquy.

Ms. DeLAURO. I thank the gentleman. Amendment Offered by Mr. Deal of Georgia

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the Australia Free Trade Agreement is for the most part a good agreement with a strong U.S. ally. But because it is becoming increasingly clear that the reimportation of prescription drugs from other countries is on the horizon, so much so that even the Secretary of Health and Human Services has said that it is coming, this administration, in cooperation with this majority, has included a provision into a bill designed to stave off the inevitable, this time interfering with the reimportation of a patented product into the United States in a trade agreement and setting a bad precedent for other agreements with western developed countries. American seniors, fed up with discount cards that do nothing to reduce their drug costs, should not be fooled by this. The Republican leadership has failed to win the reimportation debate on every level. The American people disagree with them. Their own members disagree with them. Absent Republican support, this body would not have voted to legalize the practice last year with 243 bipartisan Members. Putting any reimportation legislation passed by this Congress in violation of free trade is their goal in this agreement. It is not enough for the drug companies to do everything in their power to prevent the United States from lowering the cost of drugs. Now, through international trade laws, they are trying to cut off the ability of others to reimport safe, affordable drugs and the efforts of what other countries do for their citizens as well. So when the United States Trade Representative says that his core objectives in negotiating this deal were ``rewarding innovation and R&D'' and ``due process,'' what he is actually saying is that the drug companies should be able to keep their prices as high as they want for as long as they want in America and across the world. Before we press ahead with this Free Trade Agreement offered under a closed, nonamendable process, I urge my colleagues to consider the very serious ramifications of this bill on every single person in this country struggling to keep up with the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. Absent allowing the Federal Government to negotiate the price of prescription drugs, the safe importation of drugs from other countries is the only way that ordinary people can afford the drugs they need. That is what is at stake with this legislation.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained yesterday due to severe weather that prevented me from arriving in Washington, DC from Connecticut in time for House business. Due to the storm, I missed a series of votes (rollcall Nos. 359-362) on the FY 2005 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 359, ``no'' on rollcall No. 360, ``aye'' on rollcall No. 361, and ``aye'' on rollcall No. 362.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to join the many family, friends, and community members who have gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of one of our most outstanding leaders, and my dear friend--Reverend Abraham Marsach--as he celebrates his retirement. However, I am quite sure that his retirement does not mean the end of his advocacy and activism. As we have seen across the nation, the Hispanic community in New Haven has grown and flourished over the last several decades. As it has grown so has its demands for strong, vocal advocates willing to stand and fight for the needs of its members. Reverend Marsach has been just this kind of advocate--a passionate, active leader who has made a real difference in the lives of many. It is not often that you find such dedicated individuals who commit themselves so fully to the betterment of their community. As both a community and spiritual leader, Reverend Marsach has touched the lives of thousands in New Haven. In his role as President of the Asociacion Ministerial Evangelica Hispana de New Haven he helped to unite religious leaders across the community and worked with municipal leaders to effect change in the community. The founder of Junta for Progressive Action, he created a social service agency which has helped thousands in New Haven's Hispanic community access the programs and services they need to improve their quality of life. Mentor, leader, advocate, and friend--Reverend Marsach is a true community treasure. Reverend Marsach has been a fixture in our community for many years and we owe him a great debt of gratitude for the multitude of contributions he has made that have enriched all of our lives. As a spiritual guide at the Star of Jacob Christian Church in New Haven, he has nourished the souls of many--often providing much needed comfort in the hardest of personal trials. I would be remiss if I did not personally thank him for the wonderful tribute that he made to Maria Perez--a member of my staff who passed away just over two years ago. He shared a unique friendship with Maria and his words were of great comfort to her family and my staff during a most difficult time. Through his hard work and unparalleled dedication, Reverend Marsach has left an indelible mark on the New Haven community and a legacy that will inspire generations to come. For his innumerable contributions and selfless dedication, I am proud to stand today to extend my deepest thanks and sincerest appreciation. It gives me great pleasure to join his wife, Margarita, his three daughters, family, friends, and the New Haven community in congratulating Reverend Abraham Marsach as he celebrates his retirement. My very best wishes for many more years of health and happiness.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to join the community in celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the St. Mary Parochial Invitational Basketball Tournament. This is a remarkable milestone and I am proud to extend my sincerest congratulations to all of those involved in making this annual event such a great success. What first began as a two-day event with eight competing teams has grown into the longest running and largest parochial school basketball tournament in Connecticut. In this, its 30th year, sixty teams from across the state will participate in a two-week long tournament that will also include a cheerleading exhibition. Over seven hundred boys and girls in grades three through eight will participate--making this year's tournament a real landmark event. Each of the teams which will compete in the St. Mary Invitational have already accomplished so much. Through their hard work and efforts they have already learned one of life's most important lessons--the value of team work. Basketball, like all sports, teaches us the value of sportsmanship, camaraderie, practice, and commitment to excellence. These are skills which will serve these young people well as they begin to make a difference in the world. I am proud to extend my sincere congratulations and very best wishes to them all as they begin the tournament. I would be remiss if I did not extend a special note of thanks to the many volunteers who so generously donate their time and energy to making this event possible. Coaches, parents, faculty, administrators, and friends all play important roles in bringing the St. Mary Invitational to life. Without your dedication, commitment, and energies, we would not be able to share this very special event with our young people. The fact that many of the adults who today volunteer their time to the tournament were once players themselves is testament to the legacy of this special event. In its thirty-year history, the St. Mary Invitational has touched the lives of over fifteen thousand young people across Connecticut. It is with my deepest thanks and sincerest appreciation that I rise today to join the many well-wishers in extending my heart-felt congratulations to the St. Mary School Parochial Invitational Basketball Tournament on their 30th Anniversary. You have made such a difference in the lives of so many and I know that you will continue to leave an indelible mark on our community.